Either a group of marines sent by the goverment who don't believe TSA is doing their job, or an evolution of mankind created by the kharra that can use both technology AND evolution.
<!--QuoteBegin--Pest+Dec 15 2003, 06:32 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Pest @ Dec 15 2003, 06:32 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Some new machine race that uses roughly the same arsenal as the marines, only they don't get weapons upgrades but have 5x armour strength as rines do and are slower. The rines would lose the PG ability as it would be given to the machines, so to compensate they would get the scooter upgrade, so when it's researched each rine would spawn with a motorized scooter and can ride it through the map. They can also pull off wheelies and get an extra +2 res for the team.
BizZy_9mm_MessiahOld School MemberJoin Date: 2003-07-25Member: 18411Members, Constellation
Maybe a very intelligent alien race who use very powerful brainwaves and stuff like that. Something like a protoss but with mutations instead of machines. They would generally look like your average alien picture, you know, balloon head, very slim, except these guys would be amphibious with shades of green and blue, yes they lay eggs, but they have weapons that spray acid, and higher forms have no need for weapons as for they have brain waves and stuff.
Yes! They will use "psi" energy for shielding and weaponry! You could upgrade to a four legged lifeform, from there to a bit fluffy marshmallow, and from there to a ship that sends out little ships!! OMG!
With this implemeted, then everyone's dream of making NS equal to SC will be complete with Marines, Zerg, and Protoss!!
i dont see why terminators wouldnt be viable around that time line...
sawd off double barrel shot guns on both fore arms to start..
theyd make an equivialent for each alien, a mechanical dog like thing for the skulk.. mebby like "aime" or what ever it was called from "redplanet" translocating terminator for the fade, a large tank like unit with a upscaled upper torso over the terminator with m134s on both arms.. hmm like the thing off of T3 to counter the onos..
But seriously, if you think about it, a projectile energy-weapon shieldy tech race does sort of make sense if you realise we got the bullet flinging hitscan and the melee (sorta) race in already ;p
<!--QuoteBegin--Maveric+Dec 15 2003, 10:39 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Maveric @ Dec 15 2003, 10:39 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> ppl, sthu about "Space orcz!" and "teletubbies".
this is a honest attempt at a post to see what everyone would imagine a third race to be if one were to be implemented right now; though there will be no third race in NS's current form.
I would imagine a rouge-nanite race. basically the rouge nanite team would constist of machines, but these machines would be HIGHLY specialized. each player would start out as a nanite soldier; marine size, heavy build like the HA, except more "mechanized and powered". however, after enough "resources" AKA melting down LMGs and <b>body armor</b> (NOT bodies!) have been gathered by a player that player can then buy himself his own arsenal of weapons, or go over to a resource node and "infect" it with rouge nanites that does his bidding.
there would be only three types of rouge nanite players: Soldiers, buildings, and builders. They would all look like HA (except again with more mechanization/power) except for afew details: Soldiers would have the BIG weapons and their model would change with each level of upgrades they choose (MT would have a small radar dish; thermal vision (for marines only, no/little effect against the kharaa team) for finding marines in the dark).
Then the builders and buildings. Builders would look like soldiers except that they have a large backpack with many tubes comming out of it. each normal soldiers max res is 40. the builder's is 10 times that.. to 400 res he can carry. he can forcefully pump said resources into other solders so they can get the BEST upgrades they can; they NEED the builder and his res-pumping ability to "feed" the soldiers because the best-of-the-best upgrades cost >40 res.
builders would also be the only players can (obviously) build and integrate with buildings. The buildings would include: A Resource Storage Tower (RST)(build ontop of res nodes) 3 Defensive buildings (turret, seige-similar building, minor repair station) A Technical Station (TS)(all-player upgrade building like arms lab) A Major Repair Station (MRS)(built near fabrication plant, below) A Fabrication Plant (FP)(built from the resource storage tower)
The res storage tower would gather resources, but cannot disperse the resources to the team because it is a "insecure" method of transportation. A soldier can access this building and withdraw a max of 20% of its total resources every 2 minutes. A builder can accress it with the same time restraints of the soldier, but withdraw a staggering 75%! The resources can then be used by the builder to create one of three defensive buildings: 1) A turret, similar to the marine's 2) A minor repair station, similar to the Defence chamber/welder uses a welder to defend itself (anti-melee). <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> one repair station can't repair other repair stations, only itself and the turret and the ... 3) Rouge nanite launcher. it shoots out a burst of infected nanites that pass through all known materials and attacks buildings on a sub-atomic level, however, the attack is short lived but not after damage has been done. similar to the marine's seige cannon, except without the splash damage; instead, if you touch the building while it's "infected" you will also get infected and take abit of damage.
The technical station works on the same level as a arms lab; a builder can access the technical station and, using his resources in storage, give new researchable upgrades to all soldiers and other builders. sometimes upgrades can only effect soldiers, sometimes only builders, and sometimes will automatically upgrade buildings. each building has a upgrade position, and this is can also be upgraded by a max of 3 slots. turrets and other defensive buildings for example would have one slot; and thus could only have one upgrade. a builder must "configure" the defensive building before leaving it, that is, choose a upgrade(s) from a list before construction is complete. Upgrades could include different damage types (burn, armor peircing, etc) faster fire rates, larger bursts, chained-together ammo (continuous firing), barrel cooling and the list goes on and on...
repair stations are just about the only places where the rouge nanites can rearm/repair themselves. the fabrication plant CAN repair the players as well, but it takes awhile longer to do so, and slows any current construction. repair stations would also have upgrade slots for 3 things: faster repair times, better repairs, or less costly repairs. it works like a triangle; whichever point you choose to improve, the other points become worse. <!--c1--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>CODE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='CODE'><!--ec1--> the repair triangle: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?power ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?/ ? ? ? ?\ ? ? ? ? ? ?speed ---- cost <!--c2--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--ec2--> NOTE: if the player doesn't have any res, he can't repair, but because he can withdraw 20% of the res from a storage building, he wont have a problem.
cost - cheapens the amount taken from the player's res store at the expense of power and speed; sometimes the components placed in the player fail because they're so cheap and need to be replaced again! (even though there would be no noticable malfunctions when the player plays, no worries!) power - strong repairs are made, but it takes ALOT of resources and time to do so. speed - efficency in the movements is increased, but upgrading this costs alot of resources because the repair station is moving so fast it's parts wear out faster, and sometimes some parts of the repair are "forgotten" making a imperfect repair (lessend "power" of the repair)
and then finally the fabrication plant. (hang in there, i'm almost done! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ) the fabrication plant is built near a resource storage building and must have a active one to function. basically, every time the player is constructed it reduces the amount of resources in the nearby storage unit; though fear not! the unit will always have enough resources to build one player a new body. again, repair station rules apply here: cost - cheap but weak bodies, and may take abit longer to make (again, the player doesn't know about the "faulty parts") power - strong but expensive bodies that take awhile to produce speed - faster construction of soldier bodies at a small additional cost of resources for replacement part construction for the plant itself, and alittle damage to the plant every time it puts out a body (that is instantly healed 1 minute there after)
the factory will produce player "shells" (ghost in the shell, anyone? <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> mechanized bodies with the consiousness downloaded into them, fyi on background info) in this order pertaining to available res in the storage tank: power, speed, cost.
Addition notes: O One fabrication plant per resource storage tower. O turrets can be placed anywhere on the map and act like normal turrets, except they use res as ammo. 1 res is = to about 100 bullets, with a max storage of 1000 bullets (so 10 res inside = 10 res you get if you kill it) O Minor repair stations can only be built if there are three turrets nearby. the minor repair station "leeches" resources off of the turrets and can act as a minor storage tank as well, but only for the defensive buildings. resources can be dumped into this to be used as a "tank o' ammo" for the other defensive buildings. it can only support 5 turrets and one RNL. O the RNL (rouge nanite launcher <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> ) needs a minor repair station to operate, and atleast one res stored within said minor repair station. it holds no resources of it's own. (so take out the minor repair building and the seige will fall quickly) it takes 3 minutes to establish a "stable" link between itself and the minor repair station. O the technical station can be built anywhere, but is "inactive" when not nearby any source of resources. builders accessing this automatically "turns it on" for possibly both soldiers and builders to use. O resource storage buildings could be built off of resource nodes to act as depots, but im not sure what effect that could have on gameplay. O resource storage buildings can support a max of 10 buildings. O if all the players die, and they have a fabrication plant, the plant will sell away itself and build four powerful bodies for the top 4 players; the first 3 will all be soldiers, while the fourth will be a builder. if the marine/kharaa team can kill the builder, the rouge nanite team will be at a severe disadvantage. O soldiers can be self-sustaining units (they can make their own ammo, give themselves minor and i mean MINOR repairs, can make minor upgrades and weapons) but require builders to achive their full potential. guns, marine armor, and unbuilt marine buildings can be "melted down" to recover 1/4 to 1/6th their original resource cost. killing kharaa evolutions gives 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 resources respectively for the skulk, gorge, lerk, fade, and onos evolutions. killing buildings gives no such reward. O builders are weaker but hold a 400 resource storage backpack for building buildings and dumping res into soldiers. it takes 50 res to become a builder. O soldiers can dump res into eachother, so if the fabrication plant goes down and their builder dies the three could pool their resources into one player and he can then use said given resources to become a builder O once over 40 resources, soldiers cannot gain any more resources O any building will eventually regen to full health, but at a far slower rate then the kharaa's building regen.
Now, if you didn't read that i can't blame you. If you did, you should be impressed, because i just pulled that out of my a** for the past hour of typing. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> if you arn't impressed, dont tell me that you feel that way. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> and if you want a 6 sentance, one paragraph summary:
Rouge-nanites are as they read what they are; they are nanites that have become sentient and resent their human oppressors. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> rouge nanites can melt marine equipment down for a fraction of the return and get higher RFK against kharaa. there are two types of rouge nanite players: soldiers and builders. soldiers are like aliens; they have personal resources, can upgrade themselves, and dont need to totally rely on anyone else that much. builders build the buildings that make the rouge nanites better, like the fabrication plant that produces player bodies that drains off some res from a resource storage tank over a res nozel; res storage units dont distrubute res, the players go to collect a percentage when they need it. there are also major repair stations (healing/ammo) , technical terminals (general player upgrade facility like the arms lab) , the minor repair station simlar to a DC except they only heal other buildings and not eachother, and turrets/seige similar to their marine's counter-part tech.
nearly good enough depth to make a entirely new game around it, eh? <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ph33r my L<b>33</b>T thought processes! (now i hope it hasn't been locked by this time... <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> )
[edit - w00t! Still no lockage! my idea has been postzor! ph33r m3!!!1 <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ] <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> aw pretty impressive work imagining a FULL BLOWN new race from the ground up.
.......but for new race i meant a new mutation for the Kharaa <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Well, diversity never hurts, so if they added one more alien class, it should probably be something like an option between lerk and this new class, or a long-range (with spikes, since lerk wont have them in 3.0) class between fade and onos.
(And I'm still waiting for that stealth suit for marines -would sure make SoF useful. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> )
Remember those stories of "Hot-zones" where nanite replication went nuts?
Well, it seems that the nanites have formed some kind of sentient AI. We've discovered what we term "Colonies" floating through space. When they intersect with an object, the nanites use the material in the object and voraciously replicate. From there they head off in a new direction. When a colony encounters a ship or base, it is programmed to overtake the base and make planetfall on a suitably sized planet and create a new Hot Zone.
