Weird question/discussion

CommunistWithAGun

I will make this as short and sweet as possible

I want to discuss the sensibility or cohesion behind the tech point upgrade path.

In other words, 2 tech points, IE: Chairs, hives, should grant abilities that help your team push and begin the winning phase of the game/capturing a final tech point. Three points unlocks game-ending techniques and abilities. Like, if vortex was worth anything, having it be a 3 point ability that enabled fades to mass-stun for a second or two on "cast"

Another way of putting it, 1 is what you start with 2 is bringing out the big guns, and 3 is ending the game with certainty.

Does anyone feel like there's too much potential for stalemates, or that there isn't a lot of cohesion as far as what tech points grant as far as metagame? Like, we have two hives, let's take that third and finish this swiftly? Right now it's more like, we have three hives, let's kill them for 10-15 mintutes and assuming we don't go afk it's gg.

I think it would help people not feel like they're being fed upon for way longer than needed, and it would also give a sense of urgency. Right now it's kind of "well, we have two hives secured but we can still easily lose, even though we have the edge"

Maybe I need to re-phrase, but does anyone get what I am trying to say?

Davil

I wouldn't be against marines needing a techpoint for each level of upgrades instead of being able to get all 3 with 1 tech point. But some of the fun is knowing the game isn't necessarily over just because the other team has 3 hives or 2 cc's.

hakenspit

<!--quoteo(post=2060633:date=Jan 15 2013, 11:16 AM:name=Davil)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Davil @ Jan 15 2013, 11:16 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2060633"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I wouldn't be against marines needing a techpoint for each level of upgrades instead of being able to get all 3 with 1 tech point. But some of the fun is knowing the game isn't necessarily over just because the other team has 3 hives or 2 cc's.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I am also an advocate the tech point limitation on weapons and armour upgrades.

As we have 5 tech points on most maps, it does make sense to force marines to worry about the 3rd hive (if they want to tech up fully).

flyjum

Only reason a 2nd tech point is needed for some marine upgrades is because back in beta stalemates became a major issue.

Axehilt

<!--quoteo(post=2060701:date=Jan 15 2013, 12:07 AM:name=flyjum)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (flyjum @ Jan 15 2013, 12:07 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2060701"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Only reason a 2nd tech point is needed for some marine upgrades is because back in beta stalemates became a major issue.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Unlike pub servers now where you <i>never </i>see a marine stalemate with 4 IPs, max upgrades, and weapon salvaging, right?

Seems clear tech points need to provide advantages exactly like Communist outlines, with a little more balance between races (ie marines too strong at 1-tech), and everything being useful relative to its tier (like Vortex isn't.)

Also let's not suggest Vortex be a stun. Out of the hundreds of skills which would leave combat as a skill-intensive, enjoyable fight, why would you want to suggest the one way (player disables) which results in combat being a one-sided dull fight where only one person gets to play?

pendelum5

Tech points, like resource nodes, belong to the team with better map control through winning firefights and coordinated movement. For the majority of the game, aliens have better map presence due to their higher speeds (until jetpacks, a 2-tech point late game unlock). This enables them to respond to threats quicker and without infrastructure support. It's on the alien team to secure and defend more tech points for that reason.

But that's like, my opinion, man.

|strofix|

I have mixed feelings about the current system.

What I think they are trying to accomplish is the following:
Marine's need 2 tech points to reach maximum potential, but are far better at taking and holding tech points than the aliens are, so in theory it is easier for them to possess 3 tech points.
Aliens need 3 tech points to reach maximum potential, but are relatively weak when trying to take and hold tech points. so having those 3 tech points is quite a challenge.
What this means is that, in most cases, marines will possess 3 tech points while only needing 2, and aliens will possess 2 tech points while needing 3. This allows back and forth gameplay to occur.

Say both teams needed 3 tech points to reach maximum potential. What would inevitably happen with the standard 5 tech point map is that one team would possess 3, and then simply beat the other team. This is because you can't really fight over no mans land. There will never really be a situation where both teams have 2 tech points and they fight over the 5th, because one team will win the first encounter and then setup structures and hold it.

The current system creates concrete locations for the two teams to fight over, namely the marine's third tech point and the aliens second tech point.