Nanite Control: What would it look like?

[Menelruin]

So someone made this awesome thread a while ago, to try and minimize work for the dev team if/when they add new power sets:

 

 

One thing they've done that I really like is try and fill in thematically appropriate power sets for different origins, such as a specialized crowd-suppression rifle for a Natural Controller.  One thing that's bothered me for a bit is that while there's clear options for a Tech based Blaster (Beam Rifle/Devices), MM, and some other ATs, IMO there's not a really good fit for a Tech Controller or Dominator -- usually in comics, you don't see someone use machines to CONTROL fire, cold and the like in the sense of pyrokinesis, more just generally blasting it out at people.

 

So I was thinking Nanite Control might be a good fit.  And there'd probably be a lot of good options for existing (player AND enemy) powers that could be rolled into it.  The problem is, I'm not sure how it should LOOK, which determines which effects would fit best.

 

There's the smooth, flowing look from "gray goo" type stories and games, including the T-1000, which would probably work best visuals taken from Water Blast:

 

And there's the jagged, crystalline look you get sometimes, like in The Surge, which would work best with Ice/Earth control recolors:

 

 

Also in the same game, there are airborne clouds that could be done with some Smoke effects, such as different gas grenades, Storm Summoning, and certain Fire powers:

 

Also, all of the above could potentially make use of graphics from the Nature powersets.

 

So I'm just wondering, before I put anything in that thread in Suggestions and Feedback, what do most of you guys visualize when you think of a Nanite Control set?  Gaseous?  Crystalline?  Flowing?  Or something totally different?

 

 

 

 

[Redlynne]

1 hour ago, Menelruin said:

what do most of you guys visualize when you think of a Nanite Control set?

Small scale.

VERY small scale.

Electron microscopically small scale.

[Coyote]

I kind of visualize something too small to see 😄

 

On the original point, though, I do think that there is a gap waiting to be filled by a technology-oriented Control set, but I don't think that we need Nanites. I think that Gadget/Device Control would work very well, as we have a ton of grenades (both flashbang and gas), toxic and taser darts, web grenades and other toys, and some drones that can explode, could throw their own taser darts, etc. Basically, the animations are already all there and can fulfill enough different control effects to run an entire powerset, if not two.

[Menelruin]

2 minutes ago, Coyote said:

I kind of visualize something too small to see 😄

 

On the original point, though, I do think that there is a gap waiting to be filled by a technology-oriented Control set, but I don't think that we need Nanites. I think that Gadget/Device Control would work very well, as we have a ton of grenades (both flashbang and gas), toxic and taser darts, web grenades and other toys, and some drones that can explode, could throw their own taser darts, etc. Basically, the animations are already all there and can fulfill enough different control effects to run an entire powerset, if not two.

That would also be awesome, but the things you listed are probably more in line with a "natural" Control set.  The thread I linked to has some cool Rifle-based set ideas.

[Lines]

I'd kill for a natural/tech control set. There's such a hole there for the control archetypes.

 

Nanites are famously pretty dang small.

[Menelruin]

Water molecules are famously pretty dang small.  Water Blast is still visible =P

[Zeraphia]

G*n Control! hehe

[Redlynne]

43 minutes ago, Menelruin said:

Water molecules are famously pretty dang small.  Water Blast is still visible =P

Yeah, but how many nanites does it take to dismantle the halo of an angel dancing on a pin?

[Menelruin]

13 minutes ago, Redlynne said:

Yeah, but how many nanites does it take to dismantle the halo of an angel dancing on a pin?

Depends on the tier of angel, and how quickly you want it done.

Edited April 3, 2020 by Menelruin

[Alchemystic]

this sounds like it could potentially be a mix of energy, lethal or toxic damage. As for the visuals? I expect solid structures made from animated textures, perhaps very crystalline and metallic in nature.

[Menelruin]

7 minutes ago, Tyrannical said:

this sounds like it could potentially be a mix of energy, lethal or toxic damage. As for the visuals? I expect solid structures made from animated textures, perhaps very crystalline and metallic in nature.

I'm imagining it might have a secondary effect of -regen, like the subject's body has to work to fight off being deconstructed by it.

[Call Me Awesome]

I hate to rain on anyone's parade here but that sounds like it would take a huge amount of new graphics work and animation to pull off.  I think we'd need to have a full time dev team to manage this; remember that our devs are all volunteers doing this part time while also working full time jobs to put groceries on the table.

 

Bottom line I think we need to think mainly in terms of low lying fruit rather than whole new systems, graphics and animations.

