Hive node system:
Foreword:
I envision Colony as highly distinctive and unique race/faction. As a faction inspired by Zerg and Tyranids.
Therefore it requires some new game mechanics/features.
It has been already disscused that computer AI is dumb, non-creative and will always try to pursue its original CNC3 standard routines and procedures,
no matter what methods and cool scripting can any modder use, despite the achievements, mods like TSR,KWR,New Experience,
Xenoforce Reborn,Talon,TWA,FalloutT,The Forgotten,Crossifre,Post-war, Alternate warfare,Tiberium essence,Tiberian Apocalypse,Mec2 and etc. gained.
The system we could see there: Moddb.com or other game mechanics for Colony we disscussed ,back there, seems to be impossible to implement. Nor we probably cannot consider them in whatever future may come,
when computer AI will always follow the path of needing to build power generators,radar,crane,outposts,surveyor/emmisary/explorer/messenger,refinery and its production structures. It will never be like in Blizzard or THQ/Relic games,
where you can hope that your Colony Construction Yard- Queen, will upgrade itself.
Spore carrier,taking spores(purple tiberium),giving to wall hubs- Queens roots game mechanic system is impossible to implement, AI would not abide it.
By Salvador Trogans words, We must stick to that what is possible. To redefine it, I present you the Hive node system.
What is Hive Node structure?
Basically it is like Scrin Growth stimulator. This Hive node will be the only structure,
that will provide Colony with energy/minimap radar/stealth detection/crane/build and vision radius.
It will become the primary target, Colony will become dependant on it, lynchpin of Colony, instead of Queen.
Colony would become centralized faction focused around one structure-The Hive node. (similiarly,like all Zerg unit production revolves around their hatchery)
But because the equal of Hatchery, our Colony Queen is dumb and will not upgrade itself,nor it is able to behave like production structure,except the outpost vehicles, we could have the Hive Node.
How it will function?
First, Colony will be able to have only one or two Hive nodes. And only one Queen- both the MCV and Construction Yard.
Instead of powerplants, Colony would have,something what I call Rangers den. Basically a Watchtower, the Ranger unit, in its burrow, supposed to defend the Queen and Hive node. Will not require any energy, nor it will produce it. And Colony player would be able to have only 2 or 4 of them.
Producing abundant amount of energy is the work only of Hive node.
Yes, I am aware that Queen will require its starting energy.Queens initial energy and build radius would be greater,
probably 2x bigger than that of other factions.
Then computer AI will build its refinery, after that, it can build the Hive node, Colony barracks and Colony radar.
Colony radar will be just tech structure, it could require energy, but it will not provide minimap radar.That is the work of Hive node.
Colony radar would have an upgrade,lets call it Synapse resonance,which will evolve the Queen, what it will do is:
Increase health/armor,energy production/increase build radius of Queen and Hive node,opening higher tier requirements for units/structures. It would increase build radius a big time.
When there would be two Hive nodes,then there would be Primary Hive Node and Secondary Hive node.
First one would require only refinery,the second one will require Colony Tech center. Both from Support structure tab,
Colony player would be able to build only one Hive node per Primary Hive node type and Secondary Hive node type structure.
For lets say 2000-3000 credits. The Secondary Hive node could be more expensive. Long build time, big price and the same would apply to Synapse resonance and to Advanced synapse resonance upgrades.
Colony Tech center could have Advanced Synapse resonance upgrade to further the goals of Colony and evolve the Queen and both types of Hive nodes to its full potential.
The Hive node itself could become able to defend itself,with some upgraded weapon.
I can imagine that only some higher/highest tier of Colony unit will have stealth detection, so losing Hive node,which has large stealth detection radius as well as build radius,larger then that of deployed Mutant Mobile sensor array in Tiberium essence 1.51, would make you vulnerable to stealthed units.
Losing Hive node:
Losing Hive node means losing the tiberium field, half of your energy production,vast area of build radius,radar minimap and major tech requirement structure.
And the second build queue with it, as Hive node acts also as Crane/Foundry.
Basically,only thing to do now is to sell half of your structures. Thats why you can have two of them, but the second one is pretty long away of tech tier,time and credits, as well as it means you need to obtain second tiberium field with its tiberium geyser to place your Secondary Hive node.
Queens situation:
The only way how to revive yourself if you have lost both Hive nodes and Queen is that your Colony factory will not require energy to run.
You can have only one Queen,acting as MCV or deployed into Colony Construction Yard.
Well, factory allows you to do that, as initial Queen is relatively cheap and quick to build. Now you only need to have enough credits to build one Rangers den(acting as power plant for AI), refinery and new Hive node.
The dying Queen could left some tiberium behind,just like Tiberium spike.
I am certain you all realize all the pros and cons of this system.
Especially on small maps in 1v1, where are not enough tiberium fields or on maps where tiberium fields are long away from themselves will Colony players have troubles grasp its full potential quickly enough to not lose the game. It would be an energy production/expanding/radar system which computer AI would abide and would play by it.
It would mean that Queen is somewhat expendable,even though she must evolve,to gain higher tiers units/structure and the tool to that is Hive node. Hive nodes truly would have a major part of Colony gameplay.
Edited by: Oaks
