Right, time for an update.
Firstly, thanks to everybody who's tried this. Love the stories and the suggestions. :thumbsup:
Secondly, I completed a new version just before Christmas. I didn't post it because there were still things I wanted to change. However, I'll post it tomorrow as is: it won't include any suggestions from the recent posts, but hopefully I'll get some time over the next week or so to make the real new version.
Thirdly, it's clearly still too easy. Making it harder does not present a problem. I am particularly keen to hear suggestions on how to make it more difficult without just adding loads of extra enemies. The current version is probably slightly easier than the previous one.
For the avoidance of doubt, when this sucker is done I be very flattered if somebody converted it to FDF mod or anything else. Also, this mission might be suitable for co-op in MP: I don't know anything about MP so I can't do the conversion, but there is very little scripting so it shouldn't be too hard. If anybody wants to do a conversion, get in touch.
Specific points that people raised:
- Morphine was for just for beta testing. The final version will have one shot only.
- Weak camera, says Armsty. Guilty as a weasel in a hen house, says I. The Overview and Briefing seem ok to me, what did you think was wrong with them? Bad luck on the matrix swallowing your original writeup though, I hate it when that happens.
- The standard Ural ammo truck does not resupply the chopper by default. The chopper is just for transport, it can't have any ammo because then it would make hacking the tanks too easy, which would mean more tanks, which would mean it would be too hard without the chopper ... which is no good.
- Yes, the snipers are not there to stop you getting up the mountain so much as to stop you getting down again. ;D
- LAWs at the base. There are ammo crates there and hopefully some dead LAW loons around. There are lots of ammo crates elsewhere, so if you have to go and get some, you have to go and get some.
- Score/Time debate. If anything, it's score. One of the premises for this whole thing was that time was not going to be an issue. If the mission designer is allowed to impose a time constraint then it's too easy for him to create an unpossible mission.
- Number of enemies at the start. This was too variable (occasionally I got none) and the new version smoothes things out a little.
- Ending trigger. It's just a standard playerandsquadpresentbuttheenemyisnot which presumably leads to the hunt for the last hiding loon. I thought I'd added a fleeing command but I'll check.
- Chopper intel. You can in fact entirely ignore the choppers. I once found the crew of one disembarked and guarding the base: I think they must have run out of fuel and landed somewhere. How many AA missiles you take or don't take is not that big a deal. There are several AA loons here and there for you to drop, particularly near the flagpole.
- GPS. I really wish you could disable the "F2 where am I?" thing. Navigation in fog was supposed to be one of the things that made it hard. If you want to use your buddies to navigate for you, well you'd better keep them alive.
- LCD, of course you're my hero.
- The insertion point marker is just that, only a marker. There is nothing else there. The new Briefing text includes a hint that you don't start there. Anyway, this mission does not strive for realism - you are supposed to retry the start several times, why do you think there are so many start locations?
- Only Vet mode is acceptable. I have put waypoints in for the Cadets, but there is a hint at the start saying play it in Vet.
Oh, and for the record, my only successful proper completed attempt:-
74 kills + 2 Bradleys for 20,060 points
3hs 44 mins (but I was exploring as well)
No morphine
Killed twice
Thanks again everybody!
Topic: (Review Completed) [SP] Un-Impossible Mission (Read 66391 times)