Hello everyone!
Today we have a blog from Pierre, Game Designer, that will talk about the changes that will arrive to Necrophages on the next update! The mic is yours 🎙️
Hey bosses, we made some changes to the Necrophages: we are experimenting with faction asymmetry, and the first victim of this experimentation is the bugs.
This update is more about the Economy part rather than the military aspect of the loved(n't) bugs.
Current Issues
There are some issues with the current implementation:
The Feedhole produces Corpses: it works well, but this tends to be a "must build" building as it completely defines the cadaver economy, being a huge step in the necrophage economy (once built, the cadaver economy that could be struggling becomes an abundance of resources). Even more if the district is leveled up and completes all its synergies.
The Matriach eye: Science-based, big numbers, not exciting as it doesn't give you an objective apart from building it. It's just big and strong.
The Defensive tentacle: Comes in a bit late, is a bit thematically fighting the military district in the idea of making your city defend better (to be fair, in their current state, military districts are in conflicts with themself in their efficiency to make your city defend better, but this is another subject and is on my to-do list).
Numerous strong infrastructures give a large amount of FIDSI. I firstly thought it was a good way to give some help to a single city civilization, but it has the same issue as the Matriarch's eye: it's strong but not that interesting (and a mindless must-build kind of improvement).
Our Intentions
That doesn't mean Necrophages are a bad faction, as several of their other systems, especially their military aspect and presence on the map, work very well. Their population is snowballing as you buy out a new population with Corpses is also a strong economic option. They could stay in this kind of "Silver" asymmetrical level faction, but we're aiming for a diamond level faction, and the next step in this goal is to follow these 3 intentions:
Necrophages have a living city: it should feel like a growing, weird organism. The rules of regular city planning shouldn't apply to this kind of organism.
Devour the world: The necrophages are an aggressive faction, spreading their influence over new parts of the map should be incentivized rather than only destroying it to make sure no one can come back to the desolation they caused.
A faction should have multiple ways to be played, and all should be explorable or tested easily, but at some point, the player should commit to one.
"Cooking Time"
Ok, now that the objectives of the patch are clear, let's start cooking 🥖
A Living City
Necrophage levels their districts differently now: The districts now upgrade as soon as a Matriarch's eye is built adjacent.
Tentacles build condition: Tentacles are now built instantly => No industry cost, no turn-based cost, only a scaling cost in Corpses. Building multiple of the same district increases its price as any other district. You can also build as many tentacle districts as you want => You can keep an eye on every single district now (got it?).
Defensive tentacles and military districts fused: Necros cannot build military districts anymore, but now the defense tentacle is unlocked at the same time as when a military district is unlocked. Defense by death.
Feedhole: Feedholes now don't give Corpses but food, and upgrade the devour the land yields. Spam them to get real gains from the locust you unleash on the world.
Thematical Upgrades
Improvements have been retaken now they reward you if you go for the "tall" playstyle, reinforcing the level 2 districts or "wide" playstyle, giving yields for every admin center you control.
Same thing for the more unique improvement, some reinforce population growth, some other units' survivability, or city defense. They have a clear purpose and incentive to build rather than do a bit of everything.
Stabilizing the Economy
Some cadaver yield can now be found in the tech tree on multiple techs, making sure you can still produce Corpses and grow your city as the game progresses without creating these steps.
The city now produces a cadaver as a base; every single admin center produces an additional cadaver, giving you the incentive to grab more terrains, not only eat every single tile of the world (still doable tho).
That's all for today folks. We hope you'll enjoy the changes we are making. Tell us about the direction we are going with the faction's asymmetry. I have another faction in my scope and need to confirm we're on the right path.
Until then, see you bosses.
Pierre
Credit due for memes: Thanks to the team 🌠