CNCNZ.com Roundtable #22 - Command & Conquer 4 Special Edition

[TheBlackOut 7]

Some unit designs look a bit questionable, and the SAG engine is obsolete. But apart from, that, I pretty much embrace all the changes EA made, IF the story, level design and mission design will be decent enough, the game relatively bug-free, satisfying in length and balanced.

The talk of the SAGE engine obsolete reminds me of when I said I thought the SAGE engine looked old when C&C3 reared around Good times.

[Gben 20]

Yah - finally got around to reading the rountable. It's something that you either rush to read as soon as it's released or something you leave until you get a chance to read it properly like today.

 

Good stuff Sonic, these are the best idea to come out of CNCNZ since Tib Lego's...

 

#1) Well the Tiberium universe is the grand-daddy of the C&C style universes so it's hard not to be excited when they announce a new game to come out, but I was surprised that they skipped over Gen2. (I'd love to see someone do a comprehensive comparison of C&C v Generals compared with C&C v C&C4. It would be interesting to see the 'innovations'.)

I enjoyed Gen/ZH skirmish/mp. And while C&C has alway's been futuristic RTS, I've always seen Generals as Modern RTS. The source of the conflict, and the factions involved is irrelevant to me. And like I eluded in other threads, the reset the universe from RA1, RA2, and RA3... so I think they could have made a modern day RTS universe game. The issues of dozers, suicidal middle-eastern factions, and poor story/plot are side issues to me.

And to repeat myself, I wish these new concepts were tested in an spinoff rather than the epic conclusion to the series.

 

#2) A lot of these new ideas are interesting concepts and innovations, seriously. But I greatly lament the radical changes to C&C gameplay canon that are been thrust apon us as the replacement core gameplay. If I couldn't have these in a spin-off, I would be more than happy to see these as a MP options. a FPS has death-match, capture the flag, assasin, etc Why couldn't they focus on alternate MP RTS game modes? You correctly say - it's a bunch of extra work - and I agree but aren't we worth it!

 

(BTW, I understand the viewpoint that 'professional' gamers have developed a perfect build order to achieve the rush, but I can't see how the same affect cannot be achieved with the crawler's build/research/upgrade order.)

 

#3) From a purely practical sense, most people have an always-on internet connection so it's not a technical issue... although it's no true for everyone, everywhere. But for me the principle that you are required to be online for SP gameplay - is just outrageous.

 

(I just don't see the validity of 'concept that you can improve your rank offline for online play and visa-versa. Because by their very nature the two gameplays are vastly different, with different disciplines, and goals. It just seems wrong.)

 

#4) I'm torn about the lack of Scrin in C&C4. Like a lot of things coming out of EALA, it seems like EALA take 2 steps forward and 1 step backward... like removing co-op play from RA3:Uprising. I'd rather they were in in C&C4, but I would rather they never appeared in C&C3 in the first place.

 

#5) I'm looking forward to the music of C&C4 with or without Frank.

 

#6) Sidebar/bottom bar... non-issue. But if I had to choose, it would be the sidebar. Of course a loose GUI would be cool!