Power Grid

Ink · December 2009

It seems like a pretty cool concept but like maybe im not getting it completely or maybe i am. If mappers are gonna have to follow a basic layout for the power grid, wont a lot of maps end up looking a like or close to it in layout? or things become unbalanced or something it just seems like a difficult concept to map if your really trying to do something that couldnt really have that type of layout.

ozbirdboy · December 2009

Hard to say at this point; but i really think mappers will find a way to make their maps unique.

Terr · December 2009

I'd assume there's some way to designate room boundaries and to link up the grid by specifying edges between the nodes.

Bacillus · December 2009

Are there any confirmed boundaries or limitations the power grid causes?

Right now I can't see how the power grid limits mapping more than the requisite of 3 hives in NS. I'll wait for some details until I start speculating more.

RobB · December 2009

I'd guess the powergrid doesnt realy have any limitations, its just that you cant skip a room when expanding (no more "rush double!!1!")

homicide · December 2009

Sure you can.

People rush forward strategic points in company of hero all the time.

RobB · December 2009

yes, of course. but i remember a description for the powergrid where they stated you cant in ns2. you have to go through each room and place at least an rt to connect the grid.

tjosan · December 2009

I think what was said is that you need to connect the dots back towards your CC to get the resource benifit. But there is a whole lot more to different places on a map than the direct resource feed. Push and back fill would hopefully still be a possibility.

RobB · December 2009

That is true, but I interpreted it that you have to connect it so its powered and that there's a strategy viable to severe the line somewhere to make a room vulnerable.

Drown · December 2009

As long as your double res node has a tech point too, this would be possible... I suspect you'll be able to develop each tech point independently of your grid... or you could build a map that was written to overlap the building range of marie start with a room that had a tech and two res.

homicide · December 2009

Taking a forward strategic point may not increase your team's resource flow but it does decrease the enemy's.

Conceptually, that is the entire point of a power grid design. Instead of always attacking the closest and easiest strategic point (like teams do in NS1), teams are given the option of striking deeper into enemy territory for greater reward but at higher risk.

In NS1, marines periodically choose to ignore skulks killing res nodes to take the offensive. That is no longer possible when 1 skulk can potentially cut off an entire map of resources by killing only 1 or 2 nodes.

No more "set it and forget it" map control.

Insane · December 2009

It's not just a single power grid layout. It's up to the designer to implement whatever power grid schematic they wish (although some will be more balanced than others).

This isn't really an idea or suggestion, so I'll move it to general.

Nossah · December 2009

i actually made a sketch over the course of the past night for the map i am going to make, experimenting with the power grid a bit. I ended up with this shape. It's in concept phase though so things are quite heavily subjected to change but you'll get the basic idea. I'm kind of thinking about linking up Armory + north hallway with a powerline and Crew Quarters with south hallway. Heck depending on what the dev team does this might end up in the trash since i don't even know if we are allowed to have double resnodes but so far i like the concept of it and if at all possible this will become my map.

<img src="http://members.home.nl/afj.wientjes/earlydraft.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Edit: forgot to mention that there are no vents in this one yet. Haven't gotten around to doing that yet.

WatchMaker · December 2009

Not all Tech Points need an accompanying Resource Tower.

Align · December 2009

Bit of a pain to defend if you have to guard two rooms just to secure both spawn and resource, but possible for the mappers yes.

Nossah · December 2009

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(WatchMaker @ Dec 8 2009, 07:38 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1743046"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Not all Tech Points need an accompanying Resource Tower.</div>

i was made aware of this today, so i will be changing that in a future sketch, thanks for your input.

remi · December 2009

I really don't understand the power grid. Could someone write up the ultimate power-grid explanation complete with diagrams? :P

Please? :-)

noncomposmentis · December 2009

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Psyke @ Dec 8 2009, 01:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1743055"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>I really don't understand the power grid. Could someone write up the ultimate power-grid explanation complete with diagrams? :P

Please? :-)</div>

Here's my diagram:

Start>o--------------------o------------------------o

Imagine the o's are resource nodes. Then someone comes along and takes out the middle one. Now your buildings don't work in the farthest one!

edit: seriously, that's basically all we know about it :)

remi · December 2009

Referencing discussion further up:
So how can you have tech points, which aren't res nodes? What would the aliens attack?

