Idea Info Name: Deep Space: Plasma Index: Primary Category: Action Submitted: 12/31/2003 11:38:14 AM Written By: int3gral

Deep Space: Plasma

<<<NOT YET READY… UPDATING…>>>

The DEEP SPACE: PLASMA. Idea created by Andrew “Int3gral” Nosenko. See full credits below.

Platform: PC

Genre: FPS/RPG/RTS

Main genre: FCS (FUTURE COMBAT Simulation)

Graphics: 3D

FPS is similar to “Breed” (www.breedgame.com), Natural-Selection and Halo (www.gearbox.com).

RPG elements are similar to my own idea. Maybe Deus Ex and same stuff are close. I don’t really know.

RTS conception is mostly similar to space strategies (Homeworld 2), but much simpler. It looks like the coordination more, than RTS. But most good example of same-type RTS- free mod “Natural-Selection” (www.natural-selection.org)

Type: SinglePlayer

Most preferred engine: Mercury Engine (www.brat-designs.com) it has all needed features. But any engine, which has fast loadings and ability to calculate enormous open spaces, can be accepted.

WHY DO WE NEED SUCH GENRE-MIX? BECAUSE SINGLE GENRE GAMES BECOME INCREASINGLY BORING. GAMERS DO WANT MIXED GENRES. (RTS-FPS, FPS-RPG, FCS-RTS)

Index:

The idea

Story

Ranking

Weapons

Units and Infantry

Mission types

Missions

Maps, Engine

Scenario

Enemies

Multiplayer

Short conception:

Ranking

You start as a space marine.

1. Private. Just one of these space marines… You are on the medium space ship (mothership). First task is to follow officer’s instructions, sit down (with your teammates and commander) into Marine Bot and infiltrate small enemy ship. If you manage to survive, you return to mothership and time for second mission has come- defend (with many other troops) your mothership from enemy infantry attack at all costs. If you survive here too, the General will promote you.
2. Elite Private
3. Sergeant. Still low ranked. But! Now you have control over one small squad of troops. When your squad gets order to assault enemy starship you open special menu, gather a team, give them weapons, and go to the Marine Bot. Such bots are designed especially for infiltration procedures. You may (80% guaranty) fly close to enemy cruiser and dock to one of his bays. You and your guys (marines, under your control, looks like Op Flashpoint) enter enemy ship. Your task usually is: destroy ship’s Battle Room- the place, from where ALL defensive and offensive procedures are managed. When you finish your task, you have to escape from enemy ship, while your allies start the attack. What’s cool? Well, the idea itself is interesting- enemy battle cruiser is INFILTRATED by small squad! Marine Bot is not under your control, Bot’s pilot flies close to enemy ship himself. You can’t control Marine Bot in game. Nevertheless, you may walk inside of the Bot and even look outside through windows- where the furious battle trembles the space. When enemy jets are close, you and your soldiers use stationary turrets to defend Marine Bot. You don’t have good Rank for now, so you have only small Marine Bot and only three soldiers. Your target ship is usually smaller one (sentinel, recon, small cruiser). When you will success few missions, you will gain new rank.
4. “B” Lieutenant. You get new rank. New type of Marine Bot is available now. You may have eight men squad (it consists of two small squads, leaded by sergeants)! Moreover, some new weapons added to your arsenal. Mission types are same: Infiltrate enemy ships (but now you may dock in to medium ships and some big ships either), and defend your own mothership from enemy infiltrations. Plus you have to some “dirty work” from general- take this there, bring that here, but mostly these quests are “If you want to perform” type. Don’t want? Don’t do! However, you wont get bonus points or bonus troops.
5. “A” Lieutenant. You get higher rank. You may now own biggest Marine Bot and eight troops as always. New adds- some upgrades for marines, some new types of weapons.
6. Captain. Higher rank. Control 16 men (four squads). You can use now heavy infantry in your missions.
7. Major. Higher rank. Gain over 24 soldiers (3 lieutenants, 6 sergeants and 18 soldiers are under your command now- six squads). New Marine Bot missions added- infiltrate big ships, infiltrate Cargo Ships and so on. Almost all modes are now enabled. Mission types: Infiltrate (Small, Medium, Other), Defend. Control 24 men.
8. Colonel. Highest rank. You have control over some mothership’s defense systems! You manually select defense points, place shields, infantry before enemy close combat attack. All modes are enabled. You have access to all weapons and all machinery. General gives you all types of tasks. You control 32 men (and in addition two captains and four lieutenants).

