Payload: Skirmish/Alliance game type

[Richard LeMoon]

Anyone that has played TF2 or similar games is familiar with the 'Payload' game type. It is pretty simple. There is a bomb that moves whenever Team A has a person near it. Team A pushes the bomb to Team B's base. If they do, it blows up and team A wins. If the time runs out before Team A gets the bomb to the base, Team B wins. There are no other points, and kills are not counted.

Replace the bomb on tracks with an explosives-laden dirigible, and the players with ships, and you have a new game mode ideal for both Skirmish or Alliance. In Skirmish, it would be the first asymmetrical game mode. In Alliance, players could be on the attacker or defender side.

More options could be added to the GOIO version of the game, such as popping the bomb's balloon or destroying its engines to slow it down. It would be impossible to destroy completely, of course.

"I can just lay a zillion mines in front of it to lock the balloon down forever."

Not if the balloon is behind armor like a lot of the Alliance AI ships. This would also prevent Lumberjack supremacy. Actually, the Alliance AI ships would make perfect candidates for a 'bomb' ship.

[Naoura]

Could go a somewhat different route on the Payload. Instead of slowing it down by attacking it directly, the "defenders" would capture it. They have a capture time that is much, much longer than for the "attackers". If the defenders capture the Payload, they win, but if the attackers manage to move the payload to it's destination, they win.

Let's say the defenders have to hold the Payload for a solid minute, whereas the attackers have to hold it for 15 seconds in order to capture it. However, the Attacker's have a long path to trek, and a lot of ambushes they have to defuse.

[Richard LeMoon]

So, if the payload was a capture point, one team would gain points for capping it like KotH (defenders) while it would move forward if the other team caps it (attackers). Win conditions are reaching a certain point limit for defenders and 'stealing' the weapon, or attackers moving the weapon to the base. So, basically both teams have a 'point' limit to reach, only one is measured in meters.

I would stick to the standard 500-ish point limit like KotH.

Another option instead of a 'bomb' would be if the payload was a massive gun emplacement cargo and there wasn't a base to destroy. The goal of the attackers would be to get the emplacement to its forward position so it can set up and start shelling enemy territory. This would make more sense why the defenders would be trying to capture it instead of just destroying it to protect a base.

The emplacement thing would work well in Alliance as well, and getting these set up could have effects on the map. Rather than just buying artillery to place on a map for war effort, you 'purchase' this map to play, then have to actually fight to get it into position. Placing a gun could remove some enemy fortifications (however those work).

[The Mann]

They could use Alliance Boss Ships as giant freighters 

without the guns

[Solidusbucket]

Can one of you send an email. I think this idea would be very appealing in both pvp and pve.

I know I personally only enjoy the escort mode in alliance. The one where one player cannot die and must make it to the end of the map being escorted by their allies. This is similar (and better) to that concept.

Also, the idea of planning an ambush spot and succeeding then holding off the counter attack seems fun.

The rules for the payload advancement is that it moves when uncontested, stops when contested. I really like the capture idea. It gives both teams a dynamic win condition thus no need for a time limit.

10/10 this game mode would be popular.

[Richard LeMoon]

This was mentioned on today's Fireside, so I cast resurrect!

[Solidusbucket]

Cool, I also changed my mind. I like other modes in Alliance now!