Hello everyone,
first of all I'd like to inform all of you, that list below is addressed to new gamemode only. So if you are happy about current modes you don't need to worry about. That list is to explain the difference between original Red Orchestra and Heroes Of Stalingrad and point out elements that need major improvements or changes, however no one wants to bring back such elements of RO like clunky animations or remove such great features like bullet penetration, mantling, adjustable sighs etc - we love these! We want to create a list for new gamemode that will be addressed to old Red Orchestra players - first and most loyal TWI's customers that prefer more oldschool and tactical skill based gameplay over current modern warfare FPS game trends and solutions.
I'm aware that list is long, but it mostly represents changes which were made to original RO gameplay to create HoS, and are not welcome by us. Some of the points (mostly fixes) could be implemented for other gamemodes as well, but as I said before: if you like HoS's relaxed and realism gamemodes you don't need to bother those. We old RO player simply want to see a promised by TWI gamemode that will be addressed to us, so we can call HoS as successor of RO and finally enjoy the game, not force ourselves to play a very different game (because we are still here waiting for more news from Yoshiro! ).
Take a note that we're not looking forward for answers: "grab mod tools and make it", "you are 0.0001 of community" or "bigger maps will fix it". TWI promised us a successor of RO, game with improved gameplay of Ostfront and we still have faith that they can make it happened, and if you take a look on the list, bigger maps won't help at all. There are plenty games similar to HoS (Homefront, CoDs, Battlefields, MoH, etc) and many of those offer more, with better graphics or better implementation of some HoS features etc and we can easily pick those over HoS, but not so many games are like RO (and we want RO). So let's start:
Feel free to add your points if you want to, but please don't start flame war. We - old TWI customers - also want to have our place in HoS world, don't change yours and have fun in game too!
Thank you for your attention.
first of all I'd like to inform all of you, that list below is addressed to new gamemode only. So if you are happy about current modes you don't need to worry about. That list is to explain the difference between original Red Orchestra and Heroes Of Stalingrad and point out elements that need major improvements or changes, however no one wants to bring back such elements of RO like clunky animations or remove such great features like bullet penetration, mantling, adjustable sighs etc - we love these! We want to create a list for new gamemode that will be addressed to old Red Orchestra players - first and most loyal TWI's customers that prefer more oldschool and tactical skill based gameplay over current modern warfare FPS game trends and solutions.
I'm aware that list is long, but it mostly represents changes which were made to original RO gameplay to create HoS, and are not welcome by us. Some of the points (mostly fixes) could be implemented for other gamemodes as well, but as I said before: if you like HoS's relaxed and realism gamemodes you don't need to bother those. We old RO player simply want to see a promised by TWI gamemode that will be addressed to us, so we can call HoS as successor of RO and finally enjoy the game, not force ourselves to play a very different game (because we are still here waiting for more news from Yoshiro! ).
Take a note that we're not looking forward for answers: "grab mod tools and make it", "you are 0.0001 of community" or "bigger maps will fix it". TWI promised us a successor of RO, game with improved gameplay of Ostfront and we still have faith that they can make it happened, and if you take a look on the list, bigger maps won't help at all. There are plenty games similar to HoS (Homefront, CoDs, Battlefields, MoH, etc) and many of those offer more, with better graphics or better implementation of some HoS features etc and we can easily pick those over HoS, but not so many games are like RO (and we want RO). So let's start:
- bigger sway: a bit more in crouch position, way more when standing, moving or exhausted
- add player's momentum:
- soldier shouldn't accelerate from 0 to full sprint in 0.5 second or stops, add him a feeling of own mass
- Running upstairs/uphill/downhill/etc should be WAY slower (even fast paced BF3 implemented it and feels great there) and use more stamina
- slow down change of stance (standing/crouch/on a belly) (I sometimes have a feeling that BF3 is slower)
- slow down climbing up/down on ladder (again even fast paced Battlefield 3 simulates it better)
- soldier should move slower on tough terrain like garbage, bricks, mud/dirt, trenches, holes, etc. If that's too difficult to implement for you, slow down overall player movement so it will represent average soldier's speed on all kind of terrain, not only flat tarmac ground
- Entering ADS should take more time (especially from sprint) and shouldn't be aimed directly in the middle of a screen - it should be more based on skill, precision and mouse control than quickness only
- slow down a player's reload speed so player needs to thing twice before he reloads and checking magazine weight will be more useful (let's say reload time takes 5 times more time then magazine check)
- Mantling should take a bit more time and use stamina
- Remove ability to insta-turn 180 degrees
- Note: changes above will improve tactical gameplay big time and also make such game features like cover system and blind firing more useful because running and gunning will be more difficult and less effective than tactical approach to enemy.
