Vehicle - Aircraft: the Hammerhead

Xenostalker · 2012-07-30, 04:06 AM

Hammerhead

Vehicle type: Aircraft
Seats: 1 (Pilot)
Role: Air-to-ground support
Common Pool Vehicle

Alternative vehicle feats:

Vehicle type: Aircraft
Seats: 4 (Pilot, Gunner, Passenger, Passenger)
Role: Air-to-ground support, Light transport
Weapons: Nose Cannon (20mm)

Possible alias: "HH" "Hamma"

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Concept Art: http://s10.postimage.org/5z8eq63d5/Hammerheadjpg.jpg
(The side view is pretty sloppy but it gives the general idea)

Faction Themes: http://s8.postimage.org/wyam89ch1/Co...d_Concepts.jpg

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Overview:

The Hammerhead is an air support aircraft designed to carry supply caches into the primary battle zone.

Supply caches offer a variety of effects and benefits to ground forces.

Inspiration for this idea comes directly from Battlefield 2142's supply drop feature for commanders.

Supply Caches/Modules:

Default suggestion:
•Role-specific

A variety of supply caches and modules are available. These may be unlocked through certifications or other means.

Vehicle Repair Cache: Repairs nearby vehicles over time (not as effective as direct repairs via engineers).

Infantry Repair Cache: Heals/Repairs nearby infantry over time (not as effective as direct heals/repairs via medics).

Infantry Resupply Cache (Default variant): Resupplies ammunition for ground forces.

Alternative #1:
•Combines the effects into more standardized purposes.

Vehicle Resupply Cache: Repairs and rearms nearby vehicles over time.

Infantry Resupply Cache: Repairs/heals and rearms nearby infantry units over time.

Alternative #2:
•A single all-purpose resupply cache that is improved by certifications (e.g +10% duration or +10% faster recovery etc.)

Resupply Cache: Repairs and rearms nearby infantry and vehicles over time.

Alternative #3:
•Deployable defenses, some are activated and fully deployed by ground troops.

Vehicle Resupply Cache: Repairs and rearms nearby vehicles over time.

Infantry Resupply Cache: Repairs/heals and rearms nearby infantry units over time.

Shield Generator: Protective dome; vulnerable to enemy fire and EMPs. Requires activation/deployment from ground troops.

Stealth Field Generator: Protective dome; imperfect illusion but can be seen by thermal optics. Requires activation/deployment from ground troops.

Compact Fortifications: Small caches that can be deployed by ground forces to accomodate other deployables such as turrets, etc.

Details:

A resupply cache does not act as an equipment terminal for obvious reasons: overlapping roles, possibly overpowered, etc.

A single Hammerhead aircraft is equipped with one supply cache and a light nose gun. The pilot may drop the supply cache at any designated area. A supply cache arrives to the ground gently via deployable parachute that auto-deploys at a certain altitude as it approaches the ground. If a cache is destroyed, visit [if they still have these] a vehicle resupply depot to receive a new cache.

A supply cache may be destroyed by enemy or friendly fire. The supply cache is also vulnerable to falling damage if it slides off of a tower, etc.

Supply caches deployed near doorways or terminals will despawn after X seconds to prevent blockage or aggrivating pathing.

Supply caches will kill infantry units should it land on them. No damage is done to vehicles.

Possible Features & Brainstorming:

Squadmate or platoon member uses tactical squad emote "Requesting Supply/Infantry Repair/Vehicle Repair cache!" - marker is placed at their location (marker has a cooldown to prevent annoying spam/trolls) if player is piloting Hammerhead.

Supply caches can be picked up and relocated. A lock/unlock feature can allow/disallow other hammerheads from interfering with the cache.

Can steal enemy hammerhead supply caches using the "load cache" feature (or whatever it would be called).

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Suggested changes + comments:

Originally Posted by Gonzo

Maybe the Infantry heal and resupply should be combined into a single module, with a vehicle-focused counterpart for repairs and rearming

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Aside from the supply caches and repair stations, specialized drops might include:
-Shield generator (Dome, falls under heavy fire, vulnerable to EMPs)
-Stealth field generator (Dome, imperfect illusion, more noticible or ineffective to Thermal sights)
-Compact fortifications (Barricades and small bunkers, providing good spots for Engineers to set-up turrets in cover)

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More advanced or powerful modules would require activation by a friendly player once they landed before they fully construct(Yay Nanites), and players could maybe even choose to deconstruct/remove a module instead of activating it. This could justify the passenger capability-carry a couple buddies to jump out and flip the switch on your drops.

