Naming the campaign levels

[Per]

Inspired by the Starcraft campaign's easy replayability of each level, I am planning to add a level-by-level menu of all campaign levels that you have won, and let you replay them at any difficulty you might want. Or something along those lines, the details may change as we discuss the finer details. Like how to determine what starting techs/units/power to start with and so on. Suggestion welcome, by the way, but not in this thread - let's get back to that later. What I am going to need to do this now, though, is to name each campaign level something memorable and descriptive, so that it is easy to go back to the right level.

The guide already has some descriptive names, that can be used as a starting point. However, they do not seem so much like names, as general descriptions. It is probably not a good idea to put too much description into a level name, either, as they could give too much away.

Here are the guide descriptions:

* Alpha 1: Scavenger raiders
* Alpha 2: Power surge detected
* Alpha 3: The power module artifact
* Alpha 4: Investigate the research center
* Alpha 5: Encoded signals detected
* Alpha 6: Enemy attack
* Alpha 7: Establish a forward base
* Alpha 8: Enemy transmissions detected
* Alpha 9: Synaptic Link location
* Alpha 10: Counterattack
* Alpha 11: Stop the removal of artifacts
* Alpha 12: Incoming transmission

* Beta 1: Defend and fortify
* Beta 2: Transport down
* Beta 3: Hold at all costs
* Beta 4: Intercept convoy
* Beta 5: Destroy enemy airbase
* Beta 6: Destroy reactor
* Beta 7: Capture NASDA Control
* Beta 8: Satellite Uplink site
* Beta 9: Destroy primary SAM sites
* Beta 10: Establish a safe haven
* Beta 11: Evacuate

* Gamma 1: Establish a forward base
* Gamma 2: Destroy missile site
* Gamma 3: Assist Team Gamma
* Gamma 4: Rescue Team Alpha
* Gamma 5: Defend your base
* Gamma 6: Rescue the scout team
* Gamma 7: The missile silo
* Gamma 8: Missile codes
* Gamma 9: Destroy Nexus Main Base

So please start making suggestions!

[KukY]

Alpha:

1. The Landing
2. New Energy
3. Away from home
4. Relics of past
5. New People
6. Unfriendly Neighbours
7. Moving Forward
8. There are more of Them
9. Cybernetic implants
10. Resistance
11. Stealing the Tech
12. Final Encounter

Beta:

1. Not taking care
2. Fallen bird
3. Fighting the Collective
4. On the way
5. Dangers from the sky
6. Getting radioactive
7. Cause of the Collapse
8. Break the connection
9. Clear the air
10. Get some free space
11. No defense against a nuke

Gamma:

1. In the mountains
2. Destroy the threat
3. All your base belong to us
4. I thought you got nuked
5. Interference
6. We got back
7. Key to success
8. Playing a hacker
9. Crushing the Nexus

[3drts]

1. I like Kuky's names for the most part
2. The Landing
   Arrival?
3. New Energy
4. Away from home
   Note that the "power module Artifact" (name suggested by per) I don;t consider to be a mission at all, in fact, I never got that scene to show up- as I always upgraded my pGen before finishing alpha 2.
   Kuky's name is more apt, its your first away mission.
   I suppose "gone raiding" could work for a name too
5. Relics of past
   Yes, seeing another (supposedly pre- collapse) research facility in game does make this an apt name.
   But there isn't any big pre-collapse relic connected to anything like the synaptic link, NASDA central, or a nuclear reactor.
   Instead the mission is just brushing aside Scavengers to aquire technology.
   I'd call it "By any means necessary"
6. New People
   How About "First Contact"
7. Unfriendly Neighbours
   I like it
8. Moving Forward
   Fortification maybe?
   Contingency Plan?
   Securing a foot hold?
9. There are more of Them
   How about Reconnaissance? or Scouting?
   Its the first away mission where the scouting part before Re-enforcements are available, is hard and involved - sure you must scout first when you first meet the NP, but its really easy to get the "Green Light" to bring in more forces.
   I think it also had to to with investigating a location the Nexus intruder program was communicating with.
   If I'm thinking of the right mission, then maybe "An unseen player" is apt, or "Another force is at work"
10. Cybernetic implants
    The synaptic link was Alpha teams primary Objective, so "Primary Objective" would also work
11. Resistance
    Reprisal? Reprecussions? Counter Attack?
    High Tide?
12. Stealing the Tech
    I'd prefer Interception or Interdiction
    Maybe "No one leaves Alive" (you can't let the enemy escape)
13. Final Encounter
    Coup d' Grace
    Knockout Punch
    One Final Effort

