I know you guys want to discuss and talk about it but the game is nowhere near completed yet and until the full arsenal is complete and out... we have no idea how gameplay will be... yeah lerks may need bite again but they may get something else. Personally I loved swooping down and nomming them cause it was like... in and out
Gameplay will be generally the same as it is now, with more stuff on it. The difference from now to when it's finished is balance. When all the upgrades for all the aliens and marines are inside the game (including Onos) we will see a little difference, perhaps starting with less resources to avoid the fast games and encourage games that last more than 5 minutes. I just disconnected from a game that was around 30 minutes. Alien capped all but marines recovered and managed to build again the first CC, enough time to research flamethrowers. And you know what that mean... yeah... I left when the third hive was about to fall. Without Onos is almost impossible to push back on that situation. Anyway, amazing 6v6 game, almost the same we saw on NS2HD.
For me all is perfect as it is now (yeah, balance, balance, balance). Real fun all the time.
<!--quoteo(post=1810436:date=Nov 25 2010, 12:13 PM:name=Impatient21)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Impatient21 @ Nov 25 2010, 12:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810436"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->No it doesn't make ANY sense. Lerks are not tiny and fragile, either. You're making no sense. JPs move too fast to get spiked. Ugh.. I'm trying to be polite. None of your points make any sense.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> No, you don't make any sense. The spikes are FAR FAR faster than the lerk can fly.
<!--quoteo(post=1810442:date=Nov 25 2010, 12:29 PM:name=Pistachio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pistachio @ Nov 25 2010, 12:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810442"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Basically this^. The role they are creating for the lerk does make sense. They should be more of a support class, and less raw combat. They are easily the fastest moving of any alien, and if you coupled that with overpowered frontline abilities it will become too unbalanced.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He is? Was that sarcasm? Did you not even try to play fade? How can the lerk possibly be faster than instant travel anywhere?
This thread has made my head become full of explosions and goo. All the people complaining about him seem to be following one of three arguments:
<b>1. The lerk has a massive jaw and teeth so should be able to use them. </b>
What the f? Look at the model. He has a tiny little beak. What is he going to do, going to nibble a marine's armour and hope some rabies seeps through? Acid saliva? The world ending meeting of Bacterias and Nanites!
<b>2. But bite was fun in v3.</b>
Oh that's cool. Uhh, but wait isn't NS2 a different game? I mean, Dedicated grenade launchers were fun too. You know what, bugger it, I want a giant god-damn plasma cannon. That would be FUN.
<b>3. It's not balanced! The lerk is weak and incapable of hitting JPs! </b>
What game are you playing. Where is this weak lerk. What, am I playing on modded servers? Because I seem to be sniping, gasing, spiking and generally terrorising marines with him. And what damn JetPacks. I haven't seen them either. Can you show them to me? I'd like to play with them and do a video on them. They would make a great NS2HD[55]. And While you're showing me that, you can help me write the script for NS2HD[56] - The Outrage Of Playing An Early Beta that Does Not Have Perfect Game Balance.
I don't know, I might have missed the point completely.
<!--quoteo(post=1810594:date=Nov 25 2010, 08:37 PM:name=Lemming Jesus)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lemming Jesus @ Nov 25 2010, 08:37 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810594"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->... He is? Was that sarcasm? Did you not even try to play fade? How can the lerk possibly be faster than instant travel anywhere?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No sarcasm, and saying the fade has instant travel anywhere is an exaggeration. When I've got momentum as a lerk I can move around the map much faster than a fade. Blinking is potentially faster, but I just end up facing walls after teleporting and getting really disoriented.
The only thing I'd suggest is making the spikes a shotgun rather than a machinegun, if the lerk is moving a shotgun would probably be easier to hit with.
<!--quoteo(post=1810445:date=Nov 25 2010, 12:34 PM:name=Bacillus)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bacillus @ Nov 25 2010, 12:34 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810445"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->No confirmation on jetpack flight model. At this point it could be anything.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I have a feeling that jetpacks will be nothing like they are in NS1. IOW, no flying around the map without touching the ground.
