Add strategic level gameplay for more dynamic experience

Hi!

Dynamic multiplayer servers are getting more popular and numerous. One of them, Dynamicdcs by Drex, features the creation and movement of ground units and the spawning of certain AI air units. Spending time on this server has given me the idea to post this request:

Create a new strategic command interface for DCS with the following features:

- The ability to spawn units based on certain criteria

- Resource point system (based on territory capture/objectives)

- The ability to manage larger number of AI units (standard RTS like system)

This would basically create a real-time strategy game using the DCS engine for both single (sandbox) and multiplayer. I would imagine this in pratice for multiplayer in the following way:

-There would be a framework mission with pre-placed client slots and units as we have it now. (players could join aircraft and GCI slots the same way as now)

-There would be a rank system that would enable certain players upon certain criteria to join commander slot (multiple command slots available, resources would be split between them)

-Commander would recieve resource points upon certain criteria.

-Commander could spawn AI units from a preset unit pool using resource points(to prevent the spamming of a single unit type only)

-Commander could spawn and control AI planes and helicopters (Air spawn to prevent chaos on the airfields).

Ideally this could mean, that even 2 players online on the given server could create a full, combined arms dynamic battle. This would also mean that unbalanced player numbers would be much less of a problem, since even one player on the opposing team (having sufficient rank to join command) could create serious resistence.

Last but not least having a built in system like this could dramatically reduce the number of scripts required to run an interesting server, hopefully improving stability.

I think that these features could be implemented with the current DCS engine without unrealistic amount of work.

What do you think?

I had this exact thought after watching some Arma3 "Zeus Mode" videos. The ability to have a designated 'Mission Director' who can control/spawn units would be the ultimate dynamic mission. In fact, you could have more than one MD, eg. one controlling air, and one controlling land/sea assets from a map-like view of the AO. The land commander could then even jump into JTAC mode and give real time 9lines for example.

This would allow much more immersive air-air BVR combat as well. Instead of AI formations just steaming hot until within an Rmax shot, a human MD could direct certain groups to manouver/abort/beam etc and create handoff/drop decisions for the blue air players to manage.

Obviously it would require a sensible MD but with practice, this could be epic..

I do very much agree with the core idea of having a strategic or operational commander (or multiple) but I am unsure how this should be implemented.

Perhaps I would approach this with smaller iterations and improvements to the current Combine Arms -module. The very first changeI would make is to allow a Commander slot to edit and change the planned routes of units - namely aircraft. Also if an aircraft was parked somewhere else than its home plate, its 0-waypoint would be changed to said airfield on despawn/power down. at the same time the new route would be updated to the aircraft.

This would affect the multiplayer gameplay in two ways: allow the control of a dynamic scenario from commander position and remove the need for pilots to spend excess time trying to build flightplans with limited info in the cockpit with onboard systems which as we know can be a bit clunky for punching in large amounts of waypoints.

I am not saying the idea should stop here, not at all. But I feel this would - as a whole - be a system/concept that should be introduced and tested in gradual steps insted of introducing the whole thing at once. Incremental introduction is easier for players and we can really see what works and what doesn't

Regards,

MikeMikeJuliet

It is a great idea!

On top of that i was thinking that one the of the things that normally put me back from MP is the feeling of air quake, this is partly caused by the fact that when jumping in an aircraft slot, you dont actually have a mission assigned so its totally up to the pilot to select a loadout and decide where he/she is going to go to find targets of opportunity and such.

With enough intelligence into the system, lets ay prioritization of critical enemy assets, critical infraestructures etc, the RTS engine or the Mission director could at least generate some sets of ATOs or missions that are considered critical: CAPs, Sweeps, CAS, Deep Strikes,etc... so when a player jump into a slot he/she could either do the current air quake thing or at least have the possibility to select a mission from the ATO (having access then to a small briefing with waypoints, threats, etc...). This would add so much to the MP scene. I think this high level mission generation or mission coordination is what is still lacking in MP servers like DynamicDCS where is still up to the pilot to decide what to do.

Moreover, if we had such a ATO system where you could pick whatever mission you like, it would be much easier to find wingmen to coordinate with, instead of current lonewolves style servers we have,

That, or the ability to assign objectives to player assets that would be shown in the briefing, perhaps even on a dedicated kneeboard page.

And things do not have to be one or the other. These could be complementary systems depending on what kind of server is at hand. For example playing in massive realism-oriented tournament servers I would not necessarily want every player to be managing what he/she does, but instead to have a dedicated commander or several to build the gameplan and have the pilots follow said gameplan.

Regards,

MikeMikeJuliet

Hi!

 

Dynamic multiplayer servers are getting more popular and numerous. One of them, Dynamicdcs by Drex, features the creation and movement of ground units and the spawning of certain AI air units. Spending time on this server has given me the idea to post this request:

 

Create a new strategic command interface for DCS with the following features:

 

- The ability to spawn units based on certain criteria

- Resource point system (based on territory capture/objectives)

- The ability to manage larger number of AI units (standard RTS like system)

 

This would basically create a real-time strategy game using the DCS engine for both single (sandbox) and multiplayer. I would imagine this in pratice for multiplayer in the following way:

 

-There would be a framework mission with pre-placed client slots and units as we have it now. (players could join aircraft and GCI slots the same way as now)

-There would be a rank system that would enable certain players upon certain criteria to join commander slot (multiple command slots available, resources would be split between them)

-Commander would recieve resource points upon certain criteria.

-Commander could spawn AI units from a preset unit pool using resource points(to prevent the spamming of a single unit type only)

-Commander could spawn and control AI planes and helicopters (Air spawn to prevent chaos on the airfields).

 

Ideally this could mean, that even 2 players online on the given server could create a full, combined arms dynamic battle. This would also mean that unbalanced player numbers would be much less of a problem, since even one player on the opposing team (having sufficient rank to join command) could create serious resistence.

 

Last but not least having a built in system like this could dramatically reduce the number of scripts required to run an interesting server, hopefully improving stability.

 

I think that these features could be implemented with the current DCS engine without unrealistic amount of work.

 

What do you think?

About RTS. ED has searching personal to build dynamic campaign / RTS.

About RTS. ED has searching personal to build dynamic campaign / RTS.

Now that you mention it, that's right! I completely forgot about that. And so recently too...

My guess is they will improve CA with that first though.

Thanks for the replies!

It is good to hear, that ED has plans to move a bit this direction as well! I would think, though that developing a real good dynamic campaign under AI control is going to be much more difficult and time consuming, than to introduce a new UI layer, basically a real time mission editor, and let the humans do the thinking.

Setting player waypoints, and creating briefings especially to the kneeboard is a great idea, I have also been thinking about that! :)

Imagine this:

There could be a second page of aircraft slots, that is created by the commander by placing additional client aircrafts using resources and with limitations.

Those slots would be created for a specific mission, waypoints set by the commander, very short briefing with some waypoint info, time on target, (filled automatically according to the waypoints set), and additional text if needed.

Slots could be set to be open to everyone or based on invitation. Players could also apply to closed slots.

This would basically create a flight package. This, coordinated with AI flights as well would be a serious game changer.

Normal aircraft slots set by the mission designer would be unaffected of course, so still anyone could join anywhere, if it is public server. This should be no limitation to players not willing to cooperate (except for the problem of facing a coordinated package supported by AI flights :)).

Also I agree, that these kinds of things would better be implemented gradually, and through Combined Arms maybe.