New Day / New Ways to Play: Drones I & II

[LittleWillie 3,199]

Drones are here. We've seen batches I and II now. Batches III & IV are bound to contain some doozies. (Does self-heal return in Drone form???) It will take months if not over a year to understand the full impact of this new system. But it is here as a part of TO. Playing fro now on will mean understanding Drones. Might as well take the first baby steps.

 

General Thoughts

 

Drones are designed for a low buy-in cost. A new drone and a few MU steps does not cost much in comparison to a full MU Drone.

 

The true cost of Drones is the Battery cost. Non-buyers need to find the most cost-efficient ways to use their mission Batteries. Buyers want to find the most powerful uses.

 

Some Drones seem more for solo players in pick-up games.  Some clearly open the door to coordinated clan war strategies.

 

I have not done the math yet but I think two general trends can be counted upon.

1. All Drones (so far) will always use more Cry value in batteries than they return in extended Supplies Cry value. 
2. Most Drones become reasonably cost effective by this measure only after many MU step investments.

Since both release I and II Drones have the same MU cost the 30k difference in purchase cost is negligible.

 

Specific Drones

 

Again, the math has not been done so no real conclusions can be drawn about the bottom-line efficiencies. These are early and short first impressions.

 

Trooper:  Simplest Category of Use. The advertised spawn-killing role does not seem viable. Hey I am getting crushed time to use up expensive batteries? Does not make much sense.  However for DM mode(s) it might be useful. 

 

Engineer: Moderate Category of Use. Even at 0 MU this Drone delivers a significant bonus. At upper MU levels it more than doubles  map pickup duration. All signs point to a value Drone for the budget tanker especially fast hulls or drop-spot campers.

 

Assault: Difficult Category of Use. At high MU it has the potential to keep one set of Supplies active an entire 10-minute game!  In that sense it might be the most powerful of the six. Tailor made for the aggressive pick-up game.

 

Driver: Difficult Category of Use. The team-based companion to Assault gets the most by having allies around. With good teammate Driver is probably more powerful than Assault.

 

Mechanic  Moderate Category of Use: For light hull and high MU the instant heal effect from an RK will restore almost all health. For heavier hulls the main benefit comes from shared healing in teams.

 

Supplier  Moderate Category of Use: This Drone cries out for heavy MU investment. Maximized. for solo use it can double the duration of any active Supply. But it really shines in team play where it acts as a pulsing short-term OD.

 

Clan Wars

 

For strong team-oriented clans Drones offer some compelling possibilities.  This is especially true for deep-pocketed Clans willing to MU their Drones and keep a constant supply of Batteries. Drones might offer a performance boost in pick-up games. In Clan Wars they can lead to a much more powerful synergy.

 

One example to illustrate. Consider a Clan team built around 4-tank Fire Teams. 

1. Isida w/Healing Nanobot Alteration and w/Mechanic
2. Hard Hitter I w/Supplier
3. Hard Hitter II w/Supplier
4. Fast Hitter w/ Driver

I am not sure which turrets you want most with this but for example think of HH1 = Rail, HH2=Thunder and FH = Vulcan. All hitters are there to attack of course but the Fast Hitter hopes to kill-steal as much as possible from HH1 and HH2.

 

Each Supplier pulses a +5 second duration boost to DD/DA/SB once / 10 seconds. Two of them pulse +10 seconds every 10 seconds.  Guess what this adds up to?

 

The Mechanic pulses out 500 points of heal once every 30 seconds to bolster the Isida's DD-boosted alteration-extended healing.

 

The Driver restores everyone's DD/DA/SB several times plus drops mines and heals everyone.

 

A 4-tank Fire Team thjat can coordinate like this theory seems (in theory) ready to kick major ass.

 

12 Member Clan; 3 Fire Teams; Long Range, Mid-Fielders, Attackers.

 

Tanki Online: It ain't 2017 no more people. It's a brand new day. Adapt or Die

Edited June 23, 2018 by LittleWillie

[bozo88 450]

Behold the words of a prophet. :)

Taking into account the fact that regular drugs are way to expensive to justify off battle rewards alone (1500-2300◊/10 minute battle) yet are considered basic overhead by many F2P players (those with their lives figured out) because of mission rewards and containers, is is true "Non-buyers need to find the most cost-efficient ways to use their mission Batteries.?: I plan on using my drone till batteries run out, then waiting to get more for free, just like how I play when I run of RKs, use em till they're gone, then live without. As for which drone to buy, I plan on she-love-me-she-loves-me-not technique.

