Strategic cyst upgrades countered with contagious cyst virus

null_pointer_exceptionnull_pointer_exception Join Date: 2012-03-29 Member: 149634Members
in Ideas and Suggestions
Considering that <!--coloro:#008000--><span style="color:#008000"><!--/coloro--><b>dynamic infestation</b><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> is a main gameplay element of the aliens, why aren't these structures being used for more strategic purposes?
The thing about the aliens is that they leverage their environment against the marines. It is their environment and thus should be unpredictable.

Example upgrade ideas:

1. <b><!--coloro:#8B0000--><span style="color:#8B0000"><!--/coloro-->Mine Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - explodes on proximity or after being shot for a bit (to prevent easy mine checking) (call it Blastocyst?)
2. <b><!--coloro:#008000--><span style="color:#008000"><!--/coloro-->Spore Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - releases a large cloud of poison gas either constantly or upon being destroyed
3. <b><!--coloro:#808000--><span style="color:#808000"><!--/coloro-->Sticky Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - slow marines down significantly when they walk through the cyst's infestation
4. <b><!--coloro:#2F4F4F--><span style="color:#2F4F4F"><!--/coloro-->Hard Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - used in important areas like near RTs
5. <b><!--coloro:#98FB98--><span style="color:#98FB98"><!--/coloro-->Acid Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - burns marines that walk through the infestation
6. <b><!--coloro:#556B2F--><span style="color:#556B2F"><!--/coloro-->Trap Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - randomly creates slime pits near it that marines can fall into and be helped out of (or mercilessly killed first in)
7. <b><!--coloro:#808000--><span style="color:#808000"><!--/coloro-->Camo Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - instantly cloak aliens as long as they are directly touching its infestation
8. <b><!--coloro:#9ACD32--><span style="color:#9ACD32"><!--/coloro-->Bug Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - When marines walk through the infestation, critters hop on which report their location and slowly eat away at their health without them easily noticing.
9. <b><!--coloro:#FFFF00--><span style="color:#FFFF00"><!--/coloro-->Flash Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - upon destruction, blinds all marines in the vicinity
10. <!--coloro:#00FFFF--><span style="color:#00FFFF"><!--/coloro--><b>Eye Cyst</b><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> - view the room, pan to any direction
11. <b><!--coloro:#A0522D--><span style="color:#A0522D"><!--/coloro-->Aged Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - Gets 300% health and increases infestation but loses 1 HP/s, giving it 5 minutes to live
12. <!--coloro:#008000--><span style="color:#008000"><!--/coloro--><b>Sprout Cyst</b><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> - continuously grows a depletable poison that skulks can pick up. If a marine gets bit by such a skulk, he will slowly die unless he makes it to an armory/medpack
13. <!--coloro:#DDA0DD--><span style="color:#DDA0DD"><!--/coloro--><b>Vapor Cyst</b><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> - continuously releases a puff like gorge heal
14. <b><!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->Egg Cyst<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> - incubates 1-3 eggs on its infestation (upgradable?)

How would the marines counter these new upgrades? Researched Cyst Virus/Poison!

<b><!--coloro:#4169E1--><span style="color:#4169E1"><!--/coloro-->Cyst Virus<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b> would be an advanced item to be purchased from the armory. It would require touching
the cyst and take a few seconds to inject. Afterwards the cyst would slowly die and at a certain point
transmit its virus/poison to all of its connections. A gorge heal or three would serve as the cure/antidote.

Cyst Virus concerns:

1. How quickly does the virus kill the cyst (2 HP/s?)
2. How long before the virus is transmitted? (20% cyst health?)
3. How many connections deep before the virus attenuates (2, 3, infinite)?
4. Can 1-3 be improved with upgrades?
5. Is it sensible to completely kill the things that are infected or just weaken them?

