Weather: Should it affect the troops?

[Admiral Vostok]

You may not have noticed but the dust cloud isn't just hanging in the air. It is billowing around the troopers due to the huge force of the impact of the crashing Federation Starship. As such there is quite a strong wind, comparable to that in a snowstorm. Movement would be just as restricted. I mean, it might be a little different to a snowstorm, but it is virtually the same as a sandstorm, for which we are also recommending LOS and movement loss.

[Darth Windu]

Vostok - again, no. The wind would have been temporary, and there is auite a significant difference between dust and sand.

[lukeiamyourdad]

Pointless debate.

 

Just wanted to point this out.

[Admiral Vostok]

Thanks Luke's Dad, like we didn't already know!

 

Particularly since in the case of the dust cloud I'm talking about, the dust was sand - it's Geonosis remember? And while the wind is temporary, it lasted all the time we were watching the troopers.

[Darth Windu]

Vsotok - i can see that im not going to convince you to join the light side, and you arent going to convince me to join the dark side

 

Hence, i will finish off with Gameplay > Realism

[Admiral Vostok]

Gee that was a silly argument. I had to look back to see what my point was. I think it was this:

 

Making weather effects entirely realistic is too complicated, so it's better left out.

 

Windu, by saying Gameplay>Realism are you agreeing with the above statement or disagreeing?

[Darth Windu]

I'm saying that regardless of who is right (which is obviously me ), gameplay > realism

 

Besides, no-one ever said that weather effects should be entirely realistic

[DK_Viceroy]

Maybe we should have a look at weather affects in other games before making any decisions it's better to learn from expereince then make a decision then to leap blindly into a decision and then later beiong presented with earlier attempts.

 

Command & Conquer

 

Ion Storms

 

these would disable radar all non organic units and hover units. also it decreased line of site and if they impact units do damage.

 

Meteor Storm

 

These would happen periodically impacting units and causing massive damage also seeds tiberium { a resource }

 

Lightning Storm

 

WHen over a base it does lage amounts of damage destroys buildings and units

 

I'd go through age of mythology but since nearly everyone here is at least familiar with them there's no need.

 

Maybe instead of weather being all negative some could have positive affects

 

Rain

 

Increases food gathering any muja bushes nearby get an increase all animals fatten { are worth more food } and farm food left increases. Can Make Carbon Grow { trees not the rocks }

 

Sunshine

 

Increases food also and has a greater affect on carbon. Also increases LoS and makes nova and ore gathering better { just using as a substitute until there replacement is decided }

 

Windy

 

Increases Unit Speed Makes Aircraft Maneouiveres more effective. Special Ability for mounted trooper { Smell Out } which allows the unit to home in on an enemy base more effective.

 

Snowy

 

Makes water bodies ice over also makes animals fatten and when water bodies ice over units can travel over them

[Admiral Vostok]

Some decent ideas there, Viceroy. A couple of comments:

 

I don't think there should be any benefit from sunshine, since that will be the case most of the time.

 

I love the water icing over idea. Troopers could walk across but Mechs would be too heavy. Though if you do send Troopers across there is the risk the weather will change, thawing the ice and drowning your army!

 

I think weaher phenomena should be far less devastating than in Command and Conquer of Age of Mythology, since in those games they're used as weapons (except for rain in AoM).

 

I'd also like to take this moment to congratulate you on the readability of your post. The punctuation is quite good ad the ideas are cohesive. Well done.

[Darth Windu]

Viceroy - some good idea's there, but i think that system is a bit too complicated.

 

Personally, i think of weather in this sort of game as storms and nothing more.

[clonedjedi]

Wind increases unit speed??? Depends which way it is blowing i guess.

 

Sun if you are playing on the geonosis map in the day the land should be a nice glowing red very cool map

 

Yes weather should not be a super weapon or a god power like in some games otherwise it will screw up the entire system also maybe there should be a tab where u can select if you want weather effects or not.

[DK_Viceroy]

I DO have good ideas from time to time you know i've had loads of ideas floating around. If i knew how i'd do what some guy is doing for tiberian twilight and make his own shareware version to show people what can be done.

[lukeiamyourdad]

Yes very good indeed.

Best weather ideas up to date.

 

I have a few comments tho:

 

1. Weather effects should be different from place to place. Such as sunshine for an example. On naboo, it helps ya, but on geonosis, to much sunshine could be a problem('cause of the heat and you know) it will make it interesting.

 

2. Weather effects shouldn't do massive damage(unless it does it on all the bases enemy or yours). It will make weather annoying.

[OOM-9(2)]

Good! I like this idea. BY the way, my absence has been down to school work, holidays etc.

[DK_Viceroy]

Actually i had in mind for it be cloudy most of the time it would be cloudy