Hive Blitz

https://trello.com/c/JSo6N9OB/454-end-game-part-3-hive-blitz

- What kind of Gameplay Experience does the idea add to the game? How does the suggestion contribute to make the game better?

A dynamic, strategic, high-intensity, combat-focused take-and-hold mission type with a mixture of offense and defence.
An opportunity to expand background lore re: Glyphid nature/life-cycle, DRG's operations & goals; character of Mission Control.
An opportunity to introduce the "Something much worse" Dreadnoughts can evolve into.

These could be another high-commitment gamemode in the same vein as Deep Dives, requiring promoted Dwarves (Maybe even Bronze 3/Silver 1). Rewards would include (Blank?) Matrix Cores, large amounts of crafting minerals and credits.
Development would likely be expensive as it would necessitate a number of new assets, animations, voice lines and gameplay systems. However, it would make for fitting end-end-game content.

Some or all of this concept could also/alternatively be applied to a smaller-scale, less-intensive standard mission variant, using existing assets where possible.

Inspired by the game Infested Planet.

__**Mission flow:**__
The players are dropped in to a series of (up to 3) inter-connected, large caverns containing 3-5 Glyphid Hives. The drop-pod insertion point will offer several routes to all the larger caverns. One of the caverns will contain less hives than the others.
The connections between these large caverns serve as natural choke-points, affording the players some breathing room once each is taken over.
The mission could take place at the intersection between 2-3 biomes, with each cavern posing different environmental factors.

The ultimate objectives are:
1: Take over the location of each hive.
 2: Deploy an extractor in its place.
3: Hold until the extractors have completed mineral extraction.
4: Extract.

**Phase one:**
"Alright miners, this is THE big one. You're currently standing above the cluster of Glyphid hives that were detected deep beneath the surface of Hoxxes, along with the immense mineral deposits they feed on. For obvious reasons, the company needs the nests cleared out, and more importantly, the minerals mined - and they've selected *you* for the job.
Be warned, the bugs won't take kindly to you kicking down their front door - You'll need to keep the pressure on the blighters if you'd like to prevent damage to company property - which I strongly recommend.
Destroy the hives, deploy the extractors in their place, defend them and yourselves until the minerals have been gathered, then escape with your lives. Deep Rock Galactic has all eyes on you. Good luck."

The players' first objective is to destroy one hive of their choosing.
Upon destruction of the hive, an Uplink/Fuel-Cell/Black-Box-style objective is dropped in its place. This will take less time to build than the aforementioned objectives, and do not have a defence phase. Instead, they trigger the next phase of the mission.

**Phase two:**
"Well done. You've knocked out the first hive; we're now sending in the Extractor Uplink. Get it deployed quickly so we can begin mining, and get some defences up, you'll need them - I've never seen so much movement on the scanner before"

An Armed Extractor is dropped in place of the killed hive. The players' immediate objective and disposition shifts to defence of the Extractor and stabilising the situation. Players gain access to call-ins.

All hives within ~100m of the Extractor begin aggressively spawning a mix of Grunts, Slashers, Guardians and Web-spitters and despatching them to the Extractor - either in waves, or as a constant flow.

The Glyphids will attempt to destroy the extractor (A percentage will still prioritise the players as targets). If successful, the bugs will despatch an infestor Glyphid to re-establish the hive. If the hive is successfuly re-established, they then adopt a defensive posture once more, with the players back at phase one.

The waves/flow reduce to a trickle - still a potential threat to an undefended Extractor. This marks the end of Phase 2.

**Phase three:**
"Phew. That was getting dicey, miners. Glad to see you all made it, and the scanner isn't looking so... angry anymore. I guess the poor buggers ran out of steam. Take advantage of this breathing space; put up some solid defences, then press on to the next hive. It won't be long before the Glyphids are breathing down your necks again, so get a move on!"

The players have successfuly fought off the initial counter-attack, have had the opportunity to establish defences to protect the extractor from one of the hives' forces, and are presumably pushing through to the next.

This phase represents the "meat" of the mission, with the Dwarves and Glyphids trading territory, advancing and defending against one another, with the players able to lose Extractors to the Glyphids, and fresh Hives re-established in their place.

There will periodically be large swarms sent from the hives, towards the players and the Extractor(s). Fresh spawns from outlying hives will be diverted to any under attack.

Later hives may trigger a Bulk Detonator or Dreadnought on being attacked.

