Marine ability to ping individual aliens

BestProfileName

It might be worth exploring the idea of being able to ping individual aliens, so you know who to concentrate in a fight (maybe it would be like a scan, but on just one alien - you know that outline thing?). The ping would only be applicable if you maintain los, which makes it less effective against lerks and fades, but more effective against the onos explosion. This ability would only be available late-game, to make it help marine comebacks.

I think it would be too OP early game and it might even be OP lategame but perhaps worth a think (or test) nonetheless.

Ixian

The commander can already do this by selecting marines in question and giving them an attack command onto a lifeform.

BestProfileName

That is pretty cool. I don't know if I would rely on a commander being that good though, so it might be worth allowing field players to do it too.

Ixian

In which case almost every alien will be marked, and the system less than useless. Its a nice idea, but it will be too confusing when everyone had the power. Besides, voice communication is already implemented in the game, which can do the same and much, much more

.trixX.

Coordination is generally the task of the com, it doesnt require much to rightclick one of the many onoses so your team can focus fire on a single target.... and as @Ixian said, if field players can all target, then the ability looses it's purpose.

BestProfileName

Ixian wrote: »

In which case almost every alien will be marked, and the system less than useless. Its a nice idea, but it will be too confusing when everyone had the power. Besides, voice communication is already implemented in the game, which can do the same and much, much more

Yeah that's a good point.

G_Lock

You could make the commander on each team have the option to choose 1 player at beginning of a match ,a sort of squad leader or something, so only the com and that player would be able to guide/direct forces.

BestProfileName

G_Lock wrote: »

You could make the commander on each team have the option to choose 1 player at beginning of a match ,a sort of squad leader or something, so only the com and that player would be able to guide/direct forces.

I was thinking that. A 'field commander', as it's often said. I've never seen a comm use this tool, although I do not deny its existence. It seems like something that would be very useful to a field commander, as they'll often have quick info on how much damage they've done to an alien. The comm can check the alien's HP but that's not as common as it should be, and is a bit slower.

twiliteblue

Maybe "field commander" could be armed with a sniper rifle so they can pick off retreating aliens themselves?

That gave me an idea: What if Railgun Exos are given better tools to support marines on the front line as a "field commander"?

SantaClaws

I'm all for adding more marine weapons - including a sniper. The shotgun monopoly has always made the game somewhat stale. But I suspect the development time that requires is just too much. It's probably better to try and make the flamethrower more viable in terms of player damage.

As for the waypoint thing as a commander, I personally do that all the time, when I actually get the rare chance to command. However, I think a lot of people have disabled that in NS2+, so I don't know what impact that has - as I too have not had anyone else do it to me. At this point I do it without any effort, so I'm not gonna stop, but I do question the effect of it. I usually use it on lifeforms or leaking skulks.

Handschuh

You need to disable the waypoints, since they are so annoying and blocking your field of view