Some issues with D2k gameplay

[Porenutak]

In this article I want to point out main issue with D2k balance and why they should change.

Note: This article is only about problem description. I will not propose any solutions here. Nor file any PR until there is consensus on which way we wanna go

Lets start with this:

Lot of people confuse word authentic with accurate. IMO both RA and TD are authentic as possible but that doesn’t meet they are accurate recreation. And that’s the point. If anyone want just nostalgia then CnCnet is good enough for him. Thats the case with d2k too. D2k community don’t care about ORA d2k because orig game work fine and has lot of (sigleplayer) content. When I promo Ora there they just complain about HUD, right click and all the fancy stuff we all like in ORA. (I guess old dogs never learn new things :D) My point is that going for 100 % accurate recreating of D2k leads nowhere because when you remove nostalgia glasses gameplay suck. When you play Ora RA or TD its much better gameplay experience because they evolve they gameplay mechanics in new way. And RA popularity show that’s a good way. We should do the same also with D2k.

Main D2k balance problems:

1. Unit range was design for 640x480 resolution and without Fog of war in mind: its most obvious with infantry. When you order attack they range is so small that they block each other. Artillery units like siege/missile tanks have range just 1 cell bigger that rest of unit pool. This doesn’t allow any micro management tactic like force fire into the fog or maneuvering tactics.

2. Units was not design with fog of war in mind. Original RevealArea values make no sense in ORA: Example altilery and units with long range weapons have more vision that range. No force fire tactic, no vision scouts tactic.

3. Super weapons are not super at all. They effect on gameplay is minimal.

4. Default tech tree and power consumption doesn’t allow multiple game opening or variations in early game.

5. Turrets in d2k are useless: on other hand they cannot work the same as in RA or TD. In D2k you cannot flank base from all angles (most maps have 2 or 3 entrance). Carefull balance need to by done here.

6. Worms spawn right at game start some. This is annoying in both single player and multiplayer. ActorSpawnManager need something like initial delay see: Delay first worm appearance on the map. #20153

7. Carryalls speeds eco only when distance is 10 cells and more. On shorter range have it slow it down or speed up bonus doent match carryall cost.

Just to be clear Im not advocating D2k become just reskinned RA. D2k gameplay differ a lot. Its faster, D2k has no Air, you can not build everywhere and there are usually only 2 or 3 entrance to you base. But we already have multiple balance attempts which address issues above. (BTW Starport also change gameplay a lot - yes we already we proper Starport)
All this is probably relevant just for a active players base (up to 10 people :( ). So what about causals? If done right they probably don’t even see the difference.

If there is any statistic data on what maps are played and how often pls post them here. They can show us which balance is more/less popular, what is ratio between active players and causals (active players use custom maps causals default one) etc.

Thanks

Ps. Main reason for this Issue is to be something like reference for future balance PRs.