(TvT-RTS-48) Corazol by TG-7th Shiner

[Shiner]

Mission Name: (TvT-RTS-48) Corazol by TG-7th Shiner (Dedicated Server)

Mission Hosted: Now Available on the Private TG Server for Testing
Mission Download: Offline
Mission Version: v.01 (Beta)

Mission Summary Description:
Team vs Team mission featuring an RTS financial framework.


Known Bugs:

1. NOTE: Objects that are purchased take 5-10 seconds to "fully" spawn into the game requiring you to wait a few seconds after the object appears before you can interact with it.
2. v.01: Designed for dedicated server. Some things will not function outside the dedicates server environment most notably the scoring engine.
3. v.01: Deployables not working when AI purchases (placed near player not AI unit). Note that it appears only the purchaser of the tractor may actually use the tractor to make deployables.

Known To-dos:

1. TG Splash Screen & RTS intro/outro tutorial

Feature Requests Under Consideration:

1. Ranks from evolution

Feedback Request (any or all of these questions would be appreciated):

1. Did you enjoy the mission?
2. Did you experience any bugs/quirks specific to the mission?
3. Did you enjoy the financial RTS framework?
4. Did anything frustrate you on the map? Specifically why?
5. Do you have any suggestions on changes to improve the mission?

[Shiner]

Play Test 03-13-07 Notes:
Bug_OB1: AI squadmates go dead randomly and frequently
Bug_OB1: Server gets over-loaded at 60 sec interval. First interval is the worst as all scripts are compiled.

FR_OB1: Coop mode (consider coop modifier of x2-3 enemy team cash accumulation rate)
FR_OB1: Coop mode (Timed/Points) Just like TvT, but will be player vs AI for sector control
FR_OB1: Coop mode (Objectives) Take control of the city & destroy the AI commander.

Tweek_OB1: More AA protection for forward bases
Tweek_OB1: More differentiation in price between heavy assets and light assets.

[Chappie]

WoW Shiner!!,

looks very interesting....did anyone get to test it last night??? Unfortunately I'm not going to have alot of time to play this week..

Great work bro!!

Chappie

[Pompa]

Yeah, really looking forward to trying this one out!

[Strag]

Looking great, Shiner!

[Shiner]

I did get on and play tested about 30 minutes alone last night to confirm the basics are working. I have already identified a few MP induced bugs and programming flaws.

I also can't remember if I included all 48 player slots in the version I uploaded. I want to include as many player slots as practical and this is one of the key things I will be testing. I also will need to guage how the $$ pile up to prevent it turning into a crazy armor battle at the end.

I will also be working on a write-up on tips for playing RTS and am interested to see how you guys play!

For example:
1. Have your SL purchase an AI soldier and join him to the group, but leave him in the respawn base! If you get shot down over enemy territory, you can order him to purchase a chopper, get-in and come pick your squad up.
2. Have your SL purchase AI soldiers and join them to the group. Purchase tanks and trucks. Have the human players load up into a tank column and have the AI soldiers in the repair/ammo trucks follow at a safe distance.

Note "personal cash" purchases are "local". AI squad members ordered to purchase items will be charged against the SL's cash account.

[BHack]

Awesome mission!

1. I'd like to try the AAS version in coop mode against a bunch of AI. Battling through the city fighting for linear sectors against a bunch of AI seems like it would be very entertaining.

2. Limit each side to one cobra and one AA soldier (strela, stinger) available at any given time.

Both of these are realistic but overpowered from a balance stand point. A cobra can destroy all pieces of armor in the game without ever being in danger, and the AA weapons can down any helicopter in the game at far ranges without the chopper having any way to see or avoid them.

If the chopper get destroyed, another can be bought. If the player equipped with the AA goes down, REMOVE it from his dead body and put one back in the boxes at base.

3. No more than two AH-6 little birds per side at any given time.

4. Unlimited blackhawks, Mi-17's, and MH-6's (money permitting).

5. Possibly make everything more expensive. Powerful units should be hard to acquire.

ALTERNATE VERSION OF MISSION: LIMITED SCOPE DESIGNED FOR SMALLER PLAYER NUMBERS:

-Using numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 above, I'd like another version of this 'game mode' with some of the following things incorporated/taken out.

-I haven't really played enough, but I've read through the wiki entry and the financial model seems a bit overly complex. What is the point of "player cash"? How do players earn cash and why is it separate from team cash?

Why not force all money to go to the commander who is in charge of purchasing everything for the entire team. The commander is also in charge of all friendly AI units in the game. I'd like all players to not be burdened with purchasing AI for their own squads, instead the players can work together on one of the many sub missions (or capturing Sectors) while the commander "holds down the fort" with his control of AI units.

-There also seems to be quite a bit of "alternate objective" complexity which seems a bit much unless you have 20 real players on your team. I almost felt like there was TOO much going on.

-I think the main goal should be control of the sectors to generate money. After that, I liked the idea of having a few buildings (no more than 3) spread out on each team's side of the island which can be destroyed to hurt them in some strategic way. Could these buildings possibly be randomized among a subset of possibilites so you get to attack/defend them in different cities/landscapes each game? The repair convoy idea is also cool and should be left in. Once destroyed though, it should not respawn and destroying it means there should be no way the other team can get those buildings back up.

-Remove the POW/ratio objective set completely. It's a very cool idea and could be the main 'altnerate objective' in another version of this game mode, but I don't think both the POW and strategic building destruction alternate objectives should both be in the version of the game mode that is aimed at a smaller player number.

Overall, this game mode includes a ton of cool ideas and would be awesome for a huge group of players. I hope you consider a slightly 'trimmed down' version for when we have just 5-10 players on the server though! Nice work man!

[Strag]

Definitely some great stuff, Shiner. Nice work!

The only suggestion I have at this early stage goes along with what BHack mentioned above. I'd recommend making items cost what they do in real life, and up the funds available to a team appropriately (say, $3,000,000 instead of $3000). It seemed kinda weird spending only a couple of hundred bucks on an armored vehicle.

I also like the idea of having "platoon" and "squad" based funds rather than "team" and "personal" funds.

[Shiner]

Thanks for the comments guys. I will be working on a revised version that inlcudes many of the items suggested.

BHack you are exactly right that this mission is "too complex". As I was telling Strag in another post, I really wanted to put all 4 mission types into a single mission for testing purposes, but am planning on releasing variations with only compenents of these.

[Strag]

Originally Posted by Shiner

BHack you are exactly right that this mission is "too complex". As I was telling Strag in another post, I really wanted to put all 4 mission types into a single mission for testing purposes, but am planning on releasing variations with only compenents of these.

In its current state, it's a great package for testing everything. Once you fine tune things to your liking, breaking things apart sounds like a great plan.