I will repeat a suggestion here since it applies to the subject. Outposts (aka checkpoints) were really introduced for the first time in FC2. There is the well known bug that makes them re-spawn in an unrealistic manner. With FC3 the checkpoints got beefed up a bit. To me they amounted to small fortresses but I suppose the term outpost could be used without exaggeration. Initially these outposts remained clear after being captured but a lot of people complained about that so a change was introduced in a patch so they would re-spawn after a period of time. That has its issues as well.
I think the main issue with these points of in-game combat are still needing a better way to behave in the game. As always, I hope the developers get creative and come up with ways to keep the checkpoints and outposts active in the game but in a realistic manner. So my idea is to have the outposts that have been captured subject to random attacks by the enemy. You as the character will need to make a decision whether to go and help defend it or stay with whatever you are currently pursuing and leave it to chance that your friendly AI will be able to handle things. In addition, the more checkpoints/outposts you have captured, the more random the attacks will be in both location and time. For example, you might fight off an attack and then there's relative quiet for a bit while other times you might get another attack on a different checkpoint almost immediately.
Another feature might be to have the ability to make checkpoints strong or weak in resistance to attacks. This way you can employ strategy across the map on how to set up your defensive positions and give yourself more freedom to count on the AI and continue to pursue other goals and missions in the game. Fortifying positions would have to come at a cost so you cannot simply fortify everything without there being some sort of effort involved. The main point to all this is introducing a strategic factor in managing conquered territory against the backdrop of the story.
I've been discussing outpost raids in another thread, and honestly not getting much traction on it, but I thought about fortifications as well. I think they'd be a nice strategic element, and it seems a good opportunity to use excess money that the last few games have been known to provide. All this talk about it is reminding me a lot of another game I'm looking forward to Shadow of War, that game contains a very similar concept although on a much deeper level actually...Originally Posted by scrapser Go to original post
My main point in making the suggestion is to come up with a way to make the sandbox aspect of the game part and parcel to the overall story. Capturing outposts is a big part of the game. Holding on to them would keep them in play so to speak. And I'm sure there are lots of ways to make it happen. Any game that has control of territory experiences a sort of hump that needs to be overcome. But once you are close to taking over the complete territory the game gets sort of bland. It would be great if the game were structured so the territory control gradually takes a back seat as more and more territory is captured while some other important aspect takes on more prominence. This way the player must still deal with the possibility of losing outposts while being faced with new and more important issues defeating the enemy.
Yeah man, look I'm totally in alignment with you about outposts being re-taken & needing to be recaptured, we agree on that 100%. The way it is in FC3/4 made it so that I deliberately avoided capturing some outposts just to keep some areas in the world under enemy control so that it didn't become bland as you say. When I found out the enemy would periodically raid our liberated outposts I was excited, but upon realizing that not defending them did absolutely nothing that excitement waned. FC5 should at least have it so the enemy can recapture outposts and require us to re-take them, preferably with at the very least new patrol routes from the hostile occupants if not more difficult enemies in general. If there were to be a fortification system to increase odds of outposts not getting recaptured all the better.Originally Posted by scrapser Go to original post
Every time playing Fallout4 I thought - "It would be great to have such a mini-fortress in FarCry!" Even better fortress! Not to get prepared fortress but to make it with our own hands (to arrange everything in such a way that will maximum complicate enemies' penetration and capturing the place) - iron fences with barbed wire, ditches and trenches, traps and mines - when enemies break through defence, trip-wire mines, buildings, underground tunnels for retreat. Just imagine your feeling......when you preapared everything......and waiting.....totally armed.....in a good prepared and calculated position...You are waiting.....Great Force is coming......even birds have stopped singing.....
I play the game, "Carrier Command: Gaia Mission" on occasion. In that game you command a futuristic aircraft carrier and capture, control and defend an archipelago of islands. The way that works would be applicable in Far Cry for outposts and checkpoints. You could customize captured checkpoints with limited resources that would help beef up defenses where it counts. This would introduce a strategy element to the game world. I think if kept within reason it would enhance things nicely.Originally Posted by HorTyS Go to original post
BTW, the Carrier Command game is a remake made by Bohemia Interactive (makers of ARMA and Operation Flashpoint). The original came out in 1988 and was made by Rainbird Software. It was a real-time sandbox game with shaded vector graphics simulating 3D. The game design was at least 10 years ahead of its time. I still play it on my Amiga computer emulator. It is one of the best games every developed in my opinion. Battlezone is similar in scope and complexity.
One idea I had a while back when thinking of how they could add to & improve upon the outposts was to give each outpost some sort of unique interactive element that can be used to your advantage when trying to liberate it. One thing I thought of for example (and this was before seeing FC5 and seeing how outposts seem to be small settlements this time around & much more spread out) was say an outpost has a big propane/ fuel tank. If you are able to sneak up to it undetected you could open the fuel tank and make it start leaking fuel, then retreat to a safe distance and ignite it with a fire arrow or something causing a huge distraction and shifting all enemies' focus within the outpost to the newly destroyed tank, allowing for ample flanking opportunity. Another example might be disabling a generator that is powering the outpost (especially helpful if done during nighttime hours, reducing enemy visibility/ awareness). I just think it would be cool to add elements within the overall environment, but especially within outposts that can be used tactically to give you a leg up on your enemies...
In addition, along the above lines, a camp could be a hunter's camp (with deer hanging awaiting processing), perhaps a logging camp, fisherman's retreat, etc. Still they'd have the items HorTyS described. We already know that there's an airport, a family air business; how about the cult meat processing plant? Probably a taken over gun shop, and their businesses. Since the cult is also trying to take over the shooting ranger and bars.Originally Posted by HorTyS Go to original post