<!--quoteo(post=1810679:date=Nov 26 2010, 06:18 AM:name=Warmonger)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Warmonger @ Nov 26 2010, 06:18 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810679"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I have a feeling that jetpacks will be nothing like they are in NS1. IOW, no flying around the map without touching the ground.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I hope so, I think it'd be more interesting to have them be like booster packs, you can perform high jumps and forward leaps with them, but not really fly all over the place.
Whoa whoa whoa, wait, hold on a second... Am I getting this right? The lerk is not able to bite???... <a href="http://wps.theoffside.com/files/2009/07/what-the-######-cat.jpg" target="_blank">http://wps.theoffside.com/files/2009/07/wh...he-######-cat.jpg</a>
<!--quoteo(post=1810434:date=Nov 25 2010, 02:06 PM:name=Quovatis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Quovatis @ Nov 25 2010, 02:06 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810434"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->True. Fades will not be able to deal with jetpacks as they did in NS1. You can't blink to a given spot in the air that is not the ceiling. Lerk should have a melee attack as well as spikes. Hopefully the devs will see this problem when jetpacks are finished.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> lol! i can't believe i didn't realize this until reading your post fischer price mode a go
<!--quoteo(post=1810597:date=Nov 26 2010, 01:53 AM:name=NS2HD)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NS2HD @ Nov 26 2010, 01:53 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810597"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This thread has made my head become full of explosions and goo. All the people complaining about him seem to be following one of three arguments:
<b>1. The lerk has a massive jaw and teeth so should be able to use them. </b>
What the f? Look at the model. He has a tiny little beak. What is he going to do, going to nibble a marine's armour and hope some rabies seeps through? Acid saliva? The world ending meeting of Bacterias and Nanites!
<b>2. But bite was fun in v3.</b>
Oh that's cool. Uhh, but wait isn't NS2 a different game? I mean, Dedicated grenade launchers were fun too. You know what, bugger it, I want a giant god-damn plasma cannon. That would be FUN.
<b>3. It's not balanced! The lerk is weak and incapable of hitting JPs! </b>
What game are you playing. Where is this weak lerk. What, am I playing on modded servers? Because I seem to be sniping, gasing, spiking and generally terrorising marines with him. And what damn JetPacks. I haven't seen them either. Can you show them to me? I'd like to play with them and do a video on them. They would make a great NS2HD[55]. And While you're showing me that, you can help me write the script for NS2HD[56] - The Outrage Of Playing An Early Beta that Does Not Have Perfect Game Balance.
I don't know, I might have missed the point completely.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
#1: I Personally dont see how what the player model looks like should affect the gameplay. Not a lot in the NS universe makes sense... thats not the point.
#2: Yeah it's a different game. I get that. Does not mean that they have to change everything. In fact a good deal of the original game is in NS2. Why should lerk be the special case? Just saying.. My point is that it does not seem FUN to have a hyper-manouverable class that flys everywhere just so that it can sit at a distance and pick people off. I mean the lerk now has nothing special over the skulk in terms of movement if all it does is fly up to a sniping point. If it was more involved in the combat (ie bite) then it would mean it could utilise its flying ability and make life very interesting indeed for the marines.. :p
#3: I agree completely. I actually believe the lerk is massivly overpowered in NS2. And I don't see how any amount of balance changes will fix it. This is because it's a long range class thats more than capable of outrunning any danger. Basically - the marines are never even going to see the lerk, which is no fun for them (no chance of avoiding death == NO FUN). And yeah it's kinda fun to be invincable sniping at distance but I don't see how that really helps make a good balanced game.
I think sniping should be remove and replace with bite. To change from a medium-to-long range one to a close-to-medium range one instead. Marines should be 'much' superior in range combat, and the lerks destroy it because the lerks have a very powerful sniping spike.
