I like the way operate works as of now with the 1 turn delay for operating. I’m often deciding whether or not to move my operators for all sorts of different reasons: defensive support elsewhere, a found Endless Artefact and whether to switch my operator to science module, use food to heal or run to safety and lose the operate bonus, etc. etc. This simple turn delay mechanic adds tons to the game. As for improving operate, I’d suggest continuing with what makes it good, by adding similar mechanics that expand upon these kinds of game decisions for players, here’s a couple ideas:



As of now, operators can attack mobs, use skills, or move within a room without losing their operate bonus. If there was some sort of “locking” option that didn’t allow your hero to take actions, but in return receive a bonus to Wit (and possibly defense), this would add some new dynamics to the game. Even a penalty for “unlocking” the operator could be put into place (broken module maybe?). This would prevent players from “locking” in and out throughout the course of the floor encouraging players to “unlock” only in dire emergency situations.



Another way to encourage this type of decision making would be to give a bonus to food, industry, dust, or science (FIDS) for a certain number of turns an operator stays “stable” on a major module. So instead of locking the hero to a module as stated above, you give additional bonuses for “stable” operators that don’t attack, move, or use skills while operating a certain number of turns. I think it would be fun to make the +FIDS bonus random or unique in some way, allowing Dust to be part of the equation. Like if a hero gets a certain +FIDS bonus based on his or her class type as an example. This idea could also be enhanced by giving heroes with extremely high Wit the ability to reduce the number of turns it takes to get a +FIDS bonus. This, or some sort of passive skill if this turns out to be too easy to manipulate.



Let me know what you guys think.

I myself am not sure how operate works, does the hero simply need to be in the room to be operating?



Otherwise the idea itself seems interesting, although I would suggest perhaps that the penalty would be the module is inoperable for a set/Variable(Depending on how many heroes "Unlocked") number of turns before it goes back to normal output.

I think this is a like-able idea, and it would give more reason to keep heroes in rooms to operate, adding a more risk-for-resource kind of idea.

I like the current system in which I have multiple rooms that grind the mobs (literally) to dust. I usually have one hero in each of these rooms, who also operates the module. The door opening hero helps out where it's necessary or kills mobs found in rooms solo. I then try to balance the number of unlit rooms to the strength of my defenses so no side gets overwhelmed.



Previously to the operating change i usually had one room in which i tried to direct all the monsters, then i killed them there, since i could move my heroes freely after opening a door.



I like the current meta of stationary heroes, but I think bonuses for keeping heroes wouldn't be healthy for the game. First of all it would again encourage players to run mobs through only one room so the operators don't get disturbed. Also I think the heroes are what makes the game special, and if they just stand there operating they will all just feel the same and lose their uniqueness.

The Operate skill needs to be part of a bigger conversation: How and Why should the player gain bonus resources per door?



Operate is one way. The other way I've seen discussed is a bonus for opening multiple doors at once. In both cases, it's a greater risk in return for greater rewards.



The difference:

Operate weakens your defenses.

Multiple Doors strengthens the attackers.



Right now, Operate works pretty well; "Oh, you've been standing in that room since the previous door was opened; you must have been keeping the MacGuffin aligned, so the generator produced a little more." It only vaguely approximates how real-world machinery works, but that's the nature of the beast if game mechanics are to be fun.



The problem I foresee is: What happens if a Multiple Doors bonus is implemented? Do you open three doors at once, get an Operator bonus on the second two, and immediately move your operator to fight without realistically having had time to do any operating?

TheParagonPaladin wrote:
I myself am not sure how operate works, does the hero simply need to be in the room to be operating?

Basically operate allows you to gain extra Food, Industry, or Science from a major module. The trick being, that you must keep a hero next to this module for at least 1 door opening (turn) before you gain the bonus the next turn. It's a real game changer and I use operators in all my successful winning strategies.

Noxeus wrote:
I usually have one hero in each of these rooms, who also operates the module. The door opening hero helps out where it's necessary or kills mobs found in rooms solo. I then try to balance the number of unlit rooms to the strength of my defenses so no side gets overwhelmed.



I like the current meta of stationary heroes, but I think bonuses for keeping heroes wouldn't be healthy for the game. First of all it would again encourage players to run mobs through only one room so the operators don't get disturbed. Also I think the heroes are what makes the game special, and if they just stand there operating they will all just feel the same and lose their uniqueness.

The point is that the hero that's locked down to operate cannot attack or if he does attack he loses his additional +FIDS bonus. It rewards you for having your heroes away from the battle, which is currently, not a good strategy. As you said you keep operating heroes at key points to help combat incoming mobs WHILE they operate, this would negate that strategy for the +FIDS bonus, but still allow your strategy for the regular operating a module bonus. Of course there may need to be a decrease the current operating a odule bonus to a lower amount to balance things out, as the game is pretty easy to stack I, S, & F as of now.