MISSION TYPES

1. Defend your mothership from enemy infantry.
2. Use Marine Bot to infiltrate enemy ship.
3. Using Marine Bot, infiltrate on your allies’ ship and help them to stop enemy infantry.
4. Capture cargo ship.
5. Capture cargo ship, infected by alien life forms.
6. Infiltrate enemy ship, infected by aliens, get into ship’s control room and activate self-destruction timer.
7. Escape from your Mothership, infected by aliens.
8. Defend allies’ ship from alien life forms.
9. Infiltrate into enemy space station.
10. Infiltrate infected space station and destroy it.

MISSIONS

1.     “The Space Marine” private

First mission- you are simple space marine. You must follow orders from your upper commander- Lieutenant Sadroff. Your squad’s task is to infiltrate small enemy cruiser. You and your companions go to Marine Bot, take your places and… It starts! Pilot is professional and you fly through space to enemy ship very fast. In that short period, you manage to see the furious fight that is happening outside of bot. Jets, Cruisers, laser and plasma beams, meteors… Everything mixed… The Chaos. Bot docks in.

You just hear Sergeant Marks’ order (he is your lower commander): “Group in column, Hawkins- you go first, Mason- guard the bot. Others- out! Move, move!”

Soldiers answer: “Yes sir, we go!”

Lieutenant Sadroff commands two squads- two sergeants and six soldiers. You are one of those soldiers. Sergeant Marks is your sergeant. You follow his orders.

So, you hear airlock valve puffing and while the doors slowly open you are praying. White smoke and puffing. Airlock exchange complete. Silence.

The docking bay is empty. Nobody expected us. It’s terribly quiet here. Solders are not feeling well. They are first time in combat. Claustrophobia. Only alert systems are flashing and jingling. This ship is under fire, and crew inside has lots of work to do, no time is left to check out docking bays. Our squad easily locates the Battle room and after intense and fast combat, destroys ship’s the battle room. It’s time to go home! Not so fast! Crew at last noticed us and new battle starts. Enemy crew calls reinforcements from Cryostat Room (the place, where soldiers are stored in “deep sleep”). The fire is so heavy, that walls are as hot as a piece of metal in the blacksmith… Small squad has more than half of people down, but they continue to move toward the bay. Here is the dock and the marine bot. Nobody even tried to attack it. Why? Because simple infantry weapons are useless against Marine Bot’s defense shields (Marine Bot is space-ship class, and it has space-standard armor). These shields are designed to protect crew from heavy plasma turrets, so what can an assault rifle or grenade do against it? Here is the airlock, Mason is covering… Surviving soldiers jump into the Marine Bot and we are flying away. Only I, Sergeant Marks, Oakman and Mason managed to escape. Only four guys from nine survived…

The squad usually consists of eight marines and sergeant. Five marines where killed during the mission. Anyway, Sergeant Marks is not so sad- mission is accomplished. Now this battle cruiser can’t shoot or activate his engines! Soon, (after the battle) our colleagues- marines will capture it.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

2.     “Mothership care” private (promoted to sergeant after this mission)

