Based from what we've seen from the CGI and some of the developer livestreams, there are 2 important directions that this game is going for. 1. Planetary scale combat 2. Focus on macromanagement to facilitate planetary scale combat. And as a result it is clear that the amount of units, the special damage types and upgrades for units will not be present as shown in this portion of the feature list. [WILL NOT BE PRESENT] Research tree/tech tree [WILL NOT BE PRESENT] Shields [WILL NOT BE PRESENT] Space combat [WILL NOT BE PRESENT] Multiple Unit Pools [WILL NOT BE PRESENT] Unit Veterancy So I'm wondering, what direction is this game going? Normally in an RTS, it is very possible to deploy a number of tactics and eventually strategies as you get better. But in Planetary Annihilation the scale is just so enormous that I can imagine tactics becoming pretty unimportant. How will Planetary Annihilation make sure that combat is more than just outdamaging your opponent in the most straight forward way? Would it be possible for a small inferior army to win from a much larger one under certain circumstances?
I honestly can't really explain this very well with the written word. Perhaps someone else can. I think the best way to answer your question would be to pick up a copy of TA from gog.com for $6 and play it for a while. Rest assured there will be plenty of room for tactics and strategy.
Where SupCom2 got it's strats from teh Upgrades you selected, PA will get it's Strats/Tactics from the selection of Unit you choose to build and more specifically the Composition. So whereas in SupCom2 putting your RP into Land does kinda force you to keep using it otherwise being at a disadvantage, PA will let you start out with a Couple Bot Facs, transition to Naval and end the game with Air. Mike
Unit composition is important in any RTS, it makes all the difference both on large and small scale games. The problem with focussing on unit composition and base building is that it leaves very little room for actual unit interaction. For example, if units had different armor statistics for the side they were attacked from. it would atleast create some kind of positional advantage if you attack from the flank.
There won't be armor types, but there are still a plethora of ways for units to interact and methods to adjust how a unit behaves, are you familiar with SupCom Unit Blueprints? Mike
I wasn't really familiar with them, but apparantly it's just a file that describes the different properties that a unit has. I am not sure what you're trying to say though. What do these blueprints have to do with the subject that is being discussed?
Actually just the realistic projectile simulations alone allows for an incredible variety of unit interactions.
Just trying to point out that there are a large number of ways you can adjust units compared to most games due to the simulation nature of TA/SupCom/PA as Antillie mentioned and I forgot. I would attach a BP file, but it won't let me, so I'll just stick in it here for kicks; Code: UnitBlueprint { Audio = { AmbientMove = Sound { Bank = 'UEL', Cue = 'UEL0101_Move_Loop', LodCutoff = 'UnitMove_LodCutoff', }, Destroyed = Sound { Bank = 'UELDestroy', Cue = 'UEL_Destroy_Sml_Land', LodCutoff = 'UnitMove_LodCutoff', }, StartMove = Sound { Bank = 'UEL', Cue = 'UEL0101_Move_Start', LodCutoff = 'UnitMove_LodCutoff', }, StopMove = Sound { Bank = 'UEL', Cue = 'UEL0101_Move_Stop', LodCutoff = 'UnitMove_LodCutoff', }, UISelection = Sound { Bank = 'Interface', Cue = 'UEF_Select_Vehicle', LodCutoff = 'UnitMove_LodCutoff', }, }, Buffs = { Regen = { Level1 = 1, Level2 = 2, Level3 = 3, Level4 = 4, Level5 = 5, }, }, BuildIconSortPriority = 20, Categories = { 'PRODUCTSC1', 'SELECTABLE', 'BUILTBYTIER1FACTORY', 'BUILTBYTIER2FACTORY', 'BUILTBYTIER3FACTORY', 'UEF', 'MOBILE', 'LAND', 'TECH1', 'SCOUT', 'INTELLIGENCE', 'DIRECTFIRE', 'RADAR', 'VISIBLETORECON', 'RECLAIMABLE', 'OVERLAYDIRECTFIRE', 'OVERLAYRADAR', }, Defense = { AirThreatLevel = 0, ArmorType = 'Normal', EconomyThreatLevel = 0, Health = 29, MaxHealth = 29, RegenRate = 0, SubThreatLevel = 0, SurfaceThreatLevel = 0.1, }, Description = '<LOC uel0101_desc>Land Scout', Display = { Abilities = { '<LOC ability_radar>Radar', }, Mesh = { IconFadeInZoom = 130, LODs = { { LODCutoff = 100, Scrolling = true, ShaderName = 'Unit', }, { AlbedoName = 'uel0101_lod1_albedo.dds', LODCutoff = 215, ShaderName = 'Unit', SpecularName = 'uel0101_lod1_specteam.dds', }, }, }, MovementEffects = { Land = { Effects = { { Bones = { 'Exhaust', }, Type = 'GroundKickup01', }, }, Treads = { ScrollTreads = true, TreadMarks = { { BoneName = 'UEL0101', TreadMarks = 'tank_treads07_albedo', TreadMarksInterval = 0.1, TreadMarksSizeX = 0.3, TreadMarksSizeZ = 0.42, }, }, }, }, }, PlaceholderMeshName = 'UXL0011', SpawnRandomRotation = true, UniformScale = 0.08, }, Economy = { BuildCostEnergy = 80, BuildCostMass = 12, BuildTime = 80, MinBuildTime = 100, TeleportEnergyMod = 0.15, TeleportMassMod = 1, TeleportTimeMod = 0.01, }, General = { Category = 'Utility', Classification = 'RULEUC_MilitaryVehicle', CommandCaps = { RULEUCC_Attack = true, RULEUCC_CallTransport = true, RULEUCC_Capture = false, RULEUCC_Guard = true, RULEUCC_Move = true, RULEUCC_Nuke = false, RULEUCC_Patrol = true, RULEUCC_Reclaim = false, RULEUCC_Repair = false, RULEUCC_RetaliateToggle = true, RULEUCC_Stop = true, RULEUCC_Transport = false, }, FactionName = 'UEF', Icon = 'land', TechLevel = 'RULEUTL_Basic', UnitName = '<LOC uel0101_name>Snoop', UnitWeight = 1, }, Intel = { RadarRadius = 45, VisionRadius = 24, }, Interface = { HelpText = '<LOC uel0101_help>Land Scout', }, LifeBarHeight = 0.075, LifeBarOffset = 0.25, LifeBarSize = 0.5, Physics = { BackUpDistance = 2, BankingSlope = 0, BuildOnLayerCaps = { LAYER_Air = false, LAYER_Land = true, LAYER_Orbit = false, LAYER_Seabed = false, LAYER_Sub = false, LAYER_Water = false, }, DragCoefficient = 0.2, MaxAcceleration = 4.5, MaxBrake = 4.5, MaxSpeed = 4.5, MaxSpeedReverse = 4.5, MaxSteerForce = 1000, MeshExtentsX = 0.4, MeshExtentsY = 0.3, MeshExtentsZ = 0.8, MinSpeedPercent = 0, MotionType = 'RULEUMT_Land', TurnRadius = 5, TurnRate = 90, }, SelectionSizeX = 0.35, SelectionSizeZ = 0.5, SelectionThickness = 0.75, SizeX = 0.35, SizeY = 0.4, SizeZ = 0.65, StrategicIconName = 'icon_land1_intel', StrategicIconSortPriority = 135, Transport = { CanFireFromTransport = false, }, Veteran = { Level1 = 2, Level2 = 4, Level3 = 6, Level4 = 8, Level5 = 10, }, Weapon = { { AboveWaterTargetsOnly = true, AimControlPrecedence = 10, Audio = { Fire = Sound { Bank = 'UELWeapon', Cue = 'UEL0101_MachineGun', LodCutoff = 'Weapon_LodCutoff', }, }, BallisticArc = 'RULEUBA_LowArc', CollideFriendly = false, Damage = 2, DamageType = 'Normal', DisplayName = 'Tom Cat Machinegun', FireTargetLayerCapsTable = { Land = 'Land|Water|Seabed', Water = 'Land|Water|Seabed', }, FiringTolerance = 2, Label = 'MainGun', MaxRadius = 25, MuzzleSalvoDelay = 0, MuzzleSalvoSize = 1, MuzzleVelocity = 25, ProjectileId = '/projectiles/TDFMachineGun01/TDFMachineGun01_proj.bp', ProjectileLifetimeUsesMultiplier = 