Community/Developer position on Marine Hopping

24

Comments

  • mechanicalDRmechanicalDR Join Date: 2012-03-20 Member: 149019Members
    I am so guilty of doing this. It has saved my marine life so many times. That capability should still be there because it adds skill and athleticism to close combat instead of "oh that skulk managed to get to me without me shooting it now I dead". What should be looked at is skulk movement being unable to cope with this. Nicely timed dodges should force the alien to be consistent with his movement and bites and ensure the kill. If movement doesn't even allow this, than yeah it's a problem.
  • TinkerTinker Join Date: 2003-03-11 Member: 14395Members
    Skulks should of course be able to reach the marine after the maneuver but the silly jump dance has been one of the defining parts of NS, at least for me. That tension as the 2 sides fight to close/maintain space and avoid that 1 hit that means the difference between living and dying.

    I do understand to a degree the dislike for the type of gameplay but I've enjoyed it for 10 years now in one form or another.
  • JAMESEARLJONOSJAMESEARLJONOS Join Date: 2012-12-15 Member: 175155Members
    Savant wrote: »
    And yes, there is a right way to play.
    No, there is not. Suggesting there is a single 'right way' to play is the epitome of elitist arrogance, and frankly is not worth responding to. You play your way, I'll play mine. I do quite well without spamming my jump key like a moron.

    Here, I'll spell out the facts in a way that's easy to understand, even for you:

    1.) Dodging enemy attacks leads to less damage taken.

    2.) Less damage taken greatly increases your odds of winning an encounter

    3.) The most effective way of dodging as a marine is frequent and effective use of jumping

    4.) If you're not frequently using jump to dodge skulks, you're taking more damage, dying more frequently, and losing more fights.


    Make sense now? If for some reason the above was too tough to understand, I could also just pub in the same server with you and put up a vastly superior k/d. Whatever works for you :]

  • SavantSavant Join Date: 2002-11-30 Member: 10289Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Make sense now? If for some reason the above was too tough to understand, I could also just pub in the same server with you and put up a vastly superior k/d. Whatever works for you :]
    Ahh yes, more elitist arrogance. You know it all and anyone who doesn't play your way is wrong. Everyone must bow down to your l33tness.

    [-(
  • CalegoCalego Join Date: 2013-01-24 Member: 181848Members, NS2 Map Tester
    edited March 2013
    As long as we're talking about realism and immersion in the game, I could pull out the fact that my bullets that hit skulks don't kill them instantly, or else injure them irreparably. Or how the skulk bites don't make marine legs fall off or knees break. (Insert bite to the knee joke here)

    If this whole jumping maneuver keeps me alive for another half a second, I've got an extra half a second to pump as much lead as possible into this crazy dog thing gnawing on my leg. I'll take that half second any day. To not jump against a skilled skulk that just got the jump on me is even more certain death than letting him get the jump on me in the first place. By jumping to the side I might make that skulk miss his full on 75 bite for a 50 or even a 25, which gives me more time to pump my rounds into him.

    The idea of buying time is also desirable to give your comm time to react and drop you medpacks, giving you even more time to kill the thing. Even if you don't kill the skulk, you've injured it to the point that the marine running to back you up has a better chance of killing it.

    It is true that ideally you'll kill the skulk before he even gets close to you but if you manage to do so, that skulk wasn't doing his job quite right. Ambushing is the name of the game, why should I run at them to close the distance when they'll so kindly close the distance themselves if I just hang out up here?

    In short, jumping is a fairly basic mechanic to use in prolonging your longevity and one of the only ones marines have once the skulks get in close, I wouldn't touch it (unless somehow the rifle butt was a bit more useful).
  • Mattk50Mattk50 Join Date: 2013-02-04 Member: 182824Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Savant wrote: »
    Make sense now? If for some reason the above was too tough to understand, I could also just pub in the same server with you and put up a vastly superior k/d. Whatever works for you :]
    Ahh yes, more elitist arrogance. You know it all and anyone who doesn't play your way is wrong. Everyone must bow down to your l33tness.

