Distinction of AI Turtle Types

[Spikey00]

Since AIs don't have any turrets as of Unity, they've lost a major attribute and specialization.  Theoretically, yeah, mobile ships and guardians will replace those, but offensive types obviously use those too, and they'll all just behave as normal ships once you get their attention by destroying the command station or attacking a guardian.  Effectively, instead of waves, they're becoming more like any other AI, though through CPAs after you provoke them, theoretically.

Are there any plans on diversifying these AI types?  Any AI-specific hindering structures or ships, or some special behavior type of some sort?

[keith.lamothe]

They could simply have type-specific guardians, and percentage chances of guardians.  And guard posts, for that matter.

[Spikey00]

Though the problem with guardians is the same with mobile ships--they will get released on player action and become an offensive force.  Turtle types most probably easier than offensive types, simply because it's passive until the player decides to aggro a single planet on their own schedule. 

I suppose additional guard posts could work, but ah, I dunno.  They aren't as flexible and durable as the old AI turret spam, and certainly not as annoying to clear a planet of.

[x4000]

Well, the main features of turtles was never turrets.  Turtles generally:

1. Don't send any offensive waves.

2. Get twice as many reinforcements.

3. Have extra wormhole guard posts.

4. Some of them get extra various large weapons (ion cannons, etc).

Turrets were certainly also a factor, but I'd call that a distant fifth, personally.  I'd be happy to see them diversified more, but at the same time I don't think they're that harmed by the recent changes in terms of diversity.

[Spikey00]

I feel as though turrets are the mainstay of a turtle personality--nothing else can be rebuilt but those, so once you're through with destroying guard posts and the command station, it's just another "defend and cap."  It used to be a great hassle in cleaning the planet of the turrets, but since the AI doesn't have them anymore, it's rather trivial.

[Foogsert]

I never found AI turrets much of an issue before in the first place as long as you kept a couple cleanup drones hanging around.

[x4000]

And that whole turret remains thing was relatively recent in the last few months, and was, as you say, annoying.  As recently as 3.0, I think, that wasn't even a factor for the turtle types.  They just temporarily got more annoying than most, and now aren't.

[CoyoteTheClever]

I don't know, I like the idea of turtle AI being the only ones with turrets. It gives at least a little more use to ships who have modifiers primarily against turrets for the human player and changes strategy a little. And since you won't be bothering with those turrets every game, it won't be too much of a hassle or chore.

[Collic]

Cleaning up turrets in entrenched worlds was more difficult, but I don't miss it. It wasn't fun difficult.

[Winter Born]

Hmm, rebuildable Guard posts perhaps that leave remains? Right now cleanup drones do not seem to have a purpose.
Or maybe a specialized guard post that spams a turret ball when it dies - sort of like the CoN cockroach - could be a ship in the new expansion.

[Lancefighter]

I really do miss turrets tbh - I dont really like the idea of single - incredible powerful units (the guardians) running around. While I get none of them individually is a solo-pwn-mobile, against the targets they are effective against, they are virtually a hard counter.

With the changes to turrets and the condensing of multiples into one, I think that it generally would not be a bad idea to bring turrets back to the ai. One cleanup drone does MORE comparatively..




Now if only all the engineers didn't lose teleporting 

[orzelek]

Actually clean up drones are cannon fodder currently. If you really need them you may want to take one per thing to clean up since it will die after cleaning up one wreck. Had that with some turrets that hybrids built.

[Winter Born]

Now if only all the engineers didn't lose teleporting 

LOL On the other hand it is funny to see the AI engineers try to escape esp. on a Grav Driller planet.
I'm happy that X4000 added teleporting back for the Mk3 and exp. Maybe if their teleport sound had been a "Wilhelm scream" he would have let mk2's scream er teleport as well.

[CoyoteTheClever]

Hmm, rebuildable Guard posts perhaps that leave remains? Right now cleanup drones do not seem to have a purpose.
Or maybe a specialized guard post that spams a turret ball when it dies - sort of like the CoN cockroach - could be a ship in the new expansion.

I like the idea of guard posts related to turrets. Maybe a guard post that, while you have ships on the planet, will send out little bots to build turrets near itself and other guard posts, making itself a strategic target to get rid of soon?

Another possible idea regarding AI use for turrets is that maybe support corps type AI's will send in mobile builders and try to build turret beachheads for their ally while they invade your territory (Or maybe that can be its own AI type).

[RCIX]

What if these AIs got special guardians that can't go through wormholes? Like "Sentinel Guardians" or something.