24th January 2003, 1:17 PM
Mario 64 had a brilliant idea in the control concept. If you hold down a button, another button will now do something different. Banjo Kazooie used it too.
In Metroid Prime, when you press R you can aim, if you click it, you'll see your targeting icon. But why not make it so that when you depress it slightly, you can aim while running and side stepping (Control S=movement/Camera S=aim, clicking it will make you stay in one place and activate such features as Leaning (look around corners without being seen), "Z-Targeting" (if aimed at an enemy) and alter some buttons so that perhaps instead of X being Morph Ball Mode, it now let's Samus use alternate diversion weapons. Such as rolling out gas grenades (harmful to enemies (unless they have filtration systems) but also creates a barrier to hide in, then Samus could use a visor such as heat to see through the smoke) or light grenades (to blind enemies) etc. I think offering a sniper mode might come in handy too. But instead of using her arm mounted cannon, she could simply press A while in Sniper Mode to 'mark' an enemy so that the Radar will produce a beep as it gets closer.
Now L is free to be whatever we want, I suggest a brand new weapon is assigned to L that can also be used for Grapple Beam. Maybe that if Samus sees a Grapple Object, it works the same, she swings. But maybe it can grab enemies as well now with a special upgrade. Grabbing an enemy from 200 feet away and shoving a gun in their nose and watching their eyes light up with fear as you blast them, leaving brains on your visor would be pretty cool. But how about allowing Samus to connect on to walls and cielings ala Spiderman. We have a Spiderball, how about a Spider Beam? an upgrade to the Grapple Beam. You could use it to quietly get in to position during an ambush, use it to grab enemies from far away (who are sniping you) or even through certain materials such as glass (throwing their bodies through the glass) and allowing Samus to run on cielings and walls. Opening up lots of different puzzles that could be used with this powerup acquired.
So it could work like this:
A) Fire (Hold to Charge) (Charge+other buttons=Combo)
B) Jump (Press again to Space Jump; Sidejump while in Targeting); Antigrav Combo
Y) Missles; Combo Beams
X) Morph Ball; Diversion while Leaning; Cloak Combo
L) Grapple Beam; Spider Beam; Another Combo?
R) Aim/Lean; Target
Control S) Move; Lean
Camera S) Change Weapon; Look while Aiming
Z) Activate Tracker Mode
Tracker sounds better than a "Sniper Mode" where you cant shoot. Also while tracking you can switch between different visor modes. You use the Camera S to zoom in and out (up and down) and left and right would control different factors depending on the visor you're using.
Combat = Brings the object in to focus
Scan = Activates Nanoscanning (Learn more of your enemy)
Heat = Allows you to change the sensitivity of the heat visor
X-Ray = The Farsight is back! Allows you to alter the X-Ray depth field
Other things could be added to the tracker as well, like marking a door so you know it's the exit without having to check your map. Your radar could give a different kind of beep as you get closer to it. How about instead of my camera idea, you could simply rlease a tracker on to whatever you're looking at (it would be invisible to the naked eye) and allow not only to track something electronic (a door) and life forms, but if you place one on a wall, it becomes a motion detecter that it will give off a beep on your radar to let you know something has passed by that location if even you're in a different room. (this would be great for "SA-X" type encounters)
Hmm... maybe you could use the tracker on a computer that opens a door so you can remotely open it from another area of the level. Heh, maybe the tracker could even send small shocks in to whatever it's connected to. This could work on enemies to drive them nuts (make them leave an area or become more agressive and on wild animals to cause them to become frantic and attack nearby baddies, again creating diversions Used in conjunction with eachother, you can create huge traps and watch your enemies fight eachother. That scene in Prime where you let the Metroids kill the Pirates was too good just to be a one-time only affair, it should be a controlled aspect of the game.
Since Y fires a Missle and Charging with A then pressing Y fires a Comco Beam, let's make Charging A and pressing X allows Samus to become invisible for a short time (using a retrieved powerup). And Charging A and pressing B gives Samus a short burst of antigravity, you would aim your travel and your rate of speed by shooting (ala Mario Sunshine, again this would be found from a powerup). I'll add that to the list of moves.
Man the ways to the sequel's control schemes and gameplay mechanics are endless...
As for multiplayer I think it should be centered around a sort of race. Imagine 4 people starting in a semi circle at the base of a mountain, they are all Samus in different colors and outfits, depending on what you unlocked (bikini Samus!), and of course you could be other humanoid forms such as a Space Pirate, and the idea would be whoever is the first to find a specific object/defeat a specific enemy is declared the winner. The idea here would be that any of the 4 players could try to stop their friends from reaching the goal by using different attributes of their character. Each character and style would offer different attributes and drawbacks. If going after an object, it could be a computer to activate which is burried in traps and such, and depending on the level you choose, may even require you to work together to reach the computer or artifact. The other form of multiplayer could be called Fox Hunt where a special enemy (A Metroid for example) will be running from all 4 of you, the killer is the winner. But the Metroid (or whatever) can, and will attack as well if cornered (It could be made to attack the person with the most energy the least, etc). This would also create versions of teamwork so then perhaps the idea of "Teams" should be introduced. You could also load the level with enemies to make the level more interesting for advanced players.
Also, instead of chasing a Metroid, you could all be CHASED by the Metroid or perhaps a mini boss from the one player game. Natural hazards could prove useful here too, like having to play on a level that is being bombarded by small meteors or while in an ice cave which falls apart from sound (making players reserve their cannons and bombs and try to make traps instead).
