If this has been answered before, then sorry, but what is the infestation's density going to be? Is it feasible to make perhaps some of it tough enough that you can walk on top of it?
<!--quoteo(post=1607875:date=Feb 19 2007, 09:26 PM:name=Harrower)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Harrower @ Feb 19 2007, 09:26 PM) [snapback]1607875[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> If this has been answered before, then sorry, but what is the infestation's density going to be? Is it feasible to make perhaps some of it tough enough that you can walk on top of it? <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
it doenst look very solid, they will probably make it so you can walk through it. otherwise an onos would get stuck in small doorways, it would effect fade blinking etc.... it would look unrealistic walking on top of a substance that has the same sort of consistancy as jelly.
plus i think it would be cool watching a squad of marines walking through DI, with it knee-deep in some spots... maybe slowing their movement a tad?
<!--quoteo(post=1607893:date=Feb 19 2007, 05:27 PM:name=Buzzou)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Buzzou @ Feb 19 2007, 05:27 PM) [snapback]1607893[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->it doenst look very solid, they will probably make it so you can walk through it. otherwise an onos would get stuck in small doorways, it would effect fade blinking etc.... it would look unrealistic walking on top of a substance that has the same sort of consistancy as jelly.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
How do you know its not solid? It may be squishy, but it doesn't make it jelly
Heavy infestation won't totally confuse new players. New players will be more focused on surviving and fighting the enemy. Lots of infestation lets them know where the front and back is in a dynamic arena. I don't know how many times I've seen oblivious marines running into enemy territory. Thus, it makes sense to have more infestation the closer you get to the hive and alien activity like chambers or eggs. They'll always have the minimap for marines and aliens have the 'radar', that is if those are the same in this new game. They'll clue into that before they'd be able to learn from running around anyway. It'd be the hardest for the kharaa, but that's already a little hard for new players. But what I'm saying is that there is some balance there. They kind of cancel each other out and one is more important than the other. So I'd have to agree with those that recommend using heavy infestation in hive areas.
Also, I like the look. I've never been totally satisfied with some of the dark areas in NS. I'd recommend either low contrast diffused areas like in those images, or if you go with a dark area have it high contrast with stark shadows. Whatever style you go (i like the grungy style in theory for NS's original feel, but when playing [and it goes for most multiplayer games] I enjoy clean lines and textures like tanith and veil) do not have low contrast dark areas.
yeah i missed the spooky settings in NS. maps should be completely more spooky. the kind that you jump a mile if you actually see something move... darker maps,more skulkfriendly to encourage people to actually want to use it more. Dynamic infestation will add to the spookyness. deffo <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
you know.. dynamic infestation could replace sof. since its all 1 living being,dynamic infestation should be able to pick up vibrations and being stepped/built on. just a thought...
<!--quoteo(post=1608053:date=Feb 20 2007, 01:01 PM:name=Femme_Fatale)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Femme_Fatale @ Feb 20 2007, 01:01 PM) [snapback]1608053[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> yeah i missed the spooky settings in NS. maps should be completely more spooky. the kind that you jump a mile if you actually see something move... darker maps,more skulkfriendly to encourage people to actually want to use it more. Dynamic infestation will add to the spookyness. deffo <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Noone would want to play marine if they didn't have a chance without turning their gamma up 500%. And noone would want to play alien if they died like flies under normal light.
Keep it up guys, its looking brilliant. Just a Few minor suggestions. 1st: Could you pelase show a few Player Model scetches maybe? and possible a few buildings on both alien and marine sides?
2nd:I think the Minor ammount of infestation is a good amount to use when its near fully take over. the last picture just made it overwhelming and pointless.
3rd:An idea for the future, could you add possibley more species of alien, and different "Classes" of Marines, to make the game intresting, such as a Bomber Lurk or Sniper Infantry. Dont get rid of the current species, they all work perfectly together, just maybe include a bit mroe choice.
I hope you take all these ideas into consideration and get back to me at John.Harcourt@gmail.com
P.S: Could you Also Please estimate a realease date? hopefully somewhere May/June? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
Heavy infestation would be highly advantageous to aliens, especially if it noclips. That way eggs can hide under the surface to prevent gestation kills. And to explain how the aliens spawn. (like have a bunch of eggs lying around, and occasionally a skulk spawns from one. Maybe even allow an alien beacon...?)
