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New MARS platform mechanics


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@Chris I'm bringing this topic here as you suggested.  So, I used to use the MARS with the cannon (usually with the rangefinder mod fitted) because the missiles were always too inaccurate and did too much damage (which in things like the new abduction missions is even more of an issue as when they miss and hit something unintended).  Personally, I think the new mechanic doesn't work well (where you could choose which armament it came with) and much preferred the old one. 

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So just to explain the changes for everyone else on the forum, the MARS is now set up like it was in the demo - it has a Rocket Launcher as its primary weapon, and an Autorifle as its secondary weapon. Previously the MARS used to have either a cannon or the rocket launcher as the primary weapon, with a submachinegun or rangefinder that gives the primary +5 Accuracy as the secondary weapons.

So the change is intended to be a buff. The MARS now effectively has two strong weapons - the secondary weapon is a standard infantry rifle with a high capacity magazine and reduced recoil (as the MARS has 100 Strength), which is pretty good really. The fact the rifle can be fired even after moving quite a long way means the MARS is effectively more mobile than it used to be, and the rockets allow it to demolish large areas of terrain and strip armour off enemies quite effectively. So I think overall it becomes a more versatile unit.

I guess there's no harm to adding the Cannon and Rangefinder back in given we already have the assets for them, but it just means extra overhead in terms of engineering projects etc to keep them upgraded.

Also it's worth bearing in mind that we're working on the bug that causes miss shots to fly upwards and disappear off the map without hitting things; once that is done shots should fly relatively flat. I'll also double check the balance between the demo and the rocket launcher in the standard game, perhaps I had upped the accuracy on the rocket launcher in the demo.

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I have not played the closed beta, but I think I can give some input from the demo. 

The modularity of the mars is really important to its identity. As it says in the name, the mars is a modular unit that can adapt to any situation and playstyle. This might become a bigger issue once you upgrade the dropship and are able to add another mars to the squad (or with sentries where you can have several in order to defend a base). Having multiple mars at the same time probably encourages more mars variety and experimentation. If all the mars have the exact same build, then it would be pretty lame and will porrobably discourage mars experimentation in the future.

When it comes to adding extra engineering projects, I think that it is just an extra descision on the players' part. If they sont find the cannon or rocket launcher very effective, then they dont have to upgrade them. Or if they want to upgrade everything to bolster several mars in the same mission, then they can use resources to upgrade that in exchange for losing out on other upgrade projects.

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Hmmm. There's nothing inherently modular about the MARS so far as I can see - the "M" doesn't (canonically) stand for modular, if that's what you were thinking.

And I'd argue the rifle / rocket launcher MARS is way more capable of dealing with any situation than one equipped with a cannon and a rangefinder. That was sort of the point of the loadout I picked for it.

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So I'm not going to revert this for the next hotfix, because it turns out I'd not copied over the updated stats for the rocket launcher from the demo to the proper builds. I'll update those (which generally amount to lower damage per rocket, but much higher accuracy) and we can revisit things after that's out - should be tomorrow.

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I think, that the Devs orient on the Support-Vehicle, which get shown in the first new XCOM-Game and second XCOM-Game with the Terminator-Robots with more Upgrades from Firaxis. They are upgradeable too with more R & D.

The Difference from the MARS and the other Support-Vehicles is that MARS combines both in one small Vehicle. It´s upgradeable later on (first is the Armor) to more advanced Vehicles.

The Difference from the MARS we know from the Betas therefore are:

1. the extra Armor-Choise for more Protection (Standard-Iron) for the normal MARS-Vehicle is integrated already as Standard with the best whatever Points (like HP, Movement etc.)!

In the Betas we tested out therefore, the Points changed. Either you had more Protection and lower Movement or had lower Protection and better Movement. That Refit of the Mars in that Part is perfect now until the better Upgrades will come!

2. the other Weapons (Nebulathrower, Cannon) which we could Choise are outsorced in R & D to make them better against the Aliens!

There you can get an modified LMG with the Magnetic-Upgrade, later an Laser-Weapon and similar as Secondary! And you get the Upgrades for the Main-Weapon with the Alien-Energy and so on like the Interceptor Missles / Torpedos!

Otherwise you can use normal Cannon-Tanks with an 3 to 5 Human Crew to fight the Aliens and get a big loss on Lives in the first Monthes. So much Money you don´t have to pay out the Wittnesses and Childs from them.

3. the special Slot for smaller Upgrades is not for nothing there too. We don´t know for what exactly, but if we play the new Version more and not only 2 or 3 Missions like atm., we will know what it have for Surprisses for us. 

The Devs have not for nothing changed the R & D-Tree and the Modular-Parts you have for the Mars, Fighters and Soldiers. The Game isn´t finished yet and we get sure 1 more Beta-Upgrade before the next Years Early Access will come out. Maybe that Modular-Thing get reduced for Stability- / Bugfix-Reasons.

 

What the M of the Mars belongs: There I have to agree with Emely and Kamehamehayes. It is announced as Modular- and Upgradefriendly in several Dev Dirays, which we could test out since Beta 16. If that Features are linked with the R & D-Change everything is fine. I personaly will let surprise me in that.

Edited by Alienkiller
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2 hours ago, Chris said:

Hmmm. There's nothing inherently modular about the MARS so far as I can see - the "M" doesn't (canonically) stand for modular, if that's what you were thinking.

And I'd argue the rifle / rocket launcher MARS is way more capable of dealing with any situation than one equipped with a cannon and a rangefinder. That was sort of the point of the loadout I picked for it.

I think the kickstarter campaign advertised it as the "modular mars" and the mars was much more modular in previous builds, so i assumed that the acronym had something to do with that. 

It is true that rocket launcher and rifle is best for most situations, but i think there are a couple of sutitions where id prefer the cannon and rangefinder. If the map is very open, then id prefer the cannon and rangefinder due to there being very little walls or cover to blow up. Or if I have multiple mars on the same mission, i would want them to serve different niches. 

One of the issue i had with tanks in xen1 was that they did not have that much utility due to their very small selection of weapons. Im a little worried that reducing the modularity of the mars would also create this problem. 

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One issue I encountered with the MARS now was that I brought one on an abduction mission. It promptly destroyed several abduction tubes while passing past them. I appreciate it's difficult to give them special intelligent pathfinding so perhaps it's worth it to just make the tubes indestructible for MARS - but currently it's frustrating to see them literally wreck your mission objectives.

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