hive armor scaling
Rover
blargh Join Date: 2003-09-23 Member: 21139Members
blargh Join Date: 2003-09-23 Member: 21139Members
<div class="IPBDescription">and hide armor</div><!--QuoteBegin-Flayra+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flayra)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Decided to forgo alien armor advantages per hive: in NS1, armor counted for 2 health with 1 hive, 3 health with 2 and 4 with 3. That was a hack and I was never happy with it. It’s not intuitive and hidden.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I still think this would be a good solution to scaling the aliens' strength as the match goes on. In particular the current free cara upgrade would start out weaker, yet grow stronger as the aliens expand. Half a team going onos would mean less without map domination, yet even one onos would get a defensive advantage if the aliens manage to get several hives. Many players don't know about light/normal/... damage, which already function similarly. Hide armor is an even weirder thing because of how it interacts with weapon upgrades.
What does everyone think about armor scaling (in NS2)?
edit: To clarify, not specifically with those numbers.
I still think this would be a good solution to scaling the aliens' strength as the match goes on. In particular the current free cara upgrade would start out weaker, yet grow stronger as the aliens expand. Half a team going onos would mean less without map domination, yet even one onos would get a defensive advantage if the aliens manage to get several hives. Many players don't know about light/normal/... damage, which already function similarly. Hide armor is an even weirder thing because of how it interacts with weapon upgrades.
What does everyone think about armor scaling (in NS2)?
edit: To clarify, not specifically with those numbers.
Comments
Make it more intuitive by scaling the base lifeform skulk. As the hive matures the skulk gets bigger. Start the skulk off smaller and leaner like NS1 and as the hive matures he gets bigger and bulkier like it's current state.
I think its good for the asymmetri that aliens get upgraded through more bases than just upgrades on a building.
The advantage could include more health, better economy and maybe damage.
At the moment alien expansion isnt needed at all to win the game. Never more than two hives.
Exactly. how is it not intuitive? it's the complete opposite - people would naturally expect to get stronger when they have more hives.
Though the same thing applies to Marine armor upgrades too; trying to use spikes as a Lerk is basically a pot-luck affair, because you really have no sensible idea of how tough your target is. At least with additional hives, Marines can scan for them. Kharaa are just left wondering "I guess they got another tier of armor? Maybe he was nanoshielded, I couldn't see. He wasn't? Maybe his com just med-spammed him then. He should have been dead."
Though the same thing applies to Marine armor upgrades too; trying to use spikes as a Lerk is basically a pot-luck affair, because you really have no sensible idea of how tough your target is. At least with additional hives, Marines can scan for them. Kharaa are just left wondering "I guess they got another tier of armor? Maybe he was nanoshielded, I couldn't see. He wasn't? Maybe his com just med-spammed him then. He should have been dead."<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The marines <i>should</i> know how many hives the aliens have. It's currently not as important to have multiple hives as it used to be, but this would help to make extra hives more interesting.
As a note, I like the surprise armor 1/2 can give aliens, or the extra punch you can take with cara to finish off a marine. It catching an enemy off guard makes decisions both as a commander (armor upgrades, cara availability) and a player (cara) more valuable.