- MasterBarek
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- Noble Member
All great ideas Zuriax! I am really hoping that Bungie is developing something along these lines. To expand on your thoughts some, and I'll try to keep it coherent, I really would like a more nuanced strategic combat experience than what the current generation of FPSs has to offer, and here's what I mean by that.
For me it's not enough to just campaign to take over a planet by conquering static bases (like in Battlefront). See here's the thing. With each of the Halos, Bungie has done an excellent job in expanding players ability to creativity build in their sandbox. So, why not take that to the next level? Halo originally started out as an RTS, which is based around being able to build infrastructure to support your combat units. Therefore, I think the next logical step is Destiny should allow players and/or factions to strategically build various types of infrastructure on the territories/planets they control, such as command centers, weapon depots, supply caches, communication hubs, research centers, vehicle storage, monetary centers, etc. Also being a true sandbox and like in an RTS, each player/faction should have the ability to strategically place their infrastructure wherever they want withing their area of control. This in turn will give so much depth to the combat experience.
Here's the scenario I have in my mind: say you want to start a new campaign to conquer a planet your faction has never set foot on. To start such a campaign is going to require intel, which means you will need to send an infiltration team to the planet and recon the infrastructure. Depending on your strategic objectives, you might simply exfiltrate with only that intel...or perhaps you might send a unit to a communication hub and have them hack into the communication flow, maybe leave a bug. Maybe you could check out a supply depot and download data on the resources they currently have or change their numbers so they think they more resources available. Each one of these options would have risk/reward factors involved. To effectively begin your main campaign, you would probably want to covertly land commando units to sabotage communication hubs and supply depots, thus giving you a greater strategic advantage. However, say your faction's planet has access to another planet controlled by the same opposing faction. You could send a sabotage team as a decoy to the other planet and raise cane and then attack your primary objective.
However, regardless whether the FPS portion revolves around simpler combat operations, such as taking static bases or is more in-depth, I think one thing that needs to be addressed is overall battlefield coordination. I mean it's one thing to have a counsel decide which planet to attack but it's another matter to coordinate realtime battlefield maneuvers and tactics. Question: I am kind of curious to hear on how big of a scale you all are thinking for these planetary battles? Hundreds? A Thousand?
But back to my point, say you drop in 250 troops onto a planet to take it over. You need at least one person if not multiple people who can see the whole picture to coordinate the assault. This probably isn't going to take place with someone in FPS mode but rather someone in a mobile command center that has access to streaming information about the battlefield. Thus I do not see all roles in combat being FPS roles. I think players should able to do both in the field of combat, and that leadership should not be limited solely to those that have the highest combat proficiency. I've coached HS basketball and, just because you score the most points, does not necessarily translate into you being the best person to coach the entire team. Should those who excel in combat receive recognition and have leadership status? Yes. But there should also be avenues for good strategic thinkers to be in leadership as well. If success and status is dictated solely or largely on your FPS combat proficiency, I will be disappointed because, in my mind, an opportunity to be a game changer in the industry will have been missed. Having said that though, I have complete faith that whatever Bungie comes up with will be a game changer, will have a good balance and will lift the gaming industry out of the same ole' same ole' rut it's been stuck in.
Well, that's all I have for now. Am I being a little too ambitious here or, do you think with this new generation of consoles, something on this scale, with this much depth, would be possible? I am looking forward to your thoughts.