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EDIT: Based on input on here and from various playtesters, the successor to this game is currently under construction. Feel free to get in touch with me with any new feedback on the current version.
Operation: Vast Expanse puts you among the last surviving military personnel of the Vast Expanse research facility.
Players - Singleplayer OR 2-player coop Location - SC2 Arcade (American+European servers)
Overview
After a catastrophic security incident left the majority of the base heavily compromised, the chain of command for the facility exhausted all of its available defensive options in an effort to contain the problem. It has now become clear that there is nothing left to do but survive until help can arrive.
You play as one of the final members of a squad that was wiped out when investigating one sector of the base. In the process you became trapped between the threat you failed to contain and a large body of water. With no way out, you must fight off all enemies until someone can come rescue you.
How To Play
Controls are similar to something like Diablo's point-and-click style. The left mouse button fires your weapon, right mouse button allows you to move, and click+mouse move will cause your character to follow accordingly.
'R' allows you to reload and 'B' gives you access to an in-game control panel with weapon upgrades, stationary defenses and various calldowns to help you hold the line.
Request For Feedback This map is available on the American+European servers as "Operation: Vast Expanse (ARPG)". Please play it if you're interested and leave feedback! I am trying to put together a list of things people like/don't like to help me craft the next version of the game.
The game as it is is more of a proof of concept than anything else. Future releases will have larger maps and far more features, assuming people actually like how the core gameplay works.
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Hey sounds interresting. So its 2p coop? Apart from being an arpg mod how does it stand out from other arpg mods?
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Hey, I just updated the description. It's actually a singleplayer or optionally a 2-player coop game.
I would say that the biggest thing that will stand out will be the combat. The combat is designed to be as fluid and the movements as responsive as possible like most ARPG games try to perfect. I've had a lot of fun testing it with people so far and the game's mechanics are simple enough that no one has had to ask me any questions about how to control their character.
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Game has now been published on EU
Edit: First post has been changed to let people know of this update
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The player controls and camera felt good, but I expected another kind of game than surviving against waves. I wouldnt label it ARPG. The waves game can be improved by making first waves slower units, so that a new player has time to learn positioning. One way to improve the concept coudl be that after X waves from zerg structures blocking the path, the structures die and you can move on to the next area. The reloading was a bit unfamilar and not really fun. Have you played Gears of War Horde mode? Enemies are moving slowly, you have weapon pick ups, They are moving towards you, so you get to choose a spot to defend from. You have limited ammo, but can pick up more over time.
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Thanks for the feedback!
Based on all the input I've gotten so far, I have begun work on the successor to the current game. It will have many of the existing mechanics, but with significant extensions to better reflect what people have been saying they would like to see.
I completely agree about the new areas. After playtesting this mod over and over, I find myself also wishing there were additional areas you could reach. This will be included in the new version.
As far as reloading goes, I will either be replacing it with a set amount of ammo that can be replenished through drops or something, or I'll just remove the concept of ammo if it doesn't fit the game in the end after all the other changes have taken place.
I've heard of horde mode before! I actually forgot about it, but now that you mention it I'm going to go and watch some gameplay of it since I've never played it before. Maybe I can pull some inspiration from it.
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I didnt play in coop btw. Do you have loss when both are dead condition and when one is kd the other can revive? Thats well used in coop shooters. L4D has a variant of it.
TBH I was a bit disapointed this was a survive the wavws-game and not an arpg hack n slash with exploration and story, like a diablo clone shooter
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Yes, if you enter the game with a partner then as long as one of you survives the current wave, the player that died will respawn in the center of the base. Someone can respawn once a wave for every wave so long as at least one of you is alive at all times.
I can understand the disappointment. This is something that I'm currently working through as part of the redesign. I personally want something that I can come back to since I like both ARPG and survival-style games, but in its current incarnation it just needs more content all around.
If the process of overhauling the mod results in something that plays like an ARPG then I won't drop it from the title, but if it continues in the direction of survival then I'll rebrand it completely to avoid confusion.
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Is it possible to use your mod as extension mod? Im interrested in using the camera, controls, the shooting and perhaps the ui for abilities (which is awesome btw)
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I'll look into making the combat/control system available in some way for other mod creators.
It's currently in the process of being redesigned for the successor to this map, so I might wait a while and then make the new version available instead.
Glad you liked it!
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Thanks! Looking forward to the successor then
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