There is not time to rest. As soon as you arrive, the global “Beta” Alerts sounds- enemy marine bots inbound. Time to party! More than five small bots dock in. Five bots, each has capacity of nine men. We get 45 enemy soldiers. The battle starts. Enemy soldiers want to get into our Battle Room. Their squads work quite effectively. We have to retreat. This time some new enemy bots dock in. In the epicenter of the battle, Sergeant Marks falls dead. “We are doomed!”-wounded soldier shouts and retreats. The Hell, the end of the world. Walls are red from the heat; temperature is critical, human brains can’t even imagine such apocalypse…  You don’t even realize that you are fully surrounded. Captain’s bridge is under siege also. Death is close. Your teammate fires his last grenade. No ammo left. It is the end. You and few survivors, with impressive aggression, like animals who don’t want to die, manage to cut through enemy lines. You retreat to docking bays in hope to find any evacuation capsules. No chance: enemy fire from the outside for so intensive, that almost all evacuation units where destroyed… This is the end. You reload your last clip and prepare for your last combat… Suddenly docking system messenger (AI) informs that unknown bots are inbound! These are friendly bots sent by our allies! What luck! They are right in time: Battle room is about to surrender. New infantry squads destroy enemy forces in few minutes. Battle is over. You have lost a count of dead bodies… Wounded teammates shout, call medics. The deadliest part of show is over. You survive.

MISSSION ACCOMPLISHED

3. “Don’t fail” sergeant

Who would know? You are now a sergeant! After your commandeer Marks was killed in the battle, you were promoted to replace him. Mason, Oakman, and other guys, who have survived during mothership infiltration, are now your soldiers. As every sergeant, you command a small squad of three men. How do you control them? Quite simply. When there is no alert, you and your soldiers stay in “deep sleep” capsule. When the alert rises, you are freed and quickly run to gathering point. You soldiers already are here, waiting for you. If there is no assault on your mothership, soldiers simply follow you to the Marine Bot (Marine Frigate will be available later). If there is danger of infiltration, you may give all kinds of order to soldiers even on mothership. For example, you have to infiltrate enemy ship with your squad. You got to Marine Bot, request for pilot. As soon as pilot arrives, you and your troops enter into Marine Bot and take your places. The flight begins. Here is enemy ship. Marine Bot docks in. Soldiers are waiting for your orders. The first order, you have to give is “form into…” It depends of situation and type of airlock. Read more about commands and control in the CONTROLS section.

What is known about our mission? Well, you have to attack small enemy ship, capture or kill captain and take control over the battle room. Analyses tell that you will meet minimum enemy activity inside. Anyway, you have to be careful. What happens if you for example kill captain and retreat? MISSION FAILED> What if you capture a battle room, and don’t want to go to captains bridge, because of big casualties? MISSION FAILED> You have to complete ALL Primary (Remember- Primary, not Secondary) objectives in order to accomplish the mission. Secondary objectives add you some points to experience, reputation and other RPG characteristics. You may not accomplish secondary objectives. At last, your squad kills captain and takes control over battle room.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

4.     “Plasma of Death” sergeant

Time for next mission has come. It is the same type- infiltrate small enemy ship. This time you will have new weapons available for your squad (limited number of shotguns and grenades). Mission primary objective: Locate and establish control over the Battle room, find and neutralize captain. Does it look like your previous mission? Don’t be so sure. The tiny detail: ship’s class is: “Cruiser destroyer B”. Such ship has only one primary turret- heavy plasma cannon. Turret’s firepower is enough to critically damage medium enemy cruiser, simply making defense shields overheat in one exact shot. This plasma turret has extremely low rate of fire and firing ship’s shields go down after each shot. So, it becomes vulnerable even to lightest enemy turret. Shield Overheat technology is still unknown to our scientists. Your task is, to infiltrate the ship, and capture it. Cruiser destroyer has just fired his overheating turret into one of our allies. That ship is really in bad condition for now. However, cruiser destroyer has used all his power and shields are down- your chance. Remember, that you will have only 10 minutes to establish control over the battle room. If you fail, they will fire second time and maybe destroy your mothership! MISSION FAILED. You manage to reach the control room in time. Captain has escaped (Your task was to neutralize captain- he is gone).

