Plan for Edward Gardner
by Edward Gardner · 04/18/2004 (1:53 pm) · 4 comments
We were going through our thoughts on the game, now that it's out. I spent alot of time pre-release building things, and not enough time playing it. I took a step back, created an alternate identity, and jumped into the game. These are my thoughts as I posted them on our message boards.
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I have been trying to put into words what impresses me about this game. I have mentioned that I played alot since release, and at times forgot I was the developer. I started getting this feeling the first Dev versus Testers game, and this weekend only reinforced it.
It's a sense of scale that is difficult to describe. So many things are happening even in a 4 versus 4 battle that just escalate in larger conflicts. Missile contrails fill the sky, plasma bursts streak the scene. It's what happens when an entrenched EC position comes under coordinated artillery barrage from FS units across the river and the EC tanks retreat or are destroyed. It's what happens when a Hunter class Scout MAV skimss across a bridge smack into a quad of Mantis Infantry MAV's.
It's an entrenched Juggernaught tank, frantically deploying mobile turrets to fend off the 7 MAV FS assault force.
It FEELS like a battle. It's fast, it's occasionally confusing, and it lights up the terrain. Switching MAV's mid battle even feels right, remote controlled reinforcements arriving to fluidly support the tactical necessity of the moment. As soon as the Confederation goes all tanks, the Federated States deploy scout and infantry MAV's to out manuever them. It's a furball, a fight. It's frantic and elegant at the same time.
The battle lines get drawn, then fluctuate. Terrain plays a natural break, forcing pitched fights over fairly clearly demarcated areas, units battle over rivers and bridges and mountains. Sometimes a line breaks, and the enemy pours through the exploit, and then the breach is sealed by vicious, sometimes coordinated counter attack. And this seems to be happening naturally thru the course of any one game. As far as I can tell, the players aren't using anything but in game text chat to communicate.
And that's just the Team Death Match and Capture and Hold modes.
The game totally changes when it's smaller. It's cat and mouse. It's "Mechwarrior"-like Clan Dueling. It's snipe and charge. Hunt and fight.
Capture the Core is probably the most traditional feeling part of hte whole game. I think we do this well too, but it doesn't stand out as much in my mind. It's pretty typical "big guys defend, little guys run the flag." Very much a cross between Mechwarrior and Tribes. Lots of airtime from the jump jets, lots of speed from the scout MAV's. Lot's of explosions and chases.
That's the sum of my in game experience the last couple days. The "so what" is in there somewhere. I wish I could put it in a more succinct statement.
----
When I sat down and played the "finished product" I was surprised at it's depth and I had alot of fun.
Go figure :)
----
I have been trying to put into words what impresses me about this game. I have mentioned that I played alot since release, and at times forgot I was the developer. I started getting this feeling the first Dev versus Testers game, and this weekend only reinforced it.
It's a sense of scale that is difficult to describe. So many things are happening even in a 4 versus 4 battle that just escalate in larger conflicts. Missile contrails fill the sky, plasma bursts streak the scene. It's what happens when an entrenched EC position comes under coordinated artillery barrage from FS units across the river and the EC tanks retreat or are destroyed. It's what happens when a Hunter class Scout MAV skimss across a bridge smack into a quad of Mantis Infantry MAV's.
It's an entrenched Juggernaught tank, frantically deploying mobile turrets to fend off the 7 MAV FS assault force.
It FEELS like a battle. It's fast, it's occasionally confusing, and it lights up the terrain. Switching MAV's mid battle even feels right, remote controlled reinforcements arriving to fluidly support the tactical necessity of the moment. As soon as the Confederation goes all tanks, the Federated States deploy scout and infantry MAV's to out manuever them. It's a furball, a fight. It's frantic and elegant at the same time.
The battle lines get drawn, then fluctuate. Terrain plays a natural break, forcing pitched fights over fairly clearly demarcated areas, units battle over rivers and bridges and mountains. Sometimes a line breaks, and the enemy pours through the exploit, and then the breach is sealed by vicious, sometimes coordinated counter attack. And this seems to be happening naturally thru the course of any one game. As far as I can tell, the players aren't using anything but in game text chat to communicate.
And that's just the Team Death Match and Capture and Hold modes.
The game totally changes when it's smaller. It's cat and mouse. It's "Mechwarrior"-like Clan Dueling. It's snipe and charge. Hunt and fight.
Capture the Core is probably the most traditional feeling part of hte whole game. I think we do this well too, but it doesn't stand out as much in my mind. It's pretty typical "big guys defend, little guys run the flag." Very much a cross between Mechwarrior and Tribes. Lots of airtime from the jump jets, lots of speed from the scout MAV's. Lot's of explosions and chases.
That's the sum of my in game experience the last couple days. The "so what" is in there somewhere. I wish I could put it in a more succinct statement.
----
When I sat down and played the "finished product" I was surprised at it's depth and I had alot of fun.
Go figure :)
About the author
#2
04/18/2004 (6:40 pm)
I expect at the very least we'll see one at IGC.
#3
And if you didn't get my e-mail a couple weeks ago, I'm all downloaded and ready when you are. I figured you were just a little busy. ;-)
-Eric
04/18/2004 (7:57 pm)
Excellent. Good luck. And if you didn't get my e-mail a couple weeks ago, I'm all downloaded and ready when you are. I figured you were just a little busy. ;-)
-Eric
#4
04/19/2004 (5:00 am)
Heh, I did get it Eric, I'll send ya a reply :) 
Torque Owner John Vanderbeck
VanderGames