Well, I do like sniping spike (It's cool :D) but I'm not so sure it will be good for the alien playstyle.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I miss being able to fly around as a lerk and terrorizing marines, something that will be impossible without the lerk having a melee attack to his name. I mean, he's got massive jaws, why shouldn't he be able to bite? Before, the lerk was generally the only response to the JPs besides the fades who will be useless with what they've done to Blink. Bring back the Lerk's melee attack.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Translation: I'm upset that NS2 is not a carbon copy of NS1. I am very unhappy that the Alien Creatures are more "Class" and "Role" defined then in the previous game, further reiterating how upset I am that NS2 is NOT NS1 with better graphics! I am furious now that I now have to play a certain Role more so than in the previous game which supports team work rather than 1 player becoming extremely good and dominating an entire match. Just simply because the Lerk is not the Lerk from NS1 means I am so upset I refuse to explore new ways to become "pro" with the Lerk and utilize all of the new features which are not even fully implemented yet. I refuse to believe that the game is still being BALANCED and everything right now will be everything that game is when it hits Version 1.0.
If you have actually taken the time to play the lerk and have learned what mechanics it has as of now. You would realize it is very important to the Alien team. The Lerk was originally meant, even in NS1, to be a long range support type class for the Alien team. In the beginning of NS1 the Lerk didn't have bite. It had spines which it has now in NS2. The Lerk is fine as it is now in NS2 and doesn't need a bite attack. The Lerk will prove to be very vital against Marines with Flame Throwers. Taking away it's long range attacks in favor of a melee attack will just GIMP the entire Alien Team. You will need those spines to help with advancing marines with the flame thrower.
<!--quoteo(post=1810733:date=Nov 26 2010, 10:22 AM:name=Chris0132)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chris0132 @ Nov 26 2010, 10:22 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810733"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yes it has a scattergun style spike launcher instead.
It works fine, why you'd want to have a class based on being able to reach inacessible locations be melee based I don't know.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> So then you can get into somewhere that is hard to see for Marines, and get them when they least expect it, and take the RISK of jumping out and attacking, then retreating or something. Or you can do longer range combat... what sounds more fun? Honestly sniping doesn't even fit aliens play-style. Maybe a specific animal, but not a friggen LERK. I mean at least give it the OPTION to melee, even though I think it should only have melee.
Complaining about having to stand still to shoot spikes as a Lerk is just as dumb as saying you have to sit still to fire your Rifle as a Jetpack Marine.
<!--quoteo(post=1810832:date=Nov 27 2010, 02:18 AM:name=skittlesareyum47)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skittlesareyum47 @ Nov 27 2010, 02:18 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810832"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->So then you can get into somewhere that is hard to see for Marines, and get them when they least expect it, and take the RISK of jumping out and attacking, then retreating or something. Or you can do longer range combat... what sounds more fun? Honestly sniping doesn't even fit aliens play-style. Maybe a specific animal, but not a friggen LERK. I mean at least give it the OPTION to melee, even though I think it should only have melee.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> except support classes generally arent melee and the lerk is a support class. spikes and gas are to soften marines up for skulks.
<!--quoteo(post=1810766:date=Nov 26 2010, 09:24 PM:name=GingerNinja)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GingerNinja @ Nov 26 2010, 09:24 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810766"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->#2: Yeah it's a different game. I get that. Does not mean that they have to change everything. In fact a good deal of the original game is in NS2. Why should lerk be the special case? Just saying.. My point is that it does not seem FUN to have a hyper-manouverable class that flys everywhere just so that it can sit at a distance and pick people off. I mean the lerk now has nothing special over the skulk in terms of movement if all it does is fly up to a sniping point. If it was more involved in the combat (ie bite) then it would mean it could utilise its flying ability and make life very interesting indeed for the marines.. :p
Thoughts? :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> lerk used to have spikes instead of bite then when it changed everyone whinged because it didnt fit. eventually they got used to it. personally i found fade with slot 2 acid rocket and slot 4 bile bomb fun but things change and you adapt
rather than judge and make changes now, wouldnt it be better to see everything fully implemented first and then balance?
