Aliens are still way much op, aren't they?

Classic319Classic319 Join Date: 2010-11-06 Member: 74789Members
<div class="IPBDescription">haven't tried this build, so just asking</div>
As my laptop cannot afford to run the game, i couldn't try this build on my own.

But i watched lots of streams on twitch.tv or youtube, and i've almost never seen marines winning the game. Even after khammander did lame fail on drifter train, they eventually won the game. And sadly, still easy map domination, even without any gorges. Good ideas on change, but failed ideas so far.

So i'm sure it's still overpowered, as almost no marine wins(at least on summit) at competitive games, but asking because there are some people saying aliens are weaker now. Please don't call it weak if the win rate is decreased from 99% to 97%.

Anyway, my question is whether it's still rly overpowered.

Comments

  • JuCCiJuCCi Join Date: 2011-08-08 Member: 114961Members, NS2 Map Tester
    Can make the full judgement to everything is in.
  • Omega_K2Omega_K2 Join Date: 2011-12-25 Member: 139013Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited April 2012
    I think this build is better in terms of balance because of:

    1) Sightly increased hitreg
    2) Slower alien expansion

    I've yet to play some more gathers to see how it works out, but I won more pub games as marine then usual, even on mineshaft.
  • XariusXarius Join Date: 2003-12-21 Member: 24630Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    It'd be naive to think one build can solve all balance issues, I think balance is slightly better but some big problems remain:
    - Some alien lifeforms come out too fast (fade, onos)
    - There's too many higher alien lifeforms present at any given time (you can easily see 3 - 4 fades and onos where as in NS 1 you'd rarely see that amount, game is not designed for having 7 marines vs 7 fades or 7 onos really)

    Slowing the alien expansion was an important step in cutting the alien map control advantage, though personally I still feel they can take it further, make the gorge even more important (I haven't seen competitive teams run with 1 gorge at the start of the game like was intended with this change, probably because most stuff still builds fast enough without a gorge anyway, the economy - aggression trade-off is not big enough yet) In addition, imo they really need to up the cost of augmentation, and slow/nerf the process of continious hive misting. (8 min lvl 2 alien abilities is still far too fast) and hopefully they will add more depth to the alien khamm decision making process while they're at it
  • Unknown_SoldierUnknown_Soldier Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6395Members
    edited April 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=1928518:date=Apr 22 2012, 12:20 PM:name=Xarius)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Xarius @ Apr 22 2012, 12:20 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1928518"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It'd be naive to think one build can solve all balance issues, I think balance is slightly better but some big problems remain:
    - Some alien lifeforms come out too fast (fade, onos)
    - There's too many higher alien lifeforms present at any given time (you can easily see 3 - 4 fades and onos where as in NS 1 you'd rarely see that amount, game is not designed for having 7 marines vs 7 fades or 7 onos really)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Tbh it's not a problem with speed, it's a problem with quantity. As you pointed out in NS1 you didn't see masses of higher lifeforms unless it was late into the game. This is because in NS1 you had a team resource sink via people being forced to go Gorge to drop upgrade chambers, RT's, and hives. You typically had multiple people on the team Gorge at the start to drop those (resource sink) with only a few people who saved up for Fade and/or Onos.

    Compare that to NS2 where upgrade chamber(s), RT's, and Hives have all been pushed off to the Alien Commander thus removing the team resource sink. The <b><u>timings</u></b> are probably fine; the <b><u>quantity</u></b> is the problem.
  • RisingSunRisingSun Rising California Join Date: 2004-04-19 Member: 28015Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Make gorges the only ones who can build cysts and you will see an even playing field.
  • Master BlasterMaster Blaster Join Date: 2012-03-17 Member: 148908Banned
    It's bad.

    Aliens: Win in 6 minutes with augmented hive.

    Marines: Win in 5 minutes before augmented hive.

    Any "long" games that have occured happened because of bad players.
  • peregrinusperegrinus Join Date: 2010-07-16 Member: 72445Members
    The game should come with a warning then that it only works if you're a pro player.
  • AtoneAtone Join Date: 2009-09-21 Member: 68839Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1928532:date=Apr 22 2012, 05:24 PM:name=RisingSun)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RisingSun @ Apr 22 2012, 05:24 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1928532"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Make gorges the only ones who can build cysts and you will see an even playing field.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Second.
  • PowerfuryOAPowerfuryOA Join Date: 2012-03-07 Member: 148314Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1928505:date=Apr 22 2012, 10:24 AM:name=Classic319)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Classic319 @ Apr 22 2012, 10:24 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1928505"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->But i watched lots of streams on twitch.tv or youtube, and i've almost never seen marines winning the game. Even after khammander did lame fail on drifter train, they eventually won the game. And sadly, still easy map domination, even without any gorges. Good ideas on change, but failed ideas so far.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It have been a lame fail, but it was an awesome drifter choo choo train.
  • paradoxumparadoxum United Kingdom Join Date: 2012-03-05 Member: 148193Members
    I still don't see as many gorges as I would have hoped, a lot of people just don't bother still, building construction needs to be much slower without the help of a gorge or people aren't going to bother - I thought they were going to be pretty much REQUIRED, but they're not.
  • SkugganSkuggan Join Date: 2010-03-19 Member: 71017Members
    You probably dont see many gorges because it is very boring to play. I think most competative teams have players that actually wants to use their skill rather than healing resnodes for 15 minutes.

