Cosmetic Base Change

Senyu · 2011-04-08, 10:45 PM

Lets get some opinions on this because speculation and imagination is all we got until the release. Not even a dam screenshot

When a base gets taken it gets the logo of the capturing faction and very little else. Maybe take it up a notch? On an extreme case, the majority of the base's cosmetic changes.

For example, Vanu capture a base (Yay!) once 15min or LLU done, the walls that were Terran which were bulky looking, looked like extra bolted plates of metal for protection, robust turrets and lots of angels, gate is sqaureish(that your thing terran?) with red and black colors. Now has a sleek smooth metal with neat designs, advance technological looking turrets that shoot plasma(prob not but still same properties if done as other turrets) and oval looking gate with Purple and Teal colorings on the base.

You get where im going at here. All changes would be purely cosmetic and occupy the same spaces as all changes. So no spot is lost or gain, no advantage happens. Just making your base look like it belongs to you. Now it this could go from extreme makeover to minor more noticable changes. Really its how much of a difference you want as I'm sure some people like the buildings look now. I just want more to make it feel "Homey" when I cap your base

On regards of base specials though, thats entirely nother conversation and needs major balancing for it to suite each empire while not being OP or to weak.

Senyu · 2011-04-08, 11:16 PM

Heres quick imagination on what the Bases could look like in more detail

Vanu

Base would sleek metal design. There would be awesome plasma holders or tubes with energy flowing through them around the base. Doors would be more smooth and advance looking. The hallways would have a round to its celing, and decorated walls with charts similair to Startrek, that blink and change pictures like their ment to be used and touched. Obvious change of colors. The turrets would look similair to the deployable ones where its a heavy gun on the side and your inclosed in a advance looking pod.

Terran

Base would look more fortress like such as bulkheads and extra plates on the walls. The hallways would have pipes following the corridors. The turrets would look similair to anti air turrets. Where their round with the turrets in the middle and able to spin the entire turrets around. You know those WW2 like ones. They would have dual turrets in them as looks. Their doors would be squarish and look plated that have say bars across them that pull in when opened. And lots of grill plates on walkways similair to current hallways

NC

Suppose I should be fair and think of one for them to.....

Gear locking doors that turn and spin when opening. Like a gear in the middle that turns then doors slides or vertically opens. Turrers would have tinted windows and looks like a cockpit with turrets on both its sides. Hallways would have.....idk something different than Terran but NC feel? Help me out here, I just think bulky and square when I think of NC. And shotguns.

FortunadoAE · 2011-04-08, 11:53 PM

Neat idea. One tweak: Make it take 24 hours.

Of course, it's a lot of programming and art for a minor thing.

Senyu · 2011-04-09, 12:05 AM

Its the small things that help make the game as wonderful as it is

TRex · 2011-04-09, 03:39 AM

I always said it would be nice to have bases become part of your empire rather than just a colour or flag to demonstrate this.
It niggles me that when I crouch on a base wall as Vanu with a pulsar that my shots hit the top of the wall , and I have to stand to connect with the target. It's only a slight niggle that dosen't happen when I play as NC or TR.
The base design should have a slightly conducive style that fits your empire weapons and gives you not only a feeling of belonging but also a minor benefit towards the weapons you are using.
Maybe the vanu base should have zip lines around it , the tr base have crossbow type slots in the walls to shoot at approaching nme with your mcg , and NC have more barricades and cover to allow you to get up close and personal with your JH .

DviddLeff · 2011-04-09, 03:45 AM

I would rather take this a step further as TRex says; have useful changes that tweak the base to the empires play style.

Quick ideas:
NC: Weak shields around the base that can be brought down by fire
TR: More turrets
VS: Zip lines along walls to rapidly respond to threats in other areas of the base.

Peacemaker · 2011-04-09, 03:58 AM

I think if you want to make them stronger with empire benefits they should get empire weaknesses as well.

Sentrosi · 2011-04-09, 09:41 AM

I don't like your idea Peace The TR would never hold a base longer than a few minutes. The TRs weakness is that we rely upon concentrated fire, which means more bodies devoted to taking down a single target.

I don't like the idea of cosmetic changes either. A simple flag or banner, which is what we have now, is sufficient.

I'd rather have the programmers get the gameplay fair and balanced before they devote efforts to cosmetic changes. In other words, be active in seeking out client-side coding that would exploit the game in any way. And an active CSR team on duty monitoring client-server communication.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TRex · 2011-04-09, 11:11 AM

I think it would add to the persistant world idea , and making the continent turn blue/purple/red would add to the feel of fighting for your faction.
I'm one of those that still wish for the 1 server ,1 empire ethos.
Inside bases and 'sanctuary' or whatever they use should be filled with propoganda from the tv screens . Losing ground or a continent should change the message to condemnation at your ineptitude , followed by a rallying cry to get people motivated again. If a CR5 was in charge of , or assumed charge of the battle, they should be named and shamed or congratulated .
If you were the daily winner , there should be banners and some recognition of that as you log on. If you were on the day before and helped in any way towards that victory , you should get a nice xp bonus from your empire. Have placards on walls saying which outfits gained the most points yesterday.
Integrate stats boards so that top 10 are there as you log in .A hall of fame .The world map on display , and so on.