I just failed epicly. Iwas getting the lerk and skulk confused. Oh god... <a href="http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/polar-bear-face-palm_thumbnail1.jpg" target="_blank">http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared..._thumbnail1.jpg</a>
<!--quoteo(post=1810852:date=Nov 26 2010, 05:08 PM:name=Loey)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Loey @ Nov 26 2010, 05:08 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810852"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->lerk used to have spikes instead of bite then when it changed everyone whinged because it didnt fit. eventually they got used to it. personally i found fade with slot 2 acid rocket and slot 4 bile bomb fun but things change and you adapt
rather than judge and make changes now, wouldnt it be better to see everything fully implemented first and then balance?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, I concede that it's early days and things may well pan out just fine. I just want to make sure everything is well considered. Theres no harm in speculating so long as it's done in a polite and reasonable maner.
As for:
"Complaining about having to stand still to shoot spikes as a Lerk is just as dumb as saying you have to sit still to fire your Rifle as a Jetpack Marine."
I have to say I do not agree to that. Jetpack flight mechanics (at least in the past) are very different to lerk. You can fly in one direction and shoot in another. As far as I know, thats not possible with lerk.
I have to say I like the idea of a "shotgun" spike attack instead of rapid fire. That means flying in and attacking with lerk would be possible AND importantly, you could still snipe with the secondary zoom in attack mode. The new attack would basically replace bite as the short range attack and would possibly be even more fun than bite. You would make it do more damage bassed on proximity to the marine, thus encouraging skilled players to make impressive fly-bys. :p
If you have actually taken the time to play the lerk and have learned what mechanics it has as of now. You would realize it is very important to the Alien team. The Lerk was originally meant, even in NS1, to be a long range support type class for the Alien team. In the beginning of NS1 the Lerk didn't have bite. It had spines which it has now in NS2. The Lerk is fine as it is now in NS2 and doesn't need a bite attack. The Lerk will prove to be very vital against Marines with Flame Throwers. Taking away it's long range attacks in favor of a melee attack will just GIMP the entire Alien Team. You will need those spines to help with advancing marines with the flame thrower.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well said.
I think the problem here is people are misreading the purpose of the lerk's speed and maneuverability. Being the only class that can fly in the game, they are able to easily reach places other aliens can't get to as quickly, and more importantly, places marines can't get to at all. Using these vantage points they can use their abilities to influence the battle in very tangible ways. I don't know how many times already in NS2 I've been able to divide marine teams, or hold them off from an unprotected harvester using nothing more than a few spore shots. Or even leading them down another passageway by gasing. There is no other class that can single handedly manage multiple enemies like that. Marines chase skulks, but marines run away from lerks. It was so in NS1 and so it is in NS2. I would hate to see the Lerk brought into a more close quarters combat role. They aren't meant for it, and I don't care what anyone else says, flying does not facilitate it either. The maps are so tight that you really don't gain an advantage by flying, and directly engaging an enemy. However, you do gain an advantage with flying by positioning yourself strategically. I just don't get this push to make the lerk a frontliner. It's too easy. Instead, why not keep it down the path it's going and create a class with a truly deep play style?
I think the problem here is people are misreading the purpose of the lerk's speed and maneuverability. Being the only class that can fly in the game, they are able to easily reach places other aliens can't get to as quickly, and more importantly, places marines can't get to at all. Using these vantage points they can use their abilities to influence the battle in very tangible ways. I don't know how many times already in NS2 I've been able to divide marine teams, or hold them off from an unprotected harvester using nothing more than a few spore shots. Or even leading them down another passageway by gasing. There is no other class that can single handedly manage multiple enemies like that. Marines chase skulks, but marines run away from lerks. It was so in NS1 and so it is in NS2. I would hate to see the Lerk brought into a more close quarters combat role. They aren't meant for it, and I don't care what anyone else says, flying does not facilitate it either. The maps are so tight that you really don't gain an advantage by flying, and directly engaging an enemy. However, you do gain an advantage with flying by positioning yourself strategically. I just don't get this push to make the lerk a frontliner. It's too easy. Instead, why not keep it down the path it's going and create a class with a truly deep play style?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well reasoned..
