Development Blog Update - Friday update - Lerk reveal
Flayra
Game Director, Unknown Worlds EntertainmentSan Francisco Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 3Super Administrators, NS2 Developer, Subnautica Developer
Game Director, Unknown Worlds EntertainmentSan Francisco Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 3Super Administrators, NS2 Developer, Subnautica Developer
Comments
For Spores secondary, how about a drop-on-the-spot version that's more better?
Kind of like the Bile Demons in Dungeon Keeper.
<!--quoteo(post=1755435:date=Feb 26 2010, 08:04 PM:name=TrC)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TrC @ Feb 26 2010, 08:04 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1755435"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It was alright however what I really wanted to know was what skills do the lerk have and how they work.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's what you got too. You know, on the front page? <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/</a>
...and once again, the music is great!
For a secondary fire for spore, how about he vents out a more potent cloud of spore from his sides that just envelopes his current position. Maybe it'll do damage to structures or heavy armor (or the ns2 equivalent).
I could see lerks flying in to bases, sporing, and flying out of the generated cloud.
What are the flight mechanics going to be like? Flapping like the original lerk, or gliding like the currently lurk. I remember the flapping allowed for circle strafing enemies with the spike attack.
Kind of like the Bile Demons in Dungeon Keeper.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's what I was thinking too, basically a thicker version of spores. More like a liquid acid spray.
It would have much shorter range, but the DPS would much higher than spores, and if a marine got hit by it, they wouldn't be able to run away from the DPS.
Either that, or you could just make it like Jarate. Mark the targets, and then they take more damage from all aliens. This, paired with the sniper attack would probably be pretty fun.
Idea about the sniper attack- What if when you shot, if you hold down the attack button your camera would follow the spike allowing you to influence it's movement slightly? Added accuracy at the cost of having to have your body sit still for a little longer.
Spore mines, Align's idea, spore spray (think flamethrower-ish), a spore cloud that burns through armor rather than health (in case of a medpack spam or whatever), or a thick, nontoxic spore cloud that blocks vision (basically a smoke grendade).
Hell, you could even make Umbra the alt fire.
As for the secondary weapon of Spore, is Umbra such a bad decision? If not for Umbraing other players, then for Umbraing the Lerk itself. I've played the Lerk with Spikes, Bite and both Spikes AND Bite, and while the Lerk is probably just a support class, I think it either needs some more offensive abilities that actual pack a punch, or an added defensive ability. Its not that hard to hit a really fast, flying Lerk with any weapon in NS1, especially if you're both in a long corridor. Unless the Spikes do damage that is equal to a Skulks Bite, the only advantage I see of being able to shoot from a distance is that the chances you won't get Knifed are lower. The Lerk needs bullet protection.
Spore mines, Align's idea, spore spray (think flamethrower-ish), a spore cloud that burns through armor rather than health (in case of a medpack spam or whatever), or a thick, nontoxic spore cloud that blocks vision (basically a smoke grendade).
Hell, you could even make Umbra the alt fire.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm liking the idea of a spray, and vision blocking. Maybe a neuro-toxin that disables marine's vision. In game, the marine's vision would go really blurry and maybe swaying and color-undulating for a time. Again, this would require the lerk fly over the marines, so the range is much less than that of spores, and since it is a spray it would just be a time based effect (which they might be able to dodge as the lerk attempted it), not one that they could walk out of like spores.
Anyways, fantastic video. Can't wait!
As for the design of the character itself, I can only think of one minor nit-pick about it. The roost ability would suggest powerful feet with which to clamp onto surfaces. In some cases I'm sure that will end up being a smooth ceiling (since for gameplay purposes you can't always rely on there being a pipe or overhead object to cling to). That said, I'd have made the claws significantly longer/sharper on the feet. Something to imply that there is piercing of the surface the lerk is attached to. To that end, you could also have some sort of impact marks, similar to bullet holes, where the claws have damaged the surface (a fading effect, like bullet holes would be). The opposing claw is very stubby and currently wouldn't facilitate this much. ... ok ok, like I said, very nit-picky.
I wonder if there is going to be any sort of slight up/down bobbing added to the first person view that would reflect the wings flapping.
For Spores secondary, how about a drop-on-the-spot version that's more better?
Kind of like the Bile Demons in Dungeon Keeper.
That's what you got too. You know, on the front page? <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/</a><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You are so cool, where are the second and third hive abilities?
Did you use Zspeheres to make that model?
Also, if you go to document > export it exports a screenshot of the viewport without the cursor in psd format.
My idea for the secondary attack would be a ball of goo (or other excretion, call it what you like) that the lerk can drop like a bomb on marines below while flying or perched. It would use nearly all of the lerks adrenaline eat away at the armor of marines and buildings in the area it hit/splashed. This would be a good alternative for late game when many marines are in heavy armor and thus spore becomes useless.
- Can be dropped while flying overhead, making a high risk, high reward scenario. Allows lerk some ability to damage (the armor of) groups of heavy armored marines
- Can be dropped while perched overhead, so the lerk can set "traps" by perching in the rafters in front of groups of marines, providing bonuses for scouting, plus making it even more important for marines to check nooks and crannies as they progress through the map.
- Allows bombing or strafing runs during base attacks so the lerk can make use of distractions to damage not only marines, but buildings too.
- Not another cloud type (more than one type of cloud attack seems both lazy and confusing for players).
The lerk would have to get constantly some blobs or else the structure soon starts to work again.
Skulk rotation on walls officially I hope, toggleable option of course?
Obviously you can rotate the viewcam apparently.
(DOES HAPPY DANCE)
TL;DR
TOGGLEABLE BUTTON like impulse 100 or in the OPTIONS MENU.
YES PLEASE!!!
Ideas :
Have a spore wich is covering more space with less damages.
Or the opposite :
A spore which cover only a small surface but with extra damage. A good way for people who know how to aim with spore, to do more damages to the target.
A spore with another effect :
_an hallucinogen gaz instead of damages, or a very foggy cloud with only a visibility impact (good support idea to cover an ally running away without impacting damage)
_make the marine into it to move slower (so they can be more vulnerable too skulks, good support effect).
_make the marine into it visible to every aliens.
<!--coloro:#FF0000--><span style="color:#FF0000"><!--/coloro--><b>Wing Flap idea :</b>
<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
Make some kind of proximity or range (your choice) cyclone able to light off the marine jetpack, so this one fall on the ground for one or two seconds).
Ideal when marines have too much advance, and team have only a few skulk, so this support class is still able to defend and save the hive on a fast jetpack rush.
Remember :
Onos (with stomp) > Heavy armore > lerk
but
Lerk (with gaz and the wing flap idea) > Jetpack > Onos.
A solution to both units = a good strategy game.
If spore only deals damage to marines without reducing armor, you could have another spore alt fire that focusses on marine armor/structures.
I also like the spore mine although I would rather the gorge have that one!
Although it would be fun to set a trap and hide above ready to ambush/snipe as they spring the trap...
Alt-Fire for Spore could be something like that reduces the effectivness of buildings(research speed)/armor repair.
Would use a lot of adrenaline.
I think in Starcraft 2 the Infestor has this ability.
Or the grenade like lob of spores, so you can fly past a group of Marines and not have to change your angle of flight... which has been suggested.
As for the goo idea, that makes sense too. Maybe it's got a charge time, but it could serve as a doorway-denial effect where the spore cloud makes more sense to have in a whole room. I like the idea of it eating away at armor too, although i would be hesitant to make a lerk be able to kill just anything.
Also, I hope the lerk's spike snipe ability isn't a 1-shot kill, as that could make playing a marine very frustrating, especially without a killcam or something.