Xanax has been doing some sterling work on Mech prototypes. If we were to liberate skirmish/ multiplayer from campaign (ultimately meaning that there would be a campaign tech tree for each storyline (opening the way for multiple campaigns (think Wesnoth)) then it becomes perfectly viable to further balance factions through more than just the bodies.Kacen wrote:What do you mean "mechs"?
You are right in stating that a "problem" is that there are four factions and not three but I think that a larger number of factions simply requires a greater degree of creativity in balancing. I am very confident that I could balance 8 factions in interesting ways if it came down to it (and why not? seperating campaign from skirmish allows factions to be added on and included or excluded from various campaigns (how about a New Paradigm-orientated campaign)? ;c)
Project bodies do not HAVE to be equal in power to any other faction. They do need saving graces however, exclusive or improved access to certain technologies for instance. The Scavengers could easily be a fifth faction with a number of major drawbacks but a few saving graces of their own. They could have access to a 'Chop Shop' rather than access to cyborgs for instance.
I do have ideas to make Project a more viable faction of course. For instance I like the concept of introducing Freeze weapons with a properties similar to flamers (exception being the equivalent Mortar) with much lower damage than Flamer but the unique property of reducing the performance of afflicted units (a reduction in ROF, Speed, Anti-Kinetic armour) for a short period of time.
Thermal armour applies to freeze weapons and would be due to the insulating features applying to both heat and cold.
New Paradigm, on the other hand, would have specialization in flamer technologies that other factions would not have. Specifically I am thinking along the lines of a special flamer ROF upgrade that makes flamers apparently spew flame indefinitely (a continuous spew of flame) when targets are in range. They would also have their own variant of laser technology and would get basic laser technology earlier than other factions.
The collective would have a fascination for twinned weapons. they would be the only faction to invest in twin machine gun, twin assault gun, twin asault cannon.
Nexus would get the Nexus turret at an earlier stage (mid-to-late T2) also and improving the intruder programme would be a research tree all in its own just as alloy research works today.
This is creative balancing - the big picture :c)