Aliens seem a bit OP in public servers

SolaritySolarity Join Date: 2012-11-13 Member: 170515Members, Reinforced - Shadow
I am not here to rant or rave or troll.

It seems that Aliens win a lot more than marines do. I have kommed and out of the ~20 games I have kommed, I have only lost 2 games. This is even without 5min onos. Marines my record is a bit worst, maybe about 2 losses for every 1 win. In small games aliens even get a major advantage as marines have to build, while the alien commander can easily cover the whole map as the aliens harass the marines.

Non-Comm xp:
When I play as a marine I do very well, up until the marines turtled into the last base. I do not play alien as well as I play marine when it comes to k:d ratio. Though end game that can change if I go onos.

I like playing both teams and enjoy the amount of diversity this game allows for. Though I do feel cheap going aliens sometimes and I guess that is the only thing that is really bugging me.

No matter what I will still enjoy and will continue to play the game.

-Solarity
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Comments

  • ImbalanxdImbalanxd Join Date: 2011-06-15 Member: 104581Members
    Current balance stats are at around 60-40 to aliens I think. This is primarily due to the recent crag changes made in 229. It should be addressed soon.
  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    edited November 2012
    The biggest imbalance in NS2 right now is still the maps. That being said, as a trend aliens are winning about 55% of games right now and marines 45%. The biggest balance factor between patch 228 and patch 229 was the changes in the last patch to craig hive upgrades. Regen now works in combat, and craigs themself now heal based on % of life, rather than a fixed number.

    For skulks this makes not too much difference, arguably regen is now about as useful as carapasc... But for onos, a regen onos can now outheal an AR shooting at him. During reloads his health gets back to full HP/Armor. Onos, being the major power broker on the alien team in NS2, is therefore WAY more powerful than he used to be, it takes signifigantly more concentrated effort to kill one, and you can't whittle him down over multiple engagements and force him back to the hive.

    This outright buff to the onos has resulted in the game feeling very skewed to the aliens in the recent patch.
  • DawormDaworm Join Date: 2009-06-22 Member: 67900Members
    It's more the 1.5sec out of combat heal that does it...

    Change that to say 3.5 sec and you'll see some balance again.
  • tarquinbbtarquinbb Join Date: 2012-11-03 Member: 166314Members
    edited November 2012
    tres onos is the ns2 equivalent of sc2 tvz 2rax.

    in the case of that sc2 build (which has been nerfed several times since release), the build was considered totally op and broken because it was basically a cheesy rush strategy from terran where even if zerg countered it PERFECTLY the terran would still come out ahead - ergo you were dumb if you were a terran NOT doing it. obviously a rush build should have a counter with a sufficient punishment to compensate for a 'risky' rush play.

    the problem with tres onos is that there is simply no marine strategy which can punish it. therefore it needs to go.

    edit: if anyone knows of a viable strategy to punish it on pub servers, please let me know.
  • HeatSurgeHeatSurge Some Guy Join Date: 2012-09-15 Member: 159438Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    <!--quoteo(post=2028210:date=Nov 18 2012, 03:37 PM:name=Imbalanxd)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Imbalanxd @ Nov 18 2012, 03:37 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028210"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Current balance stats are at around 60-40 to aliens I think. This is primarily due to the recent crag changes made in 229. It should be addressed soon.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Actually I don't think it is. You'll see when the changes are "reversed" or tuned down, whatever, it's going to be the same or nearly the same.

    I think something else is going on here, and it has to do with skill distribution or stacking issues or something.