That actually explained the possible reasons for the changes to me better than anything so far.
I would still like to see some form of closer range attack.. Just because it would be so much fun. But I definatly see where you're coming from.
Comments
Lerk is certainly not useless.
The difference from now to when it's finished is balance. When all the upgrades for all the aliens and marines are inside the game (including Onos) we will see a little difference, perhaps starting with less resources to avoid the fast games and encourage games that last more than 5 minutes.
I just disconnected from a game that was around 30 minutes. Alien capped all but marines recovered and managed to build again the first CC, enough time to research flamethrowers. And you know what that mean... yeah... I left when the third hive was about to fall. Without Onos is almost impossible to push back on that situation. Anyway, amazing 6v6 game, almost the same we saw on NS2HD.
For me all is perfect as it is now (yeah, balance, balance, balance). Real fun all the time.
No, you don't make any sense. The spikes are FAR FAR faster than the lerk can fly.
<!--quoteo(post=1810442:date=Nov 25 2010, 12:29 PM:name=Pistachio)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pistachio @ Nov 25 2010, 12:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810442"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Basically this^. The role they are creating for the lerk does make sense. They should be more of a support class, and less raw combat. They are easily the fastest moving of any alien, and if you coupled that with overpowered frontline abilities it will become too unbalanced.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He is? Was that sarcasm? Did you not even try to play fade? How can the lerk possibly be faster than instant travel anywhere?
<b>1. The lerk has a massive jaw and teeth so should be able to use them. </b>
What the f? Look at the model. He has a tiny little beak. What is he going to do, going to nibble a marine's armour and hope some rabies seeps through? Acid saliva? The world ending meeting of Bacterias and Nanites!
<b>2. But bite was fun in v3.</b>
Oh that's cool. Uhh, but wait isn't NS2 a different game? I mean, Dedicated grenade launchers were fun too. You know what, bugger it, I want a giant god-damn plasma cannon. That would be FUN.
<b>3. It's not balanced! The lerk is weak and incapable of hitting JPs! </b>
What game are you playing. Where is this weak lerk. What, am I playing on modded servers? Because I seem to be sniping, gasing, spiking and generally terrorising marines with him. And what damn JetPacks. I haven't seen them either. Can you show them to me? I'd like to play with them and do a video on them. They would make a great NS2HD[55]. And While you're showing me that, you can help me write the script for NS2HD[56] - The Outrage Of Playing An Early Beta that Does Not Have Perfect Game Balance.
I don't know, I might have missed the point completely.
He is? Was that sarcasm? Did you not even try to play fade? How can the lerk possibly be faster than instant travel anywhere?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No sarcasm, and saying the fade has instant travel anywhere is an exaggeration. When I've got momentum as a lerk I can move around the map much faster than a fade. Blinking is potentially faster, but I just end up facing walls after teleporting and getting really disoriented.
I have a feeling that jetpacks will be nothing like they are in NS1. IOW, no flying around the map without touching the ground.
+1
pretty sure shooting something is easier than trying to chase it down and hit it up close..... (hence the invention of guns...)
edit LOL @ NS2HD... are you studying law by any chance, you make a good argument ;)
I hope so, I think it'd be more interesting to have them be like booster packs, you can perform high jumps and forward leaps with them, but not really fly all over the place.
It works fine, why you'd want to have a class based on being able to reach inacessible locations be melee based I don't know.
lol! i can't believe i didn't realize this until reading your post
fischer price mode a go
<b>1. The lerk has a massive jaw and teeth so should be able to use them. </b>
What the f? Look at the model. He has a tiny little beak. What is he going to do, going to nibble a marine's armour and hope some rabies seeps through? Acid saliva? The world ending meeting of Bacterias and Nanites!