We have established that this rogue AI can communicate with other Hot Zones through subspace array interfaces. We have established that it does not yet have enough intelligence to produce an entire starship capable of landing on other planets as we have not seen this happen. However, if these Rogue Nanos are sighted on ships and bases, it takes an effect similar to Kharaa infestation. The Rogues try to assert control away from the ships command network. The ships command and control responds by locking out the ships computer and by trying to corrode the Rogue nanites. The Rogues respond in turn and nano gridlock takes place.
Rogue bases usually occur in auxilliary command systems where protocols are easily overidden from the ships computer as they are non-essential the ships functioning. It is believed that Rogues depend on a kind of Network Node to interface with the central AI and coordinate the Rogue effort. If the Network Node is destroyed, Rogues are crippled, but still a threat. If they are not destroyed quickly, they will simply reconstruct the Network Node.
Many battleforms have been sighted, and it seems they use a kind of pulse energy system. Their resource towers are a slender affair, tall yet thin, boasting of a unique design process. Their structures follow obelisk/tower form and tend to have a toughness our structures lack.
I've got more, since I discussed this idea at length with someone a while back. Let me see if I can dig up my old documents...
All classes have an energy bar. This is used as ammo for every weapon as well as fuel for the jetpack and other special features. It recharges slowly when not in use.
The basic spawn is in a maintenance closet or something of the sort. There might be a couple of deactivated repair bots, just for effect, and they would spawn in an empty spot. At the spawn, there is a resource node and the infected Nanite Processing Center.
The basic unit is an Infected Repair Bot, about equivalent to your Scout Class. 80 health, no armor without upgrades, fast. I'm not sure about wallwalk, but probably. It's about 1/2 to 2/3 the size of a human, with two legs (with the middle joint in the back, like a cat's) mounted on the sides. The basic body is a very simple and boxy single piece with a camera in the front.
It would only have one weapon (with an alt fire). Primary: a laser that fires pulses which do 10 damage per hit at any range, extremely accurate, uses energy at medium speed. Secondary: Welder, takes energy at a very slow speed.
After that, you have to upgrade the infected Nanite Processing Center (INPC) with RP before you can do much else. If you think more buildings to research the upgrades would be better, just have them cheap and unbuildable until the INPC is upgraded. At the start, it would look like a neon blue circuit board with the hatch on by one corner and a single purple/black rectangle on it. At level one, it has purple black tendrils reaching out across the circuit board. At level two, it has taken over the whole board and is starting to come out a bit, knocking the hatch off. And finally at level three, it would have advanced a foot or two from the panel.
Level one upgrades: One from each pair.
Speed: you move faster/Armor: you have 10 more armor
Quiet: You move silently/Search: It costs the whole energy bar and you must be standing still, but you get one ping that shows you everything in 20m
Efficiency: you recharge faster/Power: you do more damage
Level Two upgrades: pick one from each pair
Speed Level 2: another level of speed/Armor level 2: another level of armor
Efficiency level 2: another level of efficiency/Power level 2: another level of power
(The first two pairs can only be taken if the first level of one has been picked. I.E. you have speed. You can then get lvl 2 speed, making you 2x faster, or get level 2 armor, where you have the equivalent of the first lvl in both)
Regeneration: slow regeneration/ Leech: leech armor with welder.
Level two Weapons/class ("evolved" with rp, only one)
Hammer: Model looks a little heavier, and the weapon has a side mount. Speed about like HA/LMG, 250 health, 80 armor w/out upgrades Weapon: takes second slot (you keep the basic pulse weapon). Primary: exactly like egon gun from HL, takes energy high rate. Secondary: Charges up shot like Gauss gun secondary. Damage and energy depend on how long it is held down.
Scav: Model has a manipulator arms in addition to the weapon. Speed about normal (marine), 150 health, 50 armor w/out upgrades Weapon: Pick up, reload, and discard weapons like a normal marine (including the ones dropped from kills). They can also pick up/use marine health and ammo. The marine weapons (just different model, not new weapon) take their normal slots.
Third Level Upgrades: Can spend rp to evolve to one third level unit.
Sprite: looks alot more streamlined with jet intakes on the top-front and tilted exhausts on the rear. The legs are rounded on the back and there are fins coming back from the knee joint (when crouched, the legs almost fold into sidepods with tails). The jetpack works like the marines', spending energy. Keeps the basic, first, and second level weapons and upgrades.
Ghost: It is kind of streamlined, but more angular, like a YF22. It has a cloak more complete than Fade's, but spends energy. Keeps the basic, first, and second level weapons and upgrades.
Blixo: Big walking machine of doom. It has the basic back legs, but in addition it has big powerful front legs reminiscent of a Gorilla's arms. It gallops with these and the back legs (gallops in movement, not speed. As slow as HA/HMG, maybe slower.) In addition to whatever upgrades you already have, you get a 400 health, 200 armor w/out upgrades, and a Rail Gun. The rail gun takes the full energy bar to fire, but it has an area affect of 200 damage where it hits.
Since the PM you sent is rather large, I'll see if I can respond to individual points. It just makes it easier, thats all...
About the energy bar, the first point you raised, I was thinking more along the lines of an Energy weapon, with "units" of energy much like bullets. That could have come out better I think, say, for example, the scout. It has a "Capacity" of 200 "Units" one shot would take 10 "Units". For Mark 1 pulse gun, I would think it would be able to regenerate slowly, but for higher levels (Mark 2 and upwards), with larger capacities of course, I'm thinking that they can only regenerate within range of a power generator (Faster of course with an advanced power generator).
I pretty much see the "Bot" race as purely robotic, and nanites as their blood as such (grey blood perhaps?). Anyhow, the only flying unit for the bots would be the scout and only if researched. Within it's "Territory" as such, it can fly unlimited, but in enemy influence, it might have to make do with a limited reserve of fuel, I quite like the idea.
I like your idea about the spawn, but I'm not sure what you mean about the "Infected Nanite Processing Center"
The scout class I imagined would be about the size of a lerk, with fixed wings that hovers and as I mentioned above, is able to jump a bit but not much, and is able to fly until researched. I do agree with your weapons suggestion, though I doubt secondary would be good, as NS dosent support it, and that it's pretty close the the weapon limit as it is.
I'll just have to quote you here
QUOTE After that, you have to upgrade the infected Nanite Processing Center (INPC) with RP before you can do much else. If you think more buildings to research the upgrades would be better, just have them cheap and unbuildable until the INPC is upgraded. At the start, it would look like a neon blue circuit board with the hatch on by one corner and a single purple/black rectangle on it. At level one, it has purple black tendrils reaching out across the circuit board. At level two, it has taken over the whole board and is starting to come out a bit, knocking the hatch off. And finally at level three, it would have advanced a foot or two from the panel.
From this, I'll just take a shot in the dark that the INPC is something like a hive or command station, deadly important to have but not supporting any kind of commander mode. The way I imagine the structures for the bots would be something like tall towers. Marine structures are sqaut, if you've noticed with the exception of the turret. The bot structures are meant to be tall, slender, shaped very much like an obelisk (if it's not clear, I'll try to construct the basic shape in WC), but with a little higher then average hit points (they are nanite based after all).
The way I see the upgrades working are like this.
With each "Forge Node" placed, the units get an upgraded. It upgrades everything across the board, instantly by one level. The locations for these Forge Nodes are predefined by the mapper, to give the bots an objective in the map. Naturally, one would be located in the spawn, the other two would be be at other locations. Their locations are indicated by "Ghosts" much like hives are, the difference being that the Forge Nodes arent necessary, but worth taking in any case.
Reading what you wrote, I tend to agree with most of the upgrade choices, them being "Efficiency" "Speed" "Armor" and "Weapon Strength". The way I see it, bots can choose 3/4 of these upgrades, and can gain use of them upon respawn.
On the subject of regen, slowly and within range of a repair node.
The way I imagined the hammer class to look like was something terminatoresque, but with a bit of body armor. The weapon would fire something like a gatling cannon, draining further energy and doing more damage at a faster firing rate the longer it is held.
I'm not too sure about the scav, it would be useless when taking on aliens and where would it get it's ammunition from? Either way, I think it may require a bit of thought, perhaps instead of a scavenger it can be a kind of "Adaptive" robot, it has it's own weapon, is slightly weaker then a hammer and a bit faster and can use the marines weapons, is fatster and more lightly armored, hmmm...
-----------------------
I just re read everything all over, it seems that there are too many classes to my thinking. The classes I think of are along the lines of
Scout (Scout)
Builder (Builder)
Combat (As Yet Unfilled, probably the Scav)
Heavy Combat (Hammer)
Force Of Destruction (Blixo)
The sprite pretty much equates to the scout for all intents and purposes, and the ghost dosent suit the bots style. I'd imagine them to employ simialar strategies to marines, but because they cant lock down areas fast, they'd have to play a little like the kharaa in the form of backing up the builders.
Although the three tiered approach to the classes is good, it requires too many classes to fit the style, so I think a simple 2 Tier approach would suit them when it comes to classes, whilst a three tiered approach would better suit the upgrades.
Now when it comes to the blixo, I dont think it should use a railgun. It would be used, and probably abused as a sniper type weapon. The blixo is meant to take punishment and be in the thick of things. Perhaps instead, a kind of particle accelarator, kind of like acid rocket in movement and bilebomb like in nature, but more damaging, more powerful, after all it is the be all and end all. The damage figure you suggest sounds about right though.
Sorry if any of that is chaotic, if you have trouble with any of it, just quote it to me and I'll see if I can clear myself up. In the meantime, I'll see if I can make sense of this mess by creating somewhat of a structure diagram and a tech tree in excel.
-----------------
I typed the above a while ago, my connection gave out, but in the intervening time, I have constructed a structure tree to progress all the way through the structures, it costs a little more then twice as much as the kharaa for the bots to build every single structure, without defenses. I've also come to think of the "Experimental" node allowing the existence of the hammer and the blixo if it's upraded twice (once to allow hammer, second time to allow blixo). The "Scav" or Combat Class will come in with the network node and can come out of the usual assembly pod or the Advanced Assembly pod. I'll try and figure out the research fields and what structure grants what later.