    Gorge needs skilled abilitys we already have a builder, the Kham.
  • RiseRise Join Date: 2012-04-17 Member: 150595Members
    edited April 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=1928713:date=Apr 22 2012, 10:28 PM:name=Skuggan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Skuggan @ Apr 22 2012, 10:28 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1928713"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->You probably dont see many gorges because it is very boring to play. I think most competative teams have players that actually wants to use their skill rather than healing resnodes for 15 minutes.

    Gorge needs skilled abilitys we already have a builder, the Kham.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Like I've said, this system takes away the fun of a gorge being able to dictate where and when to place stuff, while still expecting them to have the responsibility of caretaking what the commander places down.

    I use to like going gorge in NS1 because it was a way to be the commander without actually having to fight for the chair, or as the case may be in NS2, fighting over the hive.

    Wasting large quantities of resources on minicysts and crappy turrets is not a fun way to play gorge.
  • YuukiYuuki Join Date: 2010-11-20 Member: 75079Members
    From what I've seen this week-end I would say the main problems are :

    - Fade blink and number of fades.
    - Lerk bilebomb.
    - Map problem (random spawn summit with vents in marine start or hard to go out marine start).

    About the fade a solution could be to decrease a lot swipe speed, so the fade has to do blink-swipe-blink-swipe instead of blink-swipe-swipe-kill.
  • BacillusBacillus Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58241Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1928729:date=Apr 23 2012, 09:26 AM:name=Yuuki)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Yuuki @ Apr 23 2012, 09:26 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1928729"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->About the fade a solution could be to decrease a lot swipe speed, so the fade has to do blink-swipe-blink-swipe instead of blink-swipe-swipe-kill.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Just out of interest, how does the math go with things like medpacks and welding at this point? How much does it take to help the marine survive the 2nd attack?
  • XariusXarius Join Date: 2003-12-21 Member: 24630Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    I would think the best solution to too many fades and onos would be cutting the amount of fades and onos, not nerfing the individual one< (Since that will make playing them a lot less satisfying) It's all in the resource model really.
  • BacillusBacillus Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58241Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1928742:date=Apr 23 2012, 10:13 AM:name=Xarius)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Xarius @ Apr 23 2012, 10:13 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1928742"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I would think the best solution to too many fades and onos would be cutting the amount of fades and onos, not nerfing the individual one< (Since that will make playing them a lot less satisfying) It's all in the resource model really.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    The res model has been debated for years now, but it's probably going to stay. Now it's more about how to make the present model work rather than reinventing the whole thing.
  • XariusXarius Join Date: 2003-12-21 Member: 24630Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    They could just simplify the current one, i.e bring it down from 2 - 3 different ones to 1 - 2, with just team resources for the commander. A fairly simple change that would solve the NS1 imbalanced AND address the NS 2 ones. (At the imo bearable loss of some player 'control' over when they get to play as higher lifeform or with better weapons, since that'd be up to the comm again)
  • YuukiYuuki Join Date: 2010-11-20 Member: 75079Members
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->About the fade a solution could be to decrease a lot swipe speed, so the fade has to do blink-swipe-blink-swipe instead of blink-swipe-swipe-kill.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    <!--quoteo(post=1928740:date=Apr 23 2012, 10:06 AM:name=Bacillus)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bacillus @ Apr 23 2012, 10:06 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1928740"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Just out of interest, how does the math go with things like medpacks and welding at this point? How much does it take to help the marine survive the 2nd attack?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I'm not sure exactly but blink-in/swipe/blink-out/blink-in/swipe should allow for useful medpacking. But it would mainly make the fade more fun for both side, removing delays and cooldowns, I personally find the blink-swipe-swipe-kill and foot battles to be a bit boring. For example with sg you can only shoot once before dying.
  • dalleckdalleck Join Date: 2012-04-07 Member: 150061Members
    Ok, this is kinda convoluted but I wanted to say it:

    The res model should reflect the asynchronous nature of the teams, and at this point it doesn't. Both Marines and Aliens have personal res, and team res. If Khaara have a system with only team res, both they and commander are sharing their res.
    Creating a whole team of onos' will severely limit the Khaams spending decisions, and there will need to be much more strategy to how aliens play out.
    In this system, the Khaam would be the supreme dictator and would pay team res and create a slot for an evolution. Players evolve menu then only shows lifeforms which the Khaam has payed for.

