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Author Topic: 24 fans:brainstorming how a 24 MPCOOP mission would work  (Read 2122 times)

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Offline DrStrangelove

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Hey guys,

so i'm one of the countless 24fans. I'm not talking about political stuff (some ppl dont like the interrogation parts in that series but thats another discussion) but about the tension, the dynamic stories and the fact that everything is done with a countdown in mind. If that countdown turns to 0:00:00 many ppl will have a very bad day. The series depicted virus attacks, attacks on the president, atomic warhead explosions etc etc.

I'd like to port this to ArmA2 as a MP COOP scenario. A whole team of agents working on solving a dynamic puzzle of clues, witnesses, captured bad guys, revealed traitors with the ultimate goal to stop a terror attack plot from successfully unfolding at 0:00:00.

I did some brainstorming myself for some weeks now but gathering ideas/impressions from other ppl is always a good idea, so if you got anything to throw into the market just post away. Anything.


MY IDEAS (so far)

Parts of the mission:

1. Start: clues/hints leading to the confirmation that a plot is ongoing. HQ gives start actions for the whole team, leading to the organisation phase.

2. Organisation phase: players have different resources at different locations and need to organize who can do what. Gathering of solid evidence leads the HQ to give the 'GO' on covert actions.

3. Action phase: evidence helped finding the actual locations of critical objects and suspects. players get assigned different targets at different locations. Further evidence found there answers the main questions about the plot:
What? (the crime, example: a bomb explosion)
How? (a critical item that is needed, example: the bomb itself)
Where? (where the crime will be committed, example: a waterplant near a big city)
When? (the time, the base for the countdown: the countdown starts once this is confirmed by HQ)
Target? (a building, a vehicle, a person, example: same as 'where' because the waterplant cannot be moved. in case of a person or a vehicle the 'where' can be different)
Who? (which group is behind all this and who is leading them, so any criminal mastermind and his henchmen will do)

4. Countdown phase: its clear what is going on. depending on how much time is still left players get assigned to a group operation at the crime location OR get assigned for a huge ambush at the terrorgroup hideout to stop the plot before it even began. In any case players need equipment and need to get into position before the plot unfolds. Depending on how the op goes the plot is successful (game over) OR the plot is stopped and every terrorist is following an escape plan. Arresting/stopping Ts from getting away has top prio, esp the mastermind.




What i'd like to archieve in this mission:

- players sharing resources they have
- players following a simple plan for themselves before regrouping
- players sharing information about what they find via a SPY PDA message screen.
- players paying attention/adapting to HQ messages on their PDAs
- players working together while storming the mastermind hideout
- players being careful about their gunshots: civilians are not to be harmed, hostages are to be freed, arrested Ts are more worth for solving the plot


Problems/Obstacles for the players:

- Location problems
Players need to get around asap but only 1 player can ask for a heli from the HQ

- Priority problems
Every player has to do something. Communicating who needs the fastest vehicle is a must. Perhaps your terrorist is on the move in 4mins? What now? The heli is not here, do you steal a car? Do you arrest the T now?

- Secrecy problems
Arresting Ts too early could warn the rest of the group, resulting in a rescheduled plot. A failed arrest could lead to a killed T who cannot be interrogated anymore. Doing arrests in public space will reveal you to the Terrorist's bodyguards. Will your whole agent team be expected at the hideout? Will the next 'evident location' be a trap?






Ok, my brain hurts, but i really want to do this.
Any ideas?

Offline zonker3210

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Re: 24 fans:brainstorming how a 24 MPCOOP mission would work
« Reply #1 on: 03 Sep 2010, 04:22:50 »
Nothing to contribute except to say...this sounds seriously cool. I would love to see this sort of mission in the Arma-verse.

Offline laggy

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Re: 24 fans:brainstorming how a 24 MPCOOP mission would work
« Reply #2 on: 03 Sep 2010, 10:33:21 »
Sounds like a great idea.

I made a mission called Red Mercury a while ago, which is along the same lines, an imminent nuke attack on Chernarus. You might wanna look at that for more ideas and solutions.

I only had three elements:

-Find the plans for the construction of the suitcase nuke so you can disarm it.
-Find the guy who led the terrorists and take a map which tells you the target city.
-Finally find the actual nuke and disarm it.

All this was on a time limit and if you failed... BOOOOOM!

All I can say is that making all these elements random (important for replay value) is very time consuming. If you are planning on let's say 10-15 various elements and want to make those random every time you play the mission, I would estimate that you would have to work on this mission for several months. But, it might be worth it.

Laggy

P.S This thread might fit better under "Mission Discussion" D.S
And I looked and beheld a pale horse and his name that sat on him was Death and Hell followed with him.

Offline Wolfrug

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Re: 24 fans:brainstorming how a 24 MPCOOP mission would work
« Reply #3 on: 03 Sep 2010, 15:23:55 »
Right you are laggy  :cool2:

Sounds seriously awesome  :good: Although it'd be seriously awesome for SP as well, you know... ;)

Wolfrug out.
"When 900 years YOU reach, look as good you will not!"

Offline DrStrangelove

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Re: 24 fans:brainstorming how a 24 MPCOOP mission would work
« Reply #4 on: 10 Sep 2010, 12:25:45 »
Thx for all answers & showing some interest.  :)

I guess the easiest way to place some random objects to find are to place markers all over the place as you seem fit (they need to point to empty spaces) and then have scripts choose between them via random numbers generated. (i know, random marker object placements are already coded into the engine, but i rather have my own scripts)

The problem i see is that not everything the players seek are 'physical' objects which can be spawned, but also 'non touchable' things like an offshore bank account, a mail acount or a codename of a weapon dealer.

I'm working on a system where players can get/send information. If this information is valid it leads to the spawning of physical objects like enemy units, cars, specific buildings or items like weapons/ammo crates. Some infos wont help the individual player who has found it, but given to other players it helps them to find out something else and vice versa. Sharing infos is king in MP COOP imo.

I hate it, but i guess it wont work without dialogs and scripts that compare player inputs with the server's 'valid terrorplot data'.



Maybe it would be good not to go random with everything for a test prototype, but keeping the random idea in my head for later.





About SP:
Playing this on your own would raise the question if the mission would need to simulate friendly agents or if HQ is really all you need to communicate with. Could be good, too, but its a bit different.