Rename Energy Pylon?

Sounds like a good idea. I can't think of any cool names atm but I second this motion.

The Pylon is a pylon. It facilitates energy transfer between distant structures. It's both the shortest and most appropriate name I can think of.

However, I think the description could perhaps be a little clearer. "Propagates energy grid" sounds cool, but could be misinterpreted as "produces energy", especially if the player hasn't yet found out about the Overdrive system. Perhaps its description should be "RTFM"?

Transmission Tower is good if the current name is bad, but IMO the only confusion possible is because of Starcraft.

Err I don't know why you're referring to Starcraft. It's a bit lulz.
But hey, let's join that lulz!

In Starcraft you need Pylons for structures to be USABLE, if the Pylon's gone, the structure is offline. It's EXACTLY the same in Zero-K. Cool, eh dawg?

Now, different, but still a bit similar topic: what about displaying a little warning icon when trying to place a structure that needs energy outside a grid? Something that's super obvious. But then it also needs a warning icon when placing Pylons in silly retarded places. Or a min-distance or anything.

Hey, I think the whole grid interface needs to be redone anyway, 'cause of all the nubs. It's not intuitive and obvious enough for THEM. Silly them.. sob

Or let's just increase min level for Pylon to [current level of Skasi] every day.

No! How else would we get power to our DDM's, Behemoths and Annihilators? Make a line of wind generators?

Solargens with 6 or 7 tiles of space. Or Fusions. Or..

Dang I feel good now. You know, my idea of giving E sources grids leading to a possible Pylon removal. YAY DAWG!


What about increasing Pylons price from 200 to 1000 and making it global? Pylons would link with all other Pylons of your team on the whole map, allowing you to transport power without awfully needing to build walls of anything. Of course they will also have to explode bigger

I'd like to see energy and grids used for more things. Right now it's just OD and superporc. Would be nice if shields needed to charge up inside grids, or any units Dguns; just an example. I think the only reason people see grids as "work" (check Anni/DDM thread) is that they're not integrated into the gameplay enough.

I do think that the energy grid is a little counter-intuitive, being necessary for overdrive and certain turrets, but not for constructors, shield generators, or other energy-leeching tasks. It would be interesting, I think, if factories, Caretakers, Aegis and so forth could only draw energy from whatever grid they're connected to.

Wouldn't affect basebuilding much, as energy production is generally centered there anyway, but forward outposts would need to either be linked to the base's grid (and vulnerable should enemy raiders or bombers get past and blow up the Pylons) or supply their own power.

Having mobile shield units require an energy grid connection would kinda screw over the shield bots, though. Same with constructors, for, well, everyone. Unless there were a walking Pylon unit... or the Pylon were cheaper.

Not sure where I was going with this post, but, whatever. Z-K is centered on expansion. The more important energy grids become, the more difficult expansion becomes. Decisions should be based on that, I guess.

> I do think that the energy grid is a little counter-intuitive, being necessary for overdrive and certain turrets, but not for constructors, shield generators, or other energy-leeching tasks.

I think this statement pretty much nails it though.

Hm. Maybe we should make the Pylon mobile then. Because 9 times out of 10 you will have built it in the wrong place to support where the battle is actually taking place.

Come to think of it, where is the mobile radar unit (Informant)? Nothing more annoying then having to rely on line of sight when your army is deep inside enemy territory.

It's a very good idea to make pylons moveable >:-}

This will completely deny each attempt to let structures being build only inside of energy grids and make energy links much more unstable because of miss-clicks :P



If defenders would need 2 energy connected, ppls wouldn't spam them so often.
They should only need the energy connected to reload, not to fire the missles.
Because they take so long to reload, and die so easy, it wont be a main issue if they have to wait for the solar to open.

Just another idea to render defenders into a more unique defense:

If they fire missle-drones with a self-d-range1-weapon, they can shot all 3 missles at once and the other 2 retarget if they lose the target. A life-time should be able to avoid unlimited hunting.

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About the Radar-Idea ( which is not the main topic!!! )

Informant would be a nice thing.
Cheaper long range radars, but more wooble for these.

Radar spots should be squares and only become dots if they move.
So you can distinguish between units and structures far better.
Artillery should primary attemt to target the squared spots.