I was thinking about that coin-op game ''Silent Scope'', and it doesn''t escape any of the criticisms we''ve all fired at this idea, but it remains popular. Part of this might be because it''s an arcade game. Another part might be because it''s single-player, or at least, human vs. AI. Still, there might be something there.

Instead of making a minimap that show where people ARE, why not make it show you where they WERE? That would allow some camping, but staying in the same area too long would be dangerous. Perhaps data being 1 to 5 minutes old would be good, or maybe make it a server setting.

The idea of patrolling tanks/planes sounded good also.

Some method of showing where peple are if they camp too long, but also allow a way to avoid having your position given away.

I think it would be a very nice game if it was made a high-tech game with all kinds of sensors and counters for them, such as tripwires, devices to measure sound level, light amplification goggles, infra-red, ultraviolet, etc. Perhaps have proximity detectors. All kinds of sensors but not different kinds of weapons (sure, many different guns, but they are only a few different kinds of weapons)

Extrarius: I''m with you on the hi-tech stuff. The more geeky scanners and such the better. This game sounds so good I want to play it now!

With sniping, you have several things to note that are ignored in most FPSes.

Camping, is pretty much finding a strategic vantage point and using it to rack up score. In a sniping game, your entire focus is to find the strategic point possible. So, obviously, camping wuld have to be encouraged, just the levels would have to be intensioally designed convoluted so that even though you''re hiding in the best spot, you still can be shot. This means that the polygonal make up of walls have to consist of way more than just 4 points.

Getting shot should be as realstic as possible to discourage the tactics of most of the current FPSes. For example, a single hit to the chest, head, abdomen, all of these should consitute somewhat instant death. Taking a bullet to your dominate arm would significantly dibilitate you... inability to aim without shaking pretty heavily for example. And then a shot anywhere would cause bleeding. Bleed for a while and you lose ability to see clearly, and eventually the ability to live.

Patience. This game would be all about strategic thinking. Real snipers wait hours, days even for the right shot. Granted, you could adjust this so that the average shot took maybe a minute of your time, but in a 32 player fragfest, you don''t have 32 patient snipers, you have FRaGMASTADuDE27 looking to rack up points.

If anything, invest in MGS2 for the PS2. Theres plenty of sniping possibilities in there. Based on these observations, I don''t think you could make a low level story FPS out of it and keep it interesting. You''d probably have to have stuff happen like a fellow sniper discussing plot to you while you arrange your shots.

-> Will Bubel
-> Machine wash cold, tumble dry.

Read through this thread again. If you combine the information, you can have a great game. Here are some of the basic ideas in the thread:

- Players are all snipers--one shot kills.
- Some level of realism is present on the rifles.
- Players need to keep moving, preferably with a motive such as AI troops patroling, or air-raids.

That''s a really rough outline of it, but, it can be put together into one game. Once again, read through the thread again, you''ll see what I mean.