Flag Idea - EarthQuake

Make suggestions for improving one of the best games on the net!
.Zero
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:33 pm

Flag Idea - EarthQuake

Post by .Zero »

I thought of this after noticing the shockwave/aura that appears around the tank after landing. I didn't see anything in the wiki, so here goes.

EarthQuake
When landing after a jump, a shockwave will destroy tanks on the ground in the immediate vicinity of the landing tank.

It's sort of similar to steamroller, but the shockwave could have a larger radius.
I think it would balance out the people that sit really close to you waiting to kill you when you land and would be itself balanced by the fact that you have to jump to use it and by someone with a wings flag or even a laser flag, if they sit up on a building.



If it is too similar to steamroller, an alternative along the same line is High Gravity (the opposite of the soon to be released Low Gravity), where the tank does not jump as high and lands more quickly. A smaller radius shockwave could come out from the landing tank, due to the tanks increased weight. It would be smaller than with EarthQuake, since it's already an advantage to have shorter,faster jumps.
User avatar
JeffM
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 5196
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 4:11 am

Post by JeffM »

a tank with shockwave can have the same effect by firing one off before it lands.
ImageJeffM
.Zero
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:33 pm

Post by .Zero »

I had thought that it's quite a bit different than shockwave.

Shockwave:
Has a huge sphere of influence
Is not limited to ground tanks (jumping cannot avoid it)
Completely replaces the original bullet
Is a high-powered offensive flag

I was thinking that Earthquake would be more along the lines of:
Smaller sphere of influence
Limited to only ground tanks
Does not replace the normal bullets
Is more of a balanced, tactical flag

Shockwave puts the other player in a complete defensive position. Since it's less powerful, Earthquake could be used as a tactical advantage. Players may hesitate to be so close to kill you when landing if Earthquake flags were used and give land tanks less of a complete overwhelming advantage. To avoid, other tanks may be forced to jump, giving the original tank the land-air advantage. Since you still have the original bullets, you also don't give up the chance to nail the tank on the descent.

I think that it's actually closer to steamroller than shockwave.
User avatar
Grace F
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 978
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 12:29 pm
Location: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA

Post by Grace F »

I like this idea. Like really really :P
The only thing I don't like about it is that it would give BU another thing to look out for, since I am a big BU fan :)
Image
Image
User avatar
too much loving
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 94
Joined: Sun May 23, 2004 7:47 pm
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Post by too much loving »

I think that you could get the same game play by increasing the default radius of the steam roller. Right now the steam roller flag is lousy, but a beefed up steam roller could be fun to have.

EDIT: Instead of lousy I should probably have written ineffective.
dango
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 1400
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2005 5:40 pm
Location: Somewhere over there.

Post by dango »

A beefed up SR is fun, but it ruins BU. If you increase the SR range so people 15 units from you would die, BU people would die if you go 15 units from a person.
Image
User avatar
Bentusi Elite
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 9:09 pm

Post by Bentusi Elite »

We've established that it's already very similar to (or rather a combination of) both SR and SW. Souping up an existing flag is fine, but no mixing flags to make new ones.


I like the idea, but I vote no.
User avatar
CannonBallGuy
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 2083
Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 1:31 am
Contact:

Post by CannonBallGuy »

A big SR radius results in a large continuous shockwave effect.
In response to the original post, I think it's a lousy idea.
Image

Merry Christmas!

"Look, if I don't buy booze for the kids, I don't get any incriminating pictures to show to their parents, my business goes down the sink, my girlfriend leaves me and the baby goes on ebay. So help me search..."

"go Play With Toys urself in a dark alley u donkey ******" - Lt-Kirby2007
.Zero
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:33 pm

Post by .Zero »

Bentus wrote:We've established that it's already very similar to (or rather a combination of) both SR and SW. Souping up an existing flag is fine, but no mixing flags to make new ones.


I like the idea, but I vote no.
Fair enough. I notice that a lot of combo type flags are not allowed. Is there a reason for that? I would think that a combo type that limits the two, combines them in an interesting way, and provides something new would be acceptable.

I'm not saying that this idea meets any or all of those criteria, but I guess I don't understand why not any combos at all?
User avatar
Peter
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 354
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: 127.0.0.1
Contact:

Post by Peter »

If you have combo flags for example stealth and cloking or shockwave and wings it becomes almost impossible for other players to kill them and then the game becomes unfair .
“Roses are #FF0000, violets are #0000FF, all of my base are belong to you.” ~ Nerd on Colour
User avatar
Bentusi Elite
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 9:09 pm

Post by Bentusi Elite »

Yes, combos combine more strengths than weaknesses, so if combo flags were to exist, it would be far too hard to kill them.

Or if you just look at the wiki, it says in bold that new flags must have limited power and require new skills.

Plus just stop and think a moment how a game on your favorite server would play out if people were running around with that flag.
User avatar
BinarySpike
Corporal
Corporal
Posts: 735
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:58 pm
Contact:

Post by BinarySpike »

I thought of this idea when 2.0.4 came out, but didn't post about it because I knew people wouldn't like it. ;)
.Zero
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:33 pm

Post by .Zero »

Bentus wrote:Yes, combos combine more strengths than weaknesses, so if combo flags were to exist, it would be far too hard to kill them.

Or if you just look at the wiki, it says in bold that new flags must have limited power and require new skills.
Not pure combos but limited ones. As in one example someone mentioned, WG+SW, a lower radius SW with longer reload time and a single jump, can turn in air WG could be a fair balance. Another example, stealth+cloaking, if the stealth+cloak were not complete but you could see a static periodically around the player as well as a ghost echo on radar in the vicinity of the stealth+cloak tank, I think it'd be a fair tradeoff.

