Aliens can pick upgrades while respawning
yourbonesakin
Join Date: 2005-08-06 Member: 57682Members
Join Date: 2005-08-06 Member: 57682Members
When an alien is killed, they decide the upgrades they want while respawning. Then they respawn with all their upgrades with no gestating involved. If an alien doesn't pick while respawning, or if an upgrade is researched while its running around, it can gestate the upgrade in the field a la NS1.
The reason I'm suggesting this is waiting for a respawn and then upgrading three times while an important skirmish is going on is rather frustrating for skulks (or at least me). The gestate upgrade model basically makes respawning inactivity times longer for the individual skulk (though the same amount of aliens are spawned per unit of time).
Unknown Worlds has already removed Devour because it forces a player to "not play" for a bit while they are being digested. This suggestion follows the same vein. It has the added benefit of giving aliens something to do in respawning inactivity periods. So it solves a problem (part of game has no user input) more effectively than one might think.
The reason I'm suggesting this is waiting for a respawn and then upgrading three times while an important skirmish is going on is rather frustrating for skulks (or at least me). The gestate upgrade model basically makes respawning inactivity times longer for the individual skulk (though the same amount of aliens are spawned per unit of time).
Unknown Worlds has already removed Devour because it forces a player to "not play" for a bit while they are being digested. This suggestion follows the same vein. It has the added benefit of giving aliens something to do in respawning inactivity periods. So it solves a problem (part of game has no user input) more effectively than one might think.
Comments
I agree about the lifeform gestation. Having to load up a better gun can be equated to having to sit back while you gestate for a new lifeform. I feel like alien upgrades should be similar to marine upgrades, however.
Marines can go out into a hot zone with just their two clips of LMG ammo, considering they will probably die before they expend their ammo (especially if they need to rush somewhere and take out a structure aliens are converging to), and they will still shoot just as fine. Marines don't run half as fast or lose Motion Tracking or damage/armor upgrades when they don't go to get more ammuntion. They just spawn fully upgraded. Aliens become innately more powerful with upgrades, so they can't just go out into a hot zone without pausing to gestate unless they want to be less effective. In some cases, much less effective (if aliens are limited SC or DC upgrades).
Also, Marines in general are a slower race. Losing a few seconds to double your ammo supplies isn't as big a deal (especially considering they have Phase Gates, anyway). Losing 10 seconds as a skulk seems like a big deal because they run so fast; that's a good fifth of the map aliens aren't covering in upgrading time. Half a map if you're a lerk or fade. The lost time is exacerbated because aliens can't just phase to the middle of the map.
Does that make sense?
That being said, would higher lifeforms still have to re-upgrade after gestating into something different? ie skulk spawns with his selected upgrades, but then after about 1 minute has the resources to go lerk, thus he does. In the current model, his upgrades reset and he has to redo them all individually. Are you suggesting he keep these thus being restricted to them, or they reset like the currently do? Or something different?
I'm going to agree with you and say this idea only be playtested through to get the balance right. Unless there's some NS1 competitive veteran who can share some thoughts.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->That being said, would higher lifeforms still have to re-upgrade after gestating into something different? ie skulk spawns with his selected upgrades, but then after about 1 minute has the resources to go lerk, thus he does. In the current model, his upgrades reset and he has to redo them all individually. Are you suggesting he keep these thus being restricted to them, or they reset like the currently do? Or something different?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Their upgrades reset back to zero and they have to pick them again. I'd say they actually pick their upgrades while gestating for the lifeform, with no additional gestation time added on (If they don't pick them during lifeform gestation, then they have to gestate later a la NS1). If aliens that have changed shape to higher lifeforms do have to gestate additional time for upgrades, then in the end, their lifeform gestation period is actually 10 seconds longer. It also makes additional clicks for players who just want to get into the fray right away.
Remember when you just had to evolve the last tier and then a JP came and killed you while gestating.
There's a bit of decision whether you pick upgrades in some pressure situations like a hive siege, but it's not that big of a deal either. If they are going to cut unnecessary things from the game, this seems like a reasonable pick.
It's boring as hell to do multiple, little upgrades after spawning.
You could still add that gestationtime to the spawntime, if balance demands it, because at least you can spectate others when you are waiting for spawn, while gestating doesn't give you anything to do, unless they'll add egg-sudoku.
After all marines probably won't have to wait for their upgrades aswell. And the time they take to buy equipment is equivalent to the gestating times of lifeforms.