[Snail]

Mackie appearing would be pretty funny

[Deadly in a Shadow]

Pfft, who said they didn't have a use for duct tape?!

I think that the Shivans use duct tape too. I mean, so many fancy and working fighters and bombers? Aww come on!

[NGTM-1R]

Pfft, who said they didn't have a use for duct tape?!

They have stuff that moves, and shouldn't. Ergo, Duct Tape.

[redsniper]

Mackie appearing would be pretty funny

Just don't make us kill him!

[T-LoW]

Make him switch sides and shove some duct tape up their arse

[NGTM-1R]

Just don't make us kill him!

Man, Mackie gets ship-guardian way more often than Xinny and Zero. Mackie'll kill you.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

Mackie's ship-guardianed for the whole of Derelict, right? How long is that?

[Icefox]

I hope you guys stick with the military feel the story had, though I know that is probably reasonably set in stone one way or another as it's already been written out and all. But really, all the military terminology and such. Oh yeah. I totally go for that sort of thing.

Gameplay-wise, it's hard to say. I actually liked how fighters and capships had to rely on one another and you couldn't just cruise off on your own and *trumpets* save the dayyyyy all by yourself! I mean, seriously, who do those types think they ARE, Admiral STEELE?    

I'm not a big fan of the whole "Alpha 1" approach, so I loved the first part of War in Heaven since it minimized that. I know you guys are going to go back to a more "player agentic" approach this time around, I just hope you don't go too far in that direction, as there are some that really enjoy the teamwork and realistic feel involved in having to pair off and work with capital ships, think more about how you maneuver, and whatsuch.

I would love to see more tactical depth to the game. I'm not sure how to go about it, though I'll mention any ideas if they come up. Anything that improves the number of tactical options and considerations is awesome. Also, I've always been a big fan of mission objectives that revolve around the old "more than one way to skin a cat" adage. The cap ship test mission is a decent example of that, given you have two options as to how to approach the situation. Actually, three if you wait long enough. Branching stuff like that is awesome, as well. Though I know all of this requires a lot more effort, I think it ends up giving a superior experience, even if this sort of thing only makes it into a couple key missions.

Though of secondary importance, easter eggs and humor are always win. Delenda Est had such a happy moment of love and harmony in it, depending on how you went about it... erhum.

[Dilmah G]

As someone whose played some of the missions in Act 2, be advised that it is not lacking in the tactical department.

[The E]

"Player Agency", as Battuta uses the term, means more like "Your actions will have more of an overall impact on the storyline". It's not a return of the Alpha 1-syndrome, but rather giving the player the option to influence the story and the missions more. In WiH R1, there was a lot of railroading in place in some missions, we're just trying to give you more options how to complete your mission objectives. This sort of mirrors Laporte's increased authority; you're not someone elses Wingman anymore, and people start to depend on your leadership to get them through.

[General Battuta]

Yeah, basically in R2 you'll get to step up as a leader to make big tactical decisions. So specifically this:

I would love to see more tactical depth to the game. I'm not sure how to go about it, though I'll mention any ideas if they come up. Anything that improves the number of tactical options and considerations is awesome. Also, I've always been a big fan of mission objectives that revolve around the old "more than one way to skin a cat" adage. The cap ship test mission is a decent example of that, given you have two options as to how to approach the situation. Actually, three if you wait long enough. Branching stuff like that is awesome, as well. Though I know all of this requires a lot more effort, I think it ends up giving a superior experience, even if this sort of thing only makes it into a couple key missions.

You're pretty much going to be in heaven. Of the missions we've FREDded so far I can't think of one that doesn't have at least two fairly different approaches.

Honestly the big fear we have right now is conveying all this info to the player.

[Dilmah G]

Honestly the big fear we have right now is conveying all this info to the player.

Yeah, but this is why the military has the SMEAC structure for mission briefings.

[-Sara-]

Mackie's ship-guardianed for the whole of Derelict, right? How long is that?

Except for the last mission I believe. If I'm right Mackie and everyone can die in the last mission as they served their purpose. Not 100% sure.

On the topic of tactical decisions: lovely!

[General Battuta]

That'll extend to the character, I'll add. You will get a chance to define Laporte a little by making moral decisions with some long-running consequences, and not of the Bioshock 1-level 'kill babies vs. save babies' variety.

[Darius]

Entire team is babies.

[-Sara-]

Am really curious how the third installment, so the one after WiH2 will proceed then, with different outcomes defining Laporte. Exciting!

Entire team is babies.

The BP team.. or Laporte's? 

[Icefox]

Ah, so this concept Battuta has mentioned isn't Alpha 1 syndrome, but instead exactly what I'm asking for in terms of multiple options in how to complete missions, and extra goodness insofar as effect on storyline. Mmm. Goodness. This is deliciously exciting. Yes indeed, I would have to agree about the Heaven bit. The title "War in Heaven" will take on a whole new meaning for me (and I hope others) here. *swoons*

And by Act 2, I assume you mean the release 2 you guys are working on, and not the Act 2 within release 1? Though I do admit, the tactical depth did increase some as you got access to more toys, particularly that lovely gunship. That thing is an incredible little toy I oh-so-enjoy working with. I hope there's a fair share of missions involving it. I love the mechanics behind it and its awesome Archer system. And that BOOM, SHAKE as it fires, though a bit jarring insofar as keeping accuracy, is quite satisfying. Ahem, but I digress, for I am getting a bit off topic here.