On this one, I think: it's not anything like SW, and it's sort-of like a medium-radius SR with a fair tradeoff of ability and use, and a different type of application. As for new skills, I guess I took that to mean something different than intended. MG and F are basically the same flag, except with a different balance, and they are drastically different gameplay-wise...
Plus just stop and think a moment how a game on your favorite server would play out if people were running around with that flag.
Personally, I'd love it if it were properly done.

It's obvious that this is not popular but thanks BinarySpike. It's comforting to know that someone else had the same bad idea as me :P

Oh well, :rip: EarthQuake :lol-old:
User avatar
too much loving
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 94
Joined: Sun May 23, 2004 7:47 pm
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Post by too much loving »

.Zero wrote: I guess I took that to mean something different than intended. MG and F are basically the same flag, except with a different balance, and they are drastically different gameplay-wise...
While we are at it: The minigun another ineffective flag. Would it help to increase the default range a little, or would that make MG too similar to RF? How about recategorizing MG as a bad flag?
User avatar
A Vicious Muffin
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 534
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:25 am
Location: Drury Lane

Post by A Vicious Muffin »

MG is not a bad flag at all. Although a short length on some servers, on others it is half a mile long. If extremely short, yeah, I wouldn't exactly want to pick it up, but It's helpful in certain situations on maps. For example: If the opposing team is about to capture your flag and you're right behind the guy who is going to, and he jumps onto his base. You could, possibly miss with just normal shots. Luckily you have your machine gun, and you send you flag back to your base.
Image
User avatar
Ratatosk
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 277
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:04 am
Location: Chicago, IL

Post by Ratatosk »

would there be any sign of this other than exploding tanks? or would you have like a sw marker radiate from it?
Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality.
Image
User avatar
Grace F
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 978
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 12:29 pm
Location: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA

Post by Grace F »

I dont think there would be any sign that that someone has it - you just have to 'identify'.
Image
Image
User avatar
Ratatosk
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 277
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:04 am
Location: Chicago, IL

Post by Ratatosk »

this seems way to powerful to just be able to kill people without warning
Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality.
Image
User avatar
Grace F
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 978
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 12:29 pm
Location: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA

Post by Grace F »

well, in a way it's the same as IB and ST - you're killed without warning.
Image
Image
User avatar
Bentusi Elite
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat May 06, 2006 9:09 pm

Post by Bentusi Elite »

But their power is severely limited.
.Zero
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:33 pm

Post by .Zero »

Murtagh wrote:this seems way to powerful to just be able to kill people without warning
Well, it would only happen on landings. There's several ways I can think of to make it so that you do have a warning. You could have a SW-like marker that dissipates rapidly. You could have a visible shockwave similar to the default landing effect, but larger, with a larger radius. You could have a hard-landing rumbling-type sound, which, if the other player(s) jump as soon as they hear it, can avoid it, depending on how close you are to the player with the flag. Players on the ground not within the kill radius could have their screen/rader go partially static to let them know that a player with the flag is in the immediate vicinity.

I don't think the effects would be necessary but one or a couple could be used to help distinguish it from other flags.


As for MG, the profile of the shot is different. For straight-on shots the rapid fire flag has the advantage of range, but if moving forward and turning, the machine gun flag covers a much tighter area, making it extemely difficult to avoid.
Machine gun is nice close-up and rapid fire is a good long-range weapon. If you try to use rapid fire up close, it's easy to take yourself out too... Of course, MG may be less than useful compared to rapid fire if the range of machine gun is huge.
User avatar
joevano
General
General
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sat Jun 18, 2005 1:08 pm
Location: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Post by joevano »

Sounds like it is getting complicated ;)
User avatar
Ratatosk
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 277
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:04 am
Location: Chicago, IL

Post by Ratatosk »

donny_baker wrote:Sounds like it is getting complicated ;)
quite this would require tons of physics programing and probably wouldent be used, so if you want it fell free to make it :|
Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality.
Image
User avatar
Saber
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 207
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:27 pm
Location: ¨¨¨¨¨

Post by Saber »

This flag won't add anything to the game. Most of the players are dropping SR as soon as they grab it so what's to point in adding a similar but weaker flag?
.Zero
Private First Class
Private First Class
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:33 pm

Post by .Zero »

donny_baker wrote:Sounds like it is getting complicated ;)
How is it complicated to play a different sound than the default on landing?
How is it complicated to make the default landing visual larger?

I dunno, they were only ideas. I don't really think it would have needed anything except maybe a sound or maybe that landing visual.


I can't imagine it being that difficult to program really:
Event starts as soon as a jump is finished.
Uses increased SR radius or increasing radius like SW but confined to the ground like SR.
Add one sound that plays instead of default at the beginning of the event.
Make the default landing visual have a larger radius = the max radius.
Event ends.

I wish I knew how to program better so that I could visually convey what I mean, even if it would never be adopted. I'm not so good at conveying thoughts in writing...
I would prefer "I tried it and it's !@#$, stupid and doesn't add anything to the game" to "huh? I don't get. what's the point?" type responses


Personally, I love the SR flag. It's really useful for sneaking up behind people (especially those involved in another fight or who aren't using their radar) and for when you aren't turned in the right direction but they get close to you (landing or going around a corner)

What I really dislike is if, when you're forced to jump, sometimes two tanks that were fighting stop and turn toward you and all three are firing at you the instant you land. That doesn't happen that frequently but often it's two tanks at you at once, at least on the servers I play on. You don't have any recourse currently except to float for 10s until you land and die.
If you could hit the ground and take out one or two tanks , you could actually have a chance at survival after a forced jump.

Like I said, I've given up on it. Just throwing out thoughts now. I still think it could be a neat addition, but it doesn't take a genius to tell that no one else does ;)
Post Reply