Gameplay: Convoy mission

[Dima]

Originally Posted by Toppopia

I was thinking, i wonder what would happen if i started a thread to discuss the different 'game modes' we could have, seeing right now we have domination, so maybe they could add in capture the flag like what was in PS1, or escort, where a convoy has to be driven from point A to point B, and all the enemy is told is the path, like the intercept missions in Red Faction Guerilla. But then people would probably not take it seriously, so i don't think i will do that, but different versions of domination would add more variety and spice up game play.

And the option the original poster came up with is like an Assault Game type, capture points that allows you to move up to another set of points, like in Time Splitters 2 and Time Splitters: Future Perfect

I saw this guys post with the convoy mini objective idea and I thought to myself "man, this sounds pretty awesome" and then I started thinking how it should be like in the environment of PS2 and this is what I came up with:

An AI controlled truck that moves at a slow-medium speed equipped with a dome shield a gunner seat that can be manned (AA will fit best) and some passenger seats starts heading out from the main base to one of the front line bases (only if the path is connected) once in a while in a randomish fashion (like once in 1-3 hours).

The defenders have a 10 minute warning before the truck starts heading out while attackers will have only a 3 minute warning, the only information that will be given to both sides is where it starts at and where it currently is on the map (might want to blur that out for attackers to only show the hex its at at the given moment and only give precise place if somebody directly spots it).

If the defenders manage to successfully bring the truck to its destination then the faction gets a bonus to resources on the other hand if the attackers manage to destroy the convoy then they will need to hold it for a certain amount of time to salvage it and then they are the ones to get the bonus, the defenders can on their part destroy the ruins of the track to prevent the attackers from salvaging it and the bonus will be lost.

Now all the things like the time intervals between convoys heading out, the resource bonus they give, the shields strength, time to salvage etc etc are all variables that can be balanced out and the goal is to make it so that attacking/defending a convoy wont be significant enough for people to zerg around it and abandon towers and bases from one hand but also give a satisfying award on the other... Maybe make it so the more convoys reach their destination one after the other the more bonus resources they will give, first will give a very small amount, second will give a little more and so on until it gets capped at a certain point.

Also there is need to make it look insignificant for new players to prevent zerging maybe by calling it a 'side quest' or something similar, you know, "printing it out in small letters".

It will most likely require some testing to balance out but the variety and depth this mechanic adds to the game is amazing, for myself it gives me a much bigger sense of war and also a sense of a dynamic and changing world, I really hope that it will be implemented to the game!

[Toppopia]

Sounds good, what about allowing Players to drive the vehicle? Because some people won't like bots and will probably get annoyed at the AI used to drive the vehicles. And having multiple vehicles in the convoy so if even 1 makes it, you get some resources and xp.

[Purple]

they wont allow AI controlled anything at this point. it would be a fun idea if players could drive it.

[Dima]

Originally Posted by Toppopia

Sounds good, what about allowing Players to drive the vehicle? Because some people won't like bots and will probably get annoyed at the AI used to drive the vehicles. And having multiple vehicles in the convoy so if even 1 makes it, you get some resources and xp.

Yeah but how do you chose who is the one that gets to drive it and how do you know he is not a dumbass/troll?
Also its not really 'AI controlled' because it does not make any decisions, it just goes in a fixed path, no real intelligence involved there.
Guess calling it an AI flipped the wrong switch for you guys, that doesn't count as adding bots to the game (which would most likely be terrible)

[Toppopia]

Originally Posted by Dima

Yeah but how do you chose who is the one that gets to drive it and how do you know he is not a dumbass/troll?
Also its not really 'AI controlled' because it does not make any decisions, it just goes in a fixed path, no real intelligence involved there.
Guess calling it an AI flipped the wrong switch for you guys, that doesn't count as adding bots to the game (which would most likely be terrible)

First people to hop in? And maybe only a certain level can use the vehicle, like a high command rank, because people that try to be all strategic and have a high command level will 99% of the time not be trolls. Hopefully.

[Garem]

I love the idea, and this very thing has been discussed before. Wars don't just happen on the battlefront, and that would be well reflected by this sort of thing.

Try to change the hearts of the "NO 'NPCS' EVER" crowd first. I've found them to be either unreasonable or immovable, or both, so far.

[Dagron]

I like it and i have no problem with the truck driving itself.
But in case the ghost driver doesn't fly with too many people and you want to avoid trolls taking the wheel, maybe the reward could be different, something only serious players would bother with.

For instance, something like base defense upgrades (e.g. better turrets) instead of resources. That way, the only people who would bother getting a convoy going (or hunting one down) would be those who value the importance of a base, not the kids that only do things to score some quick currency. (I may be wrong here)
In that case, convoys might have cooldowns so they couldn't be spammed, but they would only start when someone triggered them, and to avoid trolls triggering them and suiciding, make it COST resources.

Just spit ballin: maybe that's a good idea, maybe it gives someone else a better idea. So... thoughts?

[Toppopia]

I know what awesome vehicle would be in the convoy, the Sunderer, it looks like a transport, and has a gun on top, would be perfect as the vehicle to protect.

[GhettoPrince]

I get where your coming from, ANT runs were about as fun as watching paint dry, but I think if you really had to resupply a base like that it would make more sense to do air drops.

