Me, personally, I would like to see something akin to a 'super unit' from each faction. A researchable era V or VI unit that might have its own seperate cap (say, maybe, 2 per faction?) that is badass to start with and can be customized like the rest for its own flavor -- I fully support that notion and think it'd be a lot of fun

Yeah more variety of military stuff at the end would be nice, but honestly, all my games are over in Age 4, so I haven't yet really noticed the lack. I've mainly played the computer on "serious" though. Do multi-player games drag out until Age 5-6?

Nasarog wrote:
I am all for a 4th unit tha to pen sup in era 5 or 6 that is a super unit. Something unique to each faction that plays off of the faction lore.

100% agreeing with this ^^

I am all for a 4th unit tha to pen sup in era 5 or 6 that is a super unit. Something unique to each faction that plays off of the faction lore.

'serum of iteru' tech basically made all your units a super units, although without a flashy new graphics.

so maybe replace that tech with your suggestion?

I would be very wary about the edition of super units/weapons. First of all, both heroes and units can become pretty insane with upgraded gear and quest gear, so the question is if it is not an unnecessary layer of mechanics?



More importantly, the potential for game-breaking gets exponentially higher with the amount of power you add to single actions/units. What we do not want is everyone racing to get the LEGENDARY TITAN unit, and whoever gets there first wins the game. So I might agree to the idea but it needs to be done "right". Perhaps the factions all have a unique way of getting this legendary unit, each having to make some large sacrifice in order to obtain it? So Vaulters might build an ancient-tech golem as a city build project requiring insane amounts of industry (stockpiles are a must), while Necrophages have to sacrifice a substantial amount of their own armies for theirs, and so on? The idea is to make the super-unit a case of "all your eggs in one basket", so that it is completely feasible to not build one and still win because you use your resources for other things.



I feel that there are many other aspects of the game that could be made interesting instead though. Pretty much all games I can recall that has superunits have implemented them in a way that break the flow of the game, especially when introduced as an expansion/addition.

Imagine if these Super Units were also available to you in the market after you reached the appropriate era for them. Now that would be terrific... Yee-haw!

I agree that a late-game "win more" super unit may be a good idea to reduce the tedium of finishing off a game that's basically already won, though that's probably more useful for single-player than multi-player, since in MP games you'd ideally have a close match.

I would definitely like to see game-changing units, buildings, or technologies in eras 5 or 6, though. I'm not entirely sure what would fit into the lore of Auriga, though. Perhaps some way of tapping into the power of the technology and machines of the Endless.

Super units could be fun.

Something like a nuclear missile would be cool - adds late game tension, can help bring around the end of auriga, shake up the military situation. I am not sure that it would be handled as a unit though....



Regardless, the unit should bring something new to the table. If its just a new unit, but better looking and with higher stats - well, virtually the same thing could be done by unlocking a end game set of expensive, high stat equipment. Why wouldn't the devs just do that and save themselves from making a unit?

EcthelionHelm wrote:
I would rather see late game items that give a unique effect, or late game research that unlocks new traits in your existing units. A super unit that costs 2 or 4 army points and has higher stats, but is otherwise similar to the basic units is just...boring.

Preferably, if you read my OP, I would like to see them as all-new units that are super powerful, much like Civ's Robots and Nuclear Weapons.

I would rather see late game items that give a unique effect, or late game research that unlocks new traits in your existing units. A super unit that costs 2 or 4 army points and has higher stats, but is otherwise similar to the basic units is just...boring.

Yeah, a new super powerful OP unit will certainly freshen the Mid-Late game.Good idea, dawg But it will be hard to create such an OP units and avoid gameplay imbalances. They will need a lot of balancing and fixing, in order to be powerful, but not too much to ruin this beautiful game.

I have a great idea for a future update to the future Era 6 of technology:



Super Units.



Part of the problem with the mid- to late-game is that there aren't any technologies that are super exciting. The unit techs are unlocked in the first two eras and then....



Nothing.



Well, nothing but more bonuses and some cool buildings, but nothing quite as visually awesome or potentially game changing as another unit.



So something that I think would be really cool to see in the future is the addition of one super unit per faction that would



[LIST=1]

Look Awesome/Formidable

Be Potentially Game-Breaking-ish

Be Expensive/Very Powerful

[/LIST]



This is similar to other 4X's where the end-game tech can provide easier ways to "mop up" the remaining players and possibly provide some awesome end-game fireworks.



Also, it provides something completely awesome and exciting to look forward to towards the endgame.



So, the Necrophage can have a super bug that may spit high-damage corrosive acid and also have a devastating melee attack (think StarCraft's hydralisk on steroids), and the Ardent Mages could have a super unit made of pure energy, and the Vaulters could have a rudimentary tank....



The list goes on.



What do you guys think?

EcthelionHelm wrote:
I don't really know what a 'super unit' would bring. I agree that mid/late game needs more features and options, but just mindless adding a NEW UNIT LOOK ITS LARGE AND HAS HIGH STATS SO COOOOOL may not actually solve much.

