I think it would be great to give the gamesas team some support from the M.A.X fan community for possebile ideas
in a M.A.X 3 game.
First a little review of M.A.X. 1
M.A.X 1 was released 1996 and for its time it was years ahead in the strategy genre.
It became the best Strategy game you could buy at that time.
The press gave the game overwhelming ratings:
Gamezilla 94/100: (USA/GB)
M.A.X. is a phenomenal game. I don't want to slight other great games (which I compared this game to liberally), but M.A.X. is more refined,
more strategy-oriented, and simply more fun than any of its big brothers. Not only are the individual missions big (and often long),
but between the tutorial missions, single play campaign, custom campaigns, individual missions and multiplay,
this is by far the biggest game of its kind. Trust me -- you will not just whiz through this game.
I would almost have expected many of the included levels (either the individual levels or the custom scenarios)
to be provided as an add-on for the game, because they are so extensive.
PC Aktion 94/100 (Germany)
Game.exe 90/100 (Russia)
PC Gamer 90/100 (USA/GB)
PC Games 89/100 (Germany)
GameSpot 86/100 (USA/GB):
Real-time strategy games are the hot item among computer game players these days. The success of games such as Command & Conquer,
Warcraft II, and Close Combat reveal the potential for similar offerings.
M.A.X., courtesy of gamesas, does all of these one better by giving players the choice of simultaneous-move or turn-based gameplay.
If you like the idea behind C&C, you'll love what this game has to offer. M.A.X. presents excellent visuals, excellent gameplay,
and nearly infinite replay value in a package that's hard to resist.
MobyGamer 80/100 (USA/GB)
World Village 80/100 (USA/GB):
I'm an old, cranky gamer. Too often, I suffer the "been there, done that" feeling. For many, to whom M.A.X. will be a new concept,
this game will win your heart and live on in your memory as a flawless game. For the die-hard veteran strategy gamers,
this is the best turn-based strategy to see the shelves in a long while. Great interface, stunning visuals,
moody music and fun missions combine, making M.A.X. a purchase you won't regret.
Abandonia 80/100 (USA/GB)
PC Player 80/100 (Germany)
M.A.X 2 was released 1998 and couldn't reach the same ratings like his big brother M.A.X. 1,
a specialy as gamesas tried too make a mix between real-time & round based strategy what didn't go well.
Also the changed ressource system took strategic depth from the game.
So, lets come to the part with ideas for M.A.X 3.
Tell us what you want too see in M.A.X.3 and i will add it to the list.
Gamplay:
- First M.A.X. 1 should be were the development starts, since M.A.X.2 didn't realy impresse me from
gameplay.
Futuers like the missing Pipelines and adding a 3d sideview as well as trying to mix the RBS genre game
with RTS genre just didn't work well.
- The alien race from M.A.X. 2 was very cool. Adding them back in M.A.X.3, is a must.
- keep the connectors, they are a very useful thing, it makes you think in different strategies
- Also keep the different resources (Raw Material, Gold and Fuel) and the resource control existing in M.A.X.1, controling the mining is part of the good things in the game, this is one amazing difference between M.A.X. and other strategy games and allows nice strategies too.
- Put new different features and updates in the game for units or buildings. (Research center: update the missiles of all units making them hit nearby units, or update "nearby damage", or update units changing the use of the unit like submarine can launch missiles to attack groundforces.)
Gameplay setting:(Turn-based/ Simultaneous-move/ Real-time)
- For real-time, keep the build way used in M.A.X.2 that you only choose what you want to build and don't choose the time for it.
- For simultaneous-move and turn-based, keep the M.A.X.1 build way, where we can choose 1x, 2x or 4x to build faster spending more Raw Material.
Grafics:
- A 3d engine allowing better effects like Explosions, Particles flying around, wind, smoke, watter and
other effects using DirectX 9,10 or 11.
- Zoom function like in M.A.X.1 adding the idea from Supreme Commander with tacticle symbols for the
units.
- The possibility to use a second monitor for the minimap using the tacticle symbols for units.
- Night/Day cycle giving the game more stratigic depth. Units get minus points to site range simulating
fight at night.(Earth 2150)
- Could add better water, nature and ground effects.
- Sunny/Snowy/Rainy days would be good too.
Units:
- New units, you can think in some new amazing units to build, like "air scout" for example, one low price air unit used just to know enemy defenses.(low Armor, low Hits, low Damage but very good Speed)
- maybe you can do some Clan specific units, like this "air scout" can only be built by "The Choosen clan", but can be stoled by Infiltrators.
- Don't make all units use power from Power Generators (like M.A.X.2) this feature is terrible, you don't know well how to control the power that you are spending and it limits too much your army, it is a very bad idea.
- Don't make one unit take too long to be built, more than 20 turns is unthinkable.
- Allow "mechanical updates" to some units like "Mobile Anti Aircraft" switch its machine gun to shot at ground units.(takes 1 round to switch/when this mod is on, it can only shoot at groudforces)
Maps:
- With different terrain, ground unit move faster (downhill/concrete) or slower (uphill/snow/sand/deformed ground)
-The terrain could affect Scan and Range of land units.
Sound:
- The sounds from M.A.X.1+2 were great. Taking the old & adding new soundtracks would be fine.
- Unit sounds from M.A.X.1+2 were also great.So, they just need too be reworked/improved on Quality.
Muliplayer:
- Internet / modem / lan / hot-seat (this one only in turn-based games), for multiplayer games.
- Add it to steam for fast patching and anti-cheat.
Story:
- Missions could be more interactive, like little vidoes leap up in the right/left corner telling the story
ingame further (for a better mission history).
- Videos like in C&C but more surious like the atmosphere in World in Conflict.
Thx too : ctpaula,