Resource Model Layout
Freemantle
Join Date: 2002-06-16 Member: 783Members
Join Date: 2002-06-16 Member: 783Members
<div class="IPBDescription">i.e. Freemantle's Jumbled Mess of Words</div> I have been noticing many complaints about the resource system in both the Beta and General Discussion section. I think that some of the people need to realize what the actual goals of the resource system are, and what flaws are contained in them (both 1.04 and 1.1)
The resource system for aliens should always include all types of lifeforms, but non-gorge lifeforms should never have a detrimental effect on the gorge's building ability. The gorge should never be soley responsable for aquiring resources, he should always need support to get it up, and support keeping it up.
The game must stay interesting for the gorge. There needs to be a draw to becoming gorge besides being able to build, at the price of waiting around as long as any skulk would to aquire resources.
The gorge must never be a stepping stone into a higher evolution. This ruins the rest of the team's chances at performing to the max. The gorge must always be dedicated to the hive.
The gorge should have limited combat roles in the early and late game. A seriously damaging action to take against marines, which is quickly silenced by his death.
Marine bases should feel like they are being infested. They should need to go to one corner of the map or another to perform matenince (be it with a welder or a shotgun).
The marine commander should get more frustrated with the alien's actions than his own team's.
There should be an incentive to put the gorge in harms way.
<b>So</b>....
<u>Proposed Resource Model</u>
Resource consumption rates should remain the same. Alien resource towers should be raised in health and cost.
Implement nozzle energy: The resource nozzle, while providing nano sludge, was intended to be a hardline for a larger structure (much like the gas to your stove, or water to your washing machine). The nozzle has energy much like the Observatories in 1.1. Here is the catch, <b>the nozzle offers NO RESOURCES if the energy is at less than 100%. The energy recharges at a steady rate, taking 40 seconds to recharge from empty to full.
[b]Aliens</b>: Re-implement sucking. Gorges may suck from an empty node, recieving an instantaneous shot of 7rp. This drains the nozzle's energy completely. The same nozzle cannot be sucked until the energy has completely refilled.
<b>What does this mean?</b>: Gorges will have the ability to bolster their RP, so gameplay wont be so tedious as far as waiting for res is concerned. Gorges will get out in the line of fire more as they run from nozzle to nozzle trying to bolster they're RP quickly. Double nodes will be even more stressed. Marine commanders have an even larger annoyance. Even if they begin to throw down resource towers all over the place, some of them will be unusable for a fair amount of time. When a marine RT is destroyed, a gorge can suck the resources, then run away and cloak to slow the marine's economic advance if there is no time to build an alien RT before there is retaliation.
Why will time to Onos not be a problem?
a) only one alien can do it
b) it would take a very long time. Try running any long distance with a gorge.
c) any marine team that allows a slow little gorge to suck the map deserves an onos in the early game.
<b>That's fine and dandy for Aliens, but what about Marines?</b>
Whenever a Electrified Resource Tower fires, it drains a small piece of energy, about 9%. This will recharge quickly (3.6 seconds per shot, if you do the math). <b>Energy is not needed to shock aliens, but energy will be consumed by shocking aliens</b>. No matter how low the energy is, the Resource Tower will be shocking away, but unless that energy meter reads 100% no resources will be gained from that node. Lower Electrification Research to compensate for the double-edge effects.
<u>What does this mean?</u>: Aliens can harrass upgraded RT's, trading their lives for a few precious seconds of resource stalling. A regenerating alien can run in, get shocked, then run out. This forces the marines to come out and "clean" their resource towers every once in a while. This makes a double edged sword out of Electrification. While the new model of resource tower is skulk/lerk/gorge repellant, it is also prone to having it's delicate electronics gummed up by alien advancement. The old, clanky model of resource tower has no flash and sizzle, but it has dependable returns. This puts more of a fisht near resource towers, and an noticable effect on the marine economy, even if the skulks get killed in the process of trying to free up a resource tower.
<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>Edited for clarity and horrendous spelling</span>
The resource system for aliens should always include all types of lifeforms, but non-gorge lifeforms should never have a detrimental effect on the gorge's building ability. The gorge should never be soley responsable for aquiring resources, he should always need support to get it up, and support keeping it up.
