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- Jul 24, 2009
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A unique idea came into my head, a map inspired by Ridley Scott's sci-fi classic Thelma & Louise. Then I thought it was too philosophically deep to warrant an adaption as a Wc3 mod, so I opted instead to copy George Lucas' dumber Star Wars spinoff, Blade Runner, a film where Han Solo chases down robots.
The Idea:
It is 2029. Society has become a technocracy ruled by corporations and advancements in genetic engineering has led to 'replicants', a product of the Tyrell Corporation that is almost identical to a human - except for the incapability to experience and understand empathy. It is illegal for a replicant to remain on Earth.
After 10 years of development, Tyrell Corp has finally completed the Nexus 7 replicant model - a physical downgrade of the Nexus 6, but also a much more 'human' replicant. This has been achieved through the implantation of false memories to serve as an emotional basis. Tyrell Corp plans to mass-produce Nexus 7s to sell them as cheap labour to off-world colonies, but first they are intent on a trial run to make sure their product is 100% flaw-free. And who better to help them in their test than Blade Runners?
Blade Runners are a special branch of metropolitan police forces designated to hunt down and 'retire' (kill) stray replicants on Earth. They are a dying profession, ironically because the prevalence of the Nexus 6 models has intimidated many officers into actual retirement. The few that are left, are however better equipped, better experienced, and stronger-willed than any Blade Runners before. Their main tool in investigating whether an individual is a human or a replicant is the Voight-Kampff machine, which previously detected pupil dilation, or the lack thereof, based off emotionally provocative questions. VK technology has since advanced, and now directly probes the bio-electrical signals within an individual's brain for any presence of emotion. In 2029, VKs moreso resemble a portal CAT scanner.
Tyrell Corp has secretly bribed a select number of Blade Runners into retiring and assuming new identities, complete with a new face and off-world home. As a trade-off, they give permission for the company to extract their memories, and implant them into Nexus 7 replicants who have been genetically designed to be physically identical to the individual Blade Runners. In short, they are made to look, act, and think life those they've replaced - and they themselves have no idea if they are a replicant. Tyrell Corp sent these models down to Earth so they can blend into the police force. Simultaneously, they've contacted the police to tell them that rampant and dangerous replicants have unprecedentedly escaped their facilities and infiltrated the Blade Runner corps. A perfect guise for their field test.
You are a Blade Runner, or so you think. You have been tasked with finding out whether your colleagues are human or replicant, and either 'retiring' them with deadly force or avoiding your own 'retirement'. Your equipment;
- Blaster - standard issue Blade Runner weapon
- Voight-Kampff Mk II - the new and improved VK works more like a portable CAT scanner. You'll still need the subject to remain still while the machine slowly scans their cranium.
- Your knowledge and skill - if you can be sure they are yours
Hope that you are human.
The Gameplay summarised
Think a real-time 'Mafia' game with LOAP and action RPG elements. There are two sides; Blade Runners and Replicants. At the start, the players are randomly divided into the two teams and the goal of each team is to hunt down all members of the opposing team - with a twist; the player does not know whether they are human or replicant. The player is armed with a Blaster and a VK Mk II; the former shoots things while the latter determines whether you should shoot at something. VKs will probably be a channeling spell which takes like 60 seconds to complete, meaning not only do you have to stand still, but your target must also remain near you for a while. You can use the VK on yourself.
Hopefully, I'll create a tense and uncertain atmosphere from the gameplay, and a terrain that stays true to the environment established in the film. The map may feature randomly placed neutral buildings - shops, restaurants, hotels - akin to LOAPs. This gives a player three options;
1. Find the truth - try to 'win' the game by finding out which side you belong to, and killing your foes. This'll be the most encouraged option.
2. Neglect the hunt - there'll be LOAP features for players to assume everyday activities, so you can have 'fun' in the map.
3. Succumb to insanity - life sucks when your job is to hunt down colleagues that you may have worked with for years, and even moreso when you're unsure of your own humanity. It can drive one insane, to a point where all that matters is getting the most kills with your blaster. Plus, if you kill every other player, your team technically wins.
I'll try implement additional indicators of whether a person is a replicant or not - perhaps a lack of coughing from being exposed to the outdoor smog, or requiring more sustenance (food). Either way, they'd be subtle and the only surefire way of knowing whether someone is a replicant or not is getting their permission to sit still for a lengthy period while you scan them with your VK. I would want this map to be more than a game (yet still enjoyable to play), but something that could explore our own psychology akin to DayZ.
