I think the Build Bot will be really useful if...
msleeper
Join Date: 2009-10-13 Member: 69034Members
Join Date: 2009-10-13 Member: 69034Members
Coming from a long, competitive Commander background, I can totally see how Builder Bots are/will fit into the new feel of the game. They seem like an awesome change for the better. That said, I think the Build Bot will be really much more useful if players and/or the Commander can assign them to "Follow" players, as opposed to having to move them around manually every time they need to do something. As has been said previously, one of the more tedious and less enjoyable aspects of NS1 was having to use the Buddy System to go around and build res nodes and other structures. I can definitely see how the Build Bot replaces/enhances that mechanic so that human players are only doing the fun, nerve wrecking task of guarding during a build. But trying to manage guiding the Marines -and- an AI seems like it will only serve to replace the stress the Builders seem to be removing, with something else.
Also, I think if you could set them to "patrol" a certain area they would be a lot more viable for having as a base pet. In the short time I actually managed to play the Alpha tonight, I would see a Builder sitting next to an almost entirely dead Infantry Portal and thinking, "Gee it would be great if he/she/it knew to fix things on it's own". I think I briefly saw something like this in the options set as "Coming Soon", so if this feature is already on it's way then great!
Also, I think if you could set them to "patrol" a certain area they would be a lot more viable for having as a base pet. In the short time I actually managed to play the Alpha tonight, I would see a Builder sitting next to an almost entirely dead Infantry Portal and thinking, "Gee it would be great if he/she/it knew to fix things on it's own". I think I briefly saw something like this in the options set as "Coming Soon", so if this feature is already on it's way then great!
Comments
It would be great as I get quite frustrated when micro-managing non-important details (or at least ones that can fixed by something as easy as a 'follow' button). It would also bring the team together, having to defend the bots as they venture outside the relative safety of the base.
Though just as a query (as I am a newb to this forum) shouldn't this post belong in this section of the forum?
<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showforum=84" target="_blank">Ideas and Suggestions</a>
Great idea anyway!
Though, even if you just let people interact with the bot to make it stop its movement until they press again or the commander issues it a new order, that would be simple and almost as useful.
<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showforum=84" target="_blank">Ideas and Suggestions</a><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Probably, and if the mods want to move the thread over there then cool. It's not like there are plenty of other mis-placed threads. Plus I kind of consider this Alpha feedback moreso than just a straight up "idea and suggestion", since having played the Alpha this was my immediate and lasting reaction to the Build Bots.
<!--quoteo(post=1786081:date=Jul 27 2010, 08:32 AM:name=echs)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (echs @ Jul 27 2010, 08:32 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1786081"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The Build Bot should definately not be allowed to sit there idle. Hopefully it can build/repair things by itself within close proximity at least.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I agree. Even if we don't get a "Follow" option, I think they definitely should patrol the area and actively try to help weld/repair the base. ESPECIALLY since the Human Welder appears to be gone.
<!--quoteo(post=1786150:date=Jul 27 2010, 09:50 AM:name=teh_fatts)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (teh_fatts @ Jul 27 2010, 09:50 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1786150"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Though, even if you just let people interact with the bot to make it stop its movement until they press again or the commander issues it a new order, that would be simple and almost as useful.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Again I can't say how the game will play out, but I think that if the Build Bots are going to be used for all of the things the old Welder was for - repairing Heavy trains and welding Weld points - then allowing players to give them orders will only serve to make them a more functional and integral part of the game.
Granted, it will sometimes also get in the way of the marine (pathing just needs work).
:P
Patrol routes and auto-repair would also be awesome.
Another interesting one would be if either the bot or a building near it (within sight) is actively under attack, it sends out a distress, viewable like hivesight in NS1. That might take away from the comm's role a bit much, though.
MAC will repair/finish buildings it is near without the commander needing to issue an order to do so. MAC is also trained in the art of Judo and will perform the appropriate move on the Kharaa when a threat has been established.
however, the builder bot seems to be more durable and hit harder
as long as that would be their idle animation so the commander can easily click on "idle worker", that sounds neat. otherwise, I'd hate to have to find drifters sneaking off into some corner, then possibly not finding it and having to build another haha
Better yet, imagine using them to ambush and collision-trap marines around corners where you have a few hydras. That would be pretty hilarious.
I'm assuming the "appropriate move" is explode and fall to the ground, cause that's all I've seen em do!
Instead of building the unit from your command station or whatever and ordering it around, I could see it be much less tedious to work with if you could just select a resource node, location on the ground, marine or structure, and then have the ability to give a task to a buildbot. So for instance, instead of selecting a buildbot and then telling the buildbot to build a refinery, you just select a resource node and select building a resource node on it. It could then either automatically pick the nearest buildbot to go there or have you pick one in some intuitive fashion.
I don't see much benefit in having full micro control over these things, from what I've read it looks like they're supposed to remove some of the tedious work that marines would be doing.
that way the commander doesn't need to actually assign them to a player, and if the commander does give them something to do, there's no conflict. it always preempts the soldiers' "follow" command.
i'm sure they thought of this already. it seems like the easiest way to make them useful/desireable.
Gonna agree to this once again...
NS is more than just shooting stuff, having the build bot take away all these "non shooting" tasks doesn't add to the gameplay but instead removes gameplay options for the player.
It does not only take away tactical choises (speed building with serveral marines, ninja building inside a hive where you time the building with respawns) i also imagine it heavily impacting the overall pace of the game. Those build/welding times had been a rather calm moment amongst the usual hectic looking and shooting around which gave the game a nice flow between hectic action and calm moments.
I would rather see an approach where both ways (marines building/welding and build bot building/welding) would have their place, like marines beeing the maintenance force outside of bases/on the move while the build bot rather handles tasks in base proximity, that how i imagined it originaly anyway. Maybe make it so that the buildbot only works in rooms that are connected to the marines trough the power grid system?
I mean what use is the ability to weld doors when only the bot is able to do it? I wanna weld doors myself and totaly feel like in an alien movie :P
Heck you could even add an welding minigame for welding doors/consoles :D
Also, +1 for Welding minigame.