Attempting a simple approximation of UGVs for base defence. Emphasis on gameplay rather than art or models.
I'm operating on the assumption that some or all of this makeshift stuff will be tossed out as UGV work continues. That's fine. I just figure it won't hurt to toss in some bot-like things now
For this scenario simply say that ubiquitous alien EW rendered presumed future battlefield 'bots unreliable in the field, but heavily modified bots in direct contact with the base can still work even during alien incursions into that base. As discussed upthread these Base UGVs or BUGVs would be simplified versions of the full UGV concept... the idea being that the simpler the systems on these prototypes the less the alien EW can fritz things up.
(and if any of this concept survives in the game perhaps they could be the base from which battlefield-capable UGVs are redeveloped after combat experience and some alien tech is researched)
So no big rollout of story or art. These experimental bots are simple gun platforms with cameras but without turrets. When a base containing BUGVs is attacked your Phalanx troopers don't magically beam in from a dropship halfway around the world... instead the bug-v's roll out of the building labeled "Base Defense UGV Bay" and into action.
building building_botbay
{
name "_Base Defense UGV Bay"
image base/botbay
fixcosts ?0000
build_time 5
varcosts 1000
map_name "quarters"
pedia rs_building_botbay
type botbay
capacity 8
starting_bugvs: 4
}
The BUGV advantages are real but should be matched by their disadvantages.
Advantages:
are rigged to accept any human handheld weapon. this is more of a desperation measure at first but will turn out to be very handy when alien weapons are acquired and researched.
are dual-wielding - the default configuration holds a machine gun and a flamer and can use either at will... but cannot reload either of them.
are armored better than humans
(this is the reality of future robot combat... robots are
strong... and that's why the player only starts out with 4 of them)
built in IR scan (still costs TUs but not as much as humans)
are fast on the straightaway but they slow way down on cornering, are even slower on ramps and are like molasses on stairs... or maybe stair-stuck? (dalek syndrome)
copied living quarters as the bugv hq and presume that 4 units are unpacked when the building is finished. As with current living quarters the "building finished" flag signals that the base is now available for attack.
When an attack happens the player gets a chance to choose bot weapons from available stock and the fray begins. Afterwards the bots either do a victory dance and return to the botbay for reloading and repairs... or the bots are scrap and so is the base.
obviously the option of adding human guards to the mix hangs over this but i'm going for all-bots at first just for the fun of it. It can all be justified later one way or the other if someone wants to take the time to do so
attached find simple prototypical bot idea... this concept isn't something to spend 70,000 hours baking normalmaps on...
