Which is entirely not the case in Command & Conquer 4, largely thanks (or not) to a new me-too persistent unlock system. Persistent unlocks are great in some contexts, but not in a way which means people starting out only have access to three different units and pretty much zero Support powers.
command and conquer 4 unlock all units
Every single enemy unit you destroy on the battlefield grants experience points to your user profile, which can be spent at a command center-like interface (the version we saw was not final) that lets you purchase new units. You can also purchase unlockable upgrades for the units you already own, such as the crawler, which is the game's new mobile base that can be outfitted with powerful weapons once you unlock higher-tier upgrades for it. The current, working version of this upgrade interface currently works off of a point-buying system that assigns a certain number of points to each unit--with more-powerful, higher-tier units costing more points, as you might expect. These command points also count toward your "population cap," which is the maximum number of units you can have active in play. And the current, working version of the game has no other restrictions on your unit loadout other than the point system. So, if you prefer, you can load up on the most heavy-duty units in your arsenal, but if you do, you'll be stuck with a necessarily smaller army that costs more and takes longer to produce.
Our first order of business was to capture three different bases under the control of the "Forgotten," a neutral mutant faction (which made its first appearance in Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun). By rolling forward and methodically churning out light and medium units, as well as closing the gap by continuously uprooting our crawler base to follow in lockstep behind our troops, we were able to grind through the disorganized mutants without too much of a struggle. The crawler, while deployed as a stationary base, radiates a power bonus that continuously repairs any damaged vehicles and heals any damaged infantry on your side. However, once it gets upgraded to tier 2, the crawler can also be equipped with increasingly powerful mounted weapons, both in stationary mode and on the move. This marks a pretty big shift from traditional real-time strategy gameplay where your primary command center/town hall structure is often nothing more than a big, fat, sitting duck. C&C4's upgraded, armed crawler turns bases into last-ditch defensive perimeters when stationary and mobile artillery are on the go.
Once we picked up on this nuance, we were able to roll over the defenses at the first Forgotten base much more easily, and after killing them off, we moved our forces in close to switch the control point's alignment to ours. Once we did, we were able to commission Forgotten units of our own and run roughshod over the remaining two control points. We then gained experience for our kills in the process and picked up several glowing bonus items. Currently, the game has two sorts of bonus items that can be dropped: a glowing blue box, which provides an immediate veterancy upgrade to the unit that picks it up (as well as makes the unit much tougher in battle); and a glowing green box exclusive to the offense class, which gives an attack boost to any unit that nabs it. Throughout the course of our sojourn, we discovered the husk of a gigantic mastodon walker, which was a huge armored unit with heavy-duty weapons that we were able to repair with help from one of our own engineer units. Later on, we encountered Forgotten troops that had commandeered a few mammoth tanks, which, when defeated, also left salvage that could be repaired under our control.
C&C4 already seems like it will have lots to offer--plenty of new and returning units for both the GDI and Nod factions, different character classes to explore, and a persistent unlock system that constantly challenges you to earn enough new experience points and levels to get access to new units and new upgrades. Having had a chance to play the game, we're already intrigued and looking forward to seeing more of the game. The game is scheduled to ship in 2010.
There are two factions, the GDI and the Brotherhood of Nod. The main unit in Command & Conquer 4 is your crawler, a mobile base that churns out units on command with very little wait time. Your crawler can be one of three classes: Offense, Defense, or Support.
Flame TankCost: 6 CP Tier: 2Every burst from the Flame Tank not only burns the targets caught in the flames, but also sets them on fire, dealing continuous damage until the flames die out. Furthermore, the flame-throwers are powerful enough to leave the surrounding area ablaze, and any units travelling through are guaranteed to sustain some damage. Hardy Nod commanders can continue firing into a scorched area, eventually turning the flames into a fire-storm capable of incinerating any infantry or vehicles that remain in range.
There is a secondary mission that will reward you one command point for completing it. You have to destroy a secondary base which is loaded full of recon units. It is very easy to kill but you should not risk your Jupiter Supply Truck or your own Recon unit which will not be able to take the hits.
Even though this is the first mission, it has much better tanks available to unlock. The game allows you to unlock units during missions, so after you complete the first objective for 1 Star, you can immediately unlock the Leopard M1A2 before you spend your 200 requisition points. If you play it a second time (or if you play multiplayer before you play this mission), it allows you to go all the way up to the Leopard M1A4.