If you wish, I can email you the excel sheet in which I plotted the structure tree. I noticed that it follows a three tiered approach, rather strange since I just made up the requisites out of thin air.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Since the PM you sent is rather large, I'll see if I can respond to individual points. It just makes it easier, thats all...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, I tend to fill up screens pretty quick. I basically thought about this at school and copied a crude note-sheet I had written up.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->About the energy bar, the first point you raised, I was thinking more along the lines of an Energy weapon, with "units" of energy much like bullets. That could have come out better I think, say, for example, the scout. It has a "Capacity" of 200 "Units" one shot would take 10 "Units". For Mark 1 pulse gun, I would think it would be able to regenerate slowly, but for higher levels (Mark 2 and upwards), with larger capacities of course, I'm thinking that they can only regenerate within range of a power generator (Faster of course with an advanced power generator).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I like the power generator idea. It would work more efficiently than the marine armory (because you just have to be near it) but it would be less useful than the Kharas ammo regeneration.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I pretty much see the "Bot" race as purely robotic, and nanites as their blood as such (grey blood perhaps?).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, I'd prefer no blood (I'm not squeamish, but they're robots), but grey would work. However, another idea might be neon blue. That’s the color of the liquid in marine healthkits, and those are nanite based.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Anyhow, the only flying unit for the bots would be the scout and only if researched. Within it's "Territory" as such, it can fly unlimited, but in enemy influence, it might have to make do with a limited reserve of fuel, I quite like the idea.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sounds interesting. Maybe have a fuel bar for the scout. The power generators fill it back up faster than it can be used when it's near one, but it runs out slowly when it's not near a charger.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I do agree with your weapons suggestion, though I doubt secondary would be good, as NS doesn’t support it, and that it's pretty close the weapon limit as it is.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I kinda see what you mean, the Mk 1 Pulse would be kinda like the Unreal energy pistol, not alot of damage, but it regenerates. My only problem is that with the three weapon limit, there wouldn't be room for a welder or something similar. I know NS doesn't have alt-fire, I guess it was just wishful thinking. Maybe a compromise of some sort.... Like, when it hits enemies, it does damage, but when you get close to a friendly or something that can be repaired or welded shut, it works like a welder. Just say it was a laser welder from the reconfigured repair bot (read further) and they rebuilt to do damage as well as weld.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I like your idea about the spawn, but I'm not sure what you mean about the "Infected Nanite Processing Center"
From this, I'll just take a shot in the dark that the INPC is something like a hive or command station, deadly important to have but not supporting any kind of commander mode. The way I imagine the structures for the bots would be something like tall towers. Marine structures are sqaut, if you've noticed with the exception of the turret. The bot structures are meant to be tall, slender, shaped very much like an obelisk (if it's not clear, I'll try to construct the basic shape in WC), but with a little higher then average hit points (they are nanite based after all).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You see, my basic thought is, like it was said in the post (I'm not sure if you said it or not, but it sounded cool) the bots come from khara infected nanites which have rebuilt a repair bot. I'm not sure about the khara infection, maybe sabotage by a hacker would be better, but I think either way it should be represented in the basic structure. I've rethought it a bit based on what you've said about upgrades. It would be an open access panel on a wall with a sign above it that says Nanite Processing Center. There would be a little purple/black rectangle in the center with tentacles coming out of it and engulfing the circuit boards. Alot of tentacles would be coming out of the sides of it, then looping back and sticking into the wall. Then every tall, slender building would have a whole bunch of these tentacles converging from the ground as a base, like tree roots, building up into obelisks (yeah, I know what you mean when you say obelisk).
There could be more of these Nanite Processing Centers around the ship/station, and the builders could build them there like hives. They would only be there in case the first one gets blown up, not actually adding to the research capacity. Nothing can spawn without at least Nanite Processing Center "infected", but you could always build one (I don't like the hive time-death feature).
Now here’s a random thought. You could have an observatory like structure. When use it, it spawns a tentacle with a camera wherever you select. Basically, it tells the team what's in the area until it gets destroyed. Not sue how to work that one though, maybe you could use it like the command chair, just to place the sentinel.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->With each "Forge Node" placed, the units get an upgraded. It upgrades everything across the board, instantly by one level. The locations for these Forge Nodes are predefined by the mapper, to give the bots an objective in the map. Naturally, one would be located in the spawn, the other two would be at other locations. Their locations are indicated by "Ghosts" much like hives are, the difference being that the Forge Nodes aren’t necessary, but worth taking in any case.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sounds pretty cool. You could have the Forge Node locations in areas like computer cores and armories, in effect leeching off of the ship/station's existing systems.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Reading what you wrote, I tend to agree with most of the upgrade choices, them being "Efficiency" "Speed" "Armor" and "Weapon Strength". The way I see it, bots can choose 3/4 of these upgrades, and can gain use of them upon respawn.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I agree. I like the 3/4 limiting factor, gives them more freedom than the Khara while still making them specialize. As long as these upgrades are individually chosen in the secondary screen, like in other mods where you pick a class and become it the next time you respawn (I assume that’s what you meant), and not upgrades that apply to the whole team. I'd hate to be on a team with a guy complaining because he wanted speed instead of armor.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The scout class I imagined would be about the size of a lerk, with fixed wings that hovers and as I mentioned above, is able to jump a bit but not much, and is able to fly until researched.
The way I imagined the hammer class to look like was something terminatoresque, but with a bit of body armor. The weapon would fire something like a gatling cannon, draining further energy and doing more damage at a faster firing rate the longer it is held
I'm not too sure about the scav, it would be useless when taking on aliens and where would it get it's ammunition from? Either way, I think it may require a bit of thought, perhaps instead of a scavenger it can be a kind of "Adaptive" robot, it has it's own weapon, is slightly weaker then a hammer and a bit faster and can use the marines weapons, is faster and more lightly armored, hmmm....<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
As with most of the other stuff, you didn't really describe the image in your posts, so I thought up a base unit and based everything else on that. The hammer sounds good as the heavy grunt unit, although I wouldn't make it as humanoid as the terminator. Maybe a bit more like the blue neckless battle droid in episode two, not just a silver-plated human skeleton. I didn't like the idea of any class being able to pick up and use the marine weapons. I mean, it wouldn't matter if the blixo could do it, seeing as the blixo is the late game heavy assault unit and it's supposed to be that heavily armed, but to have a class at least as good as a marine with all of their weapons and an additional one (hammer), or worse still a scout unit in the early game, I think that'd be a bit unfair, so I made up a class rather than a skill. If anything, the scav'd have to be faster, maybe a little stealthier (i.e. smaller, harder to see) than the hammer, with less health and armor.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I just re read everything all over, it seems that there are too many classes to my thinking. The classes I think of are along the lines of
Scout (Scout)
Builder (Builder)
Combat (As Yet Unfilled, probably the Scav)
Heavy Combat (Hammer)
Force Of Destruction (Blixo)
The sprite pretty much equates to the scout for all intents and purposes, and the ghost doesn’t suit the bots style. I'd imagine them to employ similar strategies to marines, but because they cant lock down areas fast, they'd have to play a little like the kharaa in the form of backing up the builders.
Although the three tiered approach to the classes is good, it requires too many classes to fit the style, so I think a simple 2 Tier approach would suit them when it comes to classes, whilst a three tiered approach would better suit the upgrades.
Now when it comes to the blixo, I don’t think it should use a railgun. It would be used, and probably abused as a sniper type weapon. The blixo is meant to take punishment and be in the thick of things. Perhaps instead, a kind of particle accelerator, kind of like acid rocket in movement and bilebomb like in nature, but more damaging, more powerful, after all it is the be all and end all. The damage figure you suggest sounds about right though.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah. I just threw in the sprite and the Ghost to make the third upgrade level a bit more flexible. When I said railgun, I didn't really think of it like a sniper rifle. I know about Gauss's theories and all, but I just threw it on for lack of a better name, and I have this image in my head of a WH40k Tau railgun. I think a particle accelerator would work better, now that you mention it. The acid rocket movement and bile bomb nature fits my thoughts to a tee, I'm just not too good at describing things like that. However, what do you think on the styling? (Warning: Odd metaphors ahead) I was thinking a lower section with cat-like legs in the back and gorilla-arm like legs in the front, so it sort of gallops slowly, and an upper section/turret with the weapon on a side mount and the visual sensors.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Sorry if any of that is chaotic, if you have trouble with any of it, just quote it to me and I'll see if I can clear myself up. In the meantime, I'll see if I can make sense of this mess by creating somewhat of a structure diagram and a tech tree in excel.
-----------------
I typed the above a while ago, my connection gave out, but in the intervening time, I have constructed a structure tree to progress all the way through the structures, it costs a little more then twice as much as the kharaa for the bots to build every single structure, without defenses. I've also come to think of the "Experimental" node allowing the existence of the hammer and the blixo if it's upgraded twice (once to allow hammer, second time to allow blixo). The "Scav" or Combat Class will come in with the network node and can come out of the usual assembly pod or the Advanced Assembly pod. I'll try and figure out the research fields and what structure grants what later.
If you wish, I can email you the excel sheet in which I plotted the structure tree. I noticed that it follows a three tiered approach, rather strange since I just made up the requisites out of thin air.
Damn I can ramble, better end it here before you get a headache...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My final reply, after that the person I was discussing with dissapeared =\
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I like the power generator idea. It would work more efficiently than the marine armory (because you just have to be near it) but it would be less useful than the Kharas ammo regeneration.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ahh, good good, it would have to be balanced to prevent it from being overpowered, but I think we can worry about that later.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Well, I'd prefer no blood (I'm not squeamish, but they're robots), but grey would work. However, another idea might be neon blue. That’s the color of the liquid in marine healthkits, and those are nanite based.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm not talking blood in it's truest sense, but when kharaa are shot, they leave a green slime on walls, I was thinking something simialar, and now that you mention it, neon blue would be a better colour then grey. Of course, it dosent have to go in, just merely for aesthetic purposes.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Sounds interesting. Maybe have a fuel bar for the scout. The power generators fill it back up faster than it can be used when it's near one, but it runs out slowly when it's not near a charger.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thats precisely what I was thinking, the only problem is defining where ones territory is, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it...
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I kinda see what you mean, the Mk 1 Pulse would be kinda like the Unreal energy pistol, not alot of damage, but it regenerates. My only problem is that with the three weapon limit, there wouldn't be room for a welder or something similar. I know NS doesn't have alt-fire, I guess it was just wishful thinking. Maybe a compromise of some sort.... Like, when it hits enemies, it does damage, but when you get close to a friendly or something that can be repaired or welded shut, it works like a welder. Just say it was a laser welder from the reconfigured repair bot (read further) and they rebuilt to do damage as well as weld.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You hit the nail on the head with the description, but I was thinking something more slender then those ridiculous balls of energy, something akin to short narrow pulses that were green or blue, preferably blue (I like blue <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->).
As to a welder, perhaps the builder bots sound wave weapon can act as an inefficient welder? Doing say, half the efficiency of the human welder, but still able to weld, with the added advantage of range and that no one could sneak up and knife you as such.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You see, my basic thought is, like it was said in the post (I'm not sure if you said it or not, but it sounded cool) the bots come from khara infected nanites which have rebuilt a repair bot. I'm not sure about the khara infection, maybe sabotage by a hacker would be better, but I think either way it should be represented in the basic structure. I've rethought it a bit based on what you've said about upgrades. It would be an open access panel on a wall with a sign above it that says Nanite Processing Center. There would be a little purple/black rectangle in the center with tentacles coming out of it and engulfing the circuit boards. Alot of tentacles would be coming out of the sides of it, then looping back and sticking into the wall. Then every tall, slender building would have a whole bunch of these tentacles converging from the ground as a base, like tree roots, building up into obelisks (yeah, I know what you mean when you say obelisk). <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I see what you mean, I guessed it would be hive like in nature. I do think it should only be important as an impetus to spawn, if it were truly hive like, it would just cripple the bots further. I did some calculations in the excel sheet and, without building defences, or research, the bots take twice as much resources to build every single structure. Though, I do think that the bots structures should be obelisk in nature (as I have mentioned), I want to try and convey a, kind of vertical granduer that isnt present with the squat structures of the marines or the short structures of the aliens. It's all in my head, if I get time, I'll see if I can do some quick and crude worldcraft approximations if what I have upstairs.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->There could be more of these Nanite Processing Centers around the ship/station, and the builders could build them there like hives. They would only be there in case the first one gets blown up, not actually adding to the research capacity. Nothing can spawn without at least Nanite Processing Center "infected", but you could always build one (I don't like the hive time-death feature).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ahhh, I just read this, agreed somewhat, though it should be up to the mapper, too many backup locations and the map would become horrendously complicated, especially when it comes to Alien vs Bot, or an all three scenario.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Now here’s a random thought. You could have an observatory like structure. When use it, it spawns a tentacle with a camera wherever you select. Basically, it tells the team what's in the area until it gets destroyed. Not sue how to work that one though, maybe you could use it like the command chair, just to place the sentinel.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
When I read this, I immediately thought "Nav Beacons from Battlezone 1". Perhaps they can be dropped for a cost of 5 resources, but only in locations away from structures, that enhances the radar of those in range and can give something akin to motion tracking within it's range until destroyed. Naturally, it should have low HP, and like you said, it should be dropped via a command interface, or perhaps the scouts can drop it with a special key bind?
