Jadek Menaheim
WarRavens
League of Infamy
161
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Posted - 2013.10.23 17:31:00 -
[1] - Quote
I've been working on the side with Jadu Wen to refocus an extensive thread to present mechanics that are 'easier' to manage and hopefully understand in current and possible game contexts. This write-up is an amalgamation of our ideas in one form.
What are biomass collectors?
New installations called biomass collectors absorb the material of any terminated clones on a battlefield. Regardless of who controls a collector in a match, the machine will harvest both friendly and enemy soldiers alike. However, terminated clones are only collected if they die within range of the installation. This photo illustrates the range of 120m diameter collection range. These collector installations do not store biomass material inside them but rather use micro wormhole tethers to send biomass back to the a synchronized MCC that is within tether range. Once aboard, the biomass is held in the MCC for latter sale to Genolution or reuse in another battle. Both the value and re-usability of this biomass is diminished as it undergoes cellular decay in the transport and recycling process. If the MCC is lost in a match you and your team essentially lose either a sizable isk bonus or a future battle asset.
If and when battle maps become large enough to support roaming MCCs this distance will play a factor in whether biomass can be sent back to the MCC. If MCCs do not need to be destroyed at the conclusion of a battle this means that MCCs and their warbarge counter parts can be used for district theft missions whereby some infrastructure (biomass collectors) can be left behind or self destructed in order to assist the speed of extraction to limit clone loss.
How are biomass collector's hacked
They simply use the hacking mechanic currently in game that you are all familiar with. You can check out my previous thread to consult the other idea for a suicide hack mechanic. However, here, Jadu and I discussed that we should keep it simple.
Will radiation be a factor with these installations?
The idea was brought up previously, yet , in this iteration we are leaving the mechanic out.
What is the importance of collecting biomass in battles?
The purpose of the collector installation is to serve the team in a two-fold approach. When a harvester is under your team's control, two things can happen. Normally biomass will be transported to the MCC. Under this condition, recycled biomass is stored on the MCC. As the match progresses a ticker at the bottom of your HUD will display the growing value of recycled cargo that builds up on your MCC as the match goes on. This promotes a greater incentive to protect the MCC in order to keep that bonus profit.
The collector can be tremendously useful in active battles. This is where the second condition of collectors applies. When a vehicle or foot solider is both holding a biomass transport module and is stationary within a 7m range of a collector, the installation's protocols change and divert incoming biomass to that player. Greatly important to note; in order for team players to actually siphon off biomass players must be dying within range of the harvester. This transportable biomass can now be carried to a friendly CRU where it can then be used to replenish reserve clones. Foot soldiers can carry max loads of 6 clones, light vehicles 10, and heavy vehicles 18. For foot soldiers, the transport of each clone equivalent would add additional weight and slow down their walking and running speed progressively. Transport weight would not slow vehicles down. With vehicles, they have a number of attachment slots for players to affix container modules. Logistics class vehicles would be able to carry the maximum payload as indicated above.
For both foot soldiers and vehicle operators, container transport container transport is both beneficial and risky. While in transport, the container has on-board repair modules which repair and increase defensive hit points of the player's suit or vehicle in proportion to the number of clones being carried in the module(s). This defensive bonus does not apply to the module itself making it a prime target for enemy soldiers. When a container is destroyed the player of vehicle would incur a level of corrosive chemical damage over a period of time proportion to the capacity of the canister module. That means the more biomass that container holds the longer its contents would leak out and corrode the dropsuit or vehicle's integrity. This could be a 1 clone to 1 sec relationship, meaning a full 12 clone can would provide a 12 second burn.
The objective of this in-battle clone replenishing is aimed to foster greater team play and cooperation. It makes the task of refilling clone reserves a real challenge and squad based venture. The transport courier needs the help of their team to defend them while restocking in the the midst of a heavy fire encounter that is necessary to completing the job. The more clones a squad or team can kill in that zone, the faster the courier can leave with a full tank back to the CRU. Successful completion of this task is in the highest interest of the squad as it can keep them in the battle longer in order to take hold of a underdog win.
Thank you for taking the time to read our thoughts.
This post will continue to expand and be retuned. Your feedback and critiques will be tremendously helpful to hone this process quickly and smartly. |
Pete B
THE GOD'Z THEMSELVES
The Scourge.
41
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Posted - 2013.10.23 18:33:00 -
[2] - Quote
I've seen the same post and gonna say the same thing.
There should be collectors that hover and float about, collecting. When the collector is full, a player can hack it, and take a package of the biomass and take it to a CRU, or a drop uplink, but you get less profit and WP for using a drop uplink.
There should side arm weapons on the collector, and the harvester should stay neutral all times, unless someone fires at it, for it to defend itself. |