[.::Tin Can::.]

This is not a roleplaying toast-and-roast.

Wadda ya mean I'm gonna get flamed?

[Lightspeed]

Well, Drew couldn't have said it better...

Originally posted by Drew
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Originally posted by .::Tin Can::.
Intelligence like what?
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my point exactaly

Cookie & marshmallow for you, Drew

[Sandwich]

Mission idea:

Set during or after the battle depicted in the FS2 cutscene (during the FS1 timeline). The Orion gets blasted by the Lucy's beam weapon all the way through.

Setting 1: During the battle. You (a marine squad) are sent in to help rescue and hot-evac survivors from the Orion onto Elysium transports before their air runs out. Space battle raging around you (which you can see through the transports' windows). The docking port is mangled beyond quick repair and will not allow an atmospheric seal. So you exit the transport onto the hull of the Orion (a 2km mission map!) and have to make your way to the hole Lucy blasted in the side in order to get into the ship and proceed with the rescue mission.

Setting 2:You're sent in to the Orion a short time (a day to a week) after the battle to escort the scientists to the beam weapon hole so they can get first-hand readings and perhaps reverse-engineer the technology. Perhaps have reports of Shivans hopping around the battle debris looking for something to spice up the level.

[aldo_14]

Setting 1 - maybe you could actually have to cut into the sealed decks from the hole in the side itself?  That way, you could limit the play area easily, and maybe even keep a big chunk of the mission in zero-g as you go through the exposed deck sections.

[Sandwich]

Originally posted by aldo_14
Setting 1 - maybe you could actually have to cut into the sealed decks from the hole in the side itself?  That way, you could limit the play area easily, and maybe even keep a big chunk of the mission in zero-g as you go through the exposed deck sections.

Depending on the engine, you could either have the inside of the Orion in the same level as the outer hull, or have a "next level" break when you go inside.

But I don't get how that would limit the play area...?

[Flipside]

Or there are only a few access points, which lead to a few corridors, a bulkhead and a lift? That way each lift could activate loading a smaller section? The rest of it could be too badly damaged to enter?

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Sandwich


Depending on the engine, you could either have the inside of the Orion in the same level as the outer hull, or have a "next level" break when you go inside.

But I don't get how that would limit the play area...?

Well..... the hull of an Orion is a huge, somewhat detailed area.  So you'd have this big 2km place with no real boundaries (except those you introduce yourself), and also a huge amount of background detail to add - ships flying about, planets, fx, etc.  IMO that would mean a lot of background work for very little reward.   So I reckon you;'d be better off using a scenario where you can place 'real' restrictions on the play and visible area at the start of the mission - i.e. force the player to head towards the entry point, rather than wander aimlessly.

[Drew]

Originally posted by aldo_14


Well..... the hull of an Orion is a huge, somewhat detailed area.  So you'd have this big 2km place with no real boundaries (except those you introduce yourself), and also a huge amount of background detail to add - ships flying about, planets, fx, etc.  IMO that would mean a lot of background work for very little reward.   So I reckon you;'d be better off using a scenario where you can place 'real' restrictions on the play and visible area at the start of the mission - i.e. force the player to head towards the entry point, rather than wander aimlessly.

i can imagine the squad having to watch the sky for incoming dibris and fire. dodgind stuff whilst making a mad dash for an entry point, blowing the hatch, then jumping inside

[Flipside]

What you could do is something similar to the underwater 'assault' missions from UT? Say, you cannot enter at the point of impact due to plasma residue or radiation etc, however, there is a blown hatch near the impact area which is far enough away from the blast to allow entrance? You would probs have to start pretty close to the hatch and glide from one area to the other. This could also be the 'end' point of the mission, you would find the crew that your unit is assigned to find, possibly gain access to the stores so they can have space suits, and lead them back to the waiting ship? The only problem is the lack of things to shoot at, but it would be a great in-game 'tutorial' for getting into awkward places

Edit : If you really wanted to keep the player on their toes, you could always say that the internal defence grid has been jammed partially online by the blast

[Drew]

meanwhile, the crew you were trying to save has already died from decompression. Were trying to get the Argo to dock with the Orion so we can extract them remmmember

[Flipside]

LOL Ah well, sounds like fun, anyway, that's why you need to get to the stores and get the space suits for the buggers, stop their brains from going pop hehehehehe

[Drew]

or you could go for the alternative route, race to seal of the compartments manualy cuz the contorl computer was shot to hell.

[Flipside]

That's be quite good, have it timer controlled so you have to close a bulkhead before too little air is left in that section to keep the occupants alive Or you could have several bulkheads to close in, say, 15 mins? Make it like 'real' FS2, so it's impossible to save absolutely everyone, so you have to prioritise bridge crew and pilots first?

[Drew]

Originally posted by aldo_14
Dropships.....need to have dropships.

Dropships with prometheuses wasting shivans >-)

[.::Tin Can::.]

Nice

Well, you guys seem to have a lot of mission ideas on top of you. And WHO is going to get them done? I guess I am. Well, the plan for this first-level deal on the Orion is really good. And the defense grid activating automated turrets would, yes, keep the players on their toes. But, dont kill the civilians. You eventually find them, and the Elesyum transport is sent to evacuate you imediately. Sounds like fun.

[Drew]

Originally posted by .::Tin Can::.
But, dont kill the civilians.

are you kidding?

[.::Tin Can::.]

No, im not kidding. Im sure a new player would not want to learn all of that just to find out the entire mission was in vain.

[Drew]

what are civillians doing on an Orion anyway. If i was one, i would want to stay as far away as possible. Even if there were civilians onboard, they would be the *first* to the escape pods. We would only be rescuing the objective because they are vital to somthing or other.

[Flipside]

Not the entire mission you could save some, just not all.

It's kinda hard to explain, but this is almost the 'unwritten rule' of the Freespace universe, it's never quite 'happily ever after', from the point of view of individual missions to the whole campaign, the Victories are bittersweet.

Still, tis all down to personal opinion

[.::Tin Can::.]

Civilians, Scientists, whats the difference?