I'm making a two player map where each player has a ghost, and must spy/sabotage several key targets in a city. It's a stealth/infiltration genre map, where you have to sneak around, avoiding detection, etc. I have thought of 9 abilities so far, but I really can't think of more. Anything that comes to your mind, post it. Even if it isn't possible for SC, it may inspire me for something similar. [codebox]Skills: 1. Cloak - Creates a cloaked version of you for X time. If the cloaked version gets hit, in comes the regular you, uncloaked 2. Stab - Kills enemy, and does not alert nearby enemies, however you must be close by which is, of course, another risk. 25% chance of missing, which will cause the enemy to yell and raise the alarm. 3. Snipe - Using your rifle, you may use up ammo to kill an enemy from far away. Makes much noise, risking alert of nearby enemies. 4. Jump - Jump a few meters in chosen direction. 5. Psionic Step - Teleport to target foe. 6. Telekenesis - Target foe will attack nearby foes for a few seconds, then kill itself. Enemies don't react for a few seconds, and hopefully die before having time to react. 7. Throw knife - Throw your knife for a short-ranged, silent kill. If you miss your throw closely, the enemy may notice it and raise the alarm. 8. Distraction - Cause a small sound at chosen area, causing nearby enemies to investigate (move in) 9. Possess - Take control of target enemy. Cannot move very far. Enemies treat you as ally until you attack. Items: 1. Medical Kit - Heals 25 HP 2. Optical Flare - Blind Target Foe 3. Landmine - Place a landmine 4. Magma Flare - Cause a huge explosion, killing/razing everything at target location Levels: 0. Cloak, Stab, Snipe 1. Ocular Implants (+Line of Sight (turn into hero) 2. Jump 3. Moebius Reactor (Faster energy regen and/or more maximum energy) 4. Distraction 5. Armored Suit (More HP (turn into another hero) 6. Psionic Step 7. Advanced Moebius Reactor (More energy regeneration) 8. Telekenesis 9. Throw Knife 10. Possess[/codebox]

I'm making a two player map where each player has a ghost, and must spy/sabotage several key targets in a city. It's a stealth/infiltration genre map, where you have to sneak around, avoiding detection, etc.

I have thought of 9 abilities so far, but I really can't think of more. Anything that comes to your mind, post it. Even if it isn't possible for SC, it may inspire me for something similar.

Spy Probe: Allows you to look ahead (observer), but there is a 10% chance it will be seen (by a camera?) Sleeping Darts/Tranquilizer: Knocks units out, but does not kill. Renders them unable to move or attack. If another enemy unit is nearby, alarm is raised. EMP Pulse: Knocks all the lights out in a certain area. (Give computer units in that area to another computer without vision to itself. You are blinded.) Dodge: Chance to dodge an attack. (Moves unit to its own location.) Smoke Bomb: Creates a darkswarm over you.

Spy Probe: Allows you to look ahead (observer), but there is a 10% chance it will be seen (by a camera?)
Sleeping Darts/Tranquilizer: Knocks units out, but does not kill. Renders them unable to move or attack. If another enemy unit is nearby, alarm is raised.
EMP Pulse: Knocks all the lights out in a certain area. (Give computer units in that area to another computer without vision to itself. You are blinded.)
Dodge: Chance to dodge an attack. (Moves unit to its own location.)
Smoke Bomb: Creates a darkswarm over you.

[color=lightgreen]Sounds like a very interesting map, but I'm curious on how you're going to work out abilities 3-9. What kind of targeting system are you planning on using, Dark Swarm with a Defiler?[/color]

Are you just going to use ghosts? Or will you be doing the disable/enable trick to cloak other units (men)?

Are you just going to use ghosts? Or will you be doing the disable/enable trick to cloak other units (men)?

You could use a directional type aiming system, using the 8 cardinal direction. Maybe there could be a "smart" firing system; does it for you, where it would be most effective. A darkswarm system would only work if this was a single player map anyway. Maybe it just shoots forward; detect which way the unit is facing by detecting where it moved from to where it is now, and just shoot straight ahead, usinng a mobile grid for locations. That's really complicated though...

You could use a directional type aiming system, using the 8 cardinal direction. Maybe there could be a "smart" firing system; does it for you, where it would be most effective. A darkswarm system would only work if this was a single player map anyway. Maybe it just shoots forward; detect which way the unit is facing by detecting where it moved from to where it is now, and just shoot straight ahead, usinng a mobile grid for locations. That's really complicated though...

