CW3 Suggestions Redux

[Shrike30]

A forward base supplied by 2-3 guppies will, eventually, see all of them in flight at the same time, as they aren't drawn from evenly.  Having the buildings in that base preferentially draw power from a guppy that has a partial load before they start drawing upon a guppy with a full load would solve this problem.  Alternatively, I'd like to see the return of the Storage unit as a local battery for forward bases, so that you could buffer against those times when the in-game logic puts all of your guppies in the air.

[Grauniad]

BTW, if I can ever find a time when I will not be too busy or too distracted, I may actually see those blog clips with sound and catch up with the changes. Being in the college library frequently means I cannot play them with sound.

There is this strange, new-fangled invention called "earphones".... Some call them "headphones", even...

[UpperKEES]

I doubt library computers have speakers/sound card/headphone connection.

[Grauniad]

I doubt library computers have speakers/sound card/headphone connection.

It is true that they don't have speakers, but last time I checked my library (and about 7 years ago when I checked out a computer room at Uni) they did indeed have sockets to plug in earphones - working sockets at that. You could even borrow headphones at the front desk. These days sound is on most motherboards... at least some fairly basic sound ability - such as 7.1 channel sound. :)

[Chawe800]

What is this magical device you call a headphone?
Can you talk to others in your own private conversation?

P.S. I think Lurkily was referring to 20 nickels = 1$ and 10 dimes =1$

[4xC]

P.S. I think Lurkily was referring to 20 nickels = 1$ and 10 dimes =1$

Then how do you get 20 cents?

I doubt library computers have speakers/sound card/headphone connection.

It is true that they don't have speakers, but last time I checked my library (and about 7 years ago when I checked out a computer room at Uni) they did indeed have sockets to plug in earphones - working sockets at that. You could even borrow headphones at the front desk. These days sound is on most motherboards... at least some fairly basic sound ability - such as 7.1 channel sound. :)

If the library I am reffering to has headphones to lend, perhaps I will look into it.

[Grauniad]

If the library I am reffering to has headphones to lend, perhaps I will look into it.

It's not as if a pair of your own will break the bank - note free shipping as well.

[RedVenom]

1. A possibility to change the length of the auto build function.

When you have to collect a lot of energy on a small area, it might be useful.
Because with one space more you can build 2 other structures between two collectors and
use the space best


2. A hotkey or similar so you just can build in range of the network.

in hectic situations you do not have to look for the right position for weapons, but just target the general direction and build.
It could also help to build collector-networks on mountains.

[Chawe800]

1. Probably too CPU intensive to incorporate in the game. Also I find that some things really take the challenge and human aspect of stuff like Creeper World.

2.Magical Pause button fixes all your problems.

4xC: I don't know  :P  2 dimes and 4 nickels add up to 20 cents.

[lurkily]

First off, 20 nickles plus 10 dimes is $2 and 20 dimes plus 10 nickles is $2.50. How did you get 20 cents?

Second, reactor-type things of CW3 seem to be at a good enough peak if you ask me. And energy and packets have so much potentially confusing interplay based on some of what I haveseen on this site that it should stay where it is with the packet/energy features of the guppy.

Aheh heh . . . I began to write a different equation at first . . .then I changed the monetary unit and rewrote the equation, but didn't rewrite the result, apparently.  The point was, 20 of one OR ten of the other.  Not "and".  20 nickels, 10 dimes, what's the difference?

Packet/energy features of the guppy have gone away, and have been gone for some time.  Check the options visible when V uses guppies in the video - they've been gone for some time.  I think we agree here, though.  Exactly what I said, basically, we don't need ten forms of reactor.

Such a contraption also has the benefit of bolstering your remote forces a while longer even if guppy supplies fail.

It seems to me that building a couple more reactors or a guppy pad on the remote network to act as a buffer would have the same effect.

I don't think I like the idea of producing packets from any resource without having to pass through a CN first.

A forward base supplied by 2-3 guppies will, eventually, see all of them in flight at the same time, as they aren't drawn from evenly.  Having the buildings in that base preferentially draw power from a guppy that has a partial load before they start drawing upon a guppy with a full load would solve this problem.  Alternatively, I'd like to see the return of the Storage unit as a local battery for forward bases, so that you could buffer against those times when the in-game logic puts all of your guppies in the air.

That's why I suggested above, using an on-site guppy.  Build a guppy pad at the remote network, with a destination right next to the pad.  The goal is to have the guns draw from that guppy, while the guppies making longer trips from a CN refuel that guppy's pad.  It provides a buffer so there is never more than a moment's interruption in packet flow.

