Resource pockets

Capt. Moonflute

<div class="IPBDescription">Randomizing resource points</div>My idea is this, since we are trying out limited resources anyway why not try something different regarding the resource points as well? Instead of having a fixed resource location there would be resource pockets randomly put around the map, with varying size. Marines and aliens would have to immediately start fanning out from their base in order to find these resource pockets before the other team. The pockets would be marked by some sort of visual effect like steam or something of the like, the marines would then use their builder tools to scan that area to see how large the resource pocket is which in turn would show the commander how large it is, the pocket would show up in color to show its size. After this the commander simply drops the resource tower like normal, and as the extractor sucks up the resources the commander can see the color spot getting smaller and smaller until it finally runs out. Aliens would work in a similar manner however it would be up to the gorge to find these resource pockets, and or they would show up once infestation is over top of them. I think that if this was implemented it would make the games more dynamic, sense teams wouldn’t automatically know where to go and it would encourage marines to push out to find these pockets, and possibly discourage skulk rushing a bit sense the skulks would have to defend the resource pockets.

Broseidon

While it adds dynamic (which I like :D) it also adds the factor random to will you spawn near a lot of resource pockets or just a few even if you spawn at the same tech point. This way the outcome of the game will mostly but not necessarily be decided of by which team will spawn close to the most resource pockets. It may also be hard to make maps to fit for this kind of way to get resources.
Have you ever played starcraft? if so imagine if Vespene geysers and minerals would spawn randomly through out the map. This would mess up build orders and strategies and a lot of games will be very one sided. This would certainly not be healthy for the competitive side of NS2 and the winning team mostly wouldn't win because they are better but because they got "lucky" I don't feel like playing that kind of game, even pubs would be frustrating :/
You must be careful when you add something dynamic because it's often balancing on the line of being random. kinda like being genius or being crazy the difference is just broad like a string. Though you maybe shouldn't listen to a dinosaur when looking for wise words ;)

twiliteblue

I think "scavenger hunt" for power ups or resource pockets might be fun.

It was quite a fun mechanism which encouraged exploration, in strategy games such as Age of Empires 2 & 3, and Rise of Nations.

Skulk rush, game after game will eventually become repetitive. Adding "side quests" such as this will vary the pace of the game considerably, as Skulks will actually have an incentive to play defensively to expand the team's economy.

Perhaps the minigame could involve Gorges/Marines collecting overflowing resources from nodes in highly contested locations (middle of the map), and returning them to the Hive/CommStation. For balance, only Marines with welder tools would be able to collect these bounties.

WorthyRival

Your idea is interesting. Would need a total reworking of the resource system so unlikly to be seen unless you mod it yourself.
I personally believe limited resorces do not belong in NS2.
Maybe on the compeditive side of NS2 you might see finite resources and this is where I think your idea has the best chance of getting off the ground. But compeditive play is best when everything is fair to both sides.

Maybe refine your idea to be extra resource points that a mapper would add into their map and would set as a random resource point. This extra res point would have finite resources.
These Random Res Points could randomly appear during a game or be randomised from the start of a game. (easter egg hunt)
It would be much easier to code than the OP idea you're suggesting but pretty much the same result.

Off topic
Why limited resources are a bad idea.

1. A teams resources run out but the games not over....yet. Players will leave the server. It's pointless to stay and quicker to join a new server than wait for the games end. This already happens to some degree. Some players like the challenge and stay (like myself). But I'm not going to hang around in this server if there is no chance of winning, I want to play a game I can possible win even if it's a next to impossible.

2. Commanders would be less inclined to change tactics and strategy on the fly. They have commited X amount of finite resources to plan X. changing tactics now is not really an option as it's unaffordble. Most players know the team will lose eventually but not for some time. Players leave server.

3. Everyone becomes tight with resources.

4. Players will abuse a commander for spending such and such especially if new to the game.

Capt. Moonflute

Thanks for the feedback, I like the idea of having fixed resource points as well as resource pockets, this would make the resource pockets more like an bonus to a winning team, or help a losing team get some extra rez that might just push them back from the brink. Remember as well even if a team is lucky enough to find a pocket they would still have to defend it long enough from the opposing team in order to get all the rez. Also now that i think about it, it would be best to make the resource pockets a certain size instead of being random.

c0ke

i like the idea of limiting the resource nodes size a lot.

+1