Suggestion: Playable scenarios

[GutlessWonder]

I love DEFCON, but I got to wondering just what it would be like if you could set up predetermined scenarios. The classic instance would be one during the Cold War, where your silos and radar bases are placed for you based on historical locations. A Cuban Missile Crisis scenario would be a bit of a stretch, but still possibly doable.

The only major deviation from normal gameplay would be your in-ability to place your own units (basically forcing your to start at DEFCON 3), but a properly designed scenario could really force someone to think about their strategies.

There could be two uses for this:

1) A different type of tutorial, also potentially structured as challenges, story-mode, etc.

2) It could still be used around DEFCON's multiplayer-centric purpose, with properly designed scenarios giving stronger players a handicap that could lead to more intense matches, and a larger sense of victory.


I recognize that in all cases this would complicate the simplicity that the game enjoys right now, but I thought it might be a bit of depth worth looking into.

[Montyphy]

Call that a suggestion? Get the feck out!

[/joke]

[xander]

I, for one, consider this to be a great idea. And, as the code is already there for the tutorial, it can't be that hard to implement, right? And ignore Montyphy. He is old, and crotchety.

xander

[KingAl]

Do you mean like (the 4th option) here?

[GutlessWonder]

Sort of, but this would include being able to force unit placement on the player, making them always have that one silo right next to New York, for example. I didn't get the impression that was included in the poll's suggestion.

[Hyperion]

If the scenarios have forced fixed units for you (unless ive missed something and theyre random each game)...wouldnt you just be able to blind nuke where you knew other players installations would be? and essentially just make the game a race.

[xander]

If the scenarios have forced fixed units for you (unless ive missed something and theyre random each game)...wouldnt you just be able to blind nuke where you knew other players installations would be? and essentially just make the game a race.

Can you simply blind nuke in Diplo? In that game mode, you do, in theory, know where your opponent's installations are from the start. Knowing where your enemy's installations are does not make it a cakewalk.

xander

[Hyperion]

Valid point but Diplomacy is only one game mode. Plus not everyone places their units before leaving the alliance.

I guess the idea has its pro's and con's.

You have a view on the Hudson Bay bug?

[xander]

Valid point but Diplomacy is only one game mode. Plus not everyone places their units before leaving the alliance.

I guess the idea has its pro's and con's.

All ideas have pros and cons. However, seeing enemy units from the start does not strike me as one of them. It is quite possible to win in any scoring mode after having given you unit locations away in exchange for enemy unit locations. Knowing where your enemies are from the start doesn't strike me as a huge advantage or handicap.

xander

[Hyperion]

That depends on the skills of said players and how well they take advantage of such information.

[shinygerbil]

That depends on the skills of said players and how well they take advantage of such information.

Winning at Defcon depends on the skill of said players and how well they take advantage of any information.

[Hyperion]

That depends on the skills of said players and how well they take advantage of such information.

Winning at Defcon depends on the skill of said players and how well they take advantage of any information.

Obviously true

[prophile]

Sort of, but this would include being able to force unit placement on the player, making them always have that one silo right next to New York, for example. I didn't get the impression that was included in the poll's suggestion.

These forums are mine, Webb. GTFO! :O

[GutlessWonder]

prophile?!?!?!

Oh it is so on.

*launches detected*

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The thing I like about set unit placement is that it can force you to use strategies you wouldn't normally think of, and a well-built scenario, even if you learned where the specific enemy units are always at, would compensate for most strategies. That doesn't mean there would have to be one and only one way to win, and it could also encourage more people to step up as far as modding levels goes. The more people you have modding DEFCON, the longer it's going to stay popular, the more tools that will be developed, and the more inviting it can be.

At its core, DEFCON is a very accessible multi-player game, but those opponents who specifically always beat you aren't on 24/7. Which means you can't practice against them...but if you could recreate their defenses, possibly even program in specific responses (though that becomes much more complex than just having set units to start with, I know)...I think the possibilities are endless.

[KingAl]

I'm inclined to agree. Scenarios force people to use different approaches, while also making the single-player side more diverse.