[LittleWillie 3,199]

Behold the words of a prophet. :)

Taking into account the fact that regular drugs are way to expensive to justify off battle rewards alone (1500-2300◊/10 minute battle) yet are considered basic overhead by many F2P players (those with their lives figured out) because of mission rewards and containers, is is true "Non-buyers need to find the most cost-efficient ways to use their mission Batteries.?: I plan on using my drone till batteries run out, then waiting to get more for free, just like how I play when I run of RKs, use em till they're gone, then live without. As for which drone to buy, I plan on she-love-me-she-loves-me-not technique.

You're saying the same thing more or less I am.  It is easy to burn up 500 Cry in Supplies wwhen winning 250 Cry from the battle fund. But players do that because that is what the mission rewards are for.

 

In essence by playing the game you convert your stockpile of supplies into Crystals.  The more Cry you get from your stockpile the more efficient you are. Batteries are no different. If they are not needed at teh moment don't use them. Just like you probably do not use an RK when you're at 99% health.

[Pyre 3,485]

Driver+mammy....

[r_Issimo2 1,495]

Reality: It's just a game people, not a career. Tomorrow is another day.

There's a real life out there.

[ByeByeBye 1,747]

 

Drones are here. We've seen batches I and II now. Batches III & IV are bound to contain some doozies. (Does self-heal return in Drone form???) It will take months if not over a year to understand the full impact of this new system. But it is here as a part of TO. Playing fro now on will mean understanding Drones. Might as well take the first baby steps.

 

General Thoughts

 

Drones are designed for a low buy-in cost. A new drone and a few MU steps does not cost much in comparison to a full MU Drone.

 

The true cost of Drones is the Battery cost. Non-buyers need to find the most cost-efficient ways to use their mission Batteries. Buyers want to find the most powerful uses.

 

Some Drones seem more for solo players in pick-up games.  Some clearly open the door to coordinated clan war strategies.

 

I have not done the math yet but I think two general trends can be counted upon.

1. All Drones (so far) will always use more Cry value in batteries than they return in extended Supplies Cry value. 
2. Most Drones become reasonably cost effective by this measure only after many MU step investments.

Since both release I and II Drones have the same MU cost the 30k difference in purchase cost is negligible.

 

Specific Drones

 

Again, the math has not been done so no real conclusions can be drawn about the bottom-line efficiencies. These are early and short first impressions.

 

Trooper:  Simplest Category of Use. The advertised spawn-killing role does not seem viable. Hey I am getting crushed time to use up expensive batteries? Does not make much sense.  However for DM mode(s) it might be useful. 

 

Engineer: Moderate Category of Use. Even at 0 MU this Drone delivers a significant bonus. At upper MU levels it more than doubles  map pickup duration. All signs point to a value Drone for the budget tanker especially fast hulls or drop-spot campers.

 

Assault: Difficult Category of Use. At high MU it has the potential to keep one set of Supplies active an entire 10-minute game!  In that sense it might be the most powerful of the six. Tailor made for the aggressive pick-up game.

 

Driver: Difficult Category of Use. The team-based companion to Assault gets the most by having allies around. With good teammate Driver is probably more powerful than Assault.

 

Mechanic  Moderate Category of Use: For light hull and high MU the instant heal effect from an RK will restore almost all health. For heavier hulls the main benefit comes from shared healing in teams.

 

Supplier  Moderate Category of Use: This Drone cries out for heavy MU investment. Maximized. for solo use it can double the duration of any active Supply. But it really shines in team play where it acts as a pulsing short-term OD.

 

Clan Wars

 

For strong team-oriented clans Drones offer some compelling possibilities.  This is especially true for deep-pocketed Clans willing to MU their Drones and keep a constant supply of Batteries. Drones might offer a performance boost in pick-up games. In Clan Wars they can lead to a much more powerful synergy.

 

One example to illustrate. Consider a Clan team built around 4-tank Fire Teams. 

1. Isida w/Healing Nanobot Alteration and w/Mechanic
2. Hard Hitter I w/Supplier
3. Hard Hitter II w/Supplier
4. Fast Hitter w/ Driver

I am not sure which turrets you want most with this but for example think of HH1 = Rail, HH2=Thunder and FH = Vulcan. All hitters are there to attack of course but the Fast Hitter hopes to kill-steal as much as possible from HH1 and HH2.

 

Each Supplier pulses a +5 second duration boost to DD/DA/SB once / 10 seconds. Two of them pulse +10 seconds every 10 seconds.  Guess what this adds up to?

 

The Mechanic pulses out 500 points of heal once every 30 seconds to bolster the Isida's DD-boosted alteration-extended healing.

