I was conceptualizing a diplo map where you could "upgrade" units (e.g. hydra->marine). Can anyone suggest some units to fit these categories, and order your choices from least to best (so that hydra->marine->ghost sort of thing)? I'm trying to have combat triangles where one unit type complements another (archery helps melee, siege complements gunpowder, etc.) Don't be afraid to cross races (even multiple times) if you think the unit order are better. I'll adjust the stats, of course, so don't think a slow-firing unit is always bad.

I was thinking it would be somewhat like Civilization IV. I've got more ideas I'll put down later when I finalize them.

Categories:

Archery (ranged infantry)
1.
2. and 3. (Should be relatively equal.)

Melee (melee infantry)
1.
2. and 3. and 4. (Should be relatively equal.)
5. and 6. (Should be relatively equal.)

Cavalry (fast stuff, could be ranged or melee)
1. Hero Zealot
2. Vulture
3. Hero Vulture

Siege (long range, like sieged tanks and reavers)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. (maybe)

Gunpowder (ranged infantry)
1.
2. and 3.
4. (maybe 5.)
6.

Tanks (ranged anything)
1.
2.

Ships
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Air - Fighters
1. Hero Scout
2. Scout

Air - Bombers
1. Wraith
2. Hero Wraith

Transports
1.
2.
3.

All suggestions are welcome!

Post has been edited 2 time(s), last time on May 28 2009, 12:24 am by rayNimagi.

An idea for your melee units:
1. Firebat (Or Hero Bat)
2,3,4. DT, hero DT, hero DT (with the #'s balanced out)
5,6. Zealot, Fenix zealot (with #'s balanced again.

That's funny, I've been trying to come up with almost the exact same thing all day. So this should be easy.
I actually don't know what diplo or civilization 4 are so i hope i don't make a total fool of myself.

How're these (with #'s balanced of course):
Cavalry: 1,2,3: hero zealot, hero vulture, stim-able firebat respectively
Melee: 1,2,3,4,5,6: Infested kerrigan (no spells), DT, zealot, ultralisk, archon, crackling
Archery: 1,2,3: dragoon, hydra, kerrigan
Siege: aren't that many of these in the game, but maybe: 1,2,3,4,5: siege tank, reaver, guardian, carrier
Gunpowder: 1,2,3,4,5,6: tassadar, ghost, ghost, ghost, hero hydralisk, hero marine???
Tanks: 1,2: goliath, un-siegable siege tank
Ships: 1,2,3,4,5,6: arbiter (no spells), wraith, battlecruiser, scout, hero battlecruiser (the one that attacks faster), mutalisk

Update: set cavalry, and I now realize I don't know which transport (overlord, shuttle, or dropship) is the fastest!

I was thinking for the siege weapons reaver, hero reaver, tank, hero tank. They're supposed to be used as long ranged support.

Thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming! I want to hear more opinions before I decide on too many things. Of course, I can always modify stuff, but it's easier to get it all set before I start unit editing and triggering.

Update: Tech Tree completed.

Banking leads to Communism!!!??! Omgosh, shut down all the banks, nao!

Seriously, how did you get that the steam engine + mass production = communism?

I think that was how it was in the Civilization IV tech tree. Anyway, there probably has to be a poor working class created by industrialism before a Marxist could formuate his ideology.

Civilization II tech tree > Civilization IV tech tree .

I remember playing a starcraft adaptation of Sid Meyer's Civilization game. There was a large area that had a duplicate Tech tree (same names and same exact paths). It was really fun. If I can find the map i'll give it to you so you can get more ideas.
Good luck

For the unit upgrades, all you really have to take into account are the things you cannot change:
-Unit Movement Speed
-Unit Attack Rate
-Unit Damage Modifiers (Concussive, Normal, Explosive *Splash?*)
-Unit Attack Range

The HP, Armor, Attack DMG, Upgrades of the Armor and Attack are all easily played around with. You should take these into account.

You also should keep in mind the fact that some upgrades are shared. If you want to make it easier on the player, have a
Hydralisk ---> Hunterkiller, and have an
Alan Schezar ---> Regular Goliath (Upgrade in Range)
Goon ----> Fenix (Goon) (Upgrade in Attack Rate)

That way, the upgrades are preserved throughout the unit tech list.


As for the Transports, Definately make it this:
--Unupgraded Ovie
--Unupgraded Shuttle*
--Dropship*
--Upgraded Ovie
--Upgraded Shuttle


*The Shuttle and Dropship (if Shuttle is unupgraded) are somewhat interchangeable. Since these units all have the same carrying capacity, you rely just on Acceleration Rate and Max Speed. A Dropship's slow accelleration rate is a huge downfall.