Bringing kharaa structures to life
Rokiyo
A.K.A. .::FeX::. Revenge Join Date: 2002-10-10 Member: 1471Members, Constellation
A.K.A. .::FeX::. Revenge Join Date: 2002-10-10 Member: 1471Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">Flexible stalks/limited movement/etc</div>I've been wondering about ways to really push forward the idea that kharaa structures are alive. Currently they flinch in pain when shot, and move a little as their idle animations, and I would like to see this idea taken up a notch in NS2.
For starters, the stalks that the chambers sit on could become more functional. All chambers could sit lower to the ground, and only rise up to their full height if they need to. Offense chambers could rise up to fire over low cover or other chambers.
Following from that, what if the stalk is only created as needed from the infestation beneath the chamber? If so, the current offense chamber would really just be a spiky ball sitting on a stalk. Could a gorge then pick up this spiky ball and move it to another infested area? Could this spiky ball be thrown at an infested wall to stick there? Perhaps the spiky ball could even move slowly on its own, over a small radius. Just enough to get further behind a corner if it can't shoot back at an attacking marine, or to move slightly forward to fight back. It could also return to where it was last left by a gorge after it was done fighting.
The aim here is to provide a bit more functionality, while providing a lot more "creepiness" factor to the alien side. It would provide gorges an alternative to recycling, and would allow them to fix placement errors.
Keep in mind that while I am using current chambers as examples in my suggestions, I would not be surprised if all the current chambers were replaced or changed heavily in NS2.
Possible extensions of this idea:
- An offense chamber could choose to move in front of other chambers to protect them from incoming fire.
- A defense chamber might receive something like the gorge's healspray, possibly needing to move towards structures & players to heal them.
Possible visual effects:
- A chamber could choose to rise up, or move, but not both
- DI could react to the chamber as it moves, making it look like a slug moving through mud.
- DI around a chamber could thin out as it rises, making it look as if the chamber absorbed some in order to rise. When the chamber returns to the ground, the effect could reverse.
For starters, the stalks that the chambers sit on could become more functional. All chambers could sit lower to the ground, and only rise up to their full height if they need to. Offense chambers could rise up to fire over low cover or other chambers.
Following from that, what if the stalk is only created as needed from the infestation beneath the chamber? If so, the current offense chamber would really just be a spiky ball sitting on a stalk. Could a gorge then pick up this spiky ball and move it to another infested area? Could this spiky ball be thrown at an infested wall to stick there? Perhaps the spiky ball could even move slowly on its own, over a small radius. Just enough to get further behind a corner if it can't shoot back at an attacking marine, or to move slightly forward to fight back. It could also return to where it was last left by a gorge after it was done fighting.
The aim here is to provide a bit more functionality, while providing a lot more "creepiness" factor to the alien side. It would provide gorges an alternative to recycling, and would allow them to fix placement errors.
Keep in mind that while I am using current chambers as examples in my suggestions, I would not be surprised if all the current chambers were replaced or changed heavily in NS2.
Possible extensions of this idea:
- An offense chamber could choose to move in front of other chambers to protect them from incoming fire.
- A defense chamber might receive something like the gorge's healspray, possibly needing to move towards structures & players to heal them.
Possible visual effects:
- A chamber could choose to rise up, or move, but not both
- DI could react to the chamber as it moves, making it look like a slug moving through mud.
- DI around a chamber could thin out as it rises, making it look as if the chamber absorbed some in order to rise. When the chamber returns to the ground, the effect could reverse.
Comments
Growing is the key word I'd like to see. I want hives and chambers to actually grow.
I'd also like it if they are responsive to gravity but can be placed on ceiling or floor that do not have a greater than 45 degree tilt toward the vertical.
In otherwords, stalagmites and stalagtites, just like a cave. Only this cave is a alive and some of them shoot spikes at you.
Something akin to a barnicle would be nice too -- a kind of alien version of the mine.
Also, perhaps you could reduce the number of OCs in an area greatly, and then allow the OCs to, when on Dynamic infestation, reproduce and create other plants? The "main" one would grow more and more with time, the smaller ones following suit, and eventually you'd have a large biomass of those plants that are clustered together, and the whip-like things dragging marines towards the plants? That would be awesome in my opinion, and hey, there's already the potential counter - The flamethrower!