[quote=Anonymous][color=lightgreen]Sounds like a very interesting map, but I'm curious on how you're going to work out abilities 3-9. What kind of targeting system are you planning on using, Dark Swarm with a Defiler?[/color][/quote] Snipe will simply be making the enemy be enemy until you get a kill (the bad guys are normally preserve allied) Jump will move your unit a few tiles forward in the direction you next move it. Psionic Step will choose the highest priority enemy to teleport to. Telekenesis will choose the highest priority enemy to take control of. Throw knife will work like jump; your unit is stopped and you move in a direction to throw your knife. Once the knife is finished moving, a burrowed unit or powerup will represent the knife there, ready to be picked back up. I'm hoping this system will make knife throwing a very fine-tuned practice. Distraction will use a Dark Swarm firing system (it will work the same for both players, so they could each cast it at once fine.) Possess will choose the highest priority enemy as the target. I may also add an option to toggle automatic targeting from toughest enemy to nearest enemy. [quote]Are you just going to use ghosts? Or will you be doing the disable/enable trick to cloak other units (men)?[/quote] Ghosts and hero ghosts, yes. @Stickynote: I may use Dodge. EMP Bomb is redundant of Optical Flare, Spy Drone would reveal over walls, and swarm will be used for targeting. Nice ideas, though.

Quote from Anonymous

Sounds like a very interesting map, but I'm curious on how you're going to work out abilities 3-9. What kind of targeting system are you planning on using, Dark Swarm with a Defiler?

Snipe will simply be making the enemy be enemy until you get a kill (the bad guys are normally preserve allied)
Jump will move your unit a few tiles forward in the direction you next move it.
Psionic Step will choose the highest priority enemy to teleport to.
Telekenesis will choose the highest priority enemy to take control of.
Throw knife will work like jump; your unit is stopped and you move in a direction to throw your knife. Once the knife is finished moving, a burrowed unit or powerup will represent the knife there, ready to be picked back up. I'm hoping this system will make knife throwing a very fine-tuned practice.
Distraction will use a Dark Swarm firing system (it will work the same for both players, so they could each cast it at once fine.)
Possess will choose the highest priority enemy as the target.

I may also add an option to toggle automatic targeting from toughest enemy to nearest enemy.

Quote

Are you just going to use ghosts? Or will you be doing the disable/enable trick to cloak other units (men)?

Ghosts and hero ghosts, yes.


@Stickynote: I may use Dodge. EMP Bomb is redundant of Optical Flare, Spy Drone would reveal over walls, and swarm will be used for targeting. Nice ideas, though.

cloak seems nice and all, but could just do a hide ability, where move unit to a box and have a burrowed unit. Could say last few seconds for ambush or something. Other then that ideas sound nice ^^

cloak seems nice and all, but could just do a hide ability, where move unit to a box and have a burrowed unit. Could say last few seconds for ambush or something.

Other then that ideas sound nice

I'd rather have cloak. Each player [i]is[/i] a ghost, after all, and cloak is basically a staple for ghosts.

I'd rather have cloak. Each player is a ghost, after all, and cloak is basically a staple for ghosts.

All of these look pretty interesting but since infiltration maps often mean starting over several time when you make mistakes.. It would not be wise to randomise things like backstabbing, it would just get on player's nerves that they need to reload and redo that part the same way they did before and hope to get lucky

All of these look pretty interesting but since infiltration maps often mean starting over several time when you make mistakes.. It would not be wise to randomise things like backstabbing, it would just get on player's nerves that they need to reload and redo that part the same way they did before and hope to get lucky

Hmm, well getting the alarm raised or a soldier shouting won't be death. It will simply mean getting away safely until things calm down again.

Hmm, well getting the alarm raised or a soldier shouting won't be death. It will simply mean getting away safely until things calm down again.

How about each time the alarm is raised, more units are deployed to major or important areas of the map.

How about each time the alarm is raised, more units are deployed to major or important areas of the map.

Yes, that may work well. Also the enemy awareness level will be raised, causing easier detection (just less delay time between seeing and shouting).

Yes, that may work well. Also the enemy awareness level will be raised, causing easier detection (just less delay time between seeing and shouting).

How about an ability that disables the communication temporarily. Not sure how you would want this to affect the game thoguh.

How about an ability that disables the communication temporarily. Not sure how you would want this to affect the game thoguh.

What Stickynote ment: Sabotage: Enemy radio signals jammed for x minutes My Ideas: Snipe: Auto-Snipes strongest unit outside of radius (center location, set units inside friendly for x seconds) (should NOT raise alarm as most snipers are quiet. The scout from CS is an example). Cloak: Use a burrowed unit system, trust me much better and easier than a cloak system. Stab: Good name, overall a good spell. Jump: Good spell, might wanna limit this to when inside buildings though. Psionic Step: Uh... OK... Telekenisis: Uh... OK... Throw Knife: Not bad, although throwing weapons tend to be reserved for ninjas and assassins. Maybe up close silencer pistol? Distraction: I like this one. Possess: Too Godly. Items: Med Kit: Medic with constant 1 energy. (12.5 secs) Optical Flare: [Flashbank/Flash Grenade] Nice thing to have. Landmine: [Plant Claymore {tank killer} Landmine] Another nice thing to have Magma Flare: [Plant C4 Plastic Explosive] It would make for sense for him to strategically bomb certain areas. New: Throw HE Grenade: Defiler shoot system, self-explanitory. Throw Smoke Grenade: Defiler shoot system [Hero], self-explanitory Hijack: In-Out trigger set. Raise awareness of enemies when hijacking publicly visible car with or without occupants. Hack: Mess up local security cameras, lowers local street catches. Black Sheep Wall: Tells a story about a black sheep trying to run through a steel plated concrete wall You can do the levels, they're just ability availibility factors after all.

