The Rank System and Unlock System.
Note that the Rank System is NOT something that will be definitely implemented, but I'll talk about it as if it were to be in this thread. Note this is quite sloppy, but I didn't have time.
Note this more of a WIP. As I think of more ideas or more are suggested/debated, I'll edit it.What it is: Well, I wont treat you like a dumb child. You know what it is. All players start at rank one. As they gain "Experience Points" they rank up, unlocking new cool shit.
Here are some base concepts that should be decided, please give me your opinions on these:
- What should be the "ratios" of ranking. How many ranks? How long should it take to rank up?
- Should there be 70 all around ranks such as in Modern Warfare 2, unlocking varied features as you rank up?
- Should there be only a few ranks, which take much longer to reach? 10-20?
- What gives XP and how much?
- How should unlocks customize a player? Choose their "loadout" on spawn, unlocked equipment is buyable (Bad idea.), or something else? Passive selections?
- Should ranks be based by class, be general, or as in Bad Company 2 have a general rank system which unlocks all around weapons/equipment/features and separate class/role based ranks?
Heres some base concepts that I feel are solid:
- Weapons and Features you unlock shouldn't be set in Weak<Strong or even Okay<Better (As in BC2. Look at the AEK-971 Vs. The M416.), instead they should be "Variety." All guns have their weak and strong points. They keep the game interesting and new and gives players something to reach for.
- More experience should be given for team based actions.
- You can see teammate's ranks.
- I forgot, I'll update later.
I thought of having separate points you gain for "buying" weapons in that specific game, but that would encourage more "expensive" weapons being better, and I don't want an unbalanced bullshit mod.
Here is what I would have the rank system like:
There are 40 or so Ranks, which are "all class" based as in BC2. There are separate unlocks for each role which you gain while using that role, but all XP still goes to your "general" experience as well. When a player spawns, he can choose his loadout for that life, (though it'd be convenient if it saved. It's not too hard to do buts its more work and space.) Which goes as: Primary weapon, Pistol (Which are all-class unlocks), Your equipment (Generally Grenades, Flashbangs, HE, Smoke, Flare, mines, etc.), and your... How would I call it, "Perk" slot? Dont think of it as speed and damage increasing bullshit, its more like this: For medics they could choose to have either a health pack that has a limit to healing, heals over time, (10hp p. second) and can heal multiple people, OR some sort of quick heal (Bandage shit?). This would also allow medic guns re-balancing, as instant medkit ass-healing wouldn't disrupt the balance, and as lua rather than items it could give Experience (More XP for healing Squadmates?). Or Recon could choose over ghille or bushes. Regular Grenade launcher rounds or incindenary Grenade rounds (Yeah, its scriptable: If on hit bla-bla = [shit representing Flame over normal] then reduce amount of hp taken but call flame function shit. You get it.
If I remember more I'll add more shit.
Details. Down to what is unlocked and balancing:
This is also a WIP, most of it is random shit I thought of. Post your own versions with different balancing, different unlock order, and more shit. Note that most unlocks should come at the earlier levels, 1-25. 25-40 is just for show and "1337" shit. Levels 1-12 should be easy to get through.
YEAH, I PUT LEVELS FOR CLASS WEAPONS. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT CAN BE USED AS A REFERENCE POINT.First, by weapons:
Pistols:
In unlock order. All pistols should be unlocked rather early, the first 15 levels or so.
The P228: Being the underdog pistol with no real strong points, it has a low amount of ammunition and regular damage. It could be kept this way as a starter pistol, but I feel it'd be nice to reskin it as the M9 and increase its damage slightly.
The Glock: Keep it as it is, its a balanced pistol. 21 Damage, 20 bullets, fast reload, burst fire. Default pistol fire rate.
The USP: Again, balanced. More extra ammo than the P228, about the same reload and same fire rate, higher than usual damage, and features a silencer. The damage and silencer is what makes it shine.
The Elite: 15 bullets, faster than usual fire rate, regular damage, good reload time. with its faster fire rate it's balanced.
The Desert Eagle: I don't even have to explain this. Leave it as it is.
The 5-7: Actually the fastest killing gun. Regular damage, fastest fire rate, 20 bullets. It's downside is the slow reload. Possibly buff it to 22 damage.
Shotguns:
There aren't many choices here.
The M3: Shotgun unlocked at level 7 or so, Medic/Assault. It's pretty balanced, but buff it to 27 or so so it gives 20hp aids when 4 shots make contact, 5 shots kill. I'd increase it even more if it were up to me.
The XM1014: Buff it a bit more, 24 or so. Useful autoshotgun unlocked at... Level 16? 17?
SMGs:
Probably the most diverse category. All of them are available to the medic and assault, but assault would most likely want to use a rifle instead. As of now the MP5 can be used by recon, I say this is undone.
