I've been playing on a server with a beta version of the patch (says 1.01b2), Here are my observations so far;
1. Team balancing works, if one side has 2 or more members over the other, you cant join that team.
2. Resource balancing, is not so obvious... marines are still able to put up turret farms at choke points, but not as fast as before. With a good commander, they are still able to take over and camp hive sites fairly early in game with 6 or so turrets. Clearing this is impossible this early in the game.
3. Grenades + HA or HMG + HA is still easy to get in the mid game, while the aliens are still struggling with the second hive. A marine in HA + HMG can take out 2 fades without too much trouble at close range.
4. Grenades still have a massive area of effect, cloaking, carapace, celerity are all useless when a marine can lob 6 grenades in 4 seconds and clear out all aliens without even having LOS.
5. Aliens still struggle to take out rooms with turrets and marines guarding them, umbra is nice if the marines are clueless but most of the time marines just blast you with grenades.
6. 2 Marines with HA and HMG can take down a fully upgraded onos.
7. Death for an alien hurts a lot more than one for a marine, marines just pickup equipment form the pile on the floor, fill up in a couple of seconds and can be at the alien hive in a couple of seconds using gates while an alien has to go thru upto 3 upgrades, then a very slow evolution (during which they are totally defenseless) in order to get back into action.
8. Offense towers are still very sucky, a single HA + HMG wielding marine can take down a cluster of 3 offense chambers + 2 defense chambers. The limit on webs seems too low.
Bottom line: a good commander + casual players = marines win most matches a few good aliens + casual players = marines still win most matches mostly good aliens + few casual players + bad commander = aliens win most matches
Something seems wrong in the above equations. I don't want aliens to be overpowered, I started playing them only because they were the underdog, but I would love it if having a few good players on each side meant both teams had even chances for a change.
matsoMaster of PatchesJoin Date: 2002-11-05Member: 7000Members, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, Squad Five Gold, Reinforced - Shadow, NS2 Community Developer
Just choose server by size. In smaller games, the aliens have the advantage. In larger games, the marines have the advantage.
Comments
1. Team balancing works, if one side has 2 or more members over the other, you cant join that team.
2. Resource balancing, is not so obvious... marines are still able to put up turret farms at choke points, but not as fast as before. With a good commander, they are still able to take over and camp hive sites fairly early in game with 6 or so turrets. Clearing this is impossible this early in the game.
3. Grenades + HA or HMG + HA is still easy to get in the mid game, while the aliens are still struggling with the second hive. A marine in HA + HMG can take out 2 fades without too much trouble at close range.
4. Grenades still have a massive area of effect, cloaking, carapace, celerity are all useless when a marine can lob 6 grenades in 4 seconds and clear out all aliens without even having LOS.
5. Aliens still struggle to take out rooms with turrets and marines guarding them, umbra is nice if the marines are clueless but most of the time marines just blast you with grenades.
6. 2 Marines with HA and HMG can take down a fully upgraded onos.
7. Death for an alien hurts a lot more than one for a marine, marines just pickup equipment form the pile on the floor, fill up in a couple of seconds and can be at the alien hive in a couple of seconds using gates while an alien has to go thru upto 3 upgrades, then a very slow evolution (during which they are totally defenseless) in order to get back into action.
8. Offense towers are still very sucky, a single HA + HMG wielding marine can take down a cluster of 3 offense chambers + 2 defense chambers. The limit on webs seems too low.
Bottom line:
a good commander + casual players = marines win most matches
a few good aliens + casual players = marines still win most matches
mostly good aliens + few casual players + bad commander = aliens win most matches
Something seems wrong in the above equations. I don't want aliens to be overpowered, I started playing them only because they were the underdog, but I would love it if having a few good players on each side meant both teams had even chances for a change.
Noobler, <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->