Zat Earthshatter
Osmon Surveillance
Caldari State
304
   |
Posted - 2013.01.29 09:52:00 -
[1] - Quote
One thing in the way is that CTF is a hard thing to integrate in the lore, but I can guess that it will have to do with data acquisition. Another issue is making the mode - traditionally revolving around single "runners", a tactical squad-based endeavor.
My answer? instead of a mobile flag, we have to download and transport data. I'll explain below
Espionage
Objective:
Download strategic datafiles from the enemy communications center(s), then bring it back to base. Victory is attained when enough data is stolen.
NOTE: Primary objectives in this mode cannot be flipped to the opposing team.
Downloading:
When you reach the enemy objective, initiate "hacking" mode to begin downloading. A display on your screen shows how many Terabytes(TB) have been downloaded. Once you are satisfied - or you come under fire - you can end hacking and try to return with the amount of data you managed to steal. As this is a "hacking" mode, Codebreakers increase your download speed.
As for maximum data storage per suit, it is up to CCP, as is whether there are methods to increase it.
Obviously, the data has to be re-hacked should you bleed out.
Data:
Although the MCC would still be present, this is the first non-Ambush mode where it is not the objective, and therefore allows player usage and fitting.
Instead of the MCC health on the HUD, you have a number representing the total Terabytes of data brought back to base
The enemies' captured TB counts could also require "querying" by hacking the upload base - which temporarily disables data capturing by the enemy as well. This means that a team can lose without knowing it until the Defeat screen. (query mechanic is strictly optional, added only for logic purposes)
Uploading:
Once you have returned with some data, the main command unit swaps out your suit's auxillary drive, after which you can immediately start going back to the enemy base. All TB stored on the suit is "captured" in one of these turn-ins.
Vulnerability:
Tactical data is well-protected, even by itself. Malware hidden in the code causes the carrier suit's sensor suite to fall out of sync, increasing scan profile. At maximum data capacity, a data-carrier is a big, glowing spot on the enemy's TACNET, and very easy to track. The same malware interferes with vehicle interfacing, preventing the carrier from using 1-seater vehicles after collecting TB past a given threshold. Multi-seat vehicles have redundant coding to prevent such issues.
This is the part where you need a squad to fend off the opposition while you high-tail it home in anything with at least 2 seats.
(vehicle restriction prevents players from using the fastest vehicles to capture with impunity)
Getting bigger:
On larger, MAG-scale or bigger maps, one could utilize multiple download points at multiple bases, with some TB being unavailable at a given one - requiring at least some data from other zones of the map to win. Not all are needed, as there would be some regional data overlap - as expected with a tactical data exchange system.
Summary:
>Hack objectives to gain TB, then return to base.
>TB is downloaded over time while hacking the objective. Hack longer to attempt to capture more TB.
>More TB carried wins faster, but makes you easier to track by enemies.
>Carrying more than a small amount of TB prevents you from using 1-seat vehicles like Fighters.
>Hack enemy "upload" point to query their TB count (optional)
>Can work on larger maps due to variable TB counts and multiple download points.
EDIT: this mode would act like a modified CTF on our current maps, but becomes a deep, strategic mode on larger maps where region overlap and vehicle dynamics come into play.
You only have to gain TB from a certain percentage of the bases on larger maps, allowing commanders to pick and choose which places to attack - or even perform misdirection to confuse and split defenders.
P.S. I can also modify it into an attacker-defender mode if need be - as it would support the future addition of gigantic, strategic maps better. |
Zat Earthshatter
Osmon Surveillance
Caldari State
304
|
Posted - 2013.01.29 21:34:00 -
[2] - Quote
Glad to hear the feedback.
@yag: That type of mode is doable as well - maybe on Oceanic planets, we use such explosives to drown the map?
EDIT: @Grimmiers: very clever suggestion - a good way to force some strategy into the current District conquest system.
@washlee: i'll pitch my attacker-defender version as suggested tweaks:
Defense:
Objective is to keep the attackers from taking enough data to win, while draining their clones.
Owns all except the attacker-side 1/8th of the bases. Their data centers can either be in the back of the map, or spread throughout owned territory. All non-datacenter bases are flippable.
Attacker:
Objective is to flip "secondary" bases, and use them as forward spawns to capture enemy data.
Defenders are "dug in", so they have unlimited clones - the only way for Attackers to win is to gain enough TB.
Attackers, however, have a limit.
Base-linking:
If you've played Slay, you have some idea how this works- if the chain of attacker-captured bases forms a line back to their starting spawn, they can use that base as an "upload" point. Defenders can exploit this by counterattacking in such a way as to cut off a forward spawn - forcing Attackers to take a longer, more dangerous route to an available point.
MCC: based on an old dev-blog for player MCC usage (optional)
Both sides can choose to deploy a player MCC, which is fuel-dependent.
While active, the MCC gives Command-style bonuses to the entire team. If it is near an enemy base, players attacking it hack faster. If it is near an allied base, enemies hack slower.
Fuel supplies spawn randomly around the map - but will often funnel MCCs to areas just behind the front lines, allowing them to be attacked should those front lines be breached.
More complexity!
On gigantic maps, one can even use Espionage as a first tier of a MAG-style match.
Say you hacked all the TB, and the data revealed the location of the Defender's primary command base. This would shift the redzone, and the objective would be to hold hack-points to gradually flip it - similar to Old Skirmish, but not dependent on MCC heatlh.
Attacker clonecounts would not be changed - which allows Defenders to fight a war of attrition.
Modification summary:
>Shifts Espionage into an attacker-defender mode
>Introduces Slay-like mechanics into large maps, inside a game match
>Supports MAG-style mission staging
>allows the CCP original vision of the Mobile Command Center vehicle |