What to do as a marine....

[snark]

First of all I want to say - critical controversy aside - that I think this is an immensely intricate, sophisticated and open-ended game; that's how I like 'em. Which is why I'm frustrated to no end by the fact that I'm having so much trouble taking full advantage of its potential. The space trading/raiding/exploitation/exploration aspects of the game are great - especially with entire navigable planets thrown in there - but I must say I'm at a loss as to what to do when playing the ground-based marine career track.

I know there are no "missions" per se since Roam mode is the only available option. That would be fine if there was anyone to fight, but it seems like all you can do(especially if you haven't chosen to start with a vehicle) is putter around. Any enemy activity appears to be too far away to be realistically accessible.

Once, in desperation for something to do, I started destroying my own base - but this didn't even provoke a response from my own comrades!

I know about DJPs (I have thoroughly read the manual and online docs), but apparently the only way to use them to see any action is to beam yourself right inside an enemy base or city - alone - do some damage, and (if you're lucky) beam yourself back to your empty base. Is there any way to coordinate with other friendly units?

Does the enemy ever attack your home base?

Also, and forgive me if I've brought something up that's been posted to death; I'm new here, why isn't there any sort of time-compression for surface travel (or have I just been overlooking it)? I'm all for quasi-realtime stuff, but it seems a bit ridiculous to have to drive, or walk (!) literally for hours in order to raid an enemy base.

It just seems like I'm missing something. If anyone could fill me in so I can enjoy this game as it deserves to be enjoyed, I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

[Hunted]

okay well the time compression is because it will mess with the multi code, and mess with the bcm game in general...

[Guest Fox__Trot]

I dont think your relly missing anything... out of my limited understanding of the manual....

[Supreme Cmdr]

Lets see if I can address all your questions in one shot

[*]The marine career has several IA scenarios. These serve to provide missions other than ROAM.

[*]In ROAM mode, as you said, you can use the DJP to infiltrate an enemy base, get back out etc. Thats how most fp shooters work. And no, in ROAM mode, you don't have any friendlies to work with, in the much the same way you don't have any in other career - except in some IA scenarios which provide them.

The marine and pilot careers are designed to shine in the mp aspect of the game, where they are most critical. A typical mp scenario would have several teams defending their base and in which each team could have marine or pilot human players up against each other.

To get to the enemy (in ROAM) use the DJP, thats what they are for. And you don't need a vehicle.

In mp (and in the sp mode of the XP1 add-on), you will be able to commandeer crafts based on your caste/career/ep

e.g. a human EFP with, say 50 EPs, will be able to ditch his fighter and grab another.

[*]In a future pre-mp patch, I am planning on enabling fleet C&C for the marine and pilot careers. This will enable you to request forces (marines or crafts) from a starbase and lead those forces into battle against another ground base. I planned to put this in BCM at shipping, but abandoned it due to time constraints.

[*]Time compression is not implemented due the adverse effects is has on the game's AI kernel. To raid an enemy base, use a DJP. You won't be able to use your vehicle with it, however.

[snark]

I suppose it does feel like more of a multiplayer-oriented aspect of the game (I think that will, by the way, be very, very cool when you roll it out). And in light of that, I can certainly understand the lack of time compression. Though I'd still humbly suggest packing opposing mission-zones a little closer together in future revisions -- for people who like more old-fashioned roll-in-and-fry-the-bastards-then-leave-before-they-know-what-hit-them stuff.

Thanks for your replies!

[CommanderJohnson]

I just thought of the greatness of large scale multiplayer on-planet battles with fleet C&C. Just imagine a scenarion like this in MultiPlayer, since vehicles cant use DJPs:

10-15 HAVs depart from a Terran/Insurgent rolling across a planet surface to an Terran/Military base. The Ter/Mil launch aircraft to intercept the Ter/Ins HAVs, and the Ter/Ins launch air cover. With dogfights occuring overhead, the HAVs position themselves on a hill overlooking a base, and the base defenses and grounds troops exchange fire with the HAVs. Then, being heavily damaged, I ram go on a suicide run right into your HAV, exploding while taking you down with me. BCM rocks....

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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Originally posted by Snark:

Though I'd still humbly suggest packing opposing mission-zones a little closer together in future revisions -- for people who like more old-fashioned roll-in-and-fry-the-bastards-then-leave-before-they-know-what-hit-them stuff.

Thanks for your replies!

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I can't. If I did, they'd detect and attack each other - bringing your system to its knees in most cases.

When I placed the mzones on planets, I did that carefully so that they were reasonably beyond each other's radar range. Even in some cases however, units with long radar ranges will still detect hostiles and attempt to go there - even attempting to cross oceans in some cases. One of the things I'm going to do in a future update is prevent units from leaving their immediate mzone area.

[Hunted]

In a future pre-mp patch, I am planning on enabling fleet C&C for the marine and pilot careers. This will enable you to request forces (marines or crafts) from a starbase and lead those forces into battle against another ground base. I planned to put this in BCM at shipping, but abandoned it due to time constraints.[qoute from SC] yeah i have no idea about code

SC THAT IS THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT I COULD EVER HAVE THAT IS SO FREAKING AWESOME!..it's what i've been dreaming of to enhance my marine career!!!!.OMG I CANNOT WAIT FOR THAT PATCH!!!!

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THE WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STILL THE WAIT IS ON!!!

[ 12-29-2001: Message edited by: JJ ]

[Supreme Cmdr]

yeah, yeah JJ. Now fix that post.

[CommanderJohnson]

quote:

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When I placed the mzones on planets, I did that carefully so that they were reasonably beyond each other's radar range. Even in some cases however, units with long radar ranges will still detect hostiles and attempt to go there - even attempting to cross oceans in some cases. One of the things I'm going to do in a future update is prevent units from leaving their immediate mzone area.

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Just wondering, but don't we/you/people want there to be dynamic action on planets? Sort of like how ships sometimes randomly attacking space stations, wouldn't planetary bases launch strikes on each other?

[Tyrn]

quote:

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Originally posted by Captain Dread:

Just wondering, but don't we/you/people want there to be dynamic action on planets? Sort of like how ships sometimes randomly attacking space stations, wouldn't planetary bases launch strikes on each other?

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In space you don't have two hostile launch platforms within the same region, all battles take place because ships enter the region and attack. Planet side you have multiple hostile launch platforms and if they could see each other, your machine would grind to a complete halt.