Creeper World 3

[lurkily]

I worded #2 in a confusing way. Shield's packet request rate remains rigid.  Consumption rises with creeper presence, but it requests energy at a rigid rate.  That way it's possible for shields to require more energy than can be provided to them - a net loss of energy until they fail.

[Shrike30]

Sounds good to me.  One of my primary concerns about gameplay in general ATM is that shields appear to be *very* powerful in terms of manipulating creeper and forcing those open spots you need in order to place any sort of infrastructure or nullifiers.  A scaled energy consumption matched with a fixed energy demand seems like a good way to put a hard limit on the effectiveness of shields.

[Chawe800]

I really feel we should create a forum vote on whether or not we should nerf the shields and how. I feel the true votes should come from the beta tester who have actually had live play with the shields. Also I want it to be formal and not just a bunch of yes and no answers in a forum like this one

[4xC]

Problem with shields activating when fully charged: repulsors of CW2 always activated when the first packet touches them. And repulsors would have creeper coming in on them at higher densities and still use the same amount of power to hold of what they could. Regardless of how uncomparable the factors are said to be between 2 and 3, it seems there's more of it than anticipated.

[lurkily]

Problem with shields activating when fully charged: repulsors of CW2 always activated when the first packet touches them. And repulsors would have creeper coming in on them at higher densities and still use the same amount of power to hold of what they could. Regardless of how uncomparable the factors are said to be between 2 and 3, it seems there's more of it than anticipated.

It is different than units in past games, true.

[Wheatmidge]

Oooo bertha autotargetting. For those who don't want the micro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS-xPPic_oY&feature=g-all-u

[Shrike30]

I see that being especially handy on larger maps where your initial base ends up far from the frontlines.  Terp them into a parking lot, reconfigure for massive energy production, maybe even take that base off the larger network (to prevent from draining the energy bucket you've got close to your frontline), and set those berthas up where they may have longer travel times to their targets, but they'll have shorter arcs of swing so that they don't "stake a claim" and then have to rotate nearly as far before firing, making their staking more likely to be relevant to the current situation.

Do Berthas have a maximum range?  I'm flashing back to Total Annihilation now, where there were guns that had *enormous* range, but some maps that were even larger.  While on a midsize map a big gun might be constructed in your fortified base, on a large map you might seize an island in the mid-map somewhere of little tactical importance besides the fact that a Big Bertha (not kidding) built there would have range to an enemy base. 

Having Berthas in CW3 have a very long but not unlimited range might make for some interesting tactical variation on maps of the Walloping variety, requiring you to maintain forward firebases rather than simply converting old bases into masses of Berthas and reactors.  It could also make for some interesting networking options, where you would deliberately sever an old base from the energy network and then use massed guppies or a cleverly-laid chain of relays to keep that network separate, but provide energy to a forward firebase.

[Chawe800]

I really interesting option would be the ability in custom maps to choose whether or not air prevention fields prevent bertha shots from going through them. This could limit Bertha use while having it still be effective.

[4xC]

Currently, the Bertha's range is infinite. Although, assuming that the last level in the CW3 story has ANOTHER nexus, I think the area around it should not be truely affectable until more progress has been made elsewhere which means berthas would not be able to make a dent in the area too soon. Maybe there should be a T(and/or O)ET (Titan and/or Orbital Exclusion Tower) to compensate for that. Of sourse, it also depends on the abilities of the Titans and Orbitals that are being hidden until the game is released.

Speaking of secrecy, I was thinking maybe a select group could have access to all units including the secret ones, but be sworn into secrecy at the same time with the punishment of breaking that secrecy being total KC banishment or something. I don't expect that to really happen though considering internet communicators are not always reliable secret-keepers.

[lurkily]

What secret units?  (Pun not intended.)  I don't think there should be any units that aren't attainable to all players, with a little work.

[Lord_Farin]

What secret units?  (Pun not intended.)  I don't think there should be any units that aren't attainable to all players, with a little work.

I have the impression that 4xC is talking about units that V hasn't disclosed yet, rather than units which are hidden as easter eggs in-game.

[lurkily]

I'm pretty sure advice about the game's development progress and balance, using information that isn't yet public, is what the alpha and beta groups are for.

[4xC]

I have the impression that 4xC is talking about units that V hasn't disclosed yet, rather than units which are hidden as easter eggs in-game.

I'm pretty sure advice about the game's development progress and balance, using information that isn't yet public, is what the alpha and beta groups are for.

First off, your impression is correct, Lord_Farin.

Second, I think I will have referred to the alpha and beta groups if they were sworn into secrecy of any kind about the units not publicly known.

[Chawe800]

Argh it's so nerve-wracking to not know these most likely epic units.

I wonder when V will announce some units Alpha or Beta players know about but the public doesn't

[4xC]

Argh it's so nerve-wracking to not know these most likely epic units.

I wonder when V will announce some units Alpha or Beta players know about but the public doesn't

I believe he said in an old CW3 blog comment that some will not be revealed until release.