Jetpack Scepticism
HolyTeal
Join Date: 2011-03-09 Member: 85427Members
Join Date: 2011-03-09 Member: 85427Members
Well, i saw recently in the forum that the next upgrade available for Marines will be a jetpack and well let me share my specticism about it.
The idea seems very silly in many ways. To start, from a background point of view its a total non sense, why marines will developp this technology as their ultimate technology to fight aliens, they are fighting sneaky creatures who hide in darkness, what is the advantage to fly in no gravity to fight them ? this is just so weird.
In addition, the maps are actually created horizontally way more than vertically, it doesn't make sense at all to use this type of technology in the way maps are designed.
It will also ruins the immersion of the game, seeing flying marines attacking aliens, WTF. You need to keep the "scary" atmosphere better than this.
From a technical point of view it will be very hard for you to balance, and will create many bugs, so just give up on it and make something simple but that looks cool.
I think something more like a big machinegun with a sonar radar on it, that slow a lot your movement speed while wearing the weapon, it will fit right in the mood of the game.
Something like this: <img src="http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/a/a2/Aliens_Smart2.jpg/600px-Aliens_Smart2.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Just my two cents. :)
The idea seems very silly in many ways. To start, from a background point of view its a total non sense, why marines will developp this technology as their ultimate technology to fight aliens, they are fighting sneaky creatures who hide in darkness, what is the advantage to fly in no gravity to fight them ? this is just so weird.
In addition, the maps are actually created horizontally way more than vertically, it doesn't make sense at all to use this type of technology in the way maps are designed.
It will also ruins the immersion of the game, seeing flying marines attacking aliens, WTF. You need to keep the "scary" atmosphere better than this.
From a technical point of view it will be very hard for you to balance, and will create many bugs, so just give up on it and make something simple but that looks cool.
I think something more like a big machinegun with a sonar radar on it, that slow a lot your movement speed while wearing the weapon, it will fit right in the mood of the game.
Something like this: <img src="http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/a/a2/Aliens_Smart2.jpg/600px-Aliens_Smart2.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Just my two cents. :)
Comments
Jetpacks were in NS1, and they gave Marines the same sort of agility that the Aliens have. Which imo, is a clever way of messing with the dynamics of Alien v Marine scenarios, as it is often the Aliens buzzing round the Marines not the other way round.
edit - also the OP should just hold out for an NS2/Aliens mod, everyone knows its going to happen.
Magic Cannons that shoot through walls
Jet Pack Marines that do more damage than an onos and fly faster than a lerk. Let a lone a whole fleet of 10 of them.
They could give the marines rollerblades :P
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjGkHDTPHJg" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjGkHDTPHJg</a>
Should control like that.
The developers of NS1, I mean. Who already put a jetpack in. Where it works fine.
The developers of NS1, I mean. Who already put a jetpack in. Where it works fine.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hey can you also inform the devs of NS2, a game that is still in beta state and hasn't had jetpack added yet, that the JP is imbalanced? Thanks :)
<!--sizeo:1--><span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->(*sarcasm)<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
Here is one reason why though:
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/NaturalSelection2HD#p/search/4/Q57wuYAOgsA" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/user/NaturalSelecti...h/4/Q57wuYAOgsA</a>
You make think this is a 2d RTS, but really its a 3d RTS.
Back to the way for the moment there is a ton of things who are way simpler to implement in the game than the idea of the jetpack and don't have the same amount of work it need to be okay and thoses things are still really far from perfection. Considering that, this idea of jetpack seems a little too much hard work for something that i find (personnally again) more "immersion-breaker" than adding gameplay value overall. Plus the game try to add a lot of atmosphere and coherence in his esthetic, it's not just NS1 with good graphics, it's not just a mod anymore, it's a whole more professional (as conceited as it seems) they need to have some background who explain the choice they make in the overall design. That's still my point of view and you are free to contradict me, but don't do it in a troll way, it's useless for all of us.
Back to the way for the moment there is a ton of things who are way simpler to implement in the game than the idea of the jetpack and don't have the same amount of work it need to be okay and thoses things are still really far from perfection. Considering that, this idea of jetpack seems a little too much hard work for something that i find (personnally again) more "immersion-breaker" than adding gameplay value overall. Plus the game try to add a lot of atmosphere and coherence in his esthetic, it's not just NS1 with good graphics, it's not just a mod anymore, it's a whole more professional (as conceited as it seems) they need to have some background who explain the choice they make in the overall design. That's still my point of view and you are free to contradict me, but don't do it in a troll way, it's useless for all of us.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't think you quite understand what is a troll, but either way that has nothing to do with the topic.
NS1 IS revelant to the discussion because NS1 and NS2 are really similar in gameplay terms and the fact that the jetpack worked well in NS1 could probably mean it will work just as well in NS2. I'm also confused how exactly it breaks the atmosphere, in NS1 they looked a bit silly, but the concept art they showed so far is great and I'm sure it'll fit in just fine. BTW, the jetpack was completed a while ago and it was just lacking a model (I think), let them implement it in the game and we'll see.
The only thing that bothers me is that, because of the new way the fade blink works, JPs won't be as easily taken care of. (But I'm not a big fan of the new blink though, I think it flowed much better in NS1)
The key idea is that it would be tethered or only powered when connected to something else. For example, you could make it where it would only work in powered rooms.
1. epic readyroom victory moments to humiliate the loosing alien team.
2. epic siege map moments when the doors open and the marines fly to victory.
3. navigating gigantic maps. It's already been mentioned that maps will be larger then tram, and then there's custom map. Example: "ns2_clandestine" which is absolutely gigantic.
4. enjoying combat-only.
If anything i say we drop the jetpack (which is far to vulnerable to lerk gas) and give full flight capability to the heavy. >:P
A Jetpack is not that easy to balance, mainly because only the lerk is able to attack jetpackers effectively.
I can imagine some ways to nerf it, for example: The marine can't hold his gun and fly with the jetpack at the same time. If he wants to fly, he has to select the control sticks instead of a gun, or so. (but is still able to punch aliens)
Anyway.. before we discuss how to nerf the Jetpack, let's see how it turns out once it is implemented
Or I might just be talking ###### and the jetpack will work fine as a jetpack, who knows!?
A Jetpack is not that easy to balance, mainly because only the lerk is able to attack jetpackers effectively.
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You missed off Hydra's. They will be a huge pain the ass for a flying marine and this dynamic and gameplay variant, I like.
It was silly in NS1.
It's also quite fun.
Ya seriously this is a horrible recurring theme on these forums and seems to lead the devs into nerfing everything instead of improving what is flawed/underpowered. I'd give examples but this thread is one in itself, hopefully it doesn't result in another nerf before we even get to try the JP how it was planned.
What anoyed me most about them in NS1 is that you have to keep pressing a button, if you where half the game on a jetpack your fingers started to hurt pretty damn much after a while :p
No although that is a good idea, I think it would work better as a jump pack rather than an antigravity device.