A Players FeedBack on NS2
GreyKnight
Join Date: 2012-08-09 Member: 155155Members
Join Date: 2012-08-09 Member: 155155Members
Hello Gents, This is just some feedback I would like to give to the community about NS2, in an effort to generate some discussion on several points of the game and maybe on the off chance improve it as a whole. I would like to start off by saying that I really enjoy playing NS2, I think its a really fun team based game even in beta stage.
I have a few concerns about some issues though, mainly with the aliens but those points are being discussed and have been brought to light for the devs so im here to talk about some of the issues with my favourite team, the marines.
Ghost Structures: The commander can place ghost structures on top of resource points for his team to walk over and start building on, however this can be abused by placing it on points all over the map which the commander has no interest in building a point on. If there is a ghost extractor on a point then alien commander cannot build an alien extractor on it untill it is removed. When the ghost structure is removed by having a player go out of his way to clear it, then refunds 100% of the cost back to the marine commander, so the tactic has almost no risk. The<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knTfeI90W34&list=UUikjPYSpgq4nhy9THhALSjg&index=3&feature=plcp" target="_blank"> second game here</a> displays this tactic in better detail. This feels like unintended behaviour by the commander and is an issue I would like the community to discuss, I come from company of heroes where ghost tank traps where a huge problem.
Jet Packs: I feel jetpacks are slightly too strong at the minute, the recharge rate is too fast meaning that after only a few seconds on the ground you have a full tank again. I like jetpacks and how they work, they are costly and give the marines a much needed defensive boost at the same time being fun as hell for the marines. However as a skulk I feel that if you evade the marines fire for a period of time while they are in the air safe from you, then you should be rewarded for your good play by them running out of fuel and dropping down to the ground where you can attack them. However with the current recharge rate they drop for a second, then they are back in the air again. The end result is a frustrated skulk who has played well by avoiding fire, waiting for the ideal window of opportunity to attack (marine out-of-fuel, on the ground) only to have that window extremely short, only a few seconds. having almost perma flight on marines just feels too frustrating for skulks.
Commander Med Kit and ammo: 1 second cooldown? 1 resource cost? when commanders get better at the game this will become a problem, which we currently don't see. you can swing fights in your favor for almost no cost instantly, it can be abusable late game with med/ammo kit spam all over the floor making instant armouries anywhere on the battlefield with no power cost. I like the ability I just feel its too stronk, higher cool down of about 5 seconds but make the hit box for it slightly larger, trying to hit a marine with jetpack... I'm not saying make it massive, as I know you want to keep the skill requirement aspect of the ability but right now its slightly frustrating to use. Obviously you are intending to use it on that marine, yet its getting spammed all over the roof due to geometry issues, just behind him, ect.
Turrets: I generally hate spam mid late game I don't want to see endless turrets all over the map. Too many games the marines are losing and the commander fills the last sector with turret spam causing a stale mate for 20 more minutes for no reason, another anti fun aspect. put a cap on them, maybe one or two turrets per command centre, then buff the turrets (whips would have to be limited but in a different way).
Arcs: range displayed on mini map, I have no idea what their range is. When you select the unit you should be able to see its range as a circle around it on the mini map, like unit abilities in league of legends.
Thanks for reading and for any feedback.
I have a few concerns about some issues though, mainly with the aliens but those points are being discussed and have been brought to light for the devs so im here to talk about some of the issues with my favourite team, the marines.
Ghost Structures: The commander can place ghost structures on top of resource points for his team to walk over and start building on, however this can be abused by placing it on points all over the map which the commander has no interest in building a point on. If there is a ghost extractor on a point then alien commander cannot build an alien extractor on it untill it is removed. When the ghost structure is removed by having a player go out of his way to clear it, then refunds 100% of the cost back to the marine commander, so the tactic has almost no risk. The<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knTfeI90W34&list=UUikjPYSpgq4nhy9THhALSjg&index=3&feature=plcp" target="_blank"> second game here</a> displays this tactic in better detail. This feels like unintended behaviour by the commander and is an issue I would like the community to discuss, I come from company of heroes where ghost tank traps where a huge problem.
