My nine suggestions
Ryko
Join Date: 2012-03-08 Member: 148436Members
Join Date: 2012-03-08 Member: 148436Members
<div class="IPBDescription">... and then I'm coming back when the HMG is live</div>I've been playing a lot of marine-sided action for the last while, and have some comments / suggestions / observations.
1. Welders
Though I miss the default ability of the welder to heal armour, I find it strange that Welders are "researched" by the commander despite the fact marines already have them. I'd suggest a small semantic change to "upgrade" welders to allow for marine and structure repair. Though how it is that the welder can build a structure but not repair it... nanites, I s'pose!
Next suggested fix is a bit more obvious - as has been mentioned before, I'm sure - the cycle you run into if you are pressing "E" to create a structure where there already exists a dropped weapon. You pick up weapons all day long as you build the structure. My suggestion would be to treat the welder as a separate weapon slot (5?) and use the fire key to have the welder do its thing. That way, you wouldn't lose the switchaxe when you upgrade the welder, too - that doesn't make sense to me either.
2. Fade / Onos power vs marines
I have no suggestion here other than a commentary. In the case of a fade, I'm not sure how anything less than a pack of 5-6 marines with assorted weaponry are meant to take these guys out. Rifles are useless, mines and sentries are useless against a teleporting fade, grenades are too slow to hit them, and flamethrowers don't seem to do enough damage. In the clear majority of the games I've been playing, even with supportive commanders and good team players, it seems as soon as the aliens go fade, it's game over for the marines. Am I just playing against good alien players? Could be. The only suggestion I could think of here would be that aliens in general do less damage to the marine player when attacking them from the front, and to counter, more when attacking from the rear. Even then, I wonder if it's going to take the HMG to be the great equalizer, 'cos it sure feels pretty lackluster playing as a marine right now against a fade.
I expect that it should be a pitched battle involving a horde of marines against an Onos; against a fade, I don't think it's fair that dozens of marines get picked off, even when working together.
3. Dying with unused mines, welder and jet pack
On the death of a marine, could these not drop as existing weapons do? Seems a waste of resources. Is this a game balance decision, akin to an evolved alien dying and losing the points spent on evolution?
4. Rifle ammunition from dropped rifles
Simple suggestion - when armed with a weapon, could picking up a dropped weapon of the same type just add a clip's worth of ammunition every time it's picked up? For instance, a dropped rifle has 150 rounds, and I'm fresh out on my rifle: every press of the E key on the dropped rifle picks up 50 rounds, until the dropped rifle goes to 0.
5. Sighting targets
A la Battlefield 3 - perhaps we could have a button which allows a player to sight an alien, and as long as that alien is in the player's line of sight, the alien will show up as a reticle on other player's displays, and on the map. This could also alleviate the issue of ARCs targetting cysts, as it could use the player's target as priority. Similarly, aliens should be able to do the same thing (slightly less powerful version than the Skulk's tagging attack).
6. Waypoint on map
Could we please have the commander's waypoint placed on the mini / expanded map?
7. Comm's voice priority
When three people are talking over each other, no one hears anything... I'm wondering if the comm's voice can automatically mute other players. And perhaps show up as a different colour on the screen.
8. Onos climbing ladders
I think it's one of the silliest things I've ever seen. :) That said, I appreciate the game mechanic that could be exploited, so I propose an alternative: give the Onos a super-jumping ability. Heck, give it to the Skulk, too. The more you hold down the space bar, the more you charge up your jumping distance. I think that could be pretty spectacular to watch an Onos leap so far, and a lot more believable than the Onos climbing a ladder.
9. Small graphics thing
The bullet ricochet visual effect seems to show two bullet impacts, even if you only shoot one bullet at a wall.
Thanks, enjoyed various aspects of the game, and look forward to the next version.
Ryko
1. Welders
Though I miss the default ability of the welder to heal armour, I find it strange that Welders are "researched" by the commander despite the fact marines already have them. I'd suggest a small semantic change to "upgrade" welders to allow for marine and structure repair. Though how it is that the welder can build a structure but not repair it... nanites, I s'pose!
Next suggested fix is a bit more obvious - as has been mentioned before, I'm sure - the cycle you run into if you are pressing "E" to create a structure where there already exists a dropped weapon. You pick up weapons all day long as you build the structure. My suggestion would be to treat the welder as a separate weapon slot (5?) and use the fire key to have the welder do its thing. That way, you wouldn't lose the switchaxe when you upgrade the welder, too - that doesn't make sense to me either.
2. Fade / Onos power vs marines
I have no suggestion here other than a commentary. In the case of a fade, I'm not sure how anything less than a pack of 5-6 marines with assorted weaponry are meant to take these guys out. Rifles are useless, mines and sentries are useless against a teleporting fade, grenades are too slow to hit them, and flamethrowers don't seem to do enough damage. In the clear majority of the games I've been playing, even with supportive commanders and good team players, it seems as soon as the aliens go fade, it's game over for the marines. Am I just playing against good alien players? Could be. The only suggestion I could think of here would be that aliens in general do less damage to the marine player when attacking them from the front, and to counter, more when attacking from the rear. Even then, I wonder if it's going to take the HMG to be the great equalizer, 'cos it sure feels pretty lackluster playing as a marine right now against a fade.
