forgive me if this proposal is a little under detailed in some parts I'm tired enough not to care about spelling mistakes (will fix them later).

what happens when teh TSA fail?

The last option available, complete and utter destruction of the Infestation.

but here's the bad news due to the bacterium being in such a high consentration a remote detenation isn't possible. so a group of TSA marines have to be sent into to begin to detenation.

The game starts out with the marines spawning on a drop ship that travels towards the ship/complex/etc. the dropship is basically a train like that in the frst level of the HL SP the drop would travel to and fro in a 5 minute interval.

the only time you actually need to use to the dropship is during the opening spawn and the escape. (inbetween the two they spawn at the docking ring/entrance). this would give the aliens time to prepare for the TSA and set up a suitable defense.

The map size would be probably roughly the size of a regular NS map, while you would get equipment akin to CO (perhaps a limit on JP's depending on the map?)
The marines goal is to get into the ship make their way to towards a terminal near the engineering core (or perhaps the bridge?) and begin the auto destruct.

There are two meathods to engage the auto-destruct:

1: find the Captain's access card and then take it to the terminal (the card could be placed anyway not just on the bridge) and bridge it to the terminal, insert card yada yada and 5 minutes later badda boom.

2: the tough way, forgo'ing the access card and doing in the hard way, hacking! this would be both a time saver and a time consumer since you wouldn't have to hunt down the access card but you would have to manually hack the system.

a quick example of what I mean (forgive me it'll probably be a crappy representation)

Basically UT2K4 style assault maps? Interesting.... If done right it could work very well.

AS_Eclipse? anyone?

A excellent idea, that could be really fun. Maybe even a time limit to make sure the marines head to and complete their objectives. Of course, that timer would be terminated and the new "Self destruct" timer would take over.

Hahah, imagine a map called lo_amerigo, based on the StarCraft cinematic.

Nuff' said.

[LO would stand for "Last Option" which is what this is, obviously.]

Assault maps are always popular because of their rpg style enviroments. Imagine the starcraft cutscene where the specialist group went in to nuke the compromised science facility. (Except they all died and the commando barely got the nuke off before the zerglings slashed him up).

The train won't work well; probaly be best to use what Global Warfare does go into third person mode and watch as the veichle goes to where it drops off.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I like

Once the marines start the bomb do all marines spawn a la beacon style next to the computer and all the aliens spawn a la beacon style where the dropship is?

Also the manual hacking thing sounds neato but I think a marine "building" the computer terminal (as in pressing E and not being able to use his weapon) for x amount of time (two minutes?)

Nice idea, /me supports

yes yes lets move out! Any Mappers around who are able to do somethign like that?

(long time ago a kind of similar thread was started...it was about escape maps. Marines have to escape in xy minutes. If they are able to escape a trigger destroyed the aliens Hive. If they werent fast enough a trigger destroyed the CC. I think it was a co_ map...)

the elevator at the beginning...wouldnt it pe possible to use Teleporters instead? They phase in, activate the self-destruction and have to find an escape pod to get out of there again. If the Marines destroy the Ship without surviving its a draw...if they arent able to destroy it (timelimit) they loose....and if they get away with about 50% they win...

I would love to see something like that because there would be a lot of "cinematic scenes" And i love these scenes...we all love these scenes...

maybe a dev of certain Public relations could comment on this?

I liek this idea, but I kinda dont get it. why would the marines lose if a coupel of em died before boom? Im sure thier objective is to blow up the infestation at all costs, and the aliens are to stop them from setting up the bomb. hang on, this is sounding familar now to another popular game.....

muahahahaha

Gorges should have something like a defusal kit...hahahahaha

ok now serious...OF course the Marine shave to survive! edit: they dont shave to survive they HAVE to survive otherwise the whole thing wouldnt be as funny as it should be! They should have to run through several Walkways till they reach their Shuttle. Perhaps they have a huge fight agaionst some Fades at the Landing Pad...

If they just walk in and set up this Bomb...i think that wouldnt be to funny...but perhaps you could decrease the number of the marines that have to survive...to one...

another idea ^^: One Marine becomes the VIP (hahaha) and has to reach the shuttle. If he reaches it before the Bomb detonates the marines win...

Just a question...If Marines die before they are able to set up the Bomb. Where do they respawn? At the Dropship? And what happens if they die after they activated the bomb? Where do they spawn then? Do they spawn then? Because it would be kind of strange if the TSA sends in more Marines "to escape from the Ship" wouldnt it?