[Shrike30]

That's why I suggested above, using an on-site guppy.  Build a guppy pad at the remote network, with a destination right next to the pad.  The goal is to have the guns draw from that guppy, while the guppies making longer trips from a CN refuel that guppy's pad.  It provides a buffer so there is never more than a moment's interruption in packet flow.

That sounds like it'd work, but it's an ugly, kludgy fix to a simple problem.  Allowing a Buffer or Storage structure to be built at a forward base is simple and elegant, and doesn't put a firm line in the soil between the "casual" crowd and people who've figured out the little ways in which you can make the system misbehave.

[Ronini]

This depends on the way the guppy is introduced. If there was a mission that introduces the guppy as a storage device, there wouldn't be a problem for casual players. A designated storage unit would still be more elegant, though (it would take up half the space a guppy would (port + landing spot))

Then again, in all honesty, how often do you build storage devices in CW1 or upgrade storage in CW2 (because you need to, and not because you have the technytes left over)?

[UpperKEES]

Then again, in all honesty, how often do you build storage devices in CW1 or upgrade storage in CW2 (because you need to, and not because you have the technytes left over)?

In CW1: on every map that require more than 10-15 weapons:
- it increases the max output of Odin City from 20 to 32(!).
- when you move a couple of units at the same time (so they won't fire), you will have gained back the cost for a storage unit in no time (because the excess energy is stored instead of lost).

In CW2: also on larger maps that require more weapons:
- for movement (as described above)
- extend ore storage to be able to mine ahead when I want to use more makers than I have ore deposits.
- to have a buffer in situations that my weapons are idle. When I break into a chamber for instance, my weapons will fire more often, but only for maybe 30 seconds. Having some storage prevents the need of building more reactors for these situations (and saves space).

[lurkily]

That's why I suggested above, using an on-site guppy.  Build a guppy pad at the remote network, with a destination right next to the pad.  The goal is to have the guns draw from that guppy, while the guppies making longer trips from a CN refuel that guppy's pad.  It provides a buffer so there is never more than a moment's interruption in packet flow.

That sounds like it'd work, but it's an ugly, kludgy fix to a simple problem.  Allowing a Buffer or Storage structure to be built at a forward base is simple and elegant, and doesn't put a firm line in the soil between the "casual" crowd and people who've figured out the little ways in which you can make the system misbehave.

It is kludgy - but it works right now.  I'm not 100% sure we don't already have too many units.  Also, something like this would be abused, and packet spam is a road that leads to performance crashes.  One of the things that increases that burden is to have many sources for packets.

Perhaps as a secondary mode of operation for guppies - but the guppy has already lost modes due to complexity, so I'm not sure we'd be successful in seeking that.

[Twi]

Well, now, that's an interesting idea.
Here's a less packet-spammy alternative: some way to increase the ammo capacity of the units themselves. An upgrade, maybe? That would not make processor burdens, while still achieving the result you want.

Anyways, on to another idea which will go in spoiler so you don't have to look at it if you don't want to:
Airship!(s)

Spoiler

Basic Idea: A unit that just floats there, kinda like Thor did. Being afloat, it is immune to Creeper, though Spores can still target it. To balance this, it requires packets to stay afloat, or at least do its thing. Running out of ammo may lead to explosions.

Probably not actually an airship, but hey.

Here are some potential ideas for what such a unit might do. Since we already have plenty of units, you only really need to pick one.

1. Linking Balloon: Simply acts as a network node that happens to be afloat. Useful for bridging gaps and such, but needs ammo to link.
2. Combat Balloon: Attacks with a dinky little weapon of some kind (probably Pulse Cannon-type).  Not as powerful as a ground-based turret, but the floatyness makes it easier to place and harder to take out. You can also hide your infrastructure behind a wall and then throw some of these over it to act as forward defense.
3. Barrage Balloon: A cheap anti-Spore defense with limited range. Possibly sacrificial.
4. Spotting Balloon: Increases the effectiveness of weapons firing at/in it's range somehow.

And one Titan suggestion, which has the working title of Kirov (not after the C&C 3 thing at all!).

5. Kirov?: A big, Titan-class airship. Has a large ammo capacity, and may be able to be directly refueled in-flight by Packet Guppies. Moves quite slowly, though. It has two main functions: One, it has some sort of heavy anti-ground weapon (bombs and/or Pulse Cannons). The weapon can be toggled off to conserve ammo if need be. Two, it can supply things like a Guppy. It can be used to spearhead an aerial assault, since it pretty much encapsulates the usual tactic of 'air raid, then land forces and supply with Guppies'. Aside from that, you can use it as a heavy air assault unit, or just as a floating defensive platform.

When it runs out of ammo, it either a): goes down in a particularly dramatic ball of fire or b): lands and hopes it doesn't die before it can be refueled.

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