incapacitated but not killed

[Omnires]

This idea came from playing colony / base building games (like Rimworld) and how in some of the games it is possible to kidnap/capture people from other groups to then do anything you want from setting them free, killing them, using them as slave labor, or selling them off to different group. And NPC groups can also kidnap / capture your people too.

I was thinking why don't see that idea play out in shooter games? Sure you can make the agreement that everyone is using guns and all. But just like how some games have vital points on characters, they could also have non-vital points that don't kill the target but disable them. This why disabling shot exist in some games. Where you aim at a non-critical part of the body bring the target down without killing it or at the least make it so that it can no longer attack you nor run away.

This would add in more options to games as you could have enemies who are downed but not died. And going by how badly they are hurt and how fast they can heal it is possible for them to wake get back up later. But the same can be said for the players. Making things like search and rescue missions more likely. It would also mean things like POW camps can be a thing where players have to wait for other players to come and rescue them or find a way escape on their own. In a game like Em-8er having another player just gliding over POW camp and dropping an LGV without the enemies noticing could be more than enough to get a skilled player out as they use it race through the camp and do a awesome motorcycle jump over a wall before heading to the evac point. Given how a smart enemy is not going to lock you up with your weapons and gear. And if you really want them back you have to find out where they enemy is keeping them. Are the in armory or the research lab?

This would also mean that when a player is downed other things can happen to them besides waiting for a friendly to revive them or an enemy to kill them off. Because now there are also the options of being picked up/dragged off by the enemy. And because as long as your are not bleeding out or something like that you can naturally heal and recover from the damage, so it is not like you just die and respawn. So your teammate could be downed in battle and before you can get to them you can see the enemy try to drag them off into their base or a portal. Giving you more of a reason of helping and protecting drop teammates as they might be taken away and unable to help you even if they respawn. Because they was captured their new respawn point could be inside the enemy base in a blocked off area. And let's not forget that in real life some animals are known for not killing prey right away, but just disabling it to take back to it's home to eat without fear of another animal taking it's food. So you might just get attacked by wild animals, pass out, and dragged back into their den. And then when you wake up you have to fight your way out of their nests.

What are your thoughts on the idea of incapacitating targets rather than killing so you can take them back alive? What are your thoughts on the idea of the players being downed and taken away by enemies? Do you think such things can be done in a way to add to the effect of dynamic combat and events in the game? What about the story and plot? After all, I have played a few games where I had two choices in a mission. Bring back the ally alive or kill them before the enemy can get any information out of them.

 

[VRK9]

Firefall had something like that, I think it was called DBNO (down but not out), where players after being killed entered in that stat while they wait for revive or forcing respawn, maybe in Em-8er players could have a cooldown before forcing respawn unless they were taken by enemies.

 

[Omnires]

Yes, plus the idea can link back into the idea of Death Squads that target and hunting down specific players. As time goes on, if the A.I. learns more about you and their hate of you grow stronger they could make squads specific to counter the tactics you use most often. And despite their burning hatted of you they might try to capture you so they can study / torture you back at their base. Going by how high of bounty they put on you it might change where they take you. Low level people could be taken to a minimum security location or outpost that is easy to break into and out of. But higher skilled players who can avoid capture for a long time and fight off lots of death squads might wake up in something like a maximum security prison or base deep in heart of an enemy controlled area that is really hard to break into and out of. Like their version of something like Alcatraz.

Having the force respawn option on a timer would add to the tension of the game in hard battles. As people would know that if they do down here they might me taken away and split up from the group. This also means that if you are unable to get on on your own or your finds are tired of waiting for you they can try to do something like a prison break to get you out while also trying to avoid being captured themselves. This would also mean that for the higher level areas, even if there are no players in the prison, we could try to free NPCs and the reward for doing can things like rare finds. For example, if it one of the enemies research and development labs we could have the odd chance of finding blueprints and prototype weapons. Like maybe a hybrid weapon that is mix of their technology and human technology.