What is the point of Nutrient mist in 209?
Cee Colon Slash
Join Date: 2012-05-25 Member: 152581Members
Join Date: 2012-05-25 Member: 152581Members
I gather the change is that it now does not speed maturation, but only evolution and research time. I am guessing the base maturation speed has increased because I am finding the hives mature much quicker than in 208... where you needed to be continuously misting them.
Now it seems they have only two real purposes, one of which is borderline useful:
1. Speed research: so I drop a shell, it builds, then research cara or regen, and put a mist on it to make it research faster? It seems to me it's already pretty fast to research, and I'm better off using my energy to expand my cyst chain. I suppose now that we research the alien abilities mist could theoretically be more useful here... but it doesn't beg for a speed increase, like the hive maturation did.
2. Speed alien evolution: In theory, a great idea. In practice, what happens is the player starts evolving, remembers that they can ask for a mist for increased evolution speed... so by the time they vox or type the request, they're already 25-35% there. Then the khamm has to find their egg (tricky) and remember to click on it rather than the general area. I've had it many times that by the time I track down the egg to mist it, they're already at 80%. Why bother?
I'd much rather have a hive upgrade that speeds research and evolution times, like the new Healing Bed upgrade.
Now it seems they have only two real purposes, one of which is borderline useful:
1. Speed research: so I drop a shell, it builds, then research cara or regen, and put a mist on it to make it research faster? It seems to me it's already pretty fast to research, and I'm better off using my energy to expand my cyst chain. I suppose now that we research the alien abilities mist could theoretically be more useful here... but it doesn't beg for a speed increase, like the hive maturation did.
2. Speed alien evolution: In theory, a great idea. In practice, what happens is the player starts evolving, remembers that they can ask for a mist for increased evolution speed... so by the time they vox or type the request, they're already 25-35% there. Then the khamm has to find their egg (tricky) and remember to click on it rather than the general area. I've had it many times that by the time I track down the egg to mist it, they're already at 80%. Why bother?
I'd much rather have a hive upgrade that speeds research and evolution times, like the new Healing Bed upgrade.
Comments
That's the Drifter's Enzyme.
Your complaints regarding the evolution boost aren't fair; the game design shouldn't accomodate all and every misplay. If it works and is worth it when you can actually clearly communicate your evolution to your commander, it works as intended. Good communication and team work deserves to be rewarded.
Fair enough - and I agree that when it works, it is rewarding for both the comm and the player. But the problem as I see it is that it's probably the exception rather than the rule. As well - the alien commander model is designed on a "gardening" mythology - plant stuff and let it grow - seems to me, the opposite of the direct micromanagement style of the marine commander. The nutrient mist (and drifter enzyme, for that matter) stands in opposition of that ethic.