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

5.      “Corsairs” sergeant (promoted to “B” Lieutenant after this mission)

Your task is to infiltrate enemy cargo ship. Ship was damaged in the battle (came in wrong place and wrong time) and now is waiting for enemy marine bot with repairmen. Your marine bot comes much earlier. You enter the ship (with your squad) and capture whole crew (ten men). They had weapons but decided not to confront us. Alert message- enemy medium marine bots inbound. One of them has engineers on board, but second bot is full of enemy infantry. Destroy this infantry and engineers will not even try to dock in. You send request for engineers to mothership. Soon two bots arrive- one with friendly engineers, second with friendly infantry. Engineers start repairing and second squad creates defense line. Here they are- two enemy marine bots inbound. They soon dock in. The battle starts. After bloody intense combat surviving enemies land on their bots and fly away. Engineers have almost finished. Well, the cargo ship is now in good condition. Time to fly home.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

6.     “An offer” B lieutenant

Congratulations! You are now a lieutenant! You have now two squads under your control (8 men). You get an offer from Fleet Commander Sabadine. He asks you to take your men and infiltrate enemy transport, where some prisoners are being held. Later you will reveal the truth. There was one infected person on the board of transport ship. His body was full of alien spores, but he looked fine from the outside. Your task is to capture the transport, and secure all prisoners. Then the ship must be docked to your mothership to transfer prisoners. This is not an easy task. You will find furious defense inside. There are some squads attacking at once, but your squad has to take the bridge. There you will find dying captain. He wants to tell you something, but dies. You are a little bit unsure in the situation. Sabadine thanks you for accomplished mission. Prisoners were transported into quarantine zone, to test their health. However, the infected prisoner has escaped. No one even knew that he existed. Infected life form is now in the mothership… Did Sabadine know about infected human?

7.     “Defend my mommy” B lieutenant

Global “Alfa” Alert. Huge enemy fleet located in the course to mothership. Enemy Marine Frigates inbound. Sabadine knows, that mothership won’t withstand an assault and will fall. The only way to stay alive is to perform a short hyperspace jump to get closer to allies’ fleet. Sabadine gives order to proceed with jump, but hyperspace module doesn’t answer to request. Fleet Commander sends a man there to find out why is the module silent. He doesn’t return. There is no time for jump. Enemy Marine Bots start infiltration. Prepare for combat! All defense systems engaged. Your squad was sent to frontline. You know, what does this mean… No chance to survive. But that’s and order. You prepare for combat. Soldiers are cleared for action. You are so close to docking bay airlocks, that you can hear enemy troops working on the door’s electronic systems from the opposite side of the door. Countdown starts. “10 seconds before the door will be deactivated. 9…8…7… 3…2…1… Doors protection offline. Emergency brake of airlock is deactivated.” The door opens immediately and the combat starts. Tons of soldiers rush out from the bosom of Marine frigate. Your squad is taking heavy enemy fire. You have to retreat. Solders fall down like raindrops… The number of enemy solders increases. You notice some Heavy Armored Troops coming out from one of the frigates. Too bad. Few minutes pass, combat becomes more and more intense. Walls become red because of the heat. Grenades explode, bullets whiz… Coolant pipes are damaged and corridors fill with puffs of steam. Zero visibility. Enemy soldiers jump out from the steam like ghosts. Banshees are terribly screaming. You and remains of your squad retreat to captain’s bridge. All other defense points are down. Enemy has captured engine room. Battle room is still holding the enemy off. Remains of Sabadine’s fleet are fleeing. Mothership stays one-on-one with superior numbers of enemy ships. This is the end. Suddenly you hear Sabadine’s voice in your command system interface. He says: “Lieutenant, you have to find a way to our marine bots. Use one of them to get close to enemy cruiser. Capture it. Some marine bots are located in the A-2 bay. You have to hurry. Our forces can resist enemy siege for limited time. Gather some troops and go!”

What else can you do? While moving to marine bot bay, some fleeing troops join you, because there is no place to retreat. Marine bots is in good condition. However, you have very difficult task ahead.