    IMO the only thing that's absolutely OP in 229 is 100% camo. Passive regen could use a little nerf, as well as active regen a little delay, but camo turning into invisibility is just LOL - especially in pub servers.
  • WhitewhaleWhitewhale Join Date: 2012-11-08 Member: 168430Members
    aliens feel OP now

    i main as aliens and we never lose , regen on onus is ridiculous at the moment
  • CanucckCanucck Join Date: 2010-07-26 Member: 72987Members
    edited November 2012
    The last patch didn't help but 90% of marine issues come from commanders not knowing what to do and players not being able to aim/track/move. Marine commander is also a lot less forgiving than aliens, one wrong upgrade/decision in the first 5min will lose the game for marines unless they have a few really good players, where as with aliens its a lot more straight forward and harder to screw up

    i.e. if you're on marines and still have 30 armor by 8min it's pretty much auto-lose.
  • XariusXarius Join Date: 2003-12-21 Member: 24630Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    I rarely see alien teams go regen or crags, or even camouflage first, so I think people are exaggerating the impact of these changes on the alien winrate. That's not to say regen is a tad overkill at the moment, but with some finetuning I'm certain it will be a in a good place. (Better than 228, worse than 229). I still easily win a lot of games as marines, particularly when I'm commanding and have the ability to have a real grasp on my team's coordination.... and I also see most competitive games still favouring marines upto the onos t.res drop so I reckon stats alone don't really tell the whole story. (Not to mention maps play a big factor as well)

    They should seriously start by addressing the onos t.res egg drop, I've lost count of how many games this has won for the aliens, even when they've almost completely lost the early game.
  • HeatSurgeHeatSurge Some Guy Join Date: 2012-09-15 Member: 159438Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2028235:date=Nov 18 2012, 04:15 PM:name=Whitewhale)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Whitewhale @ Nov 18 2012, 04:15 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028235"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->i main as aliens and we never lose , regen on onus is ridiculous at the moment<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Except that in my experience it's kind of not. IMO regen is still as useless on onos as it was before. Regenning oni go down just as fast as they did in 228 or before in the games that I've seen/played.

    It helps you not to have to run to a hive or have a gorge to heal you, but in actual combat, where it really matters, it doesn't.
  • ClydeClyde Join Date: 2012-11-15 Member: 171438Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2028237:date=Nov 18 2012, 06:17 PM:name=Canucck)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Canucck @ Nov 18 2012, 06:17 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028237"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The last patch didn't help but 90% of marine issues come from commanders not knowing what to do and players not being able to aim/track/move. Marine commander is also a lot less forgiving than aliens, one wrong upgrade/decision in the first 5min will lose the game for marines unless they have a few really good players, where as with aliens its a lot more straight forward and harder to screw up

    i.e. if you're on marines and still have 30 armor by 8min it's pretty much auto-lose.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    This does seem to be the case. What that means is for pub games the marine team has to be significantly more skilled than the alien team to win. The real question is, if both teams were highly skilled would it be balanced? If that's the case then it's not as big of an issue because as the marines learn how to play better the balance will come. It does kind of suck for pubs though when the aliens win almost every time unless the marines are blessed with an amazing commander and a bunch of ace shooters.
  • CanucckCanucck Join Date: 2010-07-26 Member: 72987Members
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2028276:date=Nov 18 2012, 07:54 PM:name=Clyde)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clyde @ Nov 18 2012, 07:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028276"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This does seem to be the case. What that means is for pub games the marine team has to be significantly more skilled than the alien team to win. The real question is, if both teams were highly skilled would it be balanced? If that's the case then it's not as big of an issue because as the marines learn how to play better the balance will come. It does kind of suck for pubs though when the aliens win almost every time unless the marines are blessed with an amazing commander and a bunch of ace shooters.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Imo it means there needs to be more involvement for the alien commander, similar to marines. Either you dumb down marine commanding, or you beef up alien commanding, and I'm never a fan of dumbing things down. I think it is just taking longer for the avg player to realize what works and what doesn't as marines and in a few weeks things will feel more balanced in pubs, but it's far from ideal and the learning curves for both cmd/strategy and player skill need to be brought more in line with each other.

