More support class ideas

Veteran · 2003-11-15, 07:43 AM

I had an idea to make Medics a highly desirable class without breaking them. It involves an extra mode on the Medical Applicator that, when you target a friendly, stores their pattern as if they had used a matrix panel. The Applicator would store matrix patterns in an array of up to 30, so a Medic could tag everyone in his squad or platoon. Once the medic had stored his buddies' patterns, any time he would aim the Applicator at a matrixing panel, it would transfer all of the patterns to that facility or AMS. After that, the players could matrix over or deathoport and meet up very quickly at the same place (for staging vehicle expeditions, etc.). It would give stealth medics a solid purpose, i.e. sneaking into a facility and uploading the matrices for some mean tactical advantage. It would allow the medic to be proactive in keeping his squad together, and I for one would enjoy the game a lot more if I knew someone in my squad was concentrating on the squad more than the enemy. I might even enjoy playing a medic myself in this scenario.

Also, the Medical Applicator would, on a new mode setting, heal the stamina of the target and activate all of their implants. This would also work on the medic himself, if he was advanced. I believe in making support classes kick ass, because support personnel are putting down the Reaver or the Heavy Assault weapon so that someone else can pick it up and still have a place to spawn, vehicles to drive, a secure perimeter to patrol and someone close-by looking to make your avatar stand up again instead of eating the floor.

Also, I'd like to see a pistol that shoots darts that force-reset the victim's implants and drain 10 stamina per hit. EMP darts of some kind, I guess. EMP grenades suck for stealth work, and some might say they suck in general. This would be a more elegant way to let infiltrators deal with their real problem, the prevalence of DL and Audio. With DL bound to mousewheel-down, it's all too easy to just flick it on for a fraction of a second many times a minute.

Since Darklight and Audio are such powerful and easy answers to the infiltrator, who takes huge inventory and armor penalties, I think that they should get a weapon that lets them fight as stealthy electronics-warfare specialists, a role I'd like to see fulfilled more among my own ranks. This would allow for an infiltrator to incapacitate an enemy without killing him, or set him up for a knife kill or AMP kill right afterwards. It would probably be a death-sentence for the cloaker to use this weapon against groups of people, who could spray the area and quite possibly kill the infiltrator. I think it's a balanced gun, and if it could shut a spitfire and motion-sensor down for a few seconds, it would help mitigate the severe danger that interlink facilities present. It would also give groups of cloakers a way to force a single enemy's stamina to 0, for whatever larfs that would be worth.

Could be cool.

Rarzo · 2003-11-15, 09:40 AM

Those were all excellent ideas. Bravo. All of them were quite creative. I would love them to go into the real game. BTY Im a medic myself.

TeraHertz · 2003-11-15, 10:28 AM

Don't cloakers get that an emp grenade will knock out a players nano implanets like darklight etc. If you don't believe me, throw one at you're feet. EMP is SOOO under-rated.

I like the medic ideas, but I think a stamina regenerator should use a large gun like the engineer's glue gun, and should not be usable on the medic himself.

Medic surges to the next tree with personal sheild on.
*Replenishes stamina.
Medic surges to next tree.. etc.

ZionsFire · 2003-11-15, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by TeraHertz

Don't cloakers get that an emp grenade will knock out a players nano implanets like darklight etc. If you don't believe me, throw one at you're feet. EMP is SOOO under-rated.

I like the medic ideas, but I think a stamina regenerator should use a large gun like the engineer's glue gun, and should not be usable on the medic himself.

Medic surges to the next tree with personal sheild on.
*Replenishes stamina.
Medic surges to next tree.. etc.

Did you even read all of that? EMP nades SUCK ASS! You throw one then everyone knows CLOAKER! Then they just spray around till your dead.

STEALTHKILLER · 2003-11-15, 12:06 PM

Plus it only lasts like 15-30 secs i think, never counted.

