Gameplay: Central Command Centers

[Maelios]

So I saw a suggestion on a thread about orbital strikes to create a Central Command type of facility from which players with a certain command cert would be able to access specific abilities, player objectives, and orders commands. So I thought about how it might work and came up with this idea.

The Central Command Center:

The idea itself is fairly simple. A central command structure somewhere on the map or separately instanced. The structure itself would be small and hidden. An example of a location would be near the warpgate somewhere underground with a tunnel from the main warpgate facility connecting to it. Within the CCC (Central Command Center) there would be eleven command terminals that only players with a certain command cert could access.
The CCC would hopefully solve some of the more controversial topics such as orbital strikes.

Part I: The Command Terminal

The Command Terminal would be the primary access point to the features of the CCC and would function like a turret in that only one player may access it at a time and the player would be inside the terminal and impervious to damage while using the terminal. Only players who have certed a specific cert that unlocks the command terminal could use it. The cert itself would not be too expensive, however, expensive enough to deter most trolls. (I was thinking along the lines of 250-500 certs). Once "inside" the command terminal the player would utilize an interactive map that leads me into the next point Orders and Player Missions.

Part II: Orders and Player Missions

The players using the command terminals would be able to give orders with a new command chat. This command chat would replace the old command chat and would eliminate the zergfit recruiters. Players that want to give orders would then use the interactive map by selecting a territory and opening a menu. The menu would consist of several options one of which would be orders. There would be several orders option such as attack, defend, repair etc. These orders would appear over orders chat and on the center of all the players screen on the that continent. Each order would act as a player generated mission and players fighting toward that mission would get bonus exp. and the player that created the mission would get partial exp. For example, an NC commander gives an order to attack Hvar Tech Plant. All players will be alerted on their screens that an order has been given to capture Hvar Tech Plant. All soldiers fight there would get double exp. for fifteen minutes until the order expires. If the soldiers capture Hvar Tech they would get 2000 exp. and the commander would get 1000 exp. Other types of orders can be given and if you have suggestions for more post them below. A commander may only give an order once every ten minutes unless he/she is the Force Commander.

Part III:

A: The Force Commander

This one is interesting. The Force commander is somebody who is voted into this position by the other commanders. Their role is to be the lead commander and because of this gain access to more abilities aside from orders. The Force commander only needs a majority vote to be in his/her position and is in retains this position until he/she logs off, leaves the command terminal, or is voted out by the other members. In any voting situation the Force commander's vote counts thrice and the force commander may give orders every 2 1/2 minutes as opposed to ten.

B: Ablilities

This one will be the most controversial but it needs to be out there anyway.

i. Auraxium:

Also something I saw suggested, the (re)introduction of this resource could be the limiting factor for many of these abilities. In short Auraxium would be a resource collected faction-wide and would only be spendable by the commanders. Auraxium would be obtained by capturing territories. Territories that had not been capped in a long time would yield more Auraxium than other territories.

Territory Cap: 25 Auraxium for Small Facilities, 50 for Large and 100 for Main Bases + 10 for every hour not capped.

ii. Ablilties:

The majority of abilities would be accessible to all the commanders. Examples are creating hot-drop zones, or calling in small tactical airstrikes. All of these abilities would cost Auraxium and just like weapons or vehicles there would be some faction neutral abilities and some faction specific. If you have ideas for different abilities post them below.

iii. Orbital Strikes:

The big one, the one we can't decide on, the one that we fear will break the game. ORBITAL STRIKES! The tense, exhilarating, fulfilling moment where all your enemies are crushed by an huge KEW or device. Well they take some precision in design don't they? They can't be too powerful or too common, and you certainly can't let trolls get a hold of them. So what do we do? Well we make them A. unique B. Rare C. Hard to obtain and D. Expensive. So the system I came up with hopefully covers all those points. I'll start with A.

A. Unique:

The orbital strikes should be faction specific so I came up with an idea for each faction's Orbital Strike Weapon Ideas and would like feedback.

TR: A series of shells fired from orbit that break apart in the atmosphere creating bullet like projectiles that fall to the surface nigh on instantaneously killing all infantry in the target area

NC: An EMP device fired into the lower atmosphere and detonated resulting in all vehicles in the target area being disabled until destroyed or deconstructed.

VS: A Nanite reprogramming device that causes Nanites in a target area to attack and deconstruct all living tissue for 10 minutes resulting in a prolonged area denial. The zone would deal damage similar to a restricted area pain zone.

Target Area = One current in-game hex.

B. Rare:

All orbital strikes would have a four hour cooldown

C. Hard to obtain:

Only the Force Commander could order an orbital strike and even if he did it would go to a majority vote system within the CCC.

D. Expensive

The Orbital strikes would cost 10000 Auraxium at the least.

Let me know your thoughts on the orbital strike idea.




Conclusion: The CCC system would create a huge meta-game shift and change the face of the game. The system would appeal to the more strategically minded players and would create a solution to many of the controversial topics on the Roadmap. The CCC would make faction coordination much easier and make the guiding of pugs much easier.


Questions:

Is the system too complex?

What further suggestions might you have?

Could this system create an elitist commander community?

Does this give players too much control over their faction?

Would the metagame shift be a good thing?

Things to remember before posting:

Try to make your post constructive.

No system is perfect, but we must find the one that is the closest to perfection.