Re: Pot defenders in ops and turf: a comparison
I really want a new shooter! It feels weird for the first time since 2014 to not have something new going on in at least one of the PvZ shooters (grinding out the GM levels in BfN and questing in GW2 after being capped out there for years isn't as satisfying as brand new stuff to do), and there's definitely an audience for a new game!
I'll be honest; TV Heads and Wildflowers should be removed from the new game. It's weird seeing myself ask for them to remove something instead of add but you're right, @stukapooka , they butcher the immobile pots/bots, are annoying to play against (especially with that attack that knocks people around), and the player versions feel like filler. It'd be no great loss to get rid of them.
I largely agree with what you post here, so I'll just touch on a few points.
GW1 pots died way too easily. I have a ton of them thanks to the sticker pack system in GW1 but you needed a ton as even glued to one of them as a Sunflower, they could go down too fast. It had the best variety in terms of options though.
GW2 the pots/bots were decent and more survivable but we need more options (I had addressed this some in my now old post about things for the next shooter). Bring back all the pots and bots from the current games, and add more (this applies to weeds and browncoats too, get rid of the TV Heads and Wildflowers though of course).
I'd not mind Overheal going away. Healing is so good in BfN that it alters the flow of play and makes escaping too easy which is why so many left in frustration over the change in tempo and TTK. The decay they added to Overheal hurt the summonables badly, although it was needed for players.
Combining bots/pots/weeds/browncoats for the discussion; I don't actually mind the timer system in BfN; it prevents people from spamming Coffin Zombies and other heavies like you see in GW1 and 2. My idea for the new game would be that everyone would get the basic ones (Doctor Heals, Heal Flower, Bonk Choy, Boxer Bot, Gatling Bot, RePeater, Rocket Bot, Peashooter, Browncoat, Conehead, Buckethead, Weed, Pumpkin head weed, terracotta weed, imp, and dandelion), and you would unlock others via the free roam zones and Rux (Rux would be coins only, no rainbow stars), all would have timers with this system. Alternatively, we would return to the consumable system from GW1 and 2 but you'd still unlock some stuff via Rux and the free roam zones, and less randomness in what you get; make the better ones cost more than the weaker ones in such a case.
Pot and Bot positions should be better placed to support what they're supposed to be defending and to help each other out as you say. I would say they should have the GW2 level of power with some adjustments so the melee ones (Bonk Choy and Boxer Bot) are more useful.
Also, bring back teleporters and the defenses that Roses and Engineers can place to defend them in TT!