JinRenegade
NOTE: I won’t be surprised if forum members here will TLR this post, but I’ll be grateful to anyone who does read most, if not all of it.
Recently I have been hoping and wishing for an EndWar 2, but I would only like a second game if they make some drastic changes to the original and maybe even to the PC version as well (which I doubt they will do since EndWar is originally a console game and it would take more time and more money to take special measures just for a different platform).
Such changes I am thinking of are similar to <span class="ev_code_BLUE">b_7421's "Dream List" for EndWar 2</span>, such as having different types of specific units which are in many other strategy games such as World in Conflict) e.g. Light/Reconnaissance, Medium, Heavy and Special versions of APCs/Tanks/Artillery/Helicopter Gunships/Infantry), but I would also like to have some other changes as well:
• <span class="ev_code_BLUE">Get rid of the battalion upgrading system (atleast on multiplayer)</span> – It gives grossly unfair advantages to people who have highly upgraded battalions/battlegroups/brigades and don't you guys deny it. Sure, if the person who has a highly upgraded battalion in EndWar makes a lot of mistakes and is fighting in a match against an opponent who is experienced in strategy games but doesn't have as much of an upgraded battalion as the other person does, that opponent may win... but with difficulty (also it's rare to ever fight a person with an upgraded battalion who isn't stupid/makes many mistakes because that person would have played the game for such a long time that they would have realised how to play the game properly as well).
The upgrading system was also put into EndWar solely for the purpose of GIVING the players (mainly casual gamers who play games like 6 hours a week) in EndWar a purpose to play the game so that they could watch their battalion get more awesome, having delusions of grandeur; imagining themselves as pretty professional strategy players in the game just because they had an awesome battalion and mental jacking off sessions to this.
Ubisoft Shanghai/Paris (or whoever the game developer of the next EndWar game will be), if you want to give purpose to players in EndWar, you should just give them something without making the damn game unfair to others. Maybe make the statistics tracking system better (e.g. compare your statistics to someone else), add an award system (pins/ribbons/badges/medals - not entirely sure what they would do exactly, maybe boost your rank so you can show-off) or upgrading (ONLY) the visuals of your battalion in such strategy games like Warhammer 40,000 : Dawn of War II where you could give your units better looking armour to increase your e-***** (e.g. new camouflage unlocks, different muzzle flashes, whatever).
• <span class="ev_code_BLUE">A proper single player experience/campaign</span> – There are many people, including me, who sometimes don’t always want to play online multiplayer in video games. Sometimes it’s just for a rest of the competitiveness/social interaction and sometimes it’s just because the internet connection just won’t work to be able to play an online multiplayer game and therefore would like to a play a challenging game against an AI.
I know Michael de Plater (who I think was the lead designer for EndWar who also used to work on the “Total War” strategy series, correct me if I am wrong) said that the team, who were now working on EndWar 2, had learnt from EndWar’s mistakes and were going to put an emphasis on a story-driven single player campaign (as well as give more complexity into game during that interview with him so long ago), but I am just still doubtful that they will really give the single player experience we really want for EndWar 2. I kind of liked that single player theatre of war mode they gave to the players because it gave freedom and a somewhat non-linear experience to the player, (just like that World Domination mode in Command & Conquer 3 – Kane’s Wrath expansion pack) but I also want a story-driven campaign with cutscenes as well for ALL THREE factions with difficulty levels which really make a difference as well (EndWar’s AI was just way too easy, even on Hardcore which is SUPPOSED TO BE HARD!).
What they could do is this, they could make a linear campaign for the game which continues after the events of the Prelude to War in EndWar (where the war has just started and you choose what faction and battalion + character you want to be) all with cutscenes where your General and Executive Officer give you mission briefings, tell you good luck and get the **** into the fight, cutscenes during a mission (such as yourself coming outside of your command vehicle to do something… story related maybe… or maybe showing a short classic RTS cutscene (like the original C&C game’s) where your soldiers do something awesome), have unique mission types such as commanding an infiltration team behind enemy lines under the cover of darkness in a forest somewhere (Ghost Recon/Splinter Cell references during if you’re JSF perhaps?) etc AND also have a non-linear, single player version of the multiplayer Theatre of War where you get acquainted with the rules and concept of ToW in preparation for the multiplayer ToW, basically it’s a tutorial/practice mode just like EndWar’s SP ToW.
