Cysts (infection) spreading by themself
RobB
ＴＵＢＥＳ ＯＦ ＴＨＥ ＩＮＴＥＲＷＥＢ Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
ＴＵＢＥＳ ＯＦ ＴＨＥ ＩＮＴＥＲＷＥＢ Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
<div class="IPBDescription">Autogrow</div>Right now it feels like aliens are missing an integral factor.
They're supposed to infect the map, right?
Well, all I see are some carpet layers at work.
Proposition:
Alien commander can enable automatic growth of cysts.
<ul><li>It will drain (cystprice * number of cysts) * 0.8 res per tick (it won't be perfect and often times the cysts will be placed in stupid locations)</li><li>Growth-tick every 30 seconds (intended to be for the global cyst network, but each cyst taking time individualy enhances organic effect and could be interesting)</li><li>on tick, hives and cysts count their connections (other cysts within the building's growth area)
<ul><li>if their connections are fewer than 8, they spawn a cyst to fill up to 8 connections (one per tick) towards the direction with the lowest density of cysts within their own area of effect, with a deviation of up to ±23° (360°, full circle around; divided by 8 = 45°, halfed = 22.5°)
this makes sure the cyst network isn't static and allways looks the same if grown by system and that cysts won't try to spread towards the area the network expanded from.
cyst effect areas will overlap enough to cover for each other.</li></ul></li></ul>
Effect:
Aliens gain momentum and commander(s) will not be pre-occupied with designing cyst networks that can be easily disrupted anyway.
Aliens will feel more organic, cancerous even.
Yes, they will be harder to take out.
This can be countered by
<ul><li> reducing lifespan of disconnected cysts</li><li>limiting auto-growth to network pieces connected to hives only </li><li>lowering cyst health even more</li></ul>
Hate me. It makes <i>me</i> stronger.
They're supposed to infect the map, right?
Well, all I see are some carpet layers at work.
Proposition:
Alien commander can enable automatic growth of cysts.
<ul><li>It will drain (cystprice * number of cysts) * 0.8 res per tick (it won't be perfect and often times the cysts will be placed in stupid locations)</li><li>Growth-tick every 30 seconds (intended to be for the global cyst network, but each cyst taking time individualy enhances organic effect and could be interesting)</li><li>on tick, hives and cysts count their connections (other cysts within the building's growth area)
<ul><li>if their connections are fewer than 8, they spawn a cyst to fill up to 8 connections (one per tick) towards the direction with the lowest density of cysts within their own area of effect, with a deviation of up to ±23° (360°, full circle around; divided by 8 = 45°, halfed = 22.5°)
this makes sure the cyst network isn't static and allways looks the same if grown by system and that cysts won't try to spread towards the area the network expanded from.
cyst effect areas will overlap enough to cover for each other.</li></ul></li></ul>
Effect:
Aliens gain momentum and commander(s) will not be pre-occupied with designing cyst networks that can be easily disrupted anyway.
Aliens will feel more organic, cancerous even.
Yes, they will be harder to take out.
This can be countered by
<ul><li> reducing lifespan of disconnected cysts</li><li>limiting auto-growth to network pieces connected to hives only </li><li>lowering cyst health even more</li></ul>
Hate me. It makes <i>me</i> stronger.
Comments
I could get behind hive rooms automatically spawning cysts on the walls/floor to Alien it up though.
BUT marine comm already has more to do than alien comm. As a regular alien comm player I was pretty jarred when I started playing rine comm and realized I had to keep dropping stuff on my guys constantly. Auto-infest would be a step in the wrong direction, in that respect.
An Alternative:
-Cysts spread creep on their own very very slowly
-Catalyzing (or perhaps using some cyst specific ability like "irritate" or "fertilize" or something) makes them spread creep at current speed.
-Cysts could be either auto-generated or placed or both (with costs appropriate to balance)
-Cysts mus be placed on infestation instead of near it (I think this would help get rid of the carpet-laying feel a lot).
-Cyst infest range is increased (but less than 2x) to partially offset the disadvantage in the last point, and add a slight new advantage for forward structures and whip offensives (which I'd really like to see get a buff, their anti-structure bonuses are not used much currently)
Objection, I believe it will emphase it.
Hmmm... even if they are auto-generated, you'd rather see them popping up on metal floors than on infestation? That's always seemed weird to me.
Sort of like this pick, cysts on the left side radius are smaller since there is no beef-up on the chain, versus right.. (paint job)
<img src="http://img.loldepot.com/080411d90b948e622cf2.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Never said that. Besides, the air around infestation is saturated with funghi like bacteria. Have you ever seen mold grow on concrecte? That's nasty I tell ya...
<!--quoteo(post=1918153:date=Mar 26 2012, 07:10 PM:name=Luitjens)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Luitjens @ Mar 26 2012, 07:10 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1918153"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->so essentially you have to beef up your cyst lines with cysts to keep the radius spreading at its maximum,<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
the creeping cysts would do this themselfs. the first new one a cyst spawns is to expand, the following are reinforcements if autocysting is allowed more than one cyst in an area of effect before ignoring growing more stuff.
<div align='center'><a href="http://oi40.tinypic.com/73m4o7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://oi40.tinypic.com/73m4o7.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Image</a></div>
I could get behind hive rooms automatically spawning cysts on the walls/floor to Alien it up though.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't think it would, it'd encourage marines to place arcs as blockers in their bases, as welll as to possibly send them out to cut off cyst chains. Marines do have methods of controlling infestation, and aliens could use some ways to strengthen it in secured territory.