Game Mechanics - Org Cities

General messages, related to AP or AO. (All users can read)
User avatar
Kyttn
King Size Leet
Posts: 653
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:44 pm
Location: Gold Coast, QLD

Game Mechanics - Org Cities

Post by Kyttn »

There have been some incidents of late with non-invited people interrupting and spoiling Alien City Raids. Several Orgs have been impacted with this. While the community in general agrees that the behaviour of these people is wrong, FC policies do not prohibit or prevent this occurring. Additionally, FC does not allow the public discussion of its policies on any official AO Forums. This leaves us with the option of changing Game Mechanics.

Therefore, this thread is here to canvas ideas and options for changes to the Mechanics and Operation of Org Cities with a view to improving game play.

NOTE CAREFULLY: This is NOT about any specific incidents that people have had. It is also NOT about individuals involved in those incidents (that is dealt with elsewhere). Any comments of this nature and I will ask the Moderators to delete the posts concerned!
User avatar
Kyttn
King Size Leet
Posts: 653
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:44 pm
Location: Gold Coast, QLD

Post by Kyttn »

OK, the problem is :
  • We want to run an Alien Raid at a city
  • We want to invite people to assist in the raid
  • Once the raid is started, we do not want uninvited people to join the raid
  • If someone dies during the raid, we would like them to be able to return to the raid
but:
  • The Org has a Market
  • Terminals in that market need to be owned by org members only
  • All people need to be able to gain access to the market to buy the items placed there by the Org's members
[Note: All other Org buildings except the Market are basically there for Org use Only, with the possible exception of the pool for people having a party]
Derkiet
Big Leet
Posts: 359
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:13 am
Location: Scotland

Post by Derkiet »

Someone raised the idea earlier of city shields of sorts which only org members and aliens can penetrate during a raid? Perhaps refining that idea so that people in a team that has one of the org's people can also enter the city.

As for the market, well, that may very well be the cost of "doing business" with regards to alien raids. Can't have everything. ;)
core
King Size Leet
Posts: 725
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:07 pm

Post by core »

All incidents up to date have been about ninja looting alien gens

This could be solved very easily with the addition of a portal that leads to
an instanced playfield (much like the zone portal in apfs) where all who
participated in killing the waves of aliens can kill the general.

The proposed portal is spawned only if the waves of aliens have been successfully killed.

If teams are only allowed in, if they have an org member in them (of the city the raid took place) problem is solved and city structure and functions, remain as they are today.
Last edited by core on Sun Apr 30, 2006 11:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
Derkiet
Big Leet
Posts: 359
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:13 am
Location: Scotland

Post by Derkiet »

What if Alien Raids were moved indoors? One of the buildings only org people can enter? Or you need to be in a team with an org member inside already?

Don't see why an alien ship can't knock a hole in the roof and aliens pour in through there or something...just an idea.
core
King Size Leet
Posts: 725
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:07 pm

Post by core »

Derkiet wrote:What if Alien Raids were moved indoors? One of the buildings only org people can enter? Or you need to be in a team with an org member inside already?

Don't see why an alien ship can't knock a hole in the roof and aliens pour in through there or something...just an idea.
Implementing should require as little effort as possible on FC's part.

The kind of solution you propose requires new code.
Derkiet
Big Leet
Posts: 359
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:13 am
Location: Scotland

Post by Derkiet »

Doesn't yours as well? ;)

I don't think there is a solution to this issue that isn't going to require some form of code work, whether it's just 'rescripting' things, creating new instances of playfields etc. But let's get some ideas on the table none the less.
core
King Size Leet
Posts: 725
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:07 pm

Post by core »

well what I m proposing needs the addition of a spawning portal next to the CC (code exists and is being used in apfs and required graphics are also there)

and an area like the last apf part in zone 28 or 13 with a general in it
(code also exists and no graphics alterations needed)

lets take your solution : holes in buildings with aliens coming through them
now where have you seen that happening ? :)
Derkiet
Big Leet
Posts: 359
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:13 am
Location: Scotland

