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WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 3:01 pm
by sarge945
So, Sparks got some nice buffs in WotC but still missed out on almost all the other new toys given to the rest of XCom.

I would like to see Sparks get some love, so here are some ideas:

Give SPARKs the same rank-up screen as Xcom so that they can get multiple abilities on each row with AP. To be honest, I would get rid of the vertical abilities screen entirely, and always use the new one.

And a more strange idea:

Make the Defence Matrix actually useful. All sparks should drop a data core when they die, and if a soldier can pick it up and take it away from the mission, then it can be "inserted" into a fresh SPARK (spend 3-4 days tube time in the defence matrix) and that spark will gain all the abilities and rank of the SPARK which was killed.


What do you guys think of SPARKs in WotC? Do they need some help?

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 7:07 pm
by SonnyWiFiHr
I use Metal over flesh. I never had a SPARK.
I started Commander diff. Just to see how it plays.
Now I m starting (again) Legendary. How do you get one ? I have DLC-s

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 8:21 pm
by sarge945
SonnyWiFiHr wrote:I use Metal over flesh. I never had a SPARK.
I started Commander diff. Just to see how it plays.
Now I m starting (again) Legendary. How do you get one ? I have DLC-s
If you are using DLC's integrated, you can buld SPARKs in the proving ground

If you have shens last gift without using the DLC Integrated option, you get one for free after the Shen mission, and then you can build more from the proving ground

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 7:33 pm
by Zenteck
Metal Over Flesh looks alright, but I'm not keen on the aspect of it where we buy global stat upgrades.
I do like the utility slot it adds though, and I'd love to see more choices there. Like we had with MECs in EW/LW1; there were choices in MEC equipment, and those choices made functional differences to how the MEC was played.
I'm not hoping for multiple Spark classes, that would be unwieldy in LW2 and it makes no sense lore-wise (they're fully robotic, sharing the same chassis), but some more options in equipment would be nice. For example really like how MOF has pieces of equipment that add a particular perk (or a modified version of it) to the Spark.
Anyway I'm thinking out loud at this point. I look forward to whatever Pavonis have planned, even if that's not LW2otC.

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:54 pm
by JulianSkies
Zenteck wrote:Metal Over Flesh looks alright, but I'm not keen on the aspect of it where we buy global stat upgrades.
Actually that's my favourite part of it! It makes SPARKs feel unique in that their growth is separate from a normal soldier's, they're machines and grow stronger by refining their construction, which can be replicated on every unit.

Same way the tube time growth on psi ops feel special, it's an alternate, different growth scheme that highlights the nature of the class.

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:07 pm
by Sparky79
sarge945 wrote: Make the Defence Matrix actually useful. All sparks should drop a data core when they die, and if a soldier can pick it up and take it away from the mission, then it can be "inserted" into a fresh SPARK (spend 3-4 days tube time in the defence matrix) and that spark will gain all the abilities and rank of the SPARK which was killed.
Love this idea.
The idea that the SPARKs were treated and levelled like humans was always strange to me.
To be honest having all sparks share a level would not be unrealistic (copy the software), but would be imbalanced as hell. :lol:

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:11 pm
by cryptc
SHIVs in XCom1 didn't level or improve (other than upgraded gear) right?

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 1:48 pm
by Steve-O
cryptc wrote:SHIVs in XCom1 didn't level or improve (other than upgraded gear) right?
Correct, they did not.

Although SPARKs in XCOM2 feel more analogous to MECs from XCOM1, which did gain new abilities over time.

Plot-wise, I guess the idea is that, given more time to conduct his research, Raymond Shen was able to devise an AI that could run a mechanized body, so he never had to resort to dismembering human volunteers to achieve the "mechanical warrior objective."

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2017 4:46 am
by sarge945
Yeah I always saw SHIVs as fundamentally different - a one time investment in a tank which will help you out amazingly for a little while (until their effectiveness falls off), without having to sacrifice a Soldier.

SPARKs I guess would be more like that if they weren't so damn expensive and weren't only on par with a standard early-game soldier. If they were slightly overpowered for the early/mid game and were cheaper, but didn't scale at all, they would probably be more like SHIVs

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2017 5:59 am
by cryptc
Well just immersion wise I think it made sense that MECs levels up, while not as much for SPARK (well atleast not that you can't like take a backup to a usb-drive or something :P).

I don't feel strongly either way though, just mentioning it...

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2017 6:27 am
by sarge945
Maybe the Avenger crew gets their USB Drives from the same place the Payday crew gets their drills, and as such can't copy the software between different SPARKs without them constantly breaking?

It would make sense for a common level on all sparks though, since it really is just hardware and software

--

On a different note, I think SPARKs should be elegible for bonds. I know it sounds silly, but then you look at how people get emotionally attached to inanimate objects all the time, and you can see why. If a big robot saved your life, I'm sure you'd like that robot more even if it's identical to all the other robots.

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2017 7:15 am
by cryptc
sarge945 wrote: On a different note, I think SPARKs should be elegible for bonds. I know it sounds silly, but then you look at how people get emotionally attached to inanimate objects all the time, and you can see why. If a big robot saved your life, I'm sure you'd like that robot more even if it's identical to all the other robots.
Which also has a foundation in the canon with how Shen acts about ROVR.

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2017 3:51 pm
by SonnyWiFiHr
sarge945 wrote:Maybe the Avenger crew gets their USB Drives from the same place the Payday crew gets their drills, and as such can't copy the software between different SPARKs without them constantly breaking?
.
This forum is funny. I m smiling loudly. It is Funnnnnny. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Re: WotC LW2 Idea: Sparks

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2017 5:56 pm
by JulianSkies
I've noticed that SPARKs are immune to every single ability that grants them extra actions, probably because of Overdrive