DUST 514 is the upcoming first-person shooter from CCP, the studio behind the super successful MMO EVE Online. The game actually shares its game world with DUST 514, so right off the bat, DUST ends up with this really dynamic game environment as decisions made by player-owned space corporation in EVE Online affect the game world of DUST 514.
The only thing in DUST 514 that really stays the same is the landscape. The terrain that you will fight on is more or less the same each time you log on to play, but outside of that, it's pretty much fair game. Structures will change, however, based on what is needed for that district to thrive.
DUST 514 Community Manager CCP CmdrWang has posted a blog update on the official official PlayStation Blog, detailing how this sort of dynamic atmosphere was created in the game, and what types of variables determine what you'll encounter when you log in each time...
All this translates into the very real possibility that if a player thinks he knows the battlefield simply because he fought there before, he might find that nice open short cut from the last battle now filled with enemy weapons, EW platforms and communication disruptors centered on an enemy Command Node. A deadly trap just waiting for him and others who think they know the map. In fact, it might not even be from the last battle… an enemy commander can deploy an installation into position within minutes during a battle. So unless your team has eyes on a position, what you find the next time you’re there could surprise you.
In addition, squad leaders can also have varying roles during each mission on the battlefield. For example, squad leaders have the ability to deploy small fixed gun emplacements to support the offensive or defensive actions of their squads. They will also have the ability to utilize the off-map support available to their squads and will be responsible for directing their squads’ movements on the battlefield.
Of course, this does not preclude individual players from making an impact on the battle. Individual players, squad members and leaders can also change the battlefield situation by the equipment they choose to carry into the fray. For example, let’s say that there is a squad of DUST mercs who got cutoff from friendly forces on the map. As the enemy closes in from all directions with HAVs and dropships, the squad is slowly reduced to its last man. His commander tells him that he must hold the ground at all cost and in desperation, the last squad member calls in a Black Ops HAV equipped with a mobile CRU. Now his entire team can respawn into that location fitted with anti-vehicle dropsuits and begin to beat back the enemy forces and eventually win the battle.
Check out our DUST 514 forums to discuss the game and drop by http://www.dust514.com/ for more on the game!
Comments