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Sounds pretty cool. You could have the Forge Node locations in areas like computer cores and armories, in effect leeching off of the ship/station's existing systems.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Beautiful idea, it would definately add to the atmosphere, but naturally it's up to the mapper.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I agree. I like the 3/4 limiting factor, gives them more freedom than the Khara while still making them specialize. As long as these upgrades are individually chosen in the secondary screen, like in other mods where you pick a class and become it the next time you respawn (I assume that’s what you meant), and not upgrades that apply to the whole team. I'd hate to be on a team with a guy complaining because he wanted speed instead of armor.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes, but I'm thinking instead of taking up the entire screen, that a skinned, solid and themed box should show up, with the four upgrade choices. Click four, the box drops down. Want to change? Click you key, it comes back up, change your upgrades accordingly and upon respawn you have them. It would probably only take up a small area on the left hand side of the screen, or the right, either way, and it shouldnt take up more room then the upgrade chambers for the aliens, well, a little more since it is four upgrades and not three but you get the gist of it.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->As with most of the other stuff, you didn't really describe the image in your posts, so I thought up a base unit and based everything else on that. The hammer sounds good as the heavy grunt unit, although I wouldn't make it as humanoid as the terminator. Maybe a bit more like the blue neckless battle droid in episode two, not just a silver-plated human skeleton. I didn't like the idea of any class being able to pick up and use the marine weapons. I mean, it wouldn't matter if the blixo could do it, seeing as the blixo is the late game heavy assault unit and it's supposed to be that heavily armed, but to have a class at least as good as a marine with all of their weapons and an additional one (hammer), or worse still a scout unit in the early game, I think that'd be a bit unfair, so I made up a class rather than a skill. If anything, the scav'd have to be faster, maybe a little stealthier (i.e. smaller, harder to see) than the hammer, with less health and armor.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Perhaps I should have mentioned chassis, the scout uses a flyer chassis, the builder something like a spider, or perhaps a tracked chassis, the hammer is naturally bipedal (I'll describe it better a little below), The Blixo should use tracks like modern tanks and be about the same size as the onos, with a view from the gun barrel.
The hammer, is as I said terminator like, but, it would have influences from transformers, (I hope you've seen transformers), so in effect it should convey the same fear as a terminator would, but be armored something like a transformer (naturally it wouldnt be able to transform!). I dont have a very good picture of it in my head at all, perhaps we could leave it to a modeller to decide.
With regards to the scav, I was thinking something along a bipedal bot, or perhaps tripedal? Though that might be hard to animate, either way, it would be very light, use spindly legs and arms, use weapons stronger then the scout, but weaker then the hammer, and be able to jump, he's fast, not as fast as the scout but faster then the hammer. He shouldnt be able to take a beating, but neither should he be taken down in two chomps, and perhaps have acess to a high jumping capability. Basically, he should be an all rounder, good for most purposes but not overpowering.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->However, what do you think on the styling? (Warning: Odd metaphors ahead) I was thinking a lower section with cat-like legs in the back and gorilla-arm like legs in the front, so it sort of gallops slowly, and an upper section/turret with the weapon on a side mount and the visual sensors.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I said it earlier, but I'll just clarify it a bit. Basically, a kind of tank on treads, unable to climb ladders, with a view from the weapon mount. Essentially, it would look like an armored chassis with a gun on top, that being the particle accelarator. The way I imagaine the weapon, it would be a kind of, yellow ball of protons, or perhaps anti-protons, sort of like the yamato gun from starcraft fired at a structure kaboom! Now that I think about it, perhaps it should do damage per range, the further it's fired from the less damage it does until it dissipates. It would force the Blixo class to get in nice and close for the kill...
I'll be emailing the excel sheet to you shortly from my hotmail, scan it for viruses (you can never be too careful) and take a look.
Just as a final note, I think that the bots would more likely be the results of nanites gone mad, like in the NS manual, before regulation they had picked apart entire planets, what if they've gained intelligence? It's immediate competitor would be life itself, so, eliminate the competition utterly...
Well, thats about it, I'll be sending the email to you shortly...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I love the maturity demonstrated on the boards sometimes. Someone makes a serious post about a third race, and sure it's not going to get implemented this side of five years, but hell that doesnt mean we cant have a serious discussion.
So take you hovaring scorpians, take your bad attitude and kindly apply it to a rocket launcher thread.
if anything, i would concider adding a reptile-like snake-lizard type alien that can sneak and camoflage almost anywhere. the only way to kill it is by shooting its head to a certain amount of health, and shooting its body will only make its LENGTH shorter, but therefor it becomes WEAKER, for balance. (i doubt this is something that could be fit into the HL engine very easily, but its just a thought).
u know, i was thinking, that this "suddenly adding a new race" thing would not work. right now, it should just stay as "marines vs aliens".
and in half-life 2 (when Flayra and the team BETTER MAKE NS for the HL2 engine, or turning it into its own game entirely), the story could be continued (ex: 30 years later, marines have a bit of new tech, aliens have a few new upgrades, marines had developed super-smart machines to eliminate the losing battle against the alien race, but the machines 'decided' on their own to go rambo [basically like terminator, but further into the futur], and now the machines aim at destroying both the marine AND the kharra races. the kharra and marines will never form an alliance, but having a HUGE, IN-DEPTH map with all 3 races in the same space, fighting for survival, would become one of the most hardcore games ever created [and of course many alien vs machine, alien vs marine, or marine vs machine maps]. machines would be much more powerful than the marines and kharra, but would have weaknesses, and have tweaks to help stop them from working as a team, forcing the kharra and marines to be the only team-based races [ex: voice communication disabled, team chat semi-disabled, movement semi-disabled, and of course having no commander, but having them create individual bases thru pure cooperation]. [when one race is destroyed, the players from that race could choose to join one of the other teams, or just sit out spectating]).
sure, the ideas u have are awsome, but you would have to make it fit in with gameplay, and the story, and the engine. anyways, i went a little far with this, so im done <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
We should have a race comprised of kids who play NS. We could be all sweaty and gross smelling from playing NS all the time, tell people how sweet NS is instead of chuckle, and get mad about the aliens and/or marines winning all the time. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--Pest+Dec 15 2003, 12:32 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Pest @ Dec 15 2003, 12:32 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Some new machine race that uses roughly the same arsenal as the marines, only they don't get weapons upgrades but have 5x armour strength as rines do and are slower. The rines would lose the PG ability as it would be given to the machines, so to compensate they would get the scooter upgrade, so when it's researched each rine would spawn with a motorized scooter and can ride it through the map. They can also pull off wheelies and get an extra +2 res for the team.
:| <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> hohoho someone should make a snow map and the mariones should get snowboards too
not really a new species.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> its got fricking fur on it....
<!--QuoteBegin--ZombieNinjaDoomLaserBaby+--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZombieNinjaDoomLaserBaby)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> We should have a race comprised of kids who play NS. We could be all sweaty and gross smelling from playing NS all the time, tell people how sweet NS is instead of chuckle, and get mad about the aliens and/or marines winning all the time.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> its called making custom models/skins...
<!--QuoteBegin--Mendevel+--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mendevel)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Isn't there some multiplayer game where you can be human/alien/predator already? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> yea, its called "Alien vs Predator"...
3rd race...well to fit INTO the NS theme, id have to say, some sort of failed lab experiment, like mutants from the experiments done when stations were used by scientists. like, aliens come, people evacuate, mutants get free, its a war for territory and theres 3 races competing.
mutants would respawn via using some cloning machine to clone the master. the master would be like the "hive" or "cc" for the mutant group, and as long as theres a master, people will respawn. if the master gets out of the cloning machine, no one can spawn. we'd make it so only 100% organic could be cloned, and upgrades or evolutions could come by fusing with machinery or using junk left over...i dont know i went too far with this idea already. build on it, flame it, i dont care, but its still my idea =D
Marines that have been infected by the alien bacterium,they now exist for the sole person of laming any non-lamers for eternity.....be they human or otherwise.
0 Lames ability : Lame speak.Annoys anyone in a certain radius of the player to death with highly annoying lame speak.Does 30 damage per second.Side effect : floods the affected enemies with audible lame sounds.
1 Lames ability : Lame banner.Tags a gigantic lame banner to the enemy.Acts a psionic teleporter that teleports all lamers to the location to lame the vicitm to death.
2 Lames ability : Lame shield.Blocks 50% of all incoming damage by spitting out a flood of lame speak words that deflect melee attacks,incoming projectiles,and blast effects/shrapnel.Only usable every 10 seconds and player movement/attack speed is slowed by half while in effect.Lasts for 5 seconds.
3 Lames ability : Lame blast.Projects a concentrated blast of pure lamness that has splash,and does 110 damage.Long recharge time.
Lame Priest : The unit that spreads lamness throughout the map.Is the only unit capable of building lame structures.Cost : 10 lames.
0 Lames ability : Lame speak.Same as Lamer's Lame Speak.
1 Lames ability : Lame teleport.Is able to teleport a short distance by using the power of lamness.
2 Lames ability : Pure Lamness.Increases all damage done by nearby lame units by 50% for a duration of 15 seconds.
3 Lames ability : Summons.Summons an avatar of the lamness god,L@mZ0rS.Has 500 hp,750 armor and does 200 splash damage(long recharge time).Only one avatar may be present on the map at once.
Lame Commando : A high damage,stealth unit,the Lame Commando is devasting in the right hands.Cost : 40 lames.
0 Lames ability : Lame Sword.A sword made of lamness,it does 90 damage in melee,but has a long recharge time.
1 Lames ability : Cloak of Lamness.For 30 seconds,the Lame Commando is completely invisible and does not show up on MT,even on hive sight when parasited,or SOF.Long recharge time.
2 Lames ability : Lesser Lame Blast.A weaker version of Lame Blast,it only does 70 damage,but recharges quicker.
3 Lames ability : Lame Launcher.Launches a lamer that is charged with pure lamness.Does 150 damage on impact,large splash radius and causes any affected enemy units to hear lame noises....EXTREMELY LOUDLY....while also having lame words flood their screen.
Lame Warriors : Highly experienced lamers in the art of lamness evolve to this.Very dangerous and difficult to kill.Cost : 100 lames.
0 Lames ability : Greater Lame Speak.Like Lame Speak,except it does 80 damage,the radius is larger,and the side effect lasts longer.
1 Lames ability : Lame Stop.Immobilizes a target for 10 seconds with pure lamness.Target is still able to attack,but at 50% lower ROF.
2 Lames ability : Greater Lame Shield.Blocks 75% of all incoming fire.Otherwise,same as Lame Shield.
3 Lames ability : Lamness.Fires a 300 damage splash projectile that takes 30 seconds to recharge.
Lame Structures :
Lame Resource Tower.Converts bio-sludge to lame-sludge.Costs 15 lame.
Lame Portal : Creates a portal of lamness that lamers will respawn in a certain radius.Costs 50 lame.
Lame Tower : A Lame tower that does a weaker version of lame speak.Does 8 damage,and does half to onos/HA.