<b>2. But bite was fun in v3.</b>
Oh that's cool. Uhh, but wait isn't NS2 a different game? I mean, Dedicated grenade launchers were fun too. You know what, bugger it, I want a giant god-damn plasma cannon. That would be FUN.
<b>3. It's not balanced! The lerk is weak and incapable of hitting JPs! </b>
What game are you playing. Where is this weak lerk. What, am I playing on modded servers? Because I seem to be sniping, gasing, spiking and generally terrorising marines with him. And what damn JetPacks. I haven't seen them either. Can you show them to me? I'd like to play with them and do a video on them. They would make a great NS2HD[55]. And While you're showing me that, you can help me write the script for NS2HD[56] - The Outrage Of Playing An Early Beta that Does Not Have Perfect Game Balance.
I don't know, I might have missed the point completely.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
#1: I Personally dont see how what the player model looks like should affect the gameplay. Not a lot in the NS universe makes sense... thats not the point.
#2: Yeah it's a different game. I get that. Does not mean that they have to change everything. In fact a good deal of the original game is in NS2. Why should lerk be the special case? Just saying.. My point is that it does not seem FUN to have a hyper-manouverable class that flys everywhere just so that it can sit at a distance and pick people off. I mean the lerk now has nothing special over the skulk in terms of movement if all it does is fly up to a sniping point. If it was more involved in the combat (ie bite) then it would mean it could utilise its flying ability and make life very interesting indeed for the marines.. :p
#3: I agree completely. I actually believe the lerk is massivly overpowered in NS2. And I don't see how any amount of balance changes will fix it. This is because it's a long range class thats more than capable of outrunning any danger. Basically - the marines are never even going to see the lerk, which is no fun for them (no chance of avoiding death == NO FUN). And yeah it's kinda fun to be invincable sniping at distance but I don't see how that really helps make a good balanced game.
Thoughts? :)
Marines should be 'much' superior in range combat, and the lerks destroy it because the lerks have a very powerful sniping spike.
Well, I do like sniping spike (It's cool :D) but I'm not so sure it will be good for the alien playstyle.
Translation: I'm upset that NS2 is not a carbon copy of NS1. I am very unhappy that the Alien Creatures are more "Class" and "Role" defined then in the previous game, further reiterating how upset I am that NS2 is NOT NS1 with better graphics! I am furious now that I now have to play a certain Role more so than in the previous game which supports team work rather than 1 player becoming extremely good and dominating an entire match. Just simply because the Lerk is not the Lerk from NS1 means I am so upset I refuse to explore new ways to become "pro" with the Lerk and utilize all of the new features which are not even fully implemented yet. I refuse to believe that the game is still being BALANCED and everything right now will be everything that game is when it hits Version 1.0.
If you have actually taken the time to play the lerk and have learned what mechanics it has as of now. You would realize it is very important to the Alien team. The Lerk was originally meant, even in NS1, to be a long range support type class for the Alien team. In the beginning of NS1 the Lerk didn't have bite. It had spines which it has now in NS2. The Lerk is fine as it is now in NS2 and doesn't need a bite attack. The Lerk will prove to be very vital against Marines with Flame Throwers. Taking away it's long range attacks in favor of a melee attack will just GIMP the entire Alien Team. You will need those spines to help with advancing marines with the flame thrower.
It works fine, why you'd want to have a class based on being able to reach inacessible locations be melee based I don't know.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So then you can get into somewhere that is hard to see for Marines, and get them when they least expect it, and take the RISK of jumping out and attacking, then retreating or something. Or you can do longer range combat... what sounds more fun? Honestly sniping doesn't even fit aliens play-style. Maybe a specific animal, but not a friggen LERK. I mean at least give it the OPTION to melee, even though I think it should only have melee.
except support classes generally arent melee and the lerk is a support class. spikes and gas are to soften marines up for skulks.
