FPS and RTS

[RABBITPOLICE]

This is what it says on wikipedia about why people did not like bz2

But cant you guys fix this sort of problem by putting instant satellite view button (It will appeal to the more rts players)
(read below to understand what I mean)

Just an idea


Pandemic Studios continued and expanded the concept of a RTS and FPS hybrid where the player drove the vehicle in the game, but using a mixture of the reticle and the space bar, select units and buildings to build and order units around the battle field. The F keys at the top of the keyboard were used to create groups of units for easy selection of the units presently on the battlefield when they were not in the range of the player to select via the spacebar.

The common consensus is that Battlezone II was not very popular as it tried to blend two groups together and both styles of players having trouble adapting to the other style they were unused to. Programmer Ken Miller said, "BZ2 was meant to do that at first [appeal to both genres], but headed in the opposite direction. The problem is that mixedgenre games only attract players that like BOTH genres (the intersection) as opposed to EITHER genre (the union). It mainly comes down to learning curve. Action/shooter gamers can pick up just about any action/shooter game on the market and play it in short order, as almost all of them use the same control scheme and feature similar gameplay conventions. Similarly, strategy gamers can pick up just about any strategy game on the market and play it, although strategy games tend to differ from each other more than action games. Confronting an action/shooter gamer with strategy or a strategy player with action tends to force them outside their genre "comfort zone" and requires a steeper learning curve. My pithiest, if somewhat unfair, summation is this: 'FPS players don't want to think; RTS players don't want to die.'"[2]

[Warfreak]

Wouldn't this technically be OT material?

[RABBITPOLICE]

not sure what that means I just said it because it may attract more players if
they found out you dont need to use the first person mode

[VSMIT]

Wouldn't this technically be OT material?

Yes.

[technoid]

But cant you guys fix this sort of problem by putting instant satellite view button (It will appeal to the more rts players)

Hard to say if it's possible, such as in a mod, but something like this has been discussed before (even recently in private beta  ) Imho, BZII was designed to be firstly as FPS (a vehicle simulator) and secondarily as RTS.  Thus the acronym FPRTS.  I've never seen any acronyms (or games) where RTS comes first before FPS (or are there?). 

Keep in mind BZII was made prior to all these satellite-dependent technology we have now in real life.  It just wasn't in the mainstream consciousness yet, even if it was on the horizon.  If these cellular iPhones, GPSes, Crackberries, et al, with their multi-touch capabilities were already here in 1998/1999, then in hindsight, Pandemic could've borrowed similarities into the game.  BZII pilots and vehicles could have had more availability in satellite view withough standing inside a building, and apart from the two radar views already built in.    Imagine having a BZII pilot switch to a satellite view HUD inside his helmet.  Or maybe a handheld  coming as a special crate from the armory and since it only occupies one pilot weapon slot, then you can't have it if you need another pilot weap.  Whatever the case, I think it just wasn't part of the game design.  It could have made things too easy, who knows.  Standing inside a bunker/overseer balances the game between having the power to travel/command via satellite view navigation and being vulnerable to the opponent's firepower at the same time.   

And also vulnerable to beasts, since as we all know Ice Rhinos and Jaks have the cunning pseudo-ability to partly meld into a building structure to get a taste of you. Sometimes it makes me LOL when I'm in satellite view and suddenly the view becomes red and my pilot is screaming.   

[AHadley]

It's possible in singleplayer, but not in multiplayer as it would cause problems with MW.

[TheJamsh]

Its probably easy in both modes actually... but thugs would be bored out of their mind.

You could use a custom .dll to FORCE the sattelite mode on constantly, and just remove the 'logout' button from that particular satellite shell. Easy as pie. This was mentioned not too long ago somewhere else.

[Axeminister]

This is what the Command vehicle is for in the Commando and Greenheart variants. You can bring up satellite view whether you are a thug or commander by getting in the command vehicle.

[RABBITPOLICE]

I know but new players would not know unless we stated that

[VSMIT]

I know but new players would not know unless we stated that

Umm...  It's called the command vehicle.  It looks like a scav.  It has no weapons.  What else would it be used for?

[CivBase]

Frankly, the FPS/RTS blend is what I like most about this game.

Besides, if you don't want RTS you can play as a pilot.  If you don't want FPS, you can just stay in the relay bunker the whole time.

[RABBITPOLICE]

VSMT IM NOT AN IDIOT

I like that part 2 im just saying we can do this to attract newer players

[CivBase]

VSMT IM NOT AN IDIOT

I like that part 2 im just saying we can do this to attract newer players

lol, I'm afraid nothing short of a professionally-made BZ3 can do that at this point.

[Steeveeo]

I've never seen any acronyms (or games) where RTS comes first before FPS (or are there?). 

I know of one game that fits: Dungeon Keeper

Mainly RTS, but you could go First Person using the Possession Spell and fight from there.

[technoid]

Well, a lot of new players still do arrive (at least here at the forum).  But most of the time, they say they were ex-players who want to dust off their old BZII Cd due to renewed interest.