Let me know what you think!
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Comments

  • cH40z-LordcH40z-Lord Join Date: 2009-07-26 Member: 68269Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    I really like those suggestions. A couple of months ago I've posted a similar suggestion for a acid like cyst which spreads some acid when triggered by the Khamm or upon death - so far not reply :(

    Hopefully some of those ideas can make it (sooner or later) into the game :)
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  • XariusXarius Join Date: 2003-12-21 Member: 24630Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    They said they were looking into cyst upgrades or abilities in one of the recent tweets.
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  • internetexplorerinternetexplorer Join Date: 2011-10-13 Member: 127255Members
    edited March 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=1919968:date=Mar 30 2012, 11:07 PM:name=null_pointer_exception)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (null_pointer_exception @ Mar 30 2012, 11:07 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1919968"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Considering that <!--coloro:#008000--><span style="color:#008000"><!--/coloro--><b>dynamic infestation</b><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> is a main gameplay element of the aliens, why aren't these structures being used for more strategic purposes?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Because NS(2) is a game of simple mechanics that make something complex when put together, but can be understood individually without a lot of effort.

    Cysts right now act like creep tumors in starcraft, and that's all they do. They already let you leverage the environment against marines (by slowing them down and providing vision). Why do they need to do more?
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  • SentrySteveSentrySteve .txt Join Date: 2002-03-09 Member: 290Members, Constellation
    I think it's a cool idea, and I like your big list, but some of them may be a little too extreme (example; flash cyst). Keep in mind the marines should be able to tell which cyst is which just by looking so the list would likely have to get narrowed down.

    How about a cyst that releases a fog that hinders marines vision but aliens can see through it when their flashlight is on? One cyst wouldn't be anything too extreme, but 5 to 6 could really make a hallway hard to see through. Perhaps even some marines (exo's?) could have the ability to see through it too.
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  • ogzogz Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9765Members
    theres a lot of ideas there, not all of it has to make it in :)

    who knows, the idea may get implemented later on if its simple enough and adds to the game.

    i remember suggesting something ages ago and only saw it implemented like 30 patches later :p
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  • _Necro__Necro_ Join Date: 2011-02-15 Member: 81895Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    I like most of the ideas. More complexity is better every time, in my opinion.
    But we have to be careful in not adding cyst-types which are covered with other buildings, like crag or shade. Redundancy is unnecessary and boring.

    +1 to op. At least 3 different upgrades for the cysts would be really nice.
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  • Banzai¥Banzai¥ Join Date: 2012-02-06 Member: 143902Members, NS2 Map Tester
    Only thing I could see is an explosive suicide-cyst and possibly the spore-vapor-cyst that clouds the area instead of throwing toxic-gas, things like acid-cysts just sound like an unneeded annoyance (Also the pitfall-cysts sound impossible even with this engine.) Would love to see things like the harvester/cysts being able to explode when refunded or set to suicide.
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  • null_pointer_exceptionnull_pointer_exception Join Date: 2012-03-29 Member: 149634Members
    I'm definitely not for adding 10 new cyst upgrades. I just think that having a few more things that could be done with them would provide for a little more variation. I also am not sure that I agree that they would need to be differentiated visually. I like the idea of not knowing if a cyst is special or not.

    I did not realize that walking through infestation already slows marines down. Apparently it's not much? I just think it would be neat to have some kind of structure that REALLY slows marines down that can be used in entrances to buy a hive some time in an emergency.

    Thanks for the replies, everyone. It's nice to know suggestions are actually looked over, etc.
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  • ellnicellnic Join Date: 2010-07-19 Member: 72559Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    yeah i like the idea. the problem i think though is the amount of diffrent options there is. It would be too hard to play with that many and complicate things a lot. I think just having a couple or a few of these would be good though, things that would be practical. Like hard cyst will be good to use for an RT but with the cost of it would be high to stop the comm using then everywhere. and the sticky cyst to have behind the front lines to slow down a rush.
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  • Gravity GraveGravity Grave California Join Date: 2012-03-10 Member: 148556Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=1922395:date=Apr 5 2012, 06:24 PM:name=null_pointer_exception)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (null_pointer_exception @ Apr 5 2012, 06:24 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1922395"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I did not realize that walking through infestation already slows marines down. Apparently it's not much? I just think it would be neat to have some kind of structure that REALLY slows marines down that can be used in entrances to buy a hive some time in an emergency.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Not to mention make jetpacks more important.
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