Geographical 'Scenery'

CidHighwind · 2012-02-07, 12:26 AM

I'm a sucker for geography and the lay of the land. From what we've seen so far, it seems like SOE is doing a great job at designing the battlefield to be useful and fun for all.

I got to thinking though, just because it's conducive to cover, doesn't mean it can't be pretty.

For example, the picture below is a very PRETTY picture, but also provides AWESOME air cover for infantry, and serves as an excellent tank 'filterer.'

My question/task for you is this. What visions for land forms/masses/locations would you love to see either in the game, or attempted to be replicated in game.

This of course understanding that some continents are deep in development, and others likely at least started, or being planned for.

RULES

1.) In all cases, try to post a picture or some other representation of what you would like to see in game.

2.) Explain in what ways it is balanced for combat.

Looking forward to seeing other peoples opinions and visions!

Sirisian · 2012-02-07, 01:39 AM

Good thread idea.

I love ice continents with tundra features. These kind of glacier caves and mounds of snow are awesome examples of natural cover that I'd like to see. Gives a place for infantry to move around while keeping it open so people can fire in.

Grognard · 2012-02-07, 02:37 AM

If we ever get a naval add-on... how about some H2O...

Captain1nsaneo · 2012-02-07, 04:25 AM

Hope you won't mind a bit of an image spam. But I've got a lot of these. And all of them are from my Giant-Pictures folder.

I know it's inside but long open areas like this allow for some really non-linear play as the rooms on the sides of the halls would offer close combat and shelter from long range fire up and down the hall. It would also give jump troops the ability to engage and then run away vertically. Making indoors not just the realm of rexos and MAXs.

The clouds don't need to be a whiff here and there. Sometimes not being able to see the ground is awesome. Also hope we get heavy fog, won't know there's an enemy tank until you're right on top of each other. Also, the higher you go, the more purple the sky (until you get black.)

You don't need special rules to stop ground vehicles from being used. Now that the gal can spawn people, infantry and aircraft combat is logistically possible. Then again putting a base on the top of Mt. Cyssor would make aircraft unusable as well. Making the base an infantry fight only.

Two words: ground fog. Four words: early morning ground fog.

Notice how shallow the river is before it drops off. That could EASILY provide terrain for tank fights but instead of a hill forcing players to stay in the flat area, you have a waterfall. The threat of falling to your death would drive people away but also lure others to use the edge to their advantage by sticking close to it. The best part is you can fall off and die!

Sewer in Japan. You could drive a tank in there.

Holes that drop into caves, that lead to the base of hills, which are next to a facility. Walking in semi-darkness in thigh high water doesn't really happen in most games. The need for defenders to not only watch the ridge but also several waterfall openings in a cliff side adds possibilities for cloakers, snipers, and jump troops. After all, boomers are hard to spot underwater.

Notice that a lot of the terrain is flat and that cover is at best sparse, excellent tank country. Both Ish and Desolation failed to be good vehicle conts due to hilly/mountainous landscapes and an over abundance of rocks/trees.

If there's going to be a volcano then the area around it can be quite unique. Also note that an active volcano has a giant smoke plume coming out of it's mouth. Column of cloud that does constant minor damage but reaches the ground would be interesting for air fights.

The following are from my not-so-huge image folders

I hope you like ambushes. I like ambushes.

Grass plains, it's like heaven if heaven was made for tank duels. Or hell, as you'd never see the land mines. Also after a few months everything turns golden. Like so:

Is that a tank out there? Wooded areas come in all sorts of densities.

More variation for aircraft cover. Rain and lightning has to come from somewhere.

Welcome to infantry land. There's no reason that close combat infantry fights need be limited to forests and bases. Hedges and shrubbery allow for infantry to go into areas that tanks can't see into out in the field. Great place for an AV nest.

If I had one I'd post a picture of salt plains, the things are crazy. It's basically a desert with less than an inch of standing water covering all of the ground. The reflections you get are stunning.

Graywolves · 2012-02-07, 02:06 PM

This is really cool

Ailos · 2012-02-07, 04:35 PM

Dude I want some of those as my desktop backgrounds (but I need 4800x900 resolution images).

inigma · 2012-02-07, 04:42 PM

I like this. I am thinking, wow, this would take PS2 to a whole new level, or any game for that matter. Definitely thinking outside the box of base and hill fights.

DayOne · 2012-02-07, 06:27 PM

I'd love some valley combat. Advance from one side for classic single front warfare with aircraft dogfighting above just inches from the valley walls.

Vancha · 2012-02-07, 06:31 PM

I think they could probably use some of the minecraft landscape generations as inspiration. You can get some ridiculously cool formations in that game.

CidHighwind · 2012-02-07, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by DayOne

I'd love some valley combat. Advance from one side for classic single front warfare with aircraft dogfighting above just inches from the valley walls.

C'mon folks! It's easy to post your vision, but where are the pictures?!?! It doesn't take more than a minute or two to find something similar on google images!

Do you mean something like this DayOne?

CidHighwind · 2012-02-07, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Vancha

I think they could probably use some of the minecraft landscape generations as inspiration. You can get some ridiculously cool formations in that game.

Do you mean like this Vancha?