Unit idea: Platform

[GameGibu]

Idea: a platform that can be built, which units can be built upon/land on to be above the Creeper, which flows beneath. The platform has a height of probably 3 or 4 terrain levels, and visibly stands on legs (I would do 4 spindly supports at the corners, to make it very clear that it is not a wall) but when damaged it loses a bit of height, lowering the supported units (which may be more platforms) as it sinks into the Creeper tearing at its bottom. This unit would be a cheaper, more makeshift way to gain a height advantage than building and using a terp, but has the disadvantage that it can be destroyed and does not block the propagation of Creeper underneath it, so is not a wall. It could block collectors from using the ground it is standing on and not allow collectors to work on top of it, so you still need a terp to make your max-height collector farms.

Discord Conversation

Given that height matters, though, I could suggest a structure: platform. This is probably in that same vein as my ideas about separate unit/Creeper terrain overrides (which it seems very few people understood, so I need to work on which words I use to convey that concept), but would be interesting, basically allowing you to build a platform on a few map tiles under which Creeper flows, but units sit atop it and are only damaged when the Creeper gets high enough around them. They could be an lower cost alternative to terps, or a full replacement of terps, though I favor the idea of having both. What do you think?

Seems like they'd make it too easy. Also the question of making units not target creeper under platforms, and/or calculate LOS, and/or what waves originating under the platform would do.

aren't the turrets doing LOS calculations already?
maybe the platforms have a resistance to Creeper, and eventually are destroyed if you don't clear out under it
it's faster/cheaper than a terped wall, but doesn't block creeper and eventually degrades if left in danger. all it does is give a height/health buffer to units built/moved on top of it
if there were a pylon on top of it, destroying the platform destroys the pylon. if there's a weapon on top of it, the weapon falls and maybe takes a bit of damage from that

and maybe even height could decrease when platform takes damage? Good that creeper cannot erode terrain

that'd be another idea
maybe as the bottom of the supports (right now thinking it would be some sort of 4-legged table-ish thing) are eaten away by creeper it goes down, yeah.
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so in addition to that, I'd consider either making it possible stacking them, or giving the ability to decide the height of a single platform unit when you build it
with taller platforms/stacks of platforms obviously costing more energy and time
maybe I should move this idea to a forum post before it gets buried by another lore discussion?

an alternative to teraforming for placing turrets on high ground?

right, but not neccesarily an outright replacement, rather, an alternative/ earlier found tech

how expensive is it packetwise? else you could just stack 20 everywhere and have turrets shoot directly under

the turrets as far as I know have a limit to how far down they can point
also "20 everywhere" would block your collectors and the creeper can still flow underneath it. also, I picture these as a few levels in height each, with visible space undrneath. they don't block Creeper, and they can have a height in between their full-health state and their destroyed state the decreases while it's taking damage, so stacks of 3 everywhere with an ocean of Creeper underneath would eventually sink into the Creeper.
We can't speculate unit costs at this point though. just say that building a lot at once will be a huge drain on energy, as is normal when you overbuild, but building one or two is less expensive than terping that area and building a terp. much more of a temporary defense thing
a way to temporarily keep your pylons above slightly-flooded terrain

but I think that it should definitely block collectors, and obviously a collector wouldn't work on top of them, so for power you need actual terrain.

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[Builder17]

I think height of one platform could be 1 terrain level and would be impossible to build in too deep creeper

[Qwerty Quazo]

How about a hovering 5x5 board where you can deploy units and fly them around (in a certain radius)?

[Nebulous]

Sounds like the shields from CW2, but you can build on them.

[GameGibu]

Sounds like the shields from CW2, but you can build on them.

CW2 shields blocked Creeper and Anticreeper. If you read above, I mention that the platform, being raised on supports, does not inhibit the flow of Creeper.

[Nebulous]

I know that, but the creeper being unable to travel around it basically made shields from CW2 give an area that can make creeper unable to attack your units, AND if it is made to be a cheaper form of terraforming (essentially), that should mean that if the creeper build up too high on the platform it will die very quickly.

If I made my connections a bit to vague, I'm sorry.

[GameGibu]

I know that, but the creeper being unable to travel around it basically made shields from CW2 give an area that can make creeper unable to attack your units, AND if it is made to be a cheaper form of terraforming (essentially), that should mean that if the creeper build up too high on the platform it will die very quickly.

If I made my connections a bit to vague, I'm sorry.

It sounds to me like you're suggesting exactly what I've already proposed. Like shields in CW2, the platform would create an area temporarily inaccessible to Creeper. Left on its own both the shield and the platform eventually fall to the Creeper, but if you back it up with weapons both will last a lot longer. In a way, the platform could be analogous to surrounding a CW2 microrift with shields.

Pretty sure we're on the same wavelength here.

[Nebulous]

You don't seem to understand what I was saying. I said is sounds like it, not is like it.

[copperrein]

So like a pier?

[Nebulous]

Essentially.  :P