Rethinking upgrades

Hakujin · June 2011

<div class="IPBDescription">beyond armor1, armor2, etc...</div>So The basic combat upgrades give you more damage or more armor. Simple enough. But I think there has been a trend in gaming that emerged since NS1 that can be applied to NS2 -- a missed opportunity in the upgrade system. Games like COD4 allow players a modicum of choice in how they play beyond just what weapon they have. They can be knife fighters, scouts, demolitionists, etc. through perks and other unique bonuses. For an FPS this is especially appealing because it fundamentally changes how players experience the game. I am not advocating anything as complex as perks, etc. as NS2 is quite far along in development, but there are ways to apply those kinds of choices to NS2 (with minimal code alternations) in a way that will have more impact on the players' experience.

Rather than weapons 1-3 and armor 1-3, what about something like the following upgrade choices:

TSA - WEAPONS

AP bullets - 3 levels, does increasing amounts of damage to armor with every shot, no change to health damage. Useful for taking out certain structures and aliens.
ROF module - 3 levels, increases the rate of fire for automatic weapons
Recoil dampeners - 3 levels, decreases recoil on all weapons, down to 0 at level 3 (like default NS2, yes this would mean recoil without the upgrade)
Extended magazines - 3 levels, adds to the max capacity of all weapon magazines

TSA - ARMOR

Advanced plating - 3 levels, just more armor like the basic upgrade
Adaptive toxin filters - 3 levels, reduces spore damage, down to 0 at level 3, also counteracts the Kharaa toxin upgrade
Intelliweave - 3 levels, l1= reduces marine walking sound, l2 = reduces parasite detection range, l3 = marines do not glow in hive sight

KHARAA - WEAPONS

Piercing claws - 3 levels, bonus to armor and structure damage
Toxin glands - 3 levels, applies a temporary slow to marines who are hit (or perhaps only hit when armor = 0)
Adrenal nodules - 3 levels, gives temp attack speed bonus (or movement) on successful hit to enemy player (not structure)

KHARAA - ARMOR

Chitinous plates - 3 levels, just more armor like basic upgrade
Mucous glands - 3 levels, reduces fire damage and burn time
Fibrous scales - 3 levels, reduces explosive damage

None of these suggestions require any new art, but they do require re-thinking the way weapon and armor upgrades are implemented. Furthermore, these serve only as examples of a different, much higher-impact paradigm for upgrades that would add a new layer of meta-strategy to the game. What the upgrades finally end up being doesn't matter so much as that they are not just invisible stat buffs to damage and armor. Thoughts?

digz · June 2011

I personally like where this idea is going, gives players more options and customization you don't really get yet.

IeptBarakat · June 2011

This level of customization is what I loved about custom combat servers in ns1.

Hope to see more of it.

Floodinator · June 2011

First it is not a FPS. ( COD is even more arcade, even in HC)
It more a RTFPS.

Many of your ideas are implemented(or will be soon) in the Game. NS2 gives Different Roles to each class (like in many other FPS). Instead on sniper, engeneer and soilder it is commander, Exo, Jetpack, Mac, ARC.

And some weapons have ( or will have) alt Fire. Pistol has 2 totally different styles to play as example.
And all your Ideas are passive buffs and that us absoluetly not NS2. In NS2 you buy, you die, you have to rebuy.
It is a more complex style of the Counterstrike Buy and Earn. An this is THE (even think the first) online taktik schooter.

NS2 has a clear structure on your desiccions! In COD you can have all Guns with almost the same upgrades and I dont know how many extras (and theyr pros). It is nice to have. But I ( prestige 9 on Black Ops) only use M16, Silencer, Ghost, Ninja and Hardened. From start to end. And almost 60% do it also on black ops (atleast on HC).

So better 4 clear roles that have different styles to Play (and really need skill) that 40 things (plus 1000 bonus and a golden gun "rolleye") where only 6 things are used.

If I talk with you about NS2 you will talk also about NS2.(or maybe NS2 CO) we can directly start talking.

But CoD is not CoD. Why? I have first to say If I play Hardcore, Normal, Wagermatches, Zombie, Zombiearcade and what Playtype....Common just put all things in so we can have 60 different Games with 60 extras. This is CoD.

NS2 want's to have a unique Gamplay that is absoluetly not the same with any other game I know (exept NS1).

And by the way if you have recoil don't press the Mousebutton so hard that you push your Mouse away From you.

Edit: I just want to say all written above counts for NS2 classic! If the will be a NS2 CO, I would say yeeees!

devak · June 2011

the static buff can be changed to an active one by changing just one thing: how you get them. at the armory, just make the armor available. for the Khaara, just make them evolvable.

basic armor and weapons are still needed because of the arms race. less fire damage has no use when the shotgun marine next to the flamethrower marive kills you in 1 shot.

people should be able, however, to buy/evolve the extra armor pieces.

Taxen0 · June 2011

I would like too see a lot more upgrades and evolutions that, once researched can be used with some limits.
For example we have the basic passive global upgrades like now, that once researched is applied to everyone (raw armour/damage +).

And then 2 or 3 upgrade slots, these upgrades would have more differentiating effects, like the current frenzy (hp on kill) or the proposed toxin glands (slow).

This way you can customize further and allow for different specs. while preventing someone from making a super badass fade/marine that has everything and stomps on your face.

the aliens could have the additional slots in the evolution menu, and the marines at the armoury.
edit: obviously paid for by Pres

thefonz · June 2011

While I'm not in complete agreement with the OP, I think that this is worth some consideration. Currently armor is bought in series. Buy some, buy some more, buy the set. If armor could be bought in parallel, this give some interesting possiblities.

Considering the marine case, If armor 1, 2 and 3 were retitled as, Legs, Torso, Head.

Legs - moderate cost - moderate armor increase - Moderate Marine Bonus, i.e. Improved boots (Marines can sprint full-or-increased speed on infestation)

Torso - High cost - High armor increase - No Marine Bonus

Head - High cost - Low armor increase - Good Marine Bonus, i,e, "Guardian Angel" Marine Helmets now have motion tracking that alerts them to fast noving kharaa, (not walking or blinking) in a SHORT distance behind them. Maybe a small light on the weapon they are holding or some other indicator. Ideally, something that will alert the marine, when they aren't focused on other things. If they are fighting, or doing crap, the alert shouldn't be overpowering.

Interesting thought for the alert, a beep. Very usefull for when marines are constructing, and very vulnerable. Easily drowned out by gunfire and other sounds.

These upgrades could be bought in any order that the marines want.

Getting Legs first could help with rushing a hive early in the game.
A Head upgrade first could help deal with a sneaky kharaa team.
Go Torso if they got fades before you could get anything, or if you just wanna slug it out!

Haven't quite thought of a simillar set of ideas for the kharaa. Since its finally stopped raining, I'm gonna hit the road. Will post some kharaa ideas if I think of some.

Btw, these ideas for bonuses, costs, ect. aren't set in stone! If you like it, help improve it!

Rethinking upgrades

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