An impractical way to obtain more AC

[Lord_Farin]

How do you arrive at this? How many collectors or reactors do you need to supply a Strafer? The issue we're discussing is rare, and has been acknowledged to be hard to exploit.

While I can place as much collectors/reactors as I like on any given map (only space restraints), there are usually just five-ish ore deposits, usually not all accessible. 1 out of 5 is not comparable to 1 out of (number of simultaneously free 3 by 3 spots on the map) in my book.

But it breaks things. A map maker can now not place a specified quantity of ore on a map and rely on a player's ingenuity to use only that much AC.

They can code their emitters/spore towers/etc. in CRPL to not leave a PZ, or code PZs to destroy any bombers on PZs.

 In over the top map situations, it is possible to exponentially grow the supply of AC, making it "overpowered." - Try creating 10 bombers on PZs, and see what happens to the AC inventory.

Something like this is unbalanced, since it has never been intended or fully integrated. There should be no discussion on keeping this defect alive.

If you want more ore, add more ore deposits, or create an anti-creeper emitter. Same strategy as has been used in CW2.

I don't generally have 10 PZs to work with. Moreover, in non-custom maps, I cannot just go in and add an AC emitter or an additional ore deposit.

I agree that map makers shouldn't rely on this. But that is a different discussion altogether.

[florrat]

I'd also like to keep this "feature", because it's rarely worth it, but it would be cool to use a PZ as additional ore mine (which is rarely worth it). But I can understand that it will be corrected.

One thing I'd like to ask if this is corrected to make it attractive in another way to build a bomber (and a sprayer, for that matter) on a PZ. If bombers don't use AC more efficiently, it will be hardly ever worth it to build a bomber on a PZ, not matter how much faster the bomber moves/turns/charges/shoots, because the amount of AC will become the limiting factor, which is very very limited in most maps I played so far. One suggestion: make every AC bomb the bomber launches explosive, such that it will do some damage to the creeper in addition to releasing AC (and maybe something similar for sprayers).

[J]

Currently, a PZ sprayer a nice way to quickly clear an area without emitters.
120 Extra AC every time the bomber launches is defenitely worth the PZ.

[pawel345]

Yes, but a bertha or a reactor or mortar/shield on the front lines is even more useful. So in the end that bomber doesn't change much. Sure, now the map maker has to consider this if they want to make a limited resources/enforce a certain strategy map, but in CW1 the through the wall damage mechanic also could break things, like blasters damaging creeper on the other side of pink walls.

[Captain Ford]

Yes, but a bertha or a reactor or mortar/shield on the front lines is even more useful. So in the end that bomber doesn't change much. Sure, now the map maker has to consider this if they want to make a limited resources/enforce a certain strategy map, but in CW1 the through the wall damage mechanic also could break things, like blasters damaging creeper on the other side of pink walls.

I'd like to point out that through-the-wall damage was the result of a performance optimization. It wasn't something that could be fixed without slowing the game down considerably.

[pawel345]

Yes I know, I'm just saying that it's not necessary a bad thing.

[knucracker]

In the upcoming patch I have made PZ bombers carry 4x the normal load rather than 2x as in the current build.  I have also corrected the issue of free AC.  I had miscalculated because the bombers drops two bombs each of twice the capacity... but I had only accounted for a total of 2x the cost.

So the updated bombers take quite a load of AC and can deliver it quickly.  One PZ bomber is basically like 4 normal bombers, plus it has a quicker cycle time.

[teknotiss]

so still high delivery, just not a freebie eh? darnit :(
oh well just one more thing to work out how to code.... not doing well at that though! :D