Gameplay: Remote-controlled Utility Nanite Engine

[Neurotoxin]

Remote-controlled Utility Nanite Engine (RUNE) is meant to allow soldiers to stealthily complete tasks with a rapidly-modular remote vehicle. However, due to their vulnerability to electronic warfare, any RUNE will deconstruct as soon as a connection with the user is broken.

As it starts off, the RUNE is about 1/3 the size of an unmanned quad, and has 500 Nanite Technology Units (NTU) that it uses for fuel, modifications, and completing tasks. It cannot sustain much damage, just a few anti-infantry bullets can destroy it. It only travels at about 30 KPH (which burns NTU very slowly), and it has simple jumpjets (spacebar to deploy) that consume a slight amount of NTU to let it cross small gaps and get over small obstructions.

For 300 NTU, RUNE can convert to a remote aircraft. The NTU are consumed to rapidly build the modifications, which also lighten the load for the newly-formed aircraft, which travels at around 42 KPH.

For 100 NTU, RUNE can switch to a hacking tool. This allows the user to remotely hack doorways, terminals, turrets, etc. The RUNE can even be used to take over a turret temporarily (drains 1 NTU per second).

Regardless of how much NTU it has left, in any state, RUNE can convert its remaining NTUs into a more volatile substance. This increases the speed of RUNE on land or air, but also renders any other functions inoperable. When detonated by the user, or destroyed from sustaining enough damage, the size and strength of RUNE's explosion is relative to the remaining NTU amount.

[VelRa]

I like every part up until it exploding. Too much like Call of Duty where you're always watching for banelings... Granted it probably wouldn't be much damage but it would still be annoying. Plus indirect combat is out of the game. This isn't really indirect combat, true, but it borders on it.

[Purple]

the issue is that engineers would only use this to build things. after all why put youslef in the line of fire?

[Neurotoxin]

VelRa - If the process of converting to volatile nanites was loud and bright and obvious, if it glowed and made a loud mechanical whirring noise while traveling in volatile mode, would that make it a bit more acceptable?

Purple - The only way it can really work is with cover or a safe zone. Deploying a RUNE in the middle of a heated firefight could easily be a quick death sentence... though with clever utilization of cover (even hiding behind a big tree) an engineer could feasibly deploy one and guide it to do something useful before they start getting shot.

[Gonefshn]

what do you mean by "completing tasks" ??

This idea is cool but I can't imagine something like this working out in such a large scale game it would need to cloak or it would just get destroyed.

Honestly I can hardly see a scenario where this thing wouldn't be destroyed, especially with the amount of armor you described it having. The only time it wouldn't be you might as well run in yourself.

Adding more armor too it would help but it would just make it annoying. I think the only way this idea would work is if the RUNE can cloak.

[Neurotoxin]

Originally Posted by Gonefshn

what do you mean by "completing tasks" ??

Things like hacking consoles and terminals from a distance, spotting hostiles in the field, surveying a dangerous area, fetching items from a locker or terminal, or acting as a decoy. Maybe it can deploy an Audio Amplifier type detection system too.

You make a good point about the armor. In non-volatile mode, it should probably lose NTU equal to the damage received. It would take more than a couple shots to kill, but hitting it a couple times and reducing NTU will make it shut down sooner, or explode smaller when switched to volatile mode.

A stealth variant could be another idea, though it seems like it would have to go even slower (half the speed) and probably not be allowed in flight mode. It should probably also consume NTU at a higher rate than travelling without stealth engaged.