News: Roadmap Resource Revamp & Continental Lattice Updated - Page 10

Ruffdog · 2013-07-24, 06:05 AM

How about making it the first certless vehicle, so that infiltrators may hack any player's, any empire's and the bounty of nanites within?

Blynd · 2013-07-24, 06:50 AM

Forgot abou c4 mobile bombs so yeah got to agree with you on that then

Baneblade · 2013-07-24, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by Blynd

It needs to be fast to evade esf's and harrasers if it looses its convoy.

Then it should be dead, not surviving.

CraazyCanuck · 2013-07-24, 09:41 AM

How about something along the same lines as restoring a base directly. Give it the ability to also be used as a relay when delployed. It can either try to make it into a base directly for greater immediate returns or they can establish a relay that while not as effective as getting an Ant inside the doors, can stem the drain to buy the defenders more time by slowly bleeding of the nanites stored within its resevoir. XP return would work similar to repairing but with a possible larger end reward. A ribbon would also be available for it. Call it Resupply Ribbon or whatever.

To limit the effects of a large outfit simply deploying an army of Ants, implement a no-deploy zone similar to a sundy but make it larger so that only 3 ants could supply a large facility, 2 ants a med facility, and 1 ant on a small outpost.

If the devs implement the option of a relay system, they could go as far as having a relay pipeline being possible as well, with a multiplier to xp returns depending on distance and number of ants involved to establish the pipeline from one facility to a besieged one. The resource return would drain from the connected facility so there may be limited supply available if the supply facility is smaller then the facility being supplied in correllation with what's in each ANT if any. Also if there is a difference in size between the two, the drain may occur faster or slower depending on who's larger. The transfer rate would also have to be much faster overall to make it worthwhile in comparison with establishing individual relays.

The initial success for establishing the pipeline would give an immediate bonus xp equivalent to what you would receive for defending a facility. These pipleline relays would also need defense, so they could also implement a defense kill bonus within these no-deploy zones to those defending them so there is incentive to keep defending them.

And in turn, we would all receive another tactical mission as attackers to search and destroy these indiviual relays or the pipeline with a reward corresponding to the target.

This would also open up a new cert tree for these ANTS. Could give an ANT driver the ability to increase the size of their nanite resevoir, the rate at which it transfers, and increase the range at which they can transfer. Similiar to the system we already have in place for repair/heal guns.

Edit 2: The reward for a direct supply would also fluctuate according to how much nanite is left in the tank. So if the lane to the facility opened up during a siege. A deployed ANT could make the run with whatever he has left in the tank and get an immediate reward as opposed to maintaining the slower relay transfer. Again the cert tree for increasing the nanite capacity of an ANT would give return in a greater xp reward.

Make any other cert trees available for it, strictly defensive in nature. Stealth, Composite, Nanite Repair,etc. That way we have those who specialize in this field, but at the same time they will see a return on their investment with improved return on their xp rewards with these new cert trees. If running solo relay, the driver can sustain a base longer, and have a chance to receive more xp overall. If they increase the transfer rate, they will get that xp faster and will be able to return to the fill terminal sooner for another run while cutting down on stationary vulnerability. Range, opens up more option for where a ANT can deploy and will make guessing location of their deployed ant more difficult for the attackers.

Edit 1: The no deploy zone could be waved in favor of just limiting the number of 'connected' relays. This would allow for a better defence of those ANTs as you could have them all in one spot instead of spread out around the base while also being easier for the attackers to focus their efforts on one location. Gives more options overall.

SolLeks · 2013-07-24, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Malorn

Whether it is a module, what can equip the module, or whether it is a standalone vehicle is something we'd like your feedback on.

Can you offer up some good uses of an ANT beyond a space truck? We want all the vehicles to have a well defined role and to be fun. Being a space trucker doesn't seem like it is worth the trouble or worth investing in...what other cool uses do you think the ANT and its power mechanic might bring to make it an interesting and fun vehicle to invest in?

ANT races, Minesweepers, Thing to suck up enemy nanites at the nanite tower (like PS1, with gate defuser), resuply truck for tanks / aircraft (like current sundie ammo), forward terminal (so you don't have to risk moving your AMS up, giving the attackers another place to re-arm / re-equip).

