how about Psychic psychotic geeks that carry batman's utility belt around and can hack into the cc?? and since they can read your mind they cant be ambushed and use the utility belt.
Hands up for anyone who doesnt read the previous replies,just reads the first post,and replies with some crazy response that took 5 seconds to think up.
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.
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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.
<!--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--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> cheesus! that IS a long post.. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
They dont actually play, they just watch. And everyone can hear them on the voice comm. Like those irritating guys who comment on that Most eXtreme Elimination Chalenge show.
You start off as a Zealot with Psionic Blades! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
This thread is packed with very good ideas (along with weird, potentially interesting but unlikely-to-happen ones, like mages and teletubbies <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ).
I'm upping it because a part of me is somehow convinced that Flayra will see it and make this third race a reality! <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
There is a stickied thread in the art forum similar to this. So if your interested <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=7&t=45222' target='_blank'>click this</a>
If I were to add another race to NS, I would probably avoid going Starcraft/AvP and not add a protoss/predator alien race in. Instead I would add another Human race in, called The Syndicate.
The syndicate is basically a gang of Pirates, who have taken the alien infestation as an opportunity to take over certain key space stations/colonies while the security is down. All they have to do is kill off the aliens! (and perhaps the TSA marines that are sent out to do the same thing).
They would in concept be a crossover between the Kharaa and the TSA. Looking less organised than TSA (individual Pirates are weaker since they can't afford costly armor), plus being able to buy black market upgrades and other kind of sneaky stuff the TSA generally frowns upon (stealth suits and stuff).
Pirates would lack a commander. Instead, they'd have a Captain. The Captain is able to place a Captain's Portal, which is use to respawn the captain when he dies. Regular Syndicate Pirates will allways respawn near the captain (they are phased down from an orbiting ship) and do not need a portal. This allows the Syndicate to be extremely mobile and less dependant on bases as the other races.
The captain would also be responsible for ordering upgrades/new weapons from the orbiting ship, and he will also be able to buy beacons, which can be programmed to phase in structures from the ship as well.
Structures feature Syndicate resource towers, Captain Beacons, and Defensive turrets. All these structures will be able to be undeployed back into beacons as well, so the syndicate will be able to relocate their entire base in less than a minute when they are under siege.
Another nifty feature would be that the Syndicate can hack into TSA structures and (depending on the structure) steal resources (TSA RT's), weapons (armory), intelligence such as motion tracking (Command chair). Other buildings that can't be hacked, like IP's and OB's can be sabotaged instead. Sabotaged structures would be inactive for a minute or so.
TSA marines and Syndicate pirates will also be able to use eachothers weapons.
An Alien/Marine Crossbreed of course <!--emo&::nerdy::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/nerd.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='nerd.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--Hunty+Dec 18 2003, 12:02 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Hunty @ Dec 18 2003, 12:02 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Hands up for anyone who doesnt read the previous replies,just reads the first post,and replies with some crazy response that took 5 seconds to think up. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Oo oo! [Sticks hand up]
<!--QuoteBegin---Lurker-+Dec 19 2003, 04:15 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (-Lurker- @ Dec 19 2003, 04:15 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> If I were to add another race to NS, I would probably avoid going Starcraft/AvP and not add a protoss/predator alien race in. Instead I would add another Human race in, called The Syndicate.
The syndicate is basically a gang of Pirates, who have taken the alien infestation as an opportunity to take over certain key space stations/colonies while the security is down. All they have to do is kill off the aliens! (and perhaps the TSA marines that are sent out to do the same thing).
They would in concept be a crossover between the Kharaa and the TSA. Looking less organised than TSA (individual Pirates are weaker since they can't afford costly armor), plus being able to buy black market upgrades and other kind of sneaky stuff the TSA generally frowns upon (stealth suits and stuff).
Pirates would lack a commander. Instead, they'd have a Captain. The Captain is able to place a Captain's Portal, which is use to respawn the captain when he dies. Regular Syndicate Pirates will allways respawn near the captain (they are phased down from an orbiting ship) and do not need a portal. This allows the Syndicate to be extremely mobile and less dependant on bases as the other races.
The captain would also be responsible for ordering upgrades/new weapons from the orbiting ship, and he will also be able to buy beacons, which can be programmed to phase in structures from the ship as well.