My idea isn't to take away the current meta as you say, but add an additional option for weaker, Wit focused, heroes that maybe work better outside of battle. Like the Warden Mormish with his +30 Attack Power to all when HE ALONE is in a room with no heroes. Stacking him with Wit and leaving him on the back lines it the best strategy for heroes like him, and giving players a choice of a +FIDS bonus OR using his +30 AP skill would be a tough decision to make. Maybe a future hero could be all Wit, with no weapons and only have cool skills like this, or maybe even skills for the new +FIDS or module bonuses or possible a +Wit for a few turns. It’s possible that adding to the metric isn’t the best solution, maybe there’s another way to create more Wit focused heroes on the back lines. Very good points, you got me thinking.

gorbadoc wrote:
The Operate skill needs to be part of a bigger conversation: How and Why should the player gain bonus resources per door?



Right now, Operate works pretty well; "Oh, you've been standing in that room since the previous door was opened; you must have been keeping the MacGuffin aligned, so the generator produced a little more." It only vaguely approximates how real-world machinery works, but that's the nature of the beast if game mechanics are to be fun.



The problem I foresee is: What happens if a Multiple Doors bonus is implemented? Do you open three doors at once, get an Operator bonus on the second two, and immediately move your operator to fight without realistically having had time to do any operating?

I see your point on a realistic perspective, but... isn't this just a game. Like in chess, who's to say a knight and only strait and too the right/left? I mean the guys got a horse and all, wouldn't attacking strait ahead be more realistic?



As for your point to opening multiple doors. That is something I didn't think about, but doing that is really really risky. When I have a Door Opener Rhino go haywire, I'm always in a scramble to get all my heroes focused to attack. If I had a couple heroes locked or stable on major modules I would suddenly lose all my bonuses or incur a penalty. I think with my idea the bonus would be something small like +1 FIDS for every 3 turns or something. So ya, you COULD open 3 doors and get the +1 FIDS Bonus, but it would be crazy to do so and wouldn't gain any kind of advantage. My thoughts with this mechanic would be to allow for a Wit focused hero to be more practical even in the late game. Even possibly getting his FIDS bonus up to +3 if he reaches 20 Wit or so. And I do NOT want to remove the current mechanic of operate to a module, I think it's great. I only want to add additional options to how we use operate.

I finally got around to signing up for G2G and putting in my various codes to bring this up myself and I find this thread. Perfect timing.



I also like the turn delay now associated with operate. It has definitely modified the way I think about several things. From leveling heroes to whether it is worth the loss of operate bonus for a turn to relocate Elise (love her, by the way) closer to the front. All in all, it forces the player to make choices and modify tactics.



I like the idea of multiple turns operating a module granting a bonus, but I think Noxeus brings up good points about breaking the game with excessive resource generation and heroes all standing around being operators.



I would suggest instead that it takes multiple turns (how long to reach maximum can change between heroes) to reach full operate bonus. You could then have heroes that are quick to get up to speed operating, but their overall bonus isn't as high, heroes that take a while to get going, but would provide substantial extra resources if left undisturbed, or any combination in between. I would also like to see a few more heroes that grant bonuses to other heroes or modules as long as they're not in combat, like Warden Mormish. I also wouldn't mind one or two heroes that could grant full operate bonus immediately, for flavor and tactical flexibility.



Also, please have operate status notated when saving a game. I saved and then continued a game recently and all my operators were reset.

My two cents: they should step back to the original way, without the need to lock the hero to get the bonus. Turn one hero or two into a module leech takes his flavor.



Used to have Opbot operating a HUD when available, and when not, have it in battlefront because of his ability of enhance attack for all heroes in the room - ability from the Bandleader Baton. Now he stays there, in that backroom. Happens a lot with many other heroes. Used to have them all in a fight, now its two of them most of the time.

Amrik wrote:
I finally got around to signing up for G2G and putting in my various codes to bring this up myself and I find this thread. Perfect timing.



I also like the turn delay now associated with operate. It has definitely modified the way I think about several things. From leveling heroes to whether it is worth the loss of operate bonus for a turn to relocate Elise (love her, by the way) closer to the front. All in all, it forces the player to make choices and modify tactics.



I like the idea of multiple turns operating a module granting a bonus, but I think Noxeus brings up good points about breaking the game with excessive resource generation and heroes all standing around being operators.



I would suggest instead that it takes multiple turns (how long to reach maximum can change between heroes) to reach full operate bonus. You could then have heroes that are quick to get up to speed operating, but their overall bonus isn't as high, heroes that take a while to get going, but would provide substantial extra resources if left undisturbed, or any combination in between. I would also like to see a few more heroes that grant bonuses to other heroes or modules as long as they're not in combat, like Warden Mormish. I also wouldn't mind one or two heroes that could grant full operate bonus immediately, for flavor and tactical flexibility.



Also, please have operate status notated when saving a game. I saved and then continued a game recently and all my operators were reset.

Agreed, more options = better gameplay, as long as they're balanced. A passive skill for a instant operate would be cool for certain characters. Maybe something extra when you reach operate Lv 2 or something. And, ya the operate bonus is broken after saves, I just assumed this would be fixed later on, good to point out though.