Phase gates
Kalabalana
Join Date: 2003-11-14 Member: 22859Members
Join Date: 2003-11-14 Member: 22859Members
Here is my ideal phase gate system's attributes:
<ul><li>Commanders can select a phasegate, and it will have a "Primary" toggleable state. When it is set as "Primary" all phasegates teleport to it first, it is now the default destination. When using the primary phasegate, you get teleported to the next one in build order, at which you have a 5 second grace period to go into that phasegate to a new location, and so fourth until you stay outside one longer than the grace period. This grace period is to prevent simply looping back to the primary phasegate. (If people would get comfortable with the menu system I outline below, this will be redundant as they will simply choose their destinations all the time, but for new/lazy players it still allows the traditional method of cycling through them.)</li><li>Marines have a button (maybe the use key, if you hold it in open space with no interactive objects in front of you, it pops up a <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/images/10/oct/brink/brinkobjective.jpg" target="_blank">radial menu</a> whose elements are the phase gate locations. When the "wheel" pops up, the primary pg is a different color to let players know the default destination (for teleportation from any non-primary phasegate), and using the mouse, the marine can select a new location which is prioritized once over the primary one when you next use a phasegate (if the commander designates a new primary phasegate in that time it will supersede your previous pick though). At teleportation the user destination resets and you have to repeat the process (via the menu) if you want to go to a specific location again. The mouse menu phase gate location elements are also shown in a map preset order, so this menu displays the phasegate locations in the same way always so it becomes an intuitive interface as you naturally learn it (can base phase gate radial menu location bases on actual map locations from a some central default point). I believe this new functionality will fit right into the game and will be very easy and quick to use, and you can use it easily while moving (While running for example. This menu still allows all ingame interaction with exception of mouse control. Prep a menu and walking into a structure to build it is another example.).</li><li>I'd also like phasegate armor to be displayed, and for the menu elements to flash red as a phasegate may take damage in real time. This allows marines more map awareness, but these features might just be clutter information.</li></ul>
<ul><li>Commanders can select a phasegate, and it will have a "Primary" toggleable state. When it is set as "Primary" all phasegates teleport to it first, it is now the default destination. When using the primary phasegate, you get teleported to the next one in build order, at which you have a 5 second grace period to go into that phasegate to a new location, and so fourth until you stay outside one longer than the grace period. This grace period is to prevent simply looping back to the primary phasegate. (If people would get comfortable with the menu system I outline below, this will be redundant as they will simply choose their destinations all the time, but for new/lazy players it still allows the traditional method of cycling through them.)</li><li>Marines have a button (maybe the use key, if you hold it in open space with no interactive objects in front of you, it pops up a <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/images/10/oct/brink/brinkobjective.jpg" target="_blank">radial menu</a> whose elements are the phase gate locations. When the "wheel" pops up, the primary pg is a different color to let players know the default destination (for teleportation from any non-primary phasegate), and using the mouse, the marine can select a new location which is prioritized once over the primary one when you next use a phasegate (if the commander designates a new primary phasegate in that time it will supersede your previous pick though). At teleportation the user destination resets and you have to repeat the process (via the menu) if you want to go to a specific location again. The mouse menu phase gate location elements are also shown in a map preset order, so this menu displays the phasegate locations in the same way always so it becomes an intuitive interface as you naturally learn it (can base phase gate radial menu location bases on actual map locations from a some central default point). I believe this new functionality will fit right into the game and will be very easy and quick to use, and you can use it easily while moving (While running for example. This menu still allows all ingame interaction with exception of mouse control. Prep a menu and walking into a structure to build it is another example.).</li><li>I'd also like phasegate armor to be displayed, and for the menu elements to flash red as a phasegate may take damage in real time. This allows marines more map awareness, but these features might just be clutter information.</li></ul>
Comments
As in my original post the commander can set primary phase gate locations. Of course if people want to phase back to base they either would have to select that location, or cycle to it. Powering down or recycling phase gates to achieve the same goal is more work and hassle.
This is more work for the commander, and creates issues as well. It would not be more simple to use. At least not for the commander, and not without reducing map mobility for the players.
Wouldn't you rather have the exact same guy, but able to do more, faster and easier?
I'm actually even surprised you'd prefer a more complex way to so something. Makes no sense at all? You fit right in at these forums, welcome :D
I'm actually even surprised you'd prefer a more complex way to so something. Makes no sense at all? You fit right in at these forums, welcome :D<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It just doesn't sound like a lot of work to me is all. Unles you wanted to specificly micro manage every single individual's teleport in a system of 5 gates.. then yes it would be a lot of work. But for balance purposes maybe just the ability to shut down a gate would be better.. that way your first gate you built isn't forever stuck in your way, but you also don't have this almighty transportation network that could be too much of an advantage. Really the ability to not be able to shut down a gate seems quite silly to me. If we had a Radial menu cool, but the fact that marines are stuck going througha chain of 5 gates because a commander can't shut down his own gate seems a bit silly too me.
Actually you would not want them as your commander.
1) <u>You</u> would be too slow for them.
2) They would haft to learn to verbally tell you what to do instead of relying on you to pay attention to waypoints (no one pays attention to them)
Honestly in my opinion, there is current not a whole lot a commander can do by himself. I LOVE commanding and spend as much time in it as possible. The whole RTS style of it comes very easy to me. In fact its so casual I can click my way to victory only using shortcuts for ammo and medpacks. That is the only micro intensive moment is protecting your troops.
So for people who say "You're giving the commander more work." simply do not have a heavy RTS background and can manage, or have no idea all the things a commander doesn't do.
on topic:
I think a radial menu would be the best solution out of what has been said IMHO.