Cloak of Lamness Tower : Cloaks any structures/units in vicinity.Also provides the upgrades :
Lame Strike : First attack does 75% more damage.
Lesser Cloak of Lamness : this is like the commando's CoL ability,except that you may not move/attack or the ability will be cancelled.
Lame Armor Tower : All structures/units in the vicinity take 25% less damage.Not stackable with lame shield,or greater lame shield.Provides the following upgrades :
Lame Armor : You take 25% less damage.Not stackable with anything.
Lame Defence : Adds a certain amount of armor and increases damage absoprtion.
Tower of Lamness : All structures/units in the vicinity get 25% damage boost.Not stackable.Provides following upgrades :
Pure Lamness : Increases your damage by 50%
Lame Speed : Increases your movement and attack rate by 30%
All towers cost 10 lame.Only one upgrade may be selected,and they cost 2 lame each.When units are evolving,they are surrounded by a protective lame shield,but can still be killed.Only one tower is available for each lame portal.Additional lame portals need to be built for more lame towers to be built.
Comments
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YAH!
Make a race called the. . ..... ... . . . . .
PROTOSS!!
Yes! They will use "psi" energy for shielding and weaponry! You could upgrade to a four legged lifeform, from there to a bit fluffy marshmallow, and from there to a ship that sends out little ships!! OMG!
With this implemeted, then everyone's dream of making NS equal to SC will be complete with Marines, Zerg, and Protoss!!
sawd off double barrel shot guns on both fore arms to start..
theyd make an equivialent for each alien, a mechanical dog like thing for the skulk.. mebby like "aime" or what ever it was called from "redplanet"
translocating terminator for the fade, a large tank like unit with a upscaled upper torso over the terminator with m134s on both arms.. hmm like the thing off of T3 to counter the onos..
-blisses out-
We have to defend our precious, precious ammunition from being used up or destroyed.
A more gritty TSA with incoporated alien techonolgy, such as armor that can evolve, and weapons that automaticaly create their own ammo.
this is a honest attempt at a post to see what everyone would imagine a third race to be if one were to be implemented right now; though there will be no third race in NS's current form.
I would imagine a rouge-nanite race. basically the rouge nanite team would constist of machines, but these machines would be HIGHLY specialized. each player would start out as a nanite soldier; marine size, heavy build like the HA, except more "mechanized and powered". however, after enough "resources" AKA melting down LMGs and <b>body armor</b> (NOT bodies!) have been gathered by a player that player can then buy himself his own arsenal of weapons, or go over to a resource node and "infect" it with rouge nanites that does his bidding.
there would be only three types of rouge nanite players: Soldiers, buildings, and builders. They would all look like HA (except again with more mechanization/power) except for afew details: Soldiers would have the BIG weapons and their model would change with each level of upgrades they choose (MT would have a small radar dish; thermal vision (for marines only, no/little effect against the kharaa team) for finding marines in the dark).
Then the builders and buildings. Builders would look like soldiers except that they have a large backpack with many tubes comming out of it. each normal soldiers max res is 40. the builder's is 10 times that.. to 400 res he can carry. he can forcefully pump said resources into other solders so they can get the BEST upgrades they can; they NEED the builder and his res-pumping ability to "feed" the soldiers because the best-of-the-best upgrades cost >40 res.
builders would also be the only players can (obviously) build and integrate with buildings. The buildings would include:
A Resource Storage Tower (RST)(build ontop of res nodes)
3 Defensive buildings (turret, seige-similar building, minor repair station)
A Technical Station (TS)(all-player upgrade building like arms lab)
A Major Repair Station (MRS)(built near fabrication plant, below)
A Fabrication Plant (FP)(built from the resource storage tower)
The res storage tower would gather resources, but cannot disperse the resources to the team because it is a "insecure" method of transportation. A soldier can access this building and withdraw a max of 20% of its total resources every 2 minutes. A builder can accress it with the same time restraints of the soldier, but withdraw a staggering 75%! The resources can then be used by the builder to create one of three defensive buildings:
1) A turret, similar to the marine's
2) A minor repair station, similar to the Defence chamber/welder uses a welder to defend itself (anti-melee). <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> one repair station can't repair other repair stations, only itself and the turret and the ...
3) Rouge nanite launcher. it shoots out a burst of infected nanites that pass through all known materials and attacks buildings on a sub-atomic level, however, the attack is short lived but not after damage has been done. similar to the marine's seige cannon, except without the splash damage; instead, if you touch the building while it's "infected" you will also get infected and take abit of damage.
The technical station works on the same level as a arms lab; a builder can access the technical station and, using his resources in storage, give new researchable upgrades to all soldiers and other builders. sometimes upgrades can only effect soldiers, sometimes only builders, and sometimes will automatically upgrade buildings. each building has a upgrade position, and this is can also be upgraded by a max of 3 slots. turrets and other defensive buildings for example would have one slot; and thus could only have one upgrade. a builder must "configure" the defensive building before leaving it, that is, choose a upgrade(s) from a list before construction is complete. Upgrades could include different damage types (burn, armor peircing, etc) faster fire rates, larger bursts, chained-together ammo (continuous firing), barrel cooling and the list goes on and on...
repair stations are just about the only places where the rouge nanites can rearm/repair themselves. the fabrication plant CAN repair the players as well, but it takes awhile longer to do so, and slows any current construction. repair stations would also have upgrade slots for 3 things: faster repair times, better repairs, or less costly repairs. it works like a triangle; whichever point you choose to improve, the other points become worse.
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the repair triangle:
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?power
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?/ ? ? ? ?\
? ? ? ? ? ?speed ---- cost
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NOTE: if the player doesn't have any res, he can't repair, but because he can withdraw 20% of the res from a storage building, he wont have a problem.
cost - cheapens the amount taken from the player's res store at the expense of power and speed; sometimes the components placed in the player fail because they're so cheap and need to be replaced again! (even though there would be no noticable malfunctions when the player plays, no worries!)
power - strong repairs are made, but it takes ALOT of resources and time to do so.
speed - efficency in the movements is increased, but upgrading this costs alot of resources because the repair station is moving so fast it's parts wear out faster, and sometimes some parts of the repair are "forgotten" making a imperfect repair (lessend "power" of the repair)
and then finally the fabrication plant. (hang in there, i'm almost done! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ) the fabrication plant is built near a resource storage building and must have a active one to function. basically, every time the player is constructed it reduces the amount of resources in the nearby storage unit; though fear not! the unit will always have enough resources to build one player a new body. again, repair station rules apply here:
cost - cheap but weak bodies, and may take abit longer to make (again, the player doesn't know about the "faulty parts")
power - strong but expensive bodies that take awhile to produce
speed - faster construction of soldier bodies at a small additional cost of resources for replacement part construction for the plant itself, and alittle damage to the plant every time it puts out a body (that is instantly healed 1 minute there after)
the factory will produce player "shells" (ghost in the shell, anyone? <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> mechanized bodies with the consiousness downloaded into them, fyi on background info) in this order pertaining to available res in the storage tank: power, speed, cost.
Addition notes:
O One fabrication plant per resource storage tower.
O turrets can be placed anywhere on the map and act like normal turrets, except they use res as ammo. 1 res is = to about 100 bullets, with a max storage of 1000 bullets (so 10 res inside = 10 res you get if you kill it)
O Minor repair stations can only be built if there are three turrets nearby. the minor repair station "leeches" resources off of the turrets and can act as a minor storage tank as well, but only for the defensive buildings. resources can be dumped into this to be used as a "tank o' ammo" for the other defensive buildings. it can only support 5 turrets and one RNL.
O the RNL (rouge nanite launcher <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> ) needs a minor repair station to operate, and atleast one res stored within said minor repair station. it holds no resources of it's own. (so take out the minor repair building and the seige will fall quickly) it takes 3 minutes to establish a "stable" link between itself and the minor repair station.
O the technical station can be built anywhere, but is "inactive" when not nearby any source of resources. builders accessing this automatically "turns it on" for possibly both soldiers and builders to use.
O resource storage buildings could be built off of resource nodes to act as depots, but im not sure what effect that could have on gameplay.
O resource storage buildings can support a max of 10 buildings.
O if all the players die, and they have a fabrication plant, the plant will sell away itself and build four powerful bodies for the top 4 players; the first 3 will all be soldiers, while the fourth will be a builder. if the marine/kharaa team can kill the builder, the rouge nanite team will be at a severe disadvantage.
O soldiers can be self-sustaining units (they can make their own ammo, give themselves minor and i mean MINOR repairs, can make minor upgrades and weapons) but require builders to achive their full potential. guns, marine armor, and unbuilt marine buildings can be "melted down" to recover 1/4 to 1/6th their original resource cost. killing kharaa evolutions gives 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 resources respectively for the skulk, gorge, lerk, fade, and onos evolutions. killing buildings gives no such reward.
O builders are weaker but hold a 400 resource storage backpack for building buildings and dumping res into soldiers. it takes 50 res to become a builder.
O soldiers can dump res into eachother, so if the fabrication plant goes down and their builder dies the three could pool their resources into one player and he can then use said given resources to become a builder
O once over 40 resources, soldiers cannot gain any more resources
O any building will eventually regen to full health, but at a far slower rate then the kharaa's building regen.
Now, if you didn't read that i can't blame you. If you did, you should be impressed, because i just pulled that out of my a** for the past hour of typing. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> if you arn't impressed, dont tell me that you feel that way. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> and if you want a 6 sentance, one paragraph summary:
Rouge-nanites are as they read what they are; they are nanites that have become sentient and resent their human oppressors. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> rouge nanites can melt marine equipment down for a fraction of the return and get higher RFK against kharaa. there are two types of rouge nanite players: soldiers and builders. soldiers are like aliens; they have personal resources, can upgrade themselves, and dont need to totally rely on anyone else that much. builders build the buildings that make the rouge nanites better, like the fabrication plant that produces player bodies that drains off some res from a resource storage tank over a res nozel; res storage units dont distrubute res, the players go to collect a percentage when they need it. there are also major repair stations (healing/ammo) , technical terminals (general player upgrade facility like the arms lab) , the minor repair station simlar to a DC except they only heal other buildings and not eachother, and turrets/seige similar to their marine's counter-part tech.
nearly good enough depth to make a entirely new game around it, eh? <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ph33r my L<b>33</b>T thought processes! (now i hope it hasn't been locked by this time... <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> )
[edit - w00t! Still no lockage! my idea has been postzor! ph33r m3!!!1 <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ] <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
aw pretty impressive work imagining a FULL BLOWN new race from the ground up.
.......but for new race i meant a new mutation for the Kharaa <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
very impressive neways.
I'd imagine the light ones using pickup guns like laser rifles. The huge killers would have their guns built into the arm.
It's cool to think about, but just silly to try to impliment.
(And I'm still waiting for that stealth suit for marines -would sure make SoF useful. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> )
Well, it seems that the nanites have formed some kind of sentient AI. We've discovered what we term "Colonies" floating through space. When they intersect with an object, the nanites use the material in the object and voraciously replicate. From there they head off in a new direction. When a colony encounters a ship or base, it is programmed to overtake the base and make planetfall on a suitably sized planet and create a new Hot Zone.
We have established that this rogue AI can communicate with other Hot Zones through subspace array interfaces. We have established that it does not yet have enough intelligence to produce an entire starship capable of landing on other planets as we have not seen this happen. However, if these Rogue Nanos are sighted on ships and bases, it takes an effect similar to Kharaa infestation. The Rogues try to assert control away from the ships command network. The ships command and control responds by locking out the ships computer and by trying to corrode the Rogue nanites. The Rogues respond in turn and nano gridlock takes place.
