Terraforming

[mothwentbad]

Terraforming - This could be a whole new approach to CW, with entirely different strategies. Might be easy to implement, maybe hard. Perhaps there could be another galaxy with entirely different technology, and eventually they could join forces or something.

The idea is that you can raise or lower land within range of a collector or relay or something for a fixed cost per square, with maybe increasing costs depending on the relative height of neighboring squares. Or maybe the "blasters" could only effect rock, breaking it into chunks that they can carry somewhere else and then weld shut.

One advantage to this is that it would maybe require more skill, since there's no way to destroy creep in the absence of weapons. The whole premise of activating totems before the creep overwhelms you would be more true to the actual game experience when you play as the terraformers. This might be difficult to code and balance, but it could be very interesting. In the current game, sometimes you just have to ward off the first wave or two, and then you just slowly push the creep back. Not so with terraforming!

Perhaps some land could be harder than others. Say if there's soft soil, you could build a moat easily, but you can only destroy it, whereas rock you can pick up an move around. Rock that's already above you could be easier to blast than rock beneath you, too.

This would take a long time to implement, but it would be like a whole new game, almost.

[djcian]

 i don't think this will really happen

[mothwentbad]

It's probably too hard, I agree. Time, money, etc. But I thought I'd throw it out there.

[Karsten75]

Well, that's really interesting. Some units that terraform. Then you can change the terrain and perhaps channel the creeper into select regions/pools. But I think that would make for an entirely different game.

[mothwentbad]

Yeah... it sounds like a lot of work, like the kind of thing that could go into a sequel... but they sound iffy about whether there will be a CW2. Of course, you could have it both ways, and have maps where one, the other, or both options are available. So it would be the same game and a different game at the same time. It would also make doom totally certain over the long term, so that it would make sense to have a survival mode.

[knucracker]

Terrain modification would definitely go in a different game... it changes everything and is super powerful.  If you can make even a small pool in the ground you can achieve a huge advantage over the creeper.

As for CW2.... I don't want to leave you with the impression that it is especially "iffy".  It is just still early for CW1, so I can't commit yet on anything till I see how things mature.  Games like CW take at least half a year of slave coding and design to bring to life.  CW2 would have a higher expectation so it could take even longer. 

I'm mainly interested in adding marginal new features to CW1, increasing exposure, then doing an expansion pack.  Fundamental engine changes will go in a CW2, but you guys will all be long gone and have forgotten all about me (sob, sob :) ) by the time that is released.  It's just the nature of the art that creating good, well balanced games takes thousands of hours per person on the team.

[mothwentbad]

Hmmm, since it's a sequel kind of thing, then maybe terraforming could be nerfed by making the height scale more continuous. Actually, this could probably make the main game more interesting anyway, but since it's hard to do, then I'll just suggest it and maybe I'll forget about you by the time it's time to make a sequel, anyway.

[mothwentbad]

Maybe you should have an opt-in email list, if you don't want us to forget about you. ;)

[Aurzel]

in all fairness playing cw has lost some of its appeal (i get bored easily) but i'm still up and up with the forums and probably still will be for a long time, so you're stuck with me and probably most of us virgil ;)

[TheBuilder]

considering KC made such an eaisy to use map editore, I'd have thought if u just used some of teh code from it to make a teraforming unit it would work, by teh way i know next to nothing about game code works so if wat i say is like a load of bull**** then, I'm sorry. lolz, NEXT!!!

[Dranar]

I really like this idea. Raising and lowering land could be useful for solving those really challenging levels, or maybe there could be a special mode for using this?
If you think this idea will make the game too easy, so does Thor on the last map  ;).

Right now im really anxious for a developer team!  ;D. Which probably wont happen  :o.

If there IS a developer team (1/100 Chance) i'd really like to join. (Actionscript FTW)

[djcian]

well i have an idea that would be like terrain modification but more simple and not so game changing.  temporary barriers that only last so long.  basically a wall that can overflow.  there has to be a limit like only 10 squares can be altered on the map at a time.  just a thought. :)

[Aurzel]

or the wall generator idea that i put in the shield topic

[mothwentbad]

It wouldn't necessarily have to be a special mode... just a few special terraforming units that can be toggled on or off in the map editor. But it's too big a change for CW1, as we've already heard.

If you have no weapons at all and can only terraform, then every map is a race against the clock - there's only so much room for creep, in total. Allowing weapons AND terraforming would be the kind of thing that would require special maps that are extra hard. The maps could be three-dimensional, with different layers of varying hardness beneath the surface, so that some places are easier to dig, others more costly, and others impossible, maybe. So when you hover the cursor, you get creep depth and then the layers under the surface, say one or two layers of soil, and then a layer of rock.

The variety of strategies would increase a lot, enough to justify a sequel. Of course, unpleasant things could come up - like making sure not to allow foundations of buildings to be destroyed.

[TheBuilder]

building foundations wouldn't have to be destroyed, as the ground is raised or lowered, so are the buildings/units/structures on top of that ground.