Unit Cannon: Design Vision

THANK YOU SORIAN <3 <3 <3

So with this type of implementation it seems like my concerns from before might be manifesting. I was always concerned that it would just be shoehorned into the existing "design meta" instead of using it as a chance to revamp the different mechanics(both the new UC and the complimentary pre-existing mechanics) to ensure things are congruent.

Mike

Um. ->

Also..

YES.

Limiting the unit cannon's range in that way would dramatically hamper its versatility in ways we weren't thrilled about, so we went for full solar system. However, it's not as though travel between a moon and a planet is the same--there's still orbital transit times to consider, so a player being besieged from across the solar system will have a lot more time to react than a player on a nearby moon would.

1v1s in general right now tend to see little in the way of advanced weaponry, especially at higher level play. One of my main objectives right now is figuring out what I can do to change that. Stay tuned.

I've got at least one 1v1 map cookin' that I'm look to address this with. Again, stay tuned.

Yes.

Yes. You can build up to 12 units before firing.

@tvinita

Have you ever considered looking into a balance mod for some inspiration for your balance?

I'd love to have a couple games of Statera or RCBM with you to show how the community has dealt with the economy and T2.

Maybe it would be helpful to have an automatic "continue to shoot units there" to reinforce bases with units. The only thing that stops the unit cannon from being used like that is micro. (or a UI mod that automates it as well). So having a "endless build and shoot there please" command probably is a good idea to prevent micro intense advantages.

Also I think the main difference between the teleporter and the unit cannon is simple: The unit cannon is a one way ticket into the unknown. The teleporter in turn has to be established on both sides before it can be used.

Actual if it were cheaper (or if we get an economy rebalance as I want ;D) I can see it as a quite effective way to expand on bigger planets.

bigger maps and t1 economy changes that favor expansion so players have more resources again. I think if you are reading the balance section of this forums you probably know my stance and my wall of text about it

Question(s) for @tvinita
What kind of icons do you use for the droppods? Will they have an icon that indicates whats inside of it?
And how many units fit in one droppod?

How do they land?do they jet pack down or crash like crazed mech soldiers?

*vomits from excitement*

Wait... so it can't launch bacon... WTF is the point of a unit cannon that can't launch bacon?!

I think you misunderstood: Can the cannon build up multiple pods of 12 units each and then fire them off rapidly?

I'm really excited that this might given more relevance to the sniper bots, catapults, and other anti-missle/AA units on the ground.

Honestly, don't give a single damn what they call it or how you rationalize it, as long as it adds this much needed gameplay mechanic!

@tvinita when the unit cannon builds twelve units to fill a pod/rocket/shell, will there be a "roll off"-time between each unit built? Or can we play with twelve boom bots built in 4.5 seconds (12 * 45 m / 120 m / s)?

Agree on both points - I think it would be a great idea to have a continuous build there button. I also think the cannon should ultimately cost a bit less than it is proposed too - maybe as much as one third less. I'd like to see it firmly situated at about tech 1.5 level, so games where two players start on separate planets are actually dynamic from as early as 5-10 minutes instead of 15-20. The neat thing about it is, hit the cost just right and it will have a very nice exponential scaling effect. One unit cannon should be useful, and within reach of the average game, but many unit cannons should be an awesome-scale game ender.

More importantly, does the unit cannon make that nice WHUMMMM sound from the kickstarter trailer ?

Do pods/units fired from the cannon to another planet use the same orbital transfer paths as an avenger ?

edit - ninja answered by Sorian

No icon yet, but you will be able to see what's in the drop pod. It's one unit per drop pod, and the cannon's rate of fire is 3.0

This likely will change as art comes online, but right now they just slam screaming into the ground, guns blazing. It's pretty ridiculous watching a tank fall from the sky like an artillery shell.

Gah, I knew I forgot something.

Right now the factory cooldown on the unit cannon is 1 second, so it'll be 16.5 seconds to have a full salvo of bomb bots. Still dangerous without being incredibly silly.

I'll ask Howard.

Yes.

ooooooohhhh, got it. So excited, you guys rock for sharing all of this detail.

with that kind of build power it'll either be:

a) a micro fest of a constant "don't forget to launch the new units"
b) a "hahaha I have a mod that does it for me" "cheat"

if it does not have an automatic "continue to drop units right there please" in stock PA.

3.0? Daaang x3