It's one solution to one problem.



I'm interested in hearing your suggestions, though!

I don't really know what a 'super unit' would bring. I agree that mid/late game needs more features and options, but just mindless adding a NEW UNIT LOOK ITS LARGE AND HAS HIGH STATS SO COOOOOL may not actually solve much.

Love the idea!

Obviously they would need to be somewhat imbalanced because it would be end-game super tech. Meant to be a means to an end! And something really awesome to watch.

I've always liked the different tier progression in supreme commander and the ability to build experimentals aka super units. I'm all up for this though I dunno if it will affect a turn based 4x positively or negatively.

^I like your take on it, too!^



Great minds think alike

Reposting something I wrote a loooong time ago. Needles to say, I support this idea

PANCZASU wrote:
(snip)

Advanced units[/I]:[/B][/INDENT]





We all know that devs don't want the players to have more then 3 unit templates per faction (+settlers). I personally agree with this decision but I think there is a way to satisfy people who want more units without giving them more units. Sounds illogical and impossible? Keep reading.



As the time goes on, technology on Auriga reaches new stages and people learn how to use dust more and more efficiently. I think that this could be reflected on your units in a better way then by "just" giving them weapons made of some exotic alloys.



My idea is that (starting from era 4) your basic unit templates change to reflect your technological progress. Your people evolve, grow smarter and become stronger, which is reflected by improvements you create in your city. Same thing can be said about your units. So in era 4, there can be a technology which upgrades the template of your basic unit and makes it more powerful.



For example, advanced version of a Forager gains an ability to self-destruct on death, dealing a decent amount of damage to nearby units. It's a nice addition to a unit that can already come back from the dead if you don't lose a battle (last stand anyone?). Similar small additions and skills can be unlocked for Necrodrones in era 5 and Proliferators in era 6, reflecting on the advancements of the player who owns those units.



Following gameplay changes, advanced units also look slightly different. In DotE you can fight blue big scary crystal dudes or red big scary crystal dudes - the red ones have AoE attack so when you see them you immediately know that you're in for a world of pain. EL can be no different. Advanced Stalwarts have their armour imbued with sacred energy (fancy particle effect around the armour) while advanced Proliferators grow arms with mouths that help them reach enemy corpses and plant eggs in them from afar (new grotesque model).



Visual changes can be as small as a slightly new texture but they will still look nice, especially when you want to show how cool you and your units are. It also acts as a warning for other players - if they see a unit with new texture/model/particle effects then they know that something bad is going to happen.



So, what about...

Pros:[/B]

• Code-wise, it should be easy to implement
• Makes you feel like you have access to more then "just" 3 units
• Makes late-game more interesting with the addition of new abilities
• Increases the player's ego and gives him/her a sense of accomplishment after reaching later eras
  
  

Cons:[/B]

• Will require extra work from artists (although, as the game reaches later stages in development, they shouldn't have too much to do anyway, right?)
• Can take a bit of time to balance correctly, especially in combination with powerful late-game equipment
  
  

(snap)[/QUOTE]

I think i've read somewhere that in the end of the game you are supposed to build a spaceship or something. If so the gunpowder is fitting.

If i am wrong then super units all the way. As i said military section of tech tree is a bit empty

DevildogFF wrote:
I have a great idea for a future update to the future Era 6 of technology:



Super Units.



Part of the problem with the mid- to late-game is that there aren't any technologies that are super exciting. The unit techs are unlocked in the first two eras and then....



Nothing.



Well, nothing but more bonuses and some cool buildings, but nothing quite as visually awesome or potentially game changing as another unit.



So something that I think would be really cool to see in the future is the addition of one super unit per faction that would



[LIST=1]

Look Awesome/Formidable

Be Potentially Game-Breaking-ish

Be Expensive/Very Powerful

[/LIST]



This is similar to other 4X's where the end-game tech can provide easier ways to "mop up" the remaining players and possibly provide some awesome end-game fireworks.



Also, it provides something completely awesome and exciting to look forward to towards the endgame.



So, the Necrophage can have a super bug that may spit high-damage corrosive acid and also have a devastating melee attack (think StarCraft's hydralisk on steroids), and the Ardent Mages could have a super unit made of pure energy, and the Vaulters could have a rudimentary tank....



The list goes on.



What do you guys think?

Ye, sounds cool, Titans-like units for end game, Epic battle incoming



This would be an awesome expansion, with a new faction based on those super-units !

+1 from me. It would nice to see some end-game units stomping across the map striking terror and cutting wide swaths of destruction

I seriously doubt gunpowder will be available. It wouldn't fit in to the lore.



That's why I think super units would work well to break up the late-game tedium.

Dont know about super units but i had some thoughts yesterday while playing. What kind of weapons may be on Era 5 and 6, gunpowder?

Still you have a point. After mid game technologys weapon sections are kinda blunt. Barracks and more defence points. We need something to spice things up