Command & Conquer RTS-FPS Game Design Philosophy

[Rpatto92]

Subject: RTS-FPS Community Design Project

Improvements to the User Interface
http://goo.gl/ECERX

What is an RTS-FPS?
http://goo.gl/BC3dU

Balancing: First Person Units/Battlefield Commander
http://goo.gl/0bLy9

Reducing the Amount of Generic Identical Building
http://goo.gl/zptrA

INCLUDE LINKS:
Re-structured of Power System/Grid
http://goo.gl/fpIri

Re-structuring Refineries and Silos
http://goo.gl/uP34P

MCV, Barracks, War Factories and Airfields
http://goo.gl/vI3hX

Description:
Introduction
I understand that there are currently a number of game mods or even fully fledged game being made as I post this, but most as I’ve see them have emerged out of mods or games which are in constant development through their Altha and Beta stages and beyond.

Purpose of Thread
This thread is a little different; rather than looking to start building a game/mod from the ground up, its purpose is to gather community ideas and present them in document form, ready for an Official or Indie Developer to pick it up, so as to have a clear objective to begin with. The Tread will be focused around the RTS-FPS collaboration without compromise, stepping away from either genre and retaining both of their unique quality's, to ultimately create a complete merger of two genres which I will dub: H.Y.B.R.I.D You guys and girls can figure out the meaning of this acronym for yourselves or suggest a new one if you like. The reason I've decided to undertake this task in such a way is to have clearly formed ideas and a much greater scope then anything currently in development.

Proposal: To design a game that combines both the RTS and FPS that has a fluid and efficient over playability in both arenas and which has a smooth, useable and reliable transition from RTS to FSP; whilst retaining both genres origins, by combining their interfaces, features and controls. This would essential mean that players could play from both perspectives by choice and switching back and forth between the two.

Aims: Fulfil the roles of both commander of the battlefield and allow for frontline troops to make independent decisions without causing conflict between the two.

The ability for RTS and FPS to work both simultaneously together or as separate formats; playable on their own, though the use of game modes RTS & FSP mods and Command & Conquer modes, C&C mode being a combination of the two. This should be both available in multiplayer and as a single player skirmish.

Note: The purpose of this is to build upon this post using your feed back as I guide so please get involved. I'm only looking for positive feed back/ideas on how this project can be made a reality; I don't wish to hear negative reaction; telling me of your disapproval or if you think it cannot work, either simply say you disagree or say nothing please. Also if you do want to identify a flaw or potential issue please also suggest a solution.

Positive Effect: Creates a whole new genre; giving new life to this series, allowing players to work more closely together then ever before.

Negative Effect: Could cause major conflicts in design and limit the abilities of the front line players and battlefield commanders. These Negatives are major hurdles for RTS-FPS merger but are a necessary evils which must be overcome to make this collaboration a reality.

Just on an ending note I did attempt to post this in "Community Developer Area" but the system is so unreliable I decided just to post here instead; after following all the guide lines and seeing the pop up message tell me that my post will first have to be approved I am non the wiser; as there is no notification to signal it's in process or even to say it was denied or approved, so here we are.

Up-Date: 04/02/12

Clarification: I'm not sure if people don't just fully understand my proposal or whether they are simply dodging around the idea because they disagree; either way please give me suggestions based upon a objective point of view.

I don’t understand how people haven’t grasped this concept yet it’s pretty clear; I am looking for people’s opinions (Your Opinion) on how best to make/to plan an RTS-FPS game without compromise (besides just not making a RTS-FSP Hybrid at all) between the two game styles, so essentially if you prefer one over the other you can just play as you normally would in either genre.

As a plus to this combination if you want to have that extra ability to play from a different perspective you can; this is NOT taking one perspective over the other, both are equal, both are playable together and apart, built into one game.

Opposite of what to do, (NOT WHAT I’M PLANNING) Example: we do not want to see a game were players are forced to pick a perspective i.e. playing from first person whilst operating an RTS style game.

Here’s what we want to do (WHAT I SHOULD PLAN) Example: we want to create a game that gives players the choice to play as either a troop on the ground (FPS) or as a commander of the battlefield (RTS); players should be able to play much as they have in previous games without compromise, and it must also be playable simultaneously along-side one and other.

The issue, we’re looking to resolve is how can you have a Commander controlling the battlefield, whilst having a Soldier on the ground retain their freedom, without causing conflict. This looks like a complete paradox, but it is possible it’s just a question of method; I want you guys to suggest your own method.

Just to be entirely transparent I don’t care to ask whether you think it’s a good idea or whether it’s good for C&C or RTS’s in general; I’m asking if this situation was a given, as in were a RTS-FSP to be made how do you get around these issues. So just assume you’re being completely objective about this idea it doesn’t impact the games you know and love.

[HOPE1134]

Already a thread about RTS + FPS

http://www.commandandconquer.com/for...p?1803-Rts-fps

[Rpatto92]

Already read this post I've linked him to my own; and as I understand it from your comment on that thread, you don't particularly like this idea anyway?

[stormgear]

If your post haven't appeared at the CDA yet, go ask one of the mods to have a look at it.

[Rpatto92]

It's ok I spoke to GCM about it already, thanks.

[StormWolf]

No I prefer to keep the main C&C games RTS and not a mixture of RTS/FPS. Plus could you imagine the graphics card that it would take to run that type of game to go from a aerial view to a ground view, it may overload the system.

[Rpatto92]

If you don't like the idea of playing an RTS-FPS you could play in RTS mode; its in part of my description, optional for old school fans and of course essential. Plus EA has an engine capable of doing this using the current generation of hardware, so it should run. If it were to use the "Frostbite 2" engine you could simply build the game to run the same from the ground up; so what the player on the ground see's would be the same as what RTS Commander would see, only zoomed out to an aerial view and of course the controls available to a ground players compared with a Commander would be different and of course differences in H.U.D views as well.

All this would be designed to retain the traditional perspectives of both an RTS&FPS, so in other words no ruining into a building to go buy a tank, the roles are entirely separate if you want to build a tank you click build, if a ground player wants a tank he commandeer's one that the commander supply's; of course this would require an element of balancing, you don't want some players just ruining off with your tanks, so I have a few suggestion of how to both allow full first person independents and full battlefield control for the Commander.

[Revanchist]

Played two games that had this. It was lousy. Stick to one or the other.

[Desolate_Hybrid]

I feel like we have had this conversation before...

Anyone play Nuclear Dawn? It wasn't very good, but it had its perks I guess. It tried to adopt this system. As I mentioned, it wasn't the best in the world, but something worth noting I guess.

[CyborgBanana]

There was a game like this released recently, (by recently I mean in the past year) and it wasn't very good. The main reason why people like RTS games is because you control a bunch of units, not just one.