I think a 'goal oriented' multiplayer experience would be the best way to go. I really like Arse's ideas too.
In Metroid Prime, when you press R you can aim, if you click it, you'll see your targeting icon. But why not make it so that when you depress it slightly, you can aim while running and side stepping (Control S=movement/Camera S=aim, clicking it will make you stay in one place and activate such features as Leaning (look around corners without being seen), "Z-Targeting" (if aimed at an enemy) and alter some buttons so that perhaps instead of X being Morph Ball Mode, it now let's Samus use alternate diversion weapons. Such as rolling out gas grenades (harmful to enemies (unless they have filtration systems) but also creates a barrier to hide in, then Samus could use a visor such as heat to see through the smoke) or light grenades (to blind enemies) etc. I think offering a sniper mode might come in handy too. But instead of using her arm mounted cannon, she could simply press A while in Sniper Mode to 'mark' an enemy so that the Radar will produce a beep as it gets closer.
Now L is free to be whatever we want, I suggest a brand new weapon is assigned to L that can also be used for Grapple Beam. Maybe that if Samus sees a Grapple Object, it works the same, she swings. But maybe it can grab enemies as well now with a special upgrade. Grabbing an enemy from 200 feet away and shoving a gun in their nose and watching their eyes light up with fear as you blast them, leaving brains on your visor would be pretty cool. But how about allowing Samus to connect on to walls and cielings ala Spiderman. We have a Spiderball, how about a Spider Beam? an upgrade to the Grapple Beam. You could use it to quietly get in to position during an ambush, use it to grab enemies from far away (who are sniping you) or even through certain materials such as glass (throwing their bodies through the glass) and allowing Samus to run on cielings and walls. Opening up lots of different puzzles that could be used with this powerup acquired.
So it could work like this:
A) Fire (Hold to Charge) (Charge+other buttons=Combo)
B) Jump (Press again to Space Jump; Sidejump while in Targeting); Antigrav Combo
Y) Missles; Combo Beams
X) Morph Ball; Diversion while Leaning; Cloak Combo
L) Grapple Beam; Spider Beam; Another Combo?
R) Aim/Lean; Target
Control S) Move; Lean
Camera S) Change Weapon; Look while Aiming
Z) Activate Tracker Mode
Tracker sounds better than a "Sniper Mode" where you cant shoot. Also while tracking you can switch between different visor modes. You use the Camera S to zoom in and out (up and down) and left and right would control different factors depending on the visor you're using.
Combat = Brings the object in to focus
Scan = Activates Nanoscanning (Learn more of your enemy)
Heat = Allows you to change the sensitivity of the heat visor
X-Ray = The Farsight is back! Allows you to alter the X-Ray depth field
Other things could be added to the tracker as well, like marking a door so you know it's the exit without having to check your map. Your radar could give a different kind of beep as you get closer to it. How about instead of my camera idea, you could simply rlease a tracker on to whatever you're looking at (it would be invisible to the naked eye) and allow not only to track something electronic (a door) and life forms, but if you place one on a wall, it becomes a motion detecter that it will give off a beep on your radar to let you know something has passed by that location if even you're in a different room. (this would be great for "SA-X" type encounters)
Hmm... maybe you could use the tracker on a computer that opens a door so you can remotely open it from another area of the level. Heh, maybe the tracker could even send small shocks in to whatever it's connected to. This could work on enemies to drive them nuts (make them leave an area or become more agressive and on wild animals to cause them to become frantic and attack nearby baddies, again creating diversions Used in conjunction with eachother, you can create huge traps and watch your enemies fight eachother. That scene in Prime where you let the Metroids kill the Pirates was too good just to be a one-time only affair, it should be a controlled aspect of the game.
Since Y fires a Missle and Charging with A then pressing Y fires a Comco Beam, let's make Charging A and pressing X allows Samus to become invisible for a short time (using a retrieved powerup). And Charging A and pressing B gives Samus a short burst of antigravity, you would aim your travel and your rate of speed by shooting (ala Mario Sunshine, again this would be found from a powerup). I'll add that to the list of moves.
Man the ways to the sequel's control schemes and gameplay mechanics are endless...
As for multiplayer I think it should be centered around a sort of race. Imagine 4 people starting in a semi circle at the base of a mountain, they are all Samus in different colors and outfits, depending on what you unlocked (bikini Samus!), and of course you could be other humanoid forms such as a Space Pirate, and the idea would be whoever is the first to find a specific object/defeat a specific enemy is declared the winner. The idea here would be that any of the 4 players could try to stop their friends from reaching the goal by using different attributes of their character. Each character and style would offer different attributes and drawbacks. If going after an object, it could be a computer to activate which is burried in traps and such, and depending on the level you choose, may even require you to work together to reach the computer or artifact. The other form of multiplayer could be called Fox Hunt where a special enemy (A Metroid for example) will be running from all 4 of you, the killer is the winner. But the Metroid (or whatever) can, and will attack as well if cornered (It could be made to attack the person with the most energy the least, etc). This would also create versions of teamwork so then perhaps the idea of "Teams" should be introduced. You could also load the level with enemies to make the level more interesting for advanced players.
Also, instead of chasing a Metroid, you could all be CHASED by the Metroid or perhaps a mini boss from the one player game. Natural hazards could prove useful here too, like having to play on a level that is being bombarded by small meteors or while in an ice cave which falls apart from sound (making players reserve their cannons and bombs and try to make traps instead).
I think a 'goal oriented' multiplayer experience would be the best way to go. I really like Arse's ideas too.