random shit - HackMD

## Abstract *Terminology* *twebs = Techwebs* *Big sentries = UA-571C sentry gun* With techwebs dead and it's remenants being the techwebs sentries we have today, we have been confronted with a plethora of balance issues as they are not meant for post-techwebs CM. Bell sentry and its upgrades are continually getting nerfed, even today. Flamer,tesla mini sentries have been nerfed into becoming a meme. DMR sentry is king with its ridiculous range and has been given an equally ridiculous no sentry area to prevent stacking (you still can do it btw). Flags are in a confusing spot for a defensive role and are just asking to be reworked. Sentries in general are, though helpful to the marines, are unimportant and are not too difficult to kill by xenos. With all that said, it is pretty clear that they have become difficult to balance and a rework is needed. This is where a modified version of thwompers rework comes into play. Existing tweb (techwebs) sentries will be removed, with a select few "keepers" being reworked and we will bring back better, but more limited and defensive oriented sentries that are based on the old "comrade" sentries. These, along with few reworked twebs buildings will be relatively important defensive and offensive tools. #### *TLDR:* Techwebs sentries gutted except normal and flame, motion detector bell tower will actually be a motion detector, comrade sentry return with full modularity, holotargetting and slugger modkits for big sentry purchasable in req, soulful sentry management laptop and SL flag backpack.  ## Goals 1. Complexity is intresting, Complication is boring - We don't want to create a complicated system that only a few people truly know how to use. Systems should flow together to create an intresting and complex system without too much tediousness 2. Twebs buildings/sentries shall not only be important for the marines, but bring importance to the roles they are given to aswell - As we are giving them to multiple roles, it is adamant that they highlight the importance of those roles such as SL/Comtech/IO to revert the bad trend of them slowly becoming PFC+ roles.  ## Non-goals 1. Be unbalanced - We don't want it to be inbalanced 2. Feature bloat - This rework only mainly covers reworked twebs buildings/devices for IO/Engi/SL aswell as a reworked sentry system and will NOT create any new buildings or go more past that. - We don't want to spend 2 billion years in dev hell as people say "oh what if we had X" Please no. - Large parts of the document were scapped due to this. These will likley be saved for the future  ## Content #### UA-571C, the BIG sentry ![](https://i.imgur.com/UGnhTN3.png) *Tentative graphic. Demonstration purposes only and not representative of the absolute balance that is going to be implemented* Like the past, UA-571C sentries will in buildable kits, These will be considered "big sentires". They will be modifiable, with a tradeoff between firing angle, range and rate of fire (capped) See picture for an illustration of the trade offs and caps. Normal firerate cap is only a couple tiles below the normal range if at all. Big sentries will be much more rarer and will only be avalible in req in kits. This kit will contain - Sentry parts - Base station laptop - One ammo drum - Cabling Big Sentries will have two modes: AP, which deals additional AP damage and normal. AP sentry deals more AP as it's range is increased at halved firerate. Four to six will be in req, with another two being purchasable at extremely high prices and limited quantities. No stacking limits will be placed on them as the drawbacks of stacking is an unguarded flank. Ammo for the sentries will go much quicker as they will fire quicker being bullet hose DPS machines (unless modified to not be) and ASRS will be adjusted to give ammo accordingly. ### Laptop (this is only for big sentries) https://youtu.be/IS2PtmM9mwU?t=88 Each big sentry box will come with a "laptop" which will be the sentry's base station. This extends their capability well beyond a static defense to a unified defense infrastructure that is controllable and accessible at a single centralized point as seen in the Aliens director's cut "robot sentry" scene. Each base station will be able to be connected to the big sentry via wireless link or directly connected with cables ( latter would be more soulful, but may have some more coding obstacles) This base station will show the ammo, currently engaged targets and allow for the operator to view the sentry's camera as well as any motion detectors connected to it. The base station can be tweaked to alert a specific radio channel if an ammo threshold or target threashold is reached by any of the connected sentries/motion towers. It also requires to be connected to a generator. Upon destruction of the base station, the connected sentries will be disabled for an entire minute unless manually "reset" by an engineer. The base station is indented to add depth and *soul* to sentries as well as adding a unified infrastructure to add depth to FOBs. These can be set up to alert a radio channel when engaged with targets with specifible amount and an low ammo alarm which is enabled by default. ### Modkits These will allow further experimental modifications to BIG sentries only. These are the modkits which are purchasable seperately and do NOT stack. Only one may be chosn per sentry: these are incompatible with any firerate/range/AP modifcations and such will be reverted upon installing *These are more intresting kits that engineers can ask for at req that change the role of the sentry.