 

The Driver restores everyone's DD/DA/SB several times plus drops mines and heals everyone.

 

A 4-tank Fire Team thjat can coordinate like this theory seems (in theory) ready to kick major ass.

 

12 Member Clan; 3 Fire Teams; Long Range, Mid-Fielders, Attackers. 

 

 

Tanki Online: It ain't 2017 no more people. It's a brand new day. Adapt or Die

Wow!, great post!  And here I thought you were only an MM troll :)  This is very informative and kind of scary.  In a way, I'm kinda glad drones are so expensive to operate.  If everyone could afford them it would make an entirely different game that basically revolved around drugging not really driving/shooting. 

 

I've seen drones here and there but so far only one battle where they made any noticeable difference.  A Firebird had one of the drones (maybe Assault because this battle was some time ago) and just could not be killed.  His team won the battle and he came in #1 of course, but he hadn't killed all that many of the opposition.  The real trick was he had zero deaths.  Between heavy drug use including constant coordinated repair kits and whatever drone he was using, he was unstoppable...GodMode_On unstoppable.  Even teaming up and concentrating on this guy couldn't kill him...he was literally invincible.  He almost had to have been a buyer.

 

The upshot of this experience portends that if anyone wishes to dump real money (lots of real money) into Tanki they will be able to dominate all situations.  That's OK with me as long as there aren't too many of the heavy whale rollers out there.  The buyers get to kill us Freebies and we Freebies get to kill each other.  Buyers keep Tanki alive and I think drones have the potential to make Tanki some substantial income.  Great!

 

Another thought I had concerns Legend ranks...drones could get pretty bad up there in the mature "I got the max garage" M4 ranks.  Way up there it might become "use drones or you can't compete".  I don't really know the economy of that area, but it seems like kind of a scary possibility for the newly ranked Legends playing against the Legend 999s

Edited June 24, 2018 by ByeByeBye

[ByeByeBye 1,747]

 

Reality: It's just a game people, not a career. Tomorrow is another day.

There's a real life out there.

 

It used to be kind of a career for me. :)  Now, I think I spend as much time in the forum talking about Tanki (well, MM recently) as I do in battles.  Tanki battles have become little tedious and somewhat repetitive with little variation from game to game...moving towards boring.  I used to play a lot in off hours, but now it is too difficult to join battles, so Life has slipped back in and already taken Tanki's place. 

 

Thank goodness that the devs were benevolent enough to unchain us from our mission chain...if that hadn't have happened, and with the advent of MM, I doubt I would play Tanki at all by now.

[DRAKO523 795]

Driver+mammy....

Driver + Juggernut ;p

[LittleWillie 3,199]

 

Reality: It's just a game people, not a career. Tomorrow is another day.

There's a real life out there.

 

Some of us play games for a hobby. Hobbiests enjoy talking about the hobby and learning how to mater their skills.

 

Quit TO already you've threatened to so it for months. 

[batatazilla 56]

 

Tanki Online: It ain't 2017 no more people. It's a brand new day. Adapt or Die

I adapted, by buying a pro pass. Have been enjoying clean battles since :D Except for the cancerous time it takes to do missions <_<

[splitterpoint 10,986]

I adapted, by buying a pro pass. Have been enjoying clean battles since :D Except for the cancerous time it takes to do missions <_<

If you don't use supplies you don't need the missions :D I just wish players would use their brain and make pro battles without the stupid supplies. If those battles become more common I'd be 100% playing in them.

[GuidoFawkes 2,361]

Tanki Online: It ain't 2017 no more people. It's a brand new day. Adapt or Die

I know about this. but what i was hoping to find out by reading your article is HOW do we get enough batteries to use them.

[batatazilla 56]

If you don't use supplies you don't need the missions :D I just wish players would use their brain and make pro battles without the stupid supplies. If those battles become more common I'd be 100% playing in them.

Exactly!!! How many battles have I seen that dont have garage drugs but then they have dropouts...wth why?? I wish there was a filter to find clean battles more easily. I just do missions/normal battles to farm lots of cristals. Pro battles now pay really low, so low that even paying the pass itself is hard if you dont have time.

[LittleWillie 3,199]

I know about this. but what i was hoping to find out by reading your article is HOW do we get enough batteries to use them.

You have two choices. Do missions and use them only when they can help the most, or, pay $9 US for every 12 hours you play to have constant battery use.  Seventy-five cents per hour is not an outrageous price for an entertainment option, when you get down to it.

 

TO screwed me out of over $#0 Us worth of Containers in the War vent so they will not be getting money from me. So for me it will be a case of learning how to get the best Cry value out of what missions allow.