8.     “Enemy cruiser” B lieutenant

Only such extreme person like you would follow Sabadine’s command. But here you are. Marine bot flies close to enemy cruiser. Your pilot manages to dock in. What can eight men do against cruiser’s 30 men crew and more than 20 soldiers on board? Suicide, isn’t it? There is one weakness. Soldiers now are in cryo-tubes. In addition, crew is busy with ships’ control. That’s the chance. Capture the cryo-module as fast as you can and prevent crew from releasing soldiers. Now you may capture the prison-module and some prisoners of war will join your squad. Crew has found your presence at last. Alert rises. But there is few crew left. Your squad rushes the bridge… Cruiser belongs to us now. You contact with Sabadine and tell him that cruiser is ours. He answers: “Perform immediate hyperspace jump to our allies’ location and ask them to help us! Do this as fast as you can. Battle room is down. Only the bridge is still defending. You have not much time…”

9.     “Turbulence” “B” lieutenant

10. “Captain of the Platinus” B lieutenant (promoted to “A” lieutenant after this mission)

11. “Aliens inbound” “A” lieutenant

12. “The Cargo” “A” lieutenant (promoted to Captain after this mission)

13. “Zeus” Captain

14. “Changed owner” Captain

15. “Alien danger” Captain

16. “Mothership infected” Captain (promoted to Major after this mission)

17. “Enemy starfleet” Major

18. “Mothership in trouble” Major

19. “Victory needs help” Major

20. “Cargo fever” Major

21. “Fall of Star Gate” Major (promoted to Colonel after this mission)

22. “The wall” Colonel

23. “Again the tunnel rat” Colonel

24. “Aliens in the Trinity” Colonel

25. “Stand before the end” Colonel

WEAPONS

1. PDW Pistol (PDP)
2. Combat Pistol (CP)
3. Assault rifle (AR)
4. Assault Rifle + GL (AR+GL)
5. Plasma rifle (PR)
6. Shotgun (SGN)
7. Heavy Machine Gun (HMG)
8. Sniper rifle (SR)
9. Grenade Launcher (GL)
10. Rocket Launcher (RL)
11. Flamethrower (FTH)
12. HE Grenade (HG)
13. Plasma grenade (PG)

UNITS and INFANTRY

SPACE SHIPS:

Marine Bot

Special space-only craft, used to drop infantry squads into enemy space ships of any class. Bot has good armour and energy shields but poor weaponry and medium speed. There are three classes of Marine Bots- from “A” to “C”. Smallest “C” class holds up to eight marines, medium “B” class holds 16 marines and biggest “A” Bot holds 24 marines and some high-ranked officers.

Marine Frigate

Special space-only craft, used to drop infantry squads into enemy space ships of any class. Frigate is much bigger than marine bots. It can hold more than 32 soldiers and some high ranked officers, plus good reserve of ammo and weaponry.

Dropship

Classic space-surface unit, used to transport infantry and land units straight on planet’s surface. Dropships don’t have any weaponry. They must be covered by jets. Can’t be used by player (no land combat).

Jet (Interceptor)

Another classic space-surface unit is Jet. Its main purpose is to defend mothership or to cover dropships. They are seldom used to attack medium or big enemy space ships. Sometimes they are used in surface attacks as fast and maneuverable fire points. Can’t be used by player, but they will always save your ass while you marine bot is attacked by enemy interceptors on the way to enemy ship.

Destroyer Jet (Bomber)

Special type of Jet- Destroyer Jet is used only in space, because all his thermal shields are removed to install heavy plasma turrets- the only way to damage big space ships. Destroyer Jet is not big and it has good maneuver characteristics. Usually one exact shot from enemy’s on-board turret can destroy it.

Recon flyer (Scout)

Small but fast space ship, used for recon operations. It has only two small plasma guns.

INFANTRY:

Space Marine

Space marine is a standard infantry unit. Marines are used as firepower (cannon fodder in most ways) usually. Each marine has some grenades, assault rifle and pistol.

Medic

Medic tries to heal friendly infantry. He can heal himself too. Medic also tries to evacuate heavily wounded friendly soldiers. Only a team of medics can help them.

