This isn't an idea, just a minor moan.
90% of missions, have the drama of a dead skunk. By drama I don't mean Neighbours, but atmosphere.
Now, is far as i'm concerned, any good game/mission should get you thinking 'Now, who was that on the hill/ What was that strange vehicle
doing there?'
Atmosphere, meaning like in that one mission, (I can't remember it's name
), where you were told that there were Spetz Natz at one objective. There weren't any, but it got you edging along slowly, firing at bushes, ect.
Atmosphere also means like in Half-Life, near the start, when you saw a scientist pulled through a ventilation shaft by an alien.
Of course, you couldn't do this in an OPF mission, but you could emulate it by (if you were in vehicles) all the vehicles around you exploding. You would then all jump out just as your vehicle exploded. Now you are in a small group, deep in the heart of enemy territory, with no radio contact with your base. Then, just as you are getting on your feet, a Hind flys past...
Dramatic missions should also have something completely unexpected happen. The obvious example of this is the opening mission in Medal of Honor: Allied Assualt. In this mission, you are being transported through the desert for a surprise attack on an enemy base. But then, your truck is attacked by the enemy. Now, all surprise is gone, and you are outnumbered.
Going back to Half-Life, and Deus Ex, another important part of games is to get you accustomed to the world that you are in, before the proverbial hits the fan. Deus Ex is the king of this. The first few days of play, you can feel secure, safe, that you know excatly whats going in. Then, well, for the benefit of those who haven't played it, I won't say what happens, but most people should get the idea.
Music is also important for obvious reasons. Music can make or break a mission. Any one ever seen 'A Clockwork Orange'? Near the start, the big fight in the opera house? Normally, that would have just been a load of blokes hitting each other with lumps of wood. But fortunally it was all in time of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Therefore the drama was increased a thousand fold.
ONE mission has done all this. That mission is of course Operation Firelord.
It got you thinking 'Did they make any more of these' or 'If they can make these, think what else they could have made'.
The beeper. As you got closer to the Firelords it beeped louded and faster. You can't get much tenser than that.
Once I killed a Firelord, thinking that I was safe. Then the other two appeared. I popped one, but the other just dissapeared and my beeper went silent.
Of course, the entire mission idea is unexpected, as the Firelords turn bad.
And of course, over half the mission is spent get you used to the world.
The music creates a VERY tense atmosphere.
This is a cry to all mission creators. Pay attention to my rant, and make better missions!
Thanks for reading,
casual1y