Developing the class gameplay.

[VikingOfSixth]

As development becomes focused on achieving the goals for Adventure mode what sort of new features will be brought to gameplay? As a whole I believe GoI has created a solid system of mechanics when it comes to gameplay and classes (with balancing discussions aside here). I am, however, worried that the gameplay we have now may remain far too static to keep interest over the next year as we wait for the new gamemodes to be introduced.

Are there any considerations for adding more layers of complexity and customization in the months ahead or is the state of the game now what will be with us until 2014? I don't want to this to become a discussion of a realism as that is not what I want at all or what this game was meant to be to my knowledge, but additional depths to classes I think are very much needed.

-------Engineer
Let's begin with the Engineer. After a player has the basics of tools down and is familiar with the ship, gameplay can become very routine. Certainly it takes time and experience to have certain routes laid out on ships and to be confident in knowing where and when to be depending on the engagement and the style of your captain. At a highly competitive level these nuances are undeniable and separate the average from the talented. But for the majority of the games I think we ought to accept that being an engineer is a whole lot of clicking the left mouse key while standing by the hull.

• Perhaps we need to give every item on the ship the dual-health format that the hull has so that the engineer and captain have to choose in long and violent engagements what can be spared and what must be kept running. This will give a layer of choices to the engineering team besides focusing entirely on the hull. If you know your main engine can be permanently destroyed you will have a new stress to split time between that item and whatever else is priority. 
• Perhaps the types of repairs and the selection of items needs to be reworked. Engineers as of now have the choice between what provides the most health and what what has the quickest cooldown. Maybe there should be certain options for repairing equipment? A kit that can bring a gun back to life in an instant but hinders the ammo size or reloading time? Balloon patches that can repair the balloon in an instant but slows the speed of ascension.
• More options for buffing besides presets for all equipment? The possibility for an engineer to select between several types of upgrades for different parts of the ship each with their own benefits and consequences. In essence increasing the communication between the captain and engineer from solely repairing to a whole ranges on how to boost performance.

-------Gunner
I know there are a number of threads on the role of the gunner in current gameplay as is but felt their representation just as necessary in this post. Understanding ammo types, reload times, trajectory of your rounds, and the right timing with the right targets is a lovely spectrum of this class. Perhaps the best way to add to this class and the game in general is the introduction of new weapons and ammo types but those things are inevitably in development already. I will bring up a possibility on increasing the importance of the gunner and leave the rest for discussion.

• Weapons perform at a maximum efficiency when a gunner is operating them versus an engineer. The weapons receive a slight buff making it critical to have a gunner operating your main weaponry. This suggestion cuts but ways: should a ship's gunner be able to manage a damaged balloon that is on fire or a busted engine as fast as an engineer? Maybe their repair times should be reduced or when repaired only do so to half the health, just as a gun's stats should be reduced when operated by an engineer.

-------Captain
Between the freedom of choosing weapons, your ship, the style of play and flight, and the challenge of creating effective communication between your crew the Captain remains the class with the most options in terms of gameplay. What the captain lacks and I feel ship play in general is minor customization that would make a crew feel even more like their ship is their own. I admit my gaming roots are still in love with the old mech warrior franchise so I can't help but want to feel like every piece of my airship has been handpicked for the battle. So although this warrants another thread I still feel a slight mention can be made. More options pre-game in ship building is needed besides weapons. Nothing too complex but I think every component should have a selection, not just weapons!

• The ability to choose your hull type and armor. Some that allow for lighter and faster ships, others easier to repair, others slow to repair but tanks in the beginning fight, maybe certain combinations that are more resistant to certain weapon types but weaker to others or easier to catch fire?
• A maximum weight chassis/weight feature so that a captain is limited in his options and must balance the best and heaviest armor and arms with realistic weight limits.
• The freedom to choose the type of balloon! Some that allow for a faster climb, others more durable.
• Engines need options as well! Maybe engine types that allow for more extreme gameplay such as rapid acceleration but horrible turning and deceleration, or perhaps an engine that allows a better turning radius but is less resilient?
• Ship variants that allow for different styles and weapon placements. Instead of thinking about a Squid ship we begin to think of it as a Squid class!
• And of course it is impossible for me to suggest pre-game features without requesting the ability for ship aesthetics such as paints, minor decor changes, or even the much needed pin-up girl.

 
Again most of these items were only suggestions that I believe (or hope to be at least) possible in the realm of development even with much of the focus being on Adventure mode now. Giving more choices to each crew member, more customization for each class, and for each  ship will not only expand but also benefit gameplay. The mechanics are solid but I really do hope there is more to come for each class in terms of gameplay development. Additional ideas are welcome!

[Grogmiester]

A salute to you sir. Very thoughtful and well written post highlighting ideas to push forward the gameplay. However I think that Adventure needs higher priority to bring in new gamers before changing the core gameplay too much.

[N-Sunderland]

Good post, but there's one thing that's really bugging me.

But for the majority of the games I think we ought to accept that being an engineer is a whole lot of clicking the left mouse key while standing by the hull.

It's so, so much more than that. I could go on and on about all the things you have to do to be successful as an engineer. Reducing it to "a whole lot of clicking the left mouse key while standing by the hull" doesn't do justice to how difficult and complex a role it is. I could describe the other classes in a similar way:

"Gunning is just a whole lot of clicking on enemy ships"
"Piloting is just a whole lot of pointing your ship at stuff"

In both, I'm leaving so many aspects of the roles out.

So please don't try to diminish engineering. It's already incredibly deep as it is.

[VikingOfSixth]

So please don't try to diminish engineering. It's already incredibly deep as it is.

There was no intention to diminish engineering and I hate to see that this particular remark on my part became the focus of your reply. I threw together the original post in a short period late last night and was focusing more on the bullet points than the short quips at the beginning of each section. Certainly I mentioned, perhaps not strongly enough,  the current complexities of each class and of course absolutely love the gameplay that we have and how far things have come over time.

If I could edit the original post I would remove the 'left clicking' comment as that may seem to strike a wrong chord with many people and was not at all my desire. Again the question I was posing along with some of the minor suggestions was not about radical changes but what sort of things we can look forward to as far as development of the classes that we have now.

[N-Sunderland]

So please don't try to diminish engineering. It's already incredibly deep as it is.

There was no intention to diminish engineering and I hate to see that this particular remark on my part became the focus of your reply. I threw together the original post in a short period late last night and was focusing more on the bullet points than the short quips at the beginning of each section. Certainly I mentioned, perhaps not strongly enough,  the current complexities of each class and of course absolutely love the gameplay that we have and how far things have come over time.

If I could edit the original post I would remove the 'left clicking' comment as that may seem to strike a wrong chord with many people and was not at all my desire. Again the question I was posing along with some of the minor suggestions was not about radical changes but what sort of things we can look forward to as far as development of the classes that we have now.

Sorry if I misinterpreted what you meant. I've just gotten so defensive of engineering after all the people who've said stuff like "It's just going around hitting stuff".