<!--quoteo(post=1802032:date=Oct 19 2010, 01:25 PM:name=VonDoom)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (VonDoom @ Oct 19 2010, 01:25 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1802032"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->How does it replenish its supplies of goo balls? It also looks too stiff to look like it has any range or flexibility to strike someone like a whip. Maybe it would be more fitting if it lay down on the floor, coiled around randomly like a heavy cable when not in attack position.
But it looks pretty good, it fits well into the overall Kharaa designs.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It wouldn't really be a tower if it was coiled up/laying on the floor like a wet noodle. Also, they already rendered it.
<!--quoteo(post=1802078:date=Oct 20 2010, 05:15 AM:name=PsiWarp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PsiWarp @ Oct 20 2010, 05:15 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1802078"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Question is, how does it whip marines when it has to coil around the ball? Do immature whips have a ball to hold initially?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Whips start out with no ball, in their first stage. After being being upgraded the Whip will still be able to strike out, while holding onto the ball, though its range is slightly reduced since part of the end of its main tentacle has to be curved around holding the ball.
<!--quoteo(post=1802089:date=Oct 20 2010, 10:06 AM:name=PsiWarp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PsiWarp @ Oct 20 2010, 10:06 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1802089"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->[...] I think it would be cool if the Whip snags another ball from the growths on its base as a reload/attack cooldown animation.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
how about an empty water balloon that fills itself with the acid during the cooldown. could make strange gurgle slip noise and of course has to be of organic materia somehow detached from the whip.
<!--quoteo(post=1802189:date=Oct 20 2010, 06:24 PM:name=katzenkorbanfasser)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (katzenkorbanfasser @ Oct 20 2010, 06:24 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1802189"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->how about an empty water balloon that fills itself with the acid during the cooldown. could make strange gurgle slip noise and of course has to be of organic materia somehow detached from the whip.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Interesting, like an empty sac that grows out of that flap at the tip of the tentacle? That would be cool :D
Liking many of the blood lust ideas. Just thinking that additionally to whatever benefits you want to give the skulk with it give it the draw back of it being constantly screaming or growling or something, basically make them so loud it's impossible to miss. This would also fit in well with the possible buffing other nearby skulks (or aliens in general)idea as then unless a massive health boost is part of it, and IMHO it should be increasing damage potential not survivability, because then against moderately skilled marines you probably aren't going to accomplish much unless you hunt in a pack. Plus from the marine side of things you know you have a pissed off alien or 5 coming after you, fittingly nerve wracking. Not entirely sure it shouldn't just be a player activated ability as opposed to killing or biting a marine triggering it, but then of course the benefit it provides has to scale to how hard it is to get the buff.
I think that the structure looks a bit too much like a miniature resource tower. It might make more sense to have two arm-like tentacles protrude from 3/4 of the way up the stalk. During an upgrade the globe could glow and pulsate while the arm-like tentacles massage it.
<b>Bloodlust -</b>
Should be a usable ability.
Visually -
When activated, it turns many veins on the skulk a blood red color. Its eyes should glow bright red, clearly visible in dark rooms.
Audibly-
The skulk's movements should be louder than usual, and its attacks louder as well.
Game Mechanics -
On Effect
The skulk's maximum health is doubled during the effect The skulk loses three hp every second until you reach 1 hitpoint, upon which the effect will be canceled automatically. The skulk's movement speed increases by 15% during the effect The skulk gains back 1/2 of the damage it deals as hp for the duration of the effect.
After effect
The skulk is given 3 seconds after the effect wears off before going into 'withdrawl' (giving a chance to make an escape from combat), upon which the skulk only deals 1/2 damage, and is slowed to near immobility.
The first thing with bloodlust that came to mind was "increase bite speed."
Wrong - that's primal scream.
What might be cool is a % of health taken off a marine is converted *GRADUALLY* into health. It can't be too fast, but can't be too slow. Maybe 3 HP/s, lasting 2/4/6 seconds corresponding with the number of chambers up (like all traditional NS1 upgrades). Maybe adjust those numbers - it sounds too much like WoW and I can't stand that game. :P
That way you aren't going to fully recover from a bad battle with one marine, and while the battle is going on, the marine isn't going to be like "WTF!! Freaking bloodlust super healing wolverine alien."
