Avallo Kantor
1193
   |
Posted - 2017.01.20 19:47:00 -
[1] - Quote
An idea from Discord that I would like to flesh out more in a larger post that will not be buried so quickly.
Abstract:
It is said that Rattati prefers smaller scale battles, and that NOVA will, at its offset, will focus on small battles. In addition, many players have expressed concern that if battles become too large in scale that the individual efforts of players, and thus their fits, will become trivialized in the clash of so many people.
However, there is a way to break things up in such a way that a conflict can still involve a large number of players without forcing them to all be swarming around the same point, or to avoid encouraging roving zerg tactics. The solution is to break up a conflict into several individual battles (or matches) that can run both in sequence and in parallel. Add in effects and objectives that influence other matches (Either later in sequence, or in a parallel battle) and these conflicts can become suitably large without any individual match going beyond the small scale that was exhibited in DUST.
Two concepts:
Multi-stage battle: A series of matches that are played in a sequence. Map choice and objectives may be dependent on the resolution of previous matches. This can facilitate shorter matches, while having longer (or equal length) battles overall. As an example, instead of one 30-min match, have 3 10-min matches. The matches would go from: Boarding a ship -> Assaulting the Guns -> Assaulting the bridge, as an example.
Multi-Team battle: A series of matches that are played in parallel. Each match is of a certain size (ex: 16 v 16) but because multiple matches are occurring at once then you could have 2 or 3 matches each with 16 v 16 to have the equivalent of 32 or 48 players per side.
The Goal:
The end result of this is to have battles that are much larger in scope than the outcome of any individual match. In addition because each individual match has a small player count, it is easier to allow for squad based gameplay, customization of dropsuits to have an impact, and for smaller map size need overall. All of which are goals of the developers that have been stated in the past. However, in addition this style allows for a feeling of larger scale, persistence between a series of matches, and a game mode that allows for a feeling of a far grander scale.
Example:
As an example story in relation to Nova's ship based focus: A conflict could be waged over a larger ship type, such as a battleship that requires multiple assault teams fighting in concert to take the ship.
When the battle begins three teams are sent in, One to the Outward guns, One to the Armory, and one to a security station.
If the Outward Guns team is successful, all future battles will see an increase in Attacker clone count as more clones can be safely sent over to the ship via boarders.
The armory match will have two objectives. One that while held will cause the Outward Guns match to have the defenders start bleeding clone count (As their reinforcements are getting cut off) The other will do the same to the security station. [Mechanically the bleed out can be a boolean flag that is turned on or off in the other match] However, in this match the defender clone counts are far larger than the other two maps.
The Security Station attackers are tasked with holding a single capture point until end of match. If they succeed then blast doors in later matches are forced open. (Allowing new routes in later maps that are beneficial to the attack) on the other end, if the blast doors remain closed, the map will lead through passages that bias toward the Defender.
The next series of battles will determine the outcome.
The Engine Room, The Bridge, The Reactor.
Each map will have a side objective that begins neutral. It is away from the main combat area and holding them will start to bleed out the Enemy team clone count (or some other effect?) in another map.
"Mind Blown" - CCP Rattati
|