Multiple upgrades for Aliens
beyond.wudge
Join Date: 2012-10-19 Member: 162731Members
Join Date: 2012-10-19 Member: 162731Members
<b>Basic problem:</b> Upgrades tend to be difficult to balance against each other. The most flexible or jack-of-all trades ones tend to be picked over the more specialist abilities. Celerity vs Adrenaline is a good example. Carapace vs regeneration is another. This leads to very predictable play as more and more Comms go celerity/carapace/silence and won't waste res on any other upgrade that slows down an Onos egg.
<b>Basic idea:</b> Aliens can choose from multiple upgrades. Having access to all of them is nearly always a plus. However, this is regulated by lifeform tier, hive number and res cost.
Skulks could always access as many upgrades as are available. Hives unlock new sets of upgrades for the other lifeforms (a second and third box in each side of the buy menu). Higher tier lifeforms like the Fade and Onos may only get a second set with three hives, Onos with four hives or never if it is too unbalanced.
Alternatively res cost could be used to balance the upgrades for higher tier lifeforms. A skulk may pay 1 res for 1-3 upgrades, 2 res for 4-6 and 3 res for 7-9. A Lerk may pay twice that at each level: 2, 4 and 6 res. A Fade may pay four times at 4, 8 and 12 res. An Onos may pay up to five times or more at 5, 10 and 15. A fully done up Fade would be 62 res. A fully done up Onos would be 90 res.
<b>Basic Implication:</b> Alien's end game could become much more scary. Also, Alien's who survive would continue to evolve more upgrades as the comm unlocks them. A distinct and powerful alternative to Onos eggs once progress across the map has stopped would exist. Alien strategies would become much more varied.
<b>Conclusion:</b> This idea is only a beginning. I know it would need a lot of work before it would be seamless to integrate. However, the best way to create the "specialise your alien lifeform" would be with true specialisations that are separate from the normal Alien upgrade system. Right now alien upgrades feel like weapon and armour upgrade equivalents and the game balance seems to reflect this. If Carapace is required every game to match Marine weapon upgrades then very few alternative upgrades are going to see use.
Make focus style (I lose something but gain something actually changing my style of play) abilities something you get from entirely new buildings that stack on top but cost a good deal of res to get (say 3-5? for a Skulk). Limit them by hive number but add in a bunch of them so 'Super-Skulks' are possible and truly extreme endgame Lifeforms exist (giving even more leeway for super cool Marine toys). I think in the end this would make life so much simpler.
<b>Basic idea:</b> Aliens can choose from multiple upgrades. Having access to all of them is nearly always a plus. However, this is regulated by lifeform tier, hive number and res cost.
Skulks could always access as many upgrades as are available. Hives unlock new sets of upgrades for the other lifeforms (a second and third box in each side of the buy menu). Higher tier lifeforms like the Fade and Onos may only get a second set with three hives, Onos with four hives or never if it is too unbalanced.
Alternatively res cost could be used to balance the upgrades for higher tier lifeforms. A skulk may pay 1 res for 1-3 upgrades, 2 res for 4-6 and 3 res for 7-9. A Lerk may pay twice that at each level: 2, 4 and 6 res. A Fade may pay four times at 4, 8 and 12 res. An Onos may pay up to five times or more at 5, 10 and 15. A fully done up Fade would be 62 res. A fully done up Onos would be 90 res.
<b>Basic Implication:</b> Alien's end game could become much more scary. Also, Alien's who survive would continue to evolve more upgrades as the comm unlocks them. A distinct and powerful alternative to Onos eggs once progress across the map has stopped would exist. Alien strategies would become much more varied.
<b>Conclusion:</b> This idea is only a beginning. I know it would need a lot of work before it would be seamless to integrate. However, the best way to create the "specialise your alien lifeform" would be with true specialisations that are separate from the normal Alien upgrade system. Right now alien upgrades feel like weapon and armour upgrade equivalents and the game balance seems to reflect this. If Carapace is required every game to match Marine weapon upgrades then very few alternative upgrades are going to see use.
Make focus style (I lose something but gain something actually changing my style of play) abilities something you get from entirely new buildings that stack on top but cost a good deal of res to get (say 3-5? for a Skulk). Limit them by hive number but add in a bunch of them so 'Super-Skulks' are possible and truly extreme endgame Lifeforms exist (giving even more leeway for super cool Marine toys). I think in the end this would make life so much simpler.