Should Marines Move A Little Faster Backwards?

RavlenRavlen Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7713Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Must they move so slowly?</div> I think one of the strengths for aliens right now is that they move so fast compared to marines. 3 skulks can essentially defend a whole map, where marines can only defend points.

If something comes under attack for aliens, all the skulks will be there before the marine kills it, guaranteed, unless there's quite a few of them. Kinda like kicking the anthill. When something is being chomping on by aliens, the commander has to find the nearest marine(s) and pray that the alien sucks, or something, because odds are the outpost will be gone.

I can deal with marines going slow, it is just another tactic to work around (need good turret placement too), but must they come to nearly a standstill when walking backwards? There's so much ground to cover already, and when a marine hears something lurking in the shadows behind him, he has to just stop and wait. Just a few footsteps from an alien is enough to stop a marine in his tracks, as he has to turn around to analyse the threat. This stops the movement more or less, and I find it to be just too much. (lets not even discuss the speed of an already slow HA walking backwards).

It may seem like a small thing, but most good marines know that constantly watching your back can sometimes double the time it takes to get somewhere, and good marines will also know that NOT watching your back will get you killed.

Ravlen

Comments

  • Y3tiY3ti Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7853Members
    I think marine sshould only have a 50% movement decrease while walking backwards. I mean I can run backwards <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • PheralPheral Join Date: 2002-11-13 Member: 8473Members
    i think the backward walk is fine. you ever carry any armor in reality and try running backwards with a gun shooting in your hand at this big thing that is going to kill you?

    I dont like the marine forward walk speed though, its too fast. Marine walk should be like the backpedal, but quieter if not any sound. now walk is just like a jog :\

    walk would be helluva useful in sneaking up on gorges then crouching to them :x
  • StormehStormeh Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3541Members
    Nah the backwardspeed is fine as it is.

    I think they should lower the deafault runningspeed for the marines w/o HA. But just a tad that is <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • TazolTazol Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8323Members
    edited November 2002
    First off, marines aren't supposed to be able to walk backwards very fast. Either turn around and run for your life, or stand and fight. Ever heard the quote, "Never surrender! NEVER GIVE UP!" ? Well, that's basically that.

    Also, a "good" marine never just goes around and starts shooting stuff. If you see a resource tower and it has no chambers near, don't attack it. That's like telling the aliens, "Hey aliens, I'm at So-And-So, killing your resource tower with a knife, COME AND STOP ME!" Ask your commander for a turret factory, build it, ask for some turrets, build those and then kill the resource tower, then ask your commander for a resource tower. You've now just secured a nozzle without alerting the aliens. Good job! And you're commander is going to appreciate you more because you grabbed a nozzle for him.

    Also, you don't generally watch your back by walking backwards for a few seconds, you usually take a few quick looks and move on. And if you have motion tracking, there's usually nothing to worry about, unless you have a bad memory. I can usually memorize where the blips stopped moving and know when to check an area thoroughly.
  • Y3tiY3ti Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7853Members
    *Knifes a Nozzle!* COME AND GET ME TAZOL!

    lol
  • RavlenRavlen Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7713Members
    First off, the only thing you can do is fight. We all know how well a marine runs away from a skulk.

    Secondly, you DO notify the aliens when you take one of their resources nodes. You notify the whole team the moment you start knifing it, OR the moment your first turret goes up. If you have enough resources and marines to put up a factory and 4 turrets fast, then the marines are probably already on their way to a win.

    But as it stands, whenever the marines do anything, all the skulks on the map are able to get there and pester them. You can't cover all sides at once, send one skulk in to make them look one way, then send in two more to bite them in the **obscenity**. You don't need to kill the whole squad either, take 2-3 out, and the last 1-2 will have to wait for their teammates to get back. By this time all the skulks have respawned and are already back attacking again, while the marines are slowly plodding their way back.

    Yes, there are phase gates, but when you are pushing forward, you can't just plop down phase gates every 10 seconds.

    And as for "Have you ever worn armor" blah blah blah. No, I haven't. And have you ever run around with heavy machine guns shooting down aliens that have infested one of your country's spaceships? and for that matter, have you ever flown around in a jetpack trying to kill off their hive? No? What do you mean you haven't?

    Ravlen
  • TazolTazol Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8323Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Ravlen+Nov 18 2002, 07:55 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Ravlen @ Nov 18 2002, 07:55 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->First off, the only thing you can do is fight. We all know how well a marine runs away from a skulk.

    Secondly, you DO notify the aliens when you take one of their resources nodes. You notify the whole team the moment you start knifing it, OR the moment your first turret goes up. If you have enough resources and marines to put up a factory and 4 turrets fast, then the marines are probably already on their way to a win.

    But as it stands, whenever the marines do anything, all the skulks on the map are able to get there and pester them. You can't cover all sides at once, send one skulk in to make them look one way, then send in two more to bite them in the **obscenity**. You don't need to kill the whole squad either, take 2-3 out, and the last 1-2 will have to wait for their teammates to get back. By this time all the skulks have respawned and are already back attacking again, while the marines are slowly plodding their way back.

    Yes, there are phase gates, but when you are pushing forward, you can't just plop down phase gates every 10 seconds.

    Ravlen<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    That was my point.

    Just by standing next to a resource tower, you don't notify the aliens. And yes, once the first turret comes up, it'll start firing, but by then, you should almost have the second one up. And maybe it's because I play on big servers(I tend to stay away from anything less than 10 vs 10), but 4 turrets and a turret factory is pretty easy to put up. It's having a marine there to put them up and survive.

