Suggestions Re: Cysts
Kriby
Join Date: 2013-01-21 Member: 180996Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Aesthetics and added features</div><blockquote>My first suggestion for cysts regards the infestation spread radius. I think it should be a large cylinder rather than a sphere, because as it is the infestation rarely spreads to the walls/ceilings, which makes infestation less of a hive tunnel growth and more of a carpet.. I think it'd be a lot more intimidating if the infestation formed a tunnel instead. This wouldn't overspread infestation because all level designs already take into account the top-down view of commanders and as such never overlap tunnels/rooms.
There might be performance issues that I'm not aware of related to infestation and if so I guess we can't have it, but I hope we can! :)</blockquote>
TL;DR: Cysts spread infestation all around them, above and below to create "hive tunnels" instead of a hive carpet.
<blockquote>While the first suggestion is purely aesthetic, this next one is more game balance related. Cyst pathways are typically fragile and marines damaging a cyst pathway can add a lot of extra work for the alien commander over the course of a game. I think that there should be an upgrade for the cysts that make all cysts connected to two other cysts cloak. If the cysts are disconnected from the hive network they are revealed regardless. This makes it harder for marines to chew off infestation in its center, though not by much. A simple scan or cunning marine will still find the cysts easily. I think this will add more intimidation to the deep infestation as its cause is not immediately identifiable.</blockquote>
TL;DR: Cysts upgradable from Shade hive. Internal cysts cloak, infestation remains visible. Forward cysts are still fully visible.
<blockquote>One final suggestion for cysts, and it relates to the commander placing them. I think it'd add some dimension to finding the cysts if the commander could place them in the ceiling of areas by holding say, shift. This would add some sneaky ways for alien commanders to place cysts and not make them so obvious at all times. There is a possible problem with this and that is that there are areas which have no ceiling, such as landing pad and courtyard.</blockquote>
TL;DR: Bindable toggle key for placing cysts in the ceilings instead of on the floor. Allows for more sneaky cyst placement. Problem: Not all areas have ceilings.
There might be performance issues that I'm not aware of related to infestation and if so I guess we can't have it, but I hope we can! :)</blockquote>
TL;DR: Cysts spread infestation all around them, above and below to create "hive tunnels" instead of a hive carpet.
<blockquote>While the first suggestion is purely aesthetic, this next one is more game balance related. Cyst pathways are typically fragile and marines damaging a cyst pathway can add a lot of extra work for the alien commander over the course of a game. I think that there should be an upgrade for the cysts that make all cysts connected to two other cysts cloak. If the cysts are disconnected from the hive network they are revealed regardless. This makes it harder for marines to chew off infestation in its center, though not by much. A simple scan or cunning marine will still find the cysts easily. I think this will add more intimidation to the deep infestation as its cause is not immediately identifiable.</blockquote>
TL;DR: Cysts upgradable from Shade hive. Internal cysts cloak, infestation remains visible. Forward cysts are still fully visible.
<blockquote>One final suggestion for cysts, and it relates to the commander placing them. I think it'd add some dimension to finding the cysts if the commander could place them in the ceiling of areas by holding say, shift. This would add some sneaky ways for alien commanders to place cysts and not make them so obvious at all times. There is a possible problem with this and that is that there are areas which have no ceiling, such as landing pad and courtyard.</blockquote>
TL;DR: Bindable toggle key for placing cysts in the ceilings instead of on the floor. Allows for more sneaky cyst placement. Problem: Not all areas have ceilings.
Comments
I would really like to see that feature... would make a huge impact to the atmospherics!