The game needs to feel like a living, breathing war and your empire needs you . Your efforts results in more bases and towers becoming part of your empire , and help you to continue to do so .

CutterJohn · 2011-04-09, 11:13 AM

I would be very happy to have fewer differences between the empires, rather than more. Ideally the empires would have almost identical differences, with just small adjustments for flavor.

So naturally my preference is the bases maintain the same functionality for all.

Senyu · 2011-04-09, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Sentrosi

I don't like your idea Peace The TR would never hold a base longer than a few minutes. The TRs weakness is that we rely upon concentrated fire, which means more bodies devoted to taking down a single target.

I don't like the idea of cosmetic changes either. A simple flag or banner, which is what we have now, is sufficient.

I'd rather have the programmers get the gameplay fair and balanced before they devote efforts to cosmetic changes. In other words, be active in seeking out client-side coding that would exploit the game in any way. And an active CSR team on duty monitoring client-server communication.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree, gameplay is a priority as it should always be and supercede everything else. However these are ideas that should be seriously considered and implemented after gameplay. It's the collection of many small things that can make something it is. Even things that are pointless in gameplay or not affecting the game but always makes you smile because you still enjoy it being there. And its also those things that can make it still fun to play.

Gameplay, Variety, Cosmetic

These three things are probably the most important aspects of a game I think and should be broad and well designed in each category.

But hey, theres nothing else to do but have fun imagination and let the devs do what they want while having a sliver of hope they read these forums and implement our, the players, ideas

Senyu · 2011-04-09, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by CutterJohn

I would be very happy to have fewer differences between the empires, rather than more. Ideally the empires would have almost identical differences, with just small adjustments for flavor.

So naturally my preference is the bases maintain the same functionality for all.

Agreed, there are already good differences between them and im sure we can expected, or at least hope, for more but balanced differences the devs are developing. But environmental functionality should be the same for all, (though zip lines are cool). Which is why more variety of base and towers (see my tower changes post, cool pics) should be in the game offering more frequent changes of locations and structures in which to battle in. And with the variety of structures mixed in with the extreme cosmetic designs I suggested, most bases will feel more new and different than what it currently is.

Furret · 2011-04-09, 04:43 PM

Parts I like and parts I don't like.

Right now, the only factors of which faction to choose are the vehicles and color. Guns to a lesser extent because you can pick those up and store them in a locker for future use.

If the entire dynamic of defending your base changed depending on what faction you chose... I don't know where I was going with that, but it would be interesting. Obviously, you'd have to be able to change factions at least once in case you really didn't like your first/second choice.

I'd also like to take it a step further. Lets say after holding a base for 24 hours, it starts to transform into your factions base. This transformation takes 1 hour say, and finalizes at the end of that time period. This does two things:

1) If the base is heavily contested, it wont change as soon as its capped, so players would have to defend on semi-unfamiliar soil.

2) It would create a 1 hour period where the base is extremely vulnerable, because it doesn't have the defenses of the previous faction, or the new defenses of the current faction.

Now what if, after holding an entire continent for a week, the continent started changing to show the influence of your faction. This wouldn't necessarily effect the gameplay, but if you hold a continent for a while, it starts to show who's boss of the place. Home continents would take longer to change.

A continent held by the NC would be very naturesque (word??) and there would be wildlife heard around most parts of the continent.

A continent held by the VS would be futuristic, and the ground would pulse with energy, and purple insect thingies would crawl around.

A continent held by the TR would look very industrial, and there would be cracked concrete showing through sparse grasses.

Perhaps 1 week is too long, and nobody could reasonably hold a non-home continent for that long. I haven't played the game since reserves went down, so I forget a lot about the pace of the game. My idea still stands though.

I do think this would be a lot of work for a little gain as far as gameplay is concerned. This would have to be something added later in the game if it's added at all.

So finish up the game, and then patch this over, perhaps as an expansion like Core Combat was, except no biffers xD

Senyu · 2011-04-09, 08:14 PM

Not sure if this is in the game, been awhile since ive played. But after capping continent it "locks" for 1 hour say. No opposing faction may enter. During that time all bases not changed to owning faction will become so and the continent like above poster suggested as well. This could range from say concrete roads for terran, propaganda signs and just terran looking things across the map. While Vanu do floating lamps, the futuristic touch and I love the idea of random plasma things that glow with energy. And NC....idk wtf are you NC? Whats your theme? I just see bulky and boxy. Need a NC expert's opinion here.

As for critters that would be a cool touch. Again this could get really cool if they went all out on this. Really make it feel like your invading an enemy's place or defending your own

DviddLeff · 2011-04-11, 03:33 AM

Already the different empires defend bases in different ways:

TR: Lock down MAXs to deny areas of the base interior.
NC: MAX shields can hold back a good amount of fire, and corner humping JH users dominate.
VS: Lashers, lots of Lashers spamming the hell out of hallways.

I really hope in PS2 we have more varied interiors, at the very least I want to see wider corridors and less stairwell choke points.