You guys really do fantastic work. I cannot stress that enough. I haven't been this excited about a mod before. Aw crap, I'm off-topic again.

I was actually going to suggest putting in moral decisions that would have big effects on the campaign, but I figured that might be asking for too much - and here you guys go surprising me by mentioning you're one step ahead on that. You folks are nothing if you aren't overachievers, are you? Not complaining! You guys are the wind beneath my wings.

Okay, perhaps that last bit was an exaggeration. And just a tad creepy. I swear it was a joke. No, no, none other than Admiral Steele himself is the wind beneath my wings. Oh, I do hope we'll be seeing more of him. Heck, I might even be willing to work alongside the glorious bastard, permitting he stops bombing my precious Feddy colonies. Crap, did I just digress into more off topicness? Hm, ending post now. ;p

[Flak]

Would it be funny if Steele turns out to be someone like Tim Curry as Premier Cherdenko in Red Alert 3. The sort that will make you laugh and tremble in fear at the same time.

[Infamus]

-He is only a 1st Lt. because when he was in the UEF military, he was caught combining Fed and Tev tech to get something awsome and one of his CO's, a devout Ubuntu practicer, said that what he was doing was like selling his soul to the shivans, so the 'new guy' chewed him the hell out and when AWOL and joined the Fayadeen long before he was ever publicly demoted. That doesn't matter anymore, cause' hes Fayadeen now. unless it does?  

I guess if he had a good way of joining, it would work. But I don't think it is believeable actually. Where in Ubuntu does it say "don't use technology of the enemy, or you will become the enemy!"?

Spoiler:

Also remember that you actually get to fly Tev ships in WiH.

Yeah, understood.

[Infamus]

double post

I detect massive amounts of Mary Sue in that character.

Not to mention player bias.

-Dislikes Ubuntu, greatly

Reason?

like Laporte, he is an earther, and he sees pacifism as the route to annihilation.

-Can directly communicate to anyone using Nagari. (if you say that this is stupid then you suck, if you ask me why, then you are a reasonable person and I will explain myself)

Nagari doesn't work that way.

After constantly getting prodded by the shivans, the 'newguy' would lash back mentally, eventually he got the hang of it and learned to use it in a more subtle fashion. You have to run before you can walk. He new it was the shivans because his father suffered from the same thing, and his father was sure it was 'them.'

Nagari really doesn't work that way.

understood.

-Knows that the Great Civil War is a bunch of shivan-orchestrated crap, to soften the Terran species' military.

How does he know that? It's not like he has anything but his own suspicions to get that conclusion.

I said that already.

-Joined Fayadeen because they know how to kill stuff. And NO they did not find him, this guy found the Fayadeen. (is that how you spell it?)

If this guy found the Fedayeen, they still wouldn't let him in. Being a Fedayeen requires absolute belief in Ubuntu. Your guy doesn't qualify.

Understood.

-After getting a hold of a basic Tev database he learns that the shivans had their guns set on 'stun' during the Great War.

No Tev database needed. The UEF is fully aware of this fact.

clarified.

The game-play is great, but the GTVA ships are under-powered, they need more speed and armor.

GTVA ships are built to be lightning bruisers. Jump in, beam the target to pieces, jump out before the bombs get you. See also: Serkr Team.

acknowledged.

-He is only a 1st Lt. because when he was in the UEF military, he was caught combining Fed and Tev tech to get something awsome and one of his CO's, a devout Ubuntu practicer, said that what he was doing was like selling his soul to the shivans, so the 'new guy' chewed him the hell out and when AWOL and joined the Fayadeen long before he was ever publicly demoted. That doesn't matter anymore, cause' hes Fayadeen now. unless it does? 

You have a few misconceptions about Ubuntu. There is no such thing as evil technology in Ubuntu.

oops.

Behind the badassery, this person would be the gentle-giant type but not scared.

Yeah, it's a Mary Sue.

Ok. What does that mean? I'll FingG it (****ing google it), but I want to know why you made that comment.

I can do that   no seriously, I am exceptional at voicing and writing dialogue, just not the actual story, but someone already took care of that.

Is there any writing from you available on the net that we can check out?
[/quote]

I am not good at stories but I am exceptional at dialogue, unfortunately I tend to go off on tangents if I make it, so it will take a while for me to refine the character. Also, I don't want to spoil the story for myself, requiring the dialogue planed out or story planed out for developing such a thing. However, if you guize make the character, I can indefinitely do the job.

But no I have no dialogue material but you can check the one thing I have on dA. My username is "Ionosphere-Negate"