Unlock Special TeamsYou have to complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding special teams.Crono Commando - Infiltrate an Allied Battle Lab.Yuri Prime - Capture a Soviet Base, and build a Soviet Barracks.Crono Ivan - Capture a Soviet Base, and build a Soviet Barracks.Psi Commando - Infiltrate a Soviet Battle Lab.Spy: Structure EffectsHave a spy infiltrate one of the following structures for the corresponding effect.Refinery - Steal $2,000 from your enemy.Construction Yard - Reveal fog of war from the building radius of the enemy Construction Yard.Power Plant - Shuts off enemy's power for thirty seconds.Superweapons - Reset the cool down counter back to its original time.Unit Production Structure - Shut down the production structure for thirty seconds, making unit production and repairs impossible. You will also see all units produced from that structure for a short period of time.Technology Structure - Temporarily stop production of tier 3 units or structures. It also will reset the enemy's radar, leaving only portions of the map where their units and structures are visible.AchievementsYou'll have to complete appropriate achievement to get the allotted gamerscore.Master and Commander (50 points) - Complete all campaigns on hard difficulty level (also unlocks achievement for medium difficulty).Twin Tigers (40 points) - Complete 27 different online co-op campaign missions.Checkmate (40 points) - Defeat a brutal-difficulty skirmish opponent on a 2-player map.Against All Odds (40 points) - Win on a 4-player map vs. a team of 3 skirmish opponents (medium-or-greater difficulty).Hell March (30 points) - Win battles on all original maps vs. skirmish opponents (medium-or-greater difficulty).Sole Survivor (30 points) - Win on 2-player maps vs. all 9 skirmish opponents (medium-or-greater difficulty).Tempus Fugit (30 points) - Complete all campaigns on medium or hard difficulty level.The Cleaner (30 points) - Complete all bonus objectives in the Soviet campaign.The Closer (30 points) - Complete all bonus objectives in the Allies campaign.The Conqueror (30 points) - Complete all bonus objectives in the Empire of the Rising Sun campaign.Dynamic Duo (30 points) - Complete 18 different online co-op campaign missions.No Traitors Tomorrow (20 points) - Complete Soviet mission 6 on any difficulty level.To Tame a Living God (20 points) - Complete Soviet mission 7 on any difficulty level.The Stone-Faced Witnesses (20 points) - Complete Soviet mission 8 on any difficulty level.Blight on the Big Apple (20 points) - Complete Soviet mission 9 on any difficulty level.A Monument to Madness (20 points) - Complete Allies mission 6 on any difficulty level.Forever Sets the Sun (20 points) - Complete Allies mission 7 on any difficulty level.The Great Bear Trap (20 points) - Complete Allies mission 8 on any difficulty level.The Moon Shall Never Have Them (20 points) - Complete Allies mission 9 on any difficulty level.Rage of the Black Tortoise (20 points) - Complete Empire of the Rising Sun mission 6 on any difficulty level.Barbarians at the Bay (20 points) - Complete Empire of the Rising Sun mission 7 on any difficulty level.Crumble, Kremlin, Crumble (20 points) - Complete Empire of the Rising Sun mission 8 on any difficulty level.The Last Red Blossom Trembled (20 points) - Complete Empire of the Rising Sun mission 9 on any difficulty level.Tag Team (20 points) - Complete 9 different online co-op campaign missions.Bloodsucker (20 points) - Leech 7 different enemy weapons using Hammer Tanks in a ranked online match or skirmish.Short Work (20 points) - Win a battle in less than 5 minutes vs. a skirmish opponent (medium-or-greater difficulty).Day of Judgment (20 points) - Destroy 30 enemy units with an ultimate weapon attack in a ranked online match or skirmish.Girl's Best Friend (20 points) - Kill 25 enemy targets in 1 minute with a Commando in a ranked online match or skirmish.Meat Grinder (20 points) - Crush 20 enemy units in a ranked online match or skirmish (medium-or-greater difficulty).Sword Saint (20 points) - Cut down 15 enemy units with sword attacks in a ranked online match or skirmish.High Speed, Low Drag (20 points) - Arm 10 Multigunner IFVs with different weapons in a ranked online match or skirmish.The Knowledge (20 points) - Capture 6 structures in a ranked online match or skirmish (medium-or-greater difficulty).The Spy Who Bribed Me (20 points) - Convert 5 enemy units with a single Spy bribe in a ranked online match or skirmish.Reign of Terror (20 points) - Dismantle 4 enemy vehicles using the same Terror Drone in a ranked online match or skirmish.The Shrike and the Thorn (10 points) - Complete Soviet mission 1 on any difficulty level.Circus of Treachery (10 points) - Complete Soviet mission 2 on any difficulty level.Taking Back Ice-Harbor (10 points) - Complete Soviet mission 3 on any difficulty level.March of the Red Army (10 points) - Complete Soviet mission 4 on any difficulty level.The Science of War (10 points) - Complete Soviet mission 5 on any difficulty level.Ride of the Red Menace (10 points) - Complete Allies mission 1 on any difficulty level.The Shark and the Lure (10 points) - Complete Allies mission 2 on any difficulty level.The Famous Liberation (10 points) - Complete Allies mission 3 on any difficulty level.Enemy of Our Enemy (10 points) - Complete Allies mission 4 on any difficulty level.The Unfathomable Fortress (10 points) - Complete Allies mission 5 on any difficulty level.The Death of Father Frost (10 points) - Complete Empire of the Rising Sun mission 1 on any difficulty level.To Conquer Shattered Spirits (10 points) - Complete Empire of the Rising Sun mission 2 on any difficulty level.Behold the Shogun's Executioner (10 points) - Complete Empire of the Rising Sun mission 3 on any difficulty level.Graveyard of a Foolish Fleet (10 points) - Complete Empire of the Rising Sun mission 4 on any difficulty level.Assault on the Black Tortoise (10 points) - Complete Empire of the Rising Sun mission 5 on any difficulty level.Conscript (10 points) - Complete all lessons in the tutorial. 2ff7e9595c
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