The One Gorge Tunnel
|strofix|
Join Date: 2012-11-01 Member: 165453Members
Join Date: 2012-11-01 Member: 165453Members
The current implementation of Gorge Tunnels is very original, inventive, and visually appealing, and addresses the problem of rapid map traversal which many people thought was lacking from the alien team's arsenal.
However, the current system has several severe gameplay issues which make the effective and timely use of Gorge Tunnels very difficult. This in turn makes them less attractive tactically than they would otherwise be, and often stops players form using them at all, which is a shame.
The primary gameplay issues are the following:
1. The need for the same gorge to set up both ends of the tunnel.
This means that in situations where the tunnel would be most beneficial (when the two locations being bridged are on opposite sides of the map), the gorge is least likely to complete his journey. This means that a single gorge needs to invest up to 40 resources (10 for gorge, 20 for tunnels, 9 for hydras). It also prevents the cost from being spread among gorges in the team, essentially preventing any other gorge from ever using the ability. This also means that whenever a gorge decides to replace his own personal tunnel entrance, he risks seriously detrimenting the team, and cutting off transport lines. This mechanic can also result in two gorges deciding to place tunnels at the same time, running between hive locations, and ultimately resulting in a set of useless tunnel entrances.
2. The "paired" entrance system.
Because every tunnel can have only 2 entrances, when three locations need to be bridged, you inevitably end up with 2 indistinguishable entrances in very close proximity to one another. However, due to the exit/entrance process, this can often result in moving from one location to the furthest bridged location taking longer than simply walking, so you can often end up with 2 tunnel entrances at every location. It is incredibly difficult to tell which tunnel to use until you have fully passed through to the wrong area, making the trip very slow.
For these reasons, I often see players electing not to build gorge tunnels at all, as they can ultimately hinder your map traversal speed.
What is required is a single, unified gorge tunnel network. One to which every entrance placed is connected. Such a network would have a topology roughly representative of the location of the entrances on the map itself. So, if the aliens were to set up a tunnel in each hive on ns2_summit, the gorge tunnel would resemble a cross shape, with each exit being at the end of each edge, and one exit existing in the centre of the tunnel network.
I realize that the biggest obstacles presented by something like this are mainly visual, related to the construction of a dynamic tunnel network based on an endless number of possible tunnel entrances. I'm sure it wouldn't be easy, but the guys at UWE are all highly competent, and there has been a lot of recent work done on this kind of free flowing dynamic level generation. I think this kind of gorge tunnel would do wonders for its ease of use, and make it a much more attractive option to players, as well as providing a real sense of immersion in the winding underground network.
However, the current system has several severe gameplay issues which make the effective and timely use of Gorge Tunnels very difficult. This in turn makes them less attractive tactically than they would otherwise be, and often stops players form using them at all, which is a shame.
The primary gameplay issues are the following:
1. The need for the same gorge to set up both ends of the tunnel.
This means that in situations where the tunnel would be most beneficial (when the two locations being bridged are on opposite sides of the map), the gorge is least likely to complete his journey. This means that a single gorge needs to invest up to 40 resources (10 for gorge, 20 for tunnels, 9 for hydras). It also prevents the cost from being spread among gorges in the team, essentially preventing any other gorge from ever using the ability. This also means that whenever a gorge decides to replace his own personal tunnel entrance, he risks seriously detrimenting the team, and cutting off transport lines. This mechanic can also result in two gorges deciding to place tunnels at the same time, running between hive locations, and ultimately resulting in a set of useless tunnel entrances.
2. The "paired" entrance system.
Because every tunnel can have only 2 entrances, when three locations need to be bridged, you inevitably end up with 2 indistinguishable entrances in very close proximity to one another. However, due to the exit/entrance process, this can often result in moving from one location to the furthest bridged location taking longer than simply walking, so you can often end up with 2 tunnel entrances at every location. It is incredibly difficult to tell which tunnel to use until you have fully passed through to the wrong area, making the trip very slow.
For these reasons, I often see players electing not to build gorge tunnels at all, as they can ultimately hinder your map traversal speed.
What is required is a single, unified gorge tunnel network. One to which every entrance placed is connected. Such a network would have a topology roughly representative of the location of the entrances on the map itself. So, if the aliens were to set up a tunnel in each hive on ns2_summit, the gorge tunnel would resemble a cross shape, with each exit being at the end of each edge, and one exit existing in the centre of the tunnel network.
I realize that the biggest obstacles presented by something like this are mainly visual, related to the construction of a dynamic tunnel network based on an endless number of possible tunnel entrances. I'm sure it wouldn't be easy, but the guys at UWE are all highly competent, and there has been a lot of recent work done on this kind of free flowing dynamic level generation. I think this kind of gorge tunnel would do wonders for its ease of use, and make it a much more attractive option to players, as well as providing a real sense of immersion in the winding underground network.
Comments
There's a few major bumps in this road, but I do like the idea.
Yes. I get the idea that the gorge tunnel I suggested above was what UWE originally intended, or ideally intended, but the developmental challenges are great, and the time investment required may not be worth the gameplay or potential sales impact.
Though it may it possible to have the gorge tunnel always be like an 8 pointed asterisk, fudge all entrances to fit the nearest available passage, and only build the inner entrance/tunnel's lights when the gorge sphincter is assigned to the tunnel.
That might work, it might not though
I do like your idea of a tunnel network though.
I dunno, seems possible.
all that would really be required is to create the HUB room structure.