[Suggestion] Increasing the power of circuits in exchange for a downside

[HowlVoid]

Not all circuits are made equal in terms of power and some take up so many slots you question whether you should just take the item equivalent instead. A downside could perfectly complement an underpowered or situational circuit as a means to justify a power increase; thus making it more desirable. After all, the speed circuits need proper competition :P.

Here are some examples of what that can look like but keep in mind that they are only example of possible tuning with the idea above.

Dronemaster circuit: .5hp/sec 

Downside: Lowers maximum HP by -50

With two dronemaster circuits you have a permanent 50 HP max but you also have permanent jelly beans. Very large HP Regen with the balanced dowside of having to work within a smaller HP pool.

Chorusbox circuit: Increase the sanity regen as well as the size of the aura.

Downside: Increase the aggro range as well as become more prone to drawing aggro away from others.

This make it a circuit that's far more focused on team play and support. When coming across other aggro inducing effects, like wes, they become equal, this allowing you to share in the burden. Wigfrid's song should overpower both effects.

Electrification circuit: Increases damage if the target is wet.

Dowside: Rain and becoming wet is a far greater threat to Wx-78.

Deal more damage but also at a greater chance of death.

Optoelectronic circuit: Reduced to 3 slots.

Downside: Wx-78 takes more damage (-10% or more).

Sensitive circuitry is more susceptible to damage, but that not the reason for this downside. Infinite moggles isn't anything to scoff at but 4 slots seems somewhat harsh and it makes just making the item seem comparable in some regards when consider what there is to gain from another speed module or weather module. This is a perk so I believe moggles shouldn't hold a candle to this circuit. Normally moggles means no helmet as well.

Illumination circuit: Down from 4 slots to two.

Downside: Wx-78 takes more damage. (Less than the moggles counterpart)

Light bulbs are fragile, but the reason for the downside is this seems incredibly harsh compared to the free light Wx-78 used to have from overcharged. This is the circuit that is going to be least considered in a given rotation in a world full of sun callers, moon callers, and the simple lantern.

Alternatively, the downsides could exist but Wx-78 could in turn get a greater amount of maximum slots. I think this is better than a flat reduction to all of their stats. 

Or both? Is there a justifiable reason that now that some circuits have downsides, despite the increased upsides, Wx-78 could still gain an extra slot or more?

What do you're think? How would you go about giving a circuit a dowside I'm exchange for increasing it's power/usefulness?

[GrapeVruit]

I absolutely love this!! Having the circuits contain drawbacks, on paper, makes it so I actually need to put in thought into what circuits I choose and how to play around them, instead of just being buffs you insert and forget about. Take the speed circuit, while it could make kiting enemies a breeze, you'd take a lot more damage for messing up, encouraging you to play less recklessly. If you're not that confident in your combat ability, then you could switch to using a health module. 

[Marnxx]

 Having a different downside for each circuit seems a little overkill. To be fair, it would probably be much simpler to just have WX players have a power resource instead of hunger and the more circuits slots you are utilizing, the faster your power drains. Power at 0 causes damage just like hunger at 0. WX players can take out circuits and add as they need them and as they can afford the additional power drain.

[HowlVoid]

16 minutes ago, Marnxx said:

 Having a different downside for each circuit seems a little overkill.

Not all of the circuits will have downsides, I chose those specifically because they are a bit underwhelming or cost a lot of slots. What's more they get great buffs in return and none of the downsides are crippling.

Quote

To be fair, it would probably be much simpler to just have WX players have a power resource instead of hunger and the more circuits slots you are utilizing, the faster your power drains. Power at 0 causes damage just like hunger at 0. WX players can take out circuits and add as they need them and as they can afford the additional power drain.

What you're suggesting is a straight nerf to all circuits as none of them drain "hunger" currently. This gives Wx-78 Wolfgang's hunger issue and makes him a fridge emptier in multiplayer.

Personally I don't enjoy the idea of circuits having a permanent upkeep costs for as long as you have them equipped. There will be times where you may go as far as want no circuits equipped such as when afk. 

[Marnxx]

I’m not suggesting food be the only way to gain power.  I just felt it’s odd for a robot to have a hunger meter. So it could be interesting to give him power and have him manage it in unique ways. Could be kind of funny if he goes to 0 power, he deploys a solar panel on his head you have to wait for it to charge him some before he can move again.

But I see what you mean with only some of the circuits having negatives attached to them. Could be a good idea! Just need to make sure the drawbacks and benefits are meaningful. But the idea has merit!

[Mike23Ua]

I like the idea: but it would also mean needing to have ingame descriptions of the pros & cons of each circuit otherwise: You just made a character that can only be played if you read what it does on WIKI

luckily I just so happen to be playing Tainted Grail right now on Xbox- And the cards you play describe your pro’s & cons for their use.

(example: Lose 2% HP, Summon Golem- Golem redirects enemy attacks onto itself)

[HowlVoid]

6 minutes ago, Mike23Ua said:

I like the idea: but it would also mean needing to have ingame descriptions of the pros & cons of each circuit otherwise: You just made a character that can only be played if you read what it does on WIKI

luckily I just so happen to be playing Tainted Grail right now on Xbox- And the cards you play describe your pro’s & cons for their use.

(example: Lose 2% HP, Summon Golem- Golem redirects enemy attacks onto itself)

Inspecting the circuits could help with that.

"SENSITIVE CIRCUITRY IS FRAGILE"

As for other ones, like the dronemaster, would be instantly clear as you'd see your max health decrease.

[ArubaroBeefalo]

very interesting having personalizable downsides and at the same time fixing the underwhelming ones, really good suggestion. I hope klei pay attention to this

[Mike23Ua]

6 minutes ago, HowlVoid said:What you're suggesting is a straight nerf to all circuits as none of them drain "hunger" currently. This gives Wx-78 Wolfgang's hunger issue and makes him a fridge emptier in multiplayer.

Personally I don't enjoy the idea of circuits having a permanent upkeep costs for as long as you have them equipped. There will be times where you may go as far as want no circuits equipped such as when afk. 

I wouldn’t see circuits losing power as a downside, I’d see it as a unique game mechanic on the new WX78 that plays into the theme of being a non-human robot, i love the idea of having these circuits with these abilities that diminish in power output over-time. So you see speed go from 50% and lose % the lower battery power gets.

Now just because that sounds bad: it doesn’t mean it has to be bad, WX can extract lightning charges from lightning rods meaning you can set them up all over the map (surface only.. sorry cave dwellers) And you can extract their charge from them when you need a boost.

Additionally Alternate Power methods could’ve been added to the game: such as being able to “steal” energy from other Robot Mobs (perhaps even weakening them in the process)

I can just picture killing/stunning a Clockwork Rook and it’s carcass remaining deactivated there you can walk up to it, pull out a wired plug and socket it into the other robot to “extract” it’s power to juice yourself back up.

In fact.. instead of killing clockworks and then being removed off the games map why not just redesign them so they deactivate & will reactivate after a lengthy cooldown period?

There was sooo soooo much potential in a WX78 Rework..