    [-(
    I suppose you want us to balance the game around people who want to always walk aroundb ackwards then? Are people who walk forwards arrogant elitists too? Yeah, those damn elitists who walk forward, who do they think they are telling me how to play!
  • pendelum5pendelum5 Join Date: 2012-10-29 Member: 164317Members
    Why not just give Marines an acceleration nerf so they can't 180-momentum shift jump?
  • PimpToadPimpToad Join Date: 2012-11-02 Member: 166005Members
    I always found the strafe jump mechanic dumb in a game that uses asymmetrical balance with one faction relying heavily on melee combat. Marines are supposed to be at a heavy disadvantage when skulks are within their optimal range, not have the capability to weave and dodge through bites with "skillful" use of jumps.

    With that said, I find myself guilty of strafe jumping every now and then even though I actively try to avoid doing so. My survivability increases tenfold when I do and I'll take what advantages I can get when roughly half my bullets having a tendency to phase out into the void.

    I'll use this mechanic as I can strafe jump decently thanks to my prior experiences and it helps me survive encounters with alien lifeforms. However I will not be against the removal of this dumb mechanic in favor of something like increased strafing speed in combat, a longer delay between jumps, or a combination of both.

    Hell its bad enough when you give marines a weapon that dominates the melee range (sup shotgun) but a mechanic to reliably dodge too?
  • TinkerTinker Join Date: 2003-03-11 Member: 14395Members
    And yet with both those things marines are just now coming somewhere NEAR balance in wins. I'm not against the concept of removing the jump dodging but I'd want something in place that leaves the same feeling of bullet vs teeth ballet that has had me playing this game for a decade.
  • SavantSavant Join Date: 2002-11-30 Member: 10289Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Mattk50 wrote: »
    I suppose you want us to balance the game around people who want to always walk aroundb ackwards then? Are people who walk forwards arrogant elitists too?
    Did you read what he wrote further up? He is saying if a person is not playing the way he plays, then he is playing the game wrong. That's what makes him an arrogant elitist, since he seems to think that he is better than everyone else and that if you don't play "his way" then you are "playing wrong".

    Still want to defend him?

  • JAMESEARLJONOSJAMESEARLJONOS Join Date: 2012-12-15 Member: 175155Members
    edited March 2013
    Savant wrote: »
    Did you read what he wrote further up? He is saying if a person is not playing the way he plays, then he is playing the game wrong. That's what makes him an arrogant elitist, since he seems to think that he is better than everyone else and that if you don't play "his way" then you are "playing wrong".

    Still want to defend him?

    As much as you'd like to think otherwise, the quality of a player speaks volumes about the quality of tactics he's using. A player who's drastically outperforming other players is clearly approaching the game in an objectively better fashion than the players who are doing significantly worse. I mean, you can play the game you want to play it if you insist on trying to be a unique snowflake, but it's not going to change the fact that your preferred style of play is heavily suboptimal. Facts are facts.
  • SavantSavant Join Date: 2002-11-30 Member: 10289Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    I mean, you can play the game you want to play it if you insist on trying to be a unique snowflake, but it's not going to change the fact that your preferred style of play is heavily suboptimal. Facts are facts.
    The problem is that you are so blinded by your own ego that you don't understand there is more than one way to play a game. "Your way" is not the only way, and while you are welcome to believe in the delusion that you are the center of the universe, everyone else will keep playing the way they want to play.
  • SavantSavant Join Date: 2002-11-30 Member: 10289Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    You can play the way you want to play - it's just going to be severely suboptimal compared to the people who actually know what they're doing. And it's not "just me", it's any top level marine who consistently does well in this game.
    I'm not a comp player. I don't play this game to show off my l33t K/D ratio while the game goes down the toilet for want of teamwork.
    If you're fine with playing on a level that's significantly below better players, then all the more power to you.
    LOL! Man you are so full of yourself, aren't you? I wish I played more on NS2stats servers, so I could find more examples, (other than this and this) but you may be horrified to learn I can actually hold my own out there, without jumping around like crazy. Imagine that... Of course some games my K/D ratio isn't very hot, but then again I don't play for kills, I play for points and for teamwork.

    Frankly, if you are jumping to avoid a skulk then YOU are the one who is playing sub-optimally, since you allowed your opponent to get the jump on you. Maybe if you had better play skills you wouldn't need to all that jumping, hmmm? If I have to spam my space bar then it tells me that I have made a tactical failure. In the beginning I did that, then I realized it was better not to put myself in that situation. Now I'm more risk aware and I can anticipate attacks before I find myself in over my head.

