I'm sorry, but your premise is flawed from the start. Many games release with some of their more ambitious design features added later, look at Flying Mounts in WoW, or the Fortress systems in DAOC. Hell, WoW's Talent systems have been redesigned like ten times. Sometimes, as in this case, a system is very promising, but will drain too many resources to properly do it justice. The simple fact that the devs love this feature leads me to believe that if it can be implemented, whatever form it might take, it will be. It may just take a little time. IMHO the most important things to get right for release are the combat mechanics, the PvE experience, the communication systems (both in-game voice and command-level comms), the strategic campaign layer, and the faction balance. T
This is a big part of the strategic component of the game, again, it will make EC go beyond PS2 and have some real strategic element instead of trading bases over and over with no consecuences.
It's definitely a disappointing announcement. I had been hoping that base upgrades would allow EC to have a level of economy/resource management that was lacking in PS2. Sure, perhaps only a tiny fraction of the players would be actively directing it (the war council), but the results of those decisions would have reached out and influenced everybody in the game. Even though I'm not getting the game until well "after launch" anyway, I really don't want this to end up like PS2's resource revamp and continental lattice (that we're still waiting on years later, we only just now got Hossin).
It's kinda strange to see such important part of the game to be left out right after successfull Founder Program launch?.. Wasn't they going to be adding more stuff to the game, instead of taking it out? It would be really sad to see EC to be reduced to just another PS2...
The ironic thing is that I'm sure players would much rather be paying $35 to fund a base upgrading system for this game than to buy a Boltgun that won't even be better than one i can get for free in game.... I do think Base upgrading adds a significant increase in player investment to said base, and that it can create some unique situations when attacking one. Pretty shoulder pads and armor are cool, but it doesn't actually do stuff. I'd rather have minimal extra Gubbinz at launch if it means that We can have all the proper systems that make the game a lot of fun to play.
I find any game that allows for base upgrades to capture my interest substantially more, even if it is linear. I of course prefer base design options, but wouldn't demand it. It would disappoint me if we couldn't implement some manner of field customizations at key structures. This is something I want them to work on, that the only reason it is not available at launch is because it is not condusive to the timeframe, but they are still working on it. Definitely don't want them to scrap the idea or put it on a inconclusive hiatus.
I know i am probably ignorant of several key factors in development here, but to me, i don't see why they can't just add upgrade "nodes" in certain areas on each base that a player can approach, and, based on which faction they are, they can choose to spend RP to build a faction specific defense turret/ammo dump/shield generator/Aegis Wall or whatever it might be. This is simple enough as far as a mechanic, but again, obviously i am quite sure I am probably completely ignorant of the bigger picture with Development cycles here. Really hoping we at least get something though.
The bigger issue it's probably (100% uninformed guess) that you need to make each of those upgrades destructible.
