I've been thinking of the entire tech increase through age mechanic which puts so many players off when the game has been running for a while.

I like tech - it makes the game varied, and means different players can play differently.

So, I was thinking that maybe breeders, when spawning FIGHTERS ONLY could 'spend' bio-mass to increase the tech of their offspring.

Without this spend then the restriction is as now, ie 1 tech increase. But, maybe each bio-mass spent increases child tech by a further 5 or 10 tech levels (need to get this right).

Maybe, once you hit the final bio-mass colour then the normal +1 tech increase for offspring no longer works, evolution stops, and intelligent design takes over. Your titans must design their own genome from that point by spending bio-mass.

Yes, its another big change, but it does still mean lower tech levels get played with, which is good. And it lets players design their own armies even more, and it means breeders are more vulnerable as they cannot be intelligently designed....

Thoughts. In particular, thoughts on when the evolution should stop (what level?) and when ID should kick in - and how much per bio-mass.

As for Halls and OT's, could these go the way of the dodo?

Jonathan

I'm confused...

So you breed a titan (which costs biomass) so you have extra chambers to boost its tech...?

I think so.

One thing though, wouldn't breeders be at a huge disadvantage? As in too much to overcome that is. Attackers can charge through a defensive line or even race around the enemy line with advanced engines, and then pummel breeders with weapon tech far outstriping breeders' shields. Granted, it may take a while to fill enough spawning chambers, but it will happen.

A similar idea would be to have values that can be increased that are seperate to tech, but are just added so the tech to improve its performance. (Meaning a weapon tech of 10 with an extra value of 4 would be considered weapon tech 14.) I'm thinking when attacking a fighter/hybrid the value is added to tech and the tech levels work as usual, but when attacking a breeder the value is reduced to something like a fourth or a half. So, Tech+Value=Tech Level against fighters, and Tech+Value/4(Or 2.)=Tech Level against breeders. (So the previous example of 10 tech+a value of 4=14 against fighters would become a value of 11 against breeders.(10 Tech+Value of 4/4=11))

Hmm, maybe, as you say you have evolved tech, and also engineered tech. When breeders are spawning other titans the evolved tech is used, but in all other situations the engineered tech is used.

ie You spend bio-mass to boost shield, weap etc in the offspring using the evolved tech as the base level.

Means your entire clan can spend to get high tech. All breeders would have spare spawn for just this situation. But the higher tech titans take longer to spawn because more bio is needed for the tech spend.

Hmm. Still not correct - too hard to explain.
Say we seperate this out as an Augmentation unit type. So tech remains as is. But Augmentation fill up (at some rate using some criteria). Augmentation can then be spent on offspring to improve their base tech levels.

Thats easier to explain.

What fills Augmentors? Maybe time. Each breeders augmentors fill at 1 per turn? In which case, maybe we don't need a unit type, just a stat on breeders. Current Augmentation level. Don't like that much though. Means sitting still doing nothing gives you the best pieces.

Hmmm, thoughts?

Talking about 'augmentation'.

Each clan given 100% 'augmentation' to distribute amongst units at birth, with a limit of say 5% on an individual unit. This would benefit all ages, not just capped clans.


Peter.

Hmm.

Augmentation = tech research to produce higher tech offspring. But those offspring cannot breed breeders.

Augmented titan can be any type, but they can only spawn fighters.
And maybe they cannot themselves earn augmentation.

i.e. a pure blood breeder can spawn augments. Those augments cannot progress any further though.

How is augmentation earnt. Actions are best. Ideally combat actions. Maybe every offspring that gets to exp 10 earns it's pure blood parent 1 augmentation.

Bit convoluted.

The idea is that your clan has baseline tech - pure blood breeders. But they can create a high tech war machine well above their level by careful planning.

Kindof.

Each fighter could earn 'Augmentation Points' for it's immediate parent, through combat.

Thumbs up to that idea!

Q's. Would the points be expended and not retained by the parent?

To what extent would expenditure on any single fighter/scout be limited?

Could certain systems on hybrids be augmented..ie those systems related to fighting rather than breeding?

Peter.

I'm still confused. Perhaps I'm being thick. Could someone bullet-point this idea or something, I still don't get it!!

A Major Change to Tech:

1) All breeders stop teching up at some point (lower than current tech cap).
2) Overtech and Halls get removed from the game!!!!
3) Pure blood breeders can breed any kind of other titan, and when they do so they can spend tech + 5*augmentation on the offspring. This goes onto the tech of the offspring, so a 10 augmentation point breeder can add 10*5=50 tech to the offspring.
4) Augmented breeders (ie those that had augmentation spent on them) can only breed fighters.
5) A side effect is that pure blood breeders are very vulnerable to attack as their tech levels are ALOT lower than augments.

How is augmentation earnt:
Do not know!!

Current ideas:

a) Titans that gain 10 or more experience grant their mother breeder an augmentation point. This can be spent on offspring and must be re-earnt by new offspring.
Pros: combat based, uses experience, nice! Also harder to earn.
Cons: Open to 'cheating' through training. Experience does not reflect good play, often just a defensive stance.

b) Titans can spend a unit of harvested bio-mass to grant an augmentation - nice and easy, but will lead to very similar designs, never any pressure to perform.

c) Augments are harvested, a special bio-mass. I don't like this, too boring.

d) Augments must be accumulated. A breeder must spend 5 harvested bio-mass to produce an augment. They must continue to do this up to the current maximum. This maximum increases with each spawn. So ancient breeders could have huge maximum augmentation levels.
Pros: Nice and simple. Allows for different play styles. Makes older units very valuable
Cons: It means players who sit still and do nothing could end up with the best units. BORING.

Hope that bulleted version is better.

Jonathan