Lord of the Rings Mod - HELM'S DEEP
<div class="IPBDescription">If you played L4D2's Mod, You Know What I Mean</div><u>LONG READ AHEAD. If you want the gist of it, go to the "How This Applies to Helm's Deep" section. I encourage reading the entire post though, I tried to make it interesting.</u>
I would like to start with a belief of mine: user-created content is the ticket to a game's infinite re-playability.
This can be evidenced with Starcraft and Counter Strike/Half Life. Those games are way past their expiration dates, but they are still actively being played (<a href="http://store.steampowered.com/stats/" target="_blank">http://store.steampowered.com/stats/</a>). The reason for this is namely they have lots of mods for them. Starcraft has Use Map Setting games while CS has things like surf, zombie mod, etc. (also NS1 was a mod of Half Life to begin with!!). So, even though NS2 is a great game, it is still currently lacking in the mods department. All the server list has is the same 5 maps right now. Sure, there are mods for skins and other things, but we need gameplay mods like Sanity, siege, combat, etc.
So after all that useless rambling, I would like to suggest a mod idea, which is "<b>Survival</b>" mod. The first map that I think would be a great launch map would be a re-creation of <b>LotR's: Helm's Deep</b>.
<b><u>About the Survival Mod:</u></b>
It'll be essentially like L4D, but instead of constantly progressing through the map, the map will be segmented. So, the basic idea of the mod is the marines hold a location for a certain amount of time and the outnumbering aliens will keep attacking them until they are eliminated. If the marines manage to hold the location for a certain time, the next location will be accessible and the marines will keep progressing forward until the goal is reached.
<i><u>Marines:</u></i>
-The location should favor the marines, since they are outnumbered and defending. This means that there are only a couple passageways which the aliens can come from and from only one direction. Long hallways and environmental tools are optional.
-When a marine dies, they will spawn from an infantry portal at the location they are currently holding. After they move forward, the IP is turned off and the next IP is on.
-Marines lose when aliens have reached the IP(s) that they are spawning from and destroy it.
-Increased clip sizes and damage. Also, infinite ammo and gun selection location.
-Suggested amount of marines: 10 (as long as they are outnumbered)
<i><u>Aliens:</u></i>
-When an alien dies, they INSTANTLY respawn and keep trying to bulldog through the marine defense. There should be no wait time after an alien dies, or else it will be boring.
-The lifeform the aliens spawn as is random, but should hit a ratio: like 1 Onos, 3 Fades, 10 Gorges, rest are skulks (if the server is full that is, otherwise it will be variable)
-ABSOLUTELY NO LERKS ARE ALLOWED or else marines can never win
-Reduced health for all lifeforms
-Suggested amount of aliens: 30 (as long as they outnumber)
<b><u>How This Applies to Helm's Deep</u></b>:
If anyone has ever played the Helm's Deep map in L4D2, they know exactly what I'm talking about. If not, here is a video which illustrates its epicness: (just try to not watch the whole thing)
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9hz0dR-aGI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9hz0dR-aGI</a>
In all honesty, I just want to copy that. If anyone can remake that map in NS2, then you have accomplished it. The most notable things to watch are at the times:
0:35
4:51
8:06
8:44
17:00
And of course, the epic Rohirrim charge 27:52 - 29:06
As you can see, at those times the players are allowed to move forward and the location that they are holding changes. That would be what I want:
<b>1)</b> The marines start at the outside defense of the keep and defend until the timer forces them to push back
<b>2)</b> The marines go into the keep and defend from there until a certain time
<b>3)</b> They are pushed further into the keep until the final room, which they still have to hold for a certain period of time
<b>4)</b> When the Rohirrim charge comes, the marines will all be suited in <b>dual Exo's</b> and will march to the outside field where Gandolf awaits and they win
Lastly, while the marines are defending, there are 3 random chosen heroes: Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli who wield an instantkill-axe, GL, and flamethrower respectively while all the marines are using LMG. If any of the heroes die, they will respawn as normal soldiers and the hero will permanently be out of the remainder of the game. There will also be environmental things to help the marines, like STRONG auto-turrets and other things.
I would like to apologize for the long read, but this is a description of something I believe would fit very well into NS2. Since the game mechanics supports this mod and the whole idea of aliens and marines also seems to make this Survival mod work. As for me, I tried to learn the mapping tool, but it's harder than it looks and I'm a ###### programmer too. I'm just posting to get the ball rolling to hopefully get some other ideas to come out of this or someone who would be willing to accept this challenge. I think the only hard part would be mapping, the coding shouldn't be that hard for the game (I'm not really too sure though). Please critique the idea and give any feedback or suggestions to help with this idea.
I would like to start with a belief of mine: user-created content is the ticket to a game's infinite re-playability.
This can be evidenced with Starcraft and Counter Strike/Half Life. Those games are way past their expiration dates, but they are still actively being played (<a href="http://store.steampowered.com/stats/" target="_blank">http://store.steampowered.com/stats/</a>). The reason for this is namely they have lots of mods for them. Starcraft has Use Map Setting games while CS has things like surf, zombie mod, etc. (also NS1 was a mod of Half Life to begin with!!). So, even though NS2 is a great game, it is still currently lacking in the mods department. All the server list has is the same 5 maps right now. Sure, there are mods for skins and other things, but we need gameplay mods like Sanity, siege, combat, etc.
