New Concepts for Sequel? | Forums

[CptNeil]

*POSTED ON CONSOLE FORUM, CURIOUS TO HEAR PC GAMER OPINIONS*

"I can handle snow." - S/Sgt Matthew Baker, Hell's Highway Finale

Hi all,

Not sure how welcome this post will be as there ARE a few gripes in it but those famous last words at the end of HH (just completed it again for the billionth time) always make me feel nice, warm and optimistic as to the production of a sequel. Beyond crawling through the hedgerows at Normandy, I can't think of anything more thrilling than actually fighting from my foxhole in the Ardennes Forrest.

BUT

I'd like to see a few improvements or perhaps even changes in the sequel, particularly given that the Battle of the Bulge began as a defensive reaction to a German counter-attack. This means that there has to be an even fuller emphasis on the tactical gameplay as far as I can see. So I've created a description of two or three gripes that I wondered if you guys had any opinions about. They're suggestions, really, things that would make the game more enjoyable in my opinion.

1.) No More 506th Missions!
So this is pretty simple and wouldn't necessarily affect the gameplay but I read a lot of history and I began realising that we were spearheading a hell of a lot of 506th missions thanks to the inclusion of Col. Sink in Hell's Highway. No way - Baker's a sergeant in the Five-Oh-Deuce and I want to know what the fight was like from their perspective. Where were they during the Battle of the Bulge? How were their conditions? Were there any prominent tactical actions made by the Regiment? I DON'T want to attack Foy and I DON'T want to be over-looking the Bois Jacques. That would be stealing from Band of Brothers in my humble opinion.

2.) No More Recon Squads!
I think this concept took us out of the loop during HH and I would just like to see it gone completely. Even if it has to be explained that Matt's platoon got folded back into F Company or something, whatever it is I just think the Recon Squad thing completely isolates you from what combat was like. I want to control the squad, I want to have a narrow scope (as squad leaders do) but I don't want to be spearheading the intelligence gathering single-handedly for the entire 101st as I almost seemed to be doing during HH. It's just too unrealistic and it means you spend all your time dealing with the 'brass' rather than core group of troops taking part in the fighting.

3.)More People, More Realistic Unit Size!
This is really just an extension of complaint number 2 I'm afraid lol. But where are the other squads? Where's my platoon leader? Why isn't their an officer conducting my team? Somebody who isn't a Lt. Colonel running an entire battalion. I'd like to get back to F Company, know my company commander, know my platoon leader and get to know who else is fighting next to me. Of course the storytelling emphasis and the gameplay should be focused on Matt's team and that's fine but I want to look left from my foxhole before we make a tactical probe into the forrest and feel confident that the rest of the platoon is dug in alongside me. They could just be NPC's but I think it'd feel more realistic if I knew they were fighting in the little town next to me and I could focus on my sector.

4.)More Choice, More Open Game World!
Okay I'm NOT looking for a sandbox, not at all. But it would be great if we had a much more open environment to move around in, more improvisation with cover (although that was still great in HH) and a little more depth in the battleground. Perhaps even less depth, considering the sequel seems to be taking place in snowy woodland areas. The gameplay in the other games is very linear. You can only travel in one straight line and back and you were restricted to how you moved your squad due to that. If there's a bridge there it'd be great to have the option to cross the bridge, jump the river or swim half-way down to the next bank. That might not be a good example - but it IS just an example lol. I just want to feel more freedom to move around, to move to one objective from another angle without following a straight road that is boxed off at each side.

Okay so that's four pretty whiney complaints but I'm a long-time fan! I love World War II history and have a particular love of the airborne and the fighting they took part in. To me they were true heroes, the original special forces too. They, along with most of the allied and axis forces, endured so much and I want to feel that endurance more and more throughout the gameplay. I loved RTH30, EiB and HH and still play all three (yes I have my original xbox plugged in) but I know this game series is capable of delivering more.

Does anybody agree?

[KZarr]

but I know this game series is capable of delivering more.

I agree with you. This game really made feel a connection to the characters in the game.

I especially agree with number 2. Those mission really weren't BiA style.

[TOGPORKY]

i have been out of ww2 gaming for sometime..i have all 3 BIA games..is there another coming out after HH?..i have been into other hobby and just today saw my ww2 figurine from the HH box staring down at me from the shelf...so is there any talk of another 4th game?

[pauloctopus]

agreewell at least this game was always more open than eg.Call of Duty but yes, the tactical aspect is pretty cool and should be expanded some way as here we don't want to talk about James Bond ability also more, more people, more action and more unpredictable action! the little mess was always a core in any combat situations. To see more actions with column of enemy soldiers and more 'casual' actions rather than some new exotic missions just for the sake of 'new'.
Think that this game can benefit a lot from Thief PC game ideas (sneaking, hiding in the shadows). Also the tactical/strategy aspects would revive with some food needs, injuries healing...rather than watchin loooong cut scenes I would love to drive or walk (ingame) from one action place to another (great example is Far Cry 2) with a little action then. And make physics more wide so to be able to change the environment, all buildings collapse, terrain's shape. The soldier's body reaction to injuries is another point to develope.
About graphic..shaders..colors..in 'HH' more realisticaly looked missions in rain, in dark with 'everything dirty' feeling.

I hope Your team making another(?) BIA game like will stay with WW2 theatre coz all modern warfare games are finished for couple of years;P just too much of them.

[F4lls]

lol
how about an Inglorious Basterds ripoff?
that sounds rad to me.
/sarcasm