<!--quoteo(post=1608116:date=Feb 20 2007, 11:46 AM:name=jobo789)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jobo789 @ Feb 20 2007, 11:46 AM) [snapback]1608116[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> possibley more species of alien, and different "Classes" of Marines, to make the game intresting, such as a Bomber Lurk or Sniper Infantry.
P.S: Could you Also Please estimate a realease date? hopefully somewhere May/June? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" /> <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Oh my, This is awesome and can not wait for the game..Woooooot.....I do hope it is not as dark as most of the old NS maps are....I had to turn up the brightness all the way on the game option....but I still love the game...and good work....Any hint as to when the game will actually come out.......because that day will be party time........................
how about having sc's also cloak the infestation ? now that would be cool <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
you know, it would be really cool if the infestation had to really do with gameplay. Like, a chamber that created infestation (like blight in warcraft), which gives aliens faster regen or something. Then marines would have to try to destroy the infestation for tactical reasons.
Also, having the hive slowly expand the infestation would be tight. And maybe even making so that marines can't place buildings in infestation until they clear it up, making it harder to place a tf around the hive. And maybe having the aliens be able to auto scent of fear if a rine is on the infestation.
Personally, I prefer the idea of heavy infestation in areas that have been under Kharaa control for awhile - as long as Marines can clear it with a flamethrower or something I think it'd really add to the atmosphere.
Just make infestation grow out of alien structures, with a rate/density relative to the size of the structure. Obviously a hive is gonna be super infested, then around the hive you'll have OCs etc contributing...a lone RT or OC maybe spreads a few spores so the area immediatley around it has some mold growing on it but nothing much.
I personally love the look of the heavily infested area, though I can understand the fear that if everywhere the aliens went looked like that it would start getting difficult to tell one hallway from the other. As someone else mentioned though, it will be really easy to figure out where to go to find enemies, just head toward/away from the infestation. I really like the random organs and such growing in it that look like they're casting light.
Flamethrower, I like that idea. I can visualize torching an OC til its just a smoking stalk of crispy organic matter and I like it. A fast way to clear infestation for placing buildings perhaps?
schkorpioI can mspaintJoin Date: 2003-05-23Member: 16635Members
with a flamer like this <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?s=4854719650790750208&showtopic=98987&st=53#" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index....8987&st=53#</a>
<!--quoteo(post=1609105:date=Feb 25 2007, 02:31 AM:name=sinbu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sinbu @ Feb 25 2007, 02:31 AM) [snapback]1609105[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> And maybe even making so that marines can't place buildings in infestation. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think it's better if marines can place buildings there. Imagine, the commander places the building near the infestation, the infestation grows all around the building, and the structure is hiden <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
And if aliens want to destroy the structure, they have to destroy first their infestations <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
It'd give a chance to the marines...
Also it should be better if a hive would need infestation to live. Then if marines destroy the infestation, the hive would starts dying, or couldn't heal aliens, etc.
If your talking purely about the levels of infestation, then I would expect that the more frags/points the Kharaa make the more infested the landscapes become, visa-versa. If you mean the artists rendering then all I can say is he is a ish-load better than I.
this comment maybe a bit late, but i hope flayra or max reads it...
heavy gestation can be used only when 3 hives are obtained. that way it can signal to the maries that "YOU ARE IN DEEP SH!T", and genrally not gross out or disorientate the players as it doesn't happen often. Even if it does letting aliens have 3 hives, YOU DESERVE IT <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
anyways thats my 2 cents on my first post <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
What I really get into about NS is the weldable & switches and things. Well thats one of them,.. But what I want to suggest is whole rooms turning, gravity in certain areas changing so that you may find yourself walking on the roof! Does this make any sense? Even NS seneraios where the craft is in/out of hyperspace, or mining operations are doing 'stuff', I have many ideas I will create a portfolio but yeah you ROCK fellaz
<!--quoteo(post=1610011:date=Feb 28 2007, 12:23 PM:name=measles)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(measles @ Feb 28 2007, 12:23 PM) [snapback]1610011[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> What I really get into about NS is the weldable & switches and things. Well thats one of them,.. But what I want to suggest is whole rooms turning, gravity in certain areas changing so that you may find yourself walking on the roof! Does this make any sense? Even NS seneraios where the craft is in/out of hyperspace, or mining operations are doing 'stuff', I have many ideas I will create a portfolio but yeah you ROCK fellaz <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ummm... try Dystopia before you suggest changing gravity. The CS can get really wonky in that mod.
