[Mod Request] A.I.D. Grid

[dason]

A.I.D. Grid

The A.I.D. Grid, or Artificial Intelligence Defense Grid, is meant to put to use some of the more "unused" items currently in the game. the goal of this mod is to extend the playability of the game by unlocking new, differing research, while also giving players an incentive to think of other approaches aside from the classic "killbox" and "tunnel of death"

though it should be noted that these are meant to be "late game" items, and tools. this is not, however, meant to be a "be all end all" solution to base defense. it should be seen as a complementary force to your defensibility, not a full replacement.

with that being said, lets get to review the idea itself.

it should have its own research tree, numbering 4000 points in total (all variants, all improvements.) its "base" should be 1500, and use some "undervalued" items currently available to the player. here are a few prerequisites:

the "A.I.D. Core"
1500 research (unlocks:
A.I.D. Core.
M.I.D. infantry unit
A.I. patrol zone
M.I.D. station bay (houses the infantry unit)
researchable: for an additional 750:
M.I.D. medical unit
M.I.D. medical bay (houses the medical unit)
researchable for an additional 750:
M.I.D. heavy infantry
M.I.D. Machining lab
M.I.D. security bay. (houses the heavy infantry unit.)
researchable for an additional 500:
Security protocols
each of the items should require the following construction materials:

A.I.D. Core.:
one-four A.I. personas
100 plasteel
500 steel
100 uranium
100 gold

with the A.I. core, it should be a two by two item, and can house one to four A.I. Personas. (one in each "block" space.). it can function with only one A.I. persona, though putting in more gives increases in performance to the M.I.D.s, (or Mechanical Infantry Defense units.) + 5% aim per persona present within the grid. with a cap bonus of +15% (for all four slots being filled, to reduce the urge to build room after room if the Grids to have a walking behemoth god of destruction stomping around killing all the poor muffalo.)

M.I.D. infantry unit:
250 steel
50 plasteel
150 synthread
100 devilstrand


M.I.D. station bay

500 steel
25 uranium
10 gold

About the M.I.D. infantry unit:
your "standard" infantry unit. it behaves much like a turret in that it engages anyone it sees with fearless determination.
once its outer shell has been disabled, it shuts itself down and becomes a improvised proximity mine for enemy combatants. detonating three seconds after enemies have entered its effective blast radius, or it can be detonated remotely from the A.I. Grid Core. (right click on the downed unit and choose "detonate") should it not detonate because it wasnt triggered, or because it was commanded not to, it can be repaired if hauled back to its station bay, where it may take up to 72 hours of repair. (no additional resources required, that's why the station bays cost so much.) the M.I.D. station bay is where the M.I.D. infantry go to repair, charge, and hibernate during times with low power. (simply click "only deploy when attacked" to have the M.I.D. stay in its bay until needed.


A.I. patrol zone

create an area for your M.I.D.s to patrol, it will defend any colonist or structure within its patrol area, allowing you to delegate manpower where you need it most.

M.I.D. medical unit

250 steel
10 plasteel
250 synthread
100 devilstrand
1 medkit

M.I.D. medical bay (houses the medical unit)

1000 steel
25 uranium
10 gold

about the medical M.I.D.:

this M.I.D. can fight, but thats not its primary purpose, its real design reason, is to find downed allied organics and immediately rescue them, and take them to the nearest medical bed available. if none are present, it takes the organic to its medical bay and leaves it in its emergency cryosleep pod build into its maintenance bay. (houses only one colonist at a time.)
they're meant moreso for movement, so weaponry have been forsaken, and armor has been slimmed down to offer maximum protection to its body cavity where the organic is housed, as well as its legs. all other areas are considered secondary in its design. it should be noted that this M.I.D. is not a fighter, however is it not entirely defenseless, it has a pistol, and a steel shiv, though its wise to have these guys sit in the back and only go out for rescue missions. its "medical bay" is somewhat of a misnomer, moreso meaning it houses the medical M.I.D., and should not be confused as any kind of "healing station" for organics


M.I.D. heavy infantry:
1 power armor
1 power helmet
750 steel
250 plasteel
200 synthread
100 devilstrand

M.I.D. security bay. (houses the heavy infantry unit.)
500 steel
25 uranium
10 gold

about the Heavy infantry M.I.D.:

this M.I.D. is a walking armory, meant to go into locations where organics simply cannot go. they are armed with the M.I.D. AntiOrganic lasersaw for its melee, and the M.I.D. Anti Material rifle for its long range capabilities, capable of striking through even the toughest armor with ease. though well armed and extremely well defended, the heavy infantry M.I.D.s have sacrificed a lot in order to achieve what is arguably near perfection in its offensive and defensive capabilities, most notably its maneuverability. its actuators have been prioritized  to cancel recoil and improve swinging power, allowing more lithe and speedy organics or otherwise to run circles around it with ease. (it is not a giant bulldozer tank with god like powers, its simply much more durable then some, though it should still be slightly less comparable to the mech. caterpillars. its role to absorb damage as well as dish it out, in a perfect world, you'd have two light infantry for every one heavy.

Security protocols

prevents:
the "solar flare, miswired circuts" bad event (insert fluff here all M.I.D.s have had their alliance programming tampered with by the solar flare. lasts for 1-6 hours.)

the "solar flare lights out" bad event (insert fluff here -M.I.D. nickname here- / all M.I.D.s have shut down due to an energy displacement, return them to their bays for recharge.)

the "A.I. arguements" bad event (only available if more then one AI persona is installed with the Grid Core.) (all M.I.D.s have their stats halved. lasts for 1-24 hours.)

does not prevent the "overcharged" bad event (insert fluff here, M.I.D. -whatever nickname-/ all M.I.D.s has had their battery corrode, requiring 24 hour repairs.)

Conclusion:

this mod i would like to see, using some of the underused items currently in. and yes the items listed are expensive, i believe it can give players an incentive to try and keep these items in an attempt to use them.

the stats of the M.I.D.s should make them balanced, i don't want the cost to far and away outweigh the performance, but i'd also like to see them not be a "i have a M.I.D. now, GG all, better make a new game." (in that regard, feel free to "balance their cost, all i ask is that you make use of underused items, you may ask "why is synthread and devilstrand in there?" to which i reply "for joints and wirecoverings, and if thats not good enough, reasons... complex reasons...")

i'd like to say that theyre comperable to the Caterpillar and scythe, though slightly under their performance (as to be quite honest, you most likely made these M.I.D.s in some hole you dug in some mountain you happen to crash-land near, whereas those mechs were created by highly precise machines using advanced forging techniques and the best possible metals and polymers available.

The mechs should be slightly larger then a person, and the Mid bays should be a one by two, and be attached to the power grid. the medical bay should be a one by two by one, in a "L" shape, as the "rear" should have an intractable cryotube attached to it.

if anyone has any questions/comments/otherwise i'm all ears. thanks for taking the time to read this idea.

[elStrages]

A lot of good detail and dll needed. Way out of my remit but would be good if someone could.