What Stickynote ment:
Sabotage: Enemy radio signals jammed for x minutes

My Ideas:
Snipe: Auto-Snipes strongest unit outside of radius (center location, set units inside friendly for x seconds) (should NOT raise alarm as most snipers are quiet. The scout from CS is an example).
Cloak: Use a burrowed unit system, trust me much better and easier than a cloak system.
Stab: Good name, overall a good spell.
Jump: Good spell, might wanna limit this to when inside buildings though.
Psionic Step: Uh... OK...
Telekenisis: Uh... OK...
Throw Knife: Not bad, although throwing weapons tend to be reserved for ninjas and assassins. Maybe up close silencer pistol?
Distraction: I like this one.
Possess: Too Godly.

Items:
Med Kit: Medic with constant 1 energy. (12.5 secs)
Optical Flare: [Flashbank/Flash Grenade] Nice thing to have.
Landmine: [Plant Claymore {tank killer} Landmine] Another nice thing to have
Magma Flare: [Plant C4 Plastic Explosive] It would make for sense for him to strategically bomb certain areas.

New:
Throw HE Grenade: Defiler shoot system, self-explanitory.
Throw Smoke Grenade: Defiler shoot system [Hero], self-explanitory
Hijack: In-Out trigger set. Raise awareness of enemies when hijacking publicly visible car with or without occupants.
Hack: Mess up local security cameras, lowers local street catches.
Black Sheep Wall: Tells a story about a black sheep trying to run through a steel plated concrete wall


You can do the levels, they're just ability availibility factors after all.

[i]"Snipe: Auto-Snipes strongest unit outside of radius (center location, set units inside friendly for x seconds) (should NOT raise alarm as most snipers are quiet. The scout from CS is an example)."[/i] I disagree, I want snipe to be obvious and easy to use, also the loudness of it will stay, solely for balance purposes. [i]""Uh...OK", "Too Godly", etc."[/i] Ghosts are full of psionic power, so I have an excuse to use wacky abilities like these. [i]"Throw Knife: Not bad, although throwing weapons tend to be reserved for ninjas and assassins. Maybe up close silencer pistol?"[/i] That wouldn't give me a reason to have the 'aiming' aspect of the knife throw. Also, this is the future, in an alternate universe to boot. I don't really care about 'realism', or 'historically accuracy' in this map. [i]"Med Kit: Medic with constant 1 energy. (12.5 secs)"[/i] No way. That takes way too long. [i]"Your new item names"[/i] Those are all too..typical. This is the future after all. [i]"Grenades"[/i] Eh, I already have two explosives [i]"Hijack"[/i] This may work out well, but I would adapt it for use on enemy vehicles. [i]"Hack"[/i] Nah. [i]"You can do the levels, they're just ability availibility factors after all."[/i] K, thanks for giving me permission. ^^ [i]"Black Sheep Wall"[/i] Eh, I dunno. That story is so attention demanding, it may distract people from the real gameplay.

"Snipe: Auto-Snipes strongest unit outside of radius (center location, set units inside friendly for x seconds) (should NOT raise alarm as most snipers are quiet. The scout from CS is an example)."
I disagree, I want snipe to be obvious and easy to use, also the loudness of it will stay, solely for balance purposes.

""Uh...OK", "Too Godly", etc."
Ghosts are full of psionic power, so I have an excuse to use wacky abilities like these.

"Throw Knife: Not bad, although throwing weapons tend to be reserved for ninjas and assassins. Maybe up close silencer pistol?"
That wouldn't give me a reason to have the 'aiming' aspect of the knife throw. Also, this is the future, in an alternate universe to boot. I don't really care about 'realism', or 'historically accuracy' in this map.

"Med Kit: Medic with constant 1 energy. (12.5 secs)"
No way. That takes way too long.

"Your new item names"
Those are all too..typical. This is the future after all.

"Grenades"
Eh, I already have two explosives

"Hijack"
This may work out well, but I would adapt it for use on enemy vehicles.

"Hack"
Nah.


"You can do the levels, they're just ability availibility factors after all."
K, thanks for giving me permission.



"Black Sheep Wall"
Eh, I dunno. That story is so attention demanding, it may distract people from the real gameplay.