I expect that it should be a pitched battle involving a horde of marines against an Onos; against a fade, I don't think it's fair that dozens of marines get picked off, even when working together.
3. Dying with unused mines, welder and jet pack
On the death of a marine, could these not drop as existing weapons do? Seems a waste of resources. Is this a game balance decision, akin to an evolved alien dying and losing the points spent on evolution?
4. Rifle ammunition from dropped rifles
Simple suggestion - when armed with a weapon, could picking up a dropped weapon of the same type just add a clip's worth of ammunition every time it's picked up? For instance, a dropped rifle has 150 rounds, and I'm fresh out on my rifle: every press of the E key on the dropped rifle picks up 50 rounds, until the dropped rifle goes to 0.
5. Sighting targets
A la Battlefield 3 - perhaps we could have a button which allows a player to sight an alien, and as long as that alien is in the player's line of sight, the alien will show up as a reticle on other player's displays, and on the map. This could also alleviate the issue of ARCs targetting cysts, as it could use the player's target as priority. Similarly, aliens should be able to do the same thing (slightly less powerful version than the Skulk's tagging attack).
6. Waypoint on map
Could we please have the commander's waypoint placed on the mini / expanded map?
7. Comm's voice priority
When three people are talking over each other, no one hears anything... I'm wondering if the comm's voice can automatically mute other players. And perhaps show up as a different colour on the screen.
8. Onos climbing ladders
I think it's one of the silliest things I've ever seen. :) That said, I appreciate the game mechanic that could be exploited, so I propose an alternative: give the Onos a super-jumping ability. Heck, give it to the Skulk, too. The more you hold down the space bar, the more you charge up your jumping distance. I think that could be pretty spectacular to watch an Onos leap so far, and a lot more believable than the Onos climbing a ladder.
9. Small graphics thing
The bullet ricochet visual effect seems to show two bullet impacts, even if you only shoot one bullet at a wall.
Thanks, enjoyed various aspects of the game, and look forward to the next version.
Ryko
Comments
1. Welders
Though I miss the default ability of the welder to heal armour, I find it strange that Welders are "researched" by the commander despite the fact marines already have them. I'd suggest a small semantic change to "upgrade" welders to allow for marine and structure repair. Though how it is that the welder can build a structure but not repair it... nanites, I s'pose!
Next suggested fix is a bit more obvious - as has been mentioned before, I'm sure - the cycle you run into if you are pressing "E" to create a structure where there already exists a dropped weapon. You pick up weapons all day long as you build the structure. My suggestion would be to treat the welder as a separate weapon slot (5?) and use the fire key to have the welder do its thing. That way, you wouldn't lose the switchaxe when you upgrade the welder, too - that doesn't make sense to me either.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Welders are actually the superior melee weapon, so you get a damage increase when you replace your switch-ax with one.
<!--quoteo(post=1911405:date=Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM:name=Ryko)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryko @ Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1911405"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->2. Fade / Onos power vs marines
I have no suggestion here other than a commentary. In the case of a fade, I'm not sure how anything less than a pack of 5-6 marines with assorted weaponry are meant to take these guys out. Rifles are useless, mines and sentries are useless against a teleporting fade, grenades are too slow to hit them, and flamethrowers don't seem to do enough damage. In the clear majority of the games I've been playing, even with supportive commanders and good team players, it seems as soon as the aliens go fade, it's game over for the marines. Am I just playing against good alien players? Could be. The only suggestion I could think of here would be that aliens in general do less damage to the marine player when attacking them from the front, and to counter, more when attacking from the rear. Even then, I wonder if it's going to take the HMG to be the great equalizer, 'cos it sure feels pretty lackluster playing as a marine right now against a fade.
I expect that it should be a pitched battle involving a horde of marines against an Onos; against a fade, I don't think it's fair that dozens of marines get picked off, even when working together.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The problem with the Onos is that it can jockey around a whole team of Marines with it's gore attack, knocking them around and preventing them from moving or shooting. I think this ability is a bit too powerful and could be scaled back a bit. Or maybe it's a meta-game issue and Marines are trying to dance too close to the Onos? Regarding the Fade, I believe that it is exclusively an issue with blink, as fighting a blinking Fade is not much fun as a Marine. In organized team games, Fade/Onos are much less daunting to face when the marines are organized, and so I believe that Fade and Onos health are fine where they are.
