Exteel Developer Paper #4
Posted by Ramon Aranda on 05.19.2008
The Rushnik Mechanaught – Weapon Highlights – Battle Map: Dreadnaught.
In this latest developer diary, the devs of Exteel provide strategy tips for the Rushnik Mechanaught as well as a set of weapons and battle maps.
The Rushnik Mechanaught
After the initial group of entry-level Mechanaughts, the Rushnik composes part of the next available tier of Mechanaughts and is a bit of an improvement from the starter Pinkett and other low-level sets (the Mekhi and Frontliner). At this point in the pilot’s progress, these Mechanaughts become more specialized towards their specific tasks and pilots will start to upgrade their own Mechanaught not as a whole set, but part by part, to create the best mix for themselves. While the Rushnik is a light-armor design that places emphasis on pure speed, the designers also concentrated on making it tougher than its Mekhi sibling.
On a cost basis, the full Rushnik set costs 54,000 credits, well over twice the price of the Mekhi. The Rushnik generates and recovers more energy than the Mekhi, and has the ability to use its jump jets more efficiently. Not intended for the rigors of front-line combat, the Rushnik does not cool down quickly nor is it particularly accurate, though its equivalent armor protection is closer to the Frontliner than the Mekhi. The Rushnik head is only equipped with one Mechanaught Processing Unit (MPU), meaning only one purchasable skill can be equipped and used at any time.
The designers of the Rushnik have particularly developed the Mechanaught towards situations where speed and protection is more essential, such as Aerogate capture, reconnaissance, and flag carrying. Close-range combat with SMGs or melee weapons would be preferred over long-range engagements.
Weapon Highlights:
• Hellrazor – The Hellrazor is the next available Mechanaught shotgun after the Spatter Gun, though it shoots blasts of fire rather than traditional ammunition. Despite its high capacity to deal damage at close range, usually better than most other shotguns, the Hellrazor retains low marks for accuracy while it generates heat much quicker and takes much longer to reload.
• Zeus Persuader - This rifle fires electrically charged rounds of ammunition that can short out a Mechanaught’s electrical systems and controls. The Zeus Persuader is a popular low- to mid-level rifle, capable of hitting targets at medium range with decent accuracy.
• Polymer Array – Commonly referred to as a “rectifier,” the Polymer Array is technically not a weapon at all, though a Mechanaught wields it like one. It fires polymerized energy particles that, when aimed at an ally, will reinforce the armored plating and synthetic bonding of a damaged Mechanaught, recovering some of its ability to absorb damage. Like other weapons, however, rectifiers will overheat after repeated usage. The Polymer Array has a long range but narrow lock-on angle, so it may take a little bit of practice to master. Certain purchasable melee skills also make use of rectifiers, like the Polymer Array, to degrade an opponent’s ability to absorb damage.
• Colony Burster – While it’s not actually able to burst open entire colonies, this heavy two-handed underslung cannon should sure come close. A set of three intake valves nestled along the Colony Burster’s long barrel means that it can deliver explosive shells the furthest of all the cannons available in Exteel. Like most cannons its shells deal tremendous amounts of damage, is very accurate once the pilot locks onto a target, and takes a long time to reload.
The Dreadnaught Battle Map
Dreadnaught is one of the more unique battle maps available to players in Exteel. Mechanaughts battle atop a massive space cruiser as well as various winding corridors within the ship. The ship is also engaged in a great battle against other spaceships in the background, which provides an interesting backdrop to the immediate battle at hand.
The outline of the map is mostly rectangular, with a long playing surface across deck of the ship, bisected lengthwise by a squat row of open bays and communications tower. One end of the map features a raised platform in front of bridge superstructure, and various Mechanaught launching bays line the sides of the playing arena. Various tunnels also lead further down to two sets of corridors and rooms that also run the length of the ship.
Dreadnaught is one of two maps in Exteel that feature low-gravity environments, meaning normal non-boosted jumps can reach quite high (Hint: at the apex of the jump, hit your boosters to jump even higher). The Dreadnaught map is currently available for play in Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Territory Control, and Last Stand battle modes. Territory Control matches can be rather tricky, with usually one Aerogate on the top deck and the other four nestled in rooms set at the four corners of the map. Approaches to these rooms are narrow and pilots contest each Aerogate viciously.
Hellrazor – The Hellrazor is the next available Mechanaught shotgun after the Spatter Gun, though it shoots blasts of fire rather than traditional ammunition. Despite its high capacity to deal damage at close range, usually better than most other shotguns, the Hellrazor retains low marks for accuracy while it generates heat much quicker and takes much longer to reload.
