Proposal: Novax rework

[FunkOff]

Can target aircraft - Solves ASF swarm problem in one hit

lol yes, because novax can catch asf.

[A_vehicle]

Many mods have been made that allow SMD to shoot down Novax. I personally don't like the idea, but that is just me.

Originally, though, the Novax command center was supposed to be able to build multiple satellites as it has a build animation and a launch animation. Since GPG decided to give the command station only one satellite each, they currently play the build and the launch animation at the same time, when launching it's only satellite. Proof in the command center's script(XEB4202_Script.lua):

Code: Select all

            # Play open animations.  Currently both play after unit finished, but will change
            # to play one while being built and one when finished       
            # Can't use PermOpenAnimation because of the satellite

Maybe the satellite should stay invulnerable, but when ordered to commit suicide the command center builds another satellite instead of also commiting suicide.

Or maybe not.

[Valki]

Oh, I did not say that in my opinion the Novax is perfectly fine.

I used it twice so far in 1v1's.

The first time it gave me invaluable intel and killed like 3 T1 engineers, game won.
The second time it killed over 10 masspoints, game won.

Would buy again.

[ColonelSheppard]

vehicel, sats were used to snipe high priority buildings, this is why they dont rebuild anymore

[Arx]

Not sure if they are powerful enough, but they are not exited really.
Not feeling like an experimental.

[laPPen]

I like this idea. Make the satelite more useable by making it cheaper/better but vulnereable aswell.
There might be some things about that change that need to be thought about so it doesnt have to big impacts on the gameplay.
Maybe we could put into the next balance patch.
The basic idea is quite good imo.
We would need some sort of mobile nukedef though. (What would be good anyway)

[Valki]

Making the satellite vulnerable in any way will ruin the very concept of the Novax.

[zolikk]

Making the satellite vulnerable in any way will ruin the very concept of the Novax.

Well, this "concept" of the Novax makes it either impractical, or OP if you buff it substantially. Basically, at the exact point where the Novax becomes viable and worthwhile to build, it also becomes OP.

To overcome this, the mechanics of the unit should change a bit. Give it some weakness/counters; for instance, as I suggested: SMD and limited air time. Then you can buff it so that it's worth making.

I don't see how this would affect the feel of the experimental - it's still an orbital death ray, it'd still work the same way. Or are you saying that the concept of the Novax is for it to be invulnerable but nearly useless?

[A_vehicle]

Making the satellite vulnerable in any way will ruin the very concept of the Novax.

True. I think the satellite is very useable as it is. Although it doesn't really "feel" like a game ender experimental if you have less than three or four over an enemy's base, it gets the job done.

[zolikk]

Another potential idea:

As Mycen pointed out, T3 Arty is basically just as indestructible as the Novax, and the only way to stop it from firing is to destroy the building.

So, if the Novax is to have SMD counter, it could in turn be made "stronger" than arty, but in a clever way: staying in one spot continually firing its beam makes its damage (and maybe radius) increase with time, capping at some amount, say 4-5x its base DPS, turning it into a shield breaker, just like T3 arty, at a cheaper cost, but able to be countered by SMD.

Either make it unable to fire while moving, or just have its damage boost reset to zero continually while it is moving. In the second option, which I prefer, it could still follow units and fire at them, but in this situation it wouldn't be stronger than it is now (otherwise, navy with no SMD or an advancing ground army would just be fried fast by it). So the satellite would completely keep its current use as a harassment unit, especially against navy, while getting a new functionality similar to arty in a way.