    If this is a too convoluted way to adjust the balance of the game, let me suggest a simpler way. Creat asymmetry in amounts extracted from RTs. If Marines gained more res per RT than aliens do (for example lets say alien RTs gets 2/3 of what a marine RT would get), this will give balance back to the Marine game, giving them a fairer opportunity to meet the Khaara head-on in the field of battle.
  • Gorge CostanzaGorge Costanza Join Date: 2012-03-16 Member: 148861Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    <!--quoteo(post=1928532:date=Apr 22 2012, 10:24 AM:name=RisingSun)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RisingSun @ Apr 22 2012, 10:24 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1928532"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Make gorges the only ones who can build cysts and you will see an even playing field.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    If you can find enough people who want to spend the game building cysts and holding down Mouse2 next to buildings rather than killing marines or doing anything fun, sure.
  • VeNeMVeNeM Join Date: 2002-07-13 Member: 928Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1928532:date=Apr 22 2012, 10:24 AM:name=RisingSun)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RisingSun @ Apr 22 2012, 10:24 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1928532"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Make gorges the only ones who can build cysts and you will see an even playing field.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    nah, i like heal spraying for 15 minutes. its very engaging and makes me feel like im part of the game. i dont want to build things and be useful i want to hold down my alt fire.
  • XariusXarius Join Date: 2003-12-21 Member: 24630Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    Problem is whatever you shift from the comm to the gorge or vice versa will make the former feel 'empty'. I.e take away cysts from the alien commander and it will feel as if he's lost a lot of control. Similarly, take away building and decision-making from the gorge, like they have done in NS 2 and the gorge will feel like an empty shell no longer enjoyable to play.

    A compromise that I came up with in the other thread was to give gorges full cysts (rather than mini ones) at 1 p.res each with comm cysts costing 2 t.res. This way it's a significant advantage for the alien economy to have a gorge do the cysting, though the comm can still place cysts as well in case of emergencies, if he wants to have an extra skulk on the frontline, etc. This makes the economy-aggression trade-off bigger than it is currently, makes the gorge more enjoyable and doesn't take anything away from the khamm. (He now only gets a choice, do I ask for someone to gorge and do the cysting to save T.res at the cost of more pressure on marines or instead do it myself and put more pressure on marines at the cost of slower tech/expansion)
  • PampelmusePampelmuse Join Date: 2005-04-06 Member: 47641Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1928528:date=Apr 22 2012, 01:16 PM:name=Unknown_Soldier)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Unknown_Soldier @ Apr 22 2012, 01:16 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1928528"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Compare that to NS2 where upgrade chamber(s), RT's, and Hives have all been pushed off to the Alien Commander thus removing the team resource sink. The <b><u>timings</u></b> are probably fine; the <b><u>quantity</u></b> is the problem.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    This is probably the main reason.
    My suggestion is to lower pres income, maybe 0.2 per rt/tick and then reintroduce res for kills.
    This would solve mass lifeforming at a time (hi 75 res mark) and reward marines a bit more in early game, where they should usually win a 1v1 engagement with a single skulk.

    This would close the gap between ns1 and ns2 res model and let the aliens have to depend more on early lerks to maintain map control in the first minutes of the game.
  • tocztocz Join Date: 2012-02-12 Member: 145070Members
    Fade counters every marine weapon and armor type. They are extremely mobile and can 1v2 easily. Skulks are extremely hard to hit with their weird animations while jumping. shotgun delay/lag makes it nearly useless in low fps situations. Flamethrower doesn't do enough damage. The LMG hit registration is all wrong. You can unload 3/4 a clip into a single skulk and only then get the kill. In a combat situation it does not take 10 or 14 shots to kill them. Or maybe it does and i still unload another 20 bullets do to death delay. Shotgun doesn't do enough damage at short-medium range. I've hit a skulk dead on 2 times and didn't get the kill. As aliens you can be a 1 man army and win the game for your team. As marines not so much. There is no upgrade path or weapon type that really allows a single marine to do much damage.
  • ellnicellnic Join Date: 2010-07-19 Member: 72559Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    mariens are winning more but they are still losing the majortiy of the games. Mineshaft though, i am yet to see the marines win on this build while i am playing
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