* *Both sacrifice their modifyability in order for it to be much easily balanced and reduce complication* #### Holotargetting ammo system Modkit A single item like the old upgrade kit. Screwdriver to open the hatch and slap it on to apply. Spawns a normal ammo system upon applying, which can be used on the sentry to revert the upgrade and reapply it. - Adds a holotarget effect to bullets at the cost of fire rate. *Holotargetting is designed to trade off its general purpose defense for better use on guarded sectors.* #### Experimental Gyrojet conversion kit +Ammobox Comes in a small carryable box that includes two 64 round ammo boxes. It can only use this type of ammo. - Ammo purchasable in req - Fires funny little mini rocket bullets (see gyrojet bullets :D https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrojet ) - Longer install proccess: - Two parts must be applied to to update the sentry: Gyrojet barrel (Screwdriver to open sentry, wrench to remove old barrel, apply ,screwdriver ) and Gyrojet Firing system (Screwdriver to open sentry, apply, wire, screwdriver ). Any ammo will be auto-ejected. Old barrel and firing system will be spawned and will follow the same order to reinstall should it be nessesary. - Sentry will fire at a heavily reduced firerate (think like 1/4th) and projectile speed, but will apply a slowdown affect and have accuracy tripled. - May make it into a slug 'flicker stun' type effect if proves to weak *Gyrojet is designed to make the sentry pretty much useless against groups and bad against T3s in a trade to be much more robust against lone xenos and harrasers. The upgrade process and special ammo plays into this and is intentionally tedious to disallow quickly switching it out.* ### ~~New devices~~ *Cut due to bloat* future stuff ~~- XM-820 CBRN Air scrubber This is a device that can counter boiler gas within a range around it with the downsides of being fragile, not portable and potentially requiring a portable generator with fuel. None will be given roundstart but req can purchase one. - GT-204 "Thumper" Seismic Wave generator *Originally the Seegson GS-204 ,it's overclocking beyond manufacterer specifications by Argus Mining Corporation led to it's contribution to the 'LV-403 Argus Mining incident' where thousands of poor miners were entombed to their deaths deep within the tunnel systems. Ironically, this incident intrigued the USCM, who have used it to detect and even remotely damage CLF tunnel systems with the seismic waves it generates. It can also greatly disrupt potentially hostile local fauna, which makes it useful even without a CLF presence.*~~ ~~If you are thinking the thumpers found in HL2, you are correct. This outright prevents weeding in an area and is 1x2. Takes one minute to start up. Purchasable by req. - Portable Fission generator A generator that spawns in req and is also purchasable. Requires fission fuel rods that are slowly depleted throughout the round. Required for the scrubber and base station.~~ ### Techwebs devices ***All devices and their upgrades will be gutted unless otherwise stated below.*** #### JIMA stationary flag Will be in req at an extremely limited amount, (1-3 per round) #### JIMA Flag backpack The JIMA flag backpack be reworked into standard equipment for SLs that work like a satchel and have satchel storage space. *This is intended to not only give importance to SLs, but to encourage marines sticking onto their SLs for the buffs aswell as discouraging deathballs as the buffs will NOT stack.* #### Bell tower - Will be reworked into a Motion Detector Tower using the motion detector tower sprites. Detects targets within a range and reports them to the base station or selected radio channels. These also can "highlight" one or two targets at a time. highlighted targets recieve extra damage from connected sentries. This is intended to make it much more of a threat to solo xenos attacking FOB as well as making base stations and motion detector towers more important. (TENTATIVE) Normal sentries - Purchasable in engie vendors(for now) - Renamed accordingly - Will be nerfed. Cannot operate within a range of big sentries. #### ~~Bell backpack~~ Cut due to bloat ~~Will be reworked into the XS-201B Sonic Boom pack. Upon triggering, will emit a sonic boom that slows everyone within a range down, including yourself. This is an intresting device that is useful in situations where your opponents need speed more than you do. Purchasable by IOs. Multiple minute cooldown. This is intended to give IOs an skillful counter to runners/lurkers that is both counterable and fun to play with and against.~~ ### Xeno counterplay (big sentries) #### Acid gas: - Fire rate and accuracy will be halved, scatter will double. - Still fires through gas, just erratically and inaccurate. *This is to provide atleast some resistance to boiler gas as they already will be buffed to destroy cades much easier in a boiler rework that is very close to being merged* Neuro gas will do nothing to sentries (tentative) (may make it so it fully jams to trade off damage for complete suppression of the sentry) #### Destruction of base station (connected laptop): - Sentries will be thrown into a reset cycle which will disable them for a full two to three minutes unless they are manually reset by an engineer. The sentry will beep errors in the meantime. Protect those base stations! #### Charger charge - sentries will be knocked down and inoperable from a FULL charger strain crusher charge. They will be damaged and must be flipped back up to operate again.  ## Alternatives  ## Potential Changes