Skulk Backstab?

Secret_NinjaSecret_Ninja Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9286Members
I'm not sure how this would really affect gameplay, and I actually don't even really insist on it being implemented, it is more me thinking (or in this case typing) aloud...

But what if skulks had something equivalent to a backstab? Maybe the first attack done upon a marine will do double damage if it is done to their backside. I understand the consequences, since it would mean that skulks could insta-kill unwary marines, but I think it could make playing the "hide-and-ambush" skulk a little more fun. I really don't know how it would be implemented, though...it shouldn't always do twice as much to attack the back of a marine, but somehow if the game knew that you were really surprising a marine...it could be fun!

Comments

  • Shadowdragon1Shadowdragon1 Join Date: 2002-11-16 Member: 8919Members
    Nice idea , but wouldn't that cause skulk players to 'always' want to get behind the marines to nibble on thier backsides ? It would just make life harder for the marines more than it already is .
  • The_FinchThe_Finch Join Date: 2002-11-13 Member: 8498Members
    Skulks can already get the drop on Marines well enough. This would make HA Marines much easier, which wouldn't be at all balancing when a basic alien can kill Marines with top armor.
  • Shadowdragon1Shadowdragon1 Join Date: 2002-11-16 Member: 8919Members
    75 Damage x 2 = 150 Damage , Insta-death for basic marine .

    And a couple more chomps to kill a marine with Heavy armour and full armour upgrades .
  • Secret_NinjaSecret_Ninja Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9286Members
    I agree that it would make the life of your average marine even tougher. I am actually pretty adamant about the game being fairly well-balanced right now, so I don't think this is vital. It is more a matter of just throwing an interesting idea out and seeing what everybody thinks of it. But in response, I would say that it only would do double damage if it was your first attack against a given marine, and if it failed or something, then you blew it and you just do damage as normal.
  • TurtleTurtle Join Date: 2002-10-18 Member: 1540Members
    There's no way to accurately track which attack is first with all the respawning going around. I understand the concept is supposed to be something like surprise, however it could be that you're still landing an attack on the rear, yet the marine player already knows you're there.

    Either way, consider that it's already pretty easy to kill a marine in two bites, especially considering the bite attack is pretty fast. Often times if a light armor marine is sitting there with back turned, unless he's a good player, he's skulk food.

    Having it be only one hit doesn't give marines enough time to react to the attack, and the marines have enough problems with skulk attacks anyway.
  • padijunpadijun Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3419Members
    edited November 2002
    I think it would be imbalanced. I mean, the aliens already win 90% of the time anyways. And with their insane speed, it wouldn't be too hard to cirdle the heavies and bite them in the back like the TFC spy does with the HWguy.
  • GravitonSurgeGravitonSurge Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6138Members
    I wish people would stop making suggestions for this game.. the only people who should be posting improvements are the veteran playtesters.. they know what they are talking about for the most part.. all of the suggestions I've seen by people with <50 posts so far have been absolutely biased and stupid..

    Not an insult to the original poster, just a peeve
  • Secret_NinjaSecret_Ninja Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9286Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--GravitonSurge+Nov 19 2002, 02:14 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (GravitonSurge @ Nov 19 2002, 02:14 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I wish people would stop making suggestions for this game.. the only people who should be posting improvements are the veteran playtesters.. they know what they are talking about for the most part.. all of the suggestions I've seen by people with <50 posts so far have been absolutely biased and stupid..

    Not an insult to the original poster, just a peeve<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Ahem, riiight...

    Seriously, I already believe the game is well-balanced, or at the very least on it's way to being balanced. This is less of a suggestion and more of an interesting idea. I don't necessarily <i>want</i> it to be implemented, I just wanted feedback. Except feedback that calls me biased and stupid for even thinking about how the game could progress or evolve.

    I don't know what can be coded and what can't. I already said that the back of a marine shouldn't automatically take twice as much damage at all times. I was thinking more along the lines of a surprise attack to the back does double damage, with all subsequent attacks doing normal damage. In any case, I <i>don't</i> want this, I just want your ideas about it.
  • ekentekent Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7801Members
    I like suggestions like this, which I haven't seen before. But there <i>is</i> a <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=SF&f=5' target='_blank'>forum for it</a>.