Thoughts? :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
lerk used to have spikes instead of bite then when it changed everyone whinged because it didnt fit. eventually they got used to it. personally i found fade with slot 2 acid rocket and slot 4 bile bomb fun but things change and you adapt
rather than judge and make changes now, wouldnt it be better to see everything fully implemented first and then balance?
rather than judge and make changes now, wouldnt it be better to see everything fully implemented first and then balance?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, I concede that it's early days and things may well pan out just fine. I just want to make sure everything is well considered. Theres no harm in speculating so long as it's done in a polite and reasonable maner.
As for:
"Complaining about having to stand still to shoot spikes as a Lerk is just as dumb as saying you have to sit still to fire your Rifle as a Jetpack Marine."
I have to say I do not agree to that. Jetpack flight mechanics (at least in the past) are very different to lerk. You can fly in one direction and shoot in another. As far as I know, thats not possible with lerk.
I have to say I like the idea of a "shotgun" spike attack instead of rapid fire. That means flying in and attacking with lerk would be possible AND importantly, you could still snipe with the secondary zoom in attack mode. The new attack would basically replace bite as the short range attack and would possibly be even more fun than bite. You would make it do more damage bassed on proximity to the marine, thus encouraging skilled players to make impressive fly-bys. :p
Interesting no?
If you have actually taken the time to play the lerk and have learned what mechanics it has as of now. You would realize it is very important to the Alien team. The Lerk was originally meant, even in NS1, to be a long range support type class for the Alien team. In the beginning of NS1 the Lerk didn't have bite. It had spines which it has now in NS2. The Lerk is fine as it is now in NS2 and doesn't need a bite attack. The Lerk will prove to be very vital against Marines with Flame Throwers. Taking away it's long range attacks in favor of a melee attack will just GIMP the entire Alien Team. You will need those spines to help with advancing marines with the flame thrower.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well said.
I think the problem here is people are misreading the purpose of the lerk's speed and maneuverability. Being the only class that can fly in the game, they are able to easily reach places other aliens can't get to as quickly, and more importantly, places marines can't get to at all. Using these vantage points they can use their abilities to influence the battle in very tangible ways. I don't know how many times already in NS2 I've been able to divide marine teams, or hold them off from an unprotected harvester using nothing more than a few spore shots. Or even leading them down another passageway by gasing. There is no other class that can single handedly manage multiple enemies like that. Marines chase skulks, but marines run away from lerks. It was so in NS1 and so it is in NS2. I would hate to see the Lerk brought into a more close quarters combat role. They aren't meant for it, and I don't care what anyone else says, flying does not facilitate it either. The maps are so tight that you really don't gain an advantage by flying, and directly engaging an enemy. However, you do gain an advantage with flying by positioning yourself strategically. I just don't get this push to make the lerk a frontliner. It's too easy. Instead, why not keep it down the path it's going and create a class with a truly deep play style?
I think the problem here is people are misreading the purpose of the lerk's speed and maneuverability. Being the only class that can fly in the game, they are able to easily reach places other aliens can't get to as quickly, and more importantly, places marines can't get to at all. Using these vantage points they can use their abilities to influence the battle in very tangible ways. I don't know how many times already in NS2 I've been able to divide marine teams, or hold them off from an unprotected harvester using nothing more than a few spore shots. Or even leading them down another passageway by gasing. There is no other class that can single handedly manage multiple enemies like that. Marines chase skulks, but marines run away from lerks. It was so in NS1 and so it is in NS2. I would hate to see the Lerk brought into a more close quarters combat role. They aren't meant for it, and I don't care what anyone else says, flying does not facilitate it either. The maps are so tight that you really don't gain an advantage by flying, and directly engaging an enemy. However, you do gain an advantage with flying by positioning yourself strategically. I just don't get this push to make the lerk a frontliner. It's too easy. Instead, why not keep it down the path it's going and create a class with a truly deep play style?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well reasoned..
That actually explained the possible reasons for the changes to me better than anything so far.
I would still like to see some form of closer range attack.. Just because it would be so much fun. But I definatly see where you're coming from.
Cheers.