And also, referencing the image up there...
What happens with the interconnected ones?

Does that imply that if the res node north or south of the marine base is out, double can still operate? It's only when both are down that double is down?

TychoCelchuuu · December 2009

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Psyke @ Dec 8 2009, 04:03 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1743057"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Referencing discussion further up:
So how can you have tech points, which aren't res nodes? What would the aliens attack?</div>
The command chair.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Psyke @ Dec 8 2009, 04:03 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1743057"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>And also, referencing the image up there...
What happens with the interconnected ones?

Does that imply that if the res node north or south of the marine base is out, double can still operate? It's only when both are down that double is down?</div>
Yes. If one node has lots of ways to connect back to the base, it's much harder to isolate.

remi · December 2009

So every point needs either an RT or a CC? I wonder if the power grid is going to be shown on the minimap... (There IS going to be a minimap, right?)

TychoCelchuuu · December 2009

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Psyke @ Dec 8 2009, 08:03 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1743092"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>So every point needs either an RT or a CC? I wonder if the power grid is going to be shown on the minimap... (There IS going to be a minimap, right?)</div>
Every power grid point has the potential for a CC is what I thought was the case.

blitz_krieg001 · December 2009

I seem to recall that tech points specified where a CC or hive could be built?

ctd · December 2009

so this will be the end of crazy relo's?

Since they referenced company of heroes I thought it was going to be like the British in that game. You can relo your truck anywhere in the captured area.
Free included screenshot incase people haven't played CoH.
<img src="http://members.iinet.net.au/~dcadigan/coh.JPG" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Rokiyo · December 2009

From what I've read... It doesn't appear entirely ruled out... Depends on what the differences are between starting points and tech points...

noncomposmentis · December 2009

I don't see why relocation strategies would be ruled out. The only main rule, like CoH, is that you need a line between your tech points and your resource towers to get resources from them. Marines and aliens initially spawn in start but afterwards obviously require infantry portals or, I guess, glowies, to spawn, which could be made at a relocated hive/CC. This is within the parameters of what Charlie has told us so far, but obviously there might be other factors.

PsympleJester · December 2009

How much are we going to be able to link to the power grid as mappers?
For example can I link lights to specific RTs?
Or to tech points and stuff?
Can I force DynFest to move to places if aliens get a tech point?

Would be nice to see what people want to be able to link to the map objective points and see how many can be implemented into the editor.
Or will it be done out of the editor?

Nossah · December 2009

I just thought of something. I wonder if it's going to be possible to flag a certain room to require multiple connection to actually light up. E.g. you need 2 resnodes connected to provide enough juice to operate the room. This could lead to some really interesting maps.

Drown · December 2009

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Nossah @ Dec 9 2009, 04:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1743192"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>I just thought of something. I wonder if it's going to be possible to flag a certain room to require multiple connection to actually light up. E.g. you need 2 resnodes connected to provide enough juice to operate the room. This could lead to some really interesting maps.</div>

Yeah, I'm really hoping this is possible as well, I've got two places on my map I want to set up like that. Kind of like a successive benefit for owning two hard to control areas. We're still waiting on the mechanics of the power grid though, so its all up in the air.

Rokiyo · December 2009

Mapper-controlled infestation would be soooo win. Aliens take a point, it triggers a pre-set path of DI growth that acts like a fuse... When it reaches the end of the path, something else triggers (ie something breaks, opens or shuts to give the aliens a new pathway or advantage).

It could pave the way for control points that must be held for X amount of time before their real strategic benefit is gained, with a great visual cue (DI growth) showing progress to the players.

Power Grid

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