This is the comment/suggestion thread for NanoBlobs 0.40(final).
Go here to download it.
And go here to download our very own custom map, NanoArenaV2.
The Manual
1. What is NanoBlobs?
NanoBlobs is, basically, an experimental game design, based on Von Neumann machine concepts. It started off as an experiment to develop a game that an AI could play perfectly, without cheating. Since that time, it has evolved into more and more complex gameplay, and it is a reasonably interesting game in its own right. I've used this as my warm-up project for Spring, and (especially if I can find the right kinds of help) I will be releasing other great games for this engine.
I want to take a moment and thank two of the AI developers, who basically helped NanoBlobs come about, by providing AI support for me that allows me to test the private builds: Alantai Firestar and Krogothe. Both of them have helped development tremendously with their support for the mod, and I really appreciate the work they've put into things. Alantai, especially, helped 0.3 come into existence, and has added a lot've new functionality to NTAI basically to support NanoBlobs (I should say that better than 90% of it could support other mods, too, and I hope that other mod developers sit down with NTAI and develop good profiles/buildtrees/configs for their mods).
2. This is really weird. How do I play it?
For those of you who have very little RTS experience outside of playing AA/OTA/XTA, NanoBlobs may seem like a very strange experience. In some ways, this is not like any other RTS ever made, at least to my knowledge. And you will just have to learn quite a few things the hard way. However, here are some basic tips:
A. You do not gather resources in NanoBlobs. Instead, you build more Sheep. Sheep make Energy and Metal. Units cost Energy, Metal and WorkerTime, and they may need to "eat" Metal and Energy during play. So, if your factories are putting out units slowly, you may need to build more Sheep.
In addition, Sheep can make certain units, just like Lords can- only more slowly. They can also Guard your AutoFacs (your unit-making factories) and speed up their production. This can greatly increase their output over time.
B. Your Lord is an extremely powerful and important unit. It has a fairly powerful weapon, is pretty durable, and can build a very long way away from itself. Losing your Lord, even if it doesn't mean you've lost the game, is a terrible thing, because the Lord is the most versitile and useful unit you possess. Good use of your Lord is mandatory.
C. In some RTS games, it is very possible to build a base, surround it with defenses, and become practically invulnerable. This does not work in NanoBlobs, and if you do not wish to lose... don't try it! While there are static defenses in the game, they are relatively weak against certain types of enemies, and can be overrun fairly easily by any skillful opponant.
So, since defense isn't a good long-term option... attack! In NanoBlobs, controlling the map is essential to survival. Prevent the enemy from gaining control over the ground, and you will invariably win over time, as you can get more of your forces into contact with the enemy than he/she can get in contact with you, increasing his/her rate of attrition. This is called "winning".
There are other routes to victory, but this is the classic method. Build enough AutoFacs and Sheep to support huge, disposable armies, and then send them to the enemy in constant streams, to wear them down and keep them bottled up in their base. Meanwhile, build more AutoFacs and Sheep, and pile on more and more pressure... until the enemy breaks under the strain.
Does that mean there's no finesse to NanoBlobs? On the contrary. While you can build the exact same units your opponant can... it's the amount of each type, how they're being used, and where you choose to control small groups (micro-management) that makes the major difference in most games. How you use the units makes a huge difference.
So... let's go through the units.
Lord: The Lord is your "commander", and you only get one. The Lord is equipped with a fairly powerful weapon, and can build at extreme distances away from itself. It can also build a wider variety of objects than anything else. Used wisely, the Lord makes a huge difference in the game.
Sheep: the Sheep is a totally defenseless, easily-killed unit, that can make resources and can build certain things. It moves at a moderate speed.
AutoFac: AutoFacs are automated factories (hence the name). Use the Move/Patrol functions, plus the Repeat ON features (see the Spring manual for more details) to set up AutoFacs to send out large numbers of the units you want. It is usually more effective to build one type of unit at a given AutoFac, but feel free to experiment.
Wolf: Wolves are the smallest, weakest attack units. They are fast, bird-like robots that have machineguns attached to their bodies. They are very dangerous in large numbers, can fly over water, can cross steep obstacles, and can see farther than most other units. In addition, they do not show up on radar. Wolves are very dangerous if they aren't countered effectively. The best counter to Wolves in this version of NanoBlobs is Archers.
Archer: Archers are rocket-firing robots that look like ambulatory end-tables. They are easily killed, and not terribly fast. However, they fire rockets with a very long range, which do moderate amounts of damage to whatever they hit. Many Archers, firing together, can kill anything in the game fairly quickly, and they far outrange almost everything else. The best counter to Archers in this version of NanoBlobs is Knights.
Knight: Knights are auto-healing units. This means that, if not killed, they rapidly regain lost health. Knights are fairly fast, moderately durable, and have a flamethrower that will kill most units very rapidly. They are very dangerous in packs, and can gut a base in less than 30 seconds if even a few get loose behind your defenses. The best counter to Knights, in this version of NanoBlobs, is to pair a SpireRook with a Holder. Large numbers of Archers will also work, however the Knights will win on attrition costs. Wolves lose on attrition costs, unless massed. All other units lose against Knights.
SpireRook: The backbone of a defensive perimeter, SpireRooks are very slow-moving units with a fairly powerful green laser. While they may seem only slightly useful at first, try building multiples of them and siting them near each other- they become more and more effective. Paired with Holders, they can form very impressive defensive lines.
SquareRook: The SquareRook is a slow-moving but powerful offensive/defensive unit. With a powerful main gun and rocket launcher, SquareRooks take forever to build, but can contribute to defenses and offenses alike. However, they should be supported, at a minimum, with streams of Wolves to provide targeting data, and preferably should be suported with streams of Wolves, Knights and Archers- a true, multi-dimensional assault force.
Holder: The Holder is basically just a simple turret. It does moderate damage to most units, but is very weak against Spire and Square Rooks. It fires fairly quickly, however, and a few Holders firing together can kill Knights. Holders with SpireRooks make a good defense.[/img]
