What phase of the game is most important to you

Frozen

Of course every part of any game is important to us all, but I'd like to get an idea of which parts of the game people prefer the most. This can include enjoyment, competitiveness, ambiance, fairness, balance and anything else.

For example: My favorite part of any game is mid-game because I find the fight over a 2nd hive to be thrilling since it's often happening around fade timings and the marines getting to a point where they need to use their chose tech to transition from resource protection to resource pressure. There's plenty more I love about mid-game, but I just want to convey what I'm trying to pose in the poll.

This doesn't mean I don't like Early-Game or Late-Game, just that Mid-Game is most important to my overall NS2 experience in general

IronHorse

Early Game.
It's so fresh and balanced imo, and because after that it too often is apparent where the round will end up..

GhoulofGSG9

Hmm, i can't participate in this poll due to two issues:

1. Everyone of us defines those 3 phases a bit different.

2. In my humble opinion all of those phases are equally important for my ns2 experience. How much i like/hate/enjoy each of them basically depends on how the given round is going.

These days i find myself enjoying the early-mid phase the most. But looking back at the amazing "1+-hours rounds" I played, I realize the mid-late phase got kinda "boring" because almost all rounds today (kinda started after the WC) follow the same pattern.

And as people seem to not even think about breaking with that pattern (no matter what happens), most rounds end with snow-balling after the early-mid phase towards one team's victory by the other team surrendering.

d0ped0g

LOL at the last option. Well played.

Perman12

The first 10 minutes >>> Decide hole game ending

But im not play competitive yet , just puclic server when people runing around and have no clue about "rush enemy base together" , or "defend your Resource tower"

Nordic

I disagree with not voting because everyone defining each phase differently. The poll is subjective in that each definition is equally true in the eyes of the poll. I do admit mid game is really hard to define but it doesn't matter if you both like it.

I like the early game best, specifically the first 1.5 minutes. Everything is under congestion and skulk vs marine play is at its best.

The next best part for me is right when lerks come out, which is to me when mid game starts. At that point aliens can start to really contest marine map control. I also love lerking against Marines before they can 1v1 a lerk with shotguns or w2 lmg.l

Luchs

Mid to End-Game it is for me. Given you didn't start an already stacked round and had a kinda balanced early game, this is where individual contributions start to pay off. It's where you notice that those RTs you took down as a skulk really delay the shotguns even though lerks popping now. It's also where people have to be aware of their roles, and you really start working as a team.

This week-end, on a pub server - I didn't know anyone in the alien team - I called out that I got trapped in Ventilation, as a lerk. Was hiding under the platform from 4 marines. Half the alien team responded to it and jumped in, skulks sacrificing themselves even, allowing me to get out. T'was really one of those moments I love this game for. Early game just doesn't feel the same.

SantaClaws

There isn't really a time period I could accurate define that I prefer. I'll say instead, I enjoy the periods in time where you're fighting pure pvp, preferably the big 1v3, 2v5, 3v5 battles. Whether it's vanilla skulks vs vanilla lmg's, or wep 3 sg vs fades, I enjoy the entire spectrum.

Battling PvE I'm less fond of, but I do appreciate that it's there, because it does add an interesting element to the game and to the strategy I think.

corund

• Early Phase - on pub server, because i usually play as marine and could have fun independently of how good commander is.
• Mid and Late phases - if I'm watching competitive matches. Some epic moments like Fade and Onos death or assault on phase gates. Such things happen only after Early phase ends.

moultano

If the game isn't yet decided by late games, then I absolutely love it. When both teams are at the top of their tech path, but still battling meaningfully, those games are just awesome.

It's the tension that makes the game, not the phase. Put real tension in any phase and any player will love it.

meatmachine

i like the bit when the mens shoots the animals

Cannon_FodderAUS

moultano wrote: »

If the game isn't yet decided by late games, then I absolutely love it. When both teams are at the top of their tech path, but still battling meaningfully, those games are just awesome.

It's the tension that makes the game, not the phase. Put real tension in any phase and any player will love it.

The tension to me is when in late game, the oni (sic*) are out and marines have jps. Oni assault on a location can easily take it IF the marines don't respond. It is at that point where risk and reward is most acute and the thrill of chasing down an onos or die trying or getting away from a JP Sg marine with 200 health with your team mates throwing themselves at the chasing marine to save you that really brings the team work aspect out.

So late game for me as well.

UncleCrunch

The most important is when a specific event happens in one of the 3. Every tiers has its specific events.
ex in Early-game : rush base, all teammate dead suddenly, etc.

Hoeloe

The important part is the early game, because it decides who wins. But the part I like is when the early game decides absolutely nothing and you go balanced into midgame. Then the personal actions of each player, the teamplay as well and maybe some crazy tactics that determine between victory and defeat.

coolitic

Maybe if maps were bigger, early game wouldn't be as important.

Then again it would require many other things to be changed.

AnkleBitingKitty

Early game hands down is my favorite.

My favorite lifeform to play is lerk, and its fun being able to bite marines without worrying about shotguns, and the marines have low health as well and die quickly too.

It also feels a bit more intense in the first minute where each conflict decides if you have control of the room or not.

Stackdaddy

Early game.

It's the most impactful in terms of the flow of the game. If aliens can keep marine res low enough by the time lerks hit, it can already be over in a sense. Since marines will have a hard time slogging through the map with good lerks and well co-ordinated alien play. On the other hand if marines can keep pressure up on the alien team so that wep 1 and armor 1 (or more, depending on how bad the res flow is) is out by the time lerks hit, things can go quite poorly for the alien team.

It all boils down to the players. Not just an individual, but the depth of the entire team. One guy going 20-0 doesn't really matter if the rest of the team is averaging 2-15. The early engagements are the most crucial in determining how the map is going to get split. Getting a extractor or two right off the bat can be bad news bears for the team that let that happen (more so for aliens IMO, but that`s besides the point).

Kouji_San

Readyroom time is totally misrepresented up in here >:(

Frozen

Kouji_San wrote: »

Readyroom time is totally misrepresented up in here >:(

I'll agree when ready rooms are fully functional jump maps

Narfwak

Even if you're behind the midgame is still important and can create a comeback scenario. Even if you're ahead it can be easy to throw a game by losing key weapons and lifeforms to stupid tactical decisions (I am especially adept at this). That first confrontation of shotgun versus fade is often the key high point of the game.

_mod

With comp I don't really see a clear favourite, early is the most tense and yes the most important But the whole thing's an awesome dance anyway.

Talking about pubs only:

Early to Mid would be my favourite. I suppose partly because I feel like we're making the greatest contributions to the flow of the fight.
By late game yeah there is a chance for epic pull back victories. But most games I play seem to lose momentum around the late game as teams fail to close or they're sitting around waiting for end game upgrades when a catpack shotgun rush on the 8 rts we have would sort it all out.
I love the game but winning teams start playing passively and drag out their wins for an extra 10 minutes all too frequently (a trap I fall into enough); so most of the tension sits in the early-mid game for me.

IeptBarakat

Early game has always been the most important, since late game balance is wobbly at best and avalanches to one side at it's worst.

I really wish the early game was longer ala ns1 since the biggest deciding factor of the match is usually the shortest part.

GameOver

I've voted early game, too. It's a game phase in which you lay the base of your success.

In early game a marine team has to show it can handle skulks and defend several RTs. If it fails to secure ground in early game it will have it much more difficult later on.
Kharaa have it a bit easier but nonetheless they need to keep at least their naturals alive.

PoNeH

The phase-gate. Get it?! Oh man, I'm hilarious!