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Another item that could have real use is a droppable radar/sensor station. Give a boost to everyone's minimap detection in a local area. Upgrade it for jamming capabilities to block enemy radar. An expensive/high-level cert could give it some sort of OS jamming.

Originally Posted by Littleman

Sure, it will overlap with other roles, but the deployables would be temporary, yet superior to what an engineer can drop down. Having an engineer handy would just be immediate and regenerative(?,) as opposed to calling in a supply craft that might get shot down if the airspace is too hot and if not, it would have to return to a depot to grab another drop.

One final suggestion: 5 man cargo hold option for a light and quick aerial transport?

Originally Posted by Phisionary

I thought it would be interesting to have some sort of courier missions, or pickup missions or something. Having a general purpose transport aircraft, you could implement a lot of various new game mechanics, maybe in conjunction with the mission system.

Gugabalog · 2012-07-30, 08:28 AM

This is an interesting idea, but don't the engineer and sunderer already fulfill this?

Gonzo · 2012-07-30, 01:52 PM

You could argue that this could reach areas that the Sunderer couldn't get to, but so can an Engineer with a MAST deployable.

I think that the best way to implement something like this is to expand its uses. Maybe the Infantry heal and resupply should be combined into a single module, with a vehicle-focused counterpart for repairs and rearming. In addition to resupply/repair stations, the aircraft should be able to haul in defensive infrastructure-stationary turrets, barricades and compact bunkers perhaps. When coming back to an airpad to resupply, the pilot should maybe get to choose from a list of modules he/she has certed into, which would improve the aircraft's versatility.

Gugabalog · 2012-07-30, 02:09 PM

What's a MAST?

Phisionary · 2012-07-30, 02:19 PM

I thought it would be interesting to have some sort of courier missions, or pickup missions or something. Having a general purpose transport aircraft, you could implement a lot of various new game mechanics, maybe in conjunction with the mission system. Transporting critical cargo from point to point across enemy territory (and the fighter support defending the cargo carriers). Or having to retrieve meteor fragments for a resource bonus or something. Set up a spawn, defend the fragment, and hold the area until some number of cargo vehicles can arrive and load up.

I'm hoping that PS2, with it's new scale, has a lot of room for new elements to the metagame. RTS sort-of elements, where you are battling around something happening, or someone trying to accomplish something in particular, rather than just base captures. This kind of new aircraft could help in that direction, as well as adding some cool new possible support role opportunities. I like it.

Gonzo · 2012-07-30, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by Gugabalog

What's a MAST?

Deployable resupply terminal for the Engineer.

Mobile Armament Supply Terminal, or something like that.

Not 100% how much it can do, only been seen in the Cert Screen.

KimJongLulz · 2012-07-30, 03:49 PM

So....kinda like Project Reality's logi truck?

Xenostalker · 2012-07-30, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by Gugabalog

This is an interesting idea, but don't the engineer and sunderer already fulfill this?

To a point. It offers a different approach to ground support.

It would provide an incredible source for squad/platoon missions, though.

I think that the best way to implement something like this is to expand its uses. Maybe the Infantry heal and resupply should be combined into a single module

I was thinking the same, but it's all open to discussion. I limited the suggested uses so that it doesn't become the do-all support unit of the game and overlap other roles. The primary role it would serve (as suggested) would be quick ground support (and versatile - it can be about anywhere at any time).

Marinealver · 2012-08-01, 11:33 AM

Sundeerer and what ever class drops the ammo packs. i hope they take it away from light assault and give it to some other class. HA mabey.

Xenostalker · 2012-08-01, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Marinealver

Sundeerer and what ever class drops the ammo packs. i hope they take it away from light assault and give it to some other class. HA mabey.

I thought they already took away ammo packs from light assault.

Zidane · 2012-08-01, 08:39 PM

hmmmm interesting concept....

Littleman · 2012-08-01, 09:31 PM

I actually like this. It's not like it's beyond SOE to grant experience to the supplier for every person that makes use of the deployable. Sure, it will overlap with other roles, but the deployables would be temporary, yet superior to what an engineer can drop down. Having an engineer handy would just be immediate and regenerative(?,) as opposed to calling in a supply craft that might get shot down if the airspace is too hot and if not, it would have to return to a depot to grab another drop.

One final suggestion: 5 man cargo hold option for a light and quick aerial transport?

Xenostalker · 2012-08-01, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by Littleman

I actually like this. It's not like it's beyond SOE to grant experience to the supplier for every person that makes use of the deployable. Sure, it will overlap with other roles, but the deployables would be temporary, yet superior to what an engineer can drop down. Having an engineer handy would just be immediate and regenerative(?,) as opposed to calling in a supply craft that might get shot down if the airspace is too hot and if not, it would have to return to a depot to grab another drop.

One final suggestion: 5 man cargo hold option for a light and quick aerial transport?

One final suggestion: 5 man cargo hold option for a light and quick aerial transport?

Perhaps a variant that gets rid of the supply drop mechanism and instead turns the Hammerhead into a light transport aircraft?

Though I would limit it to maybe... three or four passengers and it wouldn't be a very tough vehicle (no weapon either?). There needs to be reason for having a single Galaxy (for example) instead of three or four hammerheads (Galaxy is tougher, more precise/coordinated drops, but is slower and a bigger target than a hammerhead).

On the same token, a Galaxy acts as a deployed respawn location. A Hammerhead transport variant would simply serve for passenger relocation (award experience for dropping them off, then perhaps bonus exp' if they score kills?).

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On second thought, though. Having a supply drop + passenger cargo would have great synergy. Drop a supply cache where you load your troops off, etc.

Definitely helps reinforce the idea of moving troops around quickly instead of "okay, the Galaxy is landed; have fun."

Gonzo · 2012-08-02, 01:45 AM

I do believe that PS2 needs a light transport aircraft for 5 passengers or so, but I don't think this should be it. I think a crew of four could be okay, one pilot, one gunner with a light weapon, and two passengers. This allows it to carry a small group, while keeping its main focus on the cargo. This kind of aircraft shouldn't be zipping around at the front lines too much. Get in, drop aid, and get out before you catch too much fire.

I do think it is important to keep it focused on the logistics/engineering role, with options that definitely set it apart from the other support vehicles and deployables. There has been a fair amount of demand for player constructed bases or outposts, and I think the Hammerhead could be a good way of implementing that. This is something that will set the niche for the aircraft that meshes well with existing vehicles.

Aside from the supply caches and repair stations, specialized drops might include:
-Shield generator (Dome, falls under heavy fire, vulnerable to EMPs)
-Stealth field generator (Dome, imperfect illusion, more noticible or ineffective to Thermal sights)
-Compact fortifications (Barricades and small bunkers, providing good spots for Engineers to set-up turrets in cover)

All of these could be destroyed, the durability would obviously vary. Turrets and fortifications would be best taken on with AV weapons, while other items would be more fragile.

More advanced or powerful modules would require activation by a friendly player once they landed before they fully construct(Yay Nanites), and players could maybe even choose to deconstruct/remove a module instead of activating it. This could justify the passenger capability-carry a couple buddies to jump out and flip the switch on your drops.

Phisionary · 2012-08-02, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by Gonzo

There has been a fair amount of demand for player constructed bases or outposts, and I think the Hammerhead could be a good way of implementing that. This is something that will set the niche for the aircraft that meshes well with existing vehicles.

Aside from the supply caches and repair stations, specialized drops might include:
-Shield generator (Dome, falls under heavy fire, vulnerable to EMPs)
-Stealth field generator (Dome, imperfect illusion, more noticible or ineffective to Thermal sights)
-Compact fortifications (Barricades and small bunkers, providing good spots for Engineers to set-up turrets in cover)

^^^
This.

Great idea, I like this. I'd like to see other air strats. besides galaxy drop.

I like the idea of these being sort-of a flying SCV. Building structures, carrying things, providing support. Instead of a direct repair, you could pre-build a repair station (or a heal station, or resupply station maybe?) in the cargo bay, then land and deploy it. They become a vehicular complement to the medic/engy support class, essentially. With a half-dozen and some engy's you could use to set up a forward attack position very quickly. With a galaxy as spawn, a shield or cloak, and some AA defense, you'd have a respectable base.