Beta:

1. Not taking care
   Hold The Line
   Re-enforcements are available (as if it was a message Beta Base received prior to Alpha's Assistance)
   Keep Away no longer/Broken Truce (reference to team beta saying there was a better equipped force operating in the area, and that we keep away from them, and them from us - an unspoken truce)
2. Fallen bird
3. Fighting the Collective
   Through Adversity...
   or
   We aren't going anywhere...
   Referencing that your base expands and the enemy is pushed back, despite their renewed attacks
4. On the way
   Interception?
   Important Delivery? (that you must stop)
5. Dangers from the sky
   Taking wing/flight
6. Getting radioactive
   Nuclear Winter - so what is another blown up nuclear reactor in the grand scheme of things?
7. Cause of the Collapse
   Can't think of any others right now
8. Break the connection
   Can't think of any others right now
9. Clear the air
   Contingency Plan
   or
   "We might be moving after all"
10. Get some free space
    Contingency plan (if not already used)
    Refuge
    Plan B
    Safe haven
11. No defense against a nuke

Evacuate!

Gamma:

1. In the mountains
   Quiet and Peaceful? - reference to how team Gamma described their sector.
2. Destroy the threat
   Kinda Bland aint it?
   "Never Again" - reference to the fact two bases have already been nuked, and you are trying to stop further nukings.
   Third time is a charm?
3. All your base belong to us
   + over 9,000!!!
4. I thought you got nuked
   Old Friends
   ReUnion
5. Interference
   Resistance is Futile - reference to assimilation by the borg
6. We got back
   Homecoming
   Hero's Welcome
7. Key to success
8. Playing a hacker
9. Crushing the Nexus
   Final Encounter - since this is what the cutscene called it

[KukY]

• New People
  How About "First Contact"
• Getting radioactive
  Nuclear Winter - so what is another blown up nuclear reactor in the grand scheme of things?
• In the mountains
  Quiet and Peaceful? - reference to how team Gamma described their sector.
• Destroy the threat
  Kinda Bland aint it?
  "Never Again" - reference to the fact two bases have already been nuked, and you are trying to stop further nukings.
  Third time is a charm?

I like these suggestions of yours.

[noccy]

Love the names you guys have come up with, and I love the idea Per Would help clean up my savegames folder. Can I help you in any way to implement this?

Oh, and:

• Gamma 2. Pre-emptive Strike

[Zarel]

Haven't played through the campaign in a long time, so I only have name suggestions for the ones I've played through a lot because of testing:

Alpha 1:
I like "Arrival" better than "The Landing". Maybe "Greetings, Commander"?

Alpha 2:
"Attacks from Below"? "Twin Machinegun"? I don't like "New Energy" or "The Power Module Artifact", since I bet no one's going to remember that that's what that level is about.

Alpha 12:
I don't like "Final Encounter" since I don't want people to think the game is over. A pun on "Paradigm" would be more appropriate, I think. "Paradigm Shift"? "End of a Paradigm"? "Paradigm's End"?

Beta 1:
"Cavalry's Arrived"? "In the Nick of Time"? "Just in Time"? "Team Beta Needs Better PR"?

Beta 12:
I like "Evacuate" better than "No Defense Against a Nuke"

Gamma 1:
"Unfamiliar Territory"? "Welcome to the Rocky Mountains"? "The Heart of Enemy Territory"? "If Team Gamma Called This 'Peaceful' Then I Want the Name of Their Drug Supplier"?