I would prefere small maps and a game time from about 3 Minutes max. Just some short Action. And after the bomb is activated they would have about 30 Seconds to get back to the dropship. If Marines die during these 30 seconds they go Spectator.

Another idea is that these dead Marines spawn inside of the Dropship. they arent able to get out but they could be able to give their teammates outside some covering fire (yeah more cinematic scenes ^^)

"Marine running, behind him a big fat and very bad Onos...Marines is near the shuttle but the Onos will eat him...he knows that...suddenly 2 Marines open the dropship Door and start fireing at the oinos with their HMGs. Onos goes down and the Marine jumps into the dropship."

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

oh and one last thing. cataclyst would be really helpful on these maps! Because Marines woudl be able to move much faster to the terminal.


okei...just some ideas

just for the record I did not get this Idea from CS, but from a random daydream I had during mathclass.

What happens when the marines the marines activate the auto-destruct and respawn? I believe they would spawn just at the docking bay so they can prepare to fend off the Aliens chasing the marines put in the "squad" and not it's not all that fun if your forced to watch someone run around like a headless chicken for X amount of minutes.

I disagree about the map and timelength I think teh maps should be as big as possible and have a long time limit (or atleast one big enough to give both teams ample chance) I don't want the maps t be CO size because they can be traversed quite quickly, I want the player have to search to find the objectives. anyways if you want short games CO is perfect for that.

and I agree that this should be very cinematic as possible

*EDIT* perhaps disable catalyst?

hmm co sucks...i dont like it...

big maps are good too

not letting this idea got covered in dust just yet.

Since the bomb must go off "At all costs" If it get's armed the aliens sholud have to destory it and the merines must protect it.

sorrey if this post is too remasint of CS.

Huh? This idea is basically CO with rines defending.

according to the topic I have one thing to say.
What'd happen, if the TSA'd fail?
well read something about the TSA on www.natural-selection.org @ World.

[QUOTE=Theki11er,Sep 28 2004, 10:44 PM] Huh? This idea is basically CO with rines defending.

[/QUOTE]
did you even read my suggestion the rines don't have to defend jack , they go in plant a bomb and high tail it out of there, maybe you should read it again. but I'll sum it up for you.

A space station/ship/etc. is lost a small group is sent in to destroy the ship, why do they have to go in? because the infestation is so dense that normal radio waves ( or whatever they would use) cannot penetrate the bacteria fog (hey if the nano's can't beat em on their own how would a few comm waves do it?) so the marines have to find the computer that has access to the ship's core/complex power source and cause it to overload making it go boom.

see no defending so far. there is only one way to blow it but there is two routes to go about it, 1) is find the captain (highest figure) in the map corpse which would most likely have the access card needed to set off the auto-destruct ( they both spawn in random areas with a say 1 in 5 chance that the access card with spawn in a different location than the corpse. (this also answers I'm lost's question about map randomness)

the other way is to do a manual hack (see most movies revolving around hacking like the matrix etc.) I'll quote my orginal post because I'm to lazy to rewrite it

[QUOTE]2: the tough way, forgo'ing the access card and doing in the hard way, hacking! this would be both a time saver and a time consumer since you wouldn't have to hunt down the access card but you would have to manually hack the system.

a quick example of what I mean (forgive me it'll probably be a crappy representation)


QUOTE?

>>> Main Terminal online, welcome user
>> C:\\ ent data stream
>>> WARNING restricted directory enter password
>> ******
>>> Accessing, please wait
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Welcome Captain Aham, how are you today
>> autodestruct
>>> WARNING activating autodestruct? would cause ship wide destruction.
>>> continue? [y/n]
>> y
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> auto-destruct activated countdown timer 4:99[/quote]




(I would really like to see a actual screen for this but if not then just a hold "E" would suffice? )[/QUOTE]

as for the certain number of marines having to survive and the whole radius thing? thats purely gameplay you need to have a way for the aliens to win after the 5 min counter has started (see first post for more information on it)

Lt. Realness perhaps if you could be less vague ? I've read all but "Six Days in Sanjii" if thats what you were pointing at perhaps you could just give me a quick write up, thanks.

Charey, there not really a bomb per se as much as the complex/ship's power core going red line and large. leaving a crater

*EDIT*
I'm sorry if some of it came off a little hostile but bad day plus a headache does that to ya.

oh and the "hack screen" example I shown is a very basic version of it which hopefully would be more detailed. plus it's most likely not many people would take the time or would learn the correct pathways inorder to manual hack all the time.

Huh? I guess I misread, I assumed the style was after a certain time limit a bomb would go off and the marines would win.