    Even if something is OK in pugs and competitive the gameplay still can't be too far from pubs, otherwise you create a significant skill gap that pub players have a really hard time overcoming before they can branch out into higher levels of play. The teams can be asymmetrical but basic strategy, thought process, and the learning curve for each side still needs to be on similar levels.
  • HeatSurgeHeatSurge Some Guy Join Date: 2012-09-15 Member: 159438Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    <!--quoteo(post=2028276:date=Nov 18 2012, 04:54 PM:name=Clyde)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clyde @ Nov 18 2012, 04:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028276"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This does seem to be the case. What that means is for pub games the marine team has to be significantly more skilled than the alien team to win. The real question is, if both teams were highly skilled would it be balanced? If that's the case then it's not as big of an issue because as the marines learn how to play better the balance will come. It does kind of suck for pubs though when the aliens win almost every time unless the marines are blessed with an amazing commander and a bunch of ace shooters.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    This is kind of the unfortunate result from using tournament games to balance the pub games.

    Marines won something like 7/8 games last weekend if I remember correctly? Granted, that was 228.

    But yeah, people in comp games are amazing, so to have the same games in pub, you have to have equally amazing players.
  • SolaritySolarity Join Date: 2012-11-13 Member: 170515Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Now that I think about it Marine comms can't drop Dual Exos at all, which Dual Exos will go down vs an onos. In order for a marine to get dual exos they most have two com stations, adv armory, proto lab, and a marine that has 75 res, which will take about 15mins if they have 4 res nodes up. Compared to a alien com who only needs two hives and the tres. The onos needs to be a little less powerful or the exos need a buff. To add to that the fade seems like the unwanted step child that is to expensive and to squishy compared to an onos.

    I agree that marine commanding is a lot more stressful and I do not enjoy it like I do Alien commanding. Though multitasking is not my forte, so marine com is a little overwhelming at this time, at least until I get a better hang of the game. The alien comm seems more of a supportive role, while the marine you are suppose to support and lead. I also do need to work on coordinating attacks when it gets to the end. Marines are deff OP when it comes to turtling, aliens don't turtle well at all. :p
  • turtsmcgurtturtsmcgurt Join Date: 2012-11-01 Member: 165456Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    <!--quoteo(post=2028249:date=Nov 18 2012, 03:27 PM:name=Xarius)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Xarius @ Nov 18 2012, 03:27 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028249"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I rarely see alien teams go regen or crags, or even camouflage first, so I think people are exaggerating the impact of these changes on the alien winrate. That's not to say regen is a tad overkill at the moment, but with some finetuning I'm certain it will be a in a good place. (Better than 228, worse than 229). I still easily win a lot of games as marines, particularly when I'm commanding and have the ability to have a real grasp on my team's coordination.... and I also see most competitive games still favouring marines upto the onos t.res drop so I reckon stats alone don't really tell the whole story. (Not to mention maps play a big factor as well)

    They should seriously start by addressing the onos t.res egg drop, I've lost count of how many games this has won for the aliens, even when they've almost completely lost the early game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    With the latest patch, I find it dumb not to go shade first or second hive. Camo is just too effective. (assuming skulk) You are literally guaranteed 75 damage before they even know you're in the room, you'll get the second bite by the time they turn around and hit you. If you want to secure the early game kill, open with Parasite and quickly switch and bite them. You will get the kill. I feel that once Camo becomes more common early game, it's going to be more damaging to the game (player-base/morale/ect) than the 6 minute onos. Might as well give the Skulk the ability to stun, that'll be just as fun.
  • SavantSavant Join Date: 2002-11-30 Member: 10289Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Having played marines extensively, I think they're fine. Maybe tweak some small things (electrified res nodes, no Onos egg drop and buff the EXOs) but the major issue right now is that the game is new.

    Marine commander is a much harder role to master than Alien commander. Furthermore, marine success depends greatly on the marines playing as a TEAM. That's something that isn't as important for Aliens. You can run off as a skulk and go rambo stuff and you're doing fine. Do that as a Marine and you're dead and the team suffers.

    The other big issue right now is that there is very little forgiveness in the game. All it takes is one Marine commander mistake at a crucial moment and the game is over. No second chances. Aliens again get for more forgiveness.

