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Wednesday 5 March, 2008
Gamelog #5 entry 2
Gameplay:
After finishing another skirmish I stumbled upon a new type of game play called General challenge mode. This allows you to play as different sub factions of China, USA, and GLA. The different factions focus on specific tactics such as infantry, nuclear weapons, and laser weapons. All in all there is 9 different factions to choose from, each with its own General. Before beginning the battle there is an amusing cut scene of the General you are about to face which provides you with important information on how to beat them.
The General challenge mode was very engaging to play because the General you battle against uses his surroundings very well to combat you. In fact the entire level is designed to give the opposing general the advantage. This made the General challenge modes much more fun than regular skirmishes. The player really has to think on his feet and use different strategies to beat their opponent. This innovative feature takes a twist on skirmishes which I found to be very enjoyable.
Design:
I have mixed feelings about Command and Conquer Generals: Zero Hour. The game has many innovative elements that define it from other RTS games, but suffers from clumsy controls. The defining element of this game is the ability for the player to “level up” by destroying enemy structures and units. The higher the level the player is, the more special abilities he unlocks. Many of these abilities are very powerful and can be game breaking; this forces the player to take his general level into consideration.
The other innovative element that I have mentioned before is the General Challenge mode. The cut scenes do a very good job of hyping up the battle come by making the game more personal as insults are thrown at you. Also. by adding a face to each specialized faction instead of just a name the player can connect to the General who he most identifies with. The sub faction design of Zero Hour was very innovative and by adding General challenge mode, the game offers players something they won’t find in any other RTS.
My major concern with the design of Zero Hour was the control scheme. It could be because I am biased from playing the Warcraft series, however, the hotkey system seems clumsy and the click-to-move action seemed delayed. Many times I feel frustrated when trying to get my units into the battlefield; the control design could have used some adjustments to give the player a smoother game experience.
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