Jetpack Minigame - Plummeting Pilots (Needs Testing)

Discussion in 'Halo and Forge Discussion' started by Sam, Jan 27, 2011.

  1. Sam

    Sam Ancient
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    This is a mini game that I started working on a few days ago. As far as I know, this idea (safe havens used to disable jet packs) hasn't been used yet, and I hope that this will turn out to be a fun mini game that people will enjoy.

    As far as the map goes, there's nothing special at all about it. Just a huge box for the humans to fly around in. It serves its purpose. Here's the overview:
    [​IMG]

    How does this game play out?

    First of all, this is a mini game that uses safe havens. There are two zombies at the start of the round who are in a small chamber for about 10 seconds. When these two zombies spawn, they spawn on top of sprint armor abilities, both of which are set up as safe havens. The zombies are then teleported into the center of the jetpack arena. The safe haven will switch back and forth between these two alpha zombies.

    The humans have unlimited jetpack and a high jump ability to allow them to fly up pretty high. Their job is to simply fly around and survive the round. They can fall to their death. They CANNOT kill the zombies at all. (If they could, the safe havens would screw up as the armor abilities on the zombies would disappear.)

    Back to those safe havens. The safe havens are not safe havens at all. They do not help the humans. The humans want to avoid the safe haven. Why? The safe haven basically acts like an EMP, disabling the use of jetpacks for the humans, leading them to fall to the ground. The safe haven severely limits the humans' jump height, speed, and health. If the humans survive the fall but remain in the safe haven, the zombies can just finish them off with their swords. It's more fun to watch the humans fall to their death though.

    So here's a picture of the EMP safe haven in action:
    [​IMG]
    Note that when the zombie with the safe haven looks up, he can use the ring of the safe haven to aim. The human in that picture has been EMPed and is falling to his death. Everybody, zombies and humans alike, have waypoints above their heads.

    This is not a one life gametype. Rather than spectating when you die, you will spawn as another shark zombie. The last man standing in a big party will look at the ground in terror at all the zombies waiting for him to die.


    Here's a human being chased by the safe haven:
    [​IMG]


    And here's a human who has hit the ground:
    [​IMG]

    tl;dr: The humans must fly around with unlimited jetpack and avoid the jetpack-disabling safe havens that are carried by the zombies. The zombies are the safe havens.
     
    #1 Sam, Jan 27, 2011
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2011
  2. pyro

    pyro The Joker
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    This sounds hilarious to play, but why just have a giant, empty arena. You should place something to give humans some cover, and make escaping zombies more complicated than just speed. Another possible method to give humans some defense would be concussion rifles or needlers to blast the zombies back. I'll test with you if I'm online.
     
  3. Sam

    Sam Ancient
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    I'm not sure what kind of cover you are suggesting.

    I might want to try concussion rifles, but I don't know, that could be annoying if you're a zombie getting spammed by those. I haven't really gotten any testing done yet. I can imagine this being an epic game with a large party.

    I take it you're on one of the TGIF friends list, so if you're on Reach later, I'll invite you.
     
    #3 Sam, Jan 27, 2011
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2011
  4. AnthraXe187

    AnthraXe187 Guest

    This idea has been used before, two times that I know of, but in a different context. One in Victus Inferi's tractor beam concept and one time in Camofo's Cawk Blawkin Border Patroll game. But technically it hasn't been used in this way. I will be willing to test this with you, but I need to know what time because of things I need to do. Just send me a message to let me know.
     
  5. Sam

    Sam Ancient
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    I don't have a set time, but it will most likely be after 5:00 or so, when more people are online.
     
  6. AnthraXe187

    AnthraXe187 Guest

    Alright, I will see what I can do. This does look like a lot of fun and original how you implemented hills on the Arnor Abilities themselves. I can't wait to test this.
     
  7. MaxSterling

    MaxSterling Ancient
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    The safe haven would have to be very large, and extend all the way to the ground... because the "no jetpack" would only work in the safe haven area. As soon as they dropped below the safe haven, they'd have jetpack power again.

    I don't think safe havens work like custom power ups, they work like a dead zone. The moment you enter/exit the zone, the properties start/cease to work.

    Unless the zombies have some kind of firing weapons, all I need to know is where the safe havens spawn and be sure to just hover in one spot.
     
  8. seredhras

    seredhras Forerunner

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    the safe haven is on the zombies, i gather, so hovering in one spot means they'm just move under you
     
  9. Sam

    Sam Ancient
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    The safe havens are massive, going from the floor all the way to the top of the map. They also have a radius of 5.