Gamma 8:
I like "Missile Codes" better than "Playing a Hacker".

Gamma 9:
"Antivirus"?

[KukY]

Alpha 1:
I like "Arrival" better than "The Landing". Maybe "Greetings, Commander"?

Like it.

Alpha 2:
"Attacks from Below"? "Twin Machinegun"? I don't like "New Energy" or "The Power Module Artifact", since I bet no one's going to remember that that's what that level is about.

Remember, they are titles, not level descriptions. So "New Energy" sounds good to me.

Alpha 12:
I don't like "Final Encounter" since I don't want people to think the game is over. A pun on "Paradigm" would be more appropriate, I think. "Paradigm Shift"? "End of a Paradigm"? "Paradigm's End"?

True... I like that "Paradigm Shift".

Beta 1:
"Cavalry's Arrived"? "In the Nick of Time"? "Just in Time"? "Team Beta Needs Better PR"?

"Just in Time" sounds good.

Gamma 1:
"Unfamiliar Territory"? "Welcome to the Rocky Mountains"? "The Heart of Enemy Territory"? "If Team Gamma Called This 'Peaceful' Then I Want the Name of Their Drug Supplier"?

I like my "In the mountains". Lol at the last one.

Gamma 8:
I like "Missile Codes" better than "Playing a Hacker".

I like "Playing a Hacker" better than "Missile Codes".

Gamma 9:
"Antivirus"?

Ack, no.

[themousemaster]

"Never Again" - reference to the fact two bases have already been nuked, and you are trying to stop further nukings.

Gamma2:
First off, let me say that I like freedom of speech, and do not think that a free open-source project should adhere to some type of political correctness. And as far as names go, it's reasonably cool.




That said, the phrase "Never Again" has a connotation that I'm not sure we want to throw into this game (WW2 holocaust). While perhaps appropriate concerning Nexus's goals, the only people who will actually *get* the reference you are inferring are probably the people who won't appreciate it.



As long as Gamma5 has nominated a Borg reference... and Nexus certainly has that style of existence... maybe throwing in the Star-Trek reference of "The Line Must be Drawn HERE!"?








Also:

Beta 8: I Prefer Cable
Beta 11: 'Shrooms to avoid
Gamma 3: It's a Trap!
Gamma 5: I think "All your Base are Belong to Us" makes more sense here than G3.
Gamma 8: GDI called, they want their Ion Cannon back

[BlueMaxima]

Is there really any need? What's wrong with Alpha, Beta and Gamma?

[Zarel]

Is there really any need? What's wrong with Alpha, Beta and Gamma?

...have you tried reading before replying?

[Per]

Can I help you in any way to implement this?

Yes, you can code it

Seriously, though, I will not be able to look at the coding behind this for another month, at the earliest, so if you start working on it now, there will be no duplicate effort. Besides the obvious design questions that need answering, the coding challenge is twofold - first making an appealing UI for this, and second writing the level loading code for it. If you jump at either, I'll have a go at the other.

[cybersphinx]

Is there really any need? What's wrong with Alpha, Beta and Gamma?

When people talk about having e.g. problems in beta7 my first thought is always why they're not using 2.3.4.

[KukY]

Is there really any need? What's wrong with Alpha, Beta and Gamma?

When people talk about having e.g. problems in beta7 my first thought is always why they're not using 2.3.4.

[Zarel]

When people talk about having e.g. problems in beta7 my first thought is always why they're not using 2.3.4.

This is the number one reason why I think we should refer to them as Beta VII, etc.

Straw poll!

[crycrytax]

I really, REALLY like this idea with the ability to replay old levels
also, (just a suggestion) besides the choice of picking the level of difficulty, maybe the ability to choose smaller time intervals for the level completion. What I mean is that for example if a level has 60min to complete, the ability to choose a chorter time interval to lets say 45min, would really create a challange for the player. Just a suggestion. but i love this new option