Post by Derkiet »

n00b Island is pretty close to it. ;)

Hell, they can use a door if they want, or get beamed in, doesn't entirely matter, the point is more moving the raid to a location where access can be restricted and managed...not to mention one a heck of a lot easier for the lower end computers to handle. :?
core
King Size Leet
Posts: 725
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:07 pm

Post by core »

it would be a lot easier for everyone trying to get AXP if they did alien missions too but they don’t

noob island is not instanced the same way apfs are (dynamically created)
its more like IS (one instance fills up and it moves you to the next available)

you are not a coder eh mate ? :)
Derkiet
Big Leet
Posts: 359
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:13 am
Location: Scotland

Post by Derkiet »

Well, the answer to that question is two fold. Am I a coder? No. I dislike programming. Can I program? Yes. I did Software Engineering at Uni.

However, let's keep this as an open ended brainstorming thread, hrmm? Let's not get too bogged down in shooting down ideas and potentially discouraging other people from suggesting things. :wink:
User avatar
docksider
Big Leet
Posts: 388
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 5:36 pm

Post by docksider »

If the ground part also were instanced and you can enter the instance if you are teamed with a player from the hosting org everything would be settled. Since the ship is instance it should prove FC got the resources to do this, question is will they?
core
King Size Leet
Posts: 725
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:07 pm

Post by core »

@derkiet : had to comment on a more technical aspect (not really but tech based rather) of things, so some of the limitations of what should be proposed be known to less tech oriented people in these forums.

Imho, it’s better to get turned down getting an answer about why, than being ignored by FC as you would be if you posted in the official forums.

Not so long ago there was a discussion with some GMs that really helped this
game, on a subject that was long buried by them as "not solvable", so they are listening but they really can’t do much atm, due to very busy schedules with other work engagements.

However ignore me and come forth with ground breaking ideas, by all means :)
User avatar
Kyttn
King Size Leet
Posts: 653
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:44 pm
Location: Gold Coast, QLD

Post by Kyttn »

All "Constructive" critisim is always welcome! It is not going to help us to put forward an "unworkable" solution. I expect that a solution requiring minimal changes will help get a higher priority. BUT, that is no reason not to suggest as many ideas and options as possible. From my very limited coding experience I know it is very hard for an outsider to determine what is and is not difficult to code.

So back to the ideas:
  • * I think Derkiet's idea involves the city putting up a shield as the aliens begin their attack. The shield is not able to be penetrated by players, but Aliens seem to have found a limited way to break through. Players that die can return via a City Grid Terminal (so limited to org members only).

    The Role-Play aspect would be a change to the current "shield" generator to make it a combination City Camouflage and Shield device. We turn off the Camouflage that hides the city from the aliens, but if they attack it generates the shield around the boundries of the City. As all the cities currently have defined boundries, the only changes would be to make that boundry impermeable from when the "Aliens have targeted your city" message is received, till the General is dead or the raid leaves.
  • * I think Core's idea is to "instance" the General with players teleporting to its location. Only those people involved in the killing of the waves could use the teleport, though how this is determined I do not know. Maybe key aliens (ie Hackers) start dropping teleport activation devices? Making the raid force to move to the General does help protect the raid from outside influence and (depending on implementation) still allow outsiders to legitimately join the raid.

    I would suggest a slight variation to promote Role-Play aspects. This would be that the "ground General" dissappears to become an easily accessable General on the ship (1 room and 1 lift to the boss room). When this ship general is killed, we gain access to an instanced portal (discover/decode the location of the ship's base) that allows us to go to an instanced playfield of an alien base (the replacement for the current ship and hopefully not so laggy). All the "coding" to do this already exists, which is a great advantage. What is left to do is to set up surfaces and "design" the instanced area. I have no idea of the work involved in that part. [BTW Core, I would love to see a Role-Play view of your original idea]
Now surely someone else can come up with more suggestions, or can fine-tune these?
Derkiet
Big Leet
Posts: 359
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:13 am
Location: Scotland

Post by Derkiet »

Another thing to consider is the impact that LE will have on all of this.
Post Reply