For Backers Only: Megabot Experiment

the size really does fit if you ask me, however.. if I may voice my opinion on this already I'd make it like more streamlined at the top, so that it kind of looks more advanced, say instead of having those rockets on its top like that it has a dome that opens to fire them.

I hope that made some sense xD

Will people actually pay attention? THIS IS A VISUALIZATION, not an actual concept. The modeler was told to make a mech with as many guns as possible, and this was the result.

Lol. Did you seriously just tell us there is a practical difference between visualization and concept?

conceptualization - inventing or contriving an idea or explanation and formulating it mentally
visualization - formation of mental visual images


Another term for 'visualization' is CONCEPT ART. It's taking an abstract idea and putting it on paper in a visual form.


So hop off your giant cube of anti-visualization, and lets start talking about what they've given us instead of raging at those who have a criticism of the scale of parts of the model.

I like the scale. If this is the biggest, it's fine. I don't think any bigger would really be appropriate for a TA successor. This guy looks like he could be a spiritual successor to the Krogoth, and I'm okay with that.

Same thing I was thinking. I think he might be a little too large and out of place. In a battle he is just a giant target. He looks disproportionate compared to the other units. The commander is the largest of the bots and I think the experimentals should be a little bigger than the commander but not 3X the size.

the scale discussion got me thinking.
Independently from this specific bot, should there be a size limit for interplanetary transport?
Since the possible methods of transport are still vague, it's a bit speculative, but on a game mechanic level it might be interesting to say:
ok, this mega bot has certain advantages a,b,c, but be sure you need it on this planet because it will be stuck there.
It would offer balancing options to enforce a certain locality on your units (even if it's on planetoid-level) .
Depending on what transport methods will be added, that could also be factored in as indirect transport costs.(better method -> bigger units -> higher building cost)

I think its a good idea

This.

It's hard to say sheer destruction and terror if the unit isn't the size of a factory.

I think the scale is perfect. It's not bigger than the battleship and the larger structures, while it still look big enough to take on a small army of tanks and robots. It would be cool though to see it as an atillery/support super-unit. We rarely see those kind of super-units.

Don't forget there night be teleportation. Like the experimental tower Aeon in SupCom2.

Or a Stargate... I would really like a Stargate... <.<

On scale: I think I have to agree with the sentiment that it should be a bit bigger than a factory. It doesn't quite feel right for a super unit to be produced by the same thing that makes the rank and file. I actually kinda like the idea of having to put together a structure to build a super unit. Not a factory for super units, per se, more like scaffolding.

on role: Several people mentioned that they'd be interested in megabots that do more than direct fire. I second that.

Other thoughts: Also, not that things need to be grounded in reality, but something that big (and expensive) that moves with legs, should really have more than 2, you know? A humanoid commander makes sense, and small bots with two legs (to simplify manufacturing) make sense, but something big and important and expensive feels like it should have at least 4 legs, preferably 6, though I can see how that could clash with the general unit design.

I like the scale of the mega-bot, it's not so big that it is ridiculous and as such should not be as problematic to move around rougher terrain. Looking forward to critique a mega-bot with a design and game-play goal.

just need one uberbot , not too powerful just enuff to smash small groups , some thing weth 3 basic weapons like laser, missile, balistique . that be nice .

I would say a tad smaller. Seems very OP atm

Just awesome, get it in!

So this topic has been percolating for me for a while... and, I come to the conclusion that you really need to have an answer to the question of WHY. Why does the Megabot exist? What role does it serve?

Too often these large super units are simply scaled up units. Larger guns, more health, more DPS, larger model. They lack a defined role, a reason for existence. With a standard 'attack bot' role, either they are more cost effective than units, and people spam experimentals (Supcom), or they are less cost effective, and like any other unit, players choose not to use them at all (Krogoth).

Supcom gave them the dubious role of 'only thing able to defeat overlapping shields', which also happened to include the role of 'able to defeat everything else, too', which is more of an indictment of the balance of the game than a recommendation for that role.

To realistically consider adding a Megabot to the game, there needs to be a role that it alone fills, and *that* role will determine the appropriateness of the size and scale of the megabot.

One role that has been suggested that fits well is the one of interplanetary assault. Ability to land, clear an area, and hold a beachhead for reinforcements to arrive.
Another one would then naturally be planetary defense. Huge units with the capability of firing on targets in near orbit. Shooting things in orbit requires an enormous weapon - instead of ranges like 40km, you need a range of 2,000 km. Put that weapon on a mobile platform with a number of secondary defenses, and you've got an awesome mega unit that doesn't make the rest of the unit pool obsolete.

These would be roles & units I could support that fit perfectly within in the PA sphere. A walking, scaled up attack bot, I cannot.

Supcom 2 minor experimentals like megaliths server better as support weapons then direct attack weapons, and are comparable to an actual T2 in the game.

The Megalith is equipped with 3 weapons: A main top mounted blaster that excels in AOE, range and damage making it the best way of bombarding enemy units from afar, 2 side mounted microwave beams dealing in pinpoint DPS damage that is great at taking out smaller units or for finishing larger ones and finally 4 AA blasters (I refuse to call them lasers because they don't move at light speed) that deal decent damage but mainly serve to compliment actual AA.

This might make the megalith sound like a all in one super unit right? wrong, the HP of the megalith when compared to it's size is very poor, often leading to entire groups being swarmed and destroyed by smaller enemy units who at aren't even aiming at it, by trying to soot at things behind it.

When by them selves or in a group of megaliths their damage is enough to massacre enemy land units (Like the tau for warhammer 40K) but their meagre AA makes them a direct target for gunships who will kill them in seconds.

But when as a part of a combined land army (Megaliths, assault bots, AA adaptors, artillery and engineers) they are much more powerful and are easily my most favourite experimental in all of SupCom, not for their raw power but because of how well they stack with conventional units.

And that's what I want to see, mega bots that stack with my army's, but never replace them.

If it weren't for a total overhaul of the Flowing Economy into a Starcraft-esk "pay now" system, a rather unwieldy research mechanic... and a slight issue with scale, SupCom2 actually handles Super Units by way of "minor" experimentals, very well.

In that they were Specialised Units and NOT Super Units.

Holy crap I said something nice about Mega-Bots.
Someone check to see if I have a temperature... I must be ill.

I knew you'd come around Just need to bleed some of that IM niceness and reasonability onto the forums :lol: