purchase abilities ?

mushookees

a while ago i happened to see an ability icon to the right of the lifeform in the evolution UI, so naturally i clicked on it as i thought maybe i have to buy it the same as you do with carapace and regen etc. Obviously nothing happened and i thought nothing more about it at the time

The alien perks (carapace, regen etc.) are all researched from structures which are linked to hive types. And abilites are researched from the hive and will soon be linked to number of hives. Aliens have to buy perks but they get all the abilities that are researched for free.

So, wouldnt it be interesting if aliens were limited to 2 abilities, a primary ability (left mouse) and secondary ability (right mouse) .. yet they could mix and match from all of the available abilities that have been researched by the comm

here are examples

a gorge that has chosen bilebomb for his primary and heal for his secondary
a gorge that has chosen spit for his primary and web for his secondary
a fade that has chosen vortex for his primary and blink for his secondary
a fade that has chosen blink for his primary and swipe for his secondary
a skulk that has chosen leap as his primary and xeno as his secondary
a skulk that has chosen bite as his primary and xeno as his secondary
a lerk that has chosen bite as his primary and spikes as his secondary
a lerk that has chosen spores as his primary and umbra as his secondary

and you could go on an on.

well just thought i would throw this out there :>

elodea

stomp/vortex gorge would be kool

Khyron

<!--quoteo(post=1949982:date=Jul 9 2012, 12:40 PM:name=elodea)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (elodea @ Jul 9 2012, 12:40 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1949982"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->stomp/vortex gorge would be kool<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think he's just talking about picking two abilities from the list of things already confined to a lifeform. If that's the case, I don't think it would be an improvement because you might want to keep swapping out abilities depending on the situation. I don't think it really adds anything other than a more complicated way to select different abilities.

If he's talking about selecting any two abilities from the pool of all available alien abilities... omg overpowerd and impossible to balance.

edited for nomenclature

rantology

That would only serve to weaken aliens in the late game, and the aliens are already pretty weak late game. I feel it would add unnecessary clutter also, as neat of an idea as it is :s

Align

<!--coloro:#FF8C00--><span style="color:#FF8C00"><!--/coloro-->Phased to I&S.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->

AurOn2

maybe you could be able to buy abilities, but not be limited to two. so a skulk doesn't have to get xenocide, if he doesn't want it. leap, if he thinks he doesn't need it. for example.