Well, before starting in on RO2 progress, let's talk about potatoes. Yes, spuds. No, not an April Fool Potato - more a wtfisgoingon Potato. Now, to be fair, I am too focused on RO2 to even begin to follow everything that is going down right now. But for those of you who haven't figured it out yet - "the game is afoot, Watson!"
All over the Interwebski, people are chasing around an ever-growing storyline (http://valvearg.com/wiki/Investigation_History ), that seems to have started off with a bunch of potatoes on Potato Fools Day. Except for the usually ever-vigilant Killing Floor fans, who appear to be hiding under rocks these days. For another quote: "the secret is to bang the rocks together, guys." I get the distinct impression that there is a lot more hiding under the covers, so I'd suggest that you "go do the voodoo that you do... so well!". http://valvearg.com/wiki/Valve_ARG_Wiki if you have no idea what I'm talking about.
But on to RO2... I could talk about tanks again, but we've beaten that to a pulp over the last couple of weeks. Training... why is setting up something as simple as in-game training so complicated? Keith has been building training maps - I've been dipping in and out doing scripty stuff for them. Then Keith keeps coming back and pointing out all the bits I'm missing. Actually, I know why it is difficult: we're having to go back to basics and run through systems that we have been using every day for the last 3 years or so. Should be easy, right?
Wrong. Those systems become so automatic, so quickly, that it is actually hard to think through the steps. Training for the squad leader functionality, for instance... I've got to move my squad up, expecting enemy contact. The basics are absolutely automatic... MG team, here, ready for covering fire on the building ahead... me and the assault team, move up. Fire from the right... cover... assault team, suppressing fire... and so on.
But to build a training scenario, we need to actually make sure the player goes through all the steps - and we have to make sure the player sees all the (key) functionality. We've already decided that the player can't be "trained" on absolutely every nuance. Call it "basic training". That'll get you ready for combat but, boy, is there going to be plenty more to learn when you get on the line!
It reminds us both how complex the systems all are - and just how intuitive. Also how much choice - Keith and I were discussing over the use of cover. Me, I like using cover, lock on, pause, take stock, decide on the next course of action, go again. But I'm that sort of player, which is why I'll play squad leader, commander or MG. Whereas Keith is more of a bull-in-a-china-shop. Much more aggressive and in-your-face. So he doesn't drop into cover and pause. He'll duck behind something, but always wants to be moving. Different styles of play.
Who wins? Well, that depends... if I've covered, then pop up and he's still moving, he's toast. If I pop up and he's stopped, waiting for me to do that, I'm toast. Or there are a couple of grenades flying. Or, quite often, Guppy wins - but that is just because he is so annoying. But there are always choices. I keep saying it, but we like "choices". Everyone will work up their own style of play - including those (like Keith and Dayle) who are more run-n-gun/twitch style players.
And for next week - I won't be here. This time next week, I will be at a wedding in deepest Somerset. First time my whole family has managed to get together from around the world in about 2 decades. UK, New Zealand, USA - I think people in from Canada and South Africa, or wherever else everyone has got to!