 

Exactly!!! How many battles have I seen that dont have garage drugs but then they have dropouts...wth why?? I wish there was a filter to find clean battles more easily. I just do missions/normal battles to farm lots of cristals. Pro battles now pay really low, so low that even paying the pass itself is hard if you dont have time.

I do not mind map power-ups. That means the map has several strategic points other than just the flag bases or CP points.

 

But the fact is looking for a non-drug game in the Pro section is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Or maybe for a needle in Sandbox?  

[GorgoBlesk 831]

I say NO to drones and batteries! I will rely only on skill and luck and I will hope there will not be heavy godmode-ish druggers on the battlefield.

[Hancho 3,902]

So Done's II tend to be more powerful than Drone's I? 

[LittleWillie 3,199]

I say NO to drones and batteries! I will rely only on skill and luck and I will hope there will not be heavy godmode-ish druggers on the battlefield.

It may turn out to be possible to thrive with never having a drone.  But if you are a daily mission player you will pile up the batteries. At some point doesn't it make sense to buy a drone to get SOME value out of all those batteries? 

 

The nice part about the drones themselves is they are inexpensive to own at the lower end of the MU scale.  So even the stingiest daily mission player can buy some sort of Drone for occasional spot use.

 

So Done's II tend to be more powerful than Drone's I? 

That seems to be the case.  It will be quite interesting to see if Phase III raises the purchase cose or if it raises the MU costs.  Or if it does both.

 

There are 6 more Drones to come. Guesses:

 

Bug Zapper Drone:  When it pulses it disables/disrupts enemy Drones w/in a certain radius. 

 

Dracula Drone: Vampirism aka Self-Heal returns to all turret types in TO via Drone.  Twist: It shares the healed HPs with allies w/in radius.

 

Under-Driver (and proud of it) Drone: re-sets/delays enemy OD timers' w/in a radius.

 

Modules Schmodules Drone: Your turret is briefly unaffected by enemy Protection Modules .

 

Tweeking Turret Drone: Increases your rate of fire briefly.

 

Iron Nuts McGullicuddy Drone: Pulses +% point adds of all 14 resistances to nearby allies.

Edited June 25, 2018 by LittleWillie

[wolverine848 13,097]

If you don't use supplies you don't need the missions :D I just wish players would use their brain and make pro battles without the stupid supplies. If those battles become more common I'd be 100% playing in them.

Missions award a lot of crystals once you hit the 10-week plateau.

 

Unless TO divided players permanently between "normal" and "pro" battles you handi-cap yourself economically by not doing missions.

Since players can do missions AND then also play pro-battles...

[GuidoFawkes 2,361]

If you don't use supplies you don't need the missions :D I just wish players would use their brain and make pro battles without the stupid supplies. If those battles become more common I'd be 100% playing in them.

but you can't use the wonderful matchmaking system in pro battles.

 

I hate supplies but my love for matchmaking is stronger than my hatred of supplies

[N3tralRE 282]

While I am attracted by the Mechanic and Supplier drones, which both share boosts (i.e. health and supplies respectively) with allies, I still feel hopeful for the potential of the Trooper drone.  While Trooper is more suited for solo, isolation gameplay and only lasts at least 10 seconds, Trooper imo is the best drone for quick rebounding from a well-organized assault. 

 

Unlike other drones, Trooper gives you a pseudo-Overdrive boost straight from spawning that can help swiftly push back against the likes of spawn-killing squads as well as prepare one against drugged enemy infiltrator squads.  However, I believe that Trooper can also be used offensively for Lightning-Quick attacks, especially once Trooper is fully MU'd to last 20 seconds.   In that case, from spawn, it'll take a Trooper-donning tank 5-10 seconds more or less to reach the enemy base, leaving the remaining 10-15 seconds up to the player's accord (i.e. breaking down enemy defenses, swiftly stealing the enemy flag or returning your team's stolen flag). 

 

Even better, Trooper tanks can catch up to and partner with Mechanic and Supplier teammates on the frontline, which only opens up more avenues for plays.

[sensei_tanker 3,098]

I chose the Assault Drone to make my OD last forever... however unfortunately my batteries don't last forever :(

[LittleWillie 3,199]

While I am attracted by the Mechanic and Supplier drones, which both share boosts (i.e. health and supplies respectively) with allies, I still feel hopeful for the potential of the Trooper drone.  While Trooper is more suited for solo, isolation gameplay and only lasts at least 10 seconds, Trooper imo is the best drone for quick rebounding from a well-organized assault. 

