I-Shayz-I
ZionTCD
Legacy Rising
172
   |
Posted - 2012.12.08 07:47:00 -
[1] - Quote
Dust is a very different game from anything I've played.
Below are some ideas for what RPGs, FPSs, and squad games are like, and what balances them. Feel free to skip these sections if you don't want to read a wall of text.
When I think of an RPG, I think of games similar to final fantasy and dungeon crawlers. The biggest appeal to this genre is the upgrade system that gives you skill points and many types of equipment to choose from. As you increase in level, you unlock more abilites, are able to wield stronger weapons, and have higher stats. Skill points can then be distributed to customize your character into whatever you are interested in doing whether that be support or full on fighting.
Usually in RPGs, there are certain classes, or weapons or abilities that are strong against other classes or defenses, therefore balancing pvp interaction. The thing that makes one player more powerful than another is the user's skill level and type.
____________________
When I think of an FPS, I think of games similar to CoD, Halo, or Resistance. In these games, everyone has the same health and guns, but can unlock slightly better ones, or ones that differentiate your playstyle, by playing more.
These slight advantages might be useful, but don't make a player invincible. A careless player who has played a lot can still be killed by a new player with starter weapons, therefore balancing pvp interaction. The thing that makes one player more powerful than another is the amount of time spent in the game, having more knowledge of the maps and gunplay.
____________________
When I think of a capture the objective squad game, I think of games similar to Star Wars Battlefront, and Warhawk/Starhawk. The reason these games have popularity is because of the teamwork and class based systems. This similarity to first person shooters allows new players to enjoy the game, despite some of its complexity.
They do a good job of maintaining the FPS genre alongside different classes that you would see in RPG games. Most of them limit the customization in the game to keep the different roles, weapons, and classes balanced. Players get better at the game based on their teamwork with other, using strategy and cooperation.
____________________
You can skip down to here.
Dust 514 is a combination of not only an FPS and RPG, but a squad based game as well. Putting all of these genres into one game makes it hard to add more features to the game without making it very confusing. The easiest way to explain this is that Dust needs to have more RPG features, or more FPS features, but not both.
Ideas for RPG features (more teamwork):
-Anyone who helps to kill an enemy (if they're healing, shooting, taking bullets, or whatever) should get wp for it.
-Enemies killed give wp to team players within a radius, regardless of damage. The player who killed the enemy will always get more wp.
-Killing an enemy who is hacking a base, or near your base, should give you bonus points. Same for destroying enemy equipment.
-Assisting anything that is not biological should not give wp, or should give only limited wp. (vehicles, turrets, or installations)
-Make different weapons better or weaker against certain types of dropsuits (not just armor and shielding)
-Add special abilities for each dropsuit that can be upgraded (scout stealth, heavy armor hardener, logistics insta-revive, assault superspeed)
Ideas for FPS features (more gunplay):
-Allow classes to still have customization, with different variations of weapons, but remove weapons and armor that can increase power or defenses better than the same type of armor. (different armor types that add the same amount of hp, but have different penalties)
OR
Remove any kind of sp up-gradable skills that increase weapon power or defenses.
-Mix up the gunplay and effectiveness of certain guns
-Make it harder to detect enemies unless you have specific equipment
-let there be more ways to interact with teammates (more notifications and HUD icons)
-Close quarters combat should be more smooth and less pathetic
-Allow for upgrades or additional modifications to the guns
By focusing on a specific genre, the game can work better and allow more people to actually enjoy the game, but there are too many conflicting ideas in the game right now for the average player to get adjusted to. |
I-Shayz-I
ZionTCD
Legacy Rising
172
|
Posted - 2012.12.10 02:00:00 -
[2] - Quote
If ccp makes this game more like an FPS than a RPG, there needs to be an incentive for players to use other weapons than the AR. The one thing that makes the AR overpowered right now isn't damage, but how accurate it is from long range, making almost every other weapon obsolete. Better gungame and variation between weapons, along with balancing, makes a good FPS.
If ccp makes the game more like an RPG than a FPS, there needs to be an incentive for players to use other "classes" than a frontline Assault with an AR. The reason the Assault class is used so much is because there are no negative effects of having a whole team of them. Better class variation and encouraged teamwork between classes makes a good MMO. |