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->and a Bloodthirst upgrade for Skulks (details murky, any ideas?).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Going on the idea that the upgrade is being called (at the moment) Bloodthrist, I would say have the ability something of a toggled ability (if that's possible or even desirable). When toggled 'on', senses are heightened slightly and allow Skulks to pick up 'scents' or trails of where humans have gone, as well as the <b>Upgrade effect</b> below. While toggled 'on', energy is consumed at a small rate and does not regenerate. If toggled 'off', 50% of energy is removed (or all energy) to prevent players from constantly toggling the ability on and off, <b>OR</b> have all benefits of the upgrade be removed instantly and cannot regenerate energy for a few seconds.
<b>Upgrade effect:</b> After every kill, the Skulk gains increased max health and/or health regen and slightly faster speed while attacking/moving but consume more energy with each attack. Tops off at a certain limit (3-5 kills) that lasts for a certain time (2-10 seconds) before the 'Bloodthirst' fades. To alert marines of this, the Skulk would possibly make grunting noises or similar to indicate the creature is getting hungrier if the Skulk does not attain a kill over a certain time (1-2 minutes).
Alternate suggestion: Allow the Skulk to feast on the corpses of dead marines to regain a small amount of health and give them a boost in combat abilities (more damage, faster movement, higher jumping, etc) in addition to aquiring an acute thirst for more that allows the Skulk to have enhanced perception (as described above).
----------------
As an opinion of other suggested ideas: I don't think Bloodlust should be a 'group buff' type thing, because then the buffs would overlap and boost Skulks potential way overboard. If the group buffs didn't overlap, then there would be no point if more than 1 Skulk got the Bloodlust upgrade, because lets face it... balancing something like that would be a nightmare. Too much and one marine dying means complete and total loss for them. Too little and it becomes one of those 'wasted' upgrades that one person is forced to take because it is 'helpful' but not necessary, or you have way too many people getting the upgrade thus weakening the group when other upgrades would be better.
The only alien that should be concerned with buffing the group is the alien commander. If anything 'group' related with Bloodlust should be that if a Skulk with the upgrade bites a marine, that marine is considered 'bleeding' and becomes marked for all Skulks (perhaps only Skulks and Commander or for all aliens) to see that marine even through walls (moderate distance) for a short amount of time or perhaps until the marine is healed in some fashion (marine could also leave a blood trail behind while moving around).
<!--quoteo(post=1801632:date=Oct 15 2010, 08:25 PM:name=Lonyo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lonyo @ Oct 15 2010, 08:25 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1801632"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think this would be better if it had a spine to attack with instead of a whip.
And maybe maybe it so it crawls around instead of dragging itself around?
It would be a spiney crawly thing, rather than a whippy draggy thing.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No, cuz then they could get sued by blizzard for copyright :P
<!--quoteo(post=1808128:date=Nov 21 2010, 07:06 PM:name=peregrinus)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peregrinus @ Nov 21 2010, 07:06 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1808128"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->How do you make the Whip move to another location? Or has this not been added yet?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> That has not been added yet.
Comments
But it looks pretty good, it fits well into the overall Kharaa designs.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It wouldn't really be a tower if it was coiled up/laying on the floor like a wet noodle. Also, they already rendered it.
Whips start out with no ball, in their first stage. After being being upgraded the Whip will still be able to strike out, while holding onto the ball, though its range is slightly reduced since part of the end of its main tentacle has to be curved around holding the ball.
--Cory
I think it would be cool if the Whip snags another ball from the growths on its base as a reload/attack cooldown animation.
how about an empty water balloon that fills itself with the acid during the cooldown. could make strange gurgle slip noise and of course has to be of organic materia somehow detached from the whip.
