Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Sonic

Command & Conquer 4 Gameplay Details

Recommended Posts

Here's a summary of gameplay info from CommandCom about C&C 4. Since I don't post about anything from GR.org on the main site I feel its better here.

 

Lots of information emerged from GamesCom/CommandCom concerning the gameplay details of Command and Conquer 4. Below is a quick list of those details, but expect to see a more in-depth hands-on impression of the game.

 

DISCLAIMER: ALL INFORMATION IS FROM A PRE-ALPHA BUILD. NOTHING IS SET IN STONE

 

Crawlers

- Crawlers can respawn, but there is a 1 minute respawn time

- Crawlers respawn by coming down in a large drop pod that destroys any units underneath it

- Can only respawn in designated areas

- Crawlers have a cargo bay that can only hold 4 units by default, but can be expanded to hold more through upgrades.

- You can build units as your crawler is moving around, and they will be stored in the cargo bay. When you deploy your crawler, those units will come out as long as they have finished building

- Crawlers can crush enemy units, but take damage as they do

- Provide a large healing/repair radius

- Can be upgraded with various weapons to enhance combat effectiveness

- Respawning as a different class/crawler will destroy all existing units produced by the previous class/crawler

 

Classes

- Support class isn't just support, can hold its own as a stand-alone class. Takes less damage overall

- Offense class is more micro-intensive, designed for aggressive gameplay, heavier hitting units

- Defense class can build defense structures, shield structures etc, builds infantry

- Originally 5 classes: Assault, Heavy, Raider, Defense, Support

 

Gameplay Modes

- Domination Mode is the default (and the only one revealed so far)

- Each map has 5 goal structures that can be controlled

- The more you control, the faster you reduce the opposing team's strategic points

- Each team starts with 1000 strategic points, first to 0 is the loser

- You cannot regain points, you only lose them

- Match length is currently limited to 60 minutes, but will be adjusted based on testing feedback

 

Different Ways To Play

- Player vs Player (PVP)

- Player vs Environment (i.e. online Comp stomp)

- Skirmish (offline comp stomp)

- Custom match (different settings)

 

Multiplayer

- Automatching is based on skill and "ladder" ranking (ELO style), not based on level

- You can form temporary parties that let you stick together when automatching

- More permanent clans can be formed

- EA can now detect who disconnects

- Disconnecting results in zero XP gain during that match, and any further action EA deems appropriate

 

Player Progression

- Skill impacts the game far more than levels

- Unlocking units grants you access to more specialized units, not super strong "kill everything" units

- Level 50 vs Level 0 is NOT as one-sided as one would think. Again, skill matters more.

- You can unlock everything from units, to upgrades to more structures (for defense class)

- You level up your FACTION, not individual classes. That is, when you play as GDI, you gain GDI-only XP that can be used across all three of your classes. GDI XP cannot be used to enhance your NOD profile etc.

 

Resources

- There is no tiberium, harvesters, gathering, or money of any shape or form

- The "resources" are the strategic command points that each team starts with. You remove these points from the opposing team by capturing and controlling the goal structures on the map

- Goal structures automatically reinforce themselves the longer you hold onto them

- You control these goal structures by keeping units near them. The more units, the faster you capture them.

- EA is experimenting with some form of separate resource gathering and spending

 

Misc Details

- Each class has an "epic" unit. For example, GDI Offense gets the Mastadon, which is essentially the Mammoth Mk II from Tiberian Sun

- Some units have ammo limits that require them to wait before they reload

- Flame tank causes residual burn damage over time

- Engineer can capture husks of units (for example, old GDI Mammoth Tanks), and can heal/repair units at a short range

- There are approximately 50 command points per player in 5v5, which translates to about 10 units that you can control. The fewer players there are, the more command points there are per player

- Combat lethality is very low

- Movement speed is slow-average

- There are three tech levels that you upgrade to via the crawler

- Un-upgraded crawlers are easier to kill than the epic units from Kane's Wrath, and don't do as much damage.

Original post: http://www.gamereplays.org/community/New_C...ls-t529570.html

Share this post


Link to post

Huh, can't say I like the idea of control points on the map. Sounds like the more you spam, the more you earn.

Share this post


Link to post
Huh, can't say I like the idea of control points on the map. Sounds like the more you spam, the more you earn.

A similar system worked quite well in Company of Heroes/DOW2. I do like those games, but I'm not sure if it's a fit for C&C...there's something to be said for the simplicity of building up a force and then steamrolling the other player's base.

