Modular Combat Robots
Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2015 9:27 pm
First: Congratulations Devs for this great game!
Seccond: I`ve not found a similar suggestion. The closest thing is the "Combat Robots" post (https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... bat+Robots, a great idea by the way!), but, if it is elsewhere, feel free to do whatever is needed to keep the Forum neat.
Now, my suggestion:
Although I liked the Combat Robot thing, I would rather want to make a robot platoon for offensive purposes.
So, My idea is splitable in two parts (sorry ssilk), that i feel like putting together, because of the interdependence...
1st - The robots themselves
Long lasting military robots are a need (at least i feel this way). But how should they be? I suggest modular.
So, first you get a frame. There can be:
-Flying Robot frame (FR) (the actual one we use)
-Heavy Armored frame (HA) (like a tank, move on ground)
-Carrier Frame (CF) (that, ladies and gentlemen is my idea of military roboport... see on part 2).
After this, you create a military robot (maybe with a processor);
Then, you attach to it weapon modules (can be the weapons themselves, to make it simpler), and some other add-ons you want (Like extra batteries - as the frame already have it in the recipe - power generators (specially for the Carrier Frame), radars, etc...).
Now, how you attach this stuff, I leave open. I see two ways: either you attach the stuff, like you do with the modular armor, or (my favorite) you could have dedicated slots, according to the frame: 1 weapon slot and 2 devices for FR, 2w/3d for HA, 4w/6d for CF, or something like that). So you simply put stuff there (pretty much like your tool and weapon slots, or maybe the fuel and ammo slots from the train, the car and the tank).
2nd - The Platoon
The platoon would be a group of combat robots designed under a Command Robot (the Combat Robot made from the Carrier Frame).
So, now I get to the Combat Robot discussion (link in the beginning) and use bobingabout`s area of effect idea as the actual control area of the Commander Robot. The platoon moves around (when and if out) around this area. If the Commander moves, they follow (if outside, of course).
The Commander Robot would have the following features:
-It stacks loads and loads of Ammo, and provide it to the other robots, according to their needs.
-The Robots would sleep in it (not sure about the Havies on that one) when idle.
-It recharges the other robots.
-It receives orders (see next).
About how to give orders, two ways: either you create a set of orders,as we see in RTS like patrol, attack, guard; or you would need a special kind of blueprint for it... I prefer the first one.
You could give some behavior parameters (through an menu, with predefined options) to tell the robots, through the commander, what weapons use on what, when to run away, etc...).
Also, when/if they implement the command center, you could give orders to the Commander Robots from distance.
I`m also leaving lots of blank spaces... I don`t want to define every single aspect of it... I`m just not a fan of fighting alone these nasty creatures, and in the other hand, I don`t like to Just kill them with a blueprint of laser turrets (my actual strategy... very effective, not delightable all the time).
Seccond: I`ve not found a similar suggestion. The closest thing is the "Combat Robots" post (https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... bat+Robots, a great idea by the way!), but, if it is elsewhere, feel free to do whatever is needed to keep the Forum neat.
Now, my suggestion:
Although I liked the Combat Robot thing, I would rather want to make a robot platoon for offensive purposes.
So, My idea is splitable in two parts (sorry ssilk), that i feel like putting together, because of the interdependence...
1st - The robots themselves
Long lasting military robots are a need (at least i feel this way). But how should they be? I suggest modular.
So, first you get a frame. There can be:
-Flying Robot frame (FR) (the actual one we use)
-Heavy Armored frame (HA) (like a tank, move on ground)
-Carrier Frame (CF) (that, ladies and gentlemen is my idea of military roboport... see on part 2).
After this, you create a military robot (maybe with a processor);
Then, you attach to it weapon modules (can be the weapons themselves, to make it simpler), and some other add-ons you want (Like extra batteries - as the frame already have it in the recipe - power generators (specially for the Carrier Frame), radars, etc...).
Now, how you attach this stuff, I leave open. I see two ways: either you attach the stuff, like you do with the modular armor, or (my favorite) you could have dedicated slots, according to the frame: 1 weapon slot and 2 devices for FR, 2w/3d for HA, 4w/6d for CF, or something like that). So you simply put stuff there (pretty much like your tool and weapon slots, or maybe the fuel and ammo slots from the train, the car and the tank).
2nd - The Platoon
The platoon would be a group of combat robots designed under a Command Robot (the Combat Robot made from the Carrier Frame).
So, now I get to the Combat Robot discussion (link in the beginning) and use bobingabout`s area of effect idea as the actual control area of the Commander Robot. The platoon moves around (when and if out) around this area. If the Commander moves, they follow (if outside, of course).
The Commander Robot would have the following features:
-It stacks loads and loads of Ammo, and provide it to the other robots, according to their needs.
-The Robots would sleep in it (not sure about the Havies on that one) when idle.
-It recharges the other robots.
-It receives orders (see next).
About how to give orders, two ways: either you create a set of orders,as we see in RTS like patrol, attack, guard; or you would need a special kind of blueprint for it... I prefer the first one.
You could give some behavior parameters (through an menu, with predefined options) to tell the robots, through the commander, what weapons use on what, when to run away, etc...).
Also, when/if they implement the command center, you could give orders to the Commander Robots from distance.
I`m also leaving lots of blank spaces... I don`t want to define every single aspect of it... I`m just not a fan of fighting alone these nasty creatures, and in the other hand, I don`t like to Just kill them with a blueprint of laser turrets (my actual strategy... very effective, not delightable all the time).