Kevall Longstride
DUST University
Ivy League
1424
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Posted - 2014.07.01 15:21:00 -
[1] - Quote
CCP Frame wrote:CCP Wolfman is planning on talking to you guys about exactly this topic very soon - that's all I can say right now, but it should be pretty cool to hear what you guys have to say and what is your vision as well.
Spawning in the game needs some serious thought before proceeding.
Putting to one side for a moment Drop Uplinks, which have their own set of problems, the base spawn mechanic of Dust have been a major contributor to the low retention figures for this game along with its poor matchmaking.
Just the fact that a skilled and practised squad can shepard the opposition to an bottleneck in ambush and keep them there should tell you enough.
Spawning close to where your team is isn't ideal because of the potential camping. And away from everyone isn't great because of the size of the maps.
As to drop uplinks....
The ability to dicdate exactly where you and your team can spawn is a huge force projection for an FPS game and the current mechanics for them allow for too much abuse resulting in the now obligatory equipment spam in game.
What I'd propose for drop uplinks is as follows.
First I'd limit all tiers of uplinks to one per slot. No more two uplinks per slot. I'd also make all tiers have the same amount of spawns and the same spawn time. How a higher meta uplink performs against the lower tiers one will be based on how it uses bandwidth.
As these are portable teleport devices in essence, I would have an optimal amount of 'carrier signal bandwidth' for them to use. The larger the number of uplinks being used by a team, the greater the demands on that bandwidth. Keeping the bandwidth in it optimal will allow all uplinks to function correctly. However as that bandwidth used up and is exceeded, they'll be a detrimental effect on all the uplinks using it.
For example.
Up to 100% bandwidth use, all uplinks take 10 seconds. Between 100% to 150% 15 seconds. Over 150% 20 seconds. This would be the base that the standard level uplink would operate at.
How the higher tier uplinks would be better is how more efficient they are in low bandwidth situations.
The advanced/uncommon tier would have a 100% reduction to the effect of low bandwidth, remaining at 10 seconds at all bandwidths.
The prototype/rare tier would have 150% reduction to the effect, so it would spawn every 7.5 seconds at 100-150% and 5 seconds at over 150%.
This does sound counter intuitive I know but I believe it would result in more tactical thinking as to the placement and numbers of uplinks used. It would also form the the basis of a form of EWAR in Legion.
Imagine vehicle modules or installations that could either decrease or more interestingly, increase to the oppositions bandwidth. Decreasing their bandwidth would mean them having to switch to the higher tiers to counter the effect. But flooding them with bandwidth would mean that they could never spawn faster than 10 seconds.
I would also make it so uplinks can't be dropped within 20m of another, further reducing the reliance of the spam tactic.
Obviously this is just embryonic thinking but I think we need to start thinking more creatively as to spawning.
CPM1 Candidate
CEO of DUST University
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