Adaptations for LW2 for WotC
Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2017 3:59 am
Thinking about how Firaxis has implemented WotC. I've been kicking around assumptions on adapting that for LW2. Also been kicking around other changes in my head.
All of the things here have balancing issues that would need to be worked out.
1. XCOM starts with just 1 or 2 standard classes. All of the other classes are earned by contacting/freeing other territories. Once the class is unlocked it is available in the GTS and for random class assignment for rookies. So XCOM has real incentive to spread out and broaden their support bases.
2. Perks interact with other perks in a passive way (think Path of Exile passive improvements). So any perk you pick gives some improvement to all the other perks you have. Some are trivial (+1 to aim or dodge), some are more substantial (Improve lightning reflexes by 5%). Some perks would work well in a cluster - Biggest booms, Volatile mix, Sapper. Combat engineer wouldn't exist anymore, You pick Sapper and then pick other perks where their secondary effect improves sapper. Another example would be Another example would be Formidible, Fortitfy, Will to survive improving each other. This would require though on all the possible interactions due to AWC/Traning center allows most characters to get access to a broad range of the perks.
Important to note: Each skill would start weaker than its current incarnation, but through perk interaction could be stronger than baseline. But your trade offs are focusing heavily to superboost a couple of specific perks. It also allows for oddball interactions that make sense: Deep Cover provides a benefit to Covert or having C&P and CCS means your reaction shots because of CCS can inflict critical damage.
3. Covert ops is significantly different from the infiltration system in LW2. It allows for development of lower tier soldiers without having to fight it out for every missions (ie keeping with the A team). This could be adapted to have different factions focusing on different mission types to look for. Or this would be an expansion on the existing Supply/Recruit/Intel mechanic.
4. Alter the infiltration times of team members: Higher ranked soldiers have a longer base infiltration time due to being more well known to Advent. So if you want to send in a bunch of rookies/nobodies, the infiltration time is down because Advent doesn't know to look for them.
5. Alter the Lost spawning mechanic. Right now the Lost spawn in a pack 8-15 squares away from you and charge right in. I would change it that Lost are spawned (silently) onto the edge of the map (random edge location). Every time a weapon is fired there is a percentage change to spawn a Lost (adjusted by suppressor on the gun Std/Superior/Elite) If there is an explosion, add 5-10 lost to the edge of the map. If the Lost cannot see a target and have no one to attack: They move in the general direction of gun fire or explosions; there is uncertainty in the direction. Once a Lost unit can see a target it moves/attacks normally. That means Lost will keep spawning and streaming in. If you get into a gun fight with Lost or Advent eventually you will get overrun by Lost because the Lost spawn rate is higher than the Lost kill rate. I could see setting the spawn percentage at 60% of shots generate a Lost and it could easily become an overrun situation if there are any Advent, if there are missed shots or a second shot is required to put down a Lost. Suddenly Suppressors would become in demand for Lost missions.
All of the things here have balancing issues that would need to be worked out.
1. XCOM starts with just 1 or 2 standard classes. All of the other classes are earned by contacting/freeing other territories. Once the class is unlocked it is available in the GTS and for random class assignment for rookies. So XCOM has real incentive to spread out and broaden their support bases.
2. Perks interact with other perks in a passive way (think Path of Exile passive improvements). So any perk you pick gives some improvement to all the other perks you have. Some are trivial (+1 to aim or dodge), some are more substantial (Improve lightning reflexes by 5%). Some perks would work well in a cluster - Biggest booms, Volatile mix, Sapper. Combat engineer wouldn't exist anymore, You pick Sapper and then pick other perks where their secondary effect improves sapper. Another example would be Another example would be Formidible, Fortitfy, Will to survive improving each other. This would require though on all the possible interactions due to AWC/Traning center allows most characters to get access to a broad range of the perks.
Important to note: Each skill would start weaker than its current incarnation, but through perk interaction could be stronger than baseline. But your trade offs are focusing heavily to superboost a couple of specific perks. It also allows for oddball interactions that make sense: Deep Cover provides a benefit to Covert or having C&P and CCS means your reaction shots because of CCS can inflict critical damage.
3. Covert ops is significantly different from the infiltration system in LW2. It allows for development of lower tier soldiers without having to fight it out for every missions (ie keeping with the A team). This could be adapted to have different factions focusing on different mission types to look for. Or this would be an expansion on the existing Supply/Recruit/Intel mechanic.
4. Alter the infiltration times of team members: Higher ranked soldiers have a longer base infiltration time due to being more well known to Advent. So if you want to send in a bunch of rookies/nobodies, the infiltration time is down because Advent doesn't know to look for them.
5. Alter the Lost spawning mechanic. Right now the Lost spawn in a pack 8-15 squares away from you and charge right in. I would change it that Lost are spawned (silently) onto the edge of the map (random edge location). Every time a weapon is fired there is a percentage change to spawn a Lost (adjusted by suppressor on the gun Std/Superior/Elite) If there is an explosion, add 5-10 lost to the edge of the map. If the Lost cannot see a target and have no one to attack: They move in the general direction of gun fire or explosions; there is uncertainty in the direction. Once a Lost unit can see a target it moves/attacks normally. That means Lost will keep spawning and streaming in. If you get into a gun fight with Lost or Advent eventually you will get overrun by Lost because the Lost spawn rate is higher than the Lost kill rate. I could see setting the spawn percentage at 60% of shots generate a Lost and it could easily become an overrun situation if there are any Advent, if there are missed shots or a second shot is required to put down a Lost. Suddenly Suppressors would become in demand for Lost missions.