My thoughts: Evolution incomplete

AkimotoAkimoto Norway Join Date: 2013-03-03 Member: 183642Members
How is it the aliens are able to evolve stronger armor, skin (camoflage) and legs (speed) without being able to evolve fangs damage? The marines get passive weapon upgrade but aliens are stuck with only "active abilities" (bile bomb, spore, etc.).

In the late game, if you are a skulk you will have to bite 5 times to kill 1 marine.
The way I see the status of the current "game" is early game belongs to the aliens, and late game belongs to the marines. I would love to see some work on the "balancing act", making the game feel "fair" from beginning to end.

Comments

  • meatmachinemeatmachine South England Join Date: 2013-01-06 Member: 177858Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
    Option 1 - The khamm can use drifters to enzyme you, making you attack twice as fast.

    Option 2 - Evolve to a higher life form and don't die

    Afterthought - Late game, skulks take a back seat in combat; try munching some structures or whatever if you can't kill the 'rines. It's about teamwork too, so bite some ankles from behind while a fade tanks the bullets for a couple of seconds - that's all you need to get a few bites in.
  • Samus1111111Samus1111111 Join Date: 2012-08-07 Member: 154930Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Option 1 - The khamm can use drifters to enzyme you, making you attack twice as fast.

    Option 2 - Evolve to a higher life form and don't die

    Afterthought - Late game, skulks take a back seat in combat; try munching some structures or whatever if you can't kill the 'rines. It's about teamwork too, so bite some ankles from behind while a fade tanks the bullets for a couple of seconds - that's all you need to get a few bites in.

    This falls down when the players don't have enough pres/tres to get higher life-forms while marines can endlessly recycle weapons. Skulks need to be viable combat life-forms at every point in the game (assuming equal tech). They don't have to be the best, but it shouldn't be the case of "It's late game and I'm a skulk, let me go chomp RTs and run when I think I might hear a marine"...
  • Rich_Rich_ Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167152Members
    they had this in NS1 the evo was called focus, slower bite rate but stronger bites.
  • kalakujakalakuja Join Date: 2012-09-11 Member: 159045Members, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter
    because public scrubs whined about focus.
    tru story!
  • sHawke_NativesHawke_Native Join Date: 2012-12-20 Member: 175650Members
    why not have a research that sharpens their fangs have it act like weapons upgrade but can only be buffed twice armor 3 marine will die in 3 bites not 5 i dont know the stats for skulk bite etc etc
  • poloqpoloq Join Date: 2005-07-28 Member: 56990Members
    I'd love to be able to spend pres on upgrades for my skulk. I think a damage increase should cost pres and only be available when for instance camo is available (or something). Could be cool to link spore buildings to such abilities, or even have to build special buildings for it. Food for thought.
  • meatmachinemeatmachine South England Join Date: 2013-01-06 Member: 177858Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
    This falls down when the players don't have enough pres/tres to get higher life-forms while marines can endlessly recycle weapons. Skulks need to be viable combat life-forms at every point in the game (assuming equal tech). They don't have to be the best, but it shouldn't be the case of "It's late game and I'm a skulk, let me go chomp RTs and run when I think I might hear a marine"...

    Yes, it does fall down when the alien team are vastly outskilled (sounds like the scenario you describe where magically nobody has enough res for a lerk or a fade). AFAIK marines don't endlessly recycle weapons unless the aliens let them...

    And regarding the italicised line, it's not like that, but that's an example I gave of something useful you can do if you suck too much to help kill marines with your teammates.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Option 1 - The khamm can use drifters to enzyme you, making you attack twice as fast.

    Option 2 - Evolve to a higher life form and don't die

    Afterthought - Late game, skulks take a back seat in combat; try munching some structures or whatever if you can't kill the 'rines. It's about teamwork too, so bite some ankles from behind while a fade tanks the bullets for a couple of seconds - that's all you need to get a few bites in.

    This falls down when the players don't have enough pres/tres to get higher life-forms while marines can endlessly recycle weapons
    Get some Bile Bombing action going then :)
  • |strofix||strofix| Join Date: 2012-11-01 Member: 165453Members
    Unfortunately (?) this game is balanced around placing a large amount of strength in a very limited number of players.

    In practice, one Lerk beats one marine, regardless of his weapon. One fade is more potent than multiple marines. An Onos beats anything the marines have. Because of this, those few players that are not one of those lifeforms must be substantially weaker than marines are.
  • IronsoulIronsoul Join Date: 2011-03-12 Member: 86048Members
    It was in the game, people complained, it was removed. I disagree with the decision but the facts are in the history books... well, forums...
  • EucomolhamasEucomolhamas Join Date: 2013-03-10 Member: 183841Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    why not have a research that sharpens their fangs have it act like weapons upgrade but can only be buffed twice armor 3 marine will die in 3 bites not 5 i dont know the stats for skulk bite etc etc
    Wouldn't that be pretty much the same as removing upgrades altogether?
  • LagLightLagLight Join Date: 2012-03-31 Member: 149708Members
    I wish the marines had way more tech choices (like: guns, abilities, and structures) and did not actually have weapon and armor upgrades. Although this would make the game totally different, and would have to be re-balanced for marines always having the same damage and health.

    Even though the Armor and Weapon upgrades have been around forever I just don't like them because they are just not that interesting. I wish the marine game was more about choosing specific tech, and weapons and less about the weapon / armor upgrade build order.
  • AkimotoAkimoto Norway Join Date: 2013-03-03 Member: 183642Members
    why not have a research that sharpens their fangs have it act like weapons upgrade but can only be buffed twice armor 3 marine will die in 3 bites not 5 i dont know the stats for skulk bite etc etc
    Wouldn't that be pretty much the same as removing upgrades altogether?

    No. It would just mean whomever gets upgrades FIRST have early advantage. It also means that the game is "balancing itself" at the end game, the way it should be.
  • sHawke_NativesHawke_Native Join Date: 2012-12-20 Member: 175650Members
    why not have a research that sharpens their fangs have it act like weapons upgrade but can only be buffed twice armor 3 marine will die in 3 bites not 5 i dont know the stats for skulk bite etc etc
    Wouldn't that be pretty much the same as removing upgrades altogether?
    not at all, its just a damage buff exactly as the same principle as marines weapon upgrades, it would be cool if the aliens have sharper fangs as a little visual representation of the upgrade,
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