Rogue bases usually occur in auxilliary command systems where protocols are easily overidden from the ships computer as they are non-essential the ships functioning. It is believed that Rogues depend on a kind of Network Node to interface with the central AI and coordinate the Rogue effort. If the Network Node is destroyed, Rogues are crippled, but still a threat. If they are not destroyed quickly, they will simply reconstruct the Network Node.
Many battleforms have been sighted, and it seems they use a kind of pulse energy system. Their resource towers are a slender affair, tall yet thin, boasting of a unique design process. Their structures follow obelisk/tower form and tend to have a toughness our structures lack.
I've got more, since I discussed this idea at length with someone a while back. Let me see if I can dig up my old documents...
A long time ago I was discussing the possibility of a third race for the far far distant future of NS with someone via PM.
Here are a few snippets...
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All classes have an energy bar. This is used as ammo for every weapon as well as fuel for the jetpack and other special features. It recharges slowly when not in use.
The basic spawn is in a maintenance closet or something of the sort. There might be a couple of deactivated repair bots, just for effect, and they would spawn in an empty spot. At the spawn, there is a resource node and the infected Nanite Processing Center.
The basic unit is an Infected Repair Bot, about equivalent to your Scout Class. 80 health, no armor without upgrades, fast. I'm not sure about wallwalk, but probably. It's about 1/2 to 2/3 the size of a human, with two legs (with the middle joint in the back, like a cat's) mounted on the sides. The basic body is a very simple and boxy single piece with a camera in the front.
It would only have one weapon (with an alt fire).
Primary: a laser that fires pulses which do 10 damage per hit at any range, extremely accurate, uses energy at medium speed.
Secondary: Welder, takes energy at a very slow speed.
After that, you have to upgrade the infected Nanite Processing Center (INPC) with RP before you can do much else. If you think more buildings to research the upgrades would be better, just have them cheap and unbuildable until the INPC is upgraded.
At the start, it would look like a neon blue circuit board with the hatch on by one corner and a single purple/black rectangle on it. At level one, it has purple black tendrils reaching out across the circuit board. At level two, it has taken over the whole board and is starting to come out a bit, knocking the hatch off. And finally at level three, it would have advanced a foot or two from the panel.
Level one upgrades: One from each pair.
Speed: you move faster/Armor: you have 10 more armor
Quiet: You move silently/Search: It costs the whole energy bar and you must be standing still, but you get one ping that shows you everything in 20m
Efficiency: you recharge faster/Power: you do more damage
Level Two upgrades: pick one from each pair
Speed Level 2: another level of speed/Armor level 2: another level of armor
Efficiency level 2: another level of efficiency/Power level 2: another level of power
(The first two pairs can only be taken if the first level of one has been picked. I.E. you have speed. You can then get lvl 2 speed, making you 2x faster, or get level 2 armor, where you have the equivalent of the first lvl in both)
Regeneration: slow regeneration/ Leech: leech armor with welder.
Level two Weapons/class ("evolved" with rp, only one)
Hammer: Model looks a little heavier, and the weapon has a side mount. Speed about like HA/LMG, 250 health, 80 armor w/out upgrades
Weapon: takes second slot (you keep the basic pulse weapon).
Primary: exactly like egon gun from HL, takes energy high rate.
Secondary: Charges up shot like Gauss gun secondary. Damage and energy depend on how long it is held down.
Scav: Model has a manipulator arms in addition to the weapon. Speed about normal (marine), 150 health, 50 armor w/out upgrades
Weapon: Pick up, reload, and discard weapons like a normal marine (including the ones dropped from kills). They can also pick up/use marine health and ammo. The marine weapons (just different model, not new weapon) take their normal slots.
Third Level Upgrades: Can spend rp to evolve to one third level unit.
Sprite: looks alot more streamlined with jet intakes on the top-front and tilted exhausts on the rear. The legs are rounded on the back and there are fins coming back from the knee joint (when crouched, the legs almost fold into sidepods with tails). The jetpack works like the marines', spending energy. Keeps the basic, first, and second level weapons and upgrades.
Ghost: It is kind of streamlined, but more angular, like a YF22. It has a cloak more complete than Fade's, but spends energy. Keeps the basic, first, and second level weapons and upgrades.
Blixo: Big walking machine of doom. It has the basic back legs, but in addition it has big powerful front legs reminiscent of a Gorilla's arms. It gallops with these and the back legs (gallops in movement, not speed. As slow as HA/HMG, maybe slower.) In addition to whatever upgrades you already have, you get a 400 health, 200 armor w/out upgrades, and a Rail Gun. The rail gun takes the full energy bar to fire, but it has an area affect of 200 damage where it hits.
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My Reply
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Since the PM you sent is rather large, I'll see if I can respond to individual points. It just makes it easier, thats all...
About the energy bar, the first point you raised, I was thinking more along the lines of an Energy weapon, with "units" of energy much like bullets. That could have come out better I think, say, for example, the scout. It has a "Capacity" of 200 "Units" one shot would take 10 "Units". For Mark 1 pulse gun, I would think it would be able to regenerate slowly, but for higher levels (Mark 2 and upwards), with larger capacities of course, I'm thinking that they can only regenerate within range of a power generator (Faster of course with an advanced power generator).
I pretty much see the "Bot" race as purely robotic, and nanites as their blood as such (grey blood perhaps?). Anyhow, the only flying unit for the bots would be the scout and only if researched. Within it's "Territory" as such, it can fly unlimited, but in enemy influence, it might have to make do with a limited reserve of fuel, I quite like the idea.
I like your idea about the spawn, but I'm not sure what you mean about the "Infected Nanite Processing Center"
The scout class I imagined would be about the size of a lerk, with fixed wings that hovers and as I mentioned above, is able to jump a bit but not much, and is able to fly until researched. I do agree with your weapons suggestion, though I doubt secondary would be good, as NS dosent support it, and that it's pretty close the the weapon limit as it is.
I'll just have to quote you here
QUOTE
After that, you have to upgrade the infected Nanite Processing Center (INPC) with RP before you can do much else. If you think more buildings to research the upgrades would be better, just have them cheap and unbuildable until the INPC is upgraded.
At the start, it would look like a neon blue circuit board with the hatch on by one corner and a single purple/black rectangle on it. At level one, it has purple black tendrils reaching out across the circuit board. At level two, it has taken over the whole board and is starting to come out a bit, knocking the hatch off. And finally at level three, it would have advanced a foot or two from the panel.
From this, I'll just take a shot in the dark that the INPC is something like a hive or command station, deadly important to have but not supporting any kind of commander mode. The way I imagine the structures for the bots would be something like tall towers. Marine structures are sqaut, if you've noticed with the exception of the turret. The bot structures are meant to be tall, slender, shaped very much like an obelisk (if it's not clear, I'll try to construct the basic shape in WC), but with a little higher then average hit points (they are nanite based after all).
The way I see the upgrades working are like this.
With each "Forge Node" placed, the units get an upgraded. It upgrades everything across the board, instantly by one level. The locations for these Forge Nodes are predefined by the mapper, to give the bots an objective in the map. Naturally, one would be located in the spawn, the other two would be be at other locations. Their locations are indicated by "Ghosts" much like hives are, the difference being that the Forge Nodes arent necessary, but worth taking in any case.
Reading what you wrote, I tend to agree with most of the upgrade choices, them being "Efficiency" "Speed" "Armor" and "Weapon Strength". The way I see it, bots can choose 3/4 of these upgrades, and can gain use of them upon respawn.
On the subject of regen, slowly and within range of a repair node.
The way I imagined the hammer class to look like was something terminatoresque, but with a bit of body armor. The weapon would fire something like a gatling cannon, draining further energy and doing more damage at a faster firing rate the longer it is held.
I'm not too sure about the scav, it would be useless when taking on aliens and where would it get it's ammunition from? Either way, I think it may require a bit of thought, perhaps instead of a scavenger it can be a kind of "Adaptive" robot, it has it's own weapon, is slightly weaker then a hammer and a bit faster and can use the marines weapons, is fatster and more lightly armored, hmmm...
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I just re read everything all over, it seems that there are too many classes to my thinking. The classes I think of are along the lines of
Scout (Scout)
Builder (Builder)
Combat (As Yet Unfilled, probably the Scav)
Heavy Combat (Hammer)
Force Of Destruction (Blixo)
The sprite pretty much equates to the scout for all intents and purposes, and the ghost dosent suit the bots style. I'd imagine them to employ simialar strategies to marines, but because they cant lock down areas fast, they'd have to play a little like the kharaa in the form of backing up the builders.
Although the three tiered approach to the classes is good, it requires too many classes to fit the style, so I think a simple 2 Tier approach would suit them when it comes to classes, whilst a three tiered approach would better suit the upgrades.
Now when it comes to the blixo, I dont think it should use a railgun. It would be used, and probably abused as a sniper type weapon. The blixo is meant to take punishment and be in the thick of things. Perhaps instead, a kind of particle accelarator, kind of like acid rocket in movement and bilebomb like in nature, but more damaging, more powerful, after all it is the be all and end all. The damage figure you suggest sounds about right though.
Sorry if any of that is chaotic, if you have trouble with any of it, just quote it to me and I'll see if I can clear myself up. In the meantime, I'll see if I can make sense of this mess by creating somewhat of a structure diagram and a tech tree in excel.
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I typed the above a while ago, my connection gave out, but in the intervening time, I have constructed a structure tree to progress all the way through the structures, it costs a little more then twice as much as the kharaa for the bots to build every single structure, without defenses. I've also come to think of the "Experimental" node allowing the existence of the hammer and the blixo if it's upraded twice (once to allow hammer, second time to allow blixo). The "Scav" or Combat Class will come in with the network node and can come out of the usual assembly pod or the Advanced Assembly pod. I'll try and figure out the research fields and what structure grants what later.