But I guess this is CS if CS was NS

Marines have to weld open a console to manually splice wires......


Aliens can bite the console several times to destroy the wires and disable the bomb ONLY AFTER it has been welded open....


Once self destruct is activated.... there is an escape pod in the same room....

For marine win.... All must board the escape pod by T minus 20 seconds to ensure that all "alive marines" survive and thus ensures an alien win


From the time the console is wleded open and "hacked" there is a 5 minute counter..... this counter is stoppable by biting aliens, however at T minus 30 seconds it becomes ironed in stone.. un interruptible....


Mairnes basically have a defend till the last second then get out in time to clear the"blast radius" mission...

~Jason

For that matter can we have a hunted style NS maod with sniper rifles?



Good idea, but make the prefix be as_, not lo_.

(or better yet: "ass_" )

With reference to the random placement of the card, thats definitely possible in hammer - making something appear in a different location each round.

This sounds like an excellent idea I think. Fine tuning will be very hard though.

As mentioned, the Kharaa MUST have a way to win after the timer has been set. Biting a few wires ain't gonna satisfy me. Unless by "a few bites" you mean a LOT of bites. Obviously it needs to be manageable AND defendable. What if an Onos walked in and just gored the console? Instant Kharaa win?

Can't have that happen.

The console would have to be tough, but not too tough. I don't think the Marines should have to escape, just defend the Bridge to the last man. If they DO have to escape (or a certain number/percentage have to escape) then that presents even more problems.

While the Marines high-tail it to the escape pod/drop ship/whatever, the Kharaa munch on the detonator console? Its really got to be one or the other.

1) The Marines find the "key", start the timer. A certain number must reach the escape pod before the time is up. The Aliens must kill em on the way.
2) The Marines find the "key", start the timer. The Aliens must eat the console wires, while the Marines hold the area until detonation.

Unless a better idea appears....that's the way I see it. How could both be combined?

personally if it was me there I would be more open minded to the running with the tail between my legs than defend a soon to be very exploding reactor.

about the console, I dunno if I'd want to have to split the alien between two goals (assuming that X percentage of marines have to escape and the console stay intact) which would split the focus of the alien team which could. I'd personally just scrap the destroy console objective which would put more presssure on the marines to escape and give the aliens a more focused objective.

so I would have to vote for number 1.

*EDIT*

didn't see your post sithlord.

I like your idea about two or more consoles to start the auto-destruct, but it might be a problems with some people not have Mics but it's deffinately worth a try, how about they ave to be pressed with 2 or 3 seconds of each other ( to help with voiceless communications adn ping).

I think I said in the orginal post about the CO experience system, if I didn't I will edit it in.

Can I approach this in a differant matter?

You can treat this last resort game mode, instead of liek individual combat, as more of an objective NS type map.

Start the marines off in a Dropship type place, with a "5 Minutes to docking" message, where a door or corridore or tunnel or something will open from the ship into the map. Aliens will get full run of the map from wherever they start, and run around and make res nodes, but starts with all three hives. After all, it IS a "Last Resort", they should have 3 hives. Now you could say that possibly, there might be a situation where, a Xenospam upon door opening happens, or 5 onos waiting for you, or towers and towers of OCs. So the Commander at the 4:30 mark would get to choose one out of 5 places to "dock", all equidistant around the map. Aliens can guess where they may be docking, but it won't always be successful, as comm can scan places and choose an empty place to dock, with 30 seconds for smart aliens to get to the spot, as there will be loud noise where they dock.

Here's the catch. Marines only have 500 res to build and outfit their marines, upgrade, etc, with no starting res nodes(no res nodes on a small dropship). Only one IP would be allowed due to the fact that the TSA does not want even more casualties that may happen in this situation, or however fanfic would want to make it. The comm would be inable to build inside the base to be exploded because of not wanting to waste res, and also possibly mabye too much bacteria build-up from the extreme alien prescence, or whatever, EXCEPT for Phase Gates, which for some reason will eb able to be built inside in order to get the marines into battle faster. This means that once the Marines dock, Heavies and JPs would have to rapidly rush in with HMG/GL, divert Onoses, Fades, etc from the JPs, kill them, and rush to the computer, hack it, fending off Onoses and such, and get the computer activated, either by finding the key card or hacking it for 1:30, which is enough time. After it is armed, the aliens will take notice that the computer can explode them and kill them. The computer will then spring to life with the same HP of a CC, with a loud announcement saying that the station will detonate in 5 minutes. At this time, all members with their current equipment, will Phase to the Computer, dead or alive, with the gear they had. Also, the placed PGs will explode, probably from a backlash in the computer's self destruct frequency or whatever. Aliens will remain where they were. The Marines may weld a door to enclose the computer, but it requires 1 minute of welding. The Aliens will have to kill it to stop the explosion and will automatically win. For marines to win, 2 people OR the previous commander MUST make it back to the ship alive, and spend 25 seconds prepping the ship for takeoff, before the door closes slowly and safely secures the marine(s) and allows them to win. If the door is welded to the computer, but all the marines die(or 1 makes it back but it's not the comm), then it is a tie, and the match may either be played again or end in a Draw.

