From Baldie to Veteran

[forwardslashN]

Summary (a quick, 2-3 sentence summary):

With the alien update coming up that, according to Abby, would allow xenomorphs to upgrade their abilities based on actually going out and doing things, what if we introduce a similar mechanic for the marines? I do not mean marines would magically grow claws or anything, but on a really basic level I am suggesting marines get slight upgrades based on doing things in the game. Shoot your gun a lot and kill aliens, you get slightly increased gun accuracy. I emphasize slight. The idea is to increase marine performance just a tiny bit, but still make the marine feel accomplished for getting high kill counts or surviving near-death injuries during a round.

Benefits (How this will benefit the server and game as a whole):

Who doesn't like feeling accomplished? I think this would also give marines some uniqueness based on their preferred playstyle without being overpowered.

Details (Description of how you think this would work, the benefits, etc):

I suggest four broad categories a marine can be skilled in, with three points to invest into them at character setup (one point per category). Each category would have a unique in-game benefit for the marine and would be increased in a different way, with the maximum cap of five points (this is just an example). Each point would give that slight increase that I mentioned, but would be broken up in a sort of experience range.

Accuracy - This would effect the accuracy of ranged weapons. Successfully hitting the target, human or alien, would give a very marginal increase, while killing would give a slightly greater increase.
Coordination - This would effect the accuracy and parry of melee weapons. The same increase methods as Accuracy, only for the up close and personal.
Grittiness - This would be the marine's tolerance for pain, preventing pain crit. Taking damage from a VARIETY of sources is the only way to increase this, and going in to a near-death situation would provide the greatest increase.
Tenacity - This would increase natural resistance to damage from a variety of sources. Taking damage and then HEALING it is how one would increase Tenacity. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, as they say.

Implementation (Optional, if you have an idea how to implement it):

This one is a doozy. I have some idea on how to code this, but it's a lot of work and may create lag. CM already tracks a lot of variables required for something like this though, so it's not impossible. There might be some ways to game the system as well, but that can be worked around. This can also be extended to predators or human antagonists or ERTs, who would likely begin with higher skill ranges than regular marines.

[Derpislav]

No upgrades for medics 0/10

[Seehund]

Interesting, actually - very much so.

Fully agree with the benefits.

+1

[Mango Brisk]

I'm neutral on this because I'm imagining a handful of marines putting each other into near-death over and over to become tougher, so whilst Saiyan marines would be hilarious, it'd also be wonderfully easy to cheese.

[LocalizedDownpour]

I really like the idea of this. It rewards the people who are playing the game good. Though I would take out leveling up via hitting humans as it might inspire griff...otherwise 10/10

[Joe4444]

seems like a good idea! +1 marines getting better as the round goes on seems like a good idea. a way to (kinda) counter T3's? +1 anyway

[forwardslashN]

I'm neutral on this because I'm imagining a handful of marines putting each other into near-death over and over to become tougher, so whilst Saiyan marines would be hilarious, it'd also be wonderfully easy to cheese.

This is a fair point, but it would be controllable. That specific example wouldn't really work because marine on marine violence is bannable if not properly escalated, and going into crit with a bullet wound usually means a trip to the Sulaco for the next 20-30 minutes. There might be a few ways to cheat the system, but I can't really think of anything off hand that would be easily doable and repeatable.

[Fitchace]

+1 Because it makes you want to stay alive and being cloned you would lose all your perks you gained from being a marine


(Or send everyone to medbay at round start for "pain training")

[Mango Brisk]

This is a fair point, but it would be controllable. That specific example wouldn't really work because marine on marine violence is bannable if not properly escalated, and going into crit with a bullet wound usually means a trip to the Sulaco for the next 20-30 minutes. There might be a few ways to cheat the system, but I can't really think of anything off hand that would be easily doable and repeatable.

I'm not thinking bullet wounds, I'm thinking knives/fists/blunt objects since a medic can easily patch those. If someone's trying to cheese a system that powers you up after healing damage via weapons that cause bullet embedding and thus require surgery, they're doing it wrong. This is moreso aiming at the 'Tenacity' part than anything else.

[forwardslashN]

I'm not thinking bullet wounds, I'm thinking knives/fists/blunt objects since a medic can easily patch those. If someone's trying to cheese a system that powers you up after healing damage via weapons that cause bullet embedding and thus require surgery, they're doing it wrong. This is moreso aiming at the 'Tenacity' part than anything else.

