tokin
11-05-2004, 01:53 AM
I put a few interesting facts together, worth a read.
Technology
Valve is not going all out on the realism factor -- they will make the game realistic only if it adds to the gameplay. For example, if you shoot a guy in the leg, he might limp away, but the player himself isn't actually affected, because it isn't much fun to move at a crawl, to bleed to death, or to get killed by one lucky shot to the head.
Our characters don't actually strafe. In real life, no-one strafes. Instead, they run one way, and aim to the left or right. Parametric animation allows us to "lie" with our animation to make the game seem more real. So, when you're strafing left and firing, everyone else actually sees you running to the left and firing to the right.
TF2 has also added vehicles. Trucks, tanks, Armored Personnel Carries, Helicopters, and amphibious vehicles (just to name a few) will all make appearances, and are vital to the reality them.
Teamplay
Certain weapons in the TF2 arsenal will operate more accurately when two people use them at once. For example, a machine gun can be used by a single player, but it fires much more accurately when another player stands by to feed it ammunition. Another team enhancement involves a player who acts as a sort of field general, shouting tactical orders from above the action.
Squaddies will enjoy an improved firing rate and accuracy when they stick close to their leaders.
HUD/SYSTEM
TF2's slower and more strategical than TFC. Our combat is mostly fought in more dense environments, with lots of cover. The combat system is complex, but designed in a way that it mirrors player's intuition, and rewards instinctive behaviours. So if an enemy sniper has you pinned down from a window above, and you jump up and shower the window with bullets to cover your squad's sprint across a courtyard, the combat system recognize that, and rewards you by making it harder for the Sniper to aim effectively. Suppression fire, overwatch, and other standard military tactics actually make a difference in the combat system, instead of just being good tactics.
SMOKE GRENADES - In a wide open area, the effect a "cloud" has is very spread out, and not very dense, but in a small room, it will be near impossible to see, and will billow out a door, down a hall, as the volume of a room dictates.
A translucent electric blue background, allowing the action to continue behind them, as though your soldier's helmet had an intricate heads-up display. When you need a menu, it slides out, when you're done, put it back away
Classes
Marine
The standard army grunt, armed with a sturdy assault rifle and carrying a disposable SMAW for heavier targets.
SMAW: a standard issue Rocket Launcher for the Marine class, there has to be a rocket launcher in every game. The TF2 rocket launcher is not your average Quake arcade shooter gun. It is a realistic weapon. It carries one missile, so make it count, and it shoots exhaust out back, so your allies better stay out of your way, but also give you cover fire while you line it up. The missile also takes 20 meters to arm and has a huge blat radius when it hits. No more rocket jumping.
Sniper
The sniper can blend into his surroundings, as long as he stays still and doesn't make too much noise.
Commando
The flamethrower has a lot more possibility in TF2 compared to TFC. Shoot into the right size room and everyone inside will be burnt to a crisp because of the new "volumetric" flame technology.
Medic
The most important team player in the game. His ability to revive dying team-mates, coupled with his ability to resupply and repair teammate's armor, makes him an essential to any squad. He also has the chance to revive dying team mates, when they are killed, they can call out medic, and if he reaches him in time, they will be back and fighting fit.
We've heard through the grapevine that snipers are having a hayday with the tactic of killing someone in the middle of a field and then waiting for that lonely medic to come out and try and save him. Also sounds like it puts quite the decision on the medic to chance running out there when you see a sniper dot hovering around, but you also see the guy faintly yelling, "meeeeediccc!"
Engineer
The Engineer now builds things with energy. He can have unlimited sentry guns, provided he has enough energy for them to operate with (he can build energy depots, but they can also be destroyed but maps can control all of this)
Spy
He will be able to disguise himself, however the system is slightly different, he dons the uniform of the enemy he's killed. (unknown if he can grab uniforms of other dead bodies.) And if he is not discovered while attacking, he will keep his disguise, so he can take out one or two stray people, and as long as they don't sound a warning, he'll be able to lurk away unnoticed, or join the main group and reek some havoc.
There were most classes but these were the most interesting.
Overall
There are a lot of rumours flying around suggesting that it's never coming out, but it's absolutely still in development. We hold our quality bars up really high. When people finally get to see it, they're going to understand what we've been up to and why we've been busy doing that rather than other things.