Thoughts, comments, suggestions appreciated. This is 100% brainstorming and 0% reality.
The Idea:
It is 2029. Society has become a technocracy ruled by corporations and advancements in genetic engineering has led to 'replicants', a product of the Tyrell Corporation that is almost identical to a human - except for the incapability to experience and understand empathy. It is illegal for a replicant to remain on Earth.
After 10 years of development, Tyrell Corp has finally completed the Nexus 7 replicant model - a physical downgrade of the Nexus 6, but also a much more 'human' replicant. This has been achieved through the implantation of false memories to serve as an emotional basis. Tyrell Corp plans to mass-produce Nexus 7s to sell them as cheap labour to off-world colonies, but first they are intent on a trial run to make sure their product is 100% flaw-free. And who better to help them in their test than Blade Runners?
Blade Runners are a special branch of metropolitan police forces designated to hunt down and 'retire' (kill) stray replicants on Earth. They are a dying profession, ironically because the prevalence of the Nexus 6 models has intimidated many officers into actual retirement. The few that are left, are however better equipped, better experienced, and stronger-willed than any Blade Runners before. Their main tool in investigating whether an individual is a human or a replicant is the Voight-Kampff machine, which previously detected pupil dilation, or the lack thereof, based off emotionally provocative questions. VK technology has since advanced, and now directly probes the bio-electrical signals within an individual's brain for any presence of emotion. In 2029, VKs moreso resemble a portal CAT scanner.
Tyrell Corp has secretly bribed a select number of Blade Runners into retiring and assuming new identities, complete with a new face and off-world home. As a trade-off, they give permission for the company to extract their memories, and implant them into Nexus 7 replicants who have been genetically designed to be physically identical to the individual Blade Runners. In short, they are made to look, act, and think life those they've replaced - and they themselves have no idea if they are a replicant. Tyrell Corp sent these models down to Earth so they can blend into the police force. Simultaneously, they've contacted the police to tell them that rampant and dangerous replicants have unprecedentedly escaped their facilities and infiltrated the Blade Runner corps. A perfect guise for their field test.
You are a Blade Runner, or so you think. You have been tasked with finding out whether your colleagues are human or replicant, and either 'retiring' them with deadly force or avoiding your own 'retirement'. Your equipment;
- Blaster - standard issue Blade Runner weapon
- Voight-Kampff Mk II - the new and improved VK works more like a portable CAT scanner. You'll still need the subject to remain still while the machine slowly scans their cranium.
- Your knowledge and skill - if you can be sure they are yours
Hope that you are human.
The Gameplay summarised
Think a real-time 'Mafia' game with LOAP and action RPG elements. There are two sides; Blade Runners and Replicants. At the start, the players are randomly divided into the two teams and the goal of each team is to hunt down all members of the opposing team - with a twist; the player does not know whether they are human or replicant. The player is armed with a Blaster and a VK Mk II; the former shoots things while the latter determines whether you should shoot at something. VKs will probably be a channeling spell which takes like 60 seconds to complete, meaning not only do you have to stand still, but your target must also remain near you for a while. You can use the VK on yourself.
Hopefully, I'll create a tense and uncertain atmosphere from the gameplay, and a terrain that stays true to the environment established in the film. The map may feature randomly placed neutral buildings - shops, restaurants, hotels - akin to LOAPs. This gives a player three options;
1. Find the truth - try to 'win' the game by finding out which side you belong to, and killing your foes. This'll be the most encouraged option.
2. Neglect the hunt - there'll be LOAP features for players to assume everyday activities, so you can have 'fun' in the map.
3. Succumb to insanity - life sucks when your job is to hunt down colleagues that you may have worked with for years, and even moreso when you're unsure of your own humanity. It can drive one insane, to a point where all that matters is getting the most kills with your blaster. Plus, if you kill every other player, your team technically wins.
I'll try implement additional indicators of whether a person is a replicant or not - perhaps a lack of coughing from being exposed to the outdoor smog, or requiring more sustenance (food). Either way, they'd be subtle and the only surefire way of knowing whether someone is a replicant or not is getting their permission to sit still for a lengthy period while you scan them with your VK. I would want this map to be more than a game (yet still enjoyable to play), but something that could explore our own psychology akin to DayZ.
Thoughts, comments, suggestions appreciated. This is 100% brainstorming and 0% reality.
