Reactors: units upgrades with new energy technology

[Teodosio]

There was a unique concept in SMAC: when a new revolutionary energy technology was discovered (fusion, quantum, singularity) you could design improved units and upgrade existing ones.
This feature was very interesting because it reflected how new energy sources could change dramatically combat and weaponry.

I make a proposal: why don't we create something similar in Planetfall? It could be realized for example as free-promotions that unlock when the appropriate technology is discovered.
What do you think?

 

[Maniac]

Would this make combat more interesting?
Would this make tech research choices more interesting?

Those are the important questions.
I kinda think having a tech grant extra strength to about all your units might make that tech must-have. Thus reducing the number of valid research paths you have.

If I ever need ideas for more content for these techs, this would indeed be one of the first things I think about though.

 

[Teodosio]

I kinda think having a tech grant extra strength to about all your units might make that tech must-have. Thus reducing the number of valid research paths you have.

In that respect I think that a new energy source would be a very important discovery that would deeply impact several aspect of a society, such that it would be highly desiderable anyway indeed!

I would add that this proposal could provide a solution for units variety too. At the moment some units types, such as submarines, needlejets, hovertanks and others, are composed of a single unit. For example there is only one type of submarine, so during the game there is no technological progress in that respect. In order to have another type of submarine for late game a new unit should be designed; my proposal could avoid this problem, because if we grant a large enough bonus with new energy sources (only for new units maybe, not for existing ones) we would actually get a new superior-level unit.
4 different units actually, one for each energy technology. And without the need of designing and modeling them!
What do you think?

 

[Ahriman]

I don't think there is any real gain from merging the power techs into the units, like SMAC did. This was one of the weaknesses of SMAC, the fusion power tech in particular that basically doubled the combat strength of all your units.

Historically, energy source changes have been of overall mediocre importance in military history. It is quite some time after the internal combustion engine before you start seeing effective tanks - and even then, you can represent this with a Tank tech rather which grants than increasing the effectiveness of any existing units. Even now only a handful of ships are nuclear-powered.

So, new power sources let you build Cyborgs and giant Walker units and Gravships. But its easier to represent these with new units than with power-source changes to existing units.

The benefits of new energy sources should be primarily for civilian economy, not for military units.

 

[Maniac]

And without the need of designing and modeling them!

Actually if two units have different stats, they should be easily distinguishable at the blink of an eye. So there would still be a need for distinctive artwork, regardless of the implementation used. And it would be easier to just add a couple units than write some code for adding reactor promotions. If the list of units to add is not too long at least. If it is too long, you again get to the issue the tech would be too powerful.

Anyway, I certainly do intend to expand eg the submarine line in the future. I don't exactly know how yet though. The tech tree above level 6 is destined to change dramatically at some point. But can't say right now how long it's gonna be, so can't tell right now either how many improved versions of the sub would be needed.

I could use some ideas for submarine unit names by the way. Anyone got any suggestions? Doesn't need to be a descriptive name such as 'Photon Torpedo Submarine' btw. It can also be some name derived some mythology. That has the advantage it's shorter, plus you need to do less explaining of the exact tech specs of the unit, why that unit is enabled by this tech etcetera.

 

[Ahriman]

Nautilus, Kraken, Leviathan, Mako, Piranha, Moray, Grendel, Samlon (Larry Niven reference), Taniwha....

Maybe some subs that have a cruise-missile-bombardment attack? Don't bother with actual missile units, those are always an irritating micromanagement nightmare, but just a mild damage 3-tile range bombardment attack.