 

On another note, I like the fact that "combat lethality is very low". I always thought that units died waaay too fast in C&C:TW.

Edited by Shocker

Share this post


Link to post

I said this on the GR forums, and I will say it here, at first I was going to try it out, but after seeing this, its only a C&C game by name only. It basically removed everything that made the Tiberium/Tiberian series. Hell, I don't think it should be called by its subtitle(it doesn't deserve it).

Share this post


Link to post

I wonder how different will the extra two classes (Heavy, Raider) do?

 

and I have no idea Nod crawlers will come down from the air. Its more fitting if it comes from underground.

Share this post


Link to post

Raider sounds like a hit-and-run kind of subfaction, but I'm not sure what the difference between Heavy and Assault could have been.

Share this post


Link to post

Not that it matters, it does say originally, meaning that there is no longer 5 classes...

Share this post


Link to post
Guest Stevie_K

There's just one thing I have begun to wonder about. Where's the infantry?, We haven't seen a single on yet have we?

Share this post


Link to post

^

I worried about that too, we can't just not have them...

Or can we?

I guess it's not that huge compared to getting rid of base building...

 

[/rumor making]

Share this post


Link to post
- Engineer can capture husks of units (for example, old GDI Mammoth Tanks), and can heal/repair units at a short range

This may turn out to be a very interesting detail in the campaign :)

Share this post


Link to post
Where's the infantry?, We haven't seen a single on yet have we?

This,

- Defense class can build defense structures, shield structures etc, builds infantry

seems to indicate that infantry is limited to defense class as well as any form of base buildings?

 

Defense class: base defenses, Ion Cannon, infantry... I guess you could call the defense class the C&C class.

Share this post


Link to post
seems to indicate that infantry is limited to defense class as well as any form of base buildings?

 

Defense class: base defenses, Ion Cannon, infantry... I guess you could call the defense class the C&C class.

No, I'd rather think they can only build infantry as units. I'd really doubt they're limited to the defense class.

Share this post


Link to post
- The "resources" are the strategic command points that each team starts with. You remove these points from the opposing team by capturing and controlling the goal structures on the map

- Goal structures automatically reinforce themselves the longer you hold onto them

- You control these goal structures by keeping units near them. The more units, the faster you capture them.

 

This kind of gameplay reminds me of Petroglyph's "Star Wars : Empire at War". I got the feeling EA is beginning to run out of ideas, I don't know what to say when the franchise continues with another game.

Edited by Silverthorn

Share this post


Link to post
Guest Stevie_K
I guess it's not that huge compared to getting rid of base building...

 

Guess so.

 

Defense class: base defenses, Ion Cannon, infantry... I guess you could call the defense class the C&C class.

 

Guess so.

Share this post


Link to post

I have to say this is kind of worrying me. No real bases, no harvesting (apparently), "Control points..." ALL THIS CHANGE IS TOO MUCH. I CANNOT BEAR IT.

 

 

Seriously though, I'm slightly nervous. If they don't pull off the last game in the Tiberian storyline, I'm not going to like it. I have confidence in EA, though. :D You can do it, guys. :D

Share this post


Link to post
Guest Stevie_K
I have confidence in EA, though. :D You can do it, guys. :D

 

That's the spirit! Nice to see at least someone can show their positivity in these days :)

Share this post


Link to post

Yes the gameplay is different, radically different, but here's the thing. These difference could end up being really awesome when you finally get to sit down and play it for yourself next year.... or the beta test later this year.

Share this post


Link to post

Stranger things have happened....

:)

Share this post


Link to post

I never like the idea that other classes cannot build troops. I mean, seriously, what sort of army is that without troops?

Share this post


Link to post

I'm looking forward to this game so much. They might have changed a lot, but like Sonic said, it could turn out very awesome.

 

It seems to me like there will actually be quite a bit of base building with the defense class. I mean, there are defenses to build plus a Temple of Nod/Ion Cannon announced so far. There are still unannounced buildings, and I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say that one of them is a stationary factory...

 

Just imagine the team-based multiplayer. One or two defense class players go around the map, deploying their crawlers and setting up small bases in strategic locations while a couple of offensive class players are assaulting the enemy positions, retreating back to the defenses when their health gets low. All while the support class player is...I don't really know. Supporting, I guess.

 

- Combat lethality is very low

- Movement speed is slow-average

 

Yessss...I've been playing Kane's Wrath recently, and you can give four Purifiers a move order through the enemies base, and they'll easily destroy the entire base as they walk by the buildings. Sometimes the buildings will get destroyed before the flames actually hit them. While this is emotionally satisfying, it's not exactly my favorite kind of RTS. I much prefer the slow TD gameplay. They also need to not make NEARLY EVERYTHING detect stealth. In the old games, the only way you could intercept a stealth tank was if it strayed very close to your defenses or infantry. In C&C3 it's practically impossible to get a stealth tank anywhere near your enemy's base.

 

I do have one bone to pick:

 

- There are approximately 50 command points per player in 5v5, which translates to about 10 units that you can control. The fewer players there are, the more command points there are per player

 

...Wait, what? Am I reading this wrong, or is it saying that in a 5v5 match I'm only going to be able to build TEN UNITS?! That's the most ridiculous population cap I've ever seen! I won't even be able to get one of each unit! I must not be understanding that correctly, right?

Share this post


Link to post

I hope there is a pop cap for defences too. Else you'll see epic defence battles, which are horrible enough in TW/KW/RA3.

Share this post


Link to post
- There are approximately 50 command points per player in 5v5, which translates to about 10 units that you can control. The fewer players there are, the more command points there are per player

...Wait, what? Am I reading this wrong, or is it saying that in a 5v5 match I'm only going to be able to build TEN UNITS?! That's the most ridiculous population cap I've ever seen! I won't even be able to get one of each unit! I must not be understanding that correctly, right?

I think you are reading it wrong. By 'units', I'm pretty sure it is referring to the command points, not vehicles.

Share this post


Link to post
Gameplay Modes

- Domination Mode is the default (and the only one revealed so far)

- Each map has 5 goal structures that can be controlled

- The more you control, the faster you reduce the opposing team's strategic points

- Each team starts with 1000 strategic points, first to 0 is the loser

- You cannot regain points, you only lose them

- Match length is currently limited to 60 minutes, but will be adjusted based on testing feedback

 

So much for the World in Conflict style play the developers have been talking about then. This is (for lack of better example) pure Dawn of War 2 style gameplay.

 

Domination in WiC, which is a similar mode here was based around each team having around 1000 points each, but in a visual and not numerical representation. It meant capturing points and holding on. However, the domination bar in the GUI would shift dependant on the most dominant side. If you had more strategic areas, you'd gain more points and the bar would fill with your side's flag, while the other side's flag got smaller... The winner was the side who either won total domination, or had the most domination advantage after the time limit expired, who then was crowned the victor. It was only once you dominated the all the Strategic areas, would the domination bar move twice as fast.

 

This type of domination game play is much better in my book. I found Dawn of War's numerical style rather tedious, since even if there was a strong chance of a late comeback by the your team's side, you'd still be losing points until you claim total domination of all areas. In WiC, that isn't the case. If you capture half or more of the points, the domination bar stops and you get points back. The opposing team then loses points in a tug of war fashion.

 

WiC offered more versatile Tactical and Strategic opportunities, as well as greater incentives to win. At no point in the Multiplayer arena did you concede defeat unless you were being steamrolled, or inevitably did not have the ability to manage a comeback for your own total domination. In DoW2, matches could be decided by the 500 point mark with very little chance of a tactical change which would see your team win. Sure it was sometimes possible by beating the opposing side within 1-25 points at times. But the sheer frustration of having a bad start, and then becoming the better side, and still losing, really ticked me off!

 

At least in WiC, in the face of almost certain defeat and with (for example) 25-50 points left. You could still try some last resort tactics by using all those stockpiled command points for the heavy support powers, stopping the domination bar in its tracks by capturing enemy territory, and still somehow in the comeback be credited with an extra 1,000 points just in time to see the timer run out, and attain victory. The sheer intensity and adrenaline rush of winning in that fashion, was nothing short of bloody fantastic!

Edited by Saracen

Share this post


Link to post

Ahh, Wee_Ooh, I hear you, I love slower gameplay like Tiberian Sun was, C&C3 & RA3 were too fast for me and I can't handle them, especially the double cash for Brutal. :(

Share this post


Link to post

Although I haven't played either of the games that Saracen has just mentioned, in principle I'm with him on this one. It seems odd to have a countdown and not a tug of war style mechanic like in Battlefield series... it's something that stood out to me that in theory it doesn't seem to work. But alas I won't know until the beta. I'll reserve judgement on that.

 

I assume this is an effort for a finite game length, maybe even to lead to EALA-patented-style short gameplay, rather than an unending game with automatic respawns.

Share this post


Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×