DC's they could have some vine stalks thats reach out and grab aliens structures when they heal them(just visually , not actually restricting movement)
MC 's they could envelope aliens when they use them to teleport - or spray some umbra like steam onto an alien when regenrating its adrenaline.
SC's could look like they are searching, perhaps something like 1/2 lighthouse and half living tree /chamber or something gross looking <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
all chambers could squael and squirm away when hit with the flamer thrower <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
also i think the chambers should be rather than a tower with a funny looking head it should look more as part of the infestation - like a kind of glowing cyst sticking out of it the DI, gross liquid /mucus could spill out when they are destroyed
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Actually, that kinda also gave me an idea. There's four spiky tentacle-like things on the outside of the OC, right? Why not allow the OC to whip those out at a marine and hit them, or perhaps even start dragging them towards the plant as the marine is shot with thorns.
Also, perhaps you could reduce the number of OCs in an area greatly, and then allow the OCs to, when on Dynamic infestation, reproduce and create other plants? The "main" one would grow more and more with time, the smaller ones following suit, and eventually you'd have a large biomass of those plants that are clustered together, and the whip-like things dragging marines towards the plants? That would be awesome in my opinion, and hey, there's already the potential counter - The flamethrower!
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yes kick ###### <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
perhaps depenidng on res income the OC's would create more or less of these, they could even create traps which would only be seen by the most cunning marines - traps such as barnacles, acid or spore triggers, huge spikes which impale marines and then hide again, all camo'd like the infestation to make them hard spot, but easy to destroy when spotted.
Also, what if dense enough DI spawned random vegetation on it?
what about
DC's they could have some vine stalks thats reach out and grab aliens structures when they heal them(just visually , not actually restricting movement)
MC 's they could envelope aliens when they use them to teleport - or spray some umbra like steam onto an alien when regenrating its adrenaline.
SC's could look like they are searching, perhaps something like 1/2 lighthouse and half living tree /chamber or something gross looking <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
all chambers could squael and squirm away when hit with the flamer thrower <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
also i think the chambers should be rather than a tower with a funny looking head it should look more as part of the infestation - like a kind of glowing cyst sticking out of it the DI, gross liquid /mucus could spill out when they are destroyed
yes kick ###### <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
perhaps depenidng on res income the OC's would create more or less of these, they could even create traps which would only be seen by the most cunning marines - traps such as barnacles, acid or spore triggers, huge spikes which impale marines and then hide again, all camo'd like the infestation to make them hard spot, but easy to destroy when spotted.
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DCs could spray some kind of stuff. After all, they make that "bloop" noise when they heal...
Love the MC idea...
SCs could have little parasite bugs swarming around it, invisible and inaudible to marines. Those could be the things that provide the upgrades, as well!
Squealing chambers would just be annoying, but kinda fun. I agree that they should look like part of the infestation.
I also love the idea of traps spawned by the OC...making the OC true to its name, and marines would be cautious around them, rather than saying, "Comm, med spam me as I gun this cluster down."
SC's could look like they are searching, perhaps something like 1/2 lighthouse<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Like this?
<img src="http://www.genarts.com/cust-pics/sauron-eye-214.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
But actually I don't like the idea of alien structures moving too much. Although the idea of a barnacle-like alien "mine" is very appealing. Not just for balance and looks, but makes for some interesting gameplay tactics. (SC + alien mines as a trap for marines pursuing an alien retreat or hive assault) Otherwise that's an alien "vehicle" not a structure.
Prehaps some of what looks to be slow growing (actually on a cellular level it would just be flat-out insanely, essentially unrealistically fast growth), visibly creeping infestation would give you that "oh <img src="http://www.nsmod.org/forums/style_emoticons/default/censored.gif" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />" feel. The infestation could make your ill. I would like to see more mini sructures appear when the infestation gets heavy. Remembering that the infestation is the physically visible mycellium of the collective, you could even argue that the infestation could in-fact cause a gain in other resource types: water, air, light, nurients, etc.
That just made me think of a new idea...