    What you say here is true, but I think you're a little confused on how this game works. When the zombies' safe haven envelops a human, the human takes on a different set of traits including less speed, lower jump, and greater gravity. If a zombie with the safe haven moves before the human has hit the ground, yes, the human can jetpack again. But the whole idea is that the zombie keeps the human in the safe haven so that he cannot get away and so that (if the human is high enough) the human will plummet to his death. The safe haven zombie has to "catch" the human.

    The zombies "are" the safe havens, and the zombies move fairly quickly with sprint on the ground, so hovering in one spot won't do you any good.


    I hope that cleared things up.
     
    #9 Sam, Jan 27, 2011
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2011
  10. MaxSterling

    MaxSterling Ancient
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    I haven't checked out the safe havens game type so I'm unaware that there's an option to make someone the safe haven.
     
  11. Sam

    Sam Ancient
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    Yeah, you can set an armor ability to be a safe haven, and when you pick it up you essentially become the safe haven.
     
    #11 Sam, Jan 27, 2011
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2011
  12. RPAL

    RPAL Ancient
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    *facepalm*

     
  13. MaxSterling

    MaxSterling Ancient
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    Like I said, ****, I haven't messed with the game type... let alone played many games of it... so I'm unaware of how the safe havens actually work.
     
  14. Arctic Hunter

    Arctic Hunter Forerunner

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    Great idea, I cant say much more than it looks like you put a lot of effort and brain power to developing a great game. I would like to be part of testing if you dont mind, but a problem is that I have gotten my xbox taken away until this Saturday. Even if youy test it beforehand I'll be willing to play it other times.
     
  15. pyro

    pyro The Joker
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    Like pillars or something vertical so people can't stand on them but it allows humans to disappear around corners and hide rather than just being run into a corner.

    Concussion rifles are incredibly difficult to hit enemies with directly except at close range.

    Yep.

    Another few things I think might be a problem are how you want to prevent people from just sitting down on the floor where they take no fall damage, and I know jetpacks slowly lose power even if pulsed in Firefight, but I'm not sure if they do in Multiplayer.
     
  16. cannibalghoul

    cannibalghoul Forerunner

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    I like this idea. I can help with testing tomorrow if you want, I usually am on at about 7PM Pacific time (10 PM eastern i think)

    If they stay on the floor then they are easier targets for the zombies. If they are in the air, they at least have a chance to escape, depending on how competent the zombie is. Plus flying is more fun than walking around on the floor. Also theres an option to put infinite armour abilities into custom games, so losing power wouldn't be a problem.
     
  17. fourkillmaster

    fourkillmaster Forerunner

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    Safe spot

    Hey I tested this map with you last night and it appears that the Pilots can jump over the top boundaries and get underneath the main structure and stay within a safe zone. Once down there you can jet-pack to a rock on the Island which allows you to become unreachable and impossible to kill. So I though I should just notify you of that. Also you can stand on top of the Red and Blue lights which can also make the Pilots impossible to kill.
    While I think the use of weapon pickup was a good idea towards the end of testing and it stopped people from camping on the lights. I believe you should remove weapon pickup and give the infected a concussion rifle as a secondary weapon instead. This will keep the pilots constantly moving and keep them away from walls and the lowered ceiling area. Overall those are just some of my thoughts on how to balance the map a bit better but overall I had a great time playing it.
     
  18. Sam

    Sam Ancient
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    I have added more kill boundaries to prevent escaping. I think I may have to add in some hard kill boundaries too. I have already deleted the Red and Blue lights and those decorative receiver nodes. I have disabled weapon pickup for the zombies, and put in two custom powerups for the two "alpha" zombies that will allow them to pick up the safe haven armor abilities. The only way I want the zombies to be able to kill the humans is with the safe haven or with their swords. Thanks for your help.
     
    #18 Sam, Jan 28, 2011
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2011
  19. Hogframe

    Hogframe Ancient
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    Yeah. God forbid anyone actually read the thread. That's just ludicrous.
     
  20. JOYST1CK

    JOYST1CK Forerunner

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    I love the concept. Idk how well it actually works though. That's something I'd have to try out. My concerns would be that jet packs do not allow for very rapid horizontal travel. Seeing as how you have the zombies with the sprint ability and the safe haven going as high into the air as the humans can jetpack, it completely eliminates the need to jetpack, not to mention the fact that it'd be easier/faster for the humans to escape the zombies on foot. Idk, it's just what I think. Again, It's something I'd have to test out to know for sure. Sorry if you adressed the issues already. I'm way to lazy to read through the thread haha. But great concept non the less.
     

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