Structures feature Syndicate resource towers, Captain Beacons, and Defensive turrets. All these structures will be able to be undeployed back into beacons as well, so the syndicate will be able to relocate their entire base in less than a minute when they are under siege.
Another nifty feature would be that the Syndicate can hack into TSA structures and (depending on the structure) steal resources (TSA RT's), weapons (armory), intelligence such as motion tracking (Command chair). Other buildings that can't be hacked, like IP's and OB's can be sabotaged instead. Sabotaged structures would be inactive for a minute or so.
TSA marines and Syndicate pirates will also be able to use eachothers weapons. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Wow... that sounds awsome, reminds me of Metroid Prime, dunno why <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
WOULD THEY HAVE A SNOIPER RFILE?!11!?! <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
Aaronvroom vroom der party startahJoin Date: 2002-11-05Member: 7020Members
He wrote: <!--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-->ASSLOAD OF QUOTE<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Other guy wrote <!--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-->RESPONSE ASSLOAD OF QUOTE<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Could you guys try not quote such assloads of text.
But on the serious side...
<!--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 syndicate is basically a gang of Pirates<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
0MG PiR4TEZ!! ARRRRRR MATEY SHIVER!! MEE TIMBERS!! HO HO HO AND A B0TTLE OF RUM!!
I go with the idea of a machine race, like the ship's nano system goes haywire from the bacterium so the nanomachines start making robots to destroy any invading enemy, including TSA marines. You would start off as a human sized machine but as research continues (which is picked by the players like a voting system) you can modify yourself to fit new weapons or systems (mahcinegun, blades, a targetting system) it would still need to be balanced and a few more things put in however and building i still havent figured out possibly an auto construction (might not go with RTS then). and for background of victory the robots would deactivate after the threat is eliminated and the ship would be a derelict drifting in space. OR go with a race of Super Babboons that hurl fireballs at u. ::asrifle:: ::gorge:: *Pretend gorge is baboon*
Well i just wanted a new Kharaa mutation, but now i just have to put in another race.
If you have read the NS flash manual, you have probably learned that all the maps we get pwned and pwn back within are generally owned by huge, money-farming, evil & corrupted mega-corporations.
So if u ask me, the new race should be a faction of evil humans: the Mercs.
Those hired by the megacorps to keep the aliens from pooping over their entire bases, and shut up those TSA frontiersmen who have seen too much.
The race would be something like the protoss are in starcraft: generally low in numbers, with costly equipment and slow research.......but also sheer power.
Since the megacorps can afford umbelievably expensive research and materials, those mercs would be equipped with futurible-looking armors (i'm thinking about something like the Stormtroopers from Star Wars: all covered in armor, from head to toe, but more "bulky" and black instead of white).......and also futurible, painful guns.
The basic Merc is a regular human with 100 hit points......but he also starts off with a 90 points armor......and 50 recharging-over-time shields!
His weapon is the Photon Assault Rifle, quite slow-firing (let's say......5 x second) but extremely efficient.
It would do around 35 damage-per-shot, hold 60 rounds, and have a sufficiently long reload time.....let's say 50% more than the LMG.
the accuracy is almost pinpoint: little less than the Gorge's spit.
Rounds look like regular tracers from TSA guns, but they're blue, bigger and slightly slower.
The other two weapons, standard on every rines, are the knife and the pistol. But the pistol shoots out lasers instead of regular bullets.....and is self-recharging over time, providing a vitually-endless supply of ammo.
The downside is that it does less damage than the regular pistol, and it fires energy round that need to travel from point A to point B, so aiming is difficult.
Other guns, in response of the Shottie and the GL, would be the laser gatling (with each round doing miserable damage......but a monstrous rate of fire and a very wide spread) and the missile-launcher (that lobs homing missiles!)
The Mercs also have their own heavy armor......but this one is the HA's big, bad, hidden-in-the-ceiling-all-life-long brother.
This hulking robot, 2 feet taller than the "regular" HA, would have like 350 pts of armor, and 100 shield points........and move at half the HA speed.
Like the HMG is the weapon of choice for the TSA HAs, the Merc HA would have (i'm imagining everything; yes i'm THAT sick, and i also have THAT much spare time <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->) the Heavy Cannon.