[Menelruin]

22 minutes ago, Call Me Awesome said:

I hate to rain on anyone's parade here but that sounds like it would take a huge amount of new graphics work and animation to pull off.  I think we'd need to have a full time dev team to manage this; remember that our devs are all volunteers doing this part time while also working full time jobs to put groceries on the table.

 

Bottom line I think we need to think mainly in terms of low lying fruit rather than whole new systems, graphics and animations.

The specific reason I'm asking is to AVOID work on animations:  I'm trying to think what existing power animations can be ganked and recolored to fit this.  Note the thread I posted a link to.

[biostem]

I'd just go with a cloud effect, or maybe the FX from the beast bug/swarm attack...

[THEDarkTyger]

8 hours ago, Zeraphia said:

G*n Control! hehe

*Boggles* Did you censor the word "gun"? Why?!

[Lines]

5 hours ago, THEDarkTyger said:

*Boggles* Did you censor the word "gun"? Why?!

Could be gin control.

 

I'd play that.

[seresibyl2]

10 hours ago, biostem said:

I'd just go with a cloud effect, or maybe the FX from the beast bug/swarm attack...

Yes ^ 

 

[THEDarkTyger]

4 hours ago, Lines said:

Could be gin control.

 

I'd play that.

Ooh. New idea. Drunken Master Melee set. XD

[Zeraphia]

11 hours ago, THEDarkTyger said:

*Boggles* Did you censor the word "gun"? Why?!

It can be personally offensive to some people. Radio shows blur this word out, and I have been warned in my much younger years on the live CoH forums about inappropriate language/swearing. The last thing I wish to do is to offend someone.

Edited April 4, 2020 by Zeraphia

[Pzn]

11 minutes ago, Zeraphia said:

It can be personally offensive to some people. Radio shows blur this word out, and I have been warned in my much younger years on the live CoH forums about inappropriate language/swearing. The last thing I wish to do is to offend someone.

I have a phobia of radi*s and find it inappropriate for you to bring them up.  Please consider censoring yourself for my convenience.

[Coyote]

52 minutes ago, josh1622 said:

I have a phobia of radi*s and find it inappropriate for you to bring them up.  Please consider censoring yourself for my convenience.

 

What do you do if you play Redside and someone gives you the Radi* contact? 😛

 

On a more OP-appropriate topic, I think that nanite control would not work well for several reasons:

1: For solid masses of nanites, the options are existing objects like Robots, which wouldn't work well... elemental forces like Fire or Lightning, which are too clearly the appropriate element... and Ice and Earth. Ice/Earth are the only options, but they are pretty clearly Ice blocks and Earth blocks. I don't think there are animations that are more generic.

2: For the idea of spraying nanites in liquid solution (aerosol), that would actually work. But then, you have Poison. And if you wanted to make it a Control set, why not call it Poison Control (heh), or Chemical Control? I mean, there's no way to tell that it's nanites rather than just chemicals, so it would make more sense to leave the powers open to more character concepts and just use generic liquids. One character would have nanites in them, while another character is a witch and makes the liquids in her Cauldron of Double Bubble Trouble.

3: Lastly, there is the option of gases and clouds of nanites. This might work the best graphically, although again I prefer a more generic concept and let the character choose whether the cloud is paralyzing targets because of nanites, chemicals, or unicorn tears. However, it seems to me personally that a cloud-based set would fit more with a Debuff set than a Control set.

[Pzn]

Red side has newspaper missions.  That's why I only roll villains.  Police ra*ios disgust me.

[Coyote]

2 hours ago, josh1622 said:

Red side has newspaper missions.  That's why I only roll villains.  Police ra*ios disgust me.

 

No, I mean "The Rad!o" contact. Not police radi0s.

[THEDarkTyger]

6 hours ago, Zeraphia said:

It can be personally offensive to some people. Radio shows blur this word out, and I have been warned in my much younger years on the live CoH forums about inappropriate language/swearing. The last thing I wish to do is to offend someone.

Considering we have multiple power sets that utilize guns of various forms, you have nothing to worry about using the word. Honestly, it's the most extreme fringe ideologues that will raise a fuss and they can be ignored. "Gun" is in no way, shape, or form a bad word.

[THEDarkTyger]

6 hours ago, josh1622 said:

I have a phobia of radi*s and find it inappropriate for you to bring them up.  Please consider censoring yourself for my convenience.

I mean, radi* did kill the video star. Obviously the word promotes unhinged violence.