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[player1]

JUN_KEN_PO

Three-faction games. We've all seen 'em. Many of us have played 'em. What do you think of the three-faction model (this is NOT a Tremulous-related thread!) in general? Do you believe it is more suited to RTS than FPS? What three-faction games have you played, and how did you like them? Have you ever played a three-faction shooter, and if so how did you like it? Were all three teams "on the field" at one time?

My main experience with three-faction was in Tribes, where I rather enjoyed it from time to time. Not being much of an RTS/RPG gamer, I've never played any other games that utilized the concept (OK, Risk maybe). Do you like multiplayer shooters with three-faction play, and why or why not? (This is NOT a Tremulous-related thread! I am NOT suggesting a third faction for Tremulous. This is completely OFF-TOPIC, as relates to Tremulous). Thank you for your comments, perusal, and interest. Good evening.

[Nux]

No three-faction FPSs spring to mind.. Hold on.. no.. nope I can't seem to think of any. I've heard of tribes but even that I didn't know had three factions.

I'd guess there's good reason why FPSs tend not to be three-factioned. I'd imagine it over-complicates a game that should be about killing everything that's not like you.

Now wait a second.. I think one is coming to mind.. it's an MMOFPS I believe. PlanetSide. I've never played it though. It probably works better because it's on a much larger scale.

As for non-FPS games I can think of a tonne of RTSs that have three factions. In general, if the factions are similar enough (beneath the graphics) the game is still very balanced. Supreme Commander, for example, has three factions that differ in appearance but are in a lot of ways essentially the same.

Where the factions differ greatly, there has often been issues with balancing. Red Alert 2: Yuris Revenge (the expansion to Red Alert 2) Added the third, Yuri-faction. This faction not only stole most of what the soviet faction had going for it, but also had over powered cheap units and unfairly effective psychic junk added to it's arsenal. As a result, the Yuri faction wasn't allowed to be used in serious online games unless everyone were to play that side.

It looks like a third race can easily add issues, and that not having to worry about ironing out the flaws in the more complicated system can mean focusing on the other aspects of the game.

[Lord Baxter]

the reason yuris faction in yuris revenge sucked was becasue EA gave them half the amount of time they needed to do it properly in. two three faction games which come to mind include starcraft (with a rock-paper-scissors style balance) and command and conquer generals (again, rushed and improperly balanced).
i prefer games with many factions with their own individual style but the thing i most enjoy about games is real-life physics and technology, not ultra real-life but at least exaplainable in relation to real world phyical laws.

[PIE]

I've heard of tribes but even that I didn't know had three factions.

Children of the Phoenix, Blood Eagle, Diamond Sword, and the Star Wolf. Tribes 2 had the BioDerms as well.. so .. no.. it wasn't really ever 3 faction... man that was a fun game.. tribes vengeance imho sucks tho... it has 5 factions as well though some of them differ.

Starcraft... the new C&C3 has 3 factions, so did generals. Aliens VS Predator the old fps has 3 factions.

[player1]

@PIE: that's right
however they all had basically the same weapons
what i should've said was
three squads on the map at the same time
A vs. B + C
B vs. C + A
C vs. A + B
no matter what tribe (since they all pretty much utilize the same tools)
thx 4 the clarification
& yeh, tribes was great fun
did you play any tribes mods?
my fave was Renegades
laser turret, ftw!!!

@Lord Baxter: so, is rock/paper/scissors the way to go?

@Nux: nice response, ty

@all: Would you play a shooter where you faced two enemy teams at once? +PIE: Did you play the three-team mode on Tribes? It was only on a very few servers.

[PIE]

@PIE:
did you play any tribes mods?
my fave was Renegades

Played ULTRA renegades for a bit.. but that was just retarded so then i stuck to regular renegades.. good times.. i played the hell out of that game..
Tribes is pretty much the only shooter I've played where you had 3 teams at it at once and it seemed like people didn't really care for it. 3 team games were sparse from what i remember.

[player1]

@PIE:
did you play any tribes mods?
my fave was Renegades

Played ULTRA renegades for a bit.. but that was just retarded so then i stuck to regular renegades.. good times.. i played the hell out of that game..
Tribes is pretty much the only shooter I've played where you had 3 teams at it at once and it seemed like people didn't really care for it.

You are so right.
Ultra Renegades was t3h $h!73. It ruined what was cool about the Renegades mod. I used to play 4 to 8 hours of that game a day, 3 to 5 days a week. Ahh, Renegades mod for Tribes. It is a builder's/base raper's paradise of fun devices and groovy turrets. Plus jetpacks (really weird jumpboost ones), and some funky weapons (disc-jump, anyone?). My favorite Tribes memory (I still see it in my dreams): I snipe a light pilot with my laser rifle; headshot! + I get the head-snap animation; and, the four heavies who are riding the troop carrier must all bail out; and because its AirWars, also all CTRL+K; w00t! FIVEkiller!!!!

Yeah I played three-team Tribes and it was hard if your team got eliminated. Most people left or joined another team, but it was fun if you played it insta-clan style and stayed with your team, win or lose. Usually, it was just a big mess, though. But some people who were skilled could actually siege-press two other teams simultaneously.