Kharaa Scent
Valcien
Join Date: 2007-07-22 Member: 61650Members
Join Date: 2007-07-22 Member: 61650Members
<div class="IPBDescription">In response to the fifth UW Podcast</div>Howsabout if the slot 2 weapon secondary fire for skulkies revealed a colored trail momentarily left behind by Marines' passing? Also, Kharaa could only benefit from another Kharaas' scent revealing technique if they were whithin visual range and had line of sight.
My problem with the "smelling around corners" idea is that there would be almost no hiding from skulks anymore, especially since even if you knew they were doing it, you might not be able to do anything about it if they were in a vent. (in counterpoint though, if the range was limited so Kharaa had to do it near the vent opening, it may be a case for early grenades)
I believe there should be some hiding from Kharaa and catching them by surprise, but some people feel that is solely the role of the Kharaa, and like in sci fi films, the humans should be clueless.
My problem with the "smelling around corners" idea is that there would be almost no hiding from skulks anymore, especially since even if you knew they were doing it, you might not be able to do anything about it if they were in a vent. (in counterpoint though, if the range was limited so Kharaa had to do it near the vent opening, it may be a case for early grenades)
I believe there should be some hiding from Kharaa and catching them by surprise, but some people feel that is solely the role of the Kharaa, and like in sci fi films, the humans should be clueless.
Comments
<i>"A pheromone is a chemical that triggers a natural behavioral response in another member of the same species. There are alarm pheromones, food trail pheromones, sex pheromones, and many others that affect behavior or physiology."</i>
If I'm not mistaken, you don't mean pheromones, just an improved scent of fear, which could be an option.
Pheromones themselves are already somewhat being used in the game - think hive mind - but not under the name of Pheromones.
The scent ability would enhance but will not introduce a game feature already present. Different materials produce different sounds and if the skulk bothers to listen more carefully through the distant explossions and gunfire you can tell when to drop down and attack the running marine reinforcements. When tactical advantages change so quickly from teams their is little reason to take a slow stance to scout. Leap through, quickly escape and take report on what shot at you. Their just is not enough time once the marines start pushing for the 2nd hive and aliens want to take the 3rd to stop and smell the roses around corners. Would be a very grand ability to have as a core attribute for the skulk just as wall walking is as it would enhance an already present aspect available to all, but provided a visual for the skulks. Perhaps what would work best is if the skulk could see slightly around, through, or perhaps through bacterium like a camera the equipement the marine is equiped with. Another option would be to allow the skulk to plant a 'camera' parasite and navigate it a short while to investigate longer distances or its back as it runs to the hive to heal quickly and be sure it wasn't followed.
Not clueless, but its widely acknowledged that humans are so dependant on technology and tools now, that our natural prowess is gone... marines get motion tracking... but at the cost of technology, since kharaa don't (exactly) have technology... they should get natural ability.
Natural Selection is all about evolving new, unique and powerful abilities to overcome natural competitors, to excel as a race... humans have some-what stopped evolving to become a better race at surviving, simply because we now create technology to accelerate the way we adapt.
Moles can live underground, that's their natural ability... we use shovels and oxygen tanks to dig holes and survive,
Whales hunt at the bottom of the ocean where the pressure would crush our lungs flat, we created submarines,
Bats can see in the dark using echo-location without it's prey knowing it's there, we created infra-red goggles,
Cheetahs can run faster than any other animal, we created automobiles and motorbikes,
Skulks can smell marines from ~100 feet, we developed motion tracking.
I think, really, when you look at most wild predators... they stalk their prey, they've evolved (camouflage, low profiles, forward-facing eyes, sensitive ears + nose, reduced heart-rate) abilities to make them superb at this... humans are not superb at stalking/hunting prey... it's our ability to utilise tools and technology that compensates. We are clumsy and relatively in-agile... Kharaa should be able to exploit this, in my opinion.
When talking about balancing, it's essential that we don't numb down the differences between the races... yes skulks seeing around corners would be very powerful... but being able to shoot from a safe distance without a skulk even being able to get close is also a very powerful ability... they are not the same, but both equally powerful...
so in conclusion:
Don't write something off because it is a strong trait for either side. Asking for an alien siege cannon would be ridiculous <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
<i>"A pheromone is a chemical that triggers a natural behavioral response in another member of the same species. There are alarm pheromones, food trail pheromones, sex pheromones, and many others that affect behavior or physiology."</i>
If I'm not mistaken, you don't mean pheromones, just an improved scent of fear, which could be an option.
Pheromones themselves are already somewhat being used in the game - think hive mind - but not under the name of Pheromones.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pheromones was the name of a short lived sensory upgrade(replaced by focus I believe) where you were supposed to be able to see the trails of marines. It wasn't quite as good as scent of fear because it didn't show where the marines were/just where they had been recently. So you knew there was a marine around the corner, but not whether he was right around the corner, or in the middle of a hall. Also the trails were rather short-lived so the usefulness was limited.
its should be something like a passive thing that lets units around you regain there health faster. so a skulk with this upgrade could passivly increasy the regeneration rate of an onos. well this ability should not stack and only work for a limited area around that skulk. just that big that the other aliens can smell that and change the biologycal way of working etc ?
well maybe replace the standart regeneration (not the upgrade!) and making hit a little bit stronger 1hp more per second