**Phase four:**
"By the beard of Karl... That's a bloody massive blip. I don't know what it is, but suffice it to say you're about to have the fight of your lives on your hands. Take that *thing* down, for Rock and Stone!"

The players have approached the final hive. The hive explodes as the "something worse" erupts from beneath - A hulking Behemoth, a terrifying hybrid of Menace, Bulk Detonator and Dreadnought.

Small numbers of lesser Glyphids spawn in to support the Behemoth in this fight. It is the ultimate challenge in maneuvering, targeting, employing gadgets and coordinating as a team.

**Phase five:**
"I - I almost don't believe it. That behemoth is dead, the bastards' hives are all wiped out and (key turns, loud heavy drill sound effect) the extractors are on-line. But I've got more bad news for you. Glyphids from neighbouring hive clusters are tunneling towards you. My scanner is about to be *all Red*. We'll have all the minerals out in 10 minutes. In the mean time, you know what to do."

The players have defeated the Behemoth. The extractor drills have been started and the minerals are being extracted. The players have a couple of minutes to collect what remaining Nitra they can, and set up defences for all Extractors.

The players must hold all Extractors for a total of 10 (5?) minutes.

Large swarms will target 1-2 Extractors at a time, usually closest in proximity to one another. At this point, Extractors can only be disabled, not destroyed. If an Extractor goes down, the countdown timer stops until it is repaired again. (Maybe timer per extractor?).

**Phase six**
"We have the minerals, I repeat, we have the minerals. Extractors are launching into orbit now, and the drop pod is on its way to you. Get out of there!"

The timer has fully elapsed and it's time for the players to leave. At this point, the mission is still a success even if all Dwarves are incapacitated.


**Armed Extractor:**
Each Extractor (or the deposit that the hive/extractor sits on) is given a numerical or alphabetical designation on the map (Perhaps on the Extractors' textures too).

A structure similar in size to a Minehead - a suspended platform on 4 struts with an enterable room (shaped like one of those many-sided dice) in the centre.
Atop the room is a BET-C-type turret affording it heavy ranged defensive firepower. Slung beneath the room is a Minehead-type turret to engage closer target.

The room contains a Red Sugar dispenser and Ammo racks - each have 4 charges. The former refills the players' health to full, the latter refills the players' ammo to half. These are resupplied periodically at no cost (There could be an animation of a supply pod being dropped into a receptacle on the structure). The turrets could have limited ammo also depending on this resupply.
It also contains a mineral receptacle for depositing Nitra, Gold etc.

The room has firing ports affording occupants visibility + and - 45° and 0° vertical (12 firing ports - Up/Centre/Down in each 4 cardinal directions).

The room is destructible in the same fashion as terrain - by weapons fire, explosives, Dreadnought and Bulk Detonator attacks, but also Acid/Webspitter, Menace, Mactera, Bomber attacks. The superstructure, internal platform and equipment are indestructible by these means.

Beneath the platform, protruding from the terrain and connected to the platform's struts is the Extractor Core. This contains a (nuclear?) generator to power the defences and the extraction drill, and is the Glyphids' target. Terrain surrounding (or immediately beneath) this will be indestructible so the bugs can always access it.

Upon destruction, the Extractor will detonate, sending fragments (as with Bulk Detonator explosions, but more) all over the place. The nearest Hive will despatch an Infestor to re-establish a hive; A new uplink is dropped once the players reach the vicinity, assuming the Infestor hasn't yet reached it or has been destroyed.

**Hives:**
Hives are organic Glyphid structures approximately double the height of a Bulk Detonator, and similar in appearance to a Brood Nexus, but with more organic doodads, an armoured shell, sat atop a mess of arteries, sinew anchoring it to the surrounding terrain.

The armoured shell is connected to its greater internal mass by tendons/sinew. These are exposed at points, somewhat buried into the armour its self, necessitating engagement from various angles. When all these weakpoints are destroyed, the shell falls off.

Beneath the armoured shell is the hive's Root (Think teeth), a bright, glowing weakpoint above the terrain's surface, becoming dull, tough-skinned and more expansive further below.
The above-surface root can be killed with small-arms fire, while the below-surface root necessitates bomb barrels to damage. The players can decide to circumvent destruction of the armour and engage the root directly with bomb barrels.
The root's health regenerates after a delay. Armour will eventually be regenerated too after several minutes.