    Once people learn the game you will see the wins even up.
  • NSDigiNSDigi Join Date: 2010-04-23 Member: 71503Members
    <!--coloro:#2E8B57--><span style="color:#2E8B57"><!--/coloro-->Arguing balance on pub servers is <i>almost </i>a waste of time.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->
  • SaniKSaniK Join Date: 2012-11-04 Member: 166850Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2028212:date=Nov 18 2012, 02:39 PM:name=Swiftspear)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Swiftspear @ Nov 18 2012, 02:39 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028212"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The biggest imbalance in NS2 right now is still the maps. That being said, as a trend aliens are winning about 55% of games right now and marines 45%. The biggest balance factor between patch 228 and patch 229 was the changes in the last patch to craig hive upgrades. Regen now works in combat, and craigs themself now heal based on % of life, rather than a fixed number.

    For skulks this makes not too much difference, arguably regen is now about as useful as carapasc... But for onos, a regen onos can now outheal an AR shooting at him. During reloads his health gets back to full HP/Armor. Onos, being the major power broker on the alien team in NS2, is therefore WAY more powerful than he used to be, it takes signifigantly more concentrated effort to kill one, and you can't whittle him down over multiple engagements and force him back to the hive.

    This outright buff to the onos has resulted in the game feeling very skewed to the aliens in the recent patch.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Couldnt agree more.
  • BearTornadoBearTornado Join Date: 2012-11-02 Member: 166223Members
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2028505:date=Nov 18 2012, 11:06 PM:name=NSDigi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NSDigi @ Nov 18 2012, 11:06 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028505"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--coloro:#2E8B57--><span style="color:#2E8B57"><!--/coloro-->Arguing balance on pub servers is <i>almost </i>a waste of time.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Nonsense. The marine team should always require significantly less effort skill-wise to stroll into a victory, otherwise the pub marines might actually have to get better.
  • SayHiToYourMomSayHiToYourMom Join Date: 2012-11-02 Member: 166155Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2028230:date=Nov 18 2012, 03:10 PM:name=HeatSurge)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HeatSurge @ Nov 18 2012, 03:10 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028230"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Actually I don't think it is. You'll see when the changes are "reversed" or tuned down, whatever, it's going to be the same or nearly the same.

    I think something else is going on here, and it has to do with skill distribution or stacking issues or something.

    IMO the only thing that's absolutely OP in 229 is 100% camo. Passive regen could use a little nerf, as well as active regen a little delay, but camo turning into invisibility is just LOL - especially in pub servers.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    You couldn't be more wrong if you tried to be wrong.

    It's not skill distro, it's broken.

    Check ns2stats.org, then look at the COMPETITIVE W/L for Aliens and Marines.

    See how its 70/30 Aliens?

    Now what will your excuse be? The BETTER pros are playing Aliens and the WORSE pros gravitate towards Marines?

    Nuh uh. They broke it, (BTW, check the 228 stats, it was 60/40 Aliens/Marines)
  • SayHiToYourMomSayHiToYourMom Join Date: 2012-11-02 Member: 166155Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2028505:date=Nov 18 2012, 10:06 PM:name=NSDigi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NSDigi @ Nov 18 2012, 10:06 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028505"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--coloro:#2E8B57--><span style="color:#2E8B57"><!--/coloro-->Arguing balance on pub servers is <i>almost </i>a waste of time.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Explain the 70/30 unbalance on PRO servers in 229 then.
  • MerlinCrossMerlinCross Join Date: 2012-11-08 Member: 168471Members
    edited November 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=2028505:date=Nov 18 2012, 11:06 PM:name=NSDigi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NSDigi @ Nov 18 2012, 11:06 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028505"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--coloro:#2E8B57--><span style="color:#2E8B57"><!--/coloro-->Arguing balance on pub servers is <i>almost </i>a waste of time.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Would love to see the reasoning behind that, seeing as pubs are probably cover most the playerbase.

