Monday, January 18, 2010

What do you most want to see in Endwar 2?

What I would most like to see is a replacement of the unit killing ability with unit capturing. I think it would open up an entirely new direction for the game. I think it would help to keep people who aren't hardcore about the game from leaving the community, and I feel that it would strengthen the games strategies as well as player dynamics.

Most of us that have played long term don't have a problem with unit killing. We see it as another dimension of the game and that it is there for a reason. The problem that exists with the current unit killing concept is that there are numerous people who simply dashboard, or disconnect their internet connection, or turn off their xbox, when one of their units is about to die. Or worse yet, they kill one or more of your really good units and then bail immediately after but before you have a chance to respond in kind.

My idea would keep people from wanting to dashboard at all. It would help to balance weak players against strong ones, but would still leave the possibility of permanently killing a unit.

Please allow me to explain in better detail.

Lets say I have just started a game, I'm a rank 3 with mostly all recruits, and I'm facing Kid Soldja and his unstoppable all legendary army. Normally I would just say "oh great him again", and evac my units right from the get go. Because lets face it I know that I am not as good a player as him, and my pathetic Army is obviously no match for his. It would be like the Bahamian military facing the United States, would they have the slighest chance??? Of course not. So what is my motivation to play??? Nothing. I know I can't defeat him and I know I can't give him a challenge. I could be like some people and just say "ok I already know I'm going to lose so I will just kill as many units as I possibly can." But is that right??? It would be beneficial for your faction maybe, but really that mindset isn't very honorable.

But now, what if I could capture some of his units and hold them for ransom?? Now that would be worth fighting for. Yes I may lose but I get something tangible that could really help me out of the match.

My idea centers around this. Instead of telling one of your units, or a group of them, to kill of a downed unit of your enemy, you can move in close and capture it. At the end of the game when all is said and done you and your opponent have four choices to make.

1) You can freely and without any compensation return the captured units to their original owner.
2) You can do a prisoner swap, his captured units for your captured units
3) You can demand a ransom be paid, at a set amount for the rank and/or strength of the unit
i.e., legendary units could be worth as much as $1 million, with regulars starting at $100K.
4) You can choose not to give the unit back, nor allow any compensation for the unit.

If option 4 is selected, or if the opposing commander simply leaves his units behind without negotiating a deal, then those units are killed. You can call it what you want, an execution, or that they were shot trying to escape.

Point being that this option would give everyone a fair shake. Mediocre players, or players who just don't play that much would have something to look forward to when playing a highly ranked opponent. Also, it would give people a reason to start keeping money on hand. Right now you have people run to the barracks every time they have enough money to buy an upgrade. But with this system they would have to keep that money in hand longer to ensure their ability to effect the release of their units.

I also think that dashboarding would become almost non-existent. The only problem that I can see is in the event of a disconnection in a multiplayer game. I certainly don't think that the AI should be allowed to capture units, nor do I feel that you should be able to capture a persons unit when they are no longer around to negotiate for their release pending the end of the match.

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