With speculation of different commanders types and possible differences gameplay wise, I thought why not have each commander type have a slightly different uber-gun. Something like: ShotUbergun (Short range, large splash cone) RailUbergun (Lower Damage, piercing shots, long range) Ubergrenade (Lower damage, large splash, arching shot) Rapidubergun (lowest damage, fires 3-4 shots, medium range) UberSniper (Highest damage, single shot, long range, longest cooldown) OmniUbergun (Standard damage, emits wave from commander, shortest range) Largely Meaningless mid-late game, but adds something to be weary of early-early mid game and another reason to scout. Or possibly! Give each commander the option of choosing, and make the gun distinctive (colour coded?)
Each would have its own counterplay and niche. As long as each Ubergun type has an appropriate response. More importantly it would create more tactical incentives early game. Each gun would be effective against certain things, and less then useful against other things.
Starting with a long range uber gun will break so many things that it isn't funny. But don't take my word for it. That sort of stuff is best learned through hard earned frustration and rage. TA got lucky in having one of the best possible implementations of the d-gun. Short range, linear, piercing, rapid fire, expensive, OHKO. The current ubergun could learn a few things. This feels true but it's really not. Players will pick either the best rounded gun or the cheesiest gun. Everything else will go unused.
That depends entirely on the balance of the guns. The same could be said for bots and tanks, but bots have a niche that tanks don't, their speed.
I agree that the current Uber Cannon is but a pale imitation of the TA DGun. It feels like a complete anti-climax when you get to use it. There's no joy in its use. It doesn't feel "Uber" at all.
Not only that but it is a dumb weapon. It is just a powerful shot. There is no thought to using it, other then shoot the other commander first, if there is an early battle.
If I had all these option, I would select the one that would help me the most in early rushes. splash spread fast shots that kills T1 units at ez.
Yeah the uber weapon should be more like the D-gun - that thing was so much fun to fire! In reply to the original post, I think the plan is to have a few different types of uber weapon though depending on the commander you select. I remember reading it somewhere...
On the subject of the not quite d-gun, does anyone know what the criteria are to fire it. It seems to only fire when it wants to. In TA all you really had to check was that you had enough energy, I'm not sure if PA is using energy, a long recycle time or if the command is just bugged but there is no in game feedback as to when you can or cannot use the weapon. As most of the time when you are using it you're desperate this is pretty frustrating.
You have to explicity right-click on a target, or issue an explicit attack order. It also has ridiculously short range, like, less range than a Fabber's Nanolathe.
Ususally the problem is the range. With the recent CO speed debuff, even a blob of ant tanks can keep their distance and force the commander to only use his normal fire.
i wonder if we could get an uber cannon range ring to make things easier to judge if not more applicable to use.