The AI would also need to be updated significantly as I mentioned to give a real challenge to people who want a proper fight. You could also add in a some sort of co-op ToW/Scenario mode if so you wish so you could play with a friend online and maybe even splitscreen as well so people around your house can play with you rather than just watch (splitscreen co-op mode would work well, versus would never work because you would always see where your friend’s units would be).
• <span class="ev_code_BLUE">Hit detection/Game physics</span> – The one thing that really ****ed me off the most in EndWar was the damaging/hit detection/physics system in the game. It didn’t matter whether or not a vehicle was behind a building or some other tall object, it would still get hurt if that unit was said to be “under attack” or if the enemy unit which was attacking it was said to be “attacking” it. Therefore it just made all the explosions and tracer fire just for show. That isn’t right at all. If there is to be another EndWar game, I want the physics updated so that if an unit aims, fires and actually hits its target/doesn’t hit its target, it actually has an effect (even better if there is a weakness on some point of the unit its attacking, like the engine vents at the back of a tank maybe, hit that and it does 1.5x or 2x more damage than hitting the front of the tank). Many other strategy games do this and for good reason. Please do this for EndWar 2.
• <span class="ev_code_BLUE">Make each faction more unique</span> – Rather than just giving different unit names, codenames, voices, colour schemes (JSF – Orange, EFEC – Blue, SGB – Green) and slight differences in overall unit types (JSF – Average on all, except Range, EFEC – Fast but weak, SGB – Slow but strong), why not add some more variation? Maybe give a special unit type to each faction, such as a special APC unit only EFEC can get OR maybe give special bonuses or unit abilities which are somewhat present in EndWar, but aren’t exactly balanced or noticed. Rather than just giving abilities which just go something like “PEW PEW, I JUST HURT YOUR UNIT SOME MOAR!”, maybe give the special EFEC transports I mentioned an EMP ability (since they are said to be “EXPERTS ON EMP” which isn’t exactly true in the game, there is no different between an EFEC EMP or a JSF/SGB EMP… it’s just for the story. It’s the same with the JSF’s so called “EXPERTS ON STEALTH” stuff too, still no difference between EFEC/SGB rifleman stealth abilities in the actual game), so any enemy vehicle under the opponent’s command is dumb enough to approach them run the risk of getting EMP’d without the EFEC player sacrificing any CP, just an ability recharge time. This EMP would allow other EFEC units to either attempt to destroy it or to give them time to fall back/evacuate, which I think would be rather appropriate given that the EFEC team relies on speed/hit and run tactics AND people who think of Europe think of the French stereotype of “running away from a fight”.
That’s just an example of a special ability which doesn’t just “damage” an enemy unit, it also provides other strategic opportunities than just hurting a unit. It immobilizes that enemy unit and gives the player an option to run away or to fight it. There should be other special abilities like this for the JSF and SGB, such as a firebomb which damage infantry units only within a certain area for a certain amount of time and it’s the opponent commander’s fault for not making their own units move to a different position to get out of that fiery area where the bomb detonated. It would also make camping infantry units in buildings less likely of an option when making a defensive position, getting rid of garrison stalemates (e.g. the USS Reagan map leads to a lot of stalemates because the player defending on the map has access to a lot of garrisonable structures. You always need arty to take them down without taking losses… but with this ability, you won’t have to just use arty.
• <span class="ev_code_BLUE">Clan systems/Clan tournaments</span> – To give EndWar 2 a bit more longevity in the multiplayer mode, why not add in some sort of clan system or monthly clan tournaments? I can’t think of many console games which have these systems at the moment, only Killzone 2 (maybe 3 as well, can’t remember) and maybe Halo. If they add this, it would be a good feature, even if it is very minor and not as important as other things which need to be included.
I’m going to stop now, you get the idea. I’ve been writing this for about an hour and I need a break. Hope somebody reads this...
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T12375
