Mod Idea: The Chase

[Mr. Light]

I have this simple mod idea, actually game mode, that I believe will be very very entertaining and fun and if done right make the player feel very involved in the action. I do not know if the idea has already been proposed, but here it is anyways.

The main goal of this game depends on which side naturally. You have the chaser and the chasee. There roles are pretty much obvious.

Each map will not be linked to any other in any way unless one is attempting to make a set.

An example of a map:



Title:

Surf's up! [Subject to change]



Description:

Coastal Map like in the Half-Life 2 demo video where Gordon is driving a dune buggy and is being attacked by a combine ground assault aircraft.

The chasee team (5 people) is driving in a pick up truck. 3 people have Rocket Lauchers, 1 has a sniper rifle and there is 1 driver. The chasee is being chased by a bell helicopter (5 people - 1 pilot - 1 co-pilot - 1 machine gun placement - 1 sniper - 1 with assault rifle). The map is about 10 km long, so about 20 minutes of game play. The co-pilot in the helicopter is there just in case the chasee sniper gets the pilot so he can continue flying. The co-pilot will be able to shoot from the co-pilot side window in the meantime.

Obviously there can be any number of maps, each with its on team and spins on the theme.

What do you guys think?
:afro:

 

[Mr. Light]

To correct something in the previous map on the coast: There will be 3 helicopters with 3 people in each. and 2 trucks.

A few other map ideas:

- A motorcycle chase.
- A plane chasing car.
- A plane chasing a plane.
- A boat chasing a boat.
- A old fashioned car chase.
- A skydiving chase.
- A chase on a zepplin

There exist millions of possibilities! I am sure people will be very interested in playing.

Basically, I can model (Early Beginner) so I will need another modeler.
I can sketch and use photoshop. But I'll need a dedicated artist.
I'll definately need a programmer. And I don't mind how many. Any help would be great!

I dont think this will be a very difficult project to make! And I don't even mind if someone steals my idea, as long as I get credit for it and/or royalties!

 

[Angry Lawyer]

From the sounds of this, the coding should be very simple. Read a few C++ books, and study the HL2 source code when it gets released, and you won't need half of the team you're asking for.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Mr. Light]

Thanks Angry Lawyer

Well, as much as it would be simple, I am not really interested in learning the intracacies of the Source engine nor C++, which is not say they are not worth admiring and studying. That's why I need a programmer or two to help me out, because I am sure they would be interested. It might be a great job for a beginner programmer, since you believe it would be fairly simple to code. So, thank you for making me realize that.

Just to make a precision, I am more interested in the design and feel of the mod than the code behind it, which is of course of utmost importance (in order for it function smoothly). So thats why I need these people.

Thanks again and feel free to give me more feedback or ideas!

 

[Angry Lawyer]

*Ponders* Currently in the modding community, there is currently an oversaturation of 'ideas people' and 'project leads' who, more often than not, don't have anything to offer their mod (apart from taking all the glory when it gets released). Everyone wants to make a mod, but it seems, these days, that not everyone wants to put their own effort into it. All the new mod-idea starters tend to ask for coders, but as coders are outnumbered by the mod leaders (by a ratio of 3:1) there just aren't enough to really go around. Add to that fact that a large portion of coders are actually leading their own mods, and you see how this can be unsustainable.

Your best bet, probably, is to map a basic map, stick a couple of premade user-controlled vehicles in it, and convince a few friends (including a sceptical coder) to play the level 'as your mod would be'. This will hopefully convince the coder to do the groundwork of your mod (Which is very little: HL2 is supposed to already support multiple users driving a vehicle, all you need your coder to do is make some win conditions, and a round reset after one vehicle is destroyed). The rest of the mod would be pretty easy to do, considering HL2 already has some nice-looking vehicles included, the characters can be from the actual game (or allow for users to play with default deathmatch skins; this allows for models to be imported in the classic way), and anything that is left over, by the sounds of it, you've already got the skills to do.

Congratulations on an original mod idea though, and best of luck.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[The Dark Elf]

This could be a really fun MP mod if it was done right.

Good luck with it!

 

[Mr. Light]

Hey thanks alot Dark Elf. I always love car chases in movies, like in Ronin or any James Bond flick, so that I was thinking of how half-life 2 being so damn awesome already, could be just a tintsy wintsy bit cooler by adding a car chase component for multiplayer. But again, I still need some help an d a team! Well hopefully something will turn up and it will come out! Thanks again for the support Dark Elf and Angry Lawyer!

 

[Angry Lawyer]

One forseeable problem I see is the fact that maps have edges, and that cars are fast. If you drive in a straight line for a few minuites, you're going to hit a wall. So, aim to do circuit-type maps, and try and get the players to drive in the right direction.

Always a pleasure to help though. I'd help code, but I'm kinda tied by the mod I'm making right now.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[Mr. Light]

Hey Angry, I thank you for the tip. I don't have any idea how the map system in Half-Life 2 will work, put from the E3 movie I had assumed they would be quite big. Thats why I say the game will last about 20 minutes. I'd figure for a map about 40 km long, driving at 120 km/h it should be pretty damn big. So I guess the chase will be quite the undertaking to make. I don't like the idea of the circuit though. Let me explain why. The goal for the chasee is to get to the "finish" area, or a theme based objective area such as a warehouse or a ferry or an airport, etc. something that goes along the lines of the map. So to make it a circuit would be counter-intuitive unless for some reason the map calls for it. Another reason is that I dont want to make a racing game, I want to make a game about chasing. Usually, a smart person doesn't chase another in a circle. This leads to ambushs and such. Thank again anyways.

The only thing I am worried about is if my pentium 3 933 will be able to handle half-life 2! I will probably need to upgrade my video card for sure and get more ram but even then, I'm not sure it will run smoothly.

Oh ya back to the topic of maps, do you know any specifics of the map system? Is it like a battlefield 1942 "endless" map type, or a "quake" or "half-life" closed area type map. Either way it should pose to much of a problem, but the closed map system will limit creativity for sure!

Have a good night and good luck with you mod. By the way, what is it called?