Mini Tank

t0x1kw4st3t0x1kw4st3 Join Date: 2008-04-27 Member: 64167Members
<div class="IPBDescription">like in UFO</div>There should be a "Factory" where the commander can produce "mini-tanks". The mini-tanks can be controlled by the commander and microed to fire their weapons in a certain direction. Weapons include machine gun turret (automatic) and blast-cannon (commander controlled). Blast cannon fires a projectile in the area of the commander's click, as long as it is in the PoV of the tank.

The Tank would be 1/4 the height of a marine, 3 x 5 feet (W*L). It would cost X res, have X HP and do X Damage.

That's sooo cool. Then, the commander could attack two bases at once (5 mini tanks roll in at Pipeline while all his marines walk in at Sub Junction).

Obviously, the Mini Tank army would be destroyed by a couple of fades or a single onos, which is why they are complimentary/support ideas. Nonetheless, they still have the function to cause damage so this scenario isn't out of the window.

THE MINI TANK
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Comments

  • spellman23spellman23 NS1 Theorycraft Expert Join Date: 2007-05-17 Member: 60920Members
    ....

    I once again am not sure what the purpose of this is. If we boil this down, you want the commander to have essentially bots they can control which will shoot and could potentially attack another location with their machine guns and cannons. I'm guessing this is coming out of the idea of remote mini-tanks being used in modern day warfare at time, or at least being tested for use. Either that or a spin off of the MASC, except without the siege ability and more direct fire.

    The point in, NS does not require spare bodies to help fill the gaps. On top of that, you're asking the commander to micro a tank plus buildings, support, the MASC, and a variety of other items. The primary dynamic of NS is that the commander is powerless to execute tactics and instead gives a goal and support and has to let the Marines shoot the skulks on the way. Adding in tanks seems a bit off. Now we're moving into the Iron Grip scenario where the commander has many NPC minions to control.

    Anyways, I see no real reason to have a mobile turret. There's already the Marine and they deal enough damage as it is. Plus, the MASC is still ambiguous on its implementation, so please don't try to justify this idea by saying it's just another version of the MASC, except it's meant for regular Aliens and not buildings.
  • t0x1kw4st3t0x1kw4st3 Join Date: 2008-04-27 Member: 64167Members
    edited September 2008
    The commander does not have perfect control of his forces. Maintaining his force and his base can be very easy moves -- clicking on the minimap, pressing two hotkeys, click on the environment. Right clicking to show marines their waypoint.

    I feel there is alot of free time on the commanders hands at certain moments. I also feel there should be a way the commander can capitalize on this free time, especially if his strategy does not incorporate dropping health/ammo packs.

    So, if one is going to capitalize on the new commander-object manipulation, mini tanks was the coolest idea I could come up with. How cool would that be if tank bots were following the marine force around, firing their grenade rounds at OCs. It would be a crazy little army. Controlled by the commander. This could create a system where the commander is cherished for his tank micro skills.

    Obviously , to balance this, tanks would have their flaws. Slow moving, turret moves slowly too, low HP. But still, if the game is moving into a commander's ability to control units, then combat units are my first idea.

    The Scout Drone is another good idea -- a non combat Commander controlled probe used for scouting. Low HP, high use.

    Or, a low HP build-bot, commander controlled. The bot can build buildings... controllable by the commander as well, with high potential for strategic use (build PG, build TF) when the marine army can be on the other side of the map. Would require more awareness by the alien team.
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
    Well, I personaly think a second commander, a support commander, should have control over the M.A.S.C., Med Packs, ammo packs, and secondary structures. He should also have lower priority command control of marines, so if the Hi Com decides to send him to A6 and not to the support commander's location of F1. Having the support commander control the M.A.A.T.(Mobile Automated Assault Tank, my name for micro tank). BUTTTTTT, im not in support of the idea, so scratch the last sentence.

    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It would be a crazy little army.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    No, no, no, no, no one wants the marines to have an army, they aren't the army. If they were the army, they would have way better crap, more armor, massive troop boarding, I don't see any of that.


    Off topic-I know a perfect replacement idea for your mobile turret. A turret a marine can place! =) im serious too, Having a marine carry a turret around, making him slow and not able to use his guns, so he can place it down, insta built turret where u need it =P IT's not the comm built version, a slightly smaller one.

    Build bot? < Weld bot.
    Sucks - Very useful

    I don't like the idea of marines running off to just kill cause they can jut allow the 'builder bot' do all the work.
    Scout drone? Marine better, even if slightly slower, he got a gun to kill.
  • ljcrabsljcrabs Join Date: 2007-11-15 Member: 62924Members
    XCom UFO defense tank? What's next, mind control? Oh wait, that's suggested about 5 times a day.
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
  • t0x1kw4st3t0x1kw4st3 Join Date: 2008-04-27 Member: 64167Members
    ###### you two too.

