Gameplay Suggestion:
powerr
Join Date: 2005-03-11 Member: 44769Members
Join Date: 2005-03-11 Member: 44769Members
I couldn't find something like this elsewhere in the forum so I'm creating a new threat, feel free to move it if I've mistaken.
I've played NS1 since 1.04 and frankly ever since, competitive and casual and I just hate most game ending up with all techs and/or all chambers
TO PROVE A POINT.
In NS-combat you did something interesting with the ELEMENT OF CHOICE: you had 10 points (at lvl 10) and chose what to do with them, either way you couldn't have everything it was either HA or JP. (Though i normally hate combat cuz it's like the ns classic for cs players).
While in NS classic you can research every tech in the game (eventually) as marines and get every chamber. Apply the element of choice to classic and you COULD get something like this: Marines could go either HA or JP, if they did HA, JP would become inaccessable the rest of the game, aliens would then know "this is gonna be a HA game" and could respond to that the way they saw fit. By making THEIR choices and some other choices would become inacccessable. (you could say the element is already there with choosing 1 of 3 upgrades per chamber) You get the idea.
You get the idea.
In other words this will lock the gameplay in a certain way and enhance the difference in gaming experience per game. In this example it would also simplify the game allot, but it proves the point it would need more choices. The balance between simplicity and complexity.
Ideas/Suggestions:
- There could be more than 3 alien chambers. But the team can only pick 3 of them. Different combinations would become available and the aliens would have to make the wisest choices depending on the game development.
- More alien lifeforms. Fx. another superb lifeform like the onos but with a different gamingstyle, choosing it would render onos inaccessable for the rest of that game. And/or more less advanced lifeforms as substitudes for lerk, fade etc.
- Each lifeform could have different attacks. Fx. as lerk 2nd hive ability hive you could choose spores OR spikes, at 3rd hive choose primal scream OR umbra and so on with each lifeform.
- Marines could have different lesser upgrades for each of the guns, fx. LMG/HMG: increased firerate OR larger clip. Flamer could go napalm OR something else nasty.
- Marines going either HA's, JP's or maybe unlocking a new building that can only be built at the expence or JP and HA.
- Or you could have some high-end late game buildings, and marines would choose 1 of fx. 3
Well you can apply this to practically everything and it really gives a game allot. Many options but a few choices. There would be developed more strategies and gaming experience would differ allot more per game.
Just my 5 cents.
I've played NS1 since 1.04 and frankly ever since, competitive and casual and I just hate most game ending up with all techs and/or all chambers
TO PROVE A POINT.
In NS-combat you did something interesting with the ELEMENT OF CHOICE: you had 10 points (at lvl 10) and chose what to do with them, either way you couldn't have everything it was either HA or JP. (Though i normally hate combat cuz it's like the ns classic for cs players).
While in NS classic you can research every tech in the game (eventually) as marines and get every chamber. Apply the element of choice to classic and you COULD get something like this: Marines could go either HA or JP, if they did HA, JP would become inaccessable the rest of the game, aliens would then know "this is gonna be a HA game" and could respond to that the way they saw fit. By making THEIR choices and some other choices would become inacccessable. (you could say the element is already there with choosing 1 of 3 upgrades per chamber) You get the idea.
You get the idea.
In other words this will lock the gameplay in a certain way and enhance the difference in gaming experience per game. In this example it would also simplify the game allot, but it proves the point it would need more choices. The balance between simplicity and complexity.
Ideas/Suggestions:
- There could be more than 3 alien chambers. But the team can only pick 3 of them. Different combinations would become available and the aliens would have to make the wisest choices depending on the game development.
- More alien lifeforms. Fx. another superb lifeform like the onos but with a different gamingstyle, choosing it would render onos inaccessable for the rest of that game. And/or more less advanced lifeforms as substitudes for lerk, fade etc.
- Each lifeform could have different attacks. Fx. as lerk 2nd hive ability hive you could choose spores OR spikes, at 3rd hive choose primal scream OR umbra and so on with each lifeform.
- Marines could have different lesser upgrades for each of the guns, fx. LMG/HMG: increased firerate OR larger clip. Flamer could go napalm OR something else nasty.
- Marines going either HA's, JP's or maybe unlocking a new building that can only be built at the expence or JP and HA.
- Or you could have some high-end late game buildings, and marines would choose 1 of fx. 3
Well you can apply this to practically everything and it really gives a game allot. Many options but a few choices. There would be developed more strategies and gaming experience would differ allot more per game.
Just my 5 cents.
Comments
The diversity in individual picks for each player also increase the teamwork possibilities a lot. For example a late game marine team with JP/HA combo is really interesting to both play and fight against.
One 'tree" or "resource path" becomes more popular then the others (for whatever reason) and so the less popular tech trees/paths are worked on less/differently, so you end up WITH only one choice if you ever want to win.
The other problem is when you lockout paths some people who don't care for, or aren't any good at the chosen tree may become upset and/or quit the game. Even though I know you get to walk over marines as an onos, I never found it to be that fun. I played a gorge 24/7!!! So, when you limit the aliens or marines to one "idea" you are alienating them and they may not want to play the game at all. If I had a choice to go onos or go to another server, I would be looking for another server.
It always seemed the servers with more options stayed more popular. G4B2S was heavily populated at most times of the day because it ran extra maps, had extra options, and other stuff, but it didn't lock you into a "mode." I do however think that if you could make it so the tech trees were affected but not locked out, that would be great. What I mean is the commander would choose between 3 types of tech bases: electrical, physical, or cold. So all the ammo and tech would be based on those. Maybe the ammo using cold would have a slight slowing effect, but it would not do as much damage. Or, the electrical tree would not affect the ammo or weapons at all, but all aliens in range or a marine with electrical armor, and all stations planted by the Commander would give a very slight electrical damage effect. Something like those...
I think you could change things a bit or maybe make one path have different effects (and I didn't mean only specifically the ones I suggested, you could do whatever), but when you completely lockout tech trees/paths, you end up with the more popular ones being balanced and worked on more, so the other less chosen paths end up abandoned.
I played Age of Conan for a while and thats EXACTLY what happened to the less popular feat trees for the characters. Just like Diablo 3 is going to be copying AOC, you choose feat trees, and the ones less popular won't be ######ed about as much, so less work will go into those, with them ending up stale and unused. *shrug*
**I don't mean to say your idea is bad, because it's not! It could be great, but I have seen these problems arise because of locking out technologies/"trees" before, so you have to be careful how you do it. You can end up neglecting parts of the game, alienating people, and the forums may become filled with "how to balance" posts. hehe
You never want to lock out a tech tree for many reasons most of which should be obvious.
You never want to lock out a tech tree for many reasons most of which should be obvious.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Also, don't spread out the tree. Making a broad tree with too many choices makes balance and commanding hard. See Empires.