[Tellaris]

I know multiplayer campaigns are quite possible, an example of such already exists with Retail FS2.
I was wondering if it is possible to do that, however, with it being a TvT style game, using Alpha wing and Zeta wing.
Obviously if it IS possible, something like this would be incredibly difficult to do, as, desirably, you'd want a new mission depending on which team won, with some sort of eventual conclusion. Even with a line of 4 total missions towards some sort of end, you end up with about 16 separate missions. I'm just wondering if it can be done.

[karajorma]

Absolutely. You can't string dogfight missions together to make a campaign but there is no such restriction on coop or TvT. The main reason this doesn't exist is cause until about a year ago very few people have touched multiplayer in any serious way since the game's first initial popular phase. Over the last year we've had something of a renaissance for multi and there is more interest in it than there has been for years.

[FUBAR-BDHR]

Haven't actually tried this but it should be possible to make a coop with Alpha and Beta wings.  Just have an event that turns Beta hostile as soon as the game starts. 

[karajorma]

Yeah but a proper TvT campaign is a better idea. Unless you mean making everyone a traitor in order to have a dogfight campaign?

[Tellaris]

No, an actual TvT campaign. Since one does not exist, there is no suitable example, but it'd basically be "Mission 1. If T1 wins, go to mission 2a. If T2 wins, go to mission 2b" is basically it. And it keeps going something along those lines (Though they'd actually have names. Numbering them gets boring)
I have become somewhat adept at using FRED, in that I know how to make it all work and flow correctly in a mission. Though I have yet to learn how to use chaining, I've never seen a point where it was particularly absolutely necessary yet. (What I did was probably the harder way, of using something such as "Ship Type Destroyed (100) (Cancer)" for example, and then the action I want, placed in the SEXP on ship arrival, with a delay of x seconds.)
I've actually never tried to create a campaign, but it looks straightforward enough.
I just don't like the idea that players can't be of wing, say, Cancer. Kinda messes up the naming order in that regard.
I don't particularly have the time to do such a project of this right now, so I wouldn't expect anything until probably the fall. Also still need to come up with some sort of storyline.
As for the actual teams... My thought is basically GTA vs NTF. Or GVA vs NTF. Or a combination thereof (GTVA). However there are balance issues to worry about between Terran and Vasudan ships. For one thing, Erynies (And I don't think I'll be using the super heavy fighters anyway), is Terran only.

[karajorma]

If you're using FS2_Open there is no reason the wings can't have any name you please. Simply set up the wing names from Mission Specs editor.

As for a TvT campaign, I experimented with the idea a few years back. I was scuppered by a few problems with the game which are now resolved so I might bring the idea back one day. Don't hold your breath waiting though, I'm completely snowed under at the moment.

[Tellaris]

Hey Kara, just send some of those ideas my way, and I'll see about making them reality. Many hands make light work, so doing it as a joint project might not be such a bad idea, hmm?
Also, I'd like to know what those problems where, so that I myself may avoid them.

[karajorma]

Well the campaign I was trying was a mercenary campaign where both sides went through a series of fights and were able to upgrade their weapons and ships after each fight. That one probably still won't work as now that I think of it a couple more changes would be needed (either a way to make individual assignments in loadout or the ability to make change-ship-class work in MP missions).

[Tellaris]

Hmm, sounds more complex then what I was thinking of. Simply a TvT game, where you follow a set of missions, eliminating enemy fleets, most likely ending with an Arcadia as an "HQ" to blast at the end. I was also thinking Vas vs Ter, with maybe some interference from someone else.. for example the Shivans.