More than two agents

If X has a fangame... by Beekeeper Klein on 2014-01-05 01:23:00 UTC Reply

...with X being anything related to the PPC-verse, what would it be? Just speculating here.

I think the OFUs would be like those Princess Maker games, while Sue attacks on them would be tower defense games. Canons, admins and agents hunker down behind barricades and protect the students from wave after wave of Sues.

On the other hand, the PPC itself would handle like a stealth game (avoiding detection while gathering charges) and a strategy RPG (getting rid of the target without getting ourselves killed).

Thoughts?

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Re: If X has a fangame... by DrMarble on 2014-01-11 20:08:00 UTC Reply

I would think of something along the lines of XCOM. Controling the PPC in its entirety, reciveing missions, developing tech, customizable agents with there own skills, and of course, strategy elements for missions.

My thoughts exactly. by wobblestheclown on 2014-01-12 11:26:00 UTC Reply

No, they really were my thoughts, we discussed it elsewhere in the thread. =]

--parp

Re: My thoughts exactly. by DrMarble on 2014-01-12 16:03:00 UTC Reply

Dont need to be rude.

What I picture. by Spotted Pheasant on 2014-01-07 00:13:00 UTC Reply

For a small aspect of it, I picture you'd have two agents you create, and you get your Response Center which you can decorate to your liking. You'd have the freedom to pick up whatever from missions, and you could place them in and around your Center.

For the graphics, I'm picturing a 32-bit or 16-bit RPG look to it. That, or something to the looks of Dragon Quest IX. Which I want to edit now into this...

If everyone finalized a design and structure for it, I'd love to help make it! I have a bit of experience with game-making, though I'm not exactly a pro.

((I wasn't really sure how to reply this correctly, if I've put it in the wrong place, I'm sorry.))

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Well... by Kittythekatty on 2014-01-05 20:17:00 UTC Reply

As a writer of a partial OFU, I'm not sure if Sue attacks are like tower defense games. I can see the whole waves of Suvian attackers, but the students aren't completely defenseless. What would the Sues try to achieve? Total control? Complete annihilation?
Oh, that sounds like something I'm going to write. Oops.
Spoilers...
PPC Mission Game Ideas... by wobblestheclown on 2014-01-05 01:34:00 UTC Reply

I'm not too sure about the strategy-RPG aspect of it - maybe as an overworld thing, but not entirely integral. The game I think most closely resembles PPC activity, on the other hand, is X-COM. A load of small strike forces operating out of a much larger base, different missions, but with - as you rightly point out - more of an emphasis on stealth and intelligence-gathering, with the latter maybe working a la the puzzles in Phoenix Wright games. If you combine the stealth aspects with a really in-depth item system and the passive skill setup from Path Of Exile, there's potential for a truly fantastic game here. Hell, there could even be online co-op for crossovers and stuff. This sounds more and more awesome by the minute!

--parp

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So a one-[gender-neutral entity] DMS team... by DemonFiren on 2014-01-06 10:21:00 UTC Reply

...would play like Alpha Protocol?

This sounds interesting, the half-bakedness aside.
Y'know... by Herr Wozzeck on 2014-01-05 02:52:00 UTC Reply

...the idea of the PPC missions seems to sound like we could make an entire game out of the Covert Ops missions in Enemy Within. I was about to say that...

...and then you stole the words out of my mouth. You and I are going to have a good talk, good sir.

Though, I dunno. Maybe field missions would take on the form of Fire Emblem gameplay?

Re: Y'know... by Beekeeper Klein on 2014-01-05 03:12:00 UTC Reply

I was thinking the exact same things about field missions. While it kind of goes against the two agents per mission tradition we have going on, I think it could be fun in a painful way to gang up on overpowered enemy units without getting steamrolled and permakilled.

