1 Free MAC at start, easy fix to greater balance?

tallhotblondetallhotblonde Join Date: 2012-12-11 Member: 174770Members, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Shadow
<div class="IPBDescription">just a thought</div>What If the marines were granted 1 free MAC at the start of each game, possibly a chief MAC of some sort with reduced HP but slightly faster build speed? and once it is destroyed another chief MAC cannot be purchased. This would free up the rest of the marine team who already struggle to gain ground against an extremely fast expanding alien commander.
All sorts of limitations could be enforced to stop it being a complete game changer, ie - unable to travel fast, limitation to range away from CC ECT... just a thought :)

Comments

  • NakorsonNakorson Join Date: 2012-01-13 Member: 140253Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=2045449:date=Dec 14 2012, 03:48 AM:name=tallhotblonde)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tallhotblonde @ Dec 14 2012, 03:48 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045449"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What If the marines were granted 1 free MAC at the start of each game, possibly a chief MAC of some sort with reduced HP but slightly faster build speed? and once it is destroyed another chief MAC cannot be purchased. This would free up the rest of the marine team who already struggle to gain ground against an extremely fast expanding alien commander.
    All sorts of limitations could be enforced to stop it being a complete game changer, ie - unable to travel fast, limitation to range away from CC ECT... just a thought :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    How about you just go and kill their freshly dropped RTs? and kill their cyst chain? They lose a lot of resources.
  • ComboBreakerComboBreaker Join Date: 2012-11-22 Member: 172856Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2045452:date=Dec 14 2012, 01:05 PM:name=Nakorson)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nakorson @ Dec 14 2012, 01:05 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045452"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->How about you just go and kill their freshly dropped RTs? and kill their cyst chain? They lose a lot of resources.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    How about skulk rush at your unprotected base?Good day.

    How what if you could buy a downgraded mac for 2 res - max of 3?Cant be upgraded,cant weild,only builds.

    While alien team income depends purely on commander,marines have to actively build stuff which gives a big advantage to the alien team.Give marine comm a way to control building in the early game and marine economy will get healthier.
  • NeokenNeoken Bruges, Belgium Join Date: 2004-03-20 Member: 27447Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Playtester
    Well, of course it would help the marine's economy, especially in pub games. But the less you rely on players to build stuff, the more you disconnect the comm from the players. And that makes it less fun, for commander and players, at least for me.

    If you want to balance the two sides based on their expansion rate, I'd suggest slowing down the alien economy by making them more dependent on gorges to build up structures (that are dropped by the comm).
  • CsaeCsae Join Date: 2012-11-17 Member: 172145Members
    edited December 2012
    Being able to build a MAC from a CC, for 5tres would be alot more helpful. Just to get ###### done... as it is, i hop in, drop a bunch of RTS, hop out and build my own armory.

    If you do make the kah more gorge oriented, please make their spit worthwhile... Getting a kill with it now is like throwing a really tiny super slow ball at a fast bouncing target, they always see it coming and dodge no problem, not to mention if the comm actually drops them a medpack...

    For 10pres, early game i feel underpowered :(

    Maybe i could belly slide into them and cause them to fall ala stomp ? Great for 1v1.... Or maybe the gorge tunnels will make me forget all about it, though i suspect that'll be a 3rd hive ability, since gorges are the only ones without one.
  • DwavenhobbleDwavenhobble Join Date: 2012-12-14 Member: 175044Members
    I do think it would help a bit in public games to balance things out. that or set it so the default maturation time is 1-2 seconds longer than the standard build time for a marine harvester / structure in return
  • bERt0rbERt0r Join Date: 2005-03-23 Member: 46181Members
    Bad idea. Marines building extractors and getting amushed while doing so is one of the major fun aspects of the game. Besides you cant really leave your mac alone anyway since it is defenseless.
  • NeoRussiaNeoRussia Join Date: 2012-08-04 Member: 154743Members
    edited December 2012
    people just want the commander and teammates to always be making the right decisions while having a bad commander/teammates not wasting the long time that they are in a round because bad decisions have weight to them. You can't have both.
  • DwavenhobbleDwavenhobble Join Date: 2012-12-14 Member: 175044Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2045529:date=Dec 14 2012, 12:02 PM:name=bERt0r)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bERt0r @ Dec 14 2012, 12:02 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045529"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Bad idea. Marines building extractors and getting amushed while doing so is one of the major fun aspects of the game. Besides you cant really leave your mac alone anyway since it is defenseless.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Actually you can. After taking over from a previous commander I sent a Mac on a near suicide run to Nano grid with build orders for a phase gate. No-one bothered with it and aliens didn't realise it was there. It drew the game out by 50 minutes despite the aliens having 3 hives up and me taking over with 1 command point only and with the aliens mostly at the door.
  • xxswatelitexxxxswatelitexx Join Date: 2012-11-16 Member: 171754Members
    It would be nice if Mac did come out of the CC or something.
    For a higher cost. Then you can get cheaper ones at the robotics facility
  • VeNeMVeNeM Join Date: 2002-07-13 Member: 928Members
    marines used to get a free mac, it didnt work.
  • NakorsonNakorson Join Date: 2012-01-13 Member: 140253Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=2045481:date=Dec 14 2012, 04:56 AM:name=ComboBreaker)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ComboBreaker @ Dec 14 2012, 04:56 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045481"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->How about skulk rush at your unprotected base?Good day.