 

Unlike other drones, Trooper gives you a pseudo-Overdrive boost straight from spawning that can help swiftly push back against the likes of spawn-killing squads as well as prepare one against drugged enemy infiltrator squads.  However, I believe that Trooper can also be used offensively for Lightning-Quick attacks, especially once Trooper is fully MU'd to last 20 seconds.   In that case, from spawn, it'll take a Trooper-donning tank 5-10 seconds more or less to reach the enemy base, leaving the remaining 10-15 seconds up to the player's accord (i.e. breaking down enemy defenses, swiftly stealing the enemy flag or returning your team's stolen flag). 

 

Even better, Trooper tanks can catch up to and partner with Mechanic and Supplier teammates on the frontline, which only opens up more avenues for plays.

These are all good points. No doubt Trooper is easiest to use. The boost to 20 seconds at full MU does make it much more viable.

 

--

 

I bought my 1st Drone for my Wasp/Vulcan account. It has everytihng up t max MU, >400 Batteries from containers already opened, and many many exp until the next m level unlocks. So I figured I could experiment.

 

I was going to but Engineer because with the Wasp I can scoop up map drops. But at the last minute I went with Driver because as a Wasp it is nice to get the OD heals.  And now I have byer's remorse.  I think I should have stuck to my plan.

 

Oh well I have 4MU in it now. Will wait for sale to MU again.  I do not plan to use it much until it is at MU 8-10. 

 

So far I  have used it twice during parts of two games., For 7 batteries I think I can say it once gave me my OD about 5 seconds before I;d have got it normally.

 

If Frons are P2W it is going to take a lot of P 2 get very little W.

[splitterpoint 10,986]

Missions award a lot of crystals once you hit the 10-week plateau.

 

Unless TO divided players permanently between "normal" and "pro" battles you handi-cap yourself economically by not doing missions.

Since players can do missions AND then also play pro-battles...

 

 

That's true but the main difference between the two game modes are supplies. In the end we all play with the same hulls and turrets. Technically it's all possible with the settings in pro battles. But no one does them because they're addicted to consumables and T.O. fuels this habit with them missions drones and overdrives.

 

 

but you can't use the wonderful matchmaking system in pro battles.

I hate supplies but my love for matchmaking is stronger than my hatred of supplies

I agree, I'd much rather have matchmaking in pro battles aswell when it comes to battles.

 

There's nothing better than to keep finishing battles instead of finding a free spot in the winning team; where you are certain that one side in a 7-0 match will dry out because of the overall mentality in this game.

 

Matchmaking all the way. I take the blowouts for what they are, fund isn't so bad currently.

 

If only we had a map filter where you could check and uncheck maps before letting matchmaking search that'd be great.

[thunderousrailgunner 1,934]

If you don't use supplies you don't need the missions :D I just wish players would use their brain and make pro battles without the stupid supplies. If those battles become more common I'd be 100% playing in them.

+1

A battle without supplies, not only gives everyone a chance to shine but it gives immense satisfaction of playing an intense battle !!

[LittleWillie 3,199]

 

 

That's true but the main difference between the two game modes are supplies. In the end we all play with the same hulls and turrets. Technically it's all possible with the settings in pro battles. But no one does them because they're addicted to consumables and T.O. fuels this habit with them missions drones and overdrives.

...

Matchmaking all the way. I take the blowouts for what they are, fund isn't so bad currently.

 

If only we had a map filter where you could check and uncheck maps before letting matchmaking search that'd be great.

 

+1

A battle without supplies, not only gives everyone a chance to shine but it gives immense satisfaction of playing an intense battle !!

No supplies games can be much more tactical in nature. A team might get a certain terrain weapon combo the other can has a hard time breaking.  That can be a great war game experience but it generally leads to lower battle funds. There's the  true culprit IMO for the lack of no supplies games.

 

Drugs: Want an easier game with a higher payout? 

 

--

 

With MM I log on, check my missions, and click on the game mode I need. Almost always I am in a game in less than a minute., Almost always that is a fresh game. Sure sometime I wait a boit loner and dud games still happen more than you want. But it's clearly a better dal than the old way ... unless you are married to one or two maps.

 

The option to eliminate a couple maps sounds like a little thing but my guess is it would make the MM process more difficult. By that I mean much more lag and game stat delay in exchange for very little gain. Players are expected to be able to play on a certain limited set of basic maps. That is not such a big expectation on TO's part.

 

I'd rather see them work out errors on certain maps.  AsSL mode is really poor on a few maps, Kungur, Maxxacre Osa.  Brest was made much worse by turning the cetnter into an open fishbwl. And so on