Battlefield 2 Preview
DOOManiac
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Sounds awesome, but...</div>I was reading the latest Gamespot <a href='http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/battlefield2/preview_6120651.html' target='_blank'>preview of Battlefield 2</a> and it sound as awesome as ever, especially the tracking of how well you do as a particular class w/ particular tasks.
However, one part caught my attention in particular regarding the game's Commander mode:
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You can use this screen, which features a map of the level, to issue direct orders to your team by clicking on the map and assigning specific commands ("attack," "repair," "defend," "mine," and so on) to specific points. These commands are reflected in the world with colored smoke canisters that help point your teammates in the right direction. This feature goes hand in hand with the commander's four special abilities, which all currently work on a rechargeable timer. These abilities include scanning the entire map to reveal snapshot positions of all enemy troops; deploying short-range satellites to specific locations on the map that persistently track enemy movement in that area; dropping destructible supply crates that resupply nearby allies with ammo and health, unless an enemy blasts it apart first; and calling in devastating artillery strikes. Since commander players are actually in the game as characters, you can, if you're feeling lucky, scout out your target area personally, call in a strike, then close the commander view to watch the bombs drop firsthand (although we recommend getting to a safe distance first). Don't worry too much about lousy commanders, since you'll need to apply for the position in the game with in-game voting, and if some commanders aren't doing their jobs, they can be voted right back out of the position.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Placing waypoints for orders for moving to/building/guarding areas? Dropping health and ammo? Scanning for enemy players? I think there was some other game that had this too, but I can't put my hand on it.. heh.
Oh well, Commander mode is doomed to fail anyway. You have to be VOTED in to be commander in the first place? What the hell makes them think that will ever work? It will be just like vehicles, except worse. Everyone will want to be commander, and no one will vote for anyone besides themselves. And on the off chance that someone is voted in, they'll instantly be voted out by the other 20 people on the team who wants to command.
I do like the idea that the commander will still be in-game and thus can be shot. That's really cool, because if you have a good commander that means you'll have to be sure and guard him so he isn't taken out by the enemy. I also like the squad leaders idea.
However, one part caught my attention in particular regarding the game's Commander mode:
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You can use this screen, which features a map of the level, to issue direct orders to your team by clicking on the map and assigning specific commands ("attack," "repair," "defend," "mine," and so on) to specific points. These commands are reflected in the world with colored smoke canisters that help point your teammates in the right direction. This feature goes hand in hand with the commander's four special abilities, which all currently work on a rechargeable timer. These abilities include scanning the entire map to reveal snapshot positions of all enemy troops; deploying short-range satellites to specific locations on the map that persistently track enemy movement in that area; dropping destructible supply crates that resupply nearby allies with ammo and health, unless an enemy blasts it apart first; and calling in devastating artillery strikes. Since commander players are actually in the game as characters, you can, if you're feeling lucky, scout out your target area personally, call in a strike, then close the commander view to watch the bombs drop firsthand (although we recommend getting to a safe distance first). Don't worry too much about lousy commanders, since you'll need to apply for the position in the game with in-game voting, and if some commanders aren't doing their jobs, they can be voted right back out of the position.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Placing waypoints for orders for moving to/building/guarding areas? Dropping health and ammo? Scanning for enemy players? I think there was some other game that had this too, but I can't put my hand on it.. heh.
Oh well, Commander mode is doomed to fail anyway. You have to be VOTED in to be commander in the first place? What the hell makes them think that will ever work? It will be just like vehicles, except worse. Everyone will want to be commander, and no one will vote for anyone besides themselves. And on the off chance that someone is voted in, they'll instantly be voted out by the other 20 people on the team who wants to command.
I do like the idea that the commander will still be in-game and thus can be shot. That's really cool, because if you have a good commander that means you'll have to be sure and guard him so he isn't taken out by the enemy. I also like the squad leaders idea.
