Alien OP

777

Am I the only one that cant win a marine game?
Since the new update I have played lots of rounds, and aliens always win.
It wasnt so unbalanced before 181.

What do you guys think?

Navi491

I have played close to 30games since new build was released and I have seen an almost perfectly split 50/50 when it comes to aliens or marines winning. Problem is marines used to rely so much on shotgun rushes early on in game last build that now that its abit more difficult to rush shotguns they lack a strategy to hold off aliens from getting a second hive. I have played on marines and won against a good alien team by sticking together as a team and locking down hives quick and efficiently. No longer should marines waste time trying to ninja into alien main and kill cysts network. More focus should be on locking down hives. Also try investing into grenade launchers. They are awsome in this build.

Sewlek

and they do even double damage against structures with primary (projectile) attack :)

Cheburashka

It does seem like Marines are balanced on a razors edge in the early game, but if they play a bit conservative and can tech up safely and get 2-3 extractors, then they can start going toe to toe with the Aliens. I think the issue is, because balance is always in flux, "standard" or "safe" play styles aren't really understood yet by most people (including myself really I have to admit). So if your entire marine force runs off to their death in the early game, you have one respawn portal, you can lose straight away, or just end up hopeless behind. At least I've seen this happen a lot with early Alien pressure since 181.

I don't think the Aliens are OP, I just think that the Marines have to play really safe, and people don't always take that into account.

Wilson

Yeah, I agree Cheburashka. I've not played a whole lot of 181, but certainly in 180 the aliens had an advantage early game. They're much faster and can control the map easier at the start. They can get melee upgrades almost instantly which enables skulks to kill marines in 2 hits. Plus, they get lerks in the early game too.

I often played with marines who didn't really understand this and went wandering off into reactor and crevice miles away from the base (I think people naturally move forward if there are no enemies). Then our extractors would get taken out easily and we would be way behind in res/tech. IMO, the best strategy was to hold 3 extractors until you had armour 1 at least. By that time the aliens would usually be getting a 2nd hive up and you could try and push that with most of your team.

From an alien perspective it was best to get melee 1 and then keep the pressure on the marines. Taking out their IPs/CC if possible or just making it hard for them to hold extractors. Once you felt you had a good amount of map control and the marines were trying to rebuild you could place a 2nd hive. Generally you wanted to kill the marines off as quickly as possible though, because the longer the game goes on the more tech the marines get. Where as the aliens can get most of their upgrades reasonably quickly.


I like the way the game played out like this (I don't think it's unbalanced), but I suspect it will change vastly as more and more features are added.


The early game is my favourite right now and I like ending games relatively quickly. I feel that currently once both teams get teched up it can turn into a stalemate and it becomes boring.

Dusk

The first 50 games i played this patch resulted in alien wins. People were having fun with lerk gas but today i have seen 3 marine wins now that flames are being rushed. It took time to figure out the balance but aliens still have a big advantage.

twiliteblue

<!--quoteo(post=1863180:date=Jul 24 2011, 06:43 PM:name=Wilson)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Wilson @ Jul 24 2011, 06:43 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863180"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I often played with marines who didn't really understand this and went wandering off into reactor and crevice miles away from the base (I think people naturally move forward if there are no enemies). Then our extractors would get taken out easily and we would be way behind in res/tech. IMO, the best strategy was to hold 3 extractors until you had armour 1 at least. By that time the aliens would usually be getting a 2nd hive up and you could try and push that with most of your team.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Wanting to explore is a part of human nature. I remember in the L4D dev commentary, they commented that players tend to follow the well lit path. Crevice, with its beautiful outdoor setting seems to have a disarming charm on even experienced Marines, despite of its hidden danger. The overall feel of the settings (except Rockdown) are also quite neutral, and do not convey the tension and perils ahead to new Marines, until the room by room, powers start to fail. To them, the Marines are the intruders, to whom they will show no mercy.

Gorge_Lucas

Jeez you guys who say 50/50 need to put down the crack pipe!

In the games I've been playing the Aliens win 80% of them time. For one reason only - Marines get smashed with OP Lerk Spore Gas Spam. Aliens don't even have to get fades to win anymore.

If the marines can get a good turret farm set up and upgrade straight to Flame Throwers they have a chance at keep those silly gas spamming turkeys away.

Nerf the Lerk and the game will be balanced.

ScardyBob

Aliens have pretty much been op in every patch. I suspect that has gotten worse in B181.

Also, did B181 break end game stats tracking? Its only showing 3 matches played.
<a href="http://unknownworldsstats.appspot.com/displayendgamestats?version=181" target="_blank">http://unknownworldsstats.appspot.com/disp...ats?version=181</a>

777

I played 3 more games tonight, 3 more alien victories.
I really think that if marines are to win (at least in summit) they have to have a much better players than the aliens, and a really really good comm.
For public play, I still think its really unbalanced, though i would like to see some stats.


@ ScaryBob: The stats you posted seem to be working, 21 games so far.

peregrinus

<!--quoteo(post=1863236:date=Jul 25 2011, 08:19 AM:name=ScardyBob)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ScardyBob @ Jul 25 2011, 08:19 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863236"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Aliens have pretty much been op in every patch. I suspect that has gotten worse in B181.

Also, did B181 break end game stats tracking? Its only showing 3 matches played.
<a href="http://unknownworldsstats.appspot.com/displayendgamestats?version=181" target="_blank">http://unknownworldsstats.appspot.com/disp...ats?version=181</a><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


It now shows

Marine Wins: 7 (33.33%)
Alien Wins: 14 (66.67%)

Like the poster above says, marines need great coordination and active players not messing around to stand a chance.

ScardyBob

<!--quoteo(post=1863457:date=Jul 25 2011, 04:34 PM:name=peregrinus)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peregrinus @ Jul 25 2011, 04:34 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1863457"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It now shows

Marine Wins: 7 (33.33%)
Alien Wins: 14 (66.67%)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Fair enough, but I'm sure that more than 21 B181 matches have been played since the release on Friday. Is it no longer capturing match data from all the servers?