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Luke_Danger
05-17-2011, 09:16 PM
Subject:
Unit Quotes

Description:
I once suggested a while back a couple "stop poking me quotes" as a a bit of laid-back fun. Obviously I got a bit of a flame match with some folks, but I'm bringing up a more general topic this time.

What kind of quotes should be done besides the usual trained/select/move/attack/selected under fire? I'm personally thinking that a couple lines to acknowledge repeated clicking (IE, after selecting a bunch of move places in close succession a unit quips "Make up your bleep mind sir!" or old fashioned stop poking)? Should units be limited to a few and shared (such as in Tiberian Dawn) or should they have a wide variety of lines that are unique with a few basic acknowledgements shared between (Ex, C&C 3 KW).


Positive Effect:
A wider variety of unit acknowledgements and even some witty one-liner jokes thrown in for those who have nothing better to do while waiting for resources to come in isn't a bad thing and can be the host of some fun in-jokes. They can even be used to characterize the units more and give each one more of a personality than just the usual slog of lines by letting them bemoan their circumstances or call cliches of the RTS genre. This can also be used to wake a player up if they're clicking something over and over again as well. Given I often open up the editors to actually hear the lines sometimes, I noticed there's some nice effort in that for C&C3 (never could open the TT one though)

Negative Effect:
Time and resources, in my opinion, is the only downside as it's extra VA'ing. It's secondary, but if there's spare time and resources to do so I don't see why slipping in some gems for the fans or even just have the units call a player out is a bad idea.

Media:
Unfortunetly, the only ones that I could post would be SC2... and that's flame bait :P
Instead I'll put an example. For it I'm going to use a custom-unit I doodled with and made quotes for as I noticed an odd GDI hole in the TT lineup. This is a "Zone Ranger" which is basically the C&C 3 Sniper in lighter Zone Armor, just give him an Australian accent.
The Example:
Trained:
* "Ranger here."
Selected:
* "Zone Ranger, reporting."
* "Sniper on duty."
* "Need a scout?"
* "I'll spot for you, Commander."
Stop Poking Me:
* "What's the matter, mate? Australia just too [bleep]ing hard to invade?"
* "My drill sergeant once called a Koloa a teddy bear to its face. Should of realized that they survived the Red Zone Down Under."
* "Boom. Headshot."
* "Aiming for the groin works on everyone, male and female, don't think it doesn't!"
* "I've got great job security; long as there's two folks left in the world, someone wants someone else dead."
Move Order:
* "Moving to new waypoint."
* "Ah, there's a good spot."
* "New vantage point."
* "Creeping ahead."
* "Affirmative, HQ."
Repeated Move Order:
* "I need to stop in order shoot, sir. Identify final waypoint, over."
Attack:
* "In my scope."
* "Targeting enemy."
* "The enemy is mine."
* "Hope his mate didn't see me..."
Repeatedly Ordered to Attack:
* "Shhh! I can't line it up if you keep beeping me!"
Under Attack:
* [gunshot] "...Yup, he saw me!"
* "I've been spotted, need help now!"
Dead:
* "Motherf-"

Zaptagious
05-17-2011, 10:05 PM
I would like some serious unit responses this time. C&C3 was a little comicy TBH. You didn't really get a sense of morale or respect. Imagine in real life if soldiers tried to crack a joke or say something witty every time they receive an order? Also, I don't like how a unit is represented with just one voice, but I know anything else is unmanageable.

An interesting thing they had in Emperor: Battle for Dune (coincidentally a track from Emperor just played randomly in my 20K songs playlist :P) was that if you selected multiple units, you would hear multiple voices.

Filipoo
05-17-2011, 10:57 PM
I remember that in Earth2160 while units were under attack they said:" this hurts " or "get me out of here" even when you haven't had them selected. or when they've spotted enemy building they said something like: "rats' nest" and similar...
I've kinda liked that..
It's pretty cool

Black_Hole_00
05-18-2011, 03:58 AM
I agree, units need more quotes, and they should be relevant to their situation. I think they could also be helpful, for example, if you tell a sniper to attack a tank he might say,

"You want me to attack that?"
"Uh, ok boss, whatever you say."
"I don't think I'm going to be able to do much to him."
"Are you sure about that?"

and so on. I also agree that units should have more personality. An Apocalypse or Mammoth tank should be very arrogant, and won't complain if you send him into overwhelming firepower, and he won't admit he's losing.

Retreat:
"I'll be right back."
"I've decided to let them live."

Taking Damage:
"It's just a scratch."
"Ha, I don't even feel it!"
"Oh I'm sorry, where you attacking me?"
"They will regret that."

Death:
"NO, THIS CANNOT BE!"

And small, weak units might not like their orders.

Move:
"I'm not going to like this am I?"
"I just hope there aren't any enemies around."

Attack:
"Do you think we can take them?"

Taking Damage:
"HELP!"
"We need reenforcements!"
"Ouch, I just go shot in the <static>!"

Death:
"Tell my wife I ......"
"I'm not gonna make it!"

Some units will be more loyal than others.

Death:
"Go on without me!"
"I died for <faction name>."

These are just a few isolated ideas, but they play into the same concept. Obviously some of these should be more rare than others, some so rare, they're almost legendary, where people debate whether or not they even exist, and people can't believe they're ears when they hear them. Most of the time we should hear the standard quotes, with funny or strange ones thrown is randomly to break up the monotony.

Skerxan
05-18-2011, 04:19 AM
I think Generals was quite good at that. Remember the Overlord? Or the Chinese Bulldozer? "We have big plans." will always be a classic haha.

