Alien Commander, Gorge, and Dynamic Infestation
Donner & Blitzen
Join Date: 2010-03-08 Member: 70879Members
Join Date: 2010-03-08 Member: 70879Members
<div class="IPBDescription">How it could work</div><!--coloro:#FF8C00--><span style="color:#FF8C00"><!--/coloro-->Skip to the bottom for the TL;DR version. <!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
Here is how I believe the alien commander and Gorge should work. Infestations typically go unnoticed until they become a significant problem and because of this, they seem to be able to appear anywhere, at any time. This is how dynamic infestation should work in NS2. It's a role reversal, where in NS1, the Kharraa were the invaders. Now the marines are the invaders, trying to reclaim lost territory. Keeping that in mind, I feel like the alien commander should have the role of a kind of "all seeing eye" (a role that the marine commander had, in part, in NS1).
The alien commander should be able to spread and control dynamic infestation. He does this simply by clicking an area in the world, which spawns a small patch of infestation at some res cost, that slowly grows over time. The infestation can be placed literally anywhere that can be "seen" by any alien structures or aliens, other patches of infestation (which can also "see"), and any parasited marines. This would work the same way that the marine commander can "see" what his troops on the ground see. This means the alien commander has the potential to place infestation just about anywhere, at almost any time. In addition to having "sight", alien structures can only be built on infestation (and drifters have nothing to do with construction).The alien start would automatically be filled with infestation at the start of the game. Infestation also blocks marine structures from being built, and stops the operation of any marine building it grows around.
Of course, the marines should have some innate ability to deal with infestation, which would only be effective against small areas of infestation. Thus, although the alien commander may be able to easily place infestation inside the marine start, a competent marine team will quickly deal with it before it becomes a threat. However, a stealthy alien team may be able to, unnoticed, construct a foothold into enemy held territory. Again, this is somewhat of a reversal of roles compared to NS1, where typically, marines had to gain footholds into alien territory. The difference is that infestation is this omnipresent invasive element, which the alien commander embodies, that marines are constantly trying to keep at bay.
Keeping with the role of the alien commander as, basically the infestation itself, the Gorge should take over the role of dropping Harvesters. This is because Harvesters, unlike my proposed functionality of dynamic infestation, are a lot more static. They can only be placed in certain known, and highly contested positions. Unlike the marine commander, the alien commander won't be baby sitting his teammates by dropping weapons, medpacks, and ammo. The alien commander is not concerned about fighting marines directly as much as he is focused on trying to be as much of a nuisance to them as possible. Since maps in NS2 seem to be concentrated on fighting over rooms containing resource towers and tech points, the alien commander need not constantly be distracted by dropping and redropping Harvesters either, and should rather be focused on passively fighting the marines elsewhere, while lifeforms defend critical locations. Thus, the purpose of the Gorge is to keep the "front lines" strong by securing resource nodes and defending them with Hydras, as well as maintaining the health of any structures dropped by the commander.
<!--coloro:#FF8C00--><span style="color:#FF8C00"><!--/coloro-->TL;DR version<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
-Alien comm drops hives and upgrade chambers
-Alien comm spends res to place patches of growing infestation ANYWHERE on the map here he has "sight"
-Sight contributed by friendly lifeforms, structures, infestation, and parasited marines
-Infestation blocks marine construction and disables structures
-Gorge builds Hydras and Harvesters
-Gorge is tasked with defending and maintaining the Alien comm's assets in contested areas
What this accomplishes:
-Gives Alien commander a distinct role from Marine commander
-Preserves Gorges role in the strategic aspect of the game
Here is how I believe the alien commander and Gorge should work. Infestations typically go unnoticed until they become a significant problem and because of this, they seem to be able to appear anywhere, at any time. This is how dynamic infestation should work in NS2. It's a role reversal, where in NS1, the Kharraa were the invaders. Now the marines are the invaders, trying to reclaim lost territory. Keeping that in mind, I feel like the alien commander should have the role of a kind of "all seeing eye" (a role that the marine commander had, in part, in NS1).
The alien commander should be able to spread and control dynamic infestation. He does this simply by clicking an area in the world, which spawns a small patch of infestation at some res cost, that slowly grows over time. The infestation can be placed literally anywhere that can be "seen" by any alien structures or aliens, other patches of infestation (which can also "see"), and any parasited marines. This would work the same way that the marine commander can "see" what his troops on the ground see. This means the alien commander has the potential to place infestation just about anywhere, at almost any time. In addition to having "sight", alien structures can only be built on infestation (and drifters have nothing to do with construction).The alien start would automatically be filled with infestation at the start of the game. Infestation also blocks marine structures from being built, and stops the operation of any marine building it grows around.
Of course, the marines should have some innate ability to deal with infestation, which would only be effective against small areas of infestation. Thus, although the alien commander may be able to easily place infestation inside the marine start, a competent marine team will quickly deal with it before it becomes a threat. However, a stealthy alien team may be able to, unnoticed, construct a foothold into enemy held territory. Again, this is somewhat of a reversal of roles compared to NS1, where typically, marines had to gain footholds into alien territory. The difference is that infestation is this omnipresent invasive element, which the alien commander embodies, that marines are constantly trying to keep at bay.