Also, since when is there hyper space? Its Phase Gates! PHASE GATES!
I would use the creep/infestation <i>(those are synonyms, aren't they?)</i> quite much like it is in StarCraft:
It growth starting from certain structures <i>(like the hive, or any 'infestation'-chamber)</i>. It provides resource flow <i>(like food, water, or any other resource used as food by units and structures)</i>. All structures require being connected to any kind of resource-provider via the creep. Or in other words: the aliens can only place their structures on it. <i>(maybe with some exceptions like hives... - dunno)</i> In return, the infestation blocks the nanites from providing energy and resource flow. Or in other words: marines can only build on uninfested places.
I would also think, that the slimy nature of the infestation is, for those that are used to it, a grate advantage, for using the slime to glide-run on it increases speed. <i>(which means that the aliens move faster on the creep)</i> But for those, that aren't used on walking on such a slimy underground, the underground is a hindrance. You are simply gliding on it uncontrollable, therefore reducing the movement speed. <i>(in short: marines move slower, or get some gliding in random directions)</i>
Another nice idea, based on the infestation would be the way the aliens build: they place an egg on the infestation, and the infestation provides it with some <i>(very slow though)</i> automatic construction. if the construction speed should be higher, any builder might provide the infestation with resources <i>(in a half digested, fluid form)</i> Those resources are used for several things: 1. they provide increase in construction speed <i>(the amount depends on the distance between construction and the feeder)</i> 2. they provide an increase in regeneration for all nearby units & structures <i>(speed depends, up to a certain maximum, on the distance as well)</i> The resources spend, are shared on all these purposes about equally.
There could be the possibility to store some resources in special structures <i>(like those increasing the infestation)</i> or the infestation itself, from where they are 'used' automatically. Also,all <i>(alien-)</i> units and structures on infestation linked to the storage/injection place by infestation might benefit from the resource-allocation...
This post is specifically about the three pictures, showing the same section but with 3 different degrees of infection.
Although I can understand that players might feel sickened by too heavy infestion, exactly this reaction can be used to tigthen the atmosphere as well as create an interesting gameplay element! To accomplish this, heavy infection needs to be a sign of alien lifeforms or alien structures beeing near. So it might be wortwile, to create 2 versions for every map. One blank version with zero infection and one 100% infected version. These are the two extremes that the infection level will move between.
This could be easily handled by having a percentage coverage, which is increased by alien structures and lifeforms. So a hive would set everything in 100 feet radius around him to 50% infection. An RT would have a 20 feet radius and would raise the infection level by 30%. Normal chambers could have a 10 feet radius and increase the infection by 10%.
The same idead could be also applied to marines structures. A marine RT could lower the infection level around it by 30%. So if we place a movement chamber next to an marine RT, we would get a infection level of 20% near the chamber.
Alien lifeforms as well as marines could also affect the infection levels, by leaving "nanite" or "infection" trails behind. So a marine walking through a lightly infected area (10%) would simply cut through the infection. A skulk climbing in a 0% infected vent would also leave a small infection trail behind, so that you could tell that something went into that vent even if you didnt see the skulk.
This would mean that from a marines perspective you would see more and more infection the more you get near the hive. So the more dangerous an area is, the more strange and sickening it is looking. It would also mean that ninjaing as marine into a heavly infected area would become harder, because you would leave a trail of lighter infection behind. (marine trails reduce infection by 10% so a rine walking through a hive would leave a 40% infected path, in the 50% infected hive area, behind.)
So what we would eventually get during a long game is a level, that has areas clearly marked as beeing in alien possesion. Although areas that are 100% infected would be pretty rare, cause you need lots of high-level buildings/lifeforms in the same place ro achieve this. In order to provide another tactical element and even stengthen the aliens defence capabilitys aliens standing on highly infected areas could be faster/stronger/better/bigger (regen faster, cloak better, have a higher armor rating, have a higher chance of redemption). It might also add an intersting possible feature to the "hopefully to be" flamethrower. With the ability to burn infection away a hiveroom could be quickly cleaned from infection, meaning that aliens returning in order to safe the hive will have to fight witheout the infection boni.