- fatigue system that affects aiming, players movement and effectiveness
- bring back RO advanced wounding system or improved version of it: minor wounds affect soldier, ie. hit in leg = can't sprint and moves slower, hit in hand = way more sway and recoil etc, no more immortal body parts after taking a hit and using 1 sec bandaging
- other wounds should be deadly, soldier combat ineffective in battle = dead
- remove original slow death
- player will start bleeding from minor wounds if not bandaged, his stamina go slowly (~ 2minutes) down, his vision will become blurry and finally he dies (new slow death). Remember he still can fight, but less effectively
- bandaging will stop bleeding only, don't heal or make you immortal. Soldier can have only 1 bandage and it takes ~7-10 second to bandage. This plus above will force players to find a cover, safe place to bandage,
- add delay when player change weapon to grenade or other weapons
- add delay to picking up weapon from a ground, currently player can run over weapon, press CTRL and pick it up (or bring back RO's solution where player need to stop, pick up weapon and ammo punches from a ground)
- remove auto looting (sometimes player's character automatically picks up a weapon from a ground)
- remove current suppression effect and add Darkest Hour's
- add supersonic sound cracks, louder bullet sounds (as part of suppression effect)
- rework morale system: it doesn't do much now. Good idea could be to add bonuses to capping power when soldiers are close together to improve teamplay (thoughts?)
- remove player progression bonuses (- 20% recoil, - 20% reload time, +20% movement etc)
- remove prototype weapons and all unlocks
- remove enemy weapons from loadouts
- bring back historical loadouts (ie. PPsH w/ drum mag as standard)
- bring back attachable bayonets
- do not remove player's visual changes progression (these don't affect gameplay and some variety is good thing)
- bring back original LMG purpose:
- remove "balanced" recoil and add realistic when deployed (more effective when deployed)
- remove possibility to run'n'gun with LMGs,
- add "combat stance" for LMGs from RO:O, that takes a bit of time to enter, so you can shoot only from stationary position
- add free look at least for deployed LMG and stationary HMG
- bring back soldiers body collision
- remove lockdown or make it based on reinforcements level, not time: 4 minutes to capture a flag is way to little and we want back epic RO:O battles. Even Battlefield ain't time limited and use reinforcements.
- remove ability spawn on SL
- remove tank AI BOTs (even in Battlefield 3 it is worth to have a other player in a tank and it improves teamplay big time, when in RO2 coop tanking completely disappeared)
- remove tanks insta repair ability when those are next to ammo boxes (even in Battlefield 3 you need mechanic, his special ability selected and some time to repair vehicles or wait long time to start auto repairs very slowly)
- improve tank's damage system plus add missing features like destroyable optics and tracks (these were introduced with huge success in Darkest Hour)
- rework magnetic mines that doesn't work as magnetic mines, but normal grenades with low throw range
- Commander needs to be all the time during artillery call in front of radio, so he cannot just click and go.
- Commander needs to be in front of radio to cancel artillery
- remove scout plane
- remove spotting system and "soldier spotted" markers
- add options to change visibility/transpency/scale of "HUD on demand" we don't need huge sign "X zone is under attack" on a screen etc.
- remove English, but add native voices
- remove random soldier's chatter so only player can decide when he wants to shout or say something (that will also fix problem when soldier says "did I get him?" when player cannot see enemy but shoot in his direction)
- rework enemy indicator on a screen:
- it should show friendlies
- it shouldn't show enemies behind smoke or not moving, well hidden targets
- it should work just like in ArmA 2
- bring back RO:O in-battle menu class selection, with class descriptions and screens, these were really cool
- remove kill points from scoreboard
- remove information about dead enemies from scoreboard
- bring back information about player's class on scoreboard (so players can address request by nickname if team needs ie. markman in specific area)
- resize scoreboard font so all players can be seen even on 64 slot server
- add "always ready" button so player won't need to click ready every time to respawn
- fix smoke grenades so these won't "explode" and spread mid air like do now
- allow defenders to respawn 3-5 second earlier in first wave only to give them time to prepare defensive positions, so it simulate defense of the objective better. Currently it looks like both teams run onto first objective at the same time or attackers are even faster (Grain Elevator)
- rework protected area system: move further protected area and give defenders more time to retreat and fortify in next objective area (even Battlefield 3 has it implemented in Rush gamemode)
- add class selection system similar to American Army where players with fastest PC won't take best roles (and usually waste it). Players with highest level in specific class should have priority.
- rework such UI elements like voting (votekick, vote map, etc) currently these are barely visible and useful.
- when player checks his ammo it should say "magazine seems to be heavy/light" instead of "magazine is full".
- add information when player writes "np" and forgive for teamkill, currently it shows nothing and it is confusing
Feel free to add your points if you want to, but please don't start flame war. We - old TWI customers - also want to have our place in HoS world, don't change yours and have fun in game too!
Thank you for your attention.