[Oxnardo]

Just some feedback on the long-term gameplay/endgame. I've been thinking for while about how some players call the game repetitive; and as i agree with their feeling, i disagree with this approach.

This game is by no mean more repetitive than any other game out there. In fact, when you think about it; ALL games are repetitive; but the impact of iterative gaming feels different in each case, with PvP focused games carrying the less weight of this sensation; for logical reasons.

Spacelords does feel heavily routinary; even tho we do have quite a decent amount of stages each with different dynamics, a good roster of varied characters and gameplay that mixes pve with esporadic PvP.

So now i'm starting this thread to share my opinion and discuss feedback on the topic, and bring up some ideas that might help the game to get in a good direction for it to be less of a burden when grinding for progression, or just playing for fun without feeling the sensation of repetitiveness.

I personally think adding unique mechanics for antags rather than just mimicking one of the characters would be good. I guess we'll see about that with the future specters update, which will hopefully make the PvP more attractive, interesting and balance.

Now i encourage you to share you opinion on why you think the game feels repetitive and what solutions you think would be good to solve the issue! 

[Power Penguin]

My boredom comes from mostly playing against the same AI archetypes with minor changes to them. I would rather have more specialised elites/enemy types that spawn dynamically through out the match. Elites that are heavy gunners (physically bigger too), targets that can deploy flying drones to harass, soldiers that can create area denial (maybe with a flamethrower), enemies that can hold you down. Stuff that would spruce up the moment to moment gameplay.

[Butterbuff]

i agree with Penguin there, i always thought that there were going to be Wardog suicide bombers you know? trying to run up to you and blow up. it would be something Marmalede would have had during his boss fight. and maybe Hades Division would have had gunslinger soldiers who had two pistols and could shoot two people at the same time and reload faster than the other soldiers.

[PohtHehd]

I'd like to see some new stuff, too. I have some ideas but I doubt they could be implemented very easily...

Council Slavedriver - A two-unit enemy, one is a hovering kind of sea urchin looking robot that has several spikes stuck into the spine of an enslaved Local, the Local shoots slowly charged Aleph projectiles. The Locals body has been mostly replaced with heavy armor and mutated by endless Aleph experiments so they are larger and very disgusting. You can shoot/melee the Local slave but their health will be quite high. The Slavedriver robot will be very weak but will hide behind its slave. Kill the robot and the slave dies. Prioritizes long range combat.

Wardog Jumpers - Basically a Wardog grunt that can stick to walls like Harec's stalk. They can't shoot while doing so but they can move incredibly fast. On the ground they are just slightly stronger than a grunt. When no other Wardogs are around they will prioritize evasion until more come.

Hades Juggernaut - Moves very slow and cannot be pushed. Heavily armored, they carry shields they can embed into the ground. The shields can be used by players or AI as cover. After they lose their shield they will prioritize melee combat.

And events. It would be neat if randomly an enemy faction will crash the party on a mission. Like Fifth Council showing up for the first half of Breath of Hope. Wardogs assaulting Upside Down. Hades attacking on Beast's Lair.

Maybe some type of challenge system. Take on a challenge and earn more loot. Like only Elites drop ammo. Melee damage is halved for Raiders. Enemy AI gets Council armor, Council gets even more armor. Add a Beholder to the mission. Double AI spawns. And so on.

Anyway, cool ideas guys. I really like the idea of a flamethrower guy.

[Oxnardo]

I hadn't think about adding new types of enemies, but all your ideas sound very exciting 

I would like to see these suggestions mixed into the antagonist system with the future specters update; maybe it's possible they implement a specter building system where the antags choose the types of specters they can summon each with their own traits and power-ups. However It's a bummer having that update so far away and no clue of what their actual plans are for it, so we can't make plausible suggestions in accordance, but my mouth waters at the possibilities!

I also LOVED the idea of getting micro-challenges in every mission, with random secondary objectives each time. I'd like to throw the idea of pseudo-PvP competitions merged with these challenges.

So we could have group challenges with a collective objective; for example "every player must get at least 20 aleph charges during this mission" and they'll get a bonus of gold for the group if they achieve the challenge.

And sometimes the challenges with competitive objectives; for example "the player who gets the most aleph charges during this mission wins" and the winner gets an even better bonus of gold, or whatever the prize could be.