TMP and Mac10: I want to mention these first, as I think that if nerfed back to their 9 damage they could be secondaries. Thats my opinion. If kept as primary weapons, they should be given higher damage values like 12-15 to make them actually useful and usable.
The MP5: Default SMG for the medic, possible a later unlock for the recon? unlocked at level 1. It's already balanced at 15 damage, let's keep it that way. Still useful in the later levels.
The UMP45: Let's not forget my friend the UMP. I've always loved this gun, though MW2 is starting to make me hate it. I say unlock it at level 5 or so. It is currently set to 18 damage for balance reasons, but it's still outclassed by the MP5 and P90 due to its slow rate of fire and smaller magazine. If ass-healing with medkits were to be removed, I would like to see it bumped up to 19 damage. It fires x2 as slow as the P90 and has half the magazine size. It's balanced at 19.
The P90: The last medic weapon unlock, the fast firing spray machine. Even at its default damage it has the highest damage output per second, but you have to make your shots count and watch your depleting ammo. I feel that at 12 it's quite balanced. Unlocked later in the game, level 21 or so.
Assault rifles:
The Galil: It should be reskinned to a more modern weapon so it would be both CT and T compatible realism wise. This would be the default Assault weapon, it'd be balanced at 20 damage or so due to its larger magazine and higher accuracy. (1 rather than the M4's 2 or the AK47's 3.) What should this gun be skinned to?
The M4A1/AK47. Since spyware doesn't want T's having M4's and CT's having AK47s, if they aren't compatible for both just unlock them at the same time for different teams. Unlocked either very early (4ish) or at 10 or so (Still quite early.)
The AK47 should have 23/24 damage due to its lack of silencer and inaccuracy. The M4A1 would stay as it is.
The Famas: I just feel this should be the highest level unlock, as it can be balanced with its lower magazine size. 25 (or 26 if armor reduction is at .30) would make it the hardest hitting rifle with a price. It's not like its uber "powerful", it only takes one hit which would give the target aids anyways less. One of those "1337" weapons. Level 20-34. (Again, the last levels would just be for show.)
The Aug: Note this could be the SG552 just as well. Default Support unlock. Leave it as it is.
The SG552: Added as another unlock just for more support guns. Leave it as it is, it has the benefit of a faster reload time. Level 6-13.
The M249: Balanced at with 17 damage, this needs to be used up close to be effective. Don't have much to say, have it a level 11-16 unlock.
The SG550: This would be a support weapon, as they need more guns, the recon class doesn't need it, and with its zoom, slow movement speed, and 30 round mag it could qualify as a support weapon. Reskin it as some sort of machine gun and lower its damage some. (Not too much, it's actually not that much higher than the AUG and SG552.) Unlock level is debatable.
Sniper Rifles:
The Scout: Default Recon SR. 3 hit kill no zoom and z1, 2 hit kill on z1. (100 damage.) Leave it as it is. I say reskin it to something like the M24...
The AWP: Gives something for recons to look forward to, a one hit kill weapon. Leave it as it is, unlock at anywhere from lvl 3-15.
The G3SG1: It can kill in three hits with z2, and 4 hits in z1. Rapid fire, 20 bullets. It's rather underused, possible make it a weak 3 hit kill with z1.
Equipment: Note that these are both class unlock and general unlocks.
The HE Grenade: Default "equipment." You know what it is, leave it as it is.
Smoke: Early unlock, level 2. (Unlock the glock at level 3, give players things to get at those low levels.)
Flashbang: Level 6 or so. You know what it is, leave it as it is.
Flare: Very useful with fog of war. Unlock at level 7-11.
Adren/NeuroToxin Injection: Lua based all class unlock. Note that this should be binded to some sort of key. Gives you a temporary health boost, +30 for about 6-15 seconds. Unlock level is debatable.
Bandolier: Extra ammo, only possible if ammo goes lua based. (When you reload you get a new weapon until you get down to default amounts. Could add some spice to gameplay.)
I need more all-class equipment ideas! Give them to me."Perk"/Special Feature. Not your MW2 Perks.
Medkit: Spawn a medkit (every minute? More? Less?) which heals surrounding players by 5-10 health every second. Can heal up to oh, 200-500 health?
Quickheal (Need an idea, no injections.): Some sort of quick healing "thing", bandages perhaps? 50 HP after 1 seconds? Shorter cooldown than the Medkit. This would be the default healing "perk."
These would both be medic "perks", and they should give XP for healing. Suggest another healing method?
M203: Just as is ('Cept nerfed) right now, except it would be an unlock. Early unlock.
(Possibly) M203 w/ Incendiary Grenades: I already explained what this would do. Unlock level debatable.
This is another section I need more suggestions for. Recon Ghille and Support ammunition would also be "perks."Again: this was scrambled together, has errors, is unfinished, and could use suggestion. Remember, this is whole thread is just A SUGGESTION.
Subject: Proposal: Ranks and Unlocks. 
Tue Jun 15, 2010 10:54 pm
