Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy ACU

Hi guys,

Here is a suggestion about this crazy project.
In Total Annihilation, 2 delicious things about the Commander:
- The D-Gun (implemented in PA, ok)
- You can't see the life bar on the ennemy Commander
= Great suspens: is it almost dead? I send few more units or no?

Core

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

Yeah, I agree; I also like how this was used to prevent decoy commanders from being discovered.

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

There should be some hint if an acu is near death or at full health, imho.
Without a healthbar we would need some kind of damage-animations, i.e. make a badly damaged acu smoke or break of an arm.

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

This, I don't have any thoughts in particular with seeing the health bar or not, but if we can't see it, there needs to be Visual clues if a Commander is near death or not.

Mike

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

Yeah, TA had this; basically steam for moderate damage and black smoke for heavy damage were the only indicators... so to make sure you got it, you'd need to send in scouts to try and see before it healed back up.

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

I prefer no information. It is more stressful when you attack enemy Commander

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

that would introduce a luck-factor. I dont like it.
Health bars on everything, or smoke/no-smoke on enemy and healthbars on own units would be both okay with me.

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

The luck to what?

Did you ever play Total Annihilation multiplayers game?
I am agree with Life bar on standard units, but the Comm, it is like the King in a Chess game!

Note: I added a poll on the topic

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

I'd like the options to be expanded, as some have said, no lifebars is fine, so long as there is some visual indication like black smoke on a critically damaged Commander.

Mike

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

Yeah same. That said, that IS what TA did.

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

Then in that case the options should be more detailed! xD

Mike

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

Agreed

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

Not for the commander, there was no sign of how damaged it was to an opponent. I didn't mind, added that element of "argh, how close to dying is it? should I risk continuing to attack?"

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

I would double check that...

I distinctly remember nuking an enemy commander's "last seen" area several times over, sending scouts in, and checking to see if the commander was smoking or not.

Maybe other TA players can back me up (or correct me) on this... since I don't have it installed or the CDs anywhere near me.

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

The last Time I played TA I was like 12. Cant remember clearly but I think I once saw a smoking commander somewhere. Dont even know if it was my own or the enemies.

However there really needs to be an indication of how damaged units are.

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

http://totalannihilation.wikia.com/wiki/Commander

"The Commander has no health bar and does not produce smoke when damaged, meaning the enemy can only guess at the Commander's health."

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

Then I ask again for more options to the poll! xD

Mike

Re: Suggestion: like TA, can't see the lifebar of the ennemy

Yeah same. I'd prefer some subtle visual cues.

That said, If I had to pick between full visible HP and none at all, I'd still pick the latter.