Transportation

I can imagine this would be difficult from a game design perspective, but I think it would also add a lot of depth and new strategic possibilities on almost every mode.

Basically, I think it would be great if there was some form of better transportation in the game, something with a cost associated with it but balanced rewards. For example, you set up a railway (minecarts, not trains) which must be built, defended/maintained but it allows you to quickly move resources, reinforcements, supplies, etc. across the map. You could also make its speed direction dependent so that when it is going uphill it is slow, but downhill it is fast. Just to keep it interesting.

Another example would be some sort of animal the bricktons could produce/summon/tame which they could ride around as cavalry or carry supplies/materials with. The cavalry would be effective in open space, maybe with a charge effect or something, but they would be extra vulnerable to archers, useless against walls, only moderately effective in close quarters (less effective then their cost would make it worth using cavalry over a knight/halberd) and counter-able using cavalry specific traps. Like the Bricktron equivalent of caltrops or an inexpensive row of spikes they can't charge through, etc. In other words, only effective at getting around in open, friendly territory. So it doesn't turn into a zerg rush.

Other suggestions include roads which would offer a boost in speed but would have to be built and maintained (i.e. within range of crystal pylons), an expensive teleportation system (using crystals), or some sort of speed upgrade that can be equipped by Bricktrons (like shoes).

I realize that the pacing of the game is very deliberate by the game designers, and unit speed is a big part of that, that is why I primarily advocate some sort of infrastructure based method of transportation, but I think this would be a really interesting mechanic, it would offer players another choice. Should they, for example, sacrifice time now to build infrastructure to save time later? Is it more worth it to expand one's network of resources before building up defenses or is it better to just build defenses? Should one be expending resources on building defenses to augment troop strength or expanding the infrastructure to more quickly bring in reinforcements/support building down the line.

Some sort of mode of transportation would add to almost every game mode, the depth it adds to PVP is almost implicit, same with conquest, even for invasion it would be useful as it could allow you to bring worker back for defense more quickly, or to access far flung resources in the later rounds. It would be a difficult if balanced correctly, build defenses early or build transport infrastructure? I think it would be a really fun addition.

Comments

  • These are really good ideas. this discusses both sides of the suggested mechanics as this makes the game more fun to play. i hope a version of what is suggested is added to the game.
  • I was thinking of part of this, it's hard to set up sub bases so I was thinking of something like the minecart, a stockpile with rollers on a wooden rail system to make resouse transport along known paths easier
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