fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Help make Party-approved missions harder
Pooter
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fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Post by Pooter »

So this one didn't turn out so well. It looks like my talents are in scripting rather than mission making.

The general idea was to have the hunters both as light sources and as nigh invincible targets for the AI to shoot at, thus revealing their position. Unfortunately this was hampered by the fact that AI don't shoot their bullets at hunters, but only their UGLs and rockets.

If people are still interested in this concept I have a bunch of things that need to be done to this mission, but I might ditch it otherwise.

After dying in this mission I learned that it is actually possible to attach point lights to objects (by attach I really just mean fix the relative positions, they don't actually have to be touching). I think I can use this to effectively increase the light that a vehicle's front lights outputs or attach a spotlight to a helicopter (which the AI would be "persuaded" to not attack).

Things I might do if people are still interested:
1. Switch out the crates for bigger versions
2. Attach permanent lights to the crates.
3. Give every UGL user on our side flares. I might even be able to fix flares (although the effect might look a little weird) by using these point lights.
4. Increase ambient light
5. "convince" the AI to shoot at the hunters with weapons other than UGLs and rockets.
6. increase muzzle flash of enemies.
7. reduce AI count (a bad habit of mine is to put too many)
8. Give each FT access to a hunter instead of squad based.

In other news I now have an idea for an afterparty mission where little bird based rocketeers have to shoot at (differently) reinforced vehicles. Maybe the vehicles will even have rocketeers in them shooting back.

In other other news If any mission makers want some effect but don't want to take the time to try to script it themselves, I've gotten rather good with scripting all sorts of weird stuff.

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Peasant
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Re: fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Post by Peasant »

Poorer - it's a cool idea (it feels like being the bad guys in a call of duty game) but we need more light sources . Some potential options include:
1. Ugl flares
2. Mortars with flare rounds ( these do provide illumination ) either at platoon or squad level
3. More ambient light sources: maybe change the fiction to a plane crash, and have burning wreckage or have a lighthouse illuminating the swamp.
4. Have it during the day, but in dense fog. Keeps the spoopiness, improves the visibility .

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Ferrard Carson
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Re: fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Post by Ferrard Carson »

This mission has some major issues that I feel need to be resolved. As a model, I strongly suggest you look at Idiots II, which is basically this mission, but much more playable. So, in no particular order:
  • Enemy UGLs - When grenades are landing on us every half-second, then you've got far too many UGLs in the enemy's hands. This is similar to how GMGs are terrible things to put in the enemy's hands, because there is really nothing you can do to protect yourself from them. There is no player agency involved, just luck in how close the shell lands, which lends itself to frustration.
  • Too Damn Dark - To be frank, pitch-black nighttime missions without NVGs have never worked for us no matter the lighting solution. I've tried missions like that before, Fer's tried it before, most every mission-maker has tried it, and it never works out. Either make it moon-lit, or find another way to make things reasonably visible.
  • AI Can Still See - In contrast with the above, the AI has no trouble estimating player locations, and can easily shoot players in the pitch black, through reeds, from 100m, especially since they have so many damn grenades that don't even have to be close to hit us.
  • The Crates are Too Small - When you say equipment-filled crates, we expect those pallet boxes with cargo netting around them, not the tiny foot-high crates that you barely even notice if you trip over them.
  • No Satchels - This sort of Destroy These Three Things objective demands satchel charges.
  • No FT-level Hunters - FT level Hunters are a recipe for chaos and confusion. MRAPs in general are terrible for FA except as attachments or CO jeeps. Again, I understand that probing with the MRAPs and headlamps is how you envisioned us getting visibility in this mission, and I highly recommend reconsidering this notion.
  • Invincible Hunters are Gamey - There's no way around this one, if a Hunter is hit by an RPG, it needs to brew up. The notion that we'll charge the Hunter ahead to draw fire because it's invincible is highly reliant on that "because it's invincible" bit.
~ Ferrard
"Take a boat in the air you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turnin' of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurtin' before she keels... makes her home."

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Sparks
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Re: fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Post by Sparks »

3. Give every UGL user on our side flares.
Nope. Sod the change-the-ammo-type-action-menu-thing-in-a-firefight model, just give everyone the flare pistol. Not just command elements either, everyone. Give UGL flares too if you want, but the pistol flares are decent enough at relatively close ranges:




Overall, I liked the variation in this - we seem to do too much at noon in the desert really - but the pitch-black is a notch too far. And every time a Hunter turned and lit us up with its headlights, every AI on the map saw us. And any idiot with his flashlight on (like, say, the AI that kept replacing RawDog last time) drew fire on the entire team from ARs and UGLs...
guns.ie ● stochasticgeometry.ie ● weak.ie

Don't tell mom I'm a pilot, she thinks I play piano in a whorehouse

Pooter
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Re: fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Post by Pooter »

v3:

Gave everyone starter pistols
Gave all UGL elements enhanced flares
Increased ambient light so you can see where you are going
Gave back the rangefinders
Changed the crates to the big ones with red blinky lights.
Gave us a UAV (no NVGs or thermals though)
removed the hunters
Gave riflemen explosive charges

I think I have the ambient light at the correct level, it's hard to get at the level I want. I'll put it on the test server and get some other people's impressions.

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Eagle_Eye
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Re: fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Post by Eagle_Eye »

I think a UAV with thermals would be a great addition. That would really force us to communicate down the chain of command with intel. I would urge a reconsidering of that, personally.

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Ferrard Carson
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Re: fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Post by Ferrard Carson »

Sounds awesome - looking forward to another run! Thanks for taking all our suggestions in stride and so quickly!

~ Ferrard
"Take a boat in the air you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turnin' of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurtin' before she keels... makes her home."

Pooter
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Re: fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Post by Pooter »

v5
fixed weather
added flashlights to 1/4th of enemies.

Pooter
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Re: fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Post by Pooter »

v6:
Added flare rockets
Added mmg team to bring player count to 52.
Gave thermals back to UAV.

Pooter
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Re: fa3_c53_spoopy_swamp

Post by Pooter »

v7:
Switched to enhanced flares v2

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