    How what if you could buy a downgraded mac for 2 res - max of 3?Cant be upgraded,cant weild,only builds.

    While alien team income depends purely on commander,marines have to actively build stuff which gives a big advantage to the alien team.Give marine comm a way to control building in the early game and marine economy will get healthier.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    A single marine is enough to take out extractor, i didn't say a thing about the whole team?!?

    Aliens have a hard time if the marines pressure their RTs and if they have no gorge speeding up the build time. Marine RTs build already so fast, a good group of few marines can build ~5 RTs within the first two minutes of the game. The aliens can not build that much in the time. Also their RTs are far more vulnerable when build. Try camping a RT node which is already infested but no RTs is dropped. You can kill the freshly dropped RT very fast then kill the cyst chain. Also Aliens pay more for their RTs if you add the cysts required to build the RT which can be up to 7-8 cysts required.
  • xen32xen32 Join Date: 2012-10-18 Member: 162676Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    This will not grant marines any noticeable advantage, what could really help them get to 50% is:
    - Marines start with 2 IPs
    - Premade armory
    - 1 Free exo
    - 1 Free jetpack
    - 1 Flamrthower
    - Mines and welders researched by default

    Also, there should be no w0, a0, marines should start with w1, a1.
  • NakorsonNakorson Join Date: 2012-01-13 Member: 140253Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=2045663:date=Dec 14 2012, 10:06 AM:name=xen32)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xen32 @ Dec 14 2012, 10:06 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045663"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This will not grant marines any noticeable advantage, what could really help them get to 50% is:
    - Marines start with 2 IPs
    - Premade armory
    - 1 Free exo
    - 1 Free jetpack
    - 1 Flamrthower
    - Mines and welders researched by default

    Also, there should be no w0, a0, marines should start with w1, a1.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Good ideas there, but i think marines should also spawn with a nanoshield on them, i think its not good enough that skulks get thrown away 20m when they are attacking a IP and a marine spawns.
  • ZekZek Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7962Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited December 2012
    I'm not necessarily opposed to MACs at the start of the game, but if we're doing this let's skip the half-measures: remove MACs from the Robotics Facility and put them back on the Comm Station. Then maybe make their welding ability a robo factory upgrade. Or let them weld and remove free armor healing from the armory.
  • VeNeMVeNeM Join Date: 2002-07-13 Member: 928Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2045663:date=Dec 14 2012, 11:06 AM:name=xen32)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xen32 @ Dec 14 2012, 11:06 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045663"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This will not grant marines any noticeable advantage, what could really help them get to 50% is:
    - Marines start with 2 IPs
    - Premade armory
    - 1 Free exo
    - 1 Free jetpack
    - 1 Flamrthower
    - Mines and welders researched by default

    Also, there should be no w0, a0, marines should start with w1, a1.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    <!--quoteo(post=2045665:date=Dec 14 2012, 11:08 AM:name=Nakorson)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nakorson @ Dec 14 2012, 11:08 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045665"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Good ideas there, but i think marines should also spawn with a nanoshield on them, i think its not good enough that skulks get thrown away 20m when they are attacking a IP and a marine spawns.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    FACE