    And skulks don't know what marines are doing half the time. The commander may have split two groups, sending all the parasited(if any) marines to a location, and the non-parasited(if any) to another one. This allows the commander to have a chance at taking a choke point, maybe even two if the marines are good enough with their rifles.

    Usually, even in a 10 vs 10 game, I can put down a phase gate at every forward base I make. I usually make a phase gate then turret factory, then turrets, then whatever I feel is necessary depending on the location.
  • coilcoil Amateur pirate. Professional monkey. All pance. Join Date: 2002-04-12 Member: 424Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Comparative speeds between skulk, marine, and marine backpedal were tweaked ENDLESSLY in playtest, and I really do mean "tweaked" - most of the balance suggestions were things like "skulk needs to be a TINY bit faster" or "marines move a *little* too slow while they're backing up." I think the current system is pretty perfectly balanced - it's *possible* to kill a skulk while backpedalling, but only if the advantage was yours to begin with. There was nothing more frustrating in playtest than being a "fast-moving" skulk and not being able to close ranks with a backpedaling marine.

    We could always make it like Starcraft... marines couldn't even MOVE while they were firing! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • TazolTazol Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8323Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--coil+Nov 18 2002, 08:06 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (coil @ Nov 18 2002, 08:06 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->We could always make it like Starcraft... marines couldn't even MOVE while they were firing! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah.. but the marines in StarCraft never missed until the zerglings got the speed upgrade. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • RavlenRavlen Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7713Members
    It seems like most people feel that because aliens don't have a commander, that they'll be less organized. With voicecom, this just isn't the case. It is more like having a team of commanders. When we play, someone spots marines sneaking up on a position, he just yells into the mic "5 marines headed to cargo bay, skulks get there ASAP, meet at the hive!" and within 10 seconds you got 4-5 skulks ready to defend. Just because someone isn't giving you waypoints doesn't mean you can't play like you have them.

    Most often, gorges will yell out strategies and pay attention to what's going on. Since all aliens know what's being attacked at all times, it is very easy.

    Ravlen
  • TazolTazol Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8323Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Ravlen+Nov 18 2002, 08:11 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Ravlen @ Nov 18 2002, 08:11 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->It seems like most people feel that because aliens don't have a commander, that they'll be less organized. With voicecom, this just isn't the case. It is more like having a team of commanders. When we play, someone spots marines sneaking up on a position, he just yells into the mic "5 marines headed to cargo bay, skulks get there ASAP, meet at the hive!" and within 10 seconds you got 4-5 skulks ready to defend. Just because someone isn't giving you waypoints doesn't mean you can't play like you have them.

    Most often, gorges will yell out strategies and pay attention to what's going on. Since all aliens know what's being attacked at all times, it is very easy.

    Ravlen<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Again, skulks can't always say, "Marines headed for Hive - Eclipse Command!" if they're not there to see the marines. Most of the time, skulks focus on a few choke points on the map, trying to prevent the marines from taking a nozzle, where else the marines are already taking nozzles and maybe a hive on the other side of the map. This isn't always true, but you see it a lot on maps like ns_caged and ns_nancy.
  • SpetzSpetz Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7100Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Y3ti+Nov 18 2002, 10:33 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Y3ti @ Nov 18 2002, 10:33 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I think marine sshould only have a 50% movement decrease while walking backwards. I mean I can run backwards <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yes, but can you really run backwards over uneven ground while reloading/firing an automatic weapon at a moving target racing towards you? I think not. The backpedeling speed is fine at the moment because otherwise running backwards + shooting becomes a far too effective tactic as you can effectivly retreat fast enough while shooting at them so that you can kill them before they get closee enough to kill you. Not so much fun for aliens. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • RavlenRavlen Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7713Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Tazol+Nov 18 2002, 11:20 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Tazol @ Nov 18 2002, 11:20 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--Ravlen+Nov 18 2002, 08:11 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Ravlen @ Nov 18 2002, 08:11 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->It seems like most people feel that because aliens don't have a commander, that they'll be less organized. With voicecom, this just isn't the case. It is more like having a team of commanders. When we play, someone spots marines sneaking up on a position, he just yells into the mic "5 marines headed to cargo bay, skulks get there ASAP, meet at the hive!" and within 10 seconds you got 4-5 skulks ready to defend. Just because someone isn't giving you waypoints doesn't mean you can't play like you have them.

    Most often, gorges will yell out strategies and pay attention to what's going on. Since all aliens know what's being attacked at all times, it is very easy.

    Ravlen<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Again, skulks can't always say, "Marines headed for Hive - Eclipse Command!" if they're not there to see the marines. Most of the time, skulks focus on a few choke points on the map, trying to prevent the marines from taking a nozzle, where else the marines are already taking nozzles and maybe a hive on the other side of the map. This isn't always true, but you see it a lot on maps like ns_caged and ns_nancy.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Why can't they? Skulks cover the map so fast, they invariably know what's going on. Whenever I play, the radio is abuzz with "2 marines headed towards eclipse from maintenance, 2 going to triad" etc... etc...

    You don't have to see them either, just hear them, and say where they are near, as well as what direction they are headed. On top of that, the moment any marine opens fire on anything, the whole alien team is notified. As long as the aliens make use of voice comm, the marines are under watch the whole time (not to mention if they get parasited).

    Ravlen
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