MrGrey

0 comments by MrGrey on Jun 14th, 2009 digg this super bookmark

We have something very special planned for PVM!
We hope you can find this new "Super-awesome-secret" and love it as much as we did creating it!
There is also another very special release I have been allowed to speak of! May I now introduce a new mechanic of game play: Factions!

We now have three factions, based upon the player skin you choose at the beginning of the character creation page.
The three new factions are as follows:

The Resistance:
The Resistance was formed during and slightly after the Seven Hour War. It is made up of citizen and the few remaining Black Mesa employees. Their objective is to fight off the Combine. The combatants are backed up by Isaas Kliener and the other remaining Black Mesa scientists. They are the underdogs, the scrappers; the faction who places the most emphasis on camaraderie more than anything else.

The Combine:
The Combine are a viral-like species who want nothing more than to rule the universe. They are made of up of mindless drones and easily manipulated humans. The combatants are backed up by their gracious benefactors. They are the militants, the faction who who places their emphasis on efficiency.

Aperture Science:
Aperture Science was Black Mesa's competing company. They had brilliant scientists and eccentric leader - all of which were destroy with the creation of GLaDOS. The remaining scientists (who had taken a day off) and their test subjects make up what is left of Aperture Science. The combatants are backed up by GLaDOS who provides them with the Aperture variation of weapons. They are the thinkers; the faction who puts the most emphasis on furthering science.

Each faction brings to the table new benefits when they are with one of their own too!

Resistance: When 2 or more rebels are near each other, they are under the effect of camaraderie - and will gain slightly more experience. Scales slightly as more and more rebels fight together.

Combine: When 2 or more Combine are near each other, they gain tactical advantage - and will deal slightly more weapon damage. Scales slightly as more Combines fight together.

Aperture Science: When 2 or more Aperture combatants are near each other, they gain the technical advantage - and will recover auxiliary power slightly faster. Scales slightly as more of them fight together.

As I've been allowed to reveal this, I full well think it's within my bounds to also provide my personal opinion on a few bits and bobs from the new update that you're all going to love!Personally I find this factions deal to be very team oriented, meaning that any sort of team game modes that may be implemented later in the updates will have to be three-way fights, with maps designed as such to support team orientation.

This also allows for "Alliances" of a sort in game modes, meaning two factions could ally against one for a time in certain game modes. It all depends though as we have not looked into that all the way. Honestly, this will allow for new skins for each alliance, and even new weapon models.

I feel that personally if we start making separate weapons for each faction and giving them different damages it'd be very hard to keep them balanced; as one faction would always have the upper hand. But different visuals? Cool by me. Different resistances needed for each faction? Cool by me!

Honestly this is one of many steps in the right direction for Modular Combat. I feel this is going to benefit game play as a whole and allow for new friendships and enemies to erupt from team play.
Hope to see you all on the battlefield!See ya next time, space cowboy.

P.s-
Man-hack minions. Gonna fucking rock.
That is all.