Mango · 2003-11-15, 12:21 PM

Medics should be able to use the med applicator to pump allies full of stim packs. Stim packs would basically be free surge and maybe +100 health. But while stimmed up the soldiers stamina would slowly drain to 0 at which point they would die unless they got un-stimmed by a medic.

keaoi · 2003-11-15, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by TeraHertz

Medic surges to the next tree with personal sheild on.
*Replenishes stamina.
Medic surges to next tree.. etc.

while doing what? he would need to keep this "gun" out to be effective with that strategy. Then he cant shoot.

I personally think that medics and infiltrators need some lovin. Have the Infil get a built-in REK. i would also love less effective interlink facilitices (cant detect me when im cloaked unless im near a motion sensor). Darklight shouldnt show up quite so bright as well (but compensate for this with increasing the maximum visable range)

As for medics, make it so that your body doesnt disappear until you actually spawn somewhere else. And AVD Medics should replenish stamina at half the rate of health. Also give medics exp for unique (ie xp system "unique") revives.

Jagd · 2003-11-15, 02:28 PM

Jammer nades are great for knocking out implants. The only problem with using them as a cloaker is that you just don't have enough room to carry them with you. That and if you accidentally jam yourself (which happens a lot when you are bouncing them around corners into CCs) you just ruined your escape plan-- surge.

Spee · 2003-11-15, 02:36 PM

Or you could just take out an ACE, run through the CC quickly, plant a boomer at the exit as you leave, turn around, and blow up the idiot who tries to get a free frag.

ACE > All

Jagd · 2003-11-15, 02:41 PM

ACEs are definitely worth their weight in gold, the problem is that there is usually more than 1 person guarding the CC.

Tegadil · 2003-11-15, 03:52 PM

I like the matrixing idea, just don't let the medic die if he's carrying all the prints and you havn't set yourself at a nearby matrix yet :P

Also, this brings back thoughts of a medic 'Virus'. It was some kind of status effect that transferred itself to people on the carrier's team. So if a TR got hit by it, all TRs that passed him would catch it.

And I especially like the idea of an incapacitation weapon. A pistol slot weapon, and when a person is shot with it, it takes about 5 seconds to work. Their vision starts to blur, and after 5 seconds, they fall down. When incapacitated the person cannot talk, nor can they see what is going on. Lasts for maybe a minute.

Basically allows the infiltrator to take down single guys wthiout comprimising their position, and gives em a short window to get past him. Wouldn't work near groups of enemies, of course. Either give it a fair ready time, or make the guy who got shot spasm wildy (heh), or both.

Spee · 2003-11-15, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Jagd

ACEs are definitely worth their weight in gold, the problem is that there is usually more than 1 person guarding the CC.

Yeah, but at least it puts a smile on your face.

1024 · 2003-11-16, 02:02 AM

infils and medics need much lovin'.

ZjinPS · 2003-11-16, 12:46 PM

It's too bad the nature of the zerg devalues medics.

An item that took up most of your inventory that a adv medic could deploy that would allow folks to stand on it and heal would be great.

When the medic dies, the disk disappears.

For most people tapping the space bar and spawning back at a nearby tower or ams is better than laying on the ground waiting for an advanced medic. Even when you have one near that brings you back you still come back with no stamina and no armor. I've usually just been killed right after revive anyway.

jetface · 2003-11-17, 11:18 AM

The hand held grenades do kind of suck in this game. They should add some kind of indicator to let you know how far you are going to throw it, or just let you throw it the same "strength" everytime and change distance with throwing angle. Maybe I just need some grenade practice.

I do love the EMP grenades, though, especially when used with a punisher. I used to never use them, but after trying them out I always have at least one on me. Most people don't use them and, therefore, most people aren't expecting them. Turning off your enemy's implants or shield can definitely give you and your team an advantage (although a longer timer would be nice). And if you do any deployable destruction, they do the best job without making a lot of noise.

But, anyways, yeah jack up the support exp. I hate hacking a console with a war raging around me and getting no exp (as far as I know). Or endlessly running around the catwalks repairing turrets for no beans. I think the support classes would be played more if there was some unique experience to pick up. I mean, who would take a 10 minute drive through the countryside if it wasn't for the good ANT exp waiting for you when you got back (assuming you get there first).