One knife stab can actually break your bones/organs, but it's really just RNG. Fists and blunt objects will take a while, and the marine will likely get brigged if it happens at the Sully. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I think you would do better to use chemicals to induce health loss. And that can be accounted for as well.

[Derpislav]

I would be in for "Morale" building up over time, just from playing (being active, no logging off and returning round-end), but also some bonus points for any actions that put you at risk (anything in combat basically). So that every marine gets it over time. It would mostly lower stuns and help stave off paincrit (while "Grittiness" mentioned in OP would stave off pain in general). The idea behind that is to make any marines that spawn round-start minorly buffed the longer they survive.

This all really needs some brainstorming, but the general idea of building up stats gets a +1 from me.

[Peachy2912]

I'd like to see this sort of system on the server just to reward those that manage to survive from round start through thick and thin. My only concern is about lag, but if this can be done in a way to prevent to much of it then take all my +1's.

Just thinking about it, perhaps a skill could be introduced that levels up for keeping you're SL alive for x amount of time. Just a thought though.

[DesFrSpace]

I do not see this as a COMPLETELY insane idea, but we are talking about the Karma system right?

If you really want Veterans skills, you have to be skillful, other group, Sanctum for example are robust veterans.

I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but first can we get more feedback on the passive for Marines? It like a caste for Marine. Here is the link by Page Avenue: http://colonial-marines.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=6599

I would be in for "Morale" building up over time, just from playing (being active, no logging off and returning round-end), but also some bonus points for any actions that put you at risk (anything in combat basically). So that every marine gets it over time. It would mostly lower stuns and help stave off paincrit (while "Grittiness" mentioned in OP would stave off pain in general). The idea behind that is to make any marines that spawn round-start minorly buffed the longer they survive.

This all really needs some brainstorming, but the general idea of building up stats gets a +1 from me.

Ha ha, yeah would be nice, but it should reset once every 3 days or some thing or a WEEK of INACTIVITY (not playing Marines). Cap also. However accuracy involved with attachments already, I can understand why people would want more accuracy.


EDIT: +1
PLEASE leave the Armor Piercing ammunition for the M4a1, been hearing complain, but better let them go in front, and not fire from behind. AP rounds pretty hot with the basic Marine, as it function to be quite useful with the GLauncher.

[Derpislav]

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These buffs would be applied to the current round only, without carrying over to the next one. At least that's how I understand the OP.

[forwardslashN]

These buffs would be applied to the current round only, without carrying over to the next one. At least that's how I understand the OP.

Correct. It would only apply to the round taking place.

[Edgelord]

I love the idea of subtly improving over the round. I assume you had a two level kind of system where you just have unupgraded and upgraded? It'd be cool if there was flavor text when you improve.

Either way +1

[TopHatPenguin]

Really like the look of this idea, perhaps award players for sticking with others as well to discourage ramboing? (just a mini idea)

Also 1-\- (that is meant to be a plus sign due to how I don't have a plus key on my phone) to Derpi's idea.

[Staff Assistant]

imagine a bald marine with all the perks at their ultimate level.

Now that's scary. +1

[Rey]

Accuracy - This would effect the accuracy of ranged weapons. Successfully hitting the target, human or alien, would give a very marginal increase, while killing would give a slightly greater increase.

I like the suggestion, it's interesting and could be implemented well into the game. +1?

► Show Spoiler

I can already see marine shooting each other with pistols and then healing themselves before briefing starts to improve their stats.

[enkas]

Seems like this is gonna be a reward for FF... We don't really want that, do we?

[Durper]

Will this make the game an MMO? -1

I find it enjoyable to survive the Xeno onslaught without any buffs on my character, Killing a Xeno is already rewarding for me

[enkas]

Will this make the game an MMO? -1

I find it enjoyable to survive the Xeno onslaught without any buffs on my character, Killing a Xeno is already rewarding for me

I want you to DPS the queen very slowy... And by that I mean FUCKING SLOW!...

More dots!

[Boltersam]

This wouldn't be horrible.

But you only get accuracy bonuses from shooting ALIENS!

As for cheating the system through harming each other intentionally, we have the admin team for that, and if they don't see it, someone can Ahelp. +1, this'll reward skilled marines and give marines more incentive to go out and fight the aliens toe to toe.

[darklizard45]

We might need to make the shooting range a little bit bigger, and possibly add some sort of training room
+1

[Gentlemanly_headcrab]

Neu, I like the idea but I'm afraid of it being used and abused, a marine slashing himself into crit and having the medic right next to them healing them back up or using a variety of tools to increase that ability. Not against the idea, but not really sure it'd be useful.