So after all that useless rambling, I would like to suggest a mod idea, which is "<b>Survival</b>" mod. The first map that I think would be a great launch map would be a re-creation of <b>LotR's: Helm's Deep</b>.
<b><u>About the Survival Mod:</u></b>
It'll be essentially like L4D, but instead of constantly progressing through the map, the map will be segmented. So, the basic idea of the mod is the marines hold a location for a certain amount of time and the outnumbering aliens will keep attacking them until they are eliminated. If the marines manage to hold the location for a certain time, the next location will be accessible and the marines will keep progressing forward until the goal is reached.
<i><u>Marines:</u></i>
-The location should favor the marines, since they are outnumbered and defending. This means that there are only a couple passageways which the aliens can come from and from only one direction. Long hallways and environmental tools are optional.
-When a marine dies, they will spawn from an infantry portal at the location they are currently holding. After they move forward, the IP is turned off and the next IP is on.
-Marines lose when aliens have reached the IP(s) that they are spawning from and destroy it.
-Increased clip sizes and damage. Also, infinite ammo and gun selection location.
-Suggested amount of marines: 10 (as long as they are outnumbered)
<i><u>Aliens:</u></i>
-When an alien dies, they INSTANTLY respawn and keep trying to bulldog through the marine defense. There should be no wait time after an alien dies, or else it will be boring.
-The lifeform the aliens spawn as is random, but should hit a ratio: like 1 Onos, 3 Fades, 10 Gorges, rest are skulks (if the server is full that is, otherwise it will be variable)
-ABSOLUTELY NO LERKS ARE ALLOWED or else marines can never win
-Reduced health for all lifeforms
-Suggested amount of aliens: 30 (as long as they outnumber)
<b><u>How This Applies to Helm's Deep</u></b>:
If anyone has ever played the Helm's Deep map in L4D2, they know exactly what I'm talking about. If not, here is a video which illustrates its epicness: (just try to not watch the whole thing)
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9hz0dR-aGI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9hz0dR-aGI</a>
In all honesty, I just want to copy that. If anyone can remake that map in NS2, then you have accomplished it. The most notable things to watch are at the times:
0:35
4:51
8:06
8:44
17:00
And of course, the epic Rohirrim charge 27:52 - 29:06
As you can see, at those times the players are allowed to move forward and the location that they are holding changes. That would be what I want:
<b>1)</b> The marines start at the outside defense of the keep and defend until the timer forces them to push back
<b>2)</b> The marines go into the keep and defend from there until a certain time
<b>3)</b> They are pushed further into the keep until the final room, which they still have to hold for a certain period of time
<b>4)</b> When the Rohirrim charge comes, the marines will all be suited in <b>dual Exo's</b> and will march to the outside field where Gandolf awaits and they win
Lastly, while the marines are defending, there are 3 random chosen heroes: Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli who wield an instantkill-axe, GL, and flamethrower respectively while all the marines are using LMG. If any of the heroes die, they will respawn as normal soldiers and the hero will permanently be out of the remainder of the game. There will also be environmental things to help the marines, like STRONG auto-turrets and other things.
I would like to apologize for the long read, but this is a description of something I believe would fit very well into NS2. Since the game mechanics supports this mod and the whole idea of aliens and marines also seems to make this Survival mod work. As for me, I tried to learn the mapping tool, but it's harder than it looks and I'm a ###### programmer too. I'm just posting to get the ball rolling to hopefully get some other ideas to come out of this or someone who would be willing to accept this challenge. I think the only hard part would be mapping, the coding shouldn't be that hard for the game (I'm not really too sure though). Please critique the idea and give any feedback or suggestions to help with this idea.
Comments
I do love Lotr environments and i hope to see normal, combat, and even siege lotr maps in the near future
It shouldn't be that bad, since it's instant respawn. Also, if you ever played zombie mod in CS:Source, it worked very similar for the zombies. Infact, it may have been worse in CS:Source, since the zombies would get stuck on objects and there were spots that were incredibly hard to get to. But I do agree most of the fun will be on the marine side. If there are alien bots created, then that would be a great replacement.
You will probably run into problems if you specifically want to recreate the Helm's Deep map. It's just too big and open (at least the outside).
Any other, more confined map would of course work. The mod idea sounds great. And I suspect, with the entire NS2 gameplay centered around cramped maps, a proper custom map instead of Helm's Deep would play better anyway.
You could try and modify one of the stock maps for a start.
Tram comes to my mind. For example: Aliens start in Shipping (bottom) and Marines have to defend the center (="outside" in your Helm's Deep analogy, Aliens have to attack through South Tunnels, all other ways must be blocked), then Server Room (="the keep", Aliens must attack from center through North Tunnels), then Elevator Transfer (="final room", Aliens must attack through from Server Room through Mezzanine) and for the Rohirrim charge all blocked ways are opened (aka blocks can be killed by Exos) and Marines have to destroy the shippping Hive or something (Aliens should probably spawn in Shipping for that).
Just my thoughts, it's the draw distance limitation that worries me. Try it out in the editor.