If you wish, I can email you the excel sheet in which I plotted the structure tree. I noticed that it follows a three tiered approach, rather strange since I just made up the requisites out of thin air.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
His Reply
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Since the PM you sent is rather large, I'll see if I can respond to individual points. It just makes it easier, thats all...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, I tend to fill up screens pretty quick. I basically thought about this at school and copied a crude note-sheet I had written up.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->About the energy bar, the first point you raised, I was thinking more along the lines of an Energy weapon, with "units" of energy much like bullets. That could have come out better I think, say, for example, the scout. It has a "Capacity" of 200 "Units" one shot would take 10 "Units". For Mark 1 pulse gun, I would think it would be able to regenerate slowly, but for higher levels (Mark 2 and upwards), with larger capacities of course, I'm thinking that they can only regenerate within range of a power generator (Faster of course with an advanced power generator).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I like the power generator idea. It would work more efficiently than the marine armory (because you just have to be near it) but it would be less useful than the Kharas ammo regeneration.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I pretty much see the "Bot" race as purely robotic, and nanites as their blood as such (grey blood perhaps?).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, I'd prefer no blood (I'm not squeamish, but they're robots), but grey would work. However, another idea might be neon blue. That’s the color of the liquid in marine healthkits, and those are nanite based.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Anyhow, the only flying unit for the bots would be the scout and only if researched. Within it's "Territory" as such, it can fly unlimited, but in enemy influence, it might have to make do with a limited reserve of fuel, I quite like the idea.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sounds interesting. Maybe have a fuel bar for the scout. The power generators fill it back up faster than it can be used when it's near one, but it runs out slowly when it's not near a charger.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I do agree with your weapons suggestion, though I doubt secondary would be good, as NS doesn’t support it, and that it's pretty close the weapon limit as it is.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I kinda see what you mean, the Mk 1 Pulse would be kinda like the Unreal energy pistol, not alot of damage, but it regenerates. My only problem is that with the three weapon limit, there wouldn't be room for a welder or something similar. I know NS doesn't have alt-fire, I guess it was just wishful thinking. Maybe a compromise of some sort.... Like, when it hits enemies, it does damage, but when you get close to a friendly or something that can be repaired or welded shut, it works like a welder. Just say it was a laser welder from the reconfigured repair bot (read further) and they rebuilt to do damage as well as weld.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I like your idea about the spawn, but I'm not sure what you mean about the "Infected Nanite Processing Center"
From this, I'll just take a shot in the dark that the INPC is something like a hive or command station, deadly important to have but not supporting any kind of commander mode. The way I imagine the structures for the bots would be something like tall towers. Marine structures are sqaut, if you've noticed with the exception of the turret. The bot structures are meant to be tall, slender, shaped very much like an obelisk (if it's not clear, I'll try to construct the basic shape in WC), but with a little higher then average hit points (they are nanite based after all).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You see, my basic thought is, like it was said in the post (I'm not sure if you said it or not, but it sounded cool) the bots come from khara infected nanites which have rebuilt a repair bot. I'm not sure about the khara infection, maybe sabotage by a hacker would be better, but I think either way it should be represented in the basic structure. I've rethought it a bit based on what you've said about upgrades. It would be an open access panel on a wall with a sign above it that says Nanite Processing Center. There would be a little purple/black rectangle in the center with tentacles coming out of it and engulfing the circuit boards. Alot of tentacles would be coming out of the sides of it, then looping back and sticking into the wall. Then every tall, slender building would have a whole bunch of these tentacles converging from the ground as a base, like tree roots, building up into obelisks (yeah, I know what you mean when you say obelisk).
There could be more of these Nanite Processing Centers around the ship/station, and the builders could build them there like hives. They would only be there in case the first one gets blown up, not actually adding to the research capacity. Nothing can spawn without at least Nanite Processing Center "infected", but you could always build one (I don't like the hive time-death feature).
Now here’s a random thought. You could have an observatory like structure. When use it, it spawns a tentacle with a camera wherever you select. Basically, it tells the team what's in the area until it gets destroyed. Not sue how to work that one though, maybe you could use it like the command chair, just to place the sentinel.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->With each "Forge Node" placed, the units get an upgraded. It upgrades everything across the board, instantly by one level. The locations for these Forge Nodes are predefined by the mapper, to give the bots an objective in the map. Naturally, one would be located in the spawn, the other two would be at other locations. Their locations are indicated by "Ghosts" much like hives are, the difference being that the Forge Nodes aren’t necessary, but worth taking in any case.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sounds pretty cool. You could have the Forge Node locations in areas like computer cores and armories, in effect leeching off of the ship/station's existing systems.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Reading what you wrote, I tend to agree with most of the upgrade choices, them being "Efficiency" "Speed" "Armor" and "Weapon Strength". The way I see it, bots can choose 3/4 of these upgrades, and can gain use of them upon respawn.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I agree. I like the 3/4 limiting factor, gives them more freedom than the Khara while still making them specialize. As long as these upgrades are individually chosen in the secondary screen, like in other mods where you pick a class and become it the next time you respawn (I assume that’s what you meant), and not upgrades that apply to the whole team. I'd hate to be on a team with a guy complaining because he wanted speed instead of armor.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The scout class I imagined would be about the size of a lerk, with fixed wings that hovers and as I mentioned above, is able to jump a bit but not much, and is able to fly until researched.
The way I imagined the hammer class to look like was something terminatoresque, but with a bit of body armor. The weapon would fire something like a gatling cannon, draining further energy and doing more damage at a faster firing rate the longer it is held
I'm not too sure about the scav, it would be useless when taking on aliens and where would it get it's ammunition from? Either way, I think it may require a bit of thought, perhaps instead of a scavenger it can be a kind of "Adaptive" robot, it has it's own weapon, is slightly weaker then a hammer and a bit faster and can use the marines weapons, is faster and more lightly armored, hmmm....<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
As with most of the other stuff, you didn't really describe the image in your posts, so I thought up a base unit and based everything else on that. The hammer sounds good as the heavy grunt unit, although I wouldn't make it as humanoid as the terminator. Maybe a bit more like the blue neckless battle droid in episode two, not just a silver-plated human skeleton.
I didn't like the idea of any class being able to pick up and use the marine weapons. I mean, it wouldn't matter if the blixo could do it, seeing as the blixo is the late game heavy assault unit and it's supposed to be that heavily armed, but to have a class at least as good as a marine with all of their weapons and an additional one (hammer), or worse still a scout unit in the early game, I think that'd be a bit unfair, so I made up a class rather than a skill. If anything, the scav'd have to be faster, maybe a little stealthier (i.e. smaller, harder to see) than the hammer, with less health and armor.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I just re read everything all over, it seems that there are too many classes to my thinking. The classes I think of are along the lines of
Scout (Scout)
Builder (Builder)
Combat (As Yet Unfilled, probably the Scav)
Heavy Combat (Hammer)
Force Of Destruction (Blixo)
The sprite pretty much equates to the scout for all intents and purposes, and the ghost doesn’t suit the bots style. I'd imagine them to employ similar strategies to marines, but because they cant lock down areas fast, they'd have to play a little like the kharaa in the form of backing up the builders.
Although the three tiered approach to the classes is good, it requires too many classes to fit the style, so I think a simple 2 Tier approach would suit them when it comes to classes, whilst a three tiered approach would better suit the upgrades.
Now when it comes to the blixo, I don’t think it should use a railgun. It would be used, and probably abused as a sniper type weapon. The blixo is meant to take punishment and be in the thick of things. Perhaps instead, a kind of particle accelerator, kind of like acid rocket in movement and bilebomb like in nature, but more damaging, more powerful, after all it is the be all and end all. The damage figure you suggest sounds about right though.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah. I just threw in the sprite and the Ghost to make the third upgrade level a bit more flexible.
When I said railgun, I didn't really think of it like a sniper rifle. I know about Gauss's theories and all, but I just threw it on for lack of a better name, and I have this image in my head of a WH40k Tau railgun. I think a particle accelerator would work better, now that you mention it. The acid rocket movement and bile bomb nature fits my thoughts to a tee, I'm just not too good at describing things like that. However, what do you think on the styling? (Warning: Odd metaphors ahead) I was thinking a lower section with cat-like legs in the back and gorilla-arm like legs in the front, so it sort of gallops slowly, and an upper section/turret with the weapon on a side mount and the visual sensors.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Sorry if any of that is chaotic, if you have trouble with any of it, just quote it to me and I'll see if I can clear myself up. In the meantime, I'll see if I can make sense of this mess by creating somewhat of a structure diagram and a tech tree in excel.
-----------------
I typed the above a while ago, my connection gave out, but in the intervening time, I have constructed a structure tree to progress all the way through the structures, it costs a little more then twice as much as the kharaa for the bots to build every single structure, without defenses. I've also come to think of the "Experimental" node allowing the existence of the hammer and the blixo if it's upgraded twice (once to allow hammer, second time to allow blixo). The "Scav" or Combat Class will come in with the network node and can come out of the usual assembly pod or the Advanced Assembly pod. I'll try and figure out the research fields and what structure grants what later.
If you wish, I can email you the excel sheet in which I plotted the structure tree. I noticed that it follows a three tiered approach, rather strange since I just made up the requisites out of thin air.
Damn I can ramble, better end it here before you get a headache...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My final reply, after that the person I was discussing with dissapeared =\
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I like the power generator idea. It would work more efficiently than the marine armory (because you just have to be near it) but it would be less useful than the Kharas ammo regeneration.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ahh, good good, it would have to be balanced to prevent it from being overpowered, but I think we can worry about that later.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Well, I'd prefer no blood (I'm not squeamish, but they're robots), but grey would work. However, another idea might be neon blue. That’s the color of the liquid in marine healthkits, and those are nanite based.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm not talking blood in it's truest sense, but when kharaa are shot, they leave a green slime on walls, I was thinking something simialar, and now that you mention it, neon blue would be a better colour then grey. Of course, it dosent have to go in, just merely for aesthetic purposes.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Sounds interesting. Maybe have a fuel bar for the scout. The power generators fill it back up faster than it can be used when it's near one, but it runs out slowly when it's not near a charger.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thats precisely what I was thinking, the only problem is defining where ones territory is, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it...
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I kinda see what you mean, the Mk 1 Pulse would be kinda like the Unreal energy pistol, not alot of damage, but it regenerates. My only problem is that with the three weapon limit, there wouldn't be room for a welder or something similar. I know NS doesn't have alt-fire, I guess it was just wishful thinking. Maybe a compromise of some sort.... Like, when it hits enemies, it does damage, but when you get close to a friendly or something that can be repaired or welded shut, it works like a welder. Just say it was a laser welder from the reconfigured repair bot (read further) and they rebuilt to do damage as well as weld.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You hit the nail on the head with the description, but I was thinking something more slender then those ridiculous balls of energy, something akin to short narrow pulses that were green or blue, preferably blue (I like blue <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->).
As to a welder, perhaps the builder bots sound wave weapon can act as an inefficient welder? Doing say, half the efficiency of the human welder, but still able to weld, with the added advantage of range and that no one could sneak up and knife you as such.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You see, my basic thought is, like it was said in the post (I'm not sure if you said it or not, but it sounded cool) the bots come from khara infected nanites which have rebuilt a repair bot. I'm not sure about the khara infection, maybe sabotage by a hacker would be better, but I think either way it should be represented in the basic structure. I've rethought it a bit based on what you've said about upgrades. It would be an open access panel on a wall with a sign above it that says Nanite Processing Center. There would be a little purple/black rectangle in the center with tentacles coming out of it and engulfing the circuit boards. Alot of tentacles would be coming out of the sides of it, then looping back and sticking into the wall. Then every tall, slender building would have a whole bunch of these tentacles converging from the ground as a base, like tree roots, building up into obelisks (yeah, I know what you mean when you say obelisk). <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I see what you mean, I guessed it would be hive like in nature. I do think it should only be important as an impetus to spawn, if it were truly hive like, it would just cripple the bots further. I did some calculations in the excel sheet and, without building defences, or research, the bots take twice as much resources to build every single structure. Though, I do think that the bots structures should be obelisk in nature (as I have mentioned), I want to try and convey a, kind of vertical granduer that isnt present with the squat structures of the marines or the short structures of the aliens. It's all in my head, if I get time, I'll see if I can do some quick and crude worldcraft approximations if what I have upstairs.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->There could be more of these Nanite Processing Centers around the ship/station, and the builders could build them there like hives. They would only be there in case the first one gets blown up, not actually adding to the research capacity. Nothing can spawn without at least Nanite Processing Center "infected", but you could always build one (I don't like the hive time-death feature).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ahhh, I just read this, agreed somewhat, though it should be up to the mapper, too many backup locations and the map would become horrendously complicated, especially when it comes to Alien vs Bot, or an all three scenario.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Now here’s a random thought. You could have an observatory like structure. When use it, it spawns a tentacle with a camera wherever you select. Basically, it tells the team what's in the area until it gets destroyed. Not sue how to work that one though, maybe you could use it like the command chair, just to place the sentinel.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
When I read this, I immediately thought "Nav Beacons from Battlezone 1". Perhaps they can be dropped for a cost of 5 resources, but only in locations away from structures, that enhances the radar of those in range and can give something akin to motion tracking within it's range until destroyed. Naturally, it should have low HP, and like you said, it should be dropped via a command interface, or perhaps the scouts can drop it with a special key bind?
