Ace of Spades is one of my favorite free to play games on the internet. Not only because of the open-ended combat and building aspects, but also because of the potential for this game to become one of the greatest sandbox FPS's in a long while. In fact, If this game was given a slight graphical update and put on steam, I would be surprised if it didn't exceed 100,000 sales.

I want to suggest a few modifications and additions that could turn a great game into an awesome game.

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First off: Graphical enhancements:

Adding a universal gritty-looking texture onto all the blocks would really go a long way in making this game look a whole lot better. the texture would change color just like the existing block does, but it would make it look more like grass, dirt, concrete, etc.

I also think that a lot of the selectable colors while placing a block should be removed. Battlefields shouldn't have neon pink strewn all over, or rainbow colored swear words dotting the minimap. In my opinion,the only bright flashy colors that should be selectable are shades of Green and Blue.

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Weapons:

The current direction of this game's arsenal appears to be giving players a large variety of hand-held weapons to select from. while I respect that this is the developer's game, and they can do what they damn well please, I would like to suggest alternatives to simply adding snipers/shotguns/assault rifles.

Bayonets/knifes- There is a lack of melee combat in this game, and adding it seems like a no-brainer. Its frustrating when you run out of ammo and the enemy is storming your trenches, but you can't do anything about it. An easy way to implement melee is to have a knife as a selectable weapon. A cooler, but more complex way, is to have a bayonet on the rifle, and have a key set for using it. this would allow a rifleman to have a last-ditch defense against sub machine guns and shotguns, which would normally easily overpower him in close combat. SMGs and shotguns could have a beatdown melee instead, which would do far less damage.

Mortars/artillery- This has been suggested in the forums before, but I think it deserves a mention. No WWI inspired game is complete without some form of artillery to put your fortifications to the test. Trenches would now protect you from shrapnel, and buildings would sport large craters. There are several ways to put this in the game. You could have it spawn every round, similar to the tent and flag, and have it be manned by one person. (this would also give teams an incentive to build a mortar pit to defend their artillery gunner from the enemy)

Stationary/deployable Machinegun- This key weapon turned WWI into a trench-based stalemate, and should defiantly be in this game. You could have it spawn on the map like the mortar/flag/tent, OR you could have it be selectable like other weapons, but have a limited number per team. The MG could use the same mechanics as games like Day of Defeat or upcoming BF3, where you have to spend 4-5 seconds deploying it, and can only fire it stationary. It should be more accurate and have a larger magazine then the SMG. This would give bunkers far more merit (Right now they are only really used as sniper nests)

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Gamemodes

Attack/Defense- The inclusion of this gamemode would make the game, in my humble opinion, more exciting and immersing. Me and a few guys already have an ad-hoc setup like this on our private server, where green builds and defends a fort and blue tries to destroy/capture it. (We jokingly refer to it as the green autists vs. the blue greifers.) A way to do this gamemode would be to have a set-up period of around 3 minutes where the defenders build fortifications and defenses, and the attackers plan their assault. The gamemode could be anything from one-sided CTF to a control point type gamemode. Further, some of the ideas above would make this gamemode even better. (Attackers only get mortars, defenders only get stationary MGs)

If all of the features above combined into this amazing game, I would defiantly pay money for it. Hell, if even one of these features are implemented, Ill donate 30$ USD to you. immediately.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to offer your own suggestions/improvements below!

Whoops! almost forgot.

Another really cool feature would be to have a second type of stronger block, only placeable by the player. It could have a forced gray concrete color, or even it's own texture. It would take twice as long to destroy, and would be more resistant to bullets. However, it would have a 3-5 block penalty for placing it, so you could only place 10-15 every time you spawn.

This would make fortifications a little harder to destroy than natural blocks, and could be used to make small hardened structures or reinforce larger ones.

These seem like incredible ideas, I would love to seem them implemented. The only problem with the strong blocks would be the fact that people could just go to the command tent to get more blocks. If they only had 10-15 blocks period until they died, then I'd be cool with it. Assuming ben decides to implement these. Who knows, he might just.

^

Even if you couldn't restock from the tent you could still suicide after using up your 15 strongblocks.

Well the blocks wouldnt be invincible, just a slight upgrade from the default. taking 10 shots to destroy instead of 5. Also, you could use the time you would be spending returning to the tent for more strongblocks making your bunker double thick with regular blocks. so i think its a fair trade-off

It seems like you almsot just want this game to be bought and for sale. I think the spade should be replaced with a knife (could be the same animation!) but maybe in another position on the scroll-bar. I do think Ben should double the games render size, (so kv6 files are doubled) so there can be smoother transitions. Also, re-mappable weapon keys would be great

I don't think restocking at the command tent matters that much for a "strong block"

personally i think tunneling should be more dangerous.

as for game-modes i really just want a command-point game-mode like in battlefield/front

I don't agree with everything you've said, but you've put your post together pretty well. I do think that melee would be nice... at the very least, you should be able to give someone a good whack with a pickaxe. I don't like the idea of limiting colors... rainbow-colored swearing is a moderation issue, and the real solution is better admin controls.

good ideas, but it seems like he'll add a lot of this stuff.

Seems like they are all good ideas, but you would have to think about balancing issues.

These are all amazingly good ideas, with one exception of the gritty block texture thing. It's pointless, and it will go against the theme of the game. You can easily make your own block textures, anyway, so you can have it if you want. Also, limiting the colours is a no, as well. Don't ask me why, but it's just not a good thing to do. It's just one of those things that I know is a bad idea. It's hard to explain.

But, as for the rest of it, YES, YES, YES and FUCK YES. These are basically all the ideas I have been trying to push through, recently, so I massively agree with all of them (especially the Assault game-mode, or Attack/Defend as you've called it here).

There is one thing though, I think the 'reinforced' blocks should cost 5 blocks to place, and be bulletproof BUT can still be destroyed by grenades normally, and by pickaxes/spades at twice as much hits.

bump

Do you realise that those blocks are voxels=3D pixels? There is no way to add texture on it.

check out this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCtgtF52nAQ

That's all just like pixel art. Different shades of color and tiny blocks.

Also OT: Yes to all. Have been suggested before and always awesome.

I dig this. Restricting block colours would really cut on pixel dickering. One thing, though; the game is not necessarily WWI-themed. It has a Great War “feel”, granted, but Ben has said it's more 'Nam than anything to him.

I would like Binoculars to look into the fog for the next update

@Muffinman840, I am one of many players that generally agrees with your vision of the perfect future direction for AoS.

"Looking into the fog"
Fog is the render distance...
"Restricting block colours"
It has plenty of colors... Enough to make every single pony in FiM at least.