[Dagron]

He's not looking for realism, he just wants more gameplay modes. Air drops wouldn't be as challenging as guarding a slow ground convoy, attackers would often not even learn about it because it'd be so quick (and it would be an almost exclusively aerial game mode).

But i see your point and i agree that at least some sense it should make.

The basic idea of the convoy is having a mobile base assault, in a smaller scale (but with the potential to attract attention and become a big battle). Maybe there's another way to do something around that concept.

[Dima]

Originally Posted by Dagron

I like it and i have no problem with the truck driving itself.
But in case the ghost driver doesn't fly with too many people and you want to avoid trolls taking the wheel, maybe the reward could be different, something only serious players would bother with.

For instance, something like base defense upgrades (e.g. better turrets) instead of resources. That way, the only people who would bother getting a convoy going (or hunting one down) would be those who value the importance of a base, not the kids that only do things to score some quick currency. (I may be wrong here)
In that case, convoys might have cooldowns so they couldn't be spammed, but they would only start when someone triggered them, and to avoid trolls triggering them and suiciding, make it COST resources.

Just spit ballin: maybe that's a good idea, maybe it gives someone else a better idea. So... thoughts?

I do like the base upgrade idea but if people are the ones driving the convoy then they could just exploit it for easy xp - take a convoy, drive it to a nearby base, repeat...I think its a too big of a thing to let people troll around with, especially in a f2p game...
About the base upgrade, that sounds pretty cool, some more tactical options, maybe make a vote among the high ranked players on which base should be reinforced

Originally Posted by Toppopia

I know what awesome vehicle would be in the convoy, the Sunderer, it looks like a transport, and has a gun on top, would be perfect as the vehicle to protect.

Yeah but I would feel weird if it was not driven by a player, but I guess its alright if the developers are too lazy to make a new module for the truck

Originally Posted by GhettoPrince

I get where your coming from, ANT runs were about as fun as watching paint dry, but I think if you really had to resupply a base like that it would make more sense to do air drops.

Lets just say the load is too heavy for an aircraft to carry...
Also I'm not sure what you mean by "ant run" but if that just a name you gave to the convoy mission-thing-y then its good that its fun for only a part of the players, I wouldn't want too much people to focus on it, maybe 20v20...
For me I think I would enjoy the element of surprise in which you have no idea where the enemy will come from and if they'll come at all, but you still need to keep rolling with convoy regardless.

[Toppopia]

I would want a player driven vehicle, because it allows crazy tactics to ensue, like darting around trees or driving off road. where as an AI would just drive a pre determined course.

And ANT runs were in Planetside, i think it was collecting energy from a base and taking it somewhere.

[Dima]

Originally Posted by Toppopia

I would want a player driven vehicle, because it allows crazy tactics to ensue, like darting around trees or driving off road. where as an AI would just drive a pre determined course.

And ANT runs were in Planetside, i think it was collecting energy from a base and taking it somewhere.

It would also allow for some other crazy tactics like randomly driving it off a cliff, driving the truck to a place where your friends from other factions can just destroy it for easy exp and then swapping, afking in driver seat, new players that don't know the road and just randomly spazzing around all over the map and the list goes on and so on...
The only way I can see that working is if every one could get themselves a truck and just drive it, but then it just becomes insignificant and adds nothing interesting to the game.
I would really want that only serious and good players would be driving but I cant see that happening in a f2p game =\

[Toppopia]

Originally Posted by Dima

It would also allow for some other crazy tactics like randomly driving it off a cliff, driving the truck to a place where your friends from other factions can just destroy it for easy exp and then swapping, afking in driver seat, new players that don't know the road and just randomly spazzing around all over the map and the list goes on and so on...
The only way I can see that working is if every one could get themselves a truck and just drive it, but then it just becomes insignificant and adds nothing interesting to the game.
I would really want that but I cant see that working in a f2p game =

Only allow high commander rank people to start the mission and drive the vehicle.

[Dagron]

Originally Posted by Dima

I do like the base upgrade idea but if people are the ones driving the convoy then they could just exploit it for easy xp - take a convoy, drive it to a nearby base, repeat...

It wouldn't be exploitable that way if it could only be applied once per base and it only lasted for a while (maybe an hour? a few hours?).

Originally Posted by Dima

I wouldn't want too much people to focus on it, maybe 20v20...

QTF, althou if every once in a while it turned into an all out war between everyone in two rival outfits it could be fun.

Originally Posted by Toppopia

I would want a player driven vehicle, because it allows crazy tactics to ensue, like darting around trees or driving off road. where as an AI would just drive a pre determined course.

Hell yeah! Also QFT.
I was thinking it could be done by train, but after that statement i kinda lost a little of my good will towards the AI driver.



As for:

Originally Posted by Dima

It would also allow for some other crazy tactics like randomly driving it off a cliff, driving the truck to a place where your friends from other factions can just destroy it for easy exp and then swapping, afking in driver seat, new players that don't know the road and just randomly spazzing around all over the map and the list goes on and so on...

I would really want that only serious and good players would be driving...

This:

Originally Posted by Toppopia

Only allow high commander rank people to start the mission and drive the vehicle.

Maybe not a very high rank, but still one high enough to discourage people from raising theirs just for shits'n giggles.