    PALM
  • rebirthrebirth Join Date: 2007-09-23 Member: 62416Members, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=2045669:date=Dec 14 2012, 05:15 PM:name=Zek)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zek @ Dec 14 2012, 05:15 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045669"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'm not necessarily opposed to MACs at the start of the game, but if we're doing this let's skip the half-measures: remove MACs from the Robotics Facility and put them back on the Comm Station. Then maybe make their welding ability a robo factory upgrade. Or let them weld and remove free armor healing from the armory.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    That sounds actually pretty awesome!
    Would love to see more MACs in early game without the need to go into a robo.
  • Omega_K2Omega_K2 Join Date: 2011-12-25 Member: 139013Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=2045663:date=Dec 14 2012, 05:06 PM:name=xen32)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xen32 @ Dec 14 2012, 05:06 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045663"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This will not grant marines any noticeable advantage, what could really help them get to 50% is:
    - Marines start with 2 IPs
    - Premade armory
    - 1 Free exo
    - 1 Free jetpack
    - 1 Flamrthower
    - Mines and welders researched by default

    Also, there should be no w0, a0, marines should start with w1, a1.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Ok, everyone get a welder and mines and lets walk into the alien hive with the exo and kill it :)
  • Champlo0Champlo0 Join Date: 2012-04-17 Member: 150617Members
    MACs build too slow for them to balance anything out. Removing armory build requirements from observatory and arms lab would help balance out the rate imo.
  • TripleZeroTripleZero Join Date: 2012-11-06 Member: 167764Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=2045481:date=Dec 14 2012, 11:56 AM:name=ComboBreaker)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ComboBreaker @ Dec 14 2012, 11:56 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045481"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->How about skulk rush at your unprotected base?Good day.

    How what if you could buy a downgraded mac for 2 res - max of 3?Cant be upgraded,cant weild,only builds.

    While alien team income depends purely on commander,marines have to actively build stuff which gives a big advantage to the alien team.Give marine comm a way to control building in the early game and marine economy will get healthier.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Yes, definetly.

    I agree completely with that.

    Its just so ridicoulus how the entire alien team can harrass the marines while the khammander can happily expand and build everything, while the marines are usually so tied up in fighting that you have to get out of the comm chair and build ###### yourself often enough.

    And even if you got people building, those guys are usually missing at the front then and the other players get overwhelmed.
  • Zora-LinkZora-Link Join Date: 2012-11-17 Member: 172195Members
    edited December 2012
    From another thread.

    <!--quoteo(post=2045278:date=Dec 13 2012, 09:27 PM:name=Zora-Link)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zora-Link @ Dec 13 2012, 09:27 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045278"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Something I think would be handy for marine commanders would be to give them a starting two MACs, as their expansion is incredibly reliant on the players in contrast to alien freely expanding.

    Part of why I greatly prefer alien command is because I don't have to rely on derpy players to build all my stuff. (People running past unbuilt extractors is the BEST. Especially early game.) While the MACs could still be killed, it would give a bit of autonomy to the marine commander, while allowing marines to actually spread out instead of being a man or two down in the beginning while they build stuff.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
  • JediPhreaKJediPhreaK Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167028Members
    I would like to see MACs become Phase shifted at least while Stationary, this would help you set a few aside out of the way where aliens couldn't see them. Then you could build stuff etc with them after a base rush or use them to repair etc.

    I wouldn't mind seeing your first 2-3 MACs be free when you build a new Command Center.
  • RobustPenguinRobustPenguin Join Date: 2012-08-17 Member: 155719Members
    <!--quoteo(post=2045481:date=Dec 14 2012, 10:56 AM:name=ComboBreaker)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ComboBreaker @ Dec 14 2012, 10:56 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2045481"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->How about skulk rush at your unprotected base?Good day.

    How what if you could buy a downgraded mac for 2 res - max of 3?Cant be upgraded,cant weild,only builds.

    While alien team income depends purely on commander,marines have to actively build stuff which gives a big advantage to the alien team.Give marine comm a way to control building in the early game and marine economy will get healthier.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    How about you build an observatory like any smart pub commander would?.

    Remember that extractors are nearly twice as tough as harvesters, dont require a long, expensive, weak cyst chain and can be recycled. Additionally marine teams arent punished as much for being on the other side of the map due to beacon..

    The win/loss ratio in pubs is due to marines not playing very well. Its so rare i see any harassment put on harvesters early and that simply leads to your loss.
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