Stinging barricades, alternate acid tube and CCTV for humans

[Taiyo.uk]

Just an idea after reading the attacking barricade thread.

1. Acid tubes do damage in the direction that the visible spew travells in, instead of proximity to the tube itself, a fixed-direction turret in other words. The intensity of the damage could proportional to the density of spew particles around a human, so a human treading in a wide puddle of spew from a distant tube will take less damage per unit time that if he'd recieved a direct squirt from a tube placed above a door. In S1 this will be little different from what it is now (because tubes are mostly firing up from the floor) but will allow alien builders to be a little more creative with adv. grangers. At the moment it just feels a little weird when a nearby tube inflicts damage by squirting acid away from me.

2. Barricades can take more damage, heal faster and deal proximity-based damage. Perhaps they could have a single whipping tentacle or similar.

This scheme would give aliens one proximity defense and one directional defense as opposed to the current scheme of one proximity (tubes) and one not-very-effective blocking defense (barricades). The effectiveness of the tubes and barricades can be reduced if this scheme gives the aliens too much of an advantage over humans.

For the humans, another item idea: CCTV, you buy the item and get a small monitor in the HUD. You then place the camera by selecting it and pressing use. The camera is sticky so it sticks to the surface you throw it at, and for simplicity it always points down. The player who placed it can then see a view from the camera through the HUD monitor. Handy for seeing when there's a partially clear path to the alien base. The cameras are small and inconspicuous and don't show on alien radar until they are closer to it than other human structures, but easily damaged when they are found. Humans can buy spare cameras.

Cheers!
-Taiyo

[Karvajalka]

Hmmm... I don't support the tube idea , I like them as they are now.  I agree about the fact that barricades should have more health, but an attack... they are barricades so maybe they could cause damage if someone runs into them(they had spikes or something) but who would run into them? As I mentioned in the attacking barricades thread, I think barricades shouldn't block aliens. Aliens should be able to walk through them.

And about cameras......I don't know how useful they would be, we already have the radar  . Maybe you could have a little window into one corner of the screen showing the camera image, but it wouldn't work with low resolutions :/

[Ranger]

I agree with the barricade idea, though mass tubes on doors will take ahead a good chunck of Human's health already. (50-75 for 4+ tubes for all hit)

Camera's sound very Splinter Cell. While they sound interesting, I for one believe the human's hud is crowded enough already. That's just me though.

[Karvajalka]

And I can already hear a dretch eating my brains while I'm watching alien base through my camera :roll:

[Taiyo.uk]

I agree about the fact that barricades should have more health, but an attack... they are barricades so maybe they could cause damage if someone runs into them(they had spikes or something) but who would run into them? As I mentioned in the attacking barricades thread, I think barricades shouldn't block aliens. Aliens should be able to walk through them.

Yeah, perhaps no attack is better. My thoughts were that they are too narrow to be used as passage blocks appart from a few spots in some maps (e.g. roof entrance to the alien base in transit) and too weak to be effective bullet shields.

How about they have no attack but greater health and a somewhat larger creep distance that slows humans down when they walk through it. They already do this but only if you walk right up to them and the slow down only lasts a few seconds. This would work well with a nearby tube or two.

And I can already hear a dretch eating my brains while I'm watching alien base through my camera :roll:

Heh, that's where t3h l33t sk1lz0rz come in  :wink:

[Teiman]

Barricades are insane because dont block humans, as humans will kill then if needed, but will block aliens.

A fix can be to have barricades behing much bigger, and able aliens to cross, but not humans. That way can work as a single directional door.  Also his cost need to be 1/2.

[Mangler]

Perhaps barricades should also act like alarm systems for Aliens too.
(it screams and alerts ALL nearby grangers to humans attacking it)
Perhaps barricades should emit that Adv. Basilisk gas when shot,
it would at least make mariens take notice and stay away from them.
Or perhaps barricades should grow back after being shot up, they just reappear after being 'destroyed' for a while. (Grangers can still deconstruct them)

Also what about a Static 'sandbag' style bunker, which allows humans to shoot out one and large aliens can't get in.

Shaped like this:

Code: [Select]


/---\
| *
\---/


The star is the human grunt in the center. Only enough room for one.
Call it a security checkpoint or sentry post or whatever.

[Stakhanov]

Learn to use the map effectively... that's exactly the advantage of the human base in Nexus6 , there is a gap between the staircases and the goop vat that none of the larger aliens can cross. Tyrants can't come close to the hidding humans , so it is up to an adv goon to snipe them.

[PIE]

... I don't really think there should be any damage inflicted from barricades.. you can supplement them with other defences..

Aliens shouldn't be able to go through barricades.. while this is an annoying problem as a builder it adds a level of strategy.. you can't pass through anything else.. .. makes sense you can't through a BARRICADE..

I do think it should have more health and/or cost less to build one.. 10pts for something that does nothing but get in the way is a bit excessive.. and it does seem just a bit too easy to shoot barricades down.
I like the idea of making the barricades.. or any structure for that matter, make some kind of noise or something that grangers can hear..

The camera idea is neat..ish.. adds a little more strategy.. but ultimately i think it would be more code than it is worth/maybe slow things down... but i could see the big benifits of a builder using them to see if an area is still up or if its clear.