[karajorma]

That's how I'd do it too. I doubt I'd call the missions simple though.

I assume you're using a mixture of campaign persistent string variables and the change-ship-class SEXP. How are you planning on handling team loadout though? That was and still is the major stumbling block for me in SoR.

I'm interested because I've been working on a multiplayer campaign that does somewhat similar things (It was actually maverick's idea in fact).

Feel free to PM if you'd rather discuss the technical aspects in private though

BTW (Respect for IP Andews as a FREDder)++

[IPAndrews]

Originally posted by karajorma
How are you planning on handling team loadout though? That was and still is the major stumbling block for me in SoR.

I'll answer the question here because others will probably want to know the answer too. I've disabled the ship and weapon selection screens. You get assigned a pseudo random but appropriate ship at the start of the mission and you like it.

I couldn't think of a way to ensure the player got given an appropriate ship in the ship selection screen before the mission starts and the class change sexps kick in.

[karajorma]

Yep. That's exactly the problem I had.  Goober is working on allowing numbers to be used from persistent variables though so there may be a way to use that once he's finished.

[Sigma957]

Sounds like this campaign will be heaps of fun

[aipz]

"X" in the campaign title stands for:
Insert the race you want and fight a war you generate...

What races will be available?
EA, Narn, Centauri, Mimbari, Shadows
and Vorlons?i

[IPAndrews]

Something like that. Yes those races, the League, and the Raiders. Although they're technically not races as such I still thought it would be fun to play as them.

[-Norbert-]

And the Drakh?

[IPAndrews]

Them as well.

[IPAndrews]

Anyone got any ideas for mission types for this campaign. Currently I've got just 2.

Chance Engagement: Some enemy ships are detected nearby. Both sides meet for battle. Both sides get 1-2 fighter wings and maybe a cruiser.

Base assault: Player's team assaults an enemy base which may have capital ships and fighters nearby. Destroying the enemy base is the only objective.

I also have the following ideas for other missions:

Other missions I think I might do:

Base defence: The player must defend his base against an enemy assault. That is the only factor for success in the mission. Nothing else matters.

Homeworld assault:  I think the defenders should get more ships than the attackers. The attackers should get a mix of planet killers (Novas, Secundus, VPK) and normal ships. Other than that it's a pretty basic "kill all enemy" mission. If the attacking side loses the momentum of the campaign will change hugely and give them a chance to make a comeback in the campaign.

Homeworld defence: As above but player on defensive.

Fleet escort: This is a wierd one for Babylon 5 since ships all have jump engines. So if an enemy attacks a ship is likely just to jump out. I could ignore that though and have the player protecting ships from waves of enemy fighters.

Fleet attack: As above but player on attack.

Can anyone come up with anything better?

[-Norbert-]

Convoy raids and convoy defense.

Escorting VIPs like a gerneral or a government member, who visits the troops.

Jumpgate blockade and breakthrough.

Covert operation like attacking a third race in the enemies fighters, to get that race to fight against your enemy.

Capturing enemy installations/ships to take hostages or aquire new prototype technologies of the enemy.

Scouting. You are alone in a fighter and have to find the enemy fleet/station in an asteriod field.
Or you fly a stealth fighter (PSI 'Furys come to mind) or enemy fighter and have to identify the enemy capital ships while evading detection.

Defending diplomatic meeting between the waring species. If the diplomats survive they negociate a peace treaty and you won.
The attackers could be raiders (they profit from war -> less ships available for police duty), rouge parts of one of the armys (who want to completely annihilate the enemy) or a third race.
In the last case you could make the former enemy into an ally and that third race, that attacked your diplomats, the new enemy.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by -Norbert-
Escorting VIPs like a gerneral or a government member, who visits the troops.

That one is going to seem rather odd when you play the Vorlons or Shadows though

Same goes for diplomacy too


The rest sound good though.

[Demitri]

That one is going to seem rather odd when you play the Vorlons or Shadows

Could be a case of shadows/vorlons attacking to stop races creating alliances

[I_E_Maverick]

how about saving captured soldiers or pilots. that meas you could have to search for a troop transport and disable it, then wait for a transport to dock etc.

or weapon/ship testing

[Azrael15]

Escorting VIPs could change for the Shadows to be something like escorting telepaths or people for the CPUs.

Vorlons may be a bit harder....

[IPAndrews]

The problem with that is that you can't change the briefings according to race. The briefings must be the same for everyone. So if you're escorting a VIP it's a VIP. The way around that is to be really ambiguous. ie: You're escorting "important cargo". This is generally how the campaign will work. Don't expect a great deal of detail in the briefings because it ain't happening

Some of the races don't have shuttles and freighters either. Which limits the kinds of missions I can add. Although I could use stand-ins (eg: Shadow Scout instead of the (non-existant) Shadow Shuttle) it still might look a bit wierd.

[-Norbert-]

Even the Vorlons and Shadows could escort important persons.
For the Vorlons that could be people like Lyta or Sebastian.
For the Shadows that would be people like Morden (Does anyone know his first name?) or Anna Sheridan.
And both Vorlons and Shadows surely had more agents than just those on B5.

[aipz]

PLANETARY ASSAULT

Your fleet is orbiting an enemy planet where previously you won
a battle/destroyed or captured
space station and preparing for the deployment of troops to conquer the enemy globe...

You have to escort shuttles/freighters from base ships to a certain location in space...
And protect the base ships like Warlocks ar Novas...

Your other capships are patrolling the area in different sectors (like a modern carrier group or conwoy)...

And then you're surprised by a heavy enemy conterattack from various directions...

Capships and their fighters...
Or maybe even some surviving planetary fighters...

[aipz]

PROTECTING DAMAGED SHIP/SHIPS

Idea similar to one presented
in EMW Demo mission 1 - Lexington and Yorktown...
Scan the ship, escort repair/medical crew and finally jump out with the repaired one

PATROL

You fly in the middle of nowhere scouting the outer perimeter for your forces (the
capships are too far away to help you out)
You encounter something...
-enemy convoy
-neutral forces attacked by raiders
-enemy fighters on patrol
-unknown enemy task force
-debris of one of your vessels
and the enemy still lurks out there
-lifepods with survivors

This mission would require to things happen quickly and surprisingly
( a small break beetween larger operations)

[aipz]

Dear IP Andrews,  could you tell which of the mentioned mission types will be implemented in your campaign?

[IPAndrews]

Been busy actually. Haven't worked on BHX for about a week. I'm such a slacker. Of the suggestions I've heard so far I like the sound of convoy raiding, protecting damaged ships, fighter patrol engagements, and escort missions.