Jet Packs: I feel jetpacks are slightly too strong at the minute, the recharge rate is too fast meaning that after only a few seconds on the ground you have a full tank again. I like jetpacks and how they work, they are costly and give the marines a much needed defensive boost at the same time being fun as hell for the marines. However as a skulk I feel that if you evade the marines fire for a period of time while they are in the air safe from you, then you should be rewarded for your good play by them running out of fuel and dropping down to the ground where you can attack them. However with the current recharge rate they drop for a second, then they are back in the air again. The end result is a frustrated skulk who has played well by avoiding fire, waiting for the ideal window of opportunity to attack (marine out-of-fuel, on the ground) only to have that window extremely short, only a few seconds. having almost perma flight on marines just feels too frustrating for skulks.
Commander Med Kit and ammo: 1 second cooldown? 1 resource cost? when commanders get better at the game this will become a problem, which we currently don't see. you can swing fights in your favor for almost no cost instantly, it can be abusable late game with med/ammo kit spam all over the floor making instant armouries anywhere on the battlefield with no power cost. I like the ability I just feel its too stronk, higher cool down of about 5 seconds but make the hit box for it slightly larger, trying to hit a marine with jetpack... I'm not saying make it massive, as I know you want to keep the skill requirement aspect of the ability but right now its slightly frustrating to use. Obviously you are intending to use it on that marine, yet its getting spammed all over the roof due to geometry issues, just behind him, ect.
Turrets: I generally hate spam mid late game I don't want to see endless turrets all over the map. Too many games the marines are losing and the commander fills the last sector with turret spam causing a stale mate for 20 more minutes for no reason, another anti fun aspect. put a cap on them, maybe one or two turrets per command centre, then buff the turrets (whips would have to be limited but in a different way).
Arcs: range displayed on mini map, I have no idea what their range is. When you select the unit you should be able to see its range as a circle around it on the mini map, like unit abilities in league of legends.
Thanks for reading and for any feedback.
Comments
Its really interisting to see the game through the eyes of an new player. I play this game around 1,5 years now and see the evolving with every patch.
Ghost Structures: You might be right, but i dont have a big problem with that. Its like an "tactic" for me. i do that as marinecomcom for example to block hivedrops in lategame.
Jet Packs: I also think that the JP gives the marines a bit too much mobility for an 10 res upgrade.
Commander Med Kit and ammo: i had to smile a little bit as i read this: "when commanders get better at the game this will become a problem". We had these commanders right now. As commanders cannot be everywhere, you have your "cooldown" in an natural way. A cooldown of 5 sec would destroy every chance for an com to support his team in an right way.
Turrets: Aliens have an easy counter vs turrets called "bilebombing gorges". Every turretfarm disapear in seconds if 2 gorges bilebombing them. turrets are for some basic defend and not for complete lockdowns (we had these turretlockdowns some builds ago they where horrible for both sides)
Without an 2nd hive its hard for aliens to counter an turretfarm for sure, but i think that is the consequence of bad alienplay then.
So, i hope you enjoy the game in the future.
-> this is only viable in late-game when you have res to spare, because quite frankly you don't want to do this early because you should be using up every res you have to tech up as quickly as possible.
-> p.s. doesn't infestation clear ghost structures???? it should really, and then there won't be a problem no more.
Medpacks allready cost enough res (so it allready benefits aliens if the marines use a lot), giving it a longer cool-down will nerf them too much I think
Jetpacks indeed refuel much too quick, and even in mid-air, should be adressed IMO also.
I also think turrets should be more powerfull and come with a cap on them, hydra's have a cap, so why not turrets.
Arcs do display a radius circle when deployed, it might be nice to also see the circle when it isn't deployed though (maybe a dashed line?), good idea.
Does the old NS1 trick of biting it carefully at the right distance work or does it go poof before you're in bite range?
QFT