Interesting, like an empty sac that grows out of that flap at the tip of the tentacle? That would be cool :D
But it also looks pretty nice
I think that the structure looks a bit too much like a miniature resource tower. It might make more sense to have two arm-like tentacles protrude from 3/4 of the way up the stalk. During an upgrade the globe could glow and pulsate while the arm-like tentacles massage it.
<b>Bloodlust -</b>
Should be a usable ability.
Visually -
When activated, it turns many veins on the skulk a blood red color. Its eyes should glow bright red, clearly visible in dark rooms.
Audibly-
The skulk's movements should be louder than usual, and its attacks louder as well.
Game Mechanics -
On Effect
The skulk's maximum health is doubled during the effect
The skulk loses three hp every second until you reach 1 hitpoint, upon which the effect will be canceled automatically.
The skulk's movement speed increases by 15% during the effect
The skulk gains back 1/2 of the damage it deals as hp for the duration of the effect.
After effect
The skulk is given 3 seconds after the effect wears off before going into 'withdrawl' (giving a chance to make an escape from combat), upon which the skulk only deals 1/2 damage, and is slowed to near immobility.
This 'withdrawl' effect lasts for 10 seconds
Wrong - that's primal scream.
What might be cool is a % of health taken off a marine is converted *GRADUALLY* into health. It can't be too fast, but can't be too slow. Maybe 3 HP/s, lasting 2/4/6 seconds corresponding with the number of chambers up (like all traditional NS1 upgrades). Maybe adjust those numbers - it sounds too much like WoW and I can't stand that game. :P
That way you aren't going to fully recover from a bad battle with one marine, and while the battle is going on, the marine isn't going to be like "WTF!! Freaking bloodlust super healing wolverine alien."
Going on the idea that the upgrade is being called (at the moment) Bloodthrist, I would say have the ability something of a toggled ability (if that's possible or even desirable). When toggled 'on', senses are heightened slightly and allow Skulks to pick up 'scents' or trails of where humans have gone, as well as the <b>Upgrade effect</b> below. While toggled 'on', energy is consumed at a small rate and does not regenerate. If toggled 'off', 50% of energy is removed (or all energy) to prevent players from constantly toggling the ability on and off, <b>OR</b> have all benefits of the upgrade be removed instantly and cannot regenerate energy for a few seconds.
<b>Upgrade effect:</b> After every kill, the Skulk gains increased max health and/or health regen and slightly faster speed while attacking/moving but consume more energy with each attack. Tops off at a certain limit (3-5 kills) that lasts for a certain time (2-10 seconds) before the 'Bloodthirst' fades. To alert marines of this, the Skulk would possibly make grunting noises or similar to indicate the creature is getting hungrier if the Skulk does not attain a kill over a certain time (1-2 minutes).
Alternate suggestion: Allow the Skulk to feast on the corpses of dead marines to regain a small amount of health and give them a boost in combat abilities (more damage, faster movement, higher jumping, etc) in addition to aquiring an acute thirst for more that allows the Skulk to have enhanced perception (as described above).
----------------
As an opinion of other suggested ideas: I don't think Bloodlust should be a 'group buff' type thing, because then the buffs would overlap and boost Skulks potential way overboard. If the group buffs didn't overlap, then there would be no point if more than 1 Skulk got the Bloodlust upgrade, because lets face it... balancing something like that would be a nightmare. Too much and one marine dying means complete and total loss for them. Too little and it becomes one of those 'wasted' upgrades that one person is forced to take because it is 'helpful' but not necessary, or you have way too many people getting the upgrade thus weakening the group when other upgrades would be better.
The only alien that should be concerned with buffing the group is the alien commander. If anything 'group' related with Bloodlust should be that if a Skulk with the upgrade bites a marine, that marine is considered 'bleeding' and becomes marked for all Skulks (perhaps only Skulks and Commander or for all aliens) to see that marine even through walls (moderate distance) for a short amount of time or perhaps until the marine is healed in some fashion (marine could also leave a blood trail behind while moving around).
And maybe maybe it so it crawls around instead of dragging itself around?
It would be a spiney crawly thing, rather than a whippy draggy thing.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No, cuz then they could get sued by blizzard for copyright :P
That has not been added yet.
--Cory