Hey all, So with the release of the bots in testing, we can finally do survival/operation maps for low pop times to be more fun. This would allow people to have a "coop" experience that would, I think, be more fun for low pop times. It would not require a commander and therefore even a noob could pick it up and essentially learn the basics of the game. Here is a run down of what I think some of the most common questions will be so I will try to sum it up so we can get straight to the point. THIS IDEA IS SHIT [<--- Not a question, nor is it helpful] Yea, maybe to you. However, I do think that this will be extremely useful for people to learn the game when there is 0 population on. No new person wants to join an empty server to find out they don't know how to command and need to know to make the game fun. This will allow them to have some fun shooting some bots while allowing more people to join. It basically gives them something to do. What are you trying to do here? Basically, this would be an "operation" map. Everyone would spawn on BE and try to take the NF controlled airfield from the bots. I would try to make it as random as possible with bot spawns and the flag positions so that you have to plan and react accordingly. One of the times a squad of bots could be assaulting you from the front and then suddenly another squad flanks around and you have to hold out. Another time you have to take the warehouses but this time you have to take the Air Traffic Control Tower. Or perhaps you are walking on the airfield and one of those NF fighters comes flying overhead and drops a bomb on your position. The possibilities are endless to make this a fun map for low pop times. So, what are you asking for? I am specifically asking the people who think this is an OK idea and want to give constructive criticism to please let me know what would work for this. Let me know what you would want to see/how you want it to play. If you don't like the idea, simply don't post here because no matter how much you complain, it probably won't change what I'm doing. If you post "shit idea", please remember you aren't being forced to play this at all. A co-op map? The bots that are coming out will allow for a survival/operation based style of play. Basically there are now two kinds of bots. Some of the bots find their own way around the obstacles of the map to find a route to the closest flag while others take direct orders and would be the "Elite" bots that could be used to react to a situation. Basically, we can now do survival and operation maps. You're going to be making another map?... Simple answer - No, Long answer - Yes. I'd like to state that Trenchassault + Forestattack are basically done. I just have to do a couple more things to trenchassault and I'm waiting for 2.13 to go live to release a new forestattack with bots so it is no longer emp_runincircles. Those would take about an hour or two to implement, tops. Thus, that frees up some time for a project like this that is super duper simple because I have contacted a guy who made a map for Gmod and he allowed me to use his map. Welcome to op_airfield: That looks like Northwest airfield from DayZ, what are you, copying? Yes, it is NWAF. A 1:1 replica by a man named "Doomologist". He is a very cool dude and I appreciate him allowing me to turn this into an "operation" map. I really do appreciate it and his other work is impressive as well. What I picture - You are an Elite Brenodi team who is brought in via dropship on one end of the airfield. You are tasked with clearing specific spots and holding off the Jekotian military as they scramble to try to stop you. As you get progressively more and more down field, you have to worry about more bots, bots flanking you, vehicles with MG's shooting at you, aircraft taking off, and NF Fighters dropping bombs on you if you stay stationary for too long. Each time would be different with different objectives. The bots would begin their push on you after you capture the first objective and things go to hell on the 2nd to last cap. If you stay stationary, bombed. If you don't work as a team, dead. If you don't capture the objectives and just hold out, perhaps rolling arty barrages could take you out. I don't want this map to take forever, but I do want it to be something that coop players can spend a bit of time on while trying to seed at 3AM while 0 people are, traditionally, on. What I picture #2 - You are northern faction, tasked with holding off a Brenodi assault on your damn airfield. You have to survive against wave after wave of enemy. It starts out simple and gets progressively harder because after each wave, you lose more and more max health meaning it takes less bullets to kill you. Get to the highest round to win. Keep those Brenodi Swine off the damn airfield. Get off our damn lawn. Please post any comments/ideas you have for this. I estimate that adding in the "operation" system would take only a couple hours since the basework is done meaning that this will be a relatively quick map to finish. I have not started on this because I need ideas on what some objectives could be. I plan on utilizing some new features but would love the input you guys have, so long as it isn't "THIS IS SHIT!". I will ask this thread to be moderated so we can keep it on topic pertaining to the ideas.
I imagine the bots would be simpler to coordinate if the players are the ones in the defensive position, but having the players as attackers definitely sounds more fun and varied, especially if you can add a factor of randomness to certain parts of it. Maybe consider the level progression of the old Starfox games - if the player did especially well on a stage, they'd have the option of tackling a higher difficulty for the next stage. Perhaps make it tie in with the time it takes players to capture a certain objective, if they manage to get to it earlier, the next flag will be more heavily fortified. I know this doesn't make much logical sense (in reality, blitzing an enemy position like that might be more likely to leave them scattered and confused, especially if the COC is disrupted), but it encourages players to try their hardest if they want a greater challenge and bragging rights. Other than that, I might like to see some more props around the map, or have the hangars differ from one another in some way. The straight bright gray metal design they have right now doesn't really fit the unique visual identity NF has in Empires.
There will be tons of the NF fighter models throughout the hangars, and the further you get into the base the more jets will start taking off so you can't use the runways if they are taking off because they'd just kill you. I will make it harder the more objectives you have taken. Hopefully it will be fun. As for attacking vs defending, I plan on both. One would be survival, the other being operation.
Generally speaking airfields are bombed to be unusable by the enemy. The elite team could be tasked to plant bombs invarious hangars, buildings and the runway. It would be a search and destroy game. On the other hand, if you bother sending a team of elite noobs, why not capture the airfield and use it as a base for your troops instead? So uhh #2.. Capture the point, but not just that; have the engineers build stuff. Meaning they have to build a specific item that requires a lot of time to build. Once built, it places ammo crates, sandbags ,barbed wire, closed windows, turrets and other fortifications around the area. This would mean the building has been secured and the team may proceed to the next point until the whole airfield has been capped.
I kind of like that idea. I can do that for the survival mission for sure. As for capping the airfield for the main objective, I picture this being more of a sabotage mission. This would most likely be a "destroy" the airfield type thing.
