There is a lot of talking about super sized units going on atm. As i read one of those a picture poped in my mind. A little bot clinging onto a super sized one. Desperate trying not to fall of the staggering marching giant. With this in mind i began thinking about how the interactions between units could influence the game. Something similar to this is the suggestion made in the forum to have long range weaponry for air need to be guided. Means having a spotter that marks the target with a laser or something so the guided missiles finds the goal. Example: Lets say the giant bot aint a bot but a walking platform(4 feet). If it is on the battlefield little bots near it can climb it and shot from above. Now because of the simulated physics of the game, this gives the bots a advantage over other similar bots. They are higher thus can shot and see further. Units on the ground need to get even closer because of the arc. This would have some effects: the platform alone is useless in conjuntion with the bots its helpfull the platform acts like a localized upgrade it would furthermore increase the different roles between tanks and bots (tanks are in general bad a climbing ladders). it would add a big unit that is not unbalanced, having it to often not usefull it adds a tactical option it works in the first place because of how the game works, mainly simulated physics it could even help crossing deeper rivers or building bridges i think with such an approach it is possible to add units to the game that are acceptable for many players. Interaction between units also adds depth to the game. It feels more organic. Other thinkable things (not necessary experimental style): walking shields(not energyshield) big bots that can grab and throw units (like a mobile unit cannon) Magnetotrons heavy amor plating and a huge magnet to attract metal bullets (kind of a suicidal unit) repair units mobile parachute units (they cling onto tanks, so the tanks can drive of cliffs) the hollow rock (some smaller units can hide in it) transports I hope this gets the idea across: its not only important what a unit can do solely by itself , also what they may can do together. This could widely increase the depth of the game. Is a good lore for many different units, may be fun to look at, could be a justification for exeprimentals without adding overpowered units to the game.
So... a watchtower type structure that elevates units to increase their vision and effective range? Actually a very interesting idea for a defensive structure, which could afford to be extremely cheap on its own. Would work especially well in conjunction with a very small, highly efficient infantry type bot, allowing you to put many bots in such a tower. I don't know about little bots standing on big bots' shoulders, that sounds pointless and gimmicky but dev-labor-intensive. But a cheap defensive structure that protects your units while simultaneously increasing their vision and range would be very useful. And it would be much cheaper and more flexible than a tower with its own gun, which will never move.
Units sight range is pretty dumb. I would rather see units direct fire and play ability rather than realistic.
Just saw this, and glad I did. As I tend to play RTS games a bit like most people play Sim-City, the potential base and perimeter design applications of this have my head spinning, but that may be partly because I need sleep. Combined with walls, these platforms could basically allow rudimentary above-ground terraforming, and I probably wouldn't be able to resist building full medieval-style castles and keeps to guard key locations. I want. I want very badly. <3 As for the other suggestions, the hollow rock has some potentially delightful applications spring to mind, although that may be drifting a little too far into a cartoony aesthetic. The Magnetotrons are probably the most interesting suggestion from a pure functionality and strategy perspective (not including the platforms, of course), although they would dramatically affect certain dynamics of the game (particularly defending the commander in an assassination game). If something like this were in play, a lot of the rest of the game would need to be designed to take them into account.
This already happens in Spring. Units with ballistic weapons can shoot further on highground. It's a neat mechanic making heights more important. Keep in mind though that realistically units that benefit from this will shoot projectiles with relatively low speed so the projectiles will be fairly easy to dodge. As for extended vision radius I'd say no. Hopefully PA will have raytracing Line of Sight so that if I can see you then you can see me. Of course an elevated unit will be able to see above small hills and the horizon of the planet will be further away but the unit will also be spotted by enemies earlier.
Well all this where not actuall: 'i want this ingame' suggestions. It was to show, that you can create super units that are not overpowered devastation machines. But they work with the game, especially because they function because of the game mechanics itself. Also the platforms where imagined as moving units.
It won't. If you look at the typ of artwork, it would become impossible to get coverage, not even on the local parameter. It gets even worse if you remember that the maps are not flat but spheres or other mostly convex bodies. LoS is barely usable in such a scenario.
And this is where satellites come in. I think (hope) it'll be rather hard to obtain full vision around your base (with true LOS) until you get some satellites.
Ok its not actually stated, shamebon me. But i interpreted it like that: http://forums.uberent.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=43713
