ACU Teleport

[FunkOff]

We all know that all 4 faction ACUs have teleport. However, aside from Cybran's ACU as part of the "telemazor" endgame strategy, teleport is never used and never seen. Has anybody ever used teleport for UEF, Seraphim or Aeon ACUs? No, because it's underpowered and there is no point.

So, how to make teleport useful? The easy answer is to make the upgrade cost less, but that is wrong because it would be a huge buff to telemazer.

A better idea is actually rather simple: Make the time/energy cost associated with the teleport action dependent on how far the ACU is going from it's starting location.

What does that mean? Simply, ACU teleport works like this: First you buy the fairly expencive upgrade for the ACU, 15,000 mass. Then, you select teleport and click where you want to go. The ACU then "charges" for a few seconds, using thousands of energy during is time. Finally, when the time has elapsed and the energy used, the ACU warps to the new location. The time is always a few seconds, and the cost is always several thousand energy/sec.

To make this more useful tactically, however, I would consider making the charge time and energy cost dependant on distance. For reference, ACU main gun has a max range of 22. So, for a short-range teleport of 10 units, we could make it takes 0.1 seconds and use 100 energy. For a medium-range teleport of 1000 units, we could make it take 10 seconds and used 10,000 energy. For super-long range tele of 100,000 units, we could make it require 30 seconds (probably a reasonably maximum) and 20,000 energy (also a reasonable maximum).

What would this change do? It would keep long-range teleportation nearly the same, but would introduce tactical and strategic choices in regards to where and when to teleport. If you just telemazered a player in a team game, do you teleport all the way back to your own base and risk retaliation in the charge time, or do you teleport somewhere intermediate to facilitate a speedy retreat?

Further, this would have substantial tactical advantages. Specifically, with good micro, enough energy to run overcharge, and steady aim, an ACU with teleport could solo-kill land experimentals. Monkeylord in your base turning it's laser on your ACU? Teleport behind it, OC, and quickly teleport in front of it before it's gun turns all the way around again. Rinse and repeat until the enemy experimental dies, or the enemy team wises up and doesn't dare send an experimental into your base without support!

Thoughts? Opinions on this?

[Jace]

Beside thinking that Telemazer isn't a smart assasination move anyway, because it can easily backfire.

I think it depends on the used balance. Can be OP, can be not OP. I still think even with that buff teleport wouldn't be used for something else than assasination very much because of the cost.
Its so much cheaper to just fly with a transport.
And you wouldn't have a reason to send your ACU/SACU to a highly dangerous place you couldn't fly to, beside the intention to snipe something. The ACU would be cannonfodder alone there.

And if thats implementet: What hinders you to do a few small jumps to your destination and pay almost nothing for it? You would have to implement a reuse time.

[Lu_Xun_17]

It is balanced i think. It's not underpowered, but underused. Well i remember i was using it a lot as uef in roanoke FFA when there are only 2 players left for some fast map recoveries.

[Pavese]

Just kill the upgrade with fire. Useless and doesn't fit into the game.


Only use is Telemazer as "i lost anyways" option and sACU "teleport snipr your SMD". Shitty upgrade, shitty uses, has no point being in the game.

[noobymcnoobcake]

I like your idea funkoff but still 15k mass is too much. I could almost have a monkey for that. How about 10k? Also a few other ACU upgrades need changing. Eg chrono field, restoration field, billy, UEF nano repair. See my sig for some ideas.

[SJAndrew]

I think OP has a brilliant idea.

I've NEVER seen transport used without mazer or a last ditch "I lost might as well acu nuke a base" strategy. It's stupid expensive to the point of being useless otherwise.

The thing is: this has the potential to become very OP if the time delay were too small (regardless of distance).

[Frozen_byte]

May discussing about "needs X energy stored to teleport" ?
That would be like OC, you first need ~15 E Storages to teleport.

[noobymcnoobcake]

May discussing about "needs X energy stored to teleport" ?
That would be like OC, you first need ~15 E Storages to teleport.

I like this idea too

[Plasma_Wolf]

In here, the requirement of 15K Estorage is nothing compared to the cost of the teleport itself. I am considering the long distances on this account. If you've spent your resources on the teleport upgrade, the construction of the storage and the 6 seconds (I'm assuming you have no more energy income than needed with about +2500) or filling the storage isn't really adding much required to it.

For the longer distances, I'd recommend letting the commander "phase in" before it can actually take action. Think of the RA 2 chrono legionnaire. Short distances and it was almost instantly ready to move and fight again, long distances and it could take up to 20 or even 30 seconds before you could do anything with it. The unit was still vulnerable at that time. It'll allow for teleport over long distances if you want to build a secret base but it will eliminate the option for a quick snipe.

[Pavese]

Why even consider long range teleports? Just make it a short ranged move in/move out upgrade. That way it doesnt have to cost 25k mass, but instead maybe 5k.

The more options you give the upgrade the more expensive it gets, keep it simple and it will be easier to balance and easier to use.