7 replies to this topic

[Halsh]

First impressions of the game is it looks to have a great deal of potential. Few suggestions, as always, based on the gameplay I was exposed to:

Hacking could do more than just shutdown spawns for the Overwatch; maybe it'll open up some spawns for headcrabs/zombies/zombines that've breached the containment, releasing AI-controlled units into the map which will attack both sides equally.
Hacking should offer some form of degredation: if the Overwatch manages to remove you from your perch at the hacking console, it should slowly lower (maybe after a brief duration) until either the hacking is resumed or it reaches 0 again.

The revive system should display what % the revive is at, at the moment all I can see is someone flashing a bit, which doesn't really tell me much.

Explosive spawns need to be changed to make players more intuitively aware how to obtain them. I'm afraid we'll just have the newbies running around going "WTFWTFWTFWTF!" acting as cannon fodder for the people who know the map to go about their business. I'm loath to advocate adding ammo boxes that'll respawn after a given time, but there needs to be some way for people to know where to obtain them.

Generators need to be made more clear that you need to use explosives to destroy: whether this be grenade or the Overwatches own artillery against itself. I would've stood there emptying clip after clip into it were it not for someone telling me to use explosives. Again, should be intuitive.

If you have a slow computer or just bad lag, you shouldn't be forced to sit the round out. This occured in ZM and it wasn't fun, especially if it dragged on a bit. Maybe a system similar to TF2 (Screwaround for 30 seconds or so at new map and then start as normal) or your own version could be implimented.

Maybe I just clicked it wrong, but I don't think medkits can be carried around. If not, why not? I'm not 100% on this, so I wont mention it any more.


And now for the Overwatch side:
I fear the general gameplay will devolve into "Ok, I have Y seconds before spawns A, B and C come back and I need to click them." based off the current system I've seen. Maybe have a tick system or so, gathering to a maximum so you don't need to mollycoddle the buttons, but don't lose out much if you're deploying specific tactics.


I think that's it for now.

[PixilatedPunk]

Thank you for the suggestions. As I mentioned in game a lot of these points have been discussed and some we already have plans on how to improve. I do like the hack time degradation idea and I will bring it up at the next meeting.

[Firespray]

I had quite some fun playing it today, however I never saw more than five people in a server for full on battles.

[AndY]

Halsh, on 14 July 2010 - 10:04 PM, said:

First impressions of the game is it looks to have a great deal of potential. Few suggestions, as always, based on the gameplay I was exposed to:

Hacking could do more than just shutdown spawns for the Overwatch; maybe it'll open up some spawns for headcrabs/zombies/zombines that've breached the containment, releasing AI-controlled units into the map which will attack both sides equally.
Hacking should offer some form of degredation: if the Overwatch manages to remove you from your perch at the hacking console, it should slowly lower (maybe after a brief duration) until either the hacking is resumed or it reaches 0 again.

The revive system should display what % the revive is at, at the moment all I can see is someone flashing a bit, which doesn't really tell me much.

Explosive spawns need to be changed to make players more intuitively aware how to obtain them. I'm afraid we'll just have the newbies running around going "WTFWTFWTFWTF!" acting as cannon fodder for the people who know the map to go about their business. I'm loath to advocate adding ammo boxes that'll respawn after a given time, but there needs to be some way for people to know where to obtain them.

Generators need to be made more clear that you need to use explosives to destroy: whether this be grenade or the Overwatches own artillery against itself. I would've stood there emptying clip after clip into it were it not for someone telling me to use explosives. Again, should be intuitive.

If you have a slow computer or just bad lag, you shouldn't be forced to sit the round out. This occured in ZM and it wasn't fun, especially if it dragged on a bit. Maybe a system similar to TF2 (Screwaround for 30 seconds or so at new map and then start as normal) or your own version could be implimented.

Maybe I just clicked it wrong, but I don't think medkits can be carried around. If not, why not? I'm not 100% on this, so I wont mention it any more.


And now for the Overwatch side:
I fear the general gameplay will devolve into "Ok, I have Y seconds before spawns A, B and C come back and I need to click them." based off the current system I've seen. Maybe have a tick system or so, gathering to a maximum so you don't need to mollycoddle the buttons, but don't lose out much if you're deploying specific tactics.


I think that's it for now.

Hey Halsh,

Thanks for the feedback! I'm only going to give a quick answer for the time being, I'll revisit this tomorrow.

Re: Overwatch side
We definitely want to make playing the Overwatch side as fun as possible.

We've always followed a very iterative process when it comes to developing and implementing new features (as I'm sure you've noticed with our shield and revive features). It allows us to remain very flexible while we prototype different approaches. The Overwatch side of the game has already gone through quite a few iterations, specially with the way unit spawning works. Develop, implement, test, gather feedback, rinse, repeat.

All this to say that the way the current spawn system works isn't going to stay that way for very long. Now that we have a good grasp of how the Overwatch side of the game flows, we've designed a powerful system that will give you much more control (and actually be integrated into the HUD instead of as buttons throughout the level). We'll be rolling it out progressively, so keep an eye out for it in upcoming updates, and be sure to keep sending in your feedback!

[Halsh]

After playing another couple rounds, I thought this and hence remembered to post it here.

Riot shields should be able to be deployed to offer a static defense for the Rebel side (or the combine, should you neglect to pick it up in your escape) so as to not have 1 player looking through the shield thinking "Oh I wish I could shoot them. ... But I can't, I have to sit on my bum and hope the guy behind me remembers to shoot."

This could have a deployment/pickup timer to reward foresight and punish those who're unaware.

This could either entirely replace the current riotshield mechanic or act as an alternative use for it.

[elite879]

I remember you mentioning that Halsh.

It's a good idea I think, I want it ot be implimented aswell. Since sitting around and hoping your team mates shoot what's attacking you doesn't always work.

[Rymosrac]

I've only seen the few gameplay vids uploaded to youtube so far, but I can certainly see a LOT of potential in this mod.

My first thought is that some means of scaling the forces avilable to the overwatch based on the number of rebel players is an absolute necessity. Making the game playable with a wide number of players is essential, and right now anything less than 4 or 5 rebels seems to spell almost certain defeat.

The other big thing I'd like to encourage you to look at is variety of options. I can see some real desire to give options to players on both sides here, and I think that needs to be expounded upon. The real heat of a good RTS is the availability of options to the player, with those options carrying appropriate costs, risks, and potential payoffs. Evolving the overwatch gameplay from "spawn troopers / manhacks, converge on rebels, repeat" to something with a little more complexity will add a lot to the game. I know the team is working hard in that direction, with plans to give the overwatch player more unit types, abilities, and control over the environment to the player - and I think that's going to add a huge amount to the game.

For the rebels, I think the thing that will really make them fun to play as the mod develops is again to give them a lot of options through the tools available to them. being able to set up traps with SLAMs, arrange impromptu cover with the gravgun, and the like will help encourage the rebels to communicate better and develop more sophisticated, team-oriented, and most importantly, FUN way of thwarting the overwatch player.

One last thing - the information advantage carried by the overwatch player in his ability to constantly maintain knowledge of the position and desposition of the rebel team is MASSIVE. Equipping the rebels with some way of combating this would be a good idea, in my opinion. Preventing rebel players from just going off the radar and hiding in a corner of the map for eternity could be easily countered with some kind of periodic scan ability available to the overwatch player. Of course, for all I know the team has already thought of this stuff, and I'm just regurgitating useless information.

Anyways, thanks for the work you've put into this project, I'm excited to see what kind of direction it takes in the coming months.

-Rym

[Boxiii]

I like the idea of zombie AI that hurt both teams.