Alternative Multiplayer/Campaign fusion

**Beiss** · May 17, 2006, 06:00 PM

I don't know if there are other games that already do this, but I think the idea is intriguing.

Since the battle AI is so horrible in RTW, and since it might suck in MTW2 as well, what do you think about this:

What if there was an option to, in campaign mode, before each battle, choose if you want to play against the computer or against another human player? There could be an online campaign quick battle mode. People could choose this mode and recieve a list of battles with players currently awaiting an opponent in their campaign game. If a player quits a battle, the enemy units become controlled by the computer AI again. Of course, there would need to be some kind of skill system for players so that meeting a one-star general on the battlefield while playing on easy setting doesn't make you meet a very experienced player that kicks your ass.

This game mode would also require players to sometimes accept to fight battles where they're likely to lose, or the easy fights will always be played against the AI.

The advantages would be enormous, though. Each fight would feel different, and they would become more personal as well, as you're really facing a human enemy rather than one controlled by the computer AI. Neither player would know what to expect. I know my explanation of this game mode isn't crystal clear, but I'd like to hear what you think.

**lightbringer418** · May 17, 2006, 07:44 PM

Fantastic idea. I never would of thought of that. As you mentioned about different general levels and stars. An expert player could just say he only has 1 star or something so he could cheat. But thats just a small issue. It would really add to the gameplay, and also put more multiplayer involvement into the real part of the game which is the campaign.

**Beiss** · May 17, 2006, 08:53 PM

Yeah... cheating would be an issue. Of course, the game needs to be intelligent enough to estimate a player's skill by itself rather than simply relying on a player's honesty. Maybe by calculating how many percent of battles a player has won or lost when facing various "odds" levels. The "odds" system is already implemented into RTW, so...

People would probably find ways to walk around this, though. But I still think a game mode like this should be a possibility. Maybe in the next TW game, after MTW2...

**Sitarus Originalus PM-30+** · May 18, 2006, 08:34 AM

i agree the idea is good, but... i am not a programer and i dont know howmany other problems that sistem would cause! .... i repeat that the idea seems good anyway.

**iKossu** · May 18, 2006, 09:16 AM

This is pretty fresh idea and not bad at all. I especially like this part of it:

Originally Posted by Beiss

Each fight would feel different - - Neither player would know what to expect.

But I don't think it's gonna happen. Besides, DarthMod - and mods alike and mods that use it - basically already makes every factions' armies different to fight against since every faction uses a different formation. And I doubt that I'd use this feature.

**Beiss** · May 18, 2006, 12:21 PM

If every army was unique enough, unlike in RTW where you usually had the same generic units in all armies, then the player would be pretty much forced to use certain formations in order to win. But the point isn't to make each army different to fight - it's to make eac h battle different. Each siege. RTW failed terribly in these areas, regardless of mods, and it'll be interesting to see how MTW2 will handle these issues. I don't believe a mode like this will actually happen, either, but I like the idea.