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exsonic01 -> RE: Campaigning (3/27/2019 12:41:28 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Veitikka
The 'front line' moves along a pre-defined path, or very close to it, depending on the battle end conditions. Currently there's no player involvement after the campaign has been generated.
The old Combat Mission games had something quite similar, and Close Combat 3, I think? It's a long time since a player these games, so I don't remember too much of them. In our game we have the huge maps where the campaign can move seamlessly, and realistic day and night cycles that depend on the map location and the month. The time of day changes and the weather changes, so even a single map location can be a very different experience every time if played more than once.
OK, I can get the feeling. I can expect that there will be no operational layer control of players, but can players still see the strategic map or campaign map, which showing the situation of operational area and 'front line', right? I like the point that the campaign will use the huge map. Maybe will the campaign use the entire regional map? I hope so.
Is the campaign use the concept of 'battle group' or 'enemy formation' on the regional map? (like we see from games with operational layer like recent Close Combat or Wargame franchise, but just showing, not to control) If yes, I'm also curious how do you plan about enemy and friendly battle groups: minimum or maximum point size of units on campaign map, and how they are being generated on the map. I wish any battle during campaign can be asymmetric, like 2 divisions vs 1 regiment situation, and also I wish if there are any concept of reinforcement (in strategic level) during the game. Plus, I really hope that campaign use the historical or realistic unit/formation of PACT or NATO, or close to it as much as possible.
Those are just my wishlists, I'm just curious how it looks like.
quote:
Currently the system doesn't remember the exact unit locations, so it's not possible to end up in situations where some of the units are separated from the others and must be 'rescued'. It's a very interesting idea and could be doable, but I think it can work in very static situations only, and usually the location moves a long distance between the battles.
Hmm ok, well, that is sad to hear. But maybe in the future? Also, how about implementing 'bubble' type 'front line' available? That would make some interesting situations like being surrounded.
Maybe, in the future, how about increasing the mission type or more various victory condition? Here are my brainstorming efforts:
1) Rescue friendly civilians
- Beginning from typical meeting engagement, enemy from the east, and friendly from the west, or any direction. Game is 'linear'
- But in the middle, there are civilian population and vehicles, which are modeled with infantry / car graphics.
- Civilian group have their own independent AI. Civilian AI command civilian units to run west, in 'cover' path finding, Civilian morale and mental properties are very low, they are easily scared or pinned down.
(In this case, there should be a consideration in the game source code, to enable 'multi-AI' from a single game. I know you guys don't have enough time and budget for such work, and I think those works won't be easy at all. But I truly believe that such 'multi-AI in single game' feature will flourish AB so much. With 'multi-AI in single game' feature, players can design multi-nation-game of NATO vs PACT, and this can be a good preparation phase for 2v2 or 3v3 human MP game in the far future. )
2) Surrounded - 'Alamo' type game.
- Eneny AI starts from multiple locations on the edge of the map, from any directions.
- Tactical level reinforcement of enemy units during game.
- Player units are defending small town or small-sized city, or well-fortified hills. They should defend the assault from all directions.
- Player forces should withstand against enemy for limited amount of time, until friendly AI tactical level reinforcement arrives. Or, one can make this friendly units as player control.
- After friendly reinforcement arrives, then player unit should escape to the location where friendly units appeared.
- Totally epic music during entire process (briefing, in-game, de-briefing) is must.
(In this case, the concept of tactical level reinforcements should be introduced. Again, I know it won't be easy, but this will make AB much more interesting, both for modders and players. If you guys open Patreon account, I'm willing to invest)
Some other ideas are SF / lightinfantry only infiltration missions, circumvent and surround the enemy forces or enemy-occupied city, or etc...
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