I dunno, I think it's cool. If you're going to send a squad in to blow up the place, you need to be coordinated, and need a commander to do so.

Also something that I think would be nice, all the current classic maps could be made to work with it, just need a few tweaks and it'll work.

What are the marine players doing in the 5 minutes aliens are spending setting up the map? I don't think looking at the inside of a drop ship for 5 minutes would be very exciting...

You could give them some mines to play with and make pretty shapes from.

Id rather see it like this: 1.5 minutes till inbound. Players select their weapons (similarly to combat selection style). This will need a lot of work to determine how to balance fades/onos/heavies/Jps.

Then, they appear in the start room. Here they build their pre-dropped IP's and Armory and maybe a phasegate.

They then move out and go kick some arse whereas the aliens will have moderate defenses by that point as they will start in some of the KEY rooms. As for aliens respawning, they respawn in the ventilation system that is above the map, thus allowing them to get around but not spawn directly where the marines are, or allow them to respawn and attack within seconds. As for the marines they can push on and either get to the first "objective room" to secure the key, or take the "secondary room" where they can build another additional IP, Armory, and Phasegate to reinforce. Lets say these rooms are non-attackable, just like the spawns for aliens are unreachable. And of course there is a timelimit for the marines. However, once the marines have activated the "bomb" the aliens have a timelimit to destroy the command console at bomb location. The marines will need to defend that until the time runs out. And, as for the nuke going off, well, TSA can phase them out if they want to...or let them blow up. With their technology Im sure they can arrange a special short linked beacon considering the mission would be hard to pull out from after being committed.

Blue Mary love your ideas

Avs I love your spin on it

plus a bump.

My two cents... so far...

1) Since the ship/placed has been infested for sometime, have a permative umbra and/or spores.(serveraly reduced, like 1/15th of the normal effect) The unprotected electrical systems would be inresponsive sometimes. (doors open half the time, lift stops halfway , etc...)

PS: I know this is very pro-kaharaa but I am assuming there are lots of long, narrow hallwalls that TSA builders like sooooo much. (and the dropship supplies a number of HA)

2) After the countdown is set, have BOTH teams rush to the dropship. Honestly, if the Kharaa knew the ship/place is doomed, why not try to escape? Any marines that make it to the dropship would have to "prep" and defend it from Kharaa infestation. The dropship will be of considerable size and have vents/places for skulks to hide.

3) Have 4 cinematics. (not really relovent but just for fun and supports the idea for BOTH teams to rush the dropship)
Marine win: ship flies away, place goes boom.
Draw (countdown started): same as marine except, some marines on dropship, with several kaharaa. Will be (viewed from behind the skulk(s)) from a vent above the remaining marines........
Kaharaa win (countdown not started): Something similair to the mentioned starcraft cinema, except station does not explode.
Kaharaa win (countdown started): All marines defeated, dropship "prep" for launch and Kaharaa on dropship. 2 parts: ship flies away, station blows up... Dropship lands/docks, doors open with commander(some officer) there to meet the "troops", several Kaharaa leap out and attacks the unprepaided marines(or TSA guys).

NOTE: I have not read all the posts, but here goes

Would the game be like combat with level ups or would it be classic?

Oh yeah and it sounds like so much fun!!!

didn't read the whole thread, but what about mixing ut assault with the only usefull cs mode: assasination!

One marine becomes the Engineer and has to be brought to the interface to hack it and enable the countdown. if he is killed, another one (basicly the same player) is brought in after a time and has to make his way through the map.

also, it don't has to be a self destruct or a nuke - it could be a flooding with toxic gasses or a complete air-evacuation of the map (a.k.a. vacuum) and any player dies or has heavy armor (or is a higher lifeform like fade or onos - which dies just slower).

another add: after x engineers got eliminated, TSA Command gives it up and throws the fat boy after the map's installation, which is a lose for the Playing marines because they didn't managed to kill the aliens without destroying the installation.