Yeah, I know that I just opened Pandora's box (again), but hear me out.
I want to make this a productive thread, we should only have posts here with ideas on how to approach the implementation of gestalts.
Gestalts would be the coolest feature in the entire game, but the biggest obstacle is that we can't decide on how to implement it.
So I suggest that everybody who posts in thread should have a productive post that contributes to the subject. So no one line comments about how great or how stupid a idea is. The only exception to this rule would be Omega Sentinel since he's a programmer.
Later (if this works) we could create a poll to decide on what idea to use.
So here, I'll start with my own ideas and I hope that somebody will follow up with some ideas of their own.
GestaltsMy personal idea for gestalts is that each team can only have 1 gestalt max. The gestalt in question can consist of 5 or 6 members. These members are picked from your own team and you need to select a leader when you have a 5 member team. A six member team doesn't really need a leader since it usually has a 2 member torso.
Resetting a member will mean that a gestalt can't be formed unless a replacement member is found.
The gestalt itself takes up up a thirteenth slot in the TF roster. Combining a gestalt pre battle will cost energon, this depends on its overall level; a level 0 gestalt will cost 100 Energon, a level 1 gestalt will cost 200 energon, etc.
Now there's two types of gestalts, both of them will be covered below:
5 member gestaltA five member gestalt consists of the following: 1 leader and 4 regular TF's
A leader character should have atleast 2 stats in rank and 1 stat intelligence. All other regular members should have 1 stat in intelligence.
A 5 member gestalt is a bit weaker then a 6 member gestalt, but it's cheaper and levels up faster. Also, 5 member gestalts enjoy a intelligence/skill bonus to unlock extras.
6 member gestaltMore expensive then a 5 member gestalt. But this powerhouse would be stronger (physically). The 6 members give this gestalt more stamnia by default, but they suffer a penalty on intelligence and skill.
All member TF's of a 6 member gestalt only need 1 stat in intelligence to become eligible as team members.
LevelingGestalts have a different leveling system when compared to regular TF's. A gestalt has the combined XP of its members, also any XP earned by the gestalt is rewarded to its members by dividing it by the nubmer of members. This makes a 5 member gestalt cheaper in battle whereas a 6 member gestalt can level up faster when its members fight individually.
The base leveling goes like this:
STR: 1000XP - The cheapest stat on a gestalt
INT: 6000XP (8000XP on 6 member gestalts)
SPD: 5000XP
END: 2500XP (2000XP on 6 member gestalts)
RNK: 2000XP
CRG: 1500xP
FRP: 4000XP
SKL: 6000XP (8000XP on 6 member gestalts)
The stats broken downStrength: How hard a gestalt can hit or kick. The level at which gestalts can hit or kick at is like that of a regular TF multiplied by the number of its members. Six member gestalts enjoy a advantage here. A gestalt hit can also cause a stun effect in some enemies which will knock them out for a while.
Intelligence: This is a big one, it's expensive but worth its price. Intelligence gives access to tactics and combos unique to gestalts. Intelligence combined with skill can give the gestalt certain combat bonusses because making the gestalt more efficient.
Speed: The same as speed for regular TF's. It's worth raising this stat, since a gestalt is quite slow and can easily be avoided by fast enemies.
Endurance: The base endurance of a gestalt is already pretty high (the number of members rule). Six member gestalt enjoy a bonus here since they have a high combined endurance.
Rank: Gain access to better armor. This interesting since a gestalt can wield more armor then any other TF (member rule). A fully armored TF is almost invulnerable.
Courage: Courage works the same as for regular TF's.
Firepower: Firepower is needed for the gestalt to wield certain weapons or to give certain tactics a damage boost. Without firepower a gestalt can only hit, kick and can only execute tactics based on physical attacks.
Skill: A important stat since it unlocks extras when combined with intelligence. This stat also allows a gestalt to wield certain weapons (gestalt sized swords for instance).
Tactics and specialsgestalts can have up to 3 tactics/specials, Here's some examples (though they could be tweaked quite a bit):
Trampeling beserker: A tactic that does incredibly high damage to multiple targets on the battle field. Fast enemies can evade this tactic.
Requires: Strength, skill and courage.
Base XP: 5000
Alpha strike: This tactic/special install the guns a gestalt team on a gestalt. All weapons fire at the same time to give a strafing effect. A intelligent gestalt can use this tactic to take out enemies faster.
Requires: Firepower, intelligence, skill and weapons.
Base XP: 5000
Focussed attack: A hit or kick that does double the current base damage of a gestalt.
Requires: Intelligence, skill, strength, speed.
Base XP: 5000
Cloak: A gestalt turns invisible and can attack a single enemy at a time. This tactic is great for slow gestalts and it can only be avoided by really fast enemies. The higher the cloak level the better the chance of trashing a enemy TF in a single blow.
Requires: Intelligence, skill, strength.
Base XP: 6000
Scramble: A five member gestalt can temporarily rearrange itself to execute a random but powerful attack. The scramble ability can allow a strong attack based on firepower or trampling. This attack his harder to avoid then regular attacks these tactic are based on. However either of these configurations can only be executed once per battle.
Requires: Intelligence and Skill.
Base XP: 7000
Life drain: This tactic can replenish the hitpoints of a gestalt be sapping from the enemies on the battlefield within a certain range. Victims are selected randomly when speaking of game mechanics.
Requires: Skill, firepower, endurance and strength
Base XP: 8000
Many more could be added to this or the above mentioned tactics could be revised. Whatever works best for game balance.
Gestalts in combatA gestalt has the hitpoints of a regular TF, only it's multiplied by its members. A gestalt that gets damaged to 30% health or lower will fall apart into its member TF's. All of these members will then be at the health the gestalt was at when it fell apart.
Gestalts are a bit slower then regular TF's, so it is important to invest in a gestalts speed.
Gestalts can wield special large weapons that no other TF can wield. To this effect they can be pretty deadly.
Special notes- There shouldn't be any repairer abuse, so no recombining after damaged team members manage to repair themselves beyond the 30% health limit. Constructicon gestalts would have a unfair advantage.
- A Gestalt takes the same number of mission slots as its team members. So, a 6 member gestalt couldn't enter a mission for 5 members.
- 5 member gestalts are more specialized fighters. 6 member gestalts rely on brute strength and endurance. This could probably need some more balancing in the future.
- Certain other subgroups should be able to get anti gestalt advantages. Gestalts shouldn't be the king of the battlefield, there should be balance.
- Gestalts cost more energon then regular TF's. But they are worth every gram of energon.
And I leave you with this contribution as my final piece of input.
Autobot gestalts
Decepticon gestalts
Now post away on any other constuctive ideas. But remember, don't clutter this thread up with unconstructive remarks.
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