In between getting fed some definates from Tripwire it is a lot of fun brainstorming how to get gameplay to flow in a realistic way, something beyond the run of the mill WWII FPS offering.
There are boundaries to gameplay in most FPS games which stifle the immersion factor. If there even are squads; people feel no incentive to join them, weapon distribution is a crapshoot, respawns either ruin continuity (as in treks accross the map) or ruin realism (such as respawning on squad leader). Another unrelated yet unrealistic factor of FPS gameplay is that troops typically don't break. Perhaps there might be a way of mixing squad play with breaking under fire and troop morale realism.
I don't know how many people here are familiar with the Combat Mission game. This is turn based strategy game, but this game effectively albiet sometimes annoyingly models the characteristic of troops breaking under fire. The suppresion can range from being pinned to retreating in terror. Proximity to the Platoon leaders also dictates how effectively orders are carried out, as well as troop morale.
Squads or lone wolfs will not voluntarily retreat in battle. There is no fear factor in computer gaming, you won't really die to the rain of bullets. On the other hand many times there is reluctance to follow out the squad leaders orders of advancing to the objective because they are more comfortable doing what they already are doing.
I've been pondering what the implimentation of a squad related suppression system might be like. Suppression effects would be something like blurring of the screen, combined with uneasiness of positioning and perhaps the elevated sound of a heart beat.
Imagine something like this;
1) Troops under fire receive effects of suppression.
2) Proximity to squad leader would determine the severity
3) Bonus to capping regions with squad would be reduced suppression effects during the game.
4) Loss of life in squad would increase suppression effects and,
5) this would also open up a zone of retreat which would
6) enable the respawn for fallen teammate when part of squad enters this zone.
7) Conversely if fallen teammate hasn't been revived to combat within a long respawn time (such as 5 minutes) he would respawn in the zone of retreat.
8) Lone wolfs would automatically have elevated suppression when under fire, as they would not be in proximity of a squad leader.
Using suppresion in a squad based system would not duplicate the feeling of fear, but it would try to duplicate the effects of fear under fire. Superior fire power would create effective pinning and possible routing.
Call of Duty World at War has a mode of gameplay called Search and Destroy. In this game there is a time limit to either defend or plant a bomb within a certain time frame. If a team member is shot, he is out for the contest. Perhaps the retreat zone idea would be similar to Search & Destroy in that being shot could take someone out of the game for the majority of a contest. It would be the squad's decision whether to retreat to pick up a reinforcement(s) or press on to complete the mission.
Another idea that has crossed my mind is one of weapon distribution. I like how Red Orchestra creates slots for the available weapons in a game. Who gets a MG or Sniper Rifle can make a great bearing on who the game winner will be. Perhaps there could be another reason in joining a squad. You could make the squad leader responsible for determining who gets the MG or Sniper weapon. When the squad is being formed he could decide who in the squad should have the special weapon. If the squad leader does not select anyone the 5th person on the squad would get this weapon.
I've talked a little about communication in another post I made, and many people have had good takes on this, but I believe that open communication to everyone on your team is a bad idea. I've been in some games such as COD WAW where talking with a mic actually is discouraged because it just gets too confusing. On the other hand I really think teamwork within a squad could improve with a squad only communication setup. (I still think it would be nice for the squad leader to be able to communicate with the Platoon leader however). Some people have suggested a proximity communication system which would feel fairly realistic which isn't a bad idea either.
I am quite anxious to hear what actually will be implimented in the new RO game, until then it's nice to dream a little.
I'm sure some people wouldn't see the benefits to some of the ideas I've suggested, yet it would be great to hear from someone who might take one of these ideas and make a suggestion that would make it even better.
There are boundaries to gameplay in most FPS games which stifle the immersion factor. If there even are squads; people feel no incentive to join them, weapon distribution is a crapshoot, respawns either ruin continuity (as in treks accross the map) or ruin realism (such as respawning on squad leader). Another unrelated yet unrealistic factor of FPS gameplay is that troops typically don't break. Perhaps there might be a way of mixing squad play with breaking under fire and troop morale realism.
I don't know how many people here are familiar with the Combat Mission game. This is turn based strategy game, but this game effectively albiet sometimes annoyingly models the characteristic of troops breaking under fire. The suppresion can range from being pinned to retreating in terror. Proximity to the Platoon leaders also dictates how effectively orders are carried out, as well as troop morale.
Squads or lone wolfs will not voluntarily retreat in battle. There is no fear factor in computer gaming, you won't really die to the rain of bullets. On the other hand many times there is reluctance to follow out the squad leaders orders of advancing to the objective because they are more comfortable doing what they already are doing.
I've been pondering what the implimentation of a squad related suppression system might be like. Suppression effects would be something like blurring of the screen, combined with uneasiness of positioning and perhaps the elevated sound of a heart beat.
Imagine something like this;
1) Troops under fire receive effects of suppression.
2) Proximity to squad leader would determine the severity
3) Bonus to capping regions with squad would be reduced suppression effects during the game.
4) Loss of life in squad would increase suppression effects and,
5) this would also open up a zone of retreat which would
6) enable the respawn for fallen teammate when part of squad enters this zone.
7) Conversely if fallen teammate hasn't been revived to combat within a long respawn time (such as 5 minutes) he would respawn in the zone of retreat.
8) Lone wolfs would automatically have elevated suppression when under fire, as they would not be in proximity of a squad leader.
Using suppresion in a squad based system would not duplicate the feeling of fear, but it would try to duplicate the effects of fear under fire. Superior fire power would create effective pinning and possible routing.
Call of Duty World at War has a mode of gameplay called Search and Destroy. In this game there is a time limit to either defend or plant a bomb within a certain time frame. If a team member is shot, he is out for the contest. Perhaps the retreat zone idea would be similar to Search & Destroy in that being shot could take someone out of the game for the majority of a contest. It would be the squad's decision whether to retreat to pick up a reinforcement(s) or press on to complete the mission.
Another idea that has crossed my mind is one of weapon distribution. I like how Red Orchestra creates slots for the available weapons in a game. Who gets a MG or Sniper Rifle can make a great bearing on who the game winner will be. Perhaps there could be another reason in joining a squad. You could make the squad leader responsible for determining who gets the MG or Sniper weapon. When the squad is being formed he could decide who in the squad should have the special weapon. If the squad leader does not select anyone the 5th person on the squad would get this weapon.
I've talked a little about communication in another post I made, and many people have had good takes on this, but I believe that open communication to everyone on your team is a bad idea. I've been in some games such as COD WAW where talking with a mic actually is discouraged because it just gets too confusing. On the other hand I really think teamwork within a squad could improve with a squad only communication setup. (I still think it would be nice for the squad leader to be able to communicate with the Platoon leader however). Some people have suggested a proximity communication system which would feel fairly realistic which isn't a bad idea either.
I am quite anxious to hear what actually will be implimented in the new RO game, until then it's nice to dream a little.
I'm sure some people wouldn't see the benefits to some of the ideas I've suggested, yet it would be great to hear from someone who might take one of these ideas and make a suggestion that would make it even better.
