Vehicles and "Load".

Vehicles... Yes vehicles.

SCVs basically are already vehicles, but what if you can make "vehicles" for scvs that changes the gameplay a bit?

Vultures, Siege Tanks, etc. Can be set so they do not function (they go neutral) if no one is riding on it.

But it would be awful if said vehicle gets killed and the SCV was lost... So maybe a "bar" will appear if the vehicle's hp drops to zero and it goes invincible, and if the bar finishes before the SCV escapes, the scv takes damage from it before automatically being kicked out of the vehicle from the explosion...

Also, a "load" system for players to go into structure can be handy for "advanced" controlling them.

Maybe if you loaded a SCV into a Missile Turret, it would increase the range by 3 and damage by 50%, but only if a scv is loaded.

The problem is player ownership of structure when loading scv into it... You can't have your ally load their SCV into your missile turrets unless it's properly configured (I know a owned transport ship can load other scvs, but what about structures that doesn't handle loading?).

With the wonderful editor, I think that the loading scheme used for the transport could be easily applied to other buildings. And I would love transport vehicles! That would be awesome. I'm not sure the turret load would be used all that often, usually you are either mining, setting up more defenses, or repairing your existing defenses. But I love the transport idea. A vulture or truck (doodad) model perhaps?

Starke wrote:With the wonderful editor, I think that the loading scheme used for the transport could be easily applied to other buildings. And I would love transport vehicles! That would be awesome. I'm not sure the turret load would be used all that often, usually you are either mining, setting up more defenses, or repairing your existing defenses. But I love the transport idea. A vulture or truck (doodad) model perhaps?

Actually, the game already comes with lots of possible vehicles from the campaign too.

Maybe they can be constructed from the factory, with variety of types.

Vehicles basically offer a small level of protection to small zerg units... Maybe you can run them over with bigger vehicles (smaller vehicles will take damage upon collision) by implementing a "skill" you can switch on and off to "crush" small zerg units?

Having your team ride in a "APC" to get from one place to another is awesome, especially since the vehicle has a turret...
I wonder if the vehicle can have each action shared yet differently used?

1 APC, main player can drive, other players controls the turret.

Warning: Brainstorming and ideas ahead!

Ah yes, I forgot the APC. But I don't think that having a turret is a good idea, it would be too easy to kite enemies (particularly the "guard" roaches), or just have it take aggro then have your teammate repair. So no APC model. Ah well.

I like the idea of finding them like you find factories right now. Whoever gets in it should get exclusive control while they are in it regardless of who else enters with the exception of the load/unload function, just like the transport ship. Once the player exits, it becomes neutral again and anyone can enter. That way there is no control conflict. It would literally be a vehicle, and would likely stick with one player - to give it to another, you would need to get in, drive it to them, get out, and walk back (or vice versa - they could walk to you and drive it back). You couldn't control it unless you were driving it with an SCV/Probe/Mule, and the Zerg would ignore it when unoccupied. I'm unsure as to whether they should only fit one occupant or four at a time...

If you want to have players buy them from the factory/other building they should be one player's properly of course. I don't think that there is a need for more than one type, as there is already plenty of variety in the game. Maybe they should replace Spider Mines... does anyone actually use those things?!?

Maybe allow players to ride Vultures, the fast motorbike ones that SC1 has...

The idea is that it's a reconstructed one, meaning no weapon, but can still drop spider mines based on supply use.

Each Vultures have 3 mines in stock, and can restock them at a cost of 15 minerals each, and is not set to auto restock.

Spider mines then need better tweaking, like slightly faster movements and detection so they don't stupidly get up and be shot and destroyed...

They also have to be like banelings, upon death, will do damage to surrounding units.

Damage can be 60 to direct contacts and 30 or less to splash.

As for other vehicles, it is technically possible for you to "ride" a ton of different possible vehicles, but civilian based vehicles might be the cheapest and most common ones...

As for destruction of vehicles, if you make a vehicle and it's hp drop to 0, you should get a 60 second timer so your SCV can pop out and repair it.

Typical small vehicles should carry 1~2 SCVs, and only 1 large vehicles can carry 4.

An APC with a turret isn't that big of a deal, just make the APC move at a average speed so it makes it a bad idea to drive one outside your base in the middle of the wave. It's designed to carry and protect occupants, not to assault something...

So:

Small Vehicles - 250~300 HP / 1 Armor / 25% faster than SCV
Possible abilities: Spider Mine, Accelerate

Large Vehicles - 350~400 HP / 2 Armor / 25% slower than SCV
Possible abilities: Accelerate, Shoot (APC)

Repairing vehicles will cost you minerals AND gas.

Accelerate ability basically uses the vehicle's energy reserve to accelerate 50% faster and inflict vehicle damage when collides with light units. After use, the vehicle's speed will drop by half for a few seconds.

Shoot is basically the lasgun but on top of a APC.
It doesn't automatically fire, but is typically a 3 round 10 damage shot that consumes 30 energy. Armored units greatly lowers the weapon's damage, but it does work wonders on early light units.

Obviously, you can't build a APC without both Science Vessel and a Factory, but for most of the other smaller vehicles, only a factory is needed. All vehicles cost 100+ gas, since it's powered by vespene gas.

You'll need to add "anti-armored zergs" at some point, making them effective against vehicles and structures. Maybe banelings do extra damage to vehicles since they are explosive. And it's not like those damn infestors can't stop vehicles in it's tracks and do damage to it.

There can be a possibly "GAS" system for vehicles too, maybe it'll require players to sacrifice gas to power the vehicle for a set period of energy, say 1000 energy. Moving the vehicle a few short distances will consume a few points of energy. Essentially, refueling the vehicle will cost roughly half the vehicle's gas cost.