Tech Tree Refinement and Sub-faction Specials

Suggestions Balance
1

Alright, Update 0.8.0 is live and I’m surprised. I thought I’d hate having racial abilities redistributed into class abilities, but after playing a dozen matches or so, I’m finding I don’t really mind it.

 

There is only one glaring issue that I have with the current setup, and that is the tech tree for unlocking ships. It made sense that the stock Lynx split into two variants; the Lynx-M and the Lynx 2. But since the redistribution of racial abilities, the difference between sub-faction ships has almost disappeared in favor of ship roles.

 

Now there are bizzare branches such as the Empire Dwarf Interceptor (ECM) that does not lead to the Dwarf 2 (Recon) or Diamond Dwarf (Recon), but rather dead-ends. Or the Federation Hawk Interceptor (Recon) that no longer progresses to the Hawk-eye (Recon) or the Hawk 2 (Covert Ops). Instead one must purchase the Swift Mk. 3 (Covert Ops) [mark 3???] to get to the Hawk-eye (Recon).

 

Ships with similar name suffix don’t share similar conventions in any predictable manner. In some cases, the Mark 2 variant shares the same class configuration, albiet improved (and in another tier). At other times the Mark 2 variant is in the same tier, but has the other class abilities. Sometime the stock variant connects directly to the Mark 2, in other cases the Mark 2 is placed after the other variant.

 

Suggestion:

 

Please keep the class system that is currently in the game, but refine the tech tree. Stock ships should branch outwards into their two variants that inhabit the same tier (one for each sub-faction). And these variants should be predictable, not random.

 

 

Examples:

 

Interceptors Fighters Frigates

 

Federation

Armada:          Covert-Ops               Tackler                Engineering

Vanguard:       Recon                       Gunship              Guard

 

Empire

Legion:            Recon                       Gunship              Long-Range

Wardens:        ECM                          Command          Engineering

 

Jericho

Raid:               ECM                          Command          Long-Range

Techs:            Covert-Ops                Tackler               Guard

 

 

Also, bring back the unique differences in the racial abilities but apply them according to race rather than sub-faction.

Abilities:

 

Jericho

Armada Plasma Web, Tech Tachyon Cocoon,  Vanguard Chameleon, Tech Phase Shield

 

Empire

Raid Tachyon Cocoon, Warden Micro-warp, Warden Overdrive, Vanguard Drones

 

Federation

Vanguard Plasma Web, Legion Micro-warp, Armada Chameleon, Legion Overdrive, Armada Drones, Raid Phase Shield

 

 

*The Federation only looks like it’s getting a better deal because there are no pre-existing variants for the Diffusion Shield, and because Empire and Jericho Long-Range Frigates are already different, and thus have no been mentioned.

2

Before the update is that I liked having the side grades of sub faction ships within the same tier- now they’re not. For example the Tier 3 ships I liked using was Wolf-M, Kite-M, Anaconda-M. After the update my Hawk-M was bumped up to Tier 4, in which I’m only rank 9 so I lost access to the ship and all synergy with the ship, and before the ship tier changes I never flew my (basic) Hawk so I have 1/10 synergy with it while my other 2 ships are 4/10 leaving me somewhat disappointed that I have to grind a ship I passed on purpose.

I would like more ships to fill the tiers as side grades, now that they’re spread out it feels like there’s less diversity and choice, I like diversity because it creates a much more dynamic battlefield to compete in and for me I enjoy it. Now it sort of feels like they purposefully spread it out to either a) artificially make the cost of buying a new ship feel more spread out (instead of the better option of increasing credits to buy the ships or decrease the cost of ships) or b) Stretch the grind time for main faction longer.

