Combine metal and energy storage

I think that unit is called Storage.
http://zero-k.info/Static/UnitGuide#unit-Storage

I mean combine with pylon.

Well Godde if that is true then making storage is even worse. If pylon had metal storage I would be more likely to build one and link some stuff.

Scrap storage and make the default one infinite. Tada!

Oh wait.. nvm that idea would be too awesome.. pity! What a shame.

I like Skasi's idea but maybe the storage space should have some cost to it. Maybe something like for every 2 metal you spill it adds +1 to M/E storage capacity?

Storage doesn't play much of a strategic role, but infinite storage is a really bad idea. With storage shortage, if you have a newbie on your team who doesn't spend any of his communism-granted metal, at least it will eventually overflow his storage and distribute to teammates.

>> "a single rector can stay cloaked for 1000 seconds, but a big ass army only for 2 frames" is a bit odd.

What? How is that odd that bigger or more requires more upkeep? A city block will consume more electricity than a single house...

If anything, I am kind of disappointed that energy upkeep really isn't a gameplay mechanic anymore. For example, if you want to compush in BA or XTA it is usually important to build a little extra energy and an energy storage, so that you have plenty of energy for dgunning.

Licho wanted to abandon energy storage altogether, didn't he? I've always been rather fond of that idea - just get rid of the "energy" bar completely. Energy has income and outflow, and all surplus goes into overdrive, share, and ultimately waste. No storage of E. Then the actual "storage" building would be M only.

I don't think energy storage is going to be removed. There are 2 main reasons.

1. Overdrive works so much better with storage to dampen small changes. The proportion of your net income that is overdriven is equal to the proportion of energy storage filled. So for example with 20 income, 10 drain and 500/1000 energy in storage 5 of your income goes to OD, 10 goes to drain and 5 goes into your storage.

2. The Spring energy system works reasonably well and would be a pain to replace with lua. It chucks a fit if you set storage very low.

The cloak costs are not arbitary, they are a balance thing. You may as well complain that Flea is the same size as Skuttle so why is Skuttle much more expensive? Why are the similar sized Tremor and Reaper so different in health?

Onto the main topic:

"Metal storage" is not a unit. We have storage that stores both metal and energy. Pylon should not store anything because as many people point out storage is often a bad thing.

Storage is not useless it is just of limited use. I think they can be boiled down to 2 uses:

• Dealing with reclaim.
• Building things very rapidly.

The reclaim case is not for dealing with all reclaim, often you would be better of producing things with spare cons. But if you get a massive amount they can be useful.

Building things very rapidly, maybe I could subdivide it further:

• Saving because constructors are not yet at the desired location.
• To rapidly and correctly respond to your opponent.
• To reduce the chance of being scouted.

These factors are currently minor in teamgames and 1v1. There may be times when saving is appropriate but 1v1s are generally short and in teamgames there is rarely overall coordination.

Saving is useful in FFA though. There is a lot more uncertainty and a greater wish to keep your power secret. If you can build a Starlight in say 30s instead of 4 minutes there is a much lower window for you to be scouted and ganged up on.

This thread is going nowhere ;) No storage - stupid. No E - stupid. And ZK is against such things like ba where each thing has storage in it. And cloaked unit E consumption is alright. Imagine skutle rushes on small maps at least now if you do rush skutle you have to cloak it just in time otherwise it will eat all your remaining and uncloak before will reach target.

"To infinity and beyond!"