Topic: Soldier Types

[contingencyplan]

I made reference to the three paths, one of which was a Soldier path.  In the process of thinking through the paths, I came up with some general Soldier types that we might think about using in the game, at least as a template.

• Grunt - these are your standard soldiers.  They can wield a variety of weapons, including rifles, rocket launchers, grenades, etc.  We'll have to do more about weaponry in a later post, but essentially these are your basic infantry, though some may be more attuned to heavier or lighter weaponry.  A good portion of these will be AI and beginning Players, since their required logic is lower than other kinds of soldiers. We might require that beginning Players (at least Soldiers, if not all military Players) spend a certain amount of time in this situation before being promoted to other areas.
  
  
• Special Ops - These are highly trained soldiers whose task is to surgically take out targets or accomplish tasks / missions with only a handful of troops. Their equipment is designed to be both tougher than the standard Grunt's, as well as allowing for hiding and silence when taking out targets.  Unlike Black Ops (below), their tasks full completely within the rules of war; however, those tasks are more difficult, and the Special Ops Soldiers accomplish those tasks with a much higher degree of skill and finesse than the average Grunt does, all while using fewer Soldiers to begin with.  Their tasks may be sniping enemy targets or taking out an enemy base or rescuing POWs.  Think Commandos in C&C.
  
  
• Black Ops - These soldiers do not exist, on record anyways.  They accomplish missions which are "officially" against the rules of war (and thus [maybe] the game).  Perhaps we as the admins know they exist, but we can't do anything to stop them unless they get caught. They are given access to weaponry and equipment that the other soldiers do not have, likely experimental stuff or equipment that is more powerful than it should be (i.e., upsets a balance in the game).  While many will want to be part of these groups (for whatever side, of course including merc covert groups), they are clandestine organizations - the knowledge of these groups is severely limited, and membership is by invitation only.  They exist, but they don't exist.
  
  
• Field Commander - One of the most important Soldiers.  They are a cross between the RTS-only Commanders and the standard Grunt.  They are higher ranked than the Grunts, and have access to a unique set of equipment that they use to lead their squad into battle.  Commanders will generally pass orders to the Field Commanders, who then take the initiative to order their troops to certain locations to accomplish that goal.  Further, Field Commanders may have certain traits or stats that enhance the traits of those under their command (e.g., better accuracy or stability in battle, etc.).  They have some interface (I was thinking either a wrist console or a brain implant) so they can switch from the FPS to the RTS interface and back - give their Soldiers orders, then go and carry out their assigned task in the Squad.  They are in the thick of battle, unlike standard Commanders.  For those born leaders who love the smell of napalm in the morning, this is the calling for you.
  

Any thoughts?
~Brian

[Morgul]

I have seral thoughts.. none of which I feel like posting right now, so . Actually, I like the breakdown of soldier types, and the description. A few notes though:

Grunts - These *should* be viable for experianced players. Sure, don't give all players the uber l33t chaingun of death.. but if you stay with this, you should get access to it eventually. We need to entice them to stay a GroPo (Ground Pounder).

Special Ops - I love this. Excellent idea... I also think this is there Black Ops should recruit from....

BlackOps - This is most certainly a prestiege rank... but one that *should* be *too* hard to get... but give them good reasons for *not* wanting this rank... like the whole thing in MIB. You leave your old life behind, and you live, breath, and die for whomever you report for.... something like that. (Only admins could make a person a black op I think)

Field Commander - I like you ideas here... except enhancing traits.... but we'll see how traits work before I comment more on that.

--Chris

[fehknt]

there was mention a while back about "legendary characters", the ones that appear to move the story etc, run by admins that won't abuse power...  Maybe the "black ops" division could be a sort of legendary character that is actually available to normal players -- hard to become, but when you become one, you basically agree to do possibly story-moving missions on a "you have to" basis, not a "you're hired, or you can be replaced by an AI like you"...

i dunno, just a thought to bounce around.

[Morgul]

Hmm, I like that. I think that things should be broken up into these three catagories:

Normal Characters, Prestige Characters, Legendary Characters.

Normals are well.. normal players. Everyone should have one of these.

Prestige characters are the black ops, and sooni characters... they're difficult to get, and tend to move the 'story' along... (and also have access to things most people don't)

Legendary Characters are the big players of the universe... controlled by admins, and a *few* select people that I personally choose. (Or atleast that are chosen by someone from the dev team....) These character will be tough, and pretty impressive.

How's that work?

[fehknt]

yeah, that's pretty much how I was imaging things.

Just to clarify: I'm thinking that anyone that is determined enough can get/become a prestige character.  There's no selection process, just certian requirements that are pretty damn tough to meet.

[Morgul]

[...] I'm thinking that anyone that is determined enough can get/become a prestige character.  There's no selection process, just certian requirements that are pretty damn tough to meet.

Yeah, I agree. For becoming black ops, you will need ot meet those requirements, *and* be selected, however.... since we don't want everyone running arounf with black ops characters needlessly.

Let's say you want to have a member of your 'clan' (in the game... think normal MMORPG clans/guilds) become 'blackops' so they can do some spying, etc for you... they should be allowed to do so. However admins would be able to 'blow thier cover' and remove that character's blackops status.

[fehknt]

yeah, I like that. <:o)

[Morgul]

Well, I guess the only thing now is to get a move on implimentation.... of.. well... anything that will get us to this stage .

--Chris