Keeping with the role of the alien commander as, basically the infestation itself, the Gorge should take over the role of dropping Harvesters. This is because Harvesters, unlike my proposed functionality of dynamic infestation, are a lot more static. They can only be placed in certain known, and highly contested positions. Unlike the marine commander, the alien commander won't be baby sitting his teammates by dropping weapons, medpacks, and ammo. The alien commander is not concerned about fighting marines directly as much as he is focused on trying to be as much of a nuisance to them as possible. Since maps in NS2 seem to be concentrated on fighting over rooms containing resource towers and tech points, the alien commander need not constantly be distracted by dropping and redropping Harvesters either, and should rather be focused on passively fighting the marines elsewhere, while lifeforms defend critical locations. Thus, the purpose of the Gorge is to keep the "front lines" strong by securing resource nodes and defending them with Hydras, as well as maintaining the health of any structures dropped by the commander.
<!--coloro:#FF8C00--><span style="color:#FF8C00"><!--/coloro-->TL;DR version<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
-Alien comm drops hives and upgrade chambers
-Alien comm spends res to place patches of growing infestation ANYWHERE on the map here he has "sight"
-Sight contributed by friendly lifeforms, structures, infestation, and parasited marines
-Infestation blocks marine construction and disables structures
-Gorge builds Hydras and Harvesters
-Gorge is tasked with defending and maintaining the Alien comm's assets in contested areas
What this accomplishes:
-Gives Alien commander a distinct role from Marine commander
-Preserves Gorges role in the strategic aspect of the game
Comments
That being said, give me an alien boss to kill :p
In short:
- Make the alien commander not seem like 1 person but a collective.
- Alien end boss FTW
Gorges drop hydras and get a couple of other buildings which they can drop in the same manner as hydras, such as a light defence tower which heals nearby aliens but less effectively than the actual defence tower, and an infestation node which spreads infestation like an alien base structure, the other gorge structures only spread it very slightly.
Gorges benefit from player mobility and can reach unusual areas, commander does the job a commander is supposed to do and is best suited for which is building stuff and managing the team as a whole. Micro goes to players, macro goes to commanders.
In term of NS, there is already DI. So the tumor may 'fasten' up the infestation method.
<!--coloro:#FF8C00--><span style="color:#FF8C00"><!--/coloro-->TL;DR version<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
-Alien comm drops hives and upgrade chambers
-Alien comm spends res to place patches of growing infestation ANYWHERE on the map here he has "sight"
-Sight contributed by friendly lifeforms, structures, infestation, and parasited marines
-Infestation blocks marine construction and disables structures
-Gorge builds Hydras and Harvesters
-Gorge is tasked with defending and maintaining the Alien comm's assets in contested areas
What this accomplishes:
-Gives Alien commander a distinct role from Marine commander
-Preserves Gorges role in the strategic aspect of the game<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My problem with it:
-Infestation blocks marine construction and disables structures
growing infestation ANYWHERE on the map here he has "sight"
Skulk runs to marine base. Aliens shut down entire base.
Much of your other "suggestions" have already been planned from the start, such as when they said the commander can spread infestation.
Thanks....
It would also help control Hydra production; if Hydras required DI in order to be placed, Gorges have to mark alien territory with infestation beforehand. The Gorge can also use DI to break locks on doors and help on offensives to power down rooms.
I also think that Alien Commander-built structures should spread DI to a degree, but does not require it to build.
Edit: Oh ops, didn't read thoroughly xD, but yes I agree with Chris on all points.
Nope. Exact copy of Chris's post.
yes/no?
Give it here a Topic which supports to bring the "old" Gorge back? ;)
Would find it better if the "new" Gorge would be like the Queen (Zerg) in StarCraft II.
Greets Cetme
current game:
gorge builds shifts and hydras
alien commanders manage resources and upgrades
i like the way they have it now. with shifts (movement chambers) moved to gorges, they now become player used structures leaving the upgrades to two upgrade paths or "trees." this is in line with marine commanders also having two upgrade paths (damage + armor).
if you're looking for things that already distinguish commanding in kharaa vs. frontiersmen:
kharaa command:
drifters are sacrificed in creating a structure
drifters can use an ability called "flare"
drifters can't attack
drifters can't heal/repair
kharaa buildings can't be recycled
kharaa buildings regenerate slowly
comm controls Whips (stationary siege cannons)
<b>comm cannot beacon team (team members must use a shift or a hive to get back to another hive)</b>
frontiersmen command:
MACs can attack
MACs can repair
MACs can build multiple structures
comm controls MASCs (mobile siege cannons)
frontiersmen buildings can be recycled
frontiersmen buildings can be repaired
comm can build turret factory and turrets for defense (and probably electrify stuff)
<b>comm can beacon the team back to a tech point </b>
<b>*bolded text is an assumption</b>