Npcs to help fill in larger maps, like Theed?
Posted this before, but that forum is gone.
On maps such as Theed, many players agree it's way too empty. To make it feel more full, maybe you can have players minor areas that can spawn a few npcs that have their own missions to affect that corner of the battle? Like barricades to block some fringe alleyways, to open them the other side would have to spawn their own mini squad who's job would be to remove them and open them back up to flank. Allow them to be killed, but don't count as a kill and only be worth a few points so they aren't farmable. A cool down timer or only temporary activation windows such as the disruptors, where they can't be activated before or after the MTT hits a certain checkpoint.
This would allow for poorer teams to temporarily gain a small advantage or good teams to further the game along so the teams are randomized again. It would help flesh out the level and make it feel fuller. The main street is all but abandoned since it's a death trap and the only action takes place at the few bottlenecks on the dies or at the disruptors themselves. It's a huge level that is totally a waste of space. Adding in weak npcs that are only there for a small mission, such as a flank squad rocketing in from the side that flanks a bottleneck area allowing the droids to push through, or barricades blocking the bottleneck entirely until a snapper team removes it would go miles to flesh it out and feel like a real war zone. These sort of mini checkpoints would make your team work together or fall apart, and as the classes are made to do that, they should would force them into their roles. The assassins would pick off defenders trying to keep the snapper teams back, the heavies would hold the line while the snappers approached, assaults would grenade the wall to clear it and vanguard through the breach, officers would back any and all of these roles as needed.
Teams can forego the option of additional attackers or defenders if they wish, and they wouldn't cost battle points, just holding a spot or activating a position for a few moments, similar to the buttons in the palace. This takes the player out of the main battle until it's complete, great for lesser skilled/leveled/new players to contribute to the team while not wasting their teams resources (if any, such as in strike or starfighter) by dying repeatedly. You'd think the classes would make us work as a team, they don't. Some are just better than others hands down from a beta perspective. Give us a reason to come together rather than just "pew pew, camp the guns, repeat x3".
I believe these, if activated at the right times can be a large benefit to the game. They'd make the players feel more involved for their team, and more importantly, fill in the map. I mean butterflies and leaves are nice, but when that's all you see until you reach the enemy spawn point, it's REALLY, REALLY, BORING. You could even ditch some of the weaker aircraft and make them a points option with more health. They'd push the main objectives and the one who selects the squad gets to choose where it goes on the map. Selecting a set point on the map, the squad would makes it's way there by it's own path based on the players in the area, they would then hold the area until it died and could be repurchased. Such as sending it to defend the eastern disruptor rifle so the enemy can't camp it as easily, opening it up for players to fire on the MTT. When the MTT passes the checkpoint they'd fall back to the nest or they'd leave the field by running off the map down a street or being lifted out by a non combatant transport. You can have them on both sides for the first phase. Inside isn't nearly as bad and more fun, but the first phase needs SOMETHING.
This idea can be put in on almost every level. More npcs for the rebels in starfighter that target the gun platforms, x-wings or a-wings that fly protection for the frigates since the loss of each is like killing 10 players per ship lost. Straifing runs that takes out the guns on the star destroyer, things that help, but don't directly affect the main objective would be useful. Since these cost points, these ships shouldn't also cost reinforcements when killed. This allows players to purchase things to help the battle even if all the heroes are taken and they dislike the other options available. I know I loved the y-wing yet found everything but the heroes to be underwhelming and not worth my time, yet I kept getting hit by platform and destroyer cannons while making runs on EVERY objective where the Empire had no such weaknesses. It felt very lopsided. Those guns don't do much damage, but being able to possibly remove them with my points while making another run would be great.
Little things like that go a long way to fill and flush out gameplay for the player. It's what we saw in the movies and what we would expect in a game based on them. Please consider this idea for future use. Thanks.
On maps such as Theed, many players agree it's way too empty. To make it feel more full, maybe you can have players minor areas that can spawn a few npcs that have their own missions to affect that corner of the battle? Like barricades to block some fringe alleyways, to open them the other side would have to spawn their own mini squad who's job would be to remove them and open them back up to flank. Allow them to be killed, but don't count as a kill and only be worth a few points so they aren't farmable. A cool down timer or only temporary activation windows such as the disruptors, where they can't be activated before or after the MTT hits a certain checkpoint.
This would allow for poorer teams to temporarily gain a small advantage or good teams to further the game along so the teams are randomized again. It would help flesh out the level and make it feel fuller. The main street is all but abandoned since it's a death trap and the only action takes place at the few bottlenecks on the dies or at the disruptors themselves. It's a huge level that is totally a waste of space. Adding in weak npcs that are only there for a small mission, such as a flank squad rocketing in from the side that flanks a bottleneck area allowing the droids to push through, or barricades blocking the bottleneck entirely until a snapper team removes it would go miles to flesh it out and feel like a real war zone. These sort of mini checkpoints would make your team work together or fall apart, and as the classes are made to do that, they should would force them into their roles. The assassins would pick off defenders trying to keep the snapper teams back, the heavies would hold the line while the snappers approached, assaults would grenade the wall to clear it and vanguard through the breach, officers would back any and all of these roles as needed.
Teams can forego the option of additional attackers or defenders if they wish, and they wouldn't cost battle points, just holding a spot or activating a position for a few moments, similar to the buttons in the palace. This takes the player out of the main battle until it's complete, great for lesser skilled/leveled/new players to contribute to the team while not wasting their teams resources (if any, such as in strike or starfighter) by dying repeatedly. You'd think the classes would make us work as a team, they don't. Some are just better than others hands down from a beta perspective. Give us a reason to come together rather than just "pew pew, camp the guns, repeat x3".
I believe these, if activated at the right times can be a large benefit to the game. They'd make the players feel more involved for their team, and more importantly, fill in the map. I mean butterflies and leaves are nice, but when that's all you see until you reach the enemy spawn point, it's REALLY, REALLY, BORING. You could even ditch some of the weaker aircraft and make them a points option with more health. They'd push the main objectives and the one who selects the squad gets to choose where it goes on the map. Selecting a set point on the map, the squad would makes it's way there by it's own path based on the players in the area, they would then hold the area until it died and could be repurchased. Such as sending it to defend the eastern disruptor rifle so the enemy can't camp it as easily, opening it up for players to fire on the MTT. When the MTT passes the checkpoint they'd fall back to the nest or they'd leave the field by running off the map down a street or being lifted out by a non combatant transport. You can have them on both sides for the first phase. Inside isn't nearly as bad and more fun, but the first phase needs SOMETHING.
This idea can be put in on almost every level. More npcs for the rebels in starfighter that target the gun platforms, x-wings or a-wings that fly protection for the frigates since the loss of each is like killing 10 players per ship lost. Straifing runs that takes out the guns on the star destroyer, things that help, but don't directly affect the main objective would be useful. Since these cost points, these ships shouldn't also cost reinforcements when killed. This allows players to purchase things to help the battle even if all the heroes are taken and they dislike the other options available. I know I loved the y-wing yet found everything but the heroes to be underwhelming and not worth my time, yet I kept getting hit by platform and destroyer cannons while making runs on EVERY objective where the Empire had no such weaknesses. It felt very lopsided. Those guns don't do much damage, but being able to possibly remove them with my points while making another run would be great.
Little things like that go a long way to fill and flush out gameplay for the player. It's what we saw in the movies and what we would expect in a game based on them. Please consider this idea for future use. Thanks.