I do think the tech tree did need a bit more balancing because before the change I was able to buy just a Fox-M and could wait till tier 9 (which I did do to save about 7.2mil) to get my Wolf-M, after the 0.8 patch you can’t do that now with the tech tree changes since buying the Silent Fox at T7 and basic Wolf at tier 8 is now a requirement. Ship progression should never lead to dead ends and no tech tree should be designed to let you leap frog dramatically. As in my case buying 3 Rank 9 ships by only buying 2 other Tier 3 ships that unlocked at Rank 7 which at the time saved me roughly 10mil overall (give or take) because I was able to leap frog tier 8 entirely pre 0.8

In summary.
a) I feel the unlock tree should have more ships with more side grades with different specials and or roles (A third sub faction unnecessary) Just take the same tier ship and add a 3rd texture, or the non faction texture and call it a Ship Name A1, Type B, Block 82, Mark II, or some other designation that signifies its a different package upgrade like how real aircraft get their designations (F-14 Tomcat, F-14A, F-14B, F-14D for example).

b) No tech path should result in a ‘dead end’ when unlocking ships, this forces you to buy ships you may never use or you hate to use, again side grades / 1 tier ‘skips’ to next ship can fix this.

3

The factions definitely lost flavor in the .8 patch.   More over, the sub factions don’t seem to bring much to the table any more.  Some ship classes don’t have any sub faction options, and within a ship type, there isn’t much option for differentiating how you play.    

 

Take the “Long Range” frigates.  Jericho seems to favor rail guns and Empire lasers, but only one of the two sub factions gives any long range rail gun or laser option. If you picked the wrong faction, you may get suck with a ship type that doesn’t benefit from your grind and you have to take a lower tier ship or hope for rare drops to compensate. 

And you pretty much can take a slow hull regen, a slow shield regen, and a damage buff or steath option.   All of those have the same flavor.  

 

The sub factions should really offer some unique gear that ties in with the ship and faction type, to give players a reason to choose a sub faction other then a preference for a specific ship look.

4

Tech Trees are really messed up since 0.8.0. I like the ship roles themselves, but the location of certain ships (rank-wise) in the tree makes no sense… Also the reward levels are messed up, and the connections between the ships (e.g. the branches of the ship tree) are very linear and boring and also make no sense at all…

 

Please just bring back the ship tree of 0.7.13, it was good as it was… Ship Roles are fine, but the acquisition of certain ships - or sometimes the complete lack of a ship from a specific role through 3-4-5 consecutive ranks is nothing but a pain. The 0.8.0 ship tree doesn’t make people want to upgrade/advance, it completely lost the freedom of choice for all tiers below 4.

5

I would do this As Follows.

 

 

from the pre-existing modules create X 5 Variants of Wing, Hull, Engine.

Allow for a Selection of ship chassis, that has various types of Slot fittings. for example, A tier 3 chasis would have 3 passives, 4 ship mods, and a tier 1, 1 passive, 0 ship slots.

From here i would then allow for full customization of the ship, Including Colors of all three types, and Finally the Role of the ship itself.

 

This way the hull of the ship can be tailored. It also offers the ability to Customize the ship in depth, according to the players pliability. This will prevent people

from having to go all over the place in the ship tree, and would clean  up and diversify game play while improving the game.

 

 

In regards to the above purposed, I am not really sure i like a lot of the current games concepts, much less the above, This is because

i strongly feel that the skills are the single most important mechanic for classifying a race. For example I believe fed should be the only cloak race.

6

Added a poll, since I forgot to originally.

7

I am absolutely behind this idea!

 

I remember the joy I felt when I saw my Hercules Arrow was a Command Fighter rather than a Gunship and I thought “hell yes! Go Warden originality!”

…and then it turned out the Steel Harpy, a Warden ship, was an LR Frigate. In fact, looking through the Empire ship roster it seemed that most of the specialist ships; the ECM Interceptors, Command Fighters or Engineering Frigates, were generic Imperial or Legion aligned.

 

This was a huge disappointment for me. The Legion had always appeared to be “we do what the Empire does, only better!”, and that’s great. Thing is, the Wardens had that unique flavour; the distinctive paint schemes, weird naming conventions and occasionally crazy ship designs. Now, all character has gone from the Wardens, which is probably why I’ve been hopping between factions so readily… it no longer feels like faction matters in any way. It’s just a source of extra cash and upgrades.