Battle plans-to customize tech trees

[GeneralSGJist]

Subject:
Battle plans-to customize tech trees

Description:
Maybe instead of, or to enhance a class, players can spend points in specific skills, like faster harvesting,faster production, more armor on structures, etc. This is not be be misconstrued as simple upgrades, but rather bonus perks each player can specialize in.

I must give credit to both Stephanovich & Lauren, who discussed similar systems in the past.

From what I know of the C&C4 UI, it should be very possible. Players can gain these points in many ways, from killing things, to accomplishing achievements. One they hae these points, just like in an RPG, they can spend skill points, to improve both their army and base structures in certain ways such as decrease power consumption.

There could also be a randomize option, which several perks are chosen

pros:
more strategic options

cons:
balance issues.

[Kyang]

Saw a mod for Generals that did just this, though I'm not sure what good a "random" option would do.

[DaveyP123]

I like the idea, but the enemy should also be able to get some upgrades otherwise it'll be like you have 500 apocolypse tanks and only spent like 10 000 with +50% armour, +50% fire power and 200 tesla coils with 1 super-reactor. It'll be arrmagedon for the enemy! (I know I'm being unrealistic with the 500 and 200)

[Moskvin96]

remember to :
http://clanlc.es/images/Grandes/gl1253_aoe3logo.jpg

http://www.joelsedano.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/starcraft-2-wallpaper-1-1920x1200.jpg

[Kyang]

remember to :
http://clanlc.es/images/Grandes/gl1253_aoe3logo.jpg
http://www.joelsedano.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/starcraft-2-wallpaper-1-1920x1200.jpg

What?

[WeedWhacker92]

So something like the tech tree in SupCom?

Or is it like a persistent RPG thing?

[MILINTarctrooper]

Traditional CnC tech trees are interconnected via buildings and structures. Range from T1-T10.
New CnC tech trees fall in less than T1-T5. Half the tech tree. Which compounds certain problems.
RA3 cuts it down to almost T1-T3. Depending on faction and gameplay style.

Now the idea talked about...with above posters...including our jab at Age of Empires III and SC2. Is okay. However, there are issues. Any RTS game small or large that has attempted persistent stats or bonuses has had incredible issues of balancing. This caused the formal closure of many a beta game due to this fact, one of which I was part of causing the closure of COHO. Company of Heroes Online. How do you keep players from Grinding their faction into perfection? (Almost impossible-There are ways to exploit the coding that gives you bonuses...so it mis-reads data a coding that would otherwise give you less points.)[In COHO one of my favourite tricks was to play a series of battles with less units on the field, and my points would skyrocket, it was a coding error no one fixed.]

How does one balance all the cards, tech trees, and bonuses, so that up level players don't crush the NOOBs in the first 5 minutes. (Again nearly impossible.) [COHO with its stats ended up with lopsided Wermacht vs American fights with Wermacht players almost all having max Lv 50...while American players were usually fighting a loosing battle with Lv 20-30 experience]

How do you stop Smurfs? [People who have another account or commander at max level, but open up a new commander to get into more battles with the Noobs.] (Impossible...COHO attempted this, but they could never get a handle on the situation. We have Lv50 pro players, smurfing as Lv 15 players to increase their composite stats...[ergo totals].)

Age of Empires III had the card system...where one could create maximum 21 card...card sets. Which could be held in reserve and deployed as necessary. Preferrably after you see what an enemy player is doing in the game. But that game has Rushing sets, Turtling, and Steamrolling sets of cards. Not to mention the Mercenaries!

SC2's system from my intelligence on the game, is only deployed for the campaign. Although I do know that in the beta, there was interest in adding a Mercenary system to multiplay.

Now what I would love to see would be a sliding tech tree. Where as the game goes along I spend in game points on a tech tree going in three directions. Low Tech, Mid Tech, or High Tech. So I have to spend my points to make my forces effective in combat or get unique attributes. I can balance my forces, or go all out. (Its a concept very similar to the Universe at War Tech Tree where you have to consider all avenues of approach in your teching.)