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Sounds pretty cool. You could have the Forge Node locations in areas like computer cores and armories, in effect leeching off of the ship/station's existing systems.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Beautiful idea, it would definately add to the atmosphere, but naturally it's up to the mapper.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I agree. I like the 3/4 limiting factor, gives them more freedom than the Khara while still making them specialize. As long as these upgrades are individually chosen in the secondary screen, like in other mods where you pick a class and become it the next time you respawn (I assume that’s what you meant), and not upgrades that apply to the whole team. I'd hate to be on a team with a guy complaining because he wanted speed instead of armor.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes, but I'm thinking instead of taking up the entire screen, that a skinned, solid and themed box should show up, with the four upgrade choices. Click four, the box drops down. Want to change? Click you key, it comes back up, change your upgrades accordingly and upon respawn you have them. It would probably only take up a small area on the left hand side of the screen, or the right, either way, and it shouldnt take up more room then the upgrade chambers for the aliens, well, a little more since it is four upgrades and not three but you get the gist of it.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->As with most of the other stuff, you didn't really describe the image in your posts, so I thought up a base unit and based everything else on that. The hammer sounds good as the heavy grunt unit, although I wouldn't make it as humanoid as the terminator. Maybe a bit more like the blue neckless battle droid in episode two, not just a silver-plated human skeleton.
I didn't like the idea of any class being able to pick up and use the marine weapons. I mean, it wouldn't matter if the blixo could do it, seeing as the blixo is the late game heavy assault unit and it's supposed to be that heavily armed, but to have a class at least as good as a marine with all of their weapons and an additional one (hammer), or worse still a scout unit in the early game, I think that'd be a bit unfair, so I made up a class rather than a skill. If anything, the scav'd have to be faster, maybe a little stealthier (i.e. smaller, harder to see) than the hammer, with less health and armor.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Perhaps I should have mentioned chassis, the scout uses a flyer chassis, the builder something like a spider, or perhaps a tracked chassis, the hammer is naturally bipedal (I'll describe it better a little below), The Blixo should use tracks like modern tanks and be about the same size as the onos, with a view from the gun barrel.
The hammer, is as I said terminator like, but, it would have influences from transformers, (I hope you've seen transformers), so in effect it should convey the same fear as a terminator would, but be armored something like a transformer (naturally it wouldnt be able to transform!). I dont have a very good picture of it in my head at all, perhaps we could leave it to a modeller to decide.
With regards to the scav, I was thinking something along a bipedal bot, or perhaps tripedal? Though that might be hard to animate, either way, it would be very light, use spindly legs and arms, use weapons stronger then the scout, but weaker then the hammer, and be able to jump, he's fast, not as fast as the scout but faster then the hammer. He shouldnt be able to take a beating, but neither should he be taken down in two chomps, and perhaps have acess to a high jumping capability. Basically, he should be an all rounder, good for most purposes but not overpowering.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->However, what do you think on the styling? (Warning: Odd metaphors ahead) I was thinking a lower section with cat-like legs in the back and gorilla-arm like legs in the front, so it sort of gallops slowly, and an upper section/turret with the weapon on a side mount and the visual sensors.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I said it earlier, but I'll just clarify it a bit. Basically, a kind of tank on treads, unable to climb ladders, with a view from the weapon mount. Essentially, it would look like an armored chassis with a gun on top, that being the particle accelarator. The way I imagaine the weapon, it would be a kind of, yellow ball of protons, or perhaps anti-protons, sort of like the yamato gun from starcraft fired at a structure kaboom! Now that I think about it, perhaps it should do damage per range, the further it's fired from the less damage it does until it dissipates. It would force the Blixo class to get in nice and close for the kill...
I'll be emailing the excel sheet to you shortly from my hotmail, scan it for viruses (you can never be too careful) and take a look.
Just as a final note, I think that the bots would more likely be the results of nanites gone mad, like in the NS manual, before regulation they had picked apart entire planets, what if they've gained intelligence? It's immediate competitor would be life itself, so, eliminate the competition utterly...
Well, thats about it, I'll be sending the email to you shortly...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So take you hovaring scorpians, take your bad attitude and kindly apply it to a rocket launcher thread.
Any serious comments from a mature person?
300 hp with 700 armour due to it's super mega japanese armour!
It will pwn j00!
u know, i was thinking, that this "suddenly adding a new race" thing would not work.
right now, it should just stay as "marines vs aliens".
and in half-life 2 (when Flayra and the team BETTER MAKE NS for the HL2 engine, or turning it into its own game entirely), the story could be continued
(ex: 30 years later, marines have a bit of new tech, aliens have a few new upgrades, marines had developed super-smart machines to eliminate the losing battle against the alien race, but the machines 'decided' on their own to go rambo [basically like terminator, but further into the futur], and now the machines aim at destroying both the marine AND the kharra races. the kharra and marines will never form an alliance, but having a HUGE, IN-DEPTH map with all 3 races in the same space, fighting for survival, would become one of the most hardcore games ever created [and of course many alien vs machine, alien vs marine, or marine vs machine maps].
machines would be much more powerful than the marines and kharra, but would have weaknesses, and have tweaks to help stop them from working as a team, forcing the kharra and marines to be the only team-based races [ex: voice communication disabled, team chat semi-disabled, movement semi-disabled, and of course having no commander, but having them create individual bases thru pure cooperation]. [when one race is destroyed, the players from that race could choose to join one of the other teams, or just sit out spectating]).
sure, the ideas u have are awsome, but you would have to make it fit in with gameplay, and the story, and the engine.
anyways, i went a little far with this, so im done <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
lol, exactly.
Wonder what the tech tree would be like...
:| <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
hohoho someone should make a snow map and the mariones should get snowboards too
<a href='http://www.haxgames.com/ferai/' target='_blank'>http://www.haxgames.com/ferai/</a>
a good read with detailed descriptions.
not really a new species.
<a href='http://www.haxgames.com/ferai/' target='_blank'>http://www.haxgames.com/ferai/</a>
a good read with detailed descriptions.
not really a new species.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
its got fricking fur on it....
<!--QuoteBegin--ZombieNinjaDoomLaserBaby+--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ZombieNinjaDoomLaserBaby)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
We should have a race comprised of kids who play NS. We could be all sweaty and gross smelling from playing NS all the time, tell people how sweet NS is instead of chuckle, and get mad about the aliens and/or marines winning all the time.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
its called making custom models/skins...
<!--QuoteBegin--Mendevel+--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mendevel)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
Isn't there some multiplayer game where you can be human/alien/predator already?
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
yea, its called "Alien vs Predator"...
mutants would respawn via using some cloning machine to clone the master. the master would be like the "hive" or "cc" for the mutant group, and as long as theres a master, people will respawn. if the master gets out of the cloning machine, no one can spawn. we'd make it so only 100% organic could be cloned, and upgrades or evolutions could come by fusing with machinery or using junk left over...i dont know i went too far with this idea already. build on it, flame it, i dont care, but its still my idea =D
Metroids
<!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Marines that have been infected by the alien bacterium,they now exist for the sole person of laming any non-lamers for eternity.....be they human or otherwise.
Basic unit(all players spawn as this) : Lamer.Cost : 2 lames.
0 Lames ability : Lame speak.Annoys anyone in a certain radius of the player to death with highly annoying lame speak.Does 30 damage per second.Side effect : floods the affected enemies with audible lame sounds.
1 Lames ability : Lame banner.Tags a gigantic lame banner to the enemy.Acts a psionic teleporter that teleports all lamers to the location to lame the vicitm to death.
2 Lames ability : Lame shield.Blocks 50% of all incoming damage by spitting out a flood of lame speak words that deflect melee attacks,incoming projectiles,and blast effects/shrapnel.Only usable every 10 seconds and player movement/attack speed is slowed by half while in effect.Lasts for 5 seconds.
3 Lames ability : Lame blast.Projects a concentrated blast of pure lamness that has splash,and does 110 damage.Long recharge time.
Lame Priest : The unit that spreads lamness throughout the map.Is the only unit capable of building lame structures.Cost : 10 lames.
0 Lames ability : Lame speak.Same as Lamer's Lame Speak.
1 Lames ability : Lame teleport.Is able to teleport a short distance by using the power of lamness.
2 Lames ability : Pure Lamness.Increases all damage done by nearby lame units by 50% for a duration of 15 seconds.
3 Lames ability : Summons.Summons an avatar of the lamness god,L@mZ0rS.Has 500 hp,750 armor and does 200 splash damage(long recharge time).Only one avatar may be present on the map at once.
Lame Commando : A high damage,stealth unit,the Lame Commando is devasting in the right hands.Cost : 40 lames.
0 Lames ability : Lame Sword.A sword made of lamness,it does 90 damage in melee,but has a long recharge time.
1 Lames ability : Cloak of Lamness.For 30 seconds,the Lame Commando is completely invisible and does not show up on MT,even on hive sight when parasited,or SOF.Long recharge time.
2 Lames ability : Lesser Lame Blast.A weaker version of Lame Blast,it only does 70 damage,but recharges quicker.
3 Lames ability : Lame Launcher.Launches a lamer that is charged with pure lamness.Does 150 damage on impact,large splash radius and causes any affected enemy units to hear lame noises....EXTREMELY LOUDLY....while also having lame words flood their screen.
Lame Warriors : Highly experienced lamers in the art of lamness evolve to this.Very dangerous and difficult to kill.Cost : 100 lames.
0 Lames ability : Greater Lame Speak.Like Lame Speak,except it does 80 damage,the radius is larger,and the side effect lasts longer.
1 Lames ability : Lame Stop.Immobilizes a target for 10 seconds with pure lamness.Target is still able to attack,but at 50% lower ROF.
2 Lames ability : Greater Lame Shield.Blocks 75% of all incoming fire.Otherwise,same as Lame Shield.
3 Lames ability : Lamness.Fires a 300 damage splash projectile that takes 30 seconds to recharge.
Lame Structures :
Lame Resource Tower.Converts bio-sludge to lame-sludge.Costs 15 lame.
Lame Portal : Creates a portal of lamness that lamers will respawn in a certain radius.Costs 50 lame.
Lame Tower : A Lame tower that does a weaker version of lame speak.Does 8 damage,and does half to onos/HA.
Cloak of Lamness Tower : Cloaks any structures/units in vicinity.Also provides the upgrades :
Lame Strike : First attack does 75% more damage.
Lesser Cloak of Lamness : this is like the commando's CoL ability,except that you may not move/attack or the ability will be cancelled.
Lame Armor Tower : All structures/units in the vicinity take 25% less damage.Not stackable with lame shield,or greater lame shield.Provides the following upgrades :
Lame Armor : You take 25% less damage.Not stackable with anything.
Lame Defence : Adds a certain amount of armor and increases damage absoprtion.
Tower of Lamness : All structures/units in the vicinity get 25% damage boost.Not stackable.Provides following upgrades :
Pure Lamness : Increases your damage by 50%
Lame Speed : Increases your movement and attack rate by 30%
All towers cost 10 lame.Only one upgrade may be selected,and they cost 2 lame each.When units are evolving,they are surrounded by a protective lame shield,but can still be killed.Only one tower is available for each lame portal.Additional lame portals need to be built for more lame towers to be built.