    On topic, eh give them a patch or two and we'll be complaining about how the marines seem a bit OP. As long as the win/loss ratios are close and the fact that these can swing in favor from one team to the other from patch to patch, I'm okay with it.
  • HivelordHivelord Join Date: 2003-06-21 Member: 17567Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Competitive players play pub as well. If pubs are not enjoyable then everyone loses.
  • FappuchinoFappuchino Join Date: 2012-10-10 Member: 162008Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2028505:date=Nov 18 2012, 11:06 PM:name=NSDigi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NSDigi @ Nov 18 2012, 11:06 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028505"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--coloro:#2E8B57--><span style="color:#2E8B57"><!--/coloro-->Arguing balance on pub servers is <i>almost </i>a waste of time.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Implying NS2 gets a constant influx of rookies. Pubs and their players only get better.
  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2028505:date=Nov 19 2012, 02:06 AM:name=NSDigi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NSDigi @ Nov 19 2012, 02:06 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028505"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--coloro:#2E8B57--><span style="color:#2E8B57"><!--/coloro-->Arguing balance on pub servers is <i>almost </i>a waste of time.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Depends. If it's "I tried this in a pub and bleh!" I completely and totally agree with you. But you can learn a lot from statistical analysis even in pubs. You just have to throw away outliers.
  • SavantSavant Join Date: 2002-11-30 Member: 10289Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    This is why I would *SO* love to see a 'tournament mode' that would allow the game to be 'balanced' for competitive play. If you balance for clans the public servers suffer greatly, and they represent the vast majority of the player base. However, competitive play has it's place as well, and it shouldn't be sacrificed for sake of pub play.

    So do BOTH. Balance for public play, then have the clan base alter the game for tournament mode. They get their balanced game, and the public get to play a game that doesn't require insane skills to feel balanced in.

    We've had this problem since the mod was released, and while it's all well and good for the developers to want to stick to 'one set' of variables, the reality is that you will never be able to properly balance the game for both player groups.
  • HeatSurgeHeatSurge Some Guy Join Date: 2012-09-15 Member: 159438Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    After playing over the weekend, I am convinced that either I have had the most terrible luck of finding the most terrible servers in the terrible universe, or that the 56:44 stats on ns2stats are obscenely grossly understated.

    I must've played about 20+ rounds over the weekend, and I think marines won about 2 of them, without exaggeration.

    I don't know what it is... regen, camo, crags, hitreg, player stacking, marine com failure, marine player failure, planet alignment... but all I have to say is that Charlie has really got to work some magic in 230 for me to consider approaching the game with any normalcy. I'm starting to lose hope that marines can win in 229, good players or not.
  • MuckyMcFlyMuckyMcFly Join Date: 2012-03-19 Member: 148982Members, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Shadow
    Marines need to work more as a team where as aliens can run off and do their own thang! Buddy up, get an agressive com and win win win :P
  • Omega_K2Omega_K2 Join Date: 2011-12-25 Member: 139013Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    You can easily win with OP Regen and Onos Egg spam. Applies to competive and pub matches.

    When marines win, teams were unbalanced in one way or another. Either one team had a bad com, or one team had more skilled players, or a mix of both.
  • BabaganoushBabaganoush Join Date: 2012-11-19 Member: 172398Members
    Maps are one thing. I have yet to see Marines win in that Lava Flows map.

    The next thing is that regeneration speed as an Onos. Its like my personal little gorge in my belly.

    And yes, I agree - marines need WAY more teamwork than aliens, especially when a lone skulk can solo res nodes constantly (which is perfectly fine if you thought I was complaining about skulks)
  • tarquinbbtarquinbb Join Date: 2012-11-03 Member: 166314Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2028505:date=Nov 19 2012, 06:06 AM:name=NSDigi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NSDigi @ Nov 19 2012, 06:06 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2028505"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--coloro:#2E8B57--><span style="color:#2E8B57"><!--/coloro-->Arguing balance on pub servers is <i>almost </i>a waste of time.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    since the entire population of internet world have already taken a bite on this little gem, i thought i might as well have a go as well..

    anyway, without further ado my reply:

    what a crock.
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