WimeSTone
06-12-2011, 11:12 AM
Some kind of this was implemented in CnC4, when you for example tell a Thunderhead to attack a unit with light armor, he says "Is that the biggest target you've got", or NOD engi, when he has low hp "Will anybody come and save me?.." Yes, we need more fine quotes.

isko
06-12-2011, 12:53 PM
Very good thread :)... And i agree with Black_Hole_00, for massive units like Kirov etc... It will be cool if VG put much more quotes.
I think it will be cool if units talk and when you dont select on them, like:
* It is beautiful day today.
* I have three kids and one dog.
* Do you hear explosion?
* My God they are coming!
* Apocalypse Tank on my sight! I'm dead now! Call the air strike!!!
* I think I see the rabbit or it is a... Ohhh crap it is a tank!
* General!!! I think i see them!
*....

I think the GLA worker had a very bad quotes.

Kanesbestfriend
06-12-2011, 01:19 PM
I think the GLA worker had a very bad quotes.

That's a lot of supply.

Anyway, I agree. Most games have these :D.

stormgear
06-12-2011, 01:43 PM
I agree with this idea. They should work on improving unit quotes too.


* My God they are coming!

I think this might be a good reaction quote if a large army of enemy units are coming. Along with the other examples mentioned.

@Black_Hole_00
WimeSTone is right, that idea has been implemented on cnc4, I hope they carry it over on the next game.

GammaCobra
06-12-2011, 02:09 PM
And dont forget about "base is under attack" quotes. I really like how Generals did it when your base is being attack and instead of your officer saying "our base is under attack" most of the time, sometimes your soldiers would say like, example the GLA Rebel-"General ! Our Land is under attack!" or for China's Red Guard-"China is under attack!!"

Maybe they could do even better than what Generals has done it. Like if GDI attacks your base, than the Nod infantry unit would say "Brother! Infidels in our Land!"

Incia
06-12-2011, 03:13 PM
And dont forget about "base is under attack" quotes. I really like how Generals did it when your base is being attack and instead of your officer saying "our base is under attack" most of the time, sometimes your soldiers would say like, example the GLA Rebel-"General ! Our Land is under attack!" or for China's Red Guard-"China is under attack!!"

Maybe they could do even better than what Generals has done it. Like if GDI attacks your base, than the Nod infantry unit would say "Brother! Infidels in our Land!"

Don't really remember how it was in SC but didn't they have different things too?

Like Terrain having the boring "Our forces are under attack, ruuuun".
Then Protoss had something more cool like "Our forces have engaged the enemy".
Zerg? "Our Hiiiive is under attack!"

Yeah, was just making a joke.

stephanovich
06-12-2011, 03:24 PM
Oh god. Game over man, game over :p

Meyerm
06-12-2011, 05:28 PM
Besides exceptions like the GLA and Nod militias, I think it should be kept serious, with responses being the classic "Yes sir" and "affirmative" like the old days. It's a war game, not a comedy show. Funny "panic" quotes are okay though.

isko
06-12-2011, 06:44 PM
I agree with this idea. They should work on improving unit quotes too.

I think this might be a good reaction quote if a large army of enemy units are coming. Along with the other examples mentioned.


Yes. And when your army see a some special unit like Apocaplyps tank or Kirov etc... It would be much more interesting.

stormgear
06-13-2011, 12:37 AM
^ Yeah that would be cool too

Please don't kill me for this, its just a random thought XD

(Kirov approaching an army of infantries)
Allied Infantry: Kiiiirov reporting!!! RUUUNN!!!!

(power plant sabotaged)
Infantry: Somebody set up us the bomb!

=LEVIATHEN=
06-13-2011, 08:02 AM
I would like some serious unit responses this time. C&C3 was a little comicy TBH. You didn't really get a sense of morale or respect. Imagine in real life if soldiers tried to crack a joke or say something witty every time they receive an order?
You have to admit,Zapta,that that really isn't how C&C is.While C&C can be pretty serious,it doesn't stop the units from being a little funny.Take the commando.In every single game,he says "I got a present for ya'!".It's a silly line,but it doesn't change the gameplay.In fact,I think it makes it more enjoyable.
I like this idea.C&C 3's units were more fun to use because of their lines.Bringing it up another level would be fantastic!I even think it could have some impact on the gameplay(people would like using units with character more).Also,no RTS game (none that I know of) have units with their own personal flair like in C&C titles.This should be one of C&C's signature traits.

WeedWhacker92
06-13-2011, 08:26 AM
I'd love the return of the tongue-in-cheek humor from some of the unit quotes. It really gave the different units personality in-game, rather than some of the older C&C's where "unit ready" and "attacking" in the same voice were the only things heard.

I mean I agree that it wouldn't be realistic in terms of responding to a commander in that way, but this is a video game nothing is IRL tbh, so have some fun with it and make the audio of the game enjoyable.

It would also be nice if some of the quote features from C&C 4 carried over, such as a disproving quote when ordering an attack on something that the unit would not stand a chance against (sniper vs. heavy tank, ect.), or some arrogance coming from the bigger badder high tier units ("I am big." from the Overload? Classic, "Roll over them" from the Mammoth... you know what I'm getting at)

stormgear
06-13-2011, 09:54 AM
Maybe they should also introduce Reactive behavior type quotes? Attentive players will benefit from this like the samples posted in this thread. Say for example, a group of units holding ground is losing against the enemies might say something like: "We're under heavy fire! Requesting for backup!"

Commander_McNash
06-14-2011, 06:02 AM
They should take some example from Act of War series, unit quotes from that franchise are very cool and they actually sound like they are real soldiers and not some wackos overacting in a scifi themed school musical.