Whip Abilities
KuBaN
Join Date: 2002-11-16 Member: 8979Members, Constellation
Join Date: 2002-11-16 Member: 8979Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">Switch Melee Attack and Bombard</div>Inspired by a discussion in the Decision Design Log about Whips:
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Relying on Lash's short range makes it a defenseless structure against any Marine, save for the first time a Marine stumbles upon it and gets hit once, but then knows better than to get hit again. It doesn't feel like a very offensive (or useful) structure. Seems like it would be more useful/dangerous if Bombard was the passive attack and Lash was the researchable, activated ability.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Re-work Bombard:
<ul><li>Bombard is now a Passive Ability and is enabled by default.</li><li>Bombard now deals Structural damage</li><li>Bombard has an "overhand" trajectory. As such it has a small dead-zone at melee range where units can avoid direct hits from Bombard, but will still be in splash range.</li></ul>
Re-work Lash:
<ul><li>Lash is now an Activated Ability and requires a Mature Whip.</li><li>Lash knocks away all nearby enemy units and briefly Dazes them, preventing Marine's from Sprinting.</li><li>Lash is usable while Rooted and Unrooted. This should give Whips enough short-term defense to increase their effective mobility.</li></ul>
This way, the Whip functions as a dumber Hydra when unmanned, but has the potential to rally an entire room when operated by the Commander. This additional danger the Whip presents will draw the attention in any room, as players will always be wondering if an Alien Commander is controlling <u>that</u> Whip.
In the beginning of the game, Whips will serve as a base defense best supported by Hydras or a Crag. Mid-game they can be unrooted and taken across established Infestation to support forward pushes. End-game they can be used as short-ranged mobile siege cannons.
I think all of this would further encourage the Whips use as mobile, offensive structure.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Relying on Lash's short range makes it a defenseless structure against any Marine, save for the first time a Marine stumbles upon it and gets hit once, but then knows better than to get hit again. It doesn't feel like a very offensive (or useful) structure. Seems like it would be more useful/dangerous if Bombard was the passive attack and Lash was the researchable, activated ability.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Re-work Bombard:
<ul><li>Bombard is now a Passive Ability and is enabled by default.</li><li>Bombard now deals Structural damage</li><li>Bombard has an "overhand" trajectory. As such it has a small dead-zone at melee range where units can avoid direct hits from Bombard, but will still be in splash range.</li></ul>
Re-work Lash:
<ul><li>Lash is now an Activated Ability and requires a Mature Whip.</li><li>Lash knocks away all nearby enemy units and briefly Dazes them, preventing Marine's from Sprinting.</li><li>Lash is usable while Rooted and Unrooted. This should give Whips enough short-term defense to increase their effective mobility.</li></ul>
This way, the Whip functions as a dumber Hydra when unmanned, but has the potential to rally an entire room when operated by the Commander. This additional danger the Whip presents will draw the attention in any room, as players will always be wondering if an Alien Commander is controlling <u>that</u> Whip.
In the beginning of the game, Whips will serve as a base defense best supported by Hydras or a Crag. Mid-game they can be unrooted and taken across established Infestation to support forward pushes. End-game they can be used as short-ranged mobile siege cannons.
I think all of this would further encourage the Whips use as mobile, offensive structure.
Comments
This would definitely become necessary since the dev's are seriously considering removing the additional tech node to level up in technology, meaning there are going to be a lot more Flame throwers and grenade launchers on the battlefield going up against what is supposed to be the primary Alien defense structure.
Bombard wouldn't be the upgrade for Mature Whip if it became the passive ability, it would be the default ability, and Lash would become the ability unlocked with Mature Whips.
<!--quoteo(post=1844814:date=May 8 2011, 04:42 AM:name=Heroman117)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Heroman117 @ May 8 2011, 04:42 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1844814"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I was thinking maybe regular whips work the way they do now, and when they are upgraded their passive ability becomes bombard, but they will Lash if a target gets close enough, which also does increased damage than the normal Lash, maybe an instant kill.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So you're just suggesting that Lash become an automatic ability that the Commander doesn't activate, and also that it be an instant kill?
Well the idea is that the Whip would be weak on it's own, but able to empower the other structures in the room (namely, Hydras). Knocking you away isn't going to guarantee a projectile will hit you, but slowing you down, even for one second, would.
I guess it depends on how strong the knockback is, I'm envisioning something with a slight upwards tilt. So marines would be whacked into walls, or into a short arc across the room, in any case preventing the marine from doing any dodging for approximately one second.
It would push the marine back and also make a small change in their orientation - so if you are shooting at something, you might miss, but not be completely disoriented. I wouldn't want to to be so powerful as to make it impossible to get by, though. To do that, you would need 3 or 4 whips.
The idea of dazing or disabling players has been shot down many times. I doubt that will make it in.
Ah, I see what you mean. I hadn't considered that the knockback could have an upwards trajectory. That'd actually work out pretty well!
Also, yeah, it shouldn't be impossible to pass; I imagine Lash (like other activated abilities) should have some sort of a cooldown.