Beta Feedback - A few ideas - metal deposit pockets - Defensive Bunkers

Hello, long time lurker, short time backer and first post.

First i would like to thank the PA community for funding/supporting PA and allowing it to happen, and of course Uber for there efforts.
We all know how cutting edge TA was at the time (an 11 year old me upgrading RAM for TA's bigger maps) and how SupCom carried that tradition on, playing the BETA i feel we get glimpses into what could be a truly "next gen" (starting to hate that term) game. Its quite exciting the opportunity we all have to help make this an amazing game together.

I feel that playing on spheres is adding a great deal to the game-play that we still haven't full explored but doing multiple planets at the same time is a massive jump in game-play options, its going to take a while to come to grips with, which we are realizing trying to resolve planetary invasion for example.

However seems to me that now have reached the point where we can try new ideas and game-play mechanics i would like to suggest:

• Defensive bunkers

I know that Uber currently want walls to feature more, additionally we want to have more distinction between bots and vehicles. Bunkers would add to base defense/wall creation and allow bots to go inside them to defend.

• Test defensive towers having long reload time

Purpose being that there is currently zero point at present of having T1 units rush a defensive line, giving the turrets a reload time after say 50 shots would still allow them to hold off small attacks but they could be broken by a long engagement/onslaught.

• Metal deposits

I am guessing at present metal deposits are randomly generated upon planet creation?
I suggest having the same number of metal deposits but tightening up the grouping of them making them more concentrated. This would allow players to reach out and capture these locations and fortify them with defenses having lots of smaller bases. Giving us lots of mini battles over the planet, fighting for control for these key locations. Would allow turtle players to build small bases at each site, lots of mini battles where control is being fought for.

Adding to the air discussion along with collision detection and formations for aircraft could i suggest an air strip that needs to be build also before planes can launch? Air strip is constructed and multiple air factories can be attached to the strip. This would increase the build time for a player to create air units, and limit the amount that a player can make, as each air strip can only support say, 4 air factories. This would give more identity to bases. All factory currently look the same which seems like something we are stuck with from the TA days limited to small buildings due to screen display, but now as we can zoom out...


Smaller points.
I know the UI is being worked on, but please have option to scale the UI can't read some of the smaller text.
Any idea on the release date for Air transport unit to beta?

Metal spots are randomly placed. But they are pretty concentrated – especially compared to how they used to be spaced out.

I like it where it is.

There's clumps of metal all over the place with random lone spots scattered about. Has a bunch of highly contested areas and then random lone spots to benefit those who spread out and give further reward to players who scout.

There's lots of battles over the various clumps of metal.

I'm with Brian for the most part on metal distribution. Lone metal spots give targets to Bot marauders and reward mobile control over turtling as many clusters as possible. I'd love to see geometric distribution on metal planets, however.

Bots as infantry is a nice approach, but I don't know if we want to go full Starcraft and add bunkers. Then again, many other games have had similar mechanics - such as garrisons/"neutral" bunkers in the C&C series.

There's been talk of a stronger correlation between defenses and economy - right now, artillery desperately needs positive energy to function because of radar. Giving laser defenses an energy bar that reloads off the economy wouldn't be a terrible idea to try out. However, it's worth noting that defenses only really need these kinds of drawbacks when paired with walls or overspammed; modest defenses that scare away small parties can be overwhelmed once you have enough firepower to vaporize the towers one by one. Using artillery to soften up defenses doesn't hurt either.

No to turtling, or at least to anything that encourages it. On second thought distribution of metal on planet probably will not matter in most cases, we will have planet turtling instead of corner of map turtles. However i would love option that makes every starting position with number of metal spots you can edit, then some empty radius around (also editable in options). So everybody has about equal start.

I am a player that really does like a bit of Turtling and Mongol gameplay.

But mex distribution isn't usually what encourages me to build defences (Not that I leave them undefended) but it's more the terrain that says when it's right to do so, like choke points, or a enemy who I can block in.

Yeah I believe that have metal cluster as defense points is a bad idea i like how they are spread out and the ability to fight over them. However on a Metal Planet this Option with be brilliant for capturing point of interest. To control the planet for it death laser, engines, power and etc...