In this thread, I will share a few mod concepts that can be built upon. Some of which I plan to use, some of which I do not.
"+": denotes planned usage/already using.
"-": denotes otherwise.

+A race that requires both psi fields AND creep to build structures upon. I plan to use a variation of this, in which psi is "WLAN" and is required for supplies and towers, and creep is "power grid" and is required for nearly all structures. (I hope to see this in Es'ir Prus, for the DoICK faction.)

+Invisible vespene geyser idea. First, all geysers are removed. Following that, minerals are randomly replaced (maybe 1/8 chance?) by invisible geysers. In addition, to collect the gas, refineries must be built on them. The catch is that the refineries also serve as resource drop-off locations - thus, you cannot simply guess where geysers are. I imagine "prospector" structures that detect can be used to find these sources. The second catch is that the prospectors would be highly expensive.
The point is to force players into the "expand and conquer" mind set in order to achieve victory. The main flaws here lie in three things: one, players can simply play maps that they are accustomed to, or they can simply build prospectors where expansions normally are. Can be bypassed by using older version of multiplayer lobby screen, where one cannot preview the map. The second flaw is that the vespene geysers are removed in the beginning - how the Hell are the players supposed to mine!? Problem can be resolved through... work in progress. The third flaw is more of a consideration - should geysers be the only invisible unit, and the prospector the only detector?

-Water control mod. Something like the vespene geyser idea. I dunno. Need more time to think. Something that has to do with detecting if water terrain is nearby... Maybe half of a fleet mod. (Might use in combination with vespene geyser idea.)

-Mass armies mod. Yes.

Changes to the line-up.

(-)Invisible Geyser idea. I don't think I can execute it well -- someone else should try doing this.

+Mod concept (to be used for SMC4): Resource Range of DOOM. Will be used in "Threshold of the Eclipse".
Basically, players need to keep a constant watch on their "lead" (replaces minerals) (will be represented by "Pb").
Every cycle (1 cycle = 2 minutes), a trigger checks if a player has <X Pb or >Y Pb.
If <X Pb, as many "Pb Warehouses" will be destroyed and salvaged as is required to get >X Pb (each salvaged Pb Warehouse gives a [High% or FULL] refund). However, if there are no more Pb Warehouses to salvage and the player is still <X Pb, then a random unit dies.
If a player has >Y Pb at the end of a cycle, a random unit dies -- no exception. The main method of reducing ones own Pb pool will be to construct Pb Warehouses.
Pb is mined normally, and is spent by all units in relatively minor amounts. Except that Pb Warehouses will require relatively greater amounts of Pb.
Gas is replaced with [ARBITRARILY SELECTED RESOURCE] and is spent by all units in relatively large amounts.
In conclusion, too much or too little Pb will screw with the player.
(Another side of this is that the mod not allow unit massing -- therefore, it is even more important to keep one's Pb pool within the given range, since each unit lost will be a heavy detriment to one's survival.)

Threshold of the Eclipse -- coming soon to SEN.

EDIT:
All ideas are called off (-).
Stand by...

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Jun 18 2009, 8:51 pm by New-.Hydrolisk.

First of all, I would like to say that TassadarZeratul is a bagel.
TassadarZeratul is a bagel.
Now, on to less important matters.

(Drawing from an amazing conversation I was in.)
-RaceXX and RaceYY are fighting. They are different. One very similar thing is that they both have "Controllers". Controllers can cast Mind Control; however, the unit will immediately die when Mind Controlled UNLESS: the unit is UnitXX or UnitXY, and the Controller belongs to RaceXX or RaceXY, respectively. Neither side can build the UnitX_ units.
UnitX_ units are created in pairs whenever a normal unit dies. Thus, when a normal unit dies, one UnitXX and one UnitXY is created. UnitX_ are equal statistically, and are somewhat stronger than conventional units.
That's all.

+Moving bunker tank thing. By that, I mean a T.Bunker that has a generic tank graphic, but the units inside actually move with the tank, so that we don't get invisible bunkers. Hopefully, TZ can do this.

+"Weapon-switching", emulated with the switching of sub-units. TZ, get to this.

+MORE DAKKA. Increased rate of fire based on UnitX. TZ, WE BELIEVE IN YOU.

*eats self*

Overcomplicated, much? Why not just do a Kills to Cash system like we planned, where you kill a unit and you get Scrap?

Weapon switching could be handled with the liftoff/landed system yes? I seem to remember some way of making a unit think it's lifted off, such that the liftoffcondjmp or whatever opcode was triggered. At least I seem to remember some mod doing that, maybe it was Ultimate Doom? Or the other and probably simpler way of doing it would be Siege Tank morphing style yeah? Just get rid of (or modify) the state change animation and make the siege mode unit moveable.

I really like the invisible geysers idea. The only downside I see is that it messes with the concept of stealth units like the ghost and dark templar. You'd probably want to make the mining buildings invisible too. I wish I could think of some way to randomize the position of the geysers. I mean sure you could do it with triggers but it would have to be UMS-enabled as I can't think of any way to do it with the no locations limitation of hardcoded triggers.

I've got a thought for a resource system where minerals are automatically generated based on the number of mining buildings you have. Mining buildings can only be built on "control point" geysers. This would be similar to the resource system in games like Dawn of War, where you get resources based on the number of control points you own. This would obviously require custom-tailored maps, but would probably provide some interesting gameplay. In fact, I like this idea so much I'll see if I can get a proof of concept working over the next few days. The only thing is then I don't know what you'd do about gas...

Oh I think I just thought of another way of implementing this last idea. You have creep-generating buildings represent the control points. Your resource-generating structure(s) and possibly defensive structures have to be built on creep. The downside to this is that it would mess with the zerg race obviously. Maybe part of the mechanic can be that zerg units are super expensive but the zerg hatchery still generates creep. Therefore the zerg player can build a set number of resource-generating structures around their hatchery thus giving them more resources. Yet because their units are so expensive they're focused more on depriving the enemy of control points than capturing the points themselves.

I believe you can make moving bunkers using subunits. There is a plugin in STF that detects bunkered units. You could use that to detect how many units are in it, and you could put turret subunits on the bunker to make it attack.

Remember that the bunkered units actually stay at their original location so they can't fire out of the moving bunker.