Hives are defended by out-lying defensive structures - Spitballers, Brood Nexuses, Leeches - environmental hazards - Toxic gas spewers, Glyphid eggs, Spiky Plants etc. - and sub-hacheries: Different hives will have different sub-hacheries, each producing a different specialised Glyphid/Mactera type (Acid Spitters, Mactera Spawn, Goo Bombers, Praetorians, Menaces, Grabbers, Bunker-Busters).
All hives will produce Grunts, Slashers, Guardians and Web Spitters.

1-3 (depending on difficulty=total hives) Hives will be defended by: A Bulk Detonator (rare) , Dreadnought (rarest) or Naedocyte Breeder.

**Call-ins:**
Holding RMB with "weapon" 5 selected displays radial menu for call-ins. Each costs varying amounts of Nitra which must be manually collected by the players (Some may be granted upon hive capture). Some would allow the players to recall them, refunding their entire cost. (This could be done via the laser pointer, holding RMB).

Costs are only suggestions - they'd require balancing around the fact players would have scant opportunity to gather Nitra beyond what is granted to them on Hive capture.



BET-C - 80 Nitra - Combat Support.
Patrols Extractor or advances towards hive (stops to engage) in direction of player's view. Can be targeted and disabled by standard Glyphid attacks. When disabled, it can be infested and turned against the Dwarves. Max 2. Recallable.

Bosco - 100 Nitra - Combat Support/Utility. Follows the player that deployed it. Engages targets (No rockets) and mines minerals designated by player. Has finite number of defibrilator charges. Max 2. Recallable.

Mini-MULE - 30 Nitra - Utility.
 Follows the player that deployed it. Allows remote mineral deposition. Max 4. Recallable.

Turret - 40 Nitra - Defence.
 Must be recalled to be re-deployed. Limited firing arc, and a magazine that automatically reloads after a delay. Chance to stun, has a spotlight. Destructible. Max 8. Recallable.

Mortar - 50 Nitra - Defence.
Prioritises structures > Large Glyphids > Small Glyphids. Similar damage to Grenade Launcher with larger AOE, higher direct damage, lower area damage. Max 3. Recallable.

Mine Field - 10 Nitra - Defence.
Does what it says on the tin. Would have ~10-15m coverage.

Buster Bomb - 25 Nitra - Offense.
 A large anti-"personnel" bomb pod dropped from the Space Rig - useful for clearing out the defending swarms of a hive as well as its passive defences, or stopping a Glyphid assault on an Extractor. Does minimal damage to Hives, Behemoths.

Bomb Barrel Dispenser - 20 Nitra - Offense.
Acts the same as the one from the Machine Event. Has a finite number of bombs. Recallable.

Red Sugar Pod - 10 Nitra - Support.
Drops a small pod that dispenses a Red Sugar mist for 30s.

Resupply Pod - 40 Nitra - Support.
Same as the current supply pod. Half-price due to nature of mission.

Utility supply pod - 20 Nitra - Support.
Restores full utility (Flaregun, Zipline, Platform gun, Drill) ammo, 4 charges, much faster interaction speed.

Grenade supply pod - 15 Nitra - Support
Restores full grenade ammo, 4 charges, much faster interaction speed.

Shield Pod - 30 Nitra - Support.
Drops a small pod that deploys a large (15-20m radius) shield for 1m. Regenerates Dwarves' shields at a slower rate than Gunner's shield, but its larger coverage comes at the cost of allowing ground-based Glyphids to slip through. Prevents entry by flying enemies, blocks projectiles (Except Behemoth/Dread).

**Hulk Behemoth**
The ultimate boss of the game standing in the way of Final Victory!!!
Combines properties of the Dreadnought, Bulk Detonator, Glyphid Menace and Warden.

Has several attacks - Bulk Detonation (BD "Melee" attack), Menace Spit, Magmaball (Dread ranged attack).

Has several abilites - Weakpoint Armour & Regen (Ie. Dread, for all weakpoints), Burrowing to reposition, Egg hatching (Spews swarmers), Wardening

Has a weakpoint pertinent to each ability. Killing the Menace sacs disables its Menace spit attack and its burrowing ability. Killing the Dread sac (Strongest) prevents it from regenerating armour on the weakpoints (But any remaining armour still needs to be broken). Killing all the Detonator sacs mitigates the range/damage of its "Melee" attack.

Would giving it a cave-leech-like ability be too far?