Alien Skill Swapping

Rainseeker

Please correct me if this has already been discussed or is in the game already.

I think it would provide interesting tactical decisions for aliens if they had the ability to purchase/pick abilities for the type of alien they have, depending on what support structure they are near. An alien could only have 3 extra "active" abilities (besides basic attack ala NS1) but those could be traded for different ones if the player approaches an alien commander-built structure. Some skills would be passive (i.e. carapace & speed), and there would be an extra "passive" slot or two.

Does this make sense?

Bacillus

I think the system would have to be built around it. So... Just allowing the skill swapping without redesigning a dozen things might be difficult.

Tig

<!--quoteo(post=1800175:date=Sep 28 2010, 04:21 PM:name=Rainseeker)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rainseeker @ Sep 28 2010, 04:21 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1800175"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Please correct me if this has already been discussed or is in the game already.

I think it would provide interesting tactical decisions for aliens if they had the ability to purchase/pick abilities for the type of alien they have, depending on what support structure they are near. An alien could only have 3 extra "active" abilities (besides basic attack ala NS1) but those could be traded for different ones if the player approaches an alien commander-built structure. Some skills would be passive (i.e. carapace & speed), and there would be an extra "passive" slot or two.

Does this make sense?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

quoting from the wiki:

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Upgrades

The Alien Commander can upgrade hives to enable certain upgrade paths.

* Hive Mass - requires at least 2 hives to upgrade
* Hive Colony - requires at least 3 hives to upgrade<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

i think the alien commander picks your path but there are ability upgrades you can individually buy off of the chambers?

i have no clue

spellman23

We've been assuming something similar to NS1. You have a set of activated abilities based on your lifeform. You can purchase from a set of passive abilities (cloak, celerity, etc.) based on what research has been done. In NS1, this involved placing buildings. For NS2, I've just assumed the Alien Commander is responsible for that.

If you are referring to swapping activated abilities, then as Bacillus said we'd have to redesign quite a bit of our understanding of how NS works. This would be like Aliens being able to pick weapons like the Marines, something that I don't want to see. The Marines are equipment based versus Alien being lifeform based is a nice dichotomy I want to see in NS2.


If you mean swapping out Carapce for Regen while at a Crag (the new Def Chamber), then I think I've seen the idea before. Haven't really thought too much about it.

Rainseeker

Thanks for your thoughtful post, spellman!