    Though I do think that this particular suggestion might unbalance the game a bit <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • JooJooFlopJooJooFlop Join Date: 2002-11-17 Member: 9140Members
    If caught from behind, your average marine would be killed by a skulk anyways. And skulks shouldn't be able to drop a guy in heavy armor that easily.
  • JA1numJA1num Join Date: 2002-11-06 Member: 7261Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Secret Ninja+Nov 19 2002, 01:37 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Secret Ninja @ Nov 19 2002, 01:37 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I'm not sure how this would really affect gameplay, and I actually don't even really insist on it being implemented, it is more me thinking (or in this case typing) aloud...

    But what if skulks had something equivalent to a backstab? Maybe the first attack done upon a marine will do double damage if it is done to their backside. I understand the consequences, since it would mean that skulks could insta-kill unwary marines, but I think it could make playing the "hide-and-ambush" skulk a little more fun. I really don't know how it would be implemented, though...it shouldn't always do twice as much to attack the back of a marine, but somehow if the game knew that you were really surprising a marine...it could be fun!<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    it only encourage more campers :/
  • Secret_NinjaSecret_Ninja Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9286Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->it only encourage more campers :/ <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Well, technically, skulks are supposed to camp a bit, since they definitely can't run around with "guns blazin'".

    Anyways, I'll concede now and agree that it isn't the greatest idea in the world. I just wanted to see how people feel about changes in actual gameplay dynamics. I mean, I could suggest "merins need heat vizin gogles cuz I alwayz get bite from som alien and I like to see ppl".
  • BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7542Members
    Early in the game this would be unbalancing, but if it would be a skill you get with 2 or 3 hives it might be fun because it would encourage ppl a bit not to evolve to fade but rather stay skulk even with 3 hives and lots of resources.
  • pardzhpardzh Join Date: 2002-10-25 Member: 1601Members
    Maybe add that as a 2 or 3 Hive Ability.

    Early game that'd be way too much of an advantage. But later on when Marines get HA/Armor upgrades, they're really hard to kill as a skulk. That'd help a bit against those tougher tin cans.
  • BigwigBigwig Join Date: 2002-10-27 Member: 1646Members
    I've always wanted a coup de grace ability for the skulks. If a marine shows his back to me, he deserves to die, and I deserve a kill! It would have to be balanced a little bit though, so skulks wouldn't be 1 shotting everyone all the time. Maybe it could use the AvP method, where it requires a tiny "warm-up" period before you can use the fatal attack. Basically, I find an oblivious marine standing around, I manuever behind him, wait a second for the bite to power up, then CHOMP. It would be perfect for those sneaky skulks who need to take down a HA marine.
  • pakopako Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6681Members
    I think this Idea isnt that bad for late-game, when Marines sure have MT and Aliens second or third hive.
    Maybe as a Sensory Upgrade :), you sense the neck of your Enemy :)
  • Secret_NinjaSecret_Ninja Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9286Members
    Those are pretty cool ideas...personally, I wouldn't want it to be an end-all-be-all attack. Skulks really shouldn't be able to take down and HA without some incredible luck or skill, and the fact that a basic evolution can take out someone who has had 25 or 50 so RP spent on him in one swipe doesn't sit well with me. I just realized that there are many ways to play as all classes on both teams, and I wondered if something like this (with something equally distinguishing for other classes) would help differentiate even more.
  • BigwigBigwig Join Date: 2002-10-27 Member: 1646Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Secret Ninja+Nov 19 2002, 04:19 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Secret Ninja @ Nov 19 2002, 04:19 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Skulks really shouldn't be able to take down and HA without some incredible luck or skill, and the fact that a basic evolution can take out someone who has had 25 or 50 so RP spent on him in one swipe doesn't sit well with me<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    What if the marine is just standing in the middle of a hallway, not moving, with his back to me? I think the skulk should have at least some sort of advantage due to the marine's stupidity, even if he cost 50 times more than me. Think of it like this: If an archer was on top of a hill and a knight was at the bottom stuck in the mud, who would win? Would it really matter that the knight had spent more on his equipment than the archer? No, because the archer is on high ground and the knight is in the mud. It's about circumstance. If a marine presents his unguarded back to me, I think I should get the "high ground" advantage and be able to kill/heavily wound him. Heavy armour or no.
Sign In or Register to comment.