    The Mother ######ing Point is:
    More diversity in function = greater pool of strategy, which is what i'm trying to promote.

    A finger is > than a ######ing army if it's hovering over a nuclear bomb, ######stick. So shut the ###### up.
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
    thats alot of *'s

    Cool your flame jets.

    Somethings aren't meant to be in NS2, you give good argument but you don't got enough proof of its usefulness, you can't get proof so instead you need enough reasons, you don't got enough. Now putting this on the commanders shoulders is just calling for cruisification, PEOPLE ARE COMPETITIVE, if the commander is doing his 1st time, THEY WILL HANG HIM AFTER CUTTING HIM DRY, more crap for the commander to do is a bad idea. I'm in full support of adding another commander, cause the truth is, even if alot of people say not, NS2 REQUIRES a second support commander, one person can't keep up with the massive demand. Your idea though, even with a second commander is bad, now I'd love you to help push my idea of a support commander and a pickup and deploy turret, you got creativity, and you can absorb ideas from other games and re-engineer them for another game.
  • t0x1kw4st3t0x1kw4st3 Join Date: 2008-04-27 Member: 64167Members
    edited September 2008
    Thanks. You're not a ######stick either. But you got the idea.

    Support commander? you'd need more command chairs.

    Deployable turret? Sounds good.
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
    only 1 other commander, a support commander, no 3-..... commanders, just 2 CCs required. anymore will look occupied.
  • SewlekSewlek The programmer previously known as Schimmel Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16247Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, Subnautica Developer
    edited September 2008
    Im not a friend of the idea of Mini-Tanks. Dont want to write a too long explanation, but just 2
    reasons:

    - I dont like the idea itself
    - I want as much player control as possible (as less bots as possible)
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
    less bots are great, but some are nice replacments for things in normal NS, like the M.A.S.C., if thew decide not to keep the stationary version.
  • aNytiMeaNytiMe Join Date: 2008-03-31 Member: 64007Members, Constellation
    Hey, why not have mobile turrets? Just make them die in like 4 skulk hits forcing extreme micro. (StarCraft marines vs zerglings) They will be completely useless when fades come around though.
  • t0x1kw4st3t0x1kw4st3 Join Date: 2008-04-27 Member: 64167Members
    Yeah, i'm thinking in terms of starcraft too. The commander should have more responsibility.
  • ljcrabsljcrabs Join Date: 2007-11-15 Member: 62924Members
    I would love to see more diversity of gameplay motivated by mobile bases or mobile bot supported assaults.
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
    wow, u guys are killing NS2 right now =(, mostly crabs, mobile bases?! Armored Bot Assaults?!

    The mobile turrets would just be better suited as Marine pickupable versions, another bot would just make this game sad, we aren't the Cyborg Marines, or the Lazy Marines Who Let The Bot Take The Pain, jsut Marines.
  • HawkeyeHawkeye Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1855Members
    Don't think a tank would be really appropriate for ns2, though perhaps you've got an idea with the 'station' concept.

    Perhaps there could be a new structure that the comm could create which looks like a platform with a gun mounted on it. It'd have to be built and it would have to be powered by the turret factory, but when occupied by a marine, you could get a sort of hmg with unlimited ammo. It would have to be occupied by a marine to do anything and it would have to be stationary, not moveable.

    It'd sort of run with the whole idea.
  • RadixRadix Join Date: 2005-01-10 Member: 34654Members, Constellation
    edited September 2008
    <div align="center"><center><object width="450" height="356"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7UbvVe4YHCA"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7UbvVe4YHCA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="356"></embed></object></center></div>

    <!--coloro:#212121--><span style="color:#212121"><!--/coloro-->I actually don't hate the idea that much, but it would need some tweaks. Still, this was the perfect opportunity for youtube<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--><!--coloro:#161616--><span style="color:#161616"><!--/coloro-->.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
  • CanadianWolverineCanadianWolverine Join Date: 2003-02-07 Member: 13249Members
    Something I am not understanding about some of the opposition to this idea, that the Devs have already shown some interest in bots:

    - Weld Bot
    - MASC

    And I won't go into it in any great detail, but IMHO, TSA Marines are cyborgs - nanites heal them instantly!

    That said, not really sure why the TSA marines would want a tank anti life form weapon platform for these urban / industrial enviroments given they already have prototyped Heavy Armor exoskeletons.

