Defensive Structure Experience

[manictiger]

If this already been suggested, I couldn't find it, so, sorry in advance.
I have 2 other related ideas.
1. Recycle turret
2. Memory storage of experience for defense structures as well as units (transferable between the two).
I know these are probably a bitch to code, so I'm not forcing anything. They're just ideas I didn't see on here.

If this idea is eventually implemented, we could also avoid some frustration by making sure the experience applies only after the structure is completely built (saving experienced "pilots" from being deleted by mistake).

[Zarel]

It's been discussed before, although I can't find it either.

I guess there's nothing majorly wrong with the idea, but it would introduce a lot of hassle in terms of getting your best structures where they need to be. Units can move - structures, you'd have to constantly demolish and rebuild them where you want experienced structures, and that could get annoying...

Unlike units, where you have a core group do everything, you'd probably end up with a bunch of structures with 2-3 experience each... would be rather frustrating. You can say "No one's forcing you to optimize structure experience", but while this is true in singleplayer, in multiplayer the objective is to win, and if the best strategy is frustrating instead of fun, that's just bad for gameplay.

What does the rest of the forum think?

[TVR]

Yes, it would be a quite ineffective until the following conditions are met:

1) Defencive structure selection/targetting
2) Defencive structure design
3) Unified experience management

[dmkp]

Defences are automated. Tanks are manned. So wouldn't really make sense.

[KukY]

If this already been suggested, I couldn't find it, so, sorry in advance.

It's been discussed before, although I can't find it either.

I found it: viewtopic.php?p=43850#p43850

Edit by Zarel: made the link better.

[Tenoh]

*shrug* In Earth 2150 any defense tower gets xp AND can change its weapon. I am for it!

[dmkp]

*shrug* In Earth 2150 any defense tower gets xp AND can change its weapon. I am for it!

This is Warzone 2100, not Earth 2150 :p

[zimboptoo]

Defences are automated. Tanks are manned. So wouldn't really make sense.

I guess there's nothing majorly wrong with the idea, but it would introduce a lot of hassle in terms of getting your best structures where they need to be. Units can move - structures, you'd have to constantly demolish and rebuild them where you want experienced structures, and that could get annoying...

I agree with both of these things. I also thought that it would be cool for defenses to get XP, since they often take the brunt of rushes which result in lots of kills. Sometimes I end up creating a few heavy tanks with good defensive turrets and setting them where I would normally put defenses, just to build up the easy XP during early rushes or in campaign mode because my static defenses wouldn't be gaining anything from the easy kills. That said, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense in the game, as defenses are presumably unmanned and an individual turret isn't going to get better through experience. The only justification I can think of is getting a better feel for the nearby terrain, which would only work if the experience was not transferable.

I'm going to put my vote behind individual defense turret experience that is non-transferable. If the defense is destroyed or dismantled or built over, the experience is lost. Possibly this applies for sensor towers too?

[ClockWork]

I think exp should stay with the tanks, personally. If a wall of super long range artillery should happen to get veteran status exp, then…how would one defeat that? Or even artillery going hero? I think the trouble of getting tanks and cyborgs out there to do fighting should be awarded, not sitting in your base getting stronger with every kill.

A turret that recycles your units…hmm…not bad. That way you could perhaps recycle an on field unit when you really need to, so you could keep the exp, (and save money) and make an even bigger, stronger unit. I like it.

[zimboptoo]

Oops, this is in the FPI thread. n/m then.

[Assault Gunner]

Hmmph. You defeat super-long-range arty by sending in a cheap unit to take all of the fire, then rush your other tanks in and destroy it before it fires. Works best with Ripple Rockets and up.

[Zarel]

Hmmph. You defeat super-long-range arty by sending in a cheap unit to take all of the fire, then rush your other tanks in and destroy it before it fires. Works best with Ripple Rockets and up.

Won't work in the next version, mind you.

Unless by "cheap units" you mean "spam commanders", or other units that have a good HP/price ratio.

[Assault Gunner]

Ah, I actually meant that you send in a inexpensive unit, triggering all enemy artillery to fire at it, thus sparing your more expensive tanks from the fire. The first unit isn't supposed to survive. You take the cheapest body, propulsion, and turret you have, and send that unit at the enemy base, with your tanks relatively close behind.

Alternatively, if you have LasSat and Uplink, you just whack as much of their arty as you can with that, reducing the amount of damage your tanks take on the way in. Or you airstrike artillery, if your enemy is stupid enough not to cover his arty with AA. Really, there are so many counters to artillery it is really annoying when people complain about how overpowered it is. Arty weapons have the longest reload times for their tech levels, even fully upgraded, so are only useful as an opening salvo. Most of the work always falls on direct-fire defenses when you are defending your base.

[Zarel]

Ah, I actually meant that you send in a inexpensive unit, triggering all enemy artillery to fire at it, thus sparing your more expensive tanks from the fire. The first unit isn't supposed to survive. You take the cheapest body, propulsion, and turret you have, and send that unit at the enemy base, with your tanks relatively close behind.

No, I mean, that strategy won't work in the next version, since the artillery will no longer all fire at you - only enough to destroy what you send in.

[Assault Gunner]

By "next version" do you mean 3.0?

But my point is that right now, it does work.