This is an excerpt from a proposal I previously sent to AH High Command. I wanted to get some opinions on my ideas.
First Person Shooter
Section 6: First Person Shooter (Rudimentary Concepts)
First Person Shooter
The introduction of a First Person Shooter option to AHII would introduce amazing new tactical options to the WWII simulator! The operational options open to the player are almost endless and would be exponentially enhancing to all players in their use and in defending against them. The ease at which this type of system could be implemented seems almost mind numbing.
Adding ground level individually combat effective troops into the game as if they were ground vehicles could lead to increased player satisfaction with the addition of new tactical arenas of war, increased player base due to the new form of warfare, and the creation of entirely infantry driven player initiated squads! Knowing that graphics are not as strong a driver as arena ability and options it is hard to see where expanding this seemingly simple and greatly enhancing option to the simulator could be bad.
Infantry
Infantry, in a rudimentary yet very capable form, already exists within AHII. The bailed pilot already acts as a perfect infantryman; needing only a few new guns to render, and a few new ways to enter the game. Like the pilot, all infantry would be killed with one shot.
It would seem that the pilot is already capable of walking, running, and stopping; as well as aiming and firing a weapon. He has also already been rendered. (However a new rendering may be able to be easily made from the uniform of the troops in the hanger.) New guns would need to be rendered and added to the pilot model to account for different types of weapons sets, and the pistol could be set as a secondary weapon. One other option that may be introduced, but is not necessarily needed would be the ability for the pilot/infantryman to kneel. Much like flaps are actuated in a plane the kneeling position would merely be the same view as standing, but from the waist level and could be toggled with the “k” key. This would serve only to give the infantryman a lower profile and enhanced game-play. In reality nothing on the pilot/infantryman needs to move except the right arm.
The Infantryman would act as though he were a GV in relation to another player’s ability to view him considering icons and ranges when spawned from the hanger. Weapons would be selected by the “1, 2, or 3” keys to mimic the positions of a GV while only changing the gun in the hand considering the view of the player. The infantryman’s arm would act as it does now mimicking the turret barrel of a GV.
Hanger Options
The infantryman would be accessible from the hanger and may be dependent upon the availability of barracks or the vehicle hanger at the spawning field. Once entering the hanger there would be an infantryman in view as a troop is currently rendered in the hanger, but he would be positioned in the middle of the hanger. There would also be different rows for primary, secondary, and tertiary weapon sets; of which the player may choose one from each as it is currently set up for most vehicles. (Basically the hanger view would have a troop where a plane usually is and the carts in the hanger would carry the weapons on carts like they do already.
Weapon Systems
Primary Weapons Set:
Rifle: Single shot bolt action with 5 shot bandolier X 12 for a total of 60 rounds (Should have a zoom option.)
Sub-machine Gun: Fully automatic fire with 50 round clip X 3, or 30 round clip X 5 for a total of 150 rounds (This weapon should NOT be allowed a
zoom option.)
Light Machine Gun: Fully automatic fire with 20 round magazine X 10 for a total of 200 rounds (Carrying this weapon should allow the user to ONLY
walk NOT run, or to only be able to fire from a kneeling position.)
Bazooka: 76mm AP round equivalent projectile – Fired like a rocket with a smoke trail – Site viewed through a blast shield – Capacity 5 rockets
Mortar: 60mm HE & Smoke rounds Qty: 20 HE / 5 Smoke – Would require the user to stop in order to fire, and may use range and bearing data to fire
if the coding will allow. Player may also use the .target command.
Composition B: High explosive pack with 1K bomb equivalent power and blast radius – Placed on the ground next to target and detonated later by the
user or possibly by timer. Qty: 2 Packs
Secondary Weapons Set:
Pistol: Semi-automatic fire with 15 rounds
Knife: Extending from the hand and able to kill by touching the point to another infantryman.
Sword (?): Similar to the knife, but longer. Basically only for Japanese infantry.
Tertiary Weapons Set:
Grenade – Fragmentary – 30ft blast diameter- would have the ability/power to disable GV tracks & engines. Launched similarly to a smoke grenade from
an M4-75, but with 3 to 4 times the power/distance
Grenade - Smoke - Launched similarly to a smoke grenade from an M4-75, but with 3 to 4 times the power/distance
Radio – Would have no actual function, but would allow the infantryman’s position to appear to friendly players on the clipboard map via a dot as if he were
a plane, therefore giving him the ability to easily guide friendly players to his position.
Binoculars - Would be viewed as if you were seeing binoculars viewed in a movie and would have the ability to zoom and range find.
The ability to choose from so many different weapons would allow infantry squads to form with the capability to perform various rolls. Ideally you would have 2 riflemen men, 1 sub-machine gunner, 1 light machine gunner, and an anti-tank man or a mortar man. One of these men would carry a radio to aid in drawing support. Having various weapon sets would also allow the individual to spawn with the weapon of his choice to complete his mission such as; a bazooka to eliminate spawn camping tanks, composition B to destroy tanks or buildings, barreled weapons to defend & attack map rooms, or mortars to bring in heavy standoff support. The possibilities are almost endless!
Implementation
Infantry could be quickly implemented in to the simulator using the aforementioned weapon sets. Infantry would act as if they were a very small GV when spawned and would maintain GV icon range determiners and GV spawn points. I would recommend placing the Infantry option in the vehicle hanger and awarding GV perks for actions taken. Furthermore different types of infantry could be implemented in the future to represent different forces (nationally specific infantry), uniforms (skins), and weapon types. Meaning you could someday go to the hanger and choose an American, British, German, or Japanese infantryman with the applicable uniforms & weapons for that country.
In order to capture a map room 10 troops must be safely delivered, but this rule does not apply to 10 bailed pilots. Introducing infantry will require this rule to apply to infantry too or any combination of troops & infantry together.
It would seem that the troops are programmed to “home in on” or run directly to the map room when within a certain distance. It would be nice to see an option where the troops would “lock on” an infantryman much like a player can slave to another player in auto wing-man mode. If this were the case many new and awesome tactical options would be available to the community. For instance; a troop carrying vehicle could deploy troops to a forwardly deployed infantryman, or company of infantry, and an individual could then “grab” (by hitting “CTRL M” for Muster) the troops and have them “lock on” to him if he were within a certain distance from them. The infantry would then run to the player and follow his actions. Stop, walk, and run when he does, but would not fire or engage the enemy. At this point the player would be able to release the troops on his own within their map room “homing” radius, (by hitting “CTRL A” for attack), and sending them to the map room. The “Grab” option would override the map room “homing” of the troops, should the troops need to be recalled to a player, or if they were deployed to a player too far from the map room initially.
One other interesting option to consider in the future would be to allow a player to join a troop carrying aircraft as if he were a gunner, yet have him bail out of the aircraft as a paratrooper instead of a pilot. This “Paratrooper” would carry a submachine gun, a pistol, and possibly a few grenades. Having this ability would allow the gunner/jump-master of a C-47 to bailout with the troops and engage the Muster control (CTRL M) slaving the troops to him after landing. The paratrooper would carry a sub-machine gun to maintain historical accuracy and eliminate his zoom option, but would still be sufficiently armed to protect himself and the troops in his command.
Would greatly appreciate your comments.
<S> 49MERLIN
