Hidden Balance Issues.

littlewildlittlewild Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9467Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Voice comm, Linux server bugs</div> There is a lot of debate concerning the balance of the game. However, there hasn't really been any official statistics to keep track of how imbalanced the game is because of its multiplayer nature.

Firstly, I will just like to point out that on pub linux servers, the marines are really on the losing side because the motion tracking does not work properly like it should. If you have played on a Win32 server, you would know how useful motion tracking is. This is one major factor on why the marines are getting owned by 2 hive aliens on public linux servers.

Secondly, the use of voice comm is also part of the balance. Yes I know it sounds weird, but you have no idea how much more effective a commander can be if he has voice comm. Aliens do not need voice comm as much as the marines because they are more "individualistic" in a sense. A marine team with voice comm and a marine team without voice comm makes quite a difference.

Perhaps the current balance issues can be put on hold until the motion tracking gets fixed in the next release. As to the voice communication part, you can only hope that your commander has it.

Comments

  • MonsieurEvilMonsieurEvil Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    (Fixing incorrect topic date due to server issue)
  • MorrikMorrik Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8247Awaiting Authorization
    You're definitely right about the "Voice Commander" issue. I always push people who have voice to be commander since they can tell you where to go instead of fiddling around with waypoints that waste precious seconds during the game. Even if a person who has been commander many times before without voice, I still don't want them to be commander. I'm always jumping in the chair because I'm ALWAYS talking into the microphone. There's some people that can vouch for that on 3am, Codemonkeys and HomeLAN servers.
  • Home_Star_RunnerHome_Star_Runner Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10612Members
    Voice comm should NOT be used as an alternative to waypoints though. Waypoints make it obvious, and show you how to get there if you don't know (more or less).

    If someone is in the middle of a fight, they won't hear you say "get to hera reception to build res nozzle"
  • TylerTyler Join Date: 2002-11-13 Member: 8418Members
    Wow it works on window servers? interesting
  • KaMiKaZe1KaMiKaZe1 Join Date: 2002-11-18 Member: 9196Members
    A comm with a mic is able to issue many orders faster then one without, as well as warn the marines of stuff like "MARINE ON THE CEILING! LOOK UP!" in the half a second before it jumps down and eats the marine patrol. It is not a balance issue, but it is a help.


    <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> for life
  • El_MariachiEl_Mariachi Join Date: 2002-12-06 Member: 10521Members
    edited December 2002
    <!--QuoteBegin--KaMiKaZe!!!+Dec 17 2002, 02:21 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (KaMiKaZe!!! @ Dec 17 2002, 02:21 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->A comm with a mic is able to issue many orders faster then one without, as well as warn the marines of stuff like "MARINE ON THE CEILING! LOOK UP!" in the half a second before it jumps down and eats the marine patrol.  It is not a balance issue, but it is a help.


    <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> for life<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Marines jumping off the ceiling and eating other marines is definitely a balance issue.
  • uranium_235uranium_235 Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9478Banned
  • Brad_RBrad_R pandas | brad Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8273Members, Constellation
    edited December 2002
    I don't think whether or not a guy who hops into the com seat has a mic or not is a "balance" issue.


    Marines without optical mice are also at a disadvantage. please fix this asap flayra thx.
  • RavlenRavlen Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7713Members
    so THAT'S why it works on some servers, and not on others.

    As for Voice Comm, on aliens, it is just as useful as on marines. When I'm playing gorge, I'm watching hivesight and letting my skulks know what's going on "A skulk just died near cargo bay" "A parasited marine heading to comp core" "MARINES INCOMING TO MY LOCATION" Etc...

    Ravlen
  • ShadowXORShadowXOR Join Date: 2002-11-27 Member: 10106Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--mcclane+Dec 17 2002, 04:45 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (mcclane @ Dec 17 2002, 04:45 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I don't think whether or not a guy who hops into the com seat has a mic or not is a "balance" issue.


    Marines without optical mice are also at a disadvantage. please fix this asap flayra thx.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    How are marines with optical mice at a disadvantage? And if it's serious, put it in bug reports, I don't think he'll see this thread. But maybe.
  • PseudoKnightPseudoKnight Join Date: 2002-06-18 Member: 791Members
    He was giving a not-so-serious example. But an unclean ball-mouse can be a disadvantage.
  • Brad_RBrad_R pandas | brad Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8273Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--ShadowXOR+Dec 17 2002, 04:53 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ShadowXOR @ Dec 17 2002, 04:53 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--mcclane+Dec 17 2002, 04:45 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (mcclane @ Dec 17 2002, 04:45 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I don't think whether or not a guy who hops into the com seat has a mic or not is a "balance" issue.


    Marines without optical mice are also at a disadvantage. please fix this asap flayra thx.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    How are marines with optical mice at a disadvantage? And if it's serious, put it in bug reports, I don't think he'll see this thread. But maybe.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    BAHAHAHAH
  • Faceless_MimeFaceless_Mime Join Date: 2002-12-15 Member: 10873Members
    I don't know what you are all talking about, but I love my trackball....
  • VisserVisser Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6613Members
    I really hate my optical. I want my old (broken) trackball back.
  • littlewildlittlewild Join Date: 2002-11-20 Member: 9467Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--mcclane+Dec 17 2002, 04:45 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (mcclane @ Dec 17 2002, 04:45 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I don't think whether or not a guy who hops into the com seat has a mic or not is a "balance" issue.


    Marines without optical mice are also at a disadvantage. please fix this asap flayra thx.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    LoL.
    I guess I made myself sound like some stupid moron(that I probably am).

    What I am trying to say is that with the number of threads discussing how the game ends when any side gets 2 hives, the entire balancing issue needs to be carefully examined.

    I for one agrees with the "2 hives = gg" notion. However, I think we should also consider voice comm and motion tracking when we complain about these 2 hives arguments. Marines with a commander that has a voice comm has an edge over the other team that doesn't, it probably depends on the commander, but it does make a difference. (Ok, I think I should retract that moronic "Voice comm is a balance issue" statement)

    However, motion tracking <b>is</b> an issue. You are talking about games being played now with no motion tracking. If it is fixed for the linux server, I think we might see the game balance differently.
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