The game must stay interesting for the gorge. There needs to be a draw to becoming gorge besides being able to build, at the price of waiting around as long as any skulk would to aquire resources.
The gorge must never be a stepping stone into a higher evolution. This ruins the rest of the team's chances at performing to the max. The gorge must always be dedicated to the hive.
The gorge should have limited combat roles in the early and late game. A seriously damaging action to take against marines, which is quickly silenced by his death.
Marine bases should feel like they are being infested. They should need to go to one corner of the map or another to perform matenince (be it with a welder or a shotgun).
The marine commander should get more frustrated with the alien's actions than his own team's.
There should be an incentive to put the gorge in harms way.
<b>So</b>....
<u>Proposed Resource Model</u>
Resource consumption rates should remain the same. Alien resource towers should be raised in health and cost.
Implement nozzle energy: The resource nozzle, while providing nano sludge, was intended to be a hardline for a larger structure (much like the gas to your stove, or water to your washing machine). The nozzle has energy much like the Observatories in 1.1. Here is the catch, <b>the nozzle offers NO RESOURCES if the energy is at less than 100%. The energy recharges at a steady rate, taking 40 seconds to recharge from empty to full.
[b]Aliens</b>: Re-implement sucking. Gorges may suck from an empty node, recieving an instantaneous shot of 7rp. This drains the nozzle's energy completely. The same nozzle cannot be sucked until the energy has completely refilled.
<b>What does this mean?</b>: Gorges will have the ability to bolster their RP, so gameplay wont be so tedious as far as waiting for res is concerned. Gorges will get out in the line of fire more as they run from nozzle to nozzle trying to bolster they're RP quickly. Double nodes will be even more stressed. Marine commanders have an even larger annoyance. Even if they begin to throw down resource towers all over the place, some of them will be unusable for a fair amount of time. When a marine RT is destroyed, a gorge can suck the resources, then run away and cloak to slow the marine's economic advance if there is no time to build an alien RT before there is retaliation.
Why will time to Onos not be a problem?
a) only one alien can do it
b) it would take a very long time. Try running any long distance with a gorge.
c) any marine team that allows a slow little gorge to suck the map deserves an onos in the early game.
<b>That's fine and dandy for Aliens, but what about Marines?</b>
Whenever a Electrified Resource Tower fires, it drains a small piece of energy, about 9%. This will recharge quickly (3.6 seconds per shot, if you do the math). <b>Energy is not needed to shock aliens, but energy will be consumed by shocking aliens</b>. No matter how low the energy is, the Resource Tower will be shocking away, but unless that energy meter reads 100% no resources will be gained from that node. Lower Electrification Research to compensate for the double-edge effects.
<u>What does this mean?</u>: Aliens can harrass upgraded RT's, trading their lives for a few precious seconds of resource stalling. A regenerating alien can run in, get shocked, then run out. This forces the marines to come out and "clean" their resource towers every once in a while. This makes a double edged sword out of Electrification. While the new model of resource tower is skulk/lerk/gorge repellant, it is also prone to having it's delicate electronics gummed up by alien advancement. The old, clanky model of resource tower has no flash and sizzle, but it has dependable returns. This puts more of a fisht near resource towers, and an noticable effect on the marine economy, even if the skulks get killed in the process of trying to free up a resource tower.
<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>Edited for clarity and horrendous spelling</span>
Comments
Also, shouldn't this be S&I?
About the Regen Skulk: Keep in mind, shock does a LOT of damage to a skulk, he will have to sit it out for awhile to regen it all. And each shock will only drain the energy down 3 seconds (which could also be adjusted, I invented these numbers pretty early in the morning). I think sending a LMG marine or 2 to wipe out a skulk trying to tie up an RT isn't a bad thing for pubs. It helps alleviate the strain on helplessly locked games.
Electrified node thing: This is mainly due to the current leetness (according to certian PTs) of E_RT rushes. Without fade, electrified turrets are hard to take down. This is the best method I could think of to slow a rampaging marine teams advance. Upgrading it dosent lower the res input unless the node is harassed.