Adding functionallities (after the V.1 is out, i mean) ?

[Vampiloup]

Hi.

I know the target is to make a "true 3D TA", but maybe it's not a bad idea to add some stuff other games have ? Can be usefull for extend the appeal of the game, and make more different sides ?

I don't mean technical stuff needing real uglies changes in the code, or usable only on big new machines, but things games of same age (or olders) than TA do, as Dark Reign or Dune II.

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Behaviors (i hope this this the good word) inspired from Dark Reign 1 :

You can assign three standard behavior to a unit : Normal, Scouting, Harassing.

Normal : The unit obey orders normaly.
Scouting : The unit explore the map. trying to go to black areas first. They don't go for ennemies (but use theirs turrets for shooting)
Harassing : More or less same thing, but they go for ennemies if they see them.

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Damage tolerance (as in Dark Reign 1).

You can assigne to units a tolerance to damages.

Tag : Low | High | To the death

Low : The unit return to repair station if lost 1/3 hit points (or 1/2).
High : The unit return to repair station if lost 2/3 hit points (or 3/4).
To the death : The unit fight to the death.

Actual TA units fight to the death, but since airships return to repair stations when wounded in Patrol mode, it can be expanded to DR1 level.

I ALWAYS loved the Damage Tolerance in DR1. It's really a shame other games don't have it.

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Repair stations for others than planes, too !

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Loved, still in DR1 (from MobyGames) :
"
Freedom Guard had a scout infantry which would morph into surrounding terrain, so if the enemy found himself being artilleried, he would often find an enemy tree running around!
"

The thing looked as funny and of great use it look by the text.

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Upgrading buildings & Units
That mean : You can replace a unit by another without destroy it first.

A building can be upgraded in one or more (choice) other buidings (as the Zerg turrets in Starcraft 1).

Tags :
- Can upgrade itself (as the Zerg buildings in Starcraft 1.
- Need to be nanolathed for upgrade.

- Upgrade can be helped.
- Upgrade can't be helped.

By giving a lot of choices of upgrading to a worker unit, we can go Dark Reign 1 or Stracraft (Zergs) way for buildings constructions : Workers change in a building.

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A construction (unit or building) can need an existing and working other building for being available (as the Sonic Tank needed the Ix building in Dune II)

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Invisibility states.

If i understand well, we have three invisibility states :

Stealth : Can be seen by eye, but Radars can't see it.
Invisibility : The opposite.
Submarine : Can be see only by sonar (and other submarines ?).

I suggest to add "subterranean".
An unit (or buildling) with Subterranean tag are as Submarines on earth.

Tag :
Always subterranean | emerge for attack | Emerge for moving.

The first one can be mines.
The second can be the phase freighter in Dark Reign. Other example are the numerous "worm" units (as in Dune, Tremors, etc.).
The third can be the phase tank in Dark Reign 1 (he need to de-phase off the ground for moving).

The first is the solution for effective mines (honestly, actually, the best use of mines is to be put in OUR base...).
The second and third open entire new sneaky tactics.

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New attack tags : Give damages each second with % reduction each second and max time.
Can be applied, for example, for fire or acid attacks.
Flame-thrower : 0 % damages reduction, do damages 10 seconds max.
Acid spray : 10 % damages reduction, do damages 10 seconds max.

[zuzuf]

Your ideas are interesting. I think the best way to add features we didn't imagine while coding is expanding scripts possibilities. Currently we use BOS/COB scripts from TA units, but we can add support for LUA scripts to do the same things and add much more functions to interact with the engine.

We also use LUA scripts to script game rules and campaign missions (TA mission orders are converted to LUA scripts).

We could implement all your ideas in LUA scripts but we need to implement functions to control unit behavior/missions from LUA scripts.