<!--quoteo(post=1911405:date=Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM:name=Ryko)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryko @ Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1911405"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->3. Dying with unused mines, welder and jet pack
On the death of a marine, could these not drop as existing weapons do? Seems a waste of resources. Is this a game balance decision, akin to an evolved alien dying and losing the points spent on evolution?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm right with you on this one. In fact, I would think that these weapons ought to be picked up automatically when walking over them.
<!--quoteo(post=1911405:date=Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM:name=Ryko)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryko @ Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1911405"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->4. Rifle ammunition from dropped rifles
Simple suggestion - when armed with a weapon, could picking up a dropped weapon of the same type just add a clip's worth of ammunition every time it's picked up? For instance, a dropped rifle has 150 rounds, and I'm fresh out on my rifle: every press of the E key on the dropped rifle picks up 50 rounds, until the dropped rifle goes to 0.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Agreed. It's silly to jockey two rifles intentionally in order to kill a single Skulk.
<!--quoteo(post=1911405:date=Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM:name=Ryko)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryko @ Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1911405"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->5. Sighting targets
A la Battlefield 3 - perhaps we could have a button which allows a player to sight an alien, and as long as that alien is in the player's line of sight, the alien will show up as a reticle on other player's displays, and on the map. This could also alleviate the issue of ARCs targetting cysts, as it could use the player's target as priority. Similarly, aliens should be able to do the same thing (slightly less powerful version than the Skulk's tagging attack).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I've never played BF3, but this sounds really promising for NS2, being that it is played as a team game and all. I would use it all the time!
<!--quoteo(post=1911405:date=Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM:name=Ryko)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryko @ Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1911405"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->6. Waypoint on map
Could we please have the commander's waypoint placed on the mini / expanded map?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Agreed.
<!--quoteo(post=1911405:date=Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM:name=Ryko)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryko @ Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1911405"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->7. Comm's voice priority
When three people are talking over each other, no one hears anything... I'm wondering if the comm's voice can automatically mute other players. And perhaps show up as a different colour on the screen.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think a different colour would be great, but automatic muting would get tiring pretty quickly. Especially if people are having a conversation with the commander.
<!--quoteo(post=1911405:date=Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM:name=Ryko)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryko @ Mar 8 2012, 06:57 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1911405"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->8. Onos climbing ladders
I think it's one of the silliest things I've ever seen. :) That said, I appreciate the game mechanic that could be exploited, so I propose an alternative: give the Onos a super-jumping ability. Heck, give it to the Skulk, too. The more you hold down the space bar, the more you charge up your jumping distance. I think that could be pretty spectacular to watch an Onos leap so far, and a lot more believable than the Onos climbing a ladder.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Or, just don't let the Onos climb ladders. Maps already need to be designed with respect to Onos pathing anyway.
Good points, man!
Connected to this is your issue of onos and fade being overpowered. Fades issue I feel is related to the blink ability. Rifles rely on dealing damage before the target gets close, but fades are immortal while blinking. So in this state, shotguns and flamers are the ONLY threat. I would prefer blinking to not grant immorality, but give the fade more health.
Onos... well they are expensive but yes currently overpowered. Comparable atm to arc rushes against aliens, they seem to end the game if you get a few. Organised teams can easily counter both though.
2. Onos should be a game ender until the HMG and Heavy Armor is in. Fades are killable with the right tactic.
The shotgun does enough damage to kill a fade in two shots, if aimed right. If you are not alone, this should be possible. The flamer is especially powerful against fades, because it denies the energy regeneration. If you can burn him, you only have to follow him until he cant blink anymore and give him the killing blow. The problem is, that most marines doesn't realize, that they have to hunt higher live forms down or they will coming again and again only paused by healing them selfs. To make my point clear: There is a solution to fades, you just have to know / learn it. And a 50res creature has to be powerful. Try to play fade yourself and you will see, its not immortal.
3. ###### happens. Just don't buy ALL THE STUFF!
4. It should not be necessary to use it more than once. They should just make it so, that you take the weapon on the ground, but preserve the ammo you have for your weapon.
5. Aliens in your sight are visible on the map, if I remember right. If you would have played aliens, you could have used parasite to mark enemies.
6. Agreed.
7. Not sure if necessary.
8. Agreed. Onos should not be able to climb ladders.
9. This is a greater problem then it seams. The one bullet ricochet is calculated from your client, the other one comes from the server. (You see the one lagging behind when you shoot over a wall.) There is something really weird with the hit detection. But this is a more complex topic.
2. Fade isn't as OP as everyone is whining that it is. Just aim at him with a shotgun and don't run around alone. Onos is meant to be hard to kill, it takes 3 hives and 75 pres to get.
3. Too much clutter, and it's not really neccissary.
4. That would make commander ammo packs redundant. And just plain up I hate the idea, tbh.
5. Aliens in your sight are already visible on the map. Taking it to the extent you suggest sounds like an awful idea.
6. Yes please.
7. What if the other players have something to say, that opens up a lot of opportunity for greifing, aswell.
8. Why is that even a suggestion for buggy ladders? Nope.