Put a battering ram on it that you can kill tanks with if you hit them from behind going more than 40 miles an hour. Put a giant set of saws on it so you can 'mow' down infantry (more joke, but yall may think of somthing from this).

Carbon Copied · 2013-07-24, 10:42 AM

The only thing the ANT and silo mechanic brings up for me (assuming they go with that route) is how the compounds are going to be adjusted and mixed up for courtyards and defense of the silo; kind of full circle back to leaky compound/base/wall design etc. (and the Amp stations aren't as affected in it's layout) but hopefully there would be that addressed and not some lame "oh just stick a tower there and that'll do" solution.

kubacheski · 2013-07-24, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Carbon Copied

The only thing the ANT and silo mechanic brings up for me (assuming they go with that route) is how the compounds are going to be adjusted and mixed up for courtyards and defense of the silo; kind of full circle back to leaky compound/base/wall design etc. (and the Amp stations aren't as affected in it's layout) but hopefully there would be that addressed and not some lame "oh just stick a tower there and that'll do" solution.

I question this as well. They'll need access into the bases. And most likely, bigger bases will require more than one silo, probably powering the generators and SCU's. So instead of hacking the gen, you can also deplete the silo to the same effect. Access to the silo will be key in base defense to maintain individual resource gain.

I mean next will be having bonuses for each base covered and if you lose power to a base, your empire doesn't get the bonus. Wait, is that again a PS1 system?

Oh, almost forgot, the ANT can't be fast as it's a tanker - it's hauling a ton of resources, or maybe it can be fast, but the resources inside it are depleted when you hit the "turbo" so there is a cost (i.e. not as many resources at end of run) to the speed benefit.

SolLeks · 2013-07-24, 04:59 PM

PS1 bases had good walls like the bases in this game have now and ANTs worked well in that game, I don't see a problem.

kubacheski · 2013-07-24, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by SolLeks

PS1 bases had good walls like the bases in this game have now and ANTs worked well in that game, I don't see a problem.

The problem is jetpacks. A squad that all spawn LA with jetpacks loaded with explosives targeting the silo where an ANT would deploy. You don't have to fight to get into a base like in PS1, you just jump the wall.

I made many an ANT run only to be OS'ed upon deploy. Imagine that, but everyone can accomplish the same effect with 2-3 LA's.

wasdie · 2013-07-24, 05:40 PM

These two things will radically alter how this game plays. Should be fantastic.

kubacheski · 2013-07-24, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by wasdie

These two things will radically alter how this game plays. Should be fantastic.

If by radical you mean a decade old design, then you are 100% right.

Rivenshield · 2013-07-25, 04:04 AM

Fighting over one's own home continent is going to get reaaalllly boring after awhile.

I still say we need sanctuaries and rotating warpgates so we can fight different enemies in different directions across the same patch of ground.

Baneblade · 2013-07-25, 06:43 AM

I'm sure we will still have rotating gates, but sanctuaries won't make much sense without more continents.

GeoGnome · 2013-07-25, 05:16 PM

You know, there is one thing that bugs me about the resource revamp... why are amp stations not playing a more prominent roll?

Seriously, why aren't amp stations providing a passive boost to the amount of energy your bases regenerate each minute? That way if you hold the warpgate and 2 amp stations you'll get faster energy regeneration. It'd be like the biolab boost, but with resources. I'm fine with them contributing to dome shields, but why not this too?

Carbon Copied · 2013-07-27, 08:34 AM

Mixed feeling after FNO 39 interview/Q&A that almost had my head hit the desk.. after it was said to be likely a quick and dirty band aid of "ANT Sunderer module" (yawn). The lack of vehicle variety and seeming uniqueness is visually fucking boring at times. Oh look another Sunderer, oh and another, oh another... ad nauseum.

If Malorn/Kev-mo/Art team use this option please for all love of god just use the chassis as a start point however a complete unique back end; (i.e you equip the module it looks significantly aesthetically different to just adding a little cone and a couple of glow effects). While giving it downsides and compromises like not being able to transport a full complement of troops (think along an armored bank van line of a plus 1 - 3 etc.) - just something to break the "jack of all trades - it looks the same as everything else" monotonous tone.

Strong words but; please don't fuck the art and mechanics up.