More than two agents by Desdendelle on 2014-01-05 08:12:00 UTC Reply

Some really bad badfics (or those with really overpowered Sues) see more than a pair of agents. Or sometimes it starts as a pair, but they call for help (that Bionicle fic springs to mind).
This lends itself more to certain departments than others... by wobblestheclown on 2014-01-05 03:33:00 UTC Reply

In particular, the DBS. There's a lot more potential variety in terms of what author-wraiths can do and the ways in which they fight. I envisage a kind of raid-boss/pseudo-escort endgame for wraiths; you get an extra team member in the form of the freed canon, but you also get a supremely pissed off supernatural entity.

However, I think a game would, out of necessity, focus on the Floaters. There's just so much more that you can do with them. Of course, given that this is the PPC we're talking about, the game would have to be near-unfairly hard and character progression very slow indeed. The two-person limit works well here, too; given the amount of canons and the disparity between them, you can't really specialise your characters like you would in a more conventional game of this sort. Instead, your characters become jacks-of-all-trades, with a huge number of passive skills and a few actives to keep things interesting. Again, Path Of Exile's skill system would work brilliantly for agents. =]

--parp

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Re: This lends itself more to certain departments than others... by Beekeeper Klein on 2014-01-05 04:22:00 UTC Reply

Canons and salvageable OCs could be recruited as guest player characters through rescuing them from plot holes or just plain recruiting them. Instead of facing just Sue-wraiths, we may also encounter Replacements, and the plain old Sue. This could apply to many departments.

I'm aware of that. by wobblestheclown on 2014-01-05 11:43:00 UTC Reply

I can just think of a lot more ways in which a Sue-wraith can attack through status conditions and interface screws than a Sue or Replacement can. Also, in regards to the first part of your post, I agree that canons and good OCs ought to be recruited. Hell, that just makes it more like the X-COM missions in which you have to rescue a scientist or something.

Perhaps more of the RTS-style stuff in the overworld could be unlocked as the player progresses in rank. That would mean it had to be a PC-only title, though (at least if you wanted to prevent it sucking hard). It could imply that your team is growing in importance and is able to requisition more shiny things from DoSAT and so forth.

--parp

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Why not have different games for different departments? by son_of_heaven176 on 2014-01-05 19:13:00 UTC Reply

For example, a Metal Gear Solid-type game might work for the DMS, where stealth is key, whereas an action RPG might be a better bet for Floaters.

I like this. by SeaTurtle on 2014-01-05 21:50:00 UTC Reply

Expanding on that thought:

Department of Internal Affairs: a murder-mystery Myst-style game.

Department of External Security: turn-based strategy game where DES fighters protect HQ from all sorts of nasties that seek to overrun the PPC from the outside.

Medical: Surgeon Simulator 2012. 'Nuff said.

Department of Geological Aberrations: Think of the original arcade Donkey Kong, except you have to lay demolition charges around a target without getting yourself killed by the Suvians patrolling the level.

Department of Personnel: Screening dangerous people out of the PPC à la Papers, please.

Department of Operations, Cafeteria services: a first-person exploration/action game (Metroid Prime style) where you go into Word Worlds with your partners to collect food items and occasionally hunt some stuff down. Just be careful not to stumble into any Suvians when you're out there...

Thoughts?

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This sounds perfect. (nm) by Spotted Pheasant on 2014-01-07 00:02:00 UTC Reply
I love the cafeteria idea. (nm) by 99Hedgehog on 2014-01-06 01:38:00 UTC Reply

I'm not sure what makes them so different? by Ekyl on 2014-01-05 21:28:00 UTC Reply

All interesting ideas though, I know I've been pondering a game concept for once I have my hands on Game Maker again.

Though to be honest, my first thought was point-and-click style adventure in HQ. :P

Re: PPC Mission Game Ideas... by Beekeeper Klein on 2014-01-05 02:12:00 UTC Reply

I was thinking on a much smaller scale, as in newbie Game Maker user small-scale. Still, that could work. That could definitely work. You know what, if you want to go and do it, do it big. Let's make it Multiplayer just for the hell of it.

Hm. The sudden scene changes could add difficulty to the stealth aspects, now that I think about it. One moment, you are comfortable in our hidey-hole, the next, we're scrambling not to get seen.