Beyond looking forward to this game!
Technology
Valve is not going all out on the realism factor -- they will make the game realistic only if it adds to the gameplay. For example, if you shoot a guy in the leg, he might limp away, but the player himself isn't actually affected, because it isn't much fun to move at a crawl, to bleed to death, or to get killed by one lucky shot to the head.
Our characters don't actually strafe. In real life, no-one strafes. Instead, they run one way, and aim to the left or right. Parametric animation allows us to "lie" with our animation to make the game seem more real. So, when you're strafing left and firing, everyone else actually sees you running to the left and firing to the right.
TF2 has also added vehicles. Trucks, tanks, Armored Personnel Carries, Helicopters, and amphibious vehicles (just to name a few) will all make appearances, and are vital to the reality them.
Teamplay
Certain weapons in the TF2 arsenal will operate more accurately when two people use them at once. For example, a machine gun can be used by a single player, but it fires much more accurately when another player stands by to feed it ammunition. Another team enhancement involves a player who acts as a sort of field general, shouting tactical orders from above the action.
Squaddies will enjoy an improved firing rate and accuracy when they stick close to their leaders.
HUD/SYSTEM
TF2's slower and more strategical than TFC. Our combat is mostly fought in more dense environments, with lots of cover. The combat system is complex, but designed in a way that it mirrors player's intuition, and rewards instinctive behaviours. So if an enemy sniper has you pinned down from a window above, and you jump up and shower the window with bullets to cover your squad's sprint across a courtyard, the combat system recognize that, and rewards you by making it harder for the Sniper to aim effectively. Suppression fire, overwatch, and other standard military tactics actually make a difference in the combat system, instead of just being good tactics.
SMOKE GRENADES - In a wide open area, the effect a "cloud" has is very spread out, and not very dense, but in a small room, it will be near impossible to see, and will billow out a door, down a hall, as the volume of a room dictates.
A translucent electric blue background, allowing the action to continue behind them, as though your soldier's helmet had an intricate heads-up display. When you need a menu, it slides out, when you're done, put it back away
Classes
Marine
The standard army grunt, armed with a sturdy assault rifle and carrying a disposable SMAW for heavier targets.
SMAW: a standard issue Rocket Launcher for the Marine class, there has to be a rocket launcher in every game. The TF2 rocket launcher is not your average Quake arcade shooter gun. It is a realistic weapon. It carries one missile, so make it count, and it shoots exhaust out back, so your allies better stay out of your way, but also give you cover fire while you line it up. The missile also takes 20 meters to arm and has a huge blat radius when it hits. No more rocket jumping.
Sniper
The sniper can blend into his surroundings, as long as he stays still and doesn't make too much noise.
Commando
The flamethrower has a lot more possibility in TF2 compared to TFC. Shoot into the right size room and everyone inside will be burnt to a crisp because of the new "volumetric" flame technology.
Medic
The most important team player in the game. His ability to revive dying team-mates, coupled with his ability to resupply and repair teammate's armor, makes him an essential to any squad. He also has the chance to revive dying team mates, when they are killed, they can call out medic, and if he reaches him in time, they will be back and fighting fit.
We've heard through the grapevine that snipers are having a hayday with the tactic of killing someone in the middle of a field and then waiting for that lonely medic to come out and try and save him. Also sounds like it puts quite the decision on the medic to chance running out there when you see a sniper dot hovering around, but you also see the guy faintly yelling, "meeeeediccc!"
Engineer
The Engineer now builds things with energy. He can have unlimited sentry guns, provided he has enough energy for them to operate with (he can build energy depots, but they can also be destroyed but maps can control all of this)
Spy
He will be able to disguise himself, however the system is slightly different, he dons the uniform of the enemy he's killed. (unknown if he can grab uniforms of other dead bodies.) And if he is not discovered while attacking, he will keep his disguise, so he can take out one or two stray people, and as long as they don't sound a warning, he'll be able to lurk away unnoticed, or join the main group and reek some havoc.
There were most classes but these were the most interesting.
Overall
There are a lot of rumours flying around suggesting that it's never coming out, but it's absolutely still in development. We hold our quality bars up really high. When people finally get to see it, they're going to understand what we've been up to and why we've been busy doing that rather than other things.
Beyond looking forward to this game!