I assume everyone who will read this thread already knows about the problems with turrets.
But i’ll also add that i find nonsensical that the toolbelt skill is replaced with a detonate option that basically makes them more convenient to put and blast than to have them on the field.
So, for starters, i’ll say that in this overhaul the detonate isn’t there anymore – instead, the usual turret toolbelt skill is available all the time.
To avoid people forgetting turrets somewhere and having to come back all the way, turrets are automatically detonated if the engineer is far enough (let’s say, 3000 units). This destruction comes with the same cooldown reduction of picking them up (as it is supposed you aren’t actually in combat and you just forgot them there).
The major thing of this overhaul, though, is the introduction of some components of micromanaging to turrets.
Basically, a new “resource” called Energy, but it appears on the turret alike to a boon (so that even enemies can see it) (here is a tentative icon, just for example).
Energy stacks and regenerates over time – any turret gains X new energy stacks every Y seconds (for the sake of an example, we could say one every two seconds).
Energy is both used for the defense and active offense of turrets – as is, every overcharge skill has both a cooldown (albeit reduced from now) and a cost in energy.
At the same time, energy works as a shield: every hit to the turret removes energy stacks, albeit capped on an interval (again, for the sake of an example, we may say that only 3 stacks can be removed on 2 seconds). This is to avoid multi-hit/aoe attacks being able to annihilate them, but still giving a way for someone to take down a turret with focused and repeated attacks.
Every turret has a different cap on Energy stacks and different costs for overcharge skills. Tankier turrets (like the thumper one) could have up to 20 stacks of Energy, and lower costs on its overcharge.
At the same time, having a low cooldown and an energy cost on overcharges permits an aggressive use of said skills, but doing so puts the turret in danger (as energy stacks wouldn’t replenish fast enough).
Obviously, the individual energy of every turret needs a visual cue on screen. This could be put on the UI above the related turret, and the cost in energy should be clearly indicated on the overcharge skill as well.
Obviously, with such a change, some turrets’ traits would change as well.
Accelerant-packed turrets: this trait could see a power-up as turrets can’t be detonated at command anymore; thus the damage and area of effect could be increased, and along with pushing back it could also knockdown the enemy.
Metal Plating: this could its name changed to “Enhanced shields” and it would raise the Energy cap of every turret by 5 (so that the tankier turret would have up to 25 stacks). By doing so, it would effectively make them more resistant, thus having the same use of the trait it replaces.
Autotool Installation: This could increase the rate at which Energy is regenerated, along with a regeneration of the turret’s actual health (albeit a slow one). For example, one energy every 1.5s and 2% health every 3s.
Rifled Turrets Barrels would see no change, and so Deployable Turrets (even if this one could be removed, now that turrets would be supposedly usable and possibly causing problems in balancing if people can still put turrets on zones that can’t be normally reached)
There would be also some changes in the tool kit.
With the introduction of Energy, its skills could enhance Energy regeneration or directly add stacks of Energy, thus also increasing both offensive and defensive capabilities if the engineer actively tends on his turrets (since you can use overcharges more often, if you’re also replenishing those Energy stacks you’re consuming).
In regard to the differences between PvP and PvE, the balancing can be adjusted by changing the Energy caps on turrets and the Energy regeneration rate between the modes.
