More Taskforce work, the job seems never ending. Each day the game plays better, and far more different than before. Today I added the feature for random starts for the Taskforce team. As I've said, random starts for the enemies have been a fundamental part of the game, but I recently realised that the fixed location of the objects made those missions more linear than they could be, and the same applies to fixed player starts. I could add the feature for random target starts for demolition missions, except that there are surprisingly few missions like that; odd really when these were my favourites in Hilt II. The best though are these on random maps, and there is one of those.
This random start feature means editing every map to create some options for the player.
Another feature added today was a new key; up and down arrows on the equip screen to jump category. Now, at last, it is fairly quick and easy to add a custom equipment pack. One feature I'm toying with is the ability to save the game on the equipment screen, before starting a mission, so that a team and equipment set can be chosen and saved before starting the inevitably random mission.
I've also redesigned the Clone Alone mission, a new map, it's far better than before now. The good sign of this game is that the levels are not linear, they are designed more like combat environments now, as in a multiplayer first person shooter. The terrain isn't an obstacle for either side, just tools for the mission, as it is in tabletop wargames. A good sign.
My next big job is to revisit every mission and refine every map. The training missions in particular need more variety to the layout.