This might be an acceptable way to include the heavly infected areas without forcing certain areas of the map to be covered by heavy infection all the time. Instead the battlefield is more or less changing all the time, which could emphazise a rather fast and dynamic gameplay.
NS2 needs to b as interesting as possible, i HATE to see games where every1 instantly knows all the maps and hiding locations, adding confeusion is always a good thing, keeps ppl using their brain instead of being bored and reducing their sense of acheivment when fighting.. ns1 was always popular and growing in the beginning because of the constant updates and map updates which kept the interest of every1, and it started to die out(in australia) coz it was so mainstream in the last few(1 tactic or die), the maps and models are excelent so far and makes me want to play it, but id hate to see this turn into a game where ppl just grab the biggest gun every game and do the same old game winning tactics rather then mixing it up and using their brains.
personally i like the grungey matrix look, because it adds a sense of insecurity to the fight(keeps u on ur toes) but the clean look is always good for team morale, there should be radical variation of all types of maps(clean, damaged, raw machinery, natural enviroments), lots of detail and things to hide behind or take cover in certain places and in other places have the straight corridors, but not the whole map just straight boring corridors with no cover and no chance for sum1 fighting against a weapon that uses straight lines as their advantage, the game needs to be technical(lifts, timelock doors, breakable vents etc.) and the Infestation just fits like a key in a lock, covering the map over time so u know when ur near alien territory and to be scared! perhaps the DI should benifit the alien on a low level, so the alien attacks are more common among it(eg. aliens only regenerate while near it, as if it was absorbing its nutrients?) give both sides a chance to use their enviroment tactically and not force the players to just get the biggest badest weapon being untouchable and damaging the team work..(marine or alien) the maps make all the difference.
What is the entropy I'm talking about? It refers to basically includes all that you said in the first paragraph and much more. Essentially meaning that more entropy in a map means more "options": new directions, more variation, how many entrances/exits to a room or hallway, etc. Entropy in maps is a critique feature I look for, thus the coined terminology. You can still have a map with low entropy be acceptable in combat, but then it's all about spamming and a map with high entropy is VITAL to a well balanced classic NS map.
Just wanted to point that out. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Comments
If this has been answered before, then sorry, but what is the infestation's density going to be? Is it feasible to make perhaps some of it tough enough that you can walk on top of it?
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
it doenst look very solid, they will probably make it so you can walk through it. otherwise an onos would get stuck in small doorways, it would effect fade blinking etc.... it would look unrealistic walking on top of a substance that has the same sort of consistancy as jelly.
plus i think it would be cool watching a squad of marines walking through DI, with it knee-deep in some spots... maybe slowing their movement a tad?
How do you know its not solid? It may be squishy, but it doesn't make it jelly
-Sheepe
Also, I like the look. I've never been totally satisfied with some of the dark areas in NS. I'd recommend either low contrast diffused areas like in those images, or if you go with a dark area have it high contrast with stark shadows. Whatever style you go (i like the grungy style in theory for NS's original feel, but when playing [and it goes for most multiplayer games] I enjoy clean lines and textures like tanith and veil) do not have low contrast dark areas.
maps should be completely more spooky.
the kind that you jump a mile if you actually see something move...
darker maps,more skulkfriendly to encourage people to actually want to use it more.
Dynamic infestation will add to the spookyness.
deffo <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
you know..
dynamic infestation could replace sof.
since its all 1 living being,dynamic infestation should be able to pick up vibrations and being stepped/built on.
just a thought...
yeah i missed the spooky settings in NS.
maps should be completely more spooky.
the kind that you jump a mile if you actually see something move...
darker maps,more skulkfriendly to encourage people to actually want to use it more.
Dynamic infestation will add to the spookyness.
deffo <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Noone would want to play marine if they didn't have a chance without turning their gamma up 500%.
And noone would want to play alien if they died like flies under normal light.
Just a Few minor suggestions.
1st: Could you pelase show a few Player Model scetches maybe? and possible a few buildings on both alien and marine sides?
2nd:I think the Minor ammount of infestation is a good amount to use when its near fully take over. the last picture just made it overwhelming and pointless.