1.15, ProjectilesPerOnFire = 1, RackBones = { { MuzzleBones = { 'Turret_Muzzle', }, RackBone = 'Turret_Barrel', }, }, RackRecoilDistance = 0, RackReloadTimeout = 10, RackSalvoChargeTime = 0, RackSalvoReloadTime = 0, RackSalvoSize = 1, RackSlavedToTurret = false, RangeCategory = 'UWRC_DirectFire', RateOfFire = 0.5, TargetCheckInterval = 1, TargetPriorities = { 'SPECIALHIGHPRI', 'MOBILE', 'STRUCTURE DEFENSE', 'SPECIALLOWPRI', 'ALLUNITS', }, TargetRestrictDisallow = 'UNTARGETABLE', TrackingRadius = 1.15, TurretBoneMuzzle = 'Turret_Muzzle', TurretBonePitch = 'Turret_Barrel', TurretBoneYaw = 'Turret', TurretDualManipulators = false, TurretPitch = 10, TurretPitchRange = 20, TurretPitchSpeed = 85, TurretYaw = 0, TurretYawRange = 180, TurretYawSpeed = 360, Turreted = true, WeaponCategory = 'Direct Fire', WeaponRepackTimeout = 0, WeaponUnpacks = false, }, }, Wreckage = { Blueprint = '/props/DefaultWreckage/DefaultWreckage_prop.bp', EnergyMult = 0, HealthMult = 0.9, MassMult = 0.9, ReclaimTimeMultiplier = 1, WreckageLayers = { Air = false, Land = true, Seabed = false, Sub = false, Water = false, }, }, } DON'T QUOTE THIS PLEASE! Obviously not everything deals with how a unit behaves, but a lot of it does and goes far beyond what most games do, combines with the simulated nature of projectiles there is a huge number of possibilities. To give an example, I present the Juggernaut MKIII! This is a neat unit, it has a high top speed, but it accelerates and turns like butts, so it's really easy to get outflanked where it can only bring some of it's 5 weapons to bear on targets, but it can bring all weapons to bear on targets directly ahead. It's also Amphibious(seafloor) so combined with it's high speed it's great at crossing most large distances and penetrating deep in enemy territory to raiding. All of it's Pros and cons are basically emergent from it's capabilities, you don't have to do things like say things "This unit can shoot while turning" or "gets speed boost underwater", all these things happen naturally. Another aspect is the weapons, the Juggernaut is equipped with 5 weapons(4 types); Railgun(Main turret) 360 Fire-arc, Frontloaded Damage, Penetrating Shot Plasma Gatling Turret(Secondary Turret) 260 Fire-Arc, Large Salvo, Light individual Damage Missiles(Hull Mounted) 360 Fire-Arc, Tracking, Inaccurate, AoE Beam Projectors x2(Side Sponsons)190 Fire-Arc, Forward Facing, Consistent damage, Accurate All these work to help define the unit as well as something that works good agaisnt groups of (particularly T2) unit, with the Main gun potentially dealing damage to 2 targets, the Missiles covering an area with damage, the Beams being on either side of the tank,a dn Gatling turret being able to change targets mid bullet stream. So there is lots of room for not only unit variety(in place of upgrades) and because of how that variety is achieved it also means there will be lots of different interactions as well. Mike
But I presume you're talking about modding the main game to do that. I can't remember how Supcom and TA did because it's been an eternity since I've played those games. How does this "mod/blueprint" integrate into the game? Will it be something that is done by the host(the server)? So you can join "modded" servers?
That blueprint is stock straight from the game, the BP is what specifies a unit's stats and capabilities. The Juggernaut is just an example at how having so much control can lead to more unit design depth than usually seen without resorting to arbitrary changes and such. Mike