Comments
Does everyone in NS run to jump in the comm chair? No.
Sure, everyone at first will: But after a bit of time goes by, all should settle.
That said, I'm not really looking forward to this game. Not only am I over games, but there's nothing overly special about it from what I've seen so far.
Although FH will be based off the BF2 engine.
The first top down RTS FPS, multiplayer at least.
Yes, Flayra was able to go back in time with the help of a <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Future' target='_blank'>scientist and a slacker</a> to create the game, however he felt it would be unfair for all the companies to beat them at their own game ahead of time so he sat on the project a few years and ate spaghetti.
...............................................................................
<!--QuoteBegin-emperor awesome+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (emperor awesome)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I don't see the "commander" mode as such a terrible crime. Yes, chances are it's based on NS, but this is the way things go. You take something that works well and people like, and try and duplicate or adapt it, and put it in your game. Consider it BF paying respect to NS.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This is similar to attributing all games with Engineers, Medics, Spies, Snipers, and other popular classes in Return to Castle Wolfenstein to Team Fotress Classic.
One could make the case that the popularity of the game made the other developers more aware to the options available, but I wouldn't (without a statement from EA) say that Battlefield 2 is a blatant rip-off/nod to Natural Selection.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The difference between their commander and the NS commander is that their commander actually gets to hop back and forth between first person and top down views no matter where they are. That sounds pretty sweet if you ask me.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Oh man! They're ripping off Brothers in Arms!
See my point?
I see your point. Now listen to mine. I have to go now, brothers 18th, but I'll type this out quickly.
MY point was that we don't know what's going on in the heads of the developers. Yes, there have been instances of people on the other side of the world developing the same breakthrough technology at the same time, completely oblivious to the others' work. It's unlikely, but it's happened. However, NS is a relatively famous and popular game. As developers, they're supposed to go out and look at other games, see what's been implemented and see how that could be used to better their upcoming [or current] games. I'd be surprised, and a bit disappointed, if they didn't.
A 'commander' type mode, while not a new idea, is still being used in different ways. NS pioneered the latest craze - top down RTS in an FPS environment, guiding/assisting a team of soldiers in a multiplayer team vs team environment. BF, in all likelyhood, considered the idea and decided that it would suit well in their style of game.
I said "Consider it BF paying respect to NS", instead of "BF blatantly ripping off NS" or "BF stealing the NS idea and utilising it better". It's using whatever game styles work to make your game more fun and better selling.
So calm down and actually try and consider what I'm saying before you go off on a tangent, refuting arguments that I never used.
And think Friendly fire, some one can just camp the comm position and shoot all the comms <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
1) You can't crash into the side of a cliff.
2) You can't eject before crashing into the side of a cliff, without warning your passenger(s).
Commanding in NS is a lot of work, and not many people do it. The opposite, in fact; a fair few games, I'll get into the chair just to prevent 30-sec-comless default loss.
In fact, this system might mean that someone who doesn't want to be com is <i>forced</i> in. Not a good idea, IMO.
YOU'RE TEARING THIS FAMILY APART!
You can wait in line with your team of 32 players to get a chance to rush at one of the 4 planes that will spawn on the map, and if you're lucky enough to be on a server where FF is on someone on your own team will blow the plane up because if they can't have it no one will.
But when you aren't on servers like that.. oh man, it pwns.
You can wait in line with your team of 32 players to get a chance to rush at one of the 4 planes that will spawn on the map, and if you're lucky enough to be on a server where FF is on someone on your own team will blow the plane up because if they can't have it no one will.
But when you aren't on servers like that.. oh man, it pwns. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
BF:V is slightly different.
Even though I do end up being the only engineer ever.
Yes I am one of these rare "Support" players. Who unlike everyone else has to carry essential team-helping stuff like wrenches and med-kits (And use them on other team members.) Whereas evryone else seems to be happy with "Teh Bigz0r Gunz!", oh and plane thiefing.