3rd:An idea for the future, could you add possibley more species of alien, and different "Classes" of Marines, to make the game intresting, such as a Bomber Lurk or Sniper Infantry. Dont get rid of the current species, they all work perfectly together, just maybe include a bit mroe choice.
I hope you take all these ideas into consideration and get back to me at John.Harcourt@gmail.com
P.S: Could you Also Please estimate a realease date? hopefully somewhere May/June? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
Yeah, I lost my train of thought
-Sheepe
possibley more species of alien, and different "Classes" of Marines, to make the game intresting, such as a Bomber Lurk or Sniper Infantry.
P.S: Could you Also Please estimate a realease date? hopefully somewhere May/June? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Um.... I think May/June of 2008/9
Also... "Sniper Infantry"......"Bomber lerk"
This is not BF2 or CS.
Respect at release date: Pacience is the mother of the cience.
now that would be cool <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Also, having the hive slowly expand the infestation would be tight. And maybe even making so that marines can't place buildings in infestation until they clear it up, making it harder to place a tf around the hive. And maybe having the aliens be able to auto scent of fear if a rine is on the infestation.
Boy, I sure to favour aliens in this game.
I personally love the look of the heavily infested area, though I can understand the fear that if everywhere the aliens went looked like that it would start getting difficult to tell one hallway from the other. As someone else mentioned though, it will be really easy to figure out where to go to find enemies, just head toward/away from the infestation. I really like the random organs and such growing in it that look like they're casting light.
Flamethrower, I like that idea. I can visualize torching an OC til its just a smoking stalk of crispy organic matter and I like it. A fast way to clear infestation for placing buildings perhaps?
<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?s=4854719650790750208&showtopic=98987&st=53#" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index....8987&st=53#</a>
And maybe even making so that marines can't place buildings in infestation.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think it's better if marines can place buildings there. Imagine, the commander places the building near the infestation, the infestation grows all around the building, and the structure is hiden <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
And if aliens want to destroy the structure, they have to destroy first their infestations <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
It'd give a chance to the marines...
Also it should be better if a hive would need infestation to live. Then if marines destroy the infestation, the hive would starts dying, or couldn't heal aliens, etc.
heavy gestation can be used only when 3 hives are obtained. that way it can signal to the maries that "YOU ARE IN DEEP SH!T", and genrally not gross out or disorientate the players as it doesn't happen often. Even if it does letting aliens have 3 hives, YOU DESERVE IT <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
anyways thats my 2 cents on my first post <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
But yeah, infestation should be relative to how well the Aliens are doing
-Sheepe
What I really get into about NS is the weldable & switches and things. Well thats one of them,.. But what I want to suggest is whole rooms turning, gravity in certain areas changing so that you may find yourself walking on the roof! Does this make any sense? Even NS seneraios where the craft is in/out of hyperspace, or mining operations are doing 'stuff', I have many ideas I will create a portfolio but yeah you ROCK fellaz
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ummm... try Dystopia before you suggest changing gravity. The CS can get really wonky in that mod.
Also, since when is there hyper space? Its Phase Gates! PHASE GATES!
-Sheepe
It growth starting from certain structures <i>(like the hive, or any 'infestation'-chamber)</i>.
It provides resource flow <i>(like food, water, or any other resource used as food by units and structures)</i>.
All structures require being connected to any kind of resource-provider via the creep. Or in other words: the aliens can only place their structures on it. <i>(maybe with some exceptions like hives... - dunno)</i>
In return, the infestation blocks the nanites from providing energy and resource flow. Or in other words: marines can only build on uninfested places.
I would also think, that the slimy nature of the infestation is, for those that are used to it, a grate advantage, for using the slime to glide-run on it increases speed. <i>(which means that the aliens move faster on the creep)</i> But for those, that aren't used on walking on such a slimy underground, the underground is a hindrance. You are simply gliding on it uncontrollable, therefore reducing the movement speed. <i>(in short: marines move slower, or get some gliding in random directions)</i>
Another nice idea, based on the infestation would be the way the aliens build: they place an egg on the infestation, and the infestation provides it with some <i>(very slow though)</i> automatic construction. if the construction speed should be higher, any builder might provide the infestation with resources <i>(in a half digested, fluid form)</i> Those resources are used for several things:
1. they provide increase in construction speed <i>(the amount depends on the distance between construction and the feeder)</i>
2. they provide an increase in regeneration for all nearby units & structures <i>(speed depends, up to a certain maximum, on the distance as well)</i>
The resources spend, are shared on all these purposes about equally.