    I understand the desire for the Commander experience to depart from the TSA vending machine to a more visceral experience, its why I have suggested ideas such as "Commander: The Hacker" in the past, I am just not sure why a tank wouldn't just be another Marine, in which case, why not jump out of the chair? *shrug*
  • t0x1kw4st3t0x1kw4st3 Join Date: 2008-04-27 Member: 64167Members
    Tanks are tanks. They give the commander opportunity for "perfect control". If not tanks, a build bot would give the commander a way to sneak a PG without a lone stealthy marine. A scout bot would give the commander expendable eyes without the need for marines.
  • t0x1kw4st3t0x1kw4st3 Join Date: 2008-04-27 Member: 64167Members
    Tanks are tanks. They give the commander opportunity for "perfect control". If not tanks, a build bot would give the commander a way to sneak a PG without a lone stealthy marine. A scout bot would give the commander expendable eyes without the need for marines.
  • Soul_RiderSoul_Rider Mod Bean Join Date: 2004-06-19 Member: 29388Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue
    Why don't you just scrap turrets, make them mobile too. instead of being Commander controlled, they are Squad leader controlled. This would give the comm aditional work kepping his squads organised, swapping people when they spawn closer to other squads, and making sure he always assigns a Squad Leader, should one die on the field.

    This would add to the comm controlling Humans, rather than too many automated things, he has the Sieges to control. Let the more skilful players be rewarded by being made squad leaders, who can control turrets that are movable, or they can have deployable turrets. Either Idea works and can be balanced.

    But remember, it's just an Idea, if you don't agree with it, fine, suggest what you think are improvements. I will thank you for not being insulting to my ideas, as they are as worthy as yours.

    Peace
    Andy
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
    edited September 2008
    Scout bot:
    Marine better)
    -even if slower, marine has a gun
    -marine can build something once he gets there if its a good enough location

    Build bot:
    Marines won't build)
    -Marines will run off thinking that build bot can do it
    -Marines would rather kill than build, this allows them to do that, adding bot make the teams unfair, aliens forced to build rather than kill but the the marines can just run off and kill

    You confused me Wolverine =/

    Soul, you have a nice idea, as they rid of stationary seiges, why not stationary turrets? Now, with the rid of them, we rid of the Turret Factory, or will the factory be the new 'War Factory' to make them?

    I'm still for movable turrets by the marines, like say.....

    A stationary turret, THAT YOU PICK UP =O

    as said earlier, it could make the marine slower, and he can't use his guns, he can either take 3 seconds to deploy the gun, or just drop it(Right Click). Yea yea yea, and then i rant =)
  • t0x1kw4st3t0x1kw4st3 Join Date: 2008-04-27 Member: 64167Members
    Scout Bot: Purely for information gathering for the commander. Realistically, a good idea. A small clumsy flying bot that costs 3-5 res that can be ordered to move a maximum distance of 20 meters (so it requires near constant micro). It would allow the commander to have eyes, and therefore gather information which is critical in forming strategies.
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
    Or he can send a marine to do it.
  • EvilSmooEvilSmoo Join Date: 2008-02-16 Member: 63662Members
    edited September 2008
    Actually, tank bots might be a good idea after all. But they would need to be made map-specific, IMO.

    For instance, have a central area with some res nodes, but have other res nodes in access areas, say, up ladders or something. A tank bot or two could provide cover for an open central area, but with sniping spots for aliens in areas where marines would be vulnerable. Comms could buy additional tank bots when they get destroyed and they automatically patrol.

    The marines would be able to hold the central area fairly easily, and the aliens would be able to hold the access corridors fairly easily. Like have alien-only vents that are heavily infested.

    The marines would lose troops when they go running off into access areas, and the aliens would lose troops when they assault the area with the tanks. Maybe have alien "tanks" of some sort in the vents? Modified scout bots that auto-spawn and have fairly inaccurate ranged attacks?

    Then, you have a hazardous access tunnel or two, that bypass the middle area.

    So then you have options: attack via the tunnels and dodge hazards, or assault the center through hostile territory. This goes for both sides.
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
    ehh, a REAL seige map >.>
  • aNytiMeaNytiMe Join Date: 2008-03-31 Member: 64007Members, Constellation
    Commander controlled mobile turrets are definitely going in and that is final. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />

    Lonely skulks chewing rts will never be bored again. Just think of the tension!
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1688713:date=Sep 23 2008, 03:18 PM:name=aNytiMe)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aNytiMe @ Sep 23 2008, 03:18 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1688713"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Commander controlled mobile turrets are definitely going in and that is final. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    says who?!
  • locallyunscenelocallyunscene Feeder of Trolls Join Date: 2002-12-25 Member: 11528Members, Constellation
    edited September 2008
    <!--quoteo(post=1688748:date=Sep 23 2008, 10:51 PM:name=ryknow69)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ryknow69 @ Sep 23 2008, 10:51 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1688748"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->says who?!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Well nothing's final, but there are supposed to be <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=103919" target="_blank">weldbots</a> that were mentioned in <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2007/12/13th_podcast" target="_blank">Podcast 13</a>(took me a while to find that one). Maybe they will have offensive capabilities too.
  • ryknow69ryknow69 Join Date: 2008-03-24 Member: 63952Members
    they will, like the welder in NS1, they can Weld the skulks chops shut!
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