This BAD-looking monster (think about the Fusion Mortar from Tribes 2......only twice the size) holds 300 rounds, and has two fire modes:
Primary fire shoots out balls of plasma (for the looks.....well those of you who have seen Starship Troopers have already in mind my idea of plasma) at a quite fast rate, like 3 every second. Each ball does like 80 damage and consumes 3 rounds (may seem too much, but the HMG does VERY little less if u consider the insane rate of fire).
Secondary fire unleashes a BIG ORB OF PLASMA that uses up 20 rounds and does Siege damage, and also causes a small shockwave.
Reload time is insane: almost twice of the HMG......this is to compensate.
Mercs spawn from a special IP that appears with the Command Station at the beginning of the game. Additional IPs may be built, but they'd cost a fortune.....let's say......75.
They have most of the TSA's standard buildings, like the RT, Obs, PG, Lab and Protolab.
Each building however has his very own, self-recharging shields.
An additional building is the Aid Station: all Mercs within touch range are slowly (very slowly) healed over time.
Also the Aid station bilks out Nanobots, that stick to the armor and slowly repair it.
Merc turrets do not need a TF to be placed and are quite resistant, but they cost a LOT more than standard ones.
Mercs have no sieges turrets. They love a fair fight <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
All buildings have greater structural resistance, but they also cost double than the TSA ones.
Upgrades are the same, but there is also a Shield upgrade, that strenghtens both the units' and buildings' shield.
The mines are little spider bots that can be placed like regular mines.....but they activate when an alien is close, chase him down, clamp on him, and blow up. The damage is the same: pretty enough to kill a skulk, worry a fade, and irritate an Onos.
The TFs cannot be electrified, since this would cause interference with the shields (but this is compensated by the fact that turrets can be placed everywhere).
The armory is not exactly an armory: it's more like an hig-energy diffuser, that recharges both shields and weapons of Mercs nearby, over time.
Mercs have no motion tracking.
Instead, they can purchase small bugs, self cloaking and extremely difficult to spot, that can be placed anywhere in the map, and display both teammates and aliens in the HUD, like the Hive Sight.
The HUD itself would be.....EVIL looking! with numbers and indicators like the TSA one......but RED!
And the voice commands and quick lines would also sound more.........EVIL!
(like dunno: instead of "attack target"......the comm would say "terminate target". instead of the initial line "let's move out!".....the mercs would say "let's go work")
I'm starting to bilk out ideas. that's it for now i'll post more stuff.
a alien that has used some of the space station machinery and has an lmg built in or something, kinda slow 1/2 machine 1/2 alien. Like in "Virus" where they take the dead people and turn them into 1/2 machine things.
Stupid but fun 2 think about <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
I like that Pirate idea, but it seems that it would be too easy to have the Captain rush a hive and have his troops respawn right at said hive. Other than that, great idea.
I would just like to say that "rouge" is a type of makeup and that "a rogue" is a person who doesn't ally himself with major powers.
<!--QuoteBegin--CaCa+Dec 23 2003, 08:50 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CaCa @ Dec 23 2003, 08:50 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <b>If They Put In A New Race, What Should It Be?</b>
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=19&t=53794&st=0' target='_blank'><i>...something like these!</i></a> <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> (check page 2, I think, for sketches) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> and with that, you've run out of places to post.. please continue this with sketches..no matter how bad they are...
Comments
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...
<!--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-->
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
<!--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...
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.
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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--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
cheesus! that IS a long post.. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
They wont have to crouch and can dig trough walls.
Think about ns_mineshaft.
They dont actually play, they just watch. And everyone can hear them on the voice comm. Like those irritating guys who comment on that Most eXtreme Elimination Chalenge show.
Heh Heh Heh...
You start off as a Zealot with Psionic Blades! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
I'm upping it because a part of me is somehow convinced that Flayra will see it and make this third race a reality! <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=7&t=45222' target='_blank'>click this</a>
The syndicate is basically a gang of Pirates, who have taken the alien infestation as an opportunity to take over certain key space stations/colonies while the security is down. All they have to do is kill off the aliens! (and perhaps the TSA marines that are sent out to do the same thing).
They would in concept be a crossover between the Kharaa and the TSA. Looking less organised than TSA (individual Pirates are weaker since they can't afford costly armor), plus being able to buy black market upgrades and other kind of sneaky stuff the TSA generally frowns upon (stealth suits and stuff).
Pirates would lack a commander. Instead, they'd have a Captain. The Captain is able to place a Captain's Portal, which is use to respawn the captain when he dies. Regular Syndicate Pirates will allways respawn near the captain (they are phased down from an orbiting ship) and do not need a portal. This allows the Syndicate to be extremely mobile and less dependant on bases as the other races.
The captain would also be responsible for ordering upgrades/new weapons from the orbiting ship, and he will also be able to buy beacons, which can be programmed to phase in structures from the ship as well.
Structures feature Syndicate resource towers, Captain Beacons, and Defensive turrets. All these structures will be able to be undeployed back into beacons as well, so the syndicate will be able to relocate their entire base in less than a minute when they are under siege.
Another nifty feature would be that the Syndicate can hack into TSA structures and (depending on the structure) steal resources (TSA RT's), weapons (armory), intelligence such as motion tracking (Command chair). Other buildings that can't be hacked, like IP's and OB's can be sabotaged instead. Sabotaged structures would be inactive for a minute or so.
TSA marines and Syndicate pirates will also be able to use eachothers weapons.
Oo oo!
[Sticks hand up]
The syndicate is basically a gang of Pirates, who have taken the alien infestation as an opportunity to take over certain key space stations/colonies while the security is down. All they have to do is kill off the aliens! (and perhaps the TSA marines that are sent out to do the same thing).
They would in concept be a crossover between the Kharaa and the TSA. Looking less organised than TSA (individual Pirates are weaker since they can't afford costly armor), plus being able to buy black market upgrades and other kind of sneaky stuff the TSA generally frowns upon (stealth suits and stuff).
Pirates would lack a commander. Instead, they'd have a Captain. The Captain is able to place a Captain's Portal, which is use to respawn the captain when he dies. Regular Syndicate Pirates will allways respawn near the captain (they are phased down from an orbiting ship) and do not need a portal. This allows the Syndicate to be extremely mobile and less dependant on bases as the other races.
The captain would also be responsible for ordering upgrades/new weapons from the orbiting ship, and he will also be able to buy beacons, which can be programmed to phase in structures from the ship as well.
Structures feature Syndicate resource towers, Captain Beacons, and Defensive turrets. All these structures will be able to be undeployed back into beacons as well, so the syndicate will be able to relocate their entire base in less than a minute when they are under siege.
Another nifty feature would be that the Syndicate can hack into TSA structures and (depending on the structure) steal resources (TSA RT's), weapons (armory), intelligence such as motion tracking (Command chair). Other buildings that can't be hacked, like IP's and OB's can be sabotaged instead. Sabotaged structures would be inactive for a minute or so.
TSA marines and Syndicate pirates will also be able to use eachothers weapons. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Wow... that sounds awsome, reminds me of Metroid Prime, dunno why <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
WOULD THEY HAVE A SNOIPER RFILE?!11!?! <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--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-->ASSLOAD OF QUOTE<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Other guy wrote
<!--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-->RESPONSE ASSLOAD OF QUOTE<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Could you guys try not quote such assloads of text.
But on the serious side...
<!--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 syndicate is basically a gang of Pirates<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
0MG PiR4TEZ!! ARRRRRR MATEY SHIVER!! MEE TIMBERS!! HO HO HO AND A B0TTLE OF RUM!!
OR
go with a race of Super Babboons that hurl fireballs at u. ::asrifle:: ::gorge:: *Pretend gorge is baboon*
If you have read the NS flash manual, you have probably learned that all the maps we get pwned and pwn back within are generally owned by huge, money-farming, evil & corrupted mega-corporations.
So if u ask me, the new race should be a faction of evil humans: the Mercs.
Those hired by the megacorps to keep the aliens from pooping over their entire bases, and shut up those TSA frontiersmen who have seen too much.
The race would be something like the protoss are in starcraft: generally low in numbers, with costly equipment and slow research.......but also sheer power.
Since the megacorps can afford umbelievably expensive research and materials, those mercs would be equipped with futurible-looking armors (i'm thinking about something like the Stormtroopers from Star Wars: all covered in armor, from head to toe, but more "bulky" and black instead of white).......and also futurible, painful guns.
The basic Merc is a regular human with 100 hit points......but he also starts off with a 90 points armor......and 50 recharging-over-time shields!
His weapon is the Photon Assault Rifle, quite slow-firing (let's say......5 x second) but extremely efficient.
It would do around 35 damage-per-shot, hold 60 rounds, and have a sufficiently long reload time.....let's say 50% more than the LMG.
the accuracy is almost pinpoint: little less than the Gorge's spit.
Rounds look like regular tracers from TSA guns, but they're blue, bigger and slightly slower.
The other two weapons, standard on every rines, are the knife and the pistol. But the pistol shoots out lasers instead of regular bullets.....and is self-recharging over time, providing a vitually-endless supply of ammo.
The downside is that it does less damage than the regular pistol, and it fires energy round that need to travel from point A to point B, so aiming is difficult.
Other guns, in response of the Shottie and the GL, would be the laser gatling (with each round doing miserable damage......but a monstrous rate of fire and a very wide spread) and the missile-launcher (that lobs homing missiles!)
The Mercs also have their own heavy armor......but this one is the HA's big, bad, hidden-in-the-ceiling-all-life-long brother.
This hulking robot, 2 feet taller than the "regular" HA, would have like 350 pts of armor, and 100 shield points........and move at half the HA speed.
Like the HMG is the weapon of choice for the TSA HAs, the Merc HA would have (i'm imagining everything; yes i'm THAT sick, and i also have THAT much spare time <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->) the Heavy Cannon.
This BAD-looking monster (think about the Fusion Mortar from Tribes 2......only twice the size) holds 300 rounds, and has two fire modes:
Primary fire shoots out balls of plasma (for the looks.....well those of you who have seen Starship Troopers have already in mind my idea of plasma) at a quite fast rate, like 3 every second. Each ball does like 80 damage and consumes 3 rounds (may seem too much, but the HMG does VERY little less if u consider the insane rate of fire).
Secondary fire unleashes a BIG ORB OF PLASMA that uses up 20 rounds and does Siege damage, and also causes a small shockwave.
Reload time is insane: almost twice of the HMG......this is to compensate.
Mercs spawn from a special IP that appears with the Command Station at the beginning of the game. Additional IPs may be built, but they'd cost a fortune.....let's say......75.
They have most of the TSA's standard buildings, like the RT, Obs, PG, Lab and Protolab.
Each building however has his very own, self-recharging shields.
An additional building is the Aid Station: all Mercs within touch range are slowly (very slowly) healed over time.
Also the Aid station bilks out Nanobots, that stick to the armor and slowly repair it.
Merc turrets do not need a TF to be placed and are quite resistant, but they cost a LOT more than standard ones.
Mercs have no sieges turrets. They love a fair fight <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
All buildings have greater structural resistance, but they also cost double than the TSA ones.
Upgrades are the same, but there is also a Shield upgrade, that strenghtens both the units' and buildings' shield.
The mines are little spider bots that can be placed like regular mines.....but they activate when an alien is close, chase him down, clamp on him, and blow up. The damage is the same: pretty enough to kill a skulk, worry a fade, and irritate an Onos.
The TFs cannot be electrified, since this would cause interference with the shields (but this is compensated by the fact that turrets can be placed everywhere).
The armory is not exactly an armory: it's more like an hig-energy diffuser, that recharges both shields and weapons of Mercs nearby, over time.
Mercs have no motion tracking.
Instead, they can purchase small bugs, self cloaking and extremely difficult to spot, that can be placed anywhere in the map, and display both teammates and aliens in the HUD, like the Hive Sight.
The HUD itself would be.....EVIL looking! with numbers and indicators like the TSA one......but RED!
And the voice commands and quick lines would also sound more.........EVIL!
(like dunno: instead of "attack target"......the comm would say "terminate target". instead of the initial line "let's move out!".....the mercs would say "let's go work")
I'm starting to bilk out ideas. that's it for now i'll post more stuff.
Stupid but fun 2 think about <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
I would just like to say that "rouge" is a type of makeup and that "a rogue" is a person who doesn't ally himself with major powers.
If you get close to some person (Alien or Marine), you can assume his identity. And do some back stabbing ;D
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=19&t=53794&st=0' target='_blank'><i>...something like these!</i></a> <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> (check page 2, I think, for sketches)
<a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=19&t=53794&st=0' target='_blank'><i>...something like these!</i></a> <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> (check page 2, I think, for sketches) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
and with that, you've run out of places to post.. please continue this with sketches..no matter how bad they are...
in the artwork forum.