There could be the possibility to store some resources in special structures <i>(like those increasing the infestation)</i> or the infestation itself, from where they are 'used' automatically.
Also,all <i>(alien-)</i> units and structures on infestation linked to the storage/injection place by infestation might benefit from the resource-allocation...
Although I can understand that players might feel sickened by too heavy infestion, exactly this reaction can be used to tigthen the atmosphere as well as create an interesting gameplay element!
To accomplish this, heavy infection needs to be a sign of alien lifeforms or alien structures beeing near. So it might be wortwile, to create 2 versions for every map. One blank version with zero infection and one 100% infected version. These are the two extremes that the infection level will move between.
This could be easily handled by having a percentage coverage, which is increased by alien structures and lifeforms. So a hive would set everything in 100 feet radius around him to 50% infection. An RT would have a 20 feet radius and would raise the infection level by 30%. Normal chambers could have a 10 feet radius and increase the infection by 10%.
The same idead could be also applied to marines structures. A marine RT could lower the infection level around it by 30%. So if we place a movement chamber next to an marine RT, we would get a infection level of 20% near the chamber.
Alien lifeforms as well as marines could also affect the infection levels, by leaving "nanite" or "infection" trails behind. So a marine walking through a lightly infected area (10%) would simply cut through the infection.
A skulk climbing in a 0% infected vent would also leave a small infection trail behind, so that you could tell that something went into that vent even if you didnt see the skulk.
This would mean that from a marines perspective you would see more and more infection the more you get near the hive. So the more dangerous an area is, the more strange and sickening it is looking. It would also mean that ninjaing as marine into a heavly infected area would become harder, because you would leave a trail of lighter infection behind. (marine trails reduce infection by 10% so a rine walking through a hive would leave a 40% infected path, in the 50% infected hive area, behind.)
So what we would eventually get during a long game is a level, that has areas clearly marked as beeing in alien possesion. Although areas that are 100% infected would be pretty rare, cause you need lots of high-level buildings/lifeforms in the same place ro achieve this. In order to provide another tactical element and even stengthen the aliens defence capabilitys aliens standing on highly infected areas could be faster/stronger/better/bigger (regen faster, cloak better, have a higher armor rating, have a higher chance of redemption). It might also add an intersting possible feature to the "hopefully to be" flamethrower. With the ability to burn infection away a hiveroom could be quickly cleaned from infection, meaning that aliens returning in order to safe the hive will have to fight witheout the infection boni.
This might be an acceptable way to include the heavly infected areas without forcing certain areas of the map to be covered by heavy infection all the time. Instead the battlefield is more or less changing all the time, which could emphazise a rather fast and dynamic gameplay.
personally i like the grungey matrix look, because it adds a sense of insecurity to the fight(keeps u on ur toes) but the clean look is always good for team morale, there should be radical variation of all types of maps(clean, damaged, raw machinery, natural enviroments), lots of detail and things to hide behind or take cover in certain places and in other places have the straight corridors, but not the whole map just straight boring corridors with no cover and no chance for sum1 fighting against a weapon that uses straight lines as their advantage, the game needs to be technical(lifts, timelock doors, breakable vents etc.) and the Infestation just fits like a key in a lock, covering the map over time so u know when ur near alien territory and to be scared! perhaps the DI should benifit the alien on a low level, so the alien attacks are more common among it(eg. aliens only regenerate while near it, as if it was absorbing its nutrients?)
give both sides a chance to use their enviroment tactically and not force the players to just get the biggest badest weapon being untouchable and damaging the team work..(marine or alien) the maps make all the difference.
What is the entropy I'm talking about? It refers to basically includes all that you said in the first paragraph and much more. Essentially meaning that more entropy in a map means more "options": new directions, more variation, how many entrances/exits to a room or hallway, etc. Entropy in maps is a critique feature I look for, thus the coined terminology. You can still have a map with low entropy be acceptable in combat, but then it's all about spamming and a map with high entropy is VITAL to a well balanced classic NS map.
Just wanted to point that out. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />