Campaign Option: Inventories!

Bardinae · Post by **Bardinae** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 5:36 am

Hi All!

I was just repairing my 'Iron Man' team in the factory module when an idea hit me. Why do teams have an infinite supply of parts? It made sense in the original 'Prisoner combat' background of ToS, but in the campaign background of Titans:WS, this wouldn't be true in all circumstances. In any military campaign, supply lines are one of the major issues to maintain and or cripple. I believe this dynamic can be added to Titans:WS by modifying the factory module.

How hard would it be to add an inventory database for each team? Basically a table/file which lists the amount of any given piece of equipment (by number for most items, perhaps by tons for the different types of armor and ammo). At the end of a victory, the losing team's disabled titans can be appended to the winning team. Then, in the factory module, a player could remove parts from the disabled titans and add it to their inventory.

Where it gets interesting is, if during a certain portion of a campaign (supply line cut, main base destroyed, lost your homeworld, etc.) you can *only* repair your titans from the inventory! Gee, tough battle? lost your arm? Sorry, we got the weapons, but no elbow actuators. Either leave that Titan out, or try to fight without an arm! Perhaps only certain items are avaiable on this world at this time. Out of AC20 ammo? Sorry only AC12 ammo is available for $25,000 a ton (it's a seller's market), and you have 2 working AC12's in your inventory. Would you modify for the next battle?

This would lead to more interesting issues. What if you had to use your cash to fill your inventory at the start of the game? Would you could spend all your money on titans and no inventory, gambling on a high salvage victory to pay for your damages? Would you design your titans differently, opting for low maintenance energy weapons instead of missiles or cannons?

This would make for some interesting dynamics, IMO:
- Business & Damage Control skill can play a larger role in the game
- D.C.S would be much more valuable
- Ejecting might become a more grueling choice
- Ammo now becomes even more of an issue
- To HTH or not HTH?
- What if prices for the inventory items could change battle to battle? Armor could become your biggest expense!

That's it for my train of thought. What do you think?

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 5:48 am

These are great ideas.

But I think we are concentrating right now on making Warring suns more fun not more complicated.
Maybe for Tos2?

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 5:50 am

Also, We have considered a lot of extra's that will probably not make it into the game due to time constraints. Did I mention TOS:warring suns is going to be available soon.

tarendelcymir · Post by **tarendelcymir** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 8:33 am

Originally posted by Eric Petersen:
Did I mention TOS:warring suns is going to be available soon.

Yay!!

LarkinVB · Post by **LarkinVB** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 10:57 am

I like the idea of inventory in the new setting. It could add a lot to the RPG element - BUT it would take a long time to do a propper implementation and therefore does not fit into the ToS WS schedule.

There are lots of good ideas to improve on ToS, this one will be added.

LarkinVB · Post by **LarkinVB** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 11:19 am

Originally posted by tarendelcymir:

Yay!!

I tracked you down. I know how you look with the cat in your arms in front of the book shelf. You can't hide anymore in the cover of anonymity ( or anonimyti, or what this damned word ever spells .... )

Bardinae · Post by **Bardinae** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 12:22 pm

Originally posted by Larkin [Vicious Byte]:
I like the idea of inventory in the new setting. It could add a lot to the RPG element - BUT it would take a long time to do a propper implementation and therefore does not fit into the ToS WS schedule.

There are lots of good ideas to improve on ToS, this one will be added.

Thanks! It's nice to know it's being considered! *And* a Titans:WS beta coming soon! How many exclamations can I fit in a paragraph?!?

I look forward to the version 1.0.0!

The Happy Moron · Post by **The Happy Moron** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 12:24 pm

The inventory idea is great! I can just imagine the look... You're down to spare parts, so you fasten a foot to the soulders and arms to the low torso....

But seriously, that is something I'd like to see; It would make for much more interesting missions.

narf · Post by **narf** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 5:38 pm

I understand that such a complicated addition isn't going to make it into TOS:WS, but that would be a great addition to a sequel. Ah the logistical nightmares of mismatched weapon/ammo or being short on gyros after being mangled by a CC titan.

tarendelcymir · Post by **tarendelcymir** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 6:04 pm

Originally posted by Larkin [Vicious Byte]:

I tracked you down. I know how you look with the cat in your arms in front of the book shelf. You can't hide anymore in the cover of anonymity ( or anonimyti, or what this damned word ever spells .... )

Cute cat, isn't he? Sadly, I don't have that cat anymore. He lives at my parents house now. I've got three others, though. Where'd you see my pic? My Xanga site?

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 10:24 pm

Originally posted by Bardinae:

Thanks! It's nice to know it's being considered! *And* a Titans:WS beta coming soon! How many exclamations can I fit in a paragraph?!?

I look forward to the version 1.0.0!

I don't think I mentioned a beta. I was talking CD in a box. I already have Warring Suns betas of all the modules. Lucky me.

rosary · Post by **rosary** » Fri Oct 19, 2001 10:25 pm

Originally posted by The Happy Moron:
The inventory idea is great! I can just imagine the look... You're down to spare parts, so you fasten a foot to the soulders and arms to the low torso....

But seriously, that is something I'd like to see; It would make for much more interesting missions.

It would also make Damage Control a vital skill.