First Commandstation
RobB
ＴＵＢＥＳ ＯＦ ＴＨＥ ＩＮＴＥＲＷＥＢ Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
ＴＵＢＥＳ ＯＦ ＴＨＥ ＩＮＴＥＲＷＥＢ Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
In my oppinion, TSA command would include some sort of 'emergency IP' in the comstation to make sure that a rudimentary backup line can be established.
This CS would only be placed by the mapper and can <b>not</b> be build by commanders, and would allow spawning at a far reduced rate compared to 'dedicated' IPs.
The first IP could potentialy, like many "full time" RTS out there offer for central buildings, be upgraded to full IP status for a reduced cost compared to a normal IP.
The station could also offer an upgrade to place up to three additional IPs for a <i>slightly</i> reduced cost that have to be build normaly, as in are spawned at a fixed location by the CS, but count as seperate buildings just as the first IP does.
<b>These IPs would only be spawnable from the mapmaker placed fCS, and do <i><u>not</u></i> share the station's health</b>
[attachment=36023:Commstation2.jpg]
Now, don't get me wrong, I am usualy playing aliens, but it feels like marines have trouble with early rushes in the game.
Maybe that got fixed in an earlier patch, I don't know as I can't play since a while (GFX broke and the rig in generel isn't worth it anymore to get a better one for now).
Still, I do think a tactician would try to reduce and forego pressure the enemy could apply to his beachhead.
This CS would only be placed by the mapper and can <b>not</b> be build by commanders, and would allow spawning at a far reduced rate compared to 'dedicated' IPs.
The first IP could potentialy, like many "full time" RTS out there offer for central buildings, be upgraded to full IP status for a reduced cost compared to a normal IP.
The station could also offer an upgrade to place up to three additional IPs for a <i>slightly</i> reduced cost that have to be build normaly, as in are spawned at a fixed location by the CS, but count as seperate buildings just as the first IP does.
<b>These IPs would only be spawnable from the mapmaker placed fCS, and do <i><u>not</u></i> share the station's health</b>
[attachment=36023:Commstation2.jpg]
Now, don't get me wrong, I am usualy playing aliens, but it feels like marines have trouble with early rushes in the game.
Maybe that got fixed in an earlier patch, I don't know as I can't play since a while (GFX broke and the rig in generel isn't worth it anymore to get a better one for now).
Still, I do think a tactician would try to reduce and forego pressure the enemy could apply to his beachhead.
Comments
Kharaa need to make the tactical choice to either eat the map and focus on consolidating territory or throw themselves at Marine Start and hope to end it quickly; both paths have risks and both can pay off.
Kharaa need to make the tactical choice to either eat the map and focus on consolidating territory or throw themselves at Marine Start and hope to end it quickly; both paths have risks and both can pay off.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Except the rushing tactics doesn't really have any risks. You can rush MS, die, respawn quickly and get back to attacking marines before they get more than the flight or vent RT up.
Lack of an effective early game counter to an alien rush is one of the big balance issues imo. Saying 1+ marines should stay behind is not balanced as it removes 1+ marines from expanding/defending expansions (similar to how requiring 2+ marines to take down a fade is not balanced).
Thankfully, aliens in pub matches are usually not coordinated enough to do an effective early game rush, but that doesn't mean it isn't a problem.
Lack of an effective early game counter to an alien rush is one of the big balance issues imo. Saying 1+ marines should stay behind is not balanced as it removes 1+ marines from expanding/defending expansions (similar to how requiring 2+ marines to take down a fade is not balanced).
Thankfully, aliens in pub matches are usually not coordinated enough to do an effective early game rush, but that doesn't mean it isn't a problem.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If your Kharaa rush fails, you've just thrown a bunch of Pres into a well-defended Marine Start while also allowing Marine expansion to proceed unchecked; that means more Pres and more Tres for the Marine team, more healthpack+ammo support in the field, quicker upgrades, and more Marine territory to combat. Likewise, neither Marines nor Kharaa need to leave anybody behind to watch their home base; as long as they have people nearby that can respond, it can be defended. Leaving your start completely unprotected leaves you as vulnerable to egg-popping as it does to IP-sniping.
I guess I should have put a qualifier that I'm talking about early game rushes (i.e. when marines only have an IP, Armory, and Obs, at the most). In such cases alien rushes are very low risk because 1) these are mostly unupgraded skulk rushes (i.e. no loss of PRes) and 2) aliens spawn and move so much faster than marines that they quickly get back to attacking the marine expansions even if the rush is a total failure. Also, the PRes marines get from these kills (somewhere between 1-3 per marine) is trivial.
In theory, I think what your describing is how NS2 should work, where rush tactics are high risk/high reward for both aliens and marines. However, as currently implemented, it falls way short, where alien early-game rushes are low risk/high reward and marine early game rushes are simply non-existent (i.e. super high risk).
I think the op's suggestion is a good start, but I think some other options to possibly include could be
- Skulks chomping on an IP take damage when a marine spawns (i.e. reduce IP spawn-camping)
- Increased IP health
- Default IP(s)
- Giving the command station an emergency beacon power
- Giving the comm some early/cheap/weak defenses (e.g. sentry on the CS, comm-placed mines, etc)
Basically, the comm needs something within the first minute or two that he can use to help defend the base without requiring him to jump out of the comm station (and, therefore, risk leaving the team commless at a crucial moment).
I'd prefer a kick back, as too high damage and the area is littered with IPs a la whack a mole
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->- Increased IP health<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This is point to extensive playtesting and parsing game results, researching parameters and crap.
You could write academic texts about game balancing and still screw one up.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->- Default IP(s)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
this thread?
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->- Giving the command station an emergency beacon power<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Too abusable, too powerfull or needs too harsh drawbacks.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->- Giving the comm some early/cheap/weak defenses (e.g. sentry on the CS, comm-placed mines, etc)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Mines were a pain in NS1 and sentry, rimjob and fat rubbers p.m.r. style have actually been suggested before. "P*** my CC!"
I'll be honest: When I first played skulk and camped an IP, I expected to get telefragged or punted when I saw my IP spin up. It doesn't look like a safe thing to stand on top of and bite.