Author Topic: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D. (Read 6415 times)

Hot_Dog · « **on:** July 27, 2010, 08:43:32 pm »

Hey, guys,

S.A.D. will always be built on the concept of using one unit to fit your strategy, as this will be easy on the calculator processor. However, I've been thinking that the strategy of the game will be more flexible, more entertaining and less frustrating if a player can be allowed to use more than one of the same time of unit at the same time. This will NOT be processor-guzzling. The group of similar ships will appear as a single sprite with a number, telling how many ships you are controlling.

Here's the deal. Units will be cheaper and less powerful, and buildings will have higher HP. A player who wants to build a type of unit can select how many of that type of unit he wants (depending on his strategy), and over time add more units to the group as he needs or wants to.

For example, a player wants to use Reclaudas to take on a Splitron, so the player decides to build 10 Reclaudas. A player cannot use Balkstones, Camozas or Scouters, only Reclaudas in the group, as the game focuses on using a single type of unit. Then the player can use those Reclaudas to attack the Splitron, and win the battle. The enemy player, in return, builds 2 Splitrons. Noticing that he cannot win the battle, he quickly retreats to his Operation Center and adds 3 more Splitrons, allowing him to win. The first player with the Reclaudas is losing money, but needs to defeat the Splitrons. So he purchases a whole bunch of Argos, meaning he currently does not have any Reclaudas.

This will keep players from being annoyed at, for example, having to use an Argo 6 times in a row to defeat a Splitron. In addition, players will not have as much money to waste.

What do you think? Incidentally, if most people like the idea, all units of a type will cost the same per unit no matter how many are purchased. For example, if you buy 1 Raptor for 50 crystals, you can buy 2 Raptors for 100 crystals. Ptaloid units will not have a non-linear cost for many units purchased. In addition, defense buildings will be allowed to appear right next to each other, and ACCs will have their rules changed as well.

If the first option is selected, be aware it won't appear in screenshots for a while

BuckeyeDude · « **Reply #1 on:** July 27, 2010, 10:08:50 pm »

So my question is, a. can i still switch unit manufacturing? and b. if yes what happens to my massive army of degrussers, when i desperately need some splitrons?

If the answer to a is no then I would switch my answer from yes to no

DJ Omnimaga · « **Reply #2 on:** July 27, 2010, 10:39:17 pm »

Mhmm, personally, I would be fine with it as long as it displays the amount of units you currently have.

Also I am curious about the same thing Graphmastur asked. If we decide to buy another kind of units, are the others we had sacrified or something or do we have to wait until they all die to send new units?

Hot_Dog · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2010, 10:43:57 pm »

You will still be able to switch units. The old units will probably be placed on hold until needed again (so that you don't have to buy them again), or they might just disappear entirely. I'm fine with either--meaning what happens after switching--but it's a question of balancing the game. We will probably start by having them "on hold", and then take it from there. It's like most RTS games...you might have used your money on a whole bunch of units, and just not use them until they are needed.

DJ Omnimaga · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2010, 11:01:30 pm »

Aah ok. Putting them on hold might be a good idea. How many at once might be put on hold, by the way?

Hot_Dog · « **Reply #5 on:** July 27, 2010, 11:10:33 pm »

Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on July 27, 2010, 11:01:30 pm

Aah ok. Putting them on hold might be a good idea. How many at once might be put on hold, by the way?

As many as you have out.

Also SAD will not have "food" depots (such as pylons and overlords), but it will have food in the sense that the more powerful the unit is, the less of it you can have in a group. As a hypothetical example, if SAD allows you to have up to 30 Reclaudas at once, you will not be able to have more than about 15 Splitrons at once. In addition, you will have a limited number of 200 food, to help prevent lockdowns. Thus, if both players reach 200 food and 50 buildings, one player is going to have to be brave and attack the other.

However, buildings and ships can be self-destroyed if you need room for more. You WILL NOT be able to recieve a refund with this method.

DJ Omnimaga · « **Reply #6 on:** July 27, 2010, 11:15:47 pm »

Aaah ok. Just watch out for unused unit stack overflows in case we have godlike players

Hot_Dog · « **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2010, 12:33:57 am »

If the majority of voters agree with the first option, something else I will end up doing is for units on hold: the player will be able to choose how many of those units he wants to use at a time. If the player has 16 Balkstones on hold, and wants to preform a simple hit-and-run mission without losing all 16 Balkstones to his enemy's Argos, the player can select 5 Balkstones to attack with, leaving the other 11 on hold. HOWEVER, it's still using only one kind of unit, and to be able to get more Balkstones (or change to a different unit entirely), the player must either die or go to an Operation Center/Transformation Gateway

matthias1992 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2010, 06:14:44 am »

I think that the last post is the most balanced approach to this idea.
I can't wait to see my calculator screen explode into pieces with units running and firing everywhere

TIfanx1999 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2010, 07:17:57 am »

Quote from: Hot_Dog on July 28, 2010, 12:33:57 am

If the majority of voters agree with the first option, something else I will end up doing is for units on hold: the player will be able to choose how many of those units he wants to use at a time. If the player has 16 Balkstones on hold, and wants to preform a simple hit-and-run mission without losing all 16 Balkstones to his enemy's Argos, the player can select 5 Balkstones to attack with, leaving the other 11 on hold. HOWEVER, it's still using only one kind of unit, and to be able to get more Balkstones (or change to a different unit entirely), the player must either die or go to an Operation Center/Transformation Gateway

This sounds quite balanced. Voted for multiple units.

Hot_Dog · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2010, 10:15:05 am »

Quote from: matthias1992 on July 28, 2010, 06:14:44 am

I can't wait to see my calculator screen explode into pieces with units running and firing everywhere

Don't forget that you could have as many as (hypothetically) 30 units at once, yet you will only see one sprite. Let's say you have 30 Argos. Then you will see an Argo in the middle of the screen with a number 30 on top of it. Although all Argos fire at once, you will only see one unit firing. As your opponent kills more and more Argos, the number will become 29...28...27...26...20...10...2... and finally "1" when you have only one Argo left. When that argo is destroyed, then, and only then, will your calculator screen explode into pieces

Author Topic: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D. (Read 6415 times)

Hot_Dog

Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.

BuckeyeDude

Re: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.

DJ Omnimaga

Re: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.

Hot_Dog

Re: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.

DJ Omnimaga

Re: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.

Hot_Dog

Re: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.

DJ Omnimaga

Re: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.

Hot_Dog

Re: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.

matthias1992

Re: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.

TIfanx1999

Re: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.

Hot_Dog

Re: Groups of Similar Units in S.A.D.