Engineer

Explosives, mines, docking, repairing units and many other jobs the engineer is usually doing. He can plant mines, explosives, he can unlock mechanically closed doors, and he can block some doors and so on…

Hacker

Hacker is usually used to open electronically closed doors, to block Battle Room’s controls… Hacker can do many useful things.

Siege infantry

What happens when we take assault rifle from marine and give him Grenade Launcher of Rocket launcher? Well, we get siege infantry. These guys can even blow some doors! However, don’t leave him alone! He won’t survive without normal fire support.

Heavy Infantry

Heavy Infantry is the deadliest class. What happens if we take one marine without weaponry, install some neuro implants and put him into small battle robot? We get heavy infantry- solders in robots. Heavy weaponry, good armour… What do we need else? We need big Marine Bot; because heavy infantry guy won’t even enter inside of the small Bot-, there is no place inside for such trashcan!

Sniper

What is sniper’s purpose? I don’t know! And do you? Oh, you say that he has to snipe? Sure!

MAPS, ENGINE

When you are inside of mothership, only mothership map is loaded into memory. No outer space. When enemy docks to attack using his infantry, game uploads type of enemy Marine Bot and loads all infantry, which was there. Attack started. REMEMBER- each big ship- is one unique map, with no space outside. Well, now you want to attack enemy ship using marine bot. What does the game do? As you and your troops enter the bot and start flight new map is loaded- the space. Here you may see your mothership (enormous size) and other ships, plus in battle time many jet, bots and other ships are seen. Your marine bot is only one little detail in whole battlefield. You manage to dock into enemy ship. The game unloads the space map and loads enemy ship’s interior map. The enemy ship is big (and your mothership is big too) and you can’t visit ALL rooms, only few rooms- like Captain’s deck, Battle room, Armory and so on. Of course, they are connected by long corridors.

Therefore, we have such plan: MOTHERSHIP INTERIOR MAP -> SPACE MAP -> ENEMY SHIP INTERIOR MAP

Objective complete. Time to return to mothership. You sit down into your Marine Bot and we have again: ENEMY SHIP INTERIOR MAP -> SPACE MAP -> MOTHERSHIP INTERIOR MAP. Alternatively, we may just show video how your squad returns.

SCENARIO

I want the game with Halo’s atmosphere- cool, sci-fi! It must look epic, great, with good Arabic music (Like in Homeworld 2)! You have to feel, that you are the part of huge battlefield. I recommend you to play Homeworld 2. This game is 3D space strategy. You will feel lots of epic… There are marine frigates in this game. These frigates are used to capture enemy ships. This is very interesting conception- In Deep Space: Plasma we don’t have such story as in Homeworld. DS:P  Looks like Halo universe more. However, marine bot conception is greatly performed in Homeworld. I mentioned that HW is 3D strategy. Well, when your marine frigate captures enemy ship, you can even feel, what happens inside of that ship…  Battle. Huge battle. DS:P must show player that he is not alone. He is surrounded by epic space. Where enormous ships confront each other with fury. When the galaxy shudders because of human deeds. And you must survive in this world… Because you don’t have any other...

NOTE: Deep Space: Plasma

ENEMIES

You fight against another human faction in the beginning, later you will have to fight against alien life forms. Do you imagine the Marine Bot, docking to infected human spaceship, where no humans are left, only various aggressive forms of aliens? (“Alien” sci-fi movie) What is your deal with them? You will have to reach the control room and then activate system self-destruction timer, to destroy the ship with aliens. There will be some epic battles against aliens even on your mothership! Enemy ship was infected by aliens and some of them managed to use Marine Bot to reach another starship. As they reached enemy ship, they were destroyed, but other aliens decided to make massive attack- they had luck- whole mothership was infected. General is dead, you have to escape yourself.

MULTIPLAYER

I don’t know what to say about multiplayer. If programmers manage “Marine Bot system” to work online, then it will be great!

IDEA and other people’s IDEAS compilation by

ANDREW “Int3gral” NOSENKO

E-mail: andrzhan@mail.ru

ICQ: 129672630

Idea will be updated soon