3.02 Released
tankefugl
One Script To Rule Them All...Trondheim, Norway Join Date: 2002-11-14 Member: 8641Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
One Script To Rule Them All...Trondheim, Norway Join Date: 2002-11-14 Member: 8641Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
<div class="IPBDescription">For those who pay no attention</div> The frontpage is updated:
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->We present you with NS 3.0.2, a server-side update to 3.0. We have made the following balance changes:
- Reduced observatory cost from 20 to 15.
- Increased observatory starting energy to 40.
- Reduced Armslab cost from 25 to 20.
- Reduced Phase Gate transportation throttle rate from 0.8 to 0.5 seconds per player.
Server operators can download the patch <a href='http://download.jarhedz.com/ns_beta/direct/ns_dedicated_server_patch_v302.zip' target='_blank'>here</a>. You do not need to have 3.0.1 installed to run this update; if you do not plan to run a server, you don't need to download or install anything.
On a different note, this season's CAL Final matches are about to begin. We wish all contenders the best of luck, and encourage you to join the HLTV servers; watching Natural Selection play at these levels can be quite an experience.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->We present you with NS 3.0.2, a server-side update to 3.0. We have made the following balance changes:
- Reduced observatory cost from 20 to 15.
- Increased observatory starting energy to 40.
- Reduced Armslab cost from 25 to 20.
- Reduced Phase Gate transportation throttle rate from 0.8 to 0.5 seconds per player.
Server operators can download the patch <a href='http://download.jarhedz.com/ns_beta/direct/ns_dedicated_server_patch_v302.zip' target='_blank'>here</a>. You do not need to have 3.0.1 installed to run this update; if you do not plan to run a server, you don't need to download or install anything.
On a different note, this season's CAL Final matches are about to begin. We wish all contenders the best of luck, and encourage you to join the HLTV servers; watching Natural Selection play at these levels can be quite an experience.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Comments
Hopefully this will encourage more pub comms to actually use scan once in a while..
Not the most expansive update ever. But it should do a good job of balancing the game a little more while the bigger problems get adressed for 3.1.
Quicker Arms -> Quicker A1 -> Quicker reduction of the Focus impact.
- Shockwave
Best change imo.
No. The objective of this patch was to balance the game a little without of distracting us too far from 3.1. This is why we opted for pure number-tweaks, which take the least QA effort.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Hey look, the devs listened to the public!<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
This might come as an even bigger shock to you, but we do in fact occasionally play this game ourselves <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->With what motive did you reduce the Arms lab cost, out of interest?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Our first idea was to somehow grant marines a generic res boost to improve their strategic flexibility in the early game. Since a bland buff to the starting res is not possible for design reasons too elaborate and boring to describe here, the next best thing was a cost reduction to a structure that <i>is</i> needed early in the game, but which won't be dropped more agressively later in the game if it's made cheaper. The armslab was the most sensible option.
From my experiance it doesn't really patch up the mid game, as weapons are still expensive as hell. But it goes a long way toward leveling the early game against sense skulks, and really any skulk because you get your upgrades up 10 seconds faster.
Mid-game improvements require an extensive rework of at the very least Fade, HMG and shotgun. It has never been in the scope of 3.0 final. We'd like to release patches on more than a yearly basis, you know? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Place the cheaper obs in strategic locations for free wall-hack, then use scan to reveal an area to allow your marines to safely pass through and foil ambushes.
This improves the marines' chance of securing locations, RTs and downing alien RTs. Fades will still be there, but they will now be harder pressed when they do appear.
It may, if the MC and DC are weakened (i'm not sure but... i have a feeling), make the sensory a forced choice. I mean if the marins team get Armour lvl1 and MT too soon the only way to counter this or keep up the pace will be to use senso all the time...
-Skulks will not be able to use Focus enough time to kill marins and claim the map. So they will rely on SOF and Cloaking. It may not be enough...
-Alien will try to get ready the fade-focus ASAP and rush... As it was with DC on the 3.0 beta [1-5] versions.
I'm not really sure as i have not tested yet... but considernig the 3.02 prices a commander will be able to drop a entire base at the begining... and still have ressource for 2 RT when base is complete...
Mid-game improvements require an extensive rework of at the very least Fade, HMG and shotgun. It has never been in the scope of 3.0 final. We'd like to release patches on more than a yearly basis, you know? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
You had us fooled there for a little bit with b6..
This can`t be true!! those are all really really nice things. Especially that obs buff, I like to slap Obs`s around. Also that al down to 20 could really open working 2 al starts. Think I go now to dark room and exploit these out! and you can have a1 and mt allmost immediatly.
<u><b><span style='color:red'><span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'><span style='font-family:Geneva'>DEV`S FTW</span></span></span></b></u>
This might come as an even bigger shock to you, but we do in fact occasionally play this game ourselves <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Just out of interest, do any of the developers play Natural Selection at a competitive level?
This was an attempt to nudge things in the right direction, and we'll see if it's enough or not.
<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The marines can have an unparalleled advantage in the almost-mid game stage if the commander knows how to abuse obs and scan.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Why "abuse"? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Grepdashv started almost every game for us (Darwin's Law) this season, Commander and Res Dropper/walker Lerk.