    You do what you like jump-spam-boy, I really don't care. But don't be trying to tell anyone that you are the 'king of NS2' and that only your playstyle is the right one. You haven't earned that right
  • Nemesis6Nemesis6 Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6633Members
    Keep the jumping, but make shooting impossible or wildly inaccurate while you're in the air. This shouldn't be a thing, and that's how I think it should be solved.
  • TalesinTalesin Our own little well of hate Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
    edited March 2013
    I'll again remind all involved that insults aimed at other forum members, whether blatant or snide, are NOT tolerated.
    I'd say that we've gone over the line already in a few instances. If it continues, there will be repercussions.

    Be polite, and keep it civil.
  • JAMESEARLJONOSJAMESEARLJONOS Join Date: 2012-12-15 Member: 175155Members
    edited March 2013
    Savant wrote: »
    Frankly, if you are jumping to avoid a skulk then YOU are the one who is playing sub-optimally, since you allowed your opponent to get the jump on you. Maybe if you had better play skills you wouldn't need to all that jumping, hmmm? If I have to spam my space bar then it tells me that I have made a tactical failure. In the beginning I did that, then I realized it was better not to put myself in that situation. Now I'm more risk aware and I can anticipate attacks before I find myself in over my head.

    You do what you like jump-spam-boy, I really don't care. But don't be trying to tell anyone that you are the 'king of NS2' and that only your playstyle is the right one. You haven't earned that right

    Apparently you don't have much success being aggressive against RTs in any sort of solo fashion. Because if you did, you'd know there are plenty of situations in where you kill 2-3 skulks, and still have more coming at you when both weapons are stuck reloading. I've won countless 1v3s/1v4s by buying time for reloads while jump juking the last few skulks to arrive. Let alone more common situations like awful doorway skulks (who you can kill/evade easily), but still close distance by simply being behind an object you have to push through.

    But yeah, if you're bad at the game, can't solo attack RTs, and generally don't play in an aggressive fashion, I can see how you could be under the delusion that skulks can never get near a marine. Newsflash: Marines have enough combat power in this game that you can aggressively rush into enemy areas, and win via superior aim and movement abilities. Especially once shotguns come into play. Killing 7-8 skulks in the span of 20 seconds with a shotgun is easily doable, but only if you have the ability to aim well and make enough close range jukes to keep yourself alive.

    And as far as the rounds you linked? I'd be embarassed to link those if it were me. Given your kills in relation to the time played on the map, they simply paint a picture of a marine who is passive and doesn't do much for his team at all. Actually explains a lot in regards to why you complain about marine balance so much in fact. Because if you're playing defensive and doing poorly, you aren't making the critical plays needed to win the game for your team :]





  • SavantSavant Join Date: 2002-11-30 Member: 10289Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    you'd know there are plenty of situations in where you kill 2-3 skulks, and still have more coming at you when both weapons are stuck reloading. I've won countless 1v3s/1v4s by buying time for reloads while jump juking the last few skulks to arrive.
    Hey, if jumping around can fool some hapless skulks, go for it. Heck, you could be eating a sandwich and killing some skulks, there are many that are that bad. However, I know many who are good. Insanely good. So good that if you have let them get into melee range, all the jumping in the world isn't going to save you.
    And as far as the rounds you linked? I'd be embarassed to link those if it were me.
    Did you not read what the mod said about insults? I'm not going to respond to your abuse any further. If you want to go back into post jail, be my guest. I'm done with you.

  • JAMESEARLJONOSJAMESEARLJONOS Join Date: 2012-12-15 Member: 175155Members
    edited March 2013
    Also, since actions speak louder than words. Here's a video I recorded on one take after being accused of cheating on a server. Playing with terrible FPS and stuttering the entire time. This particular part demonstrates what happens when your movement doesn't suck as a marine:

    http://tinyurl.com/a6v6y6b (youtube link at a specific time. can't seem to direct link without the forum transforming it into a link at the beginning)

    Perfect example of a situation in where you need good movement to survive. Without well timed jump jukes, I certainly would have lost that 1v3.

    P.S.: I ended that pub as 28-3 even with the horrible FPS.
    Savant wrote: »
    Did you not read what the mod said about insults? I'm not going to respond to your abuse any further. If you want to go back into post jail, be my guest. I'm done with you.

    Saying I'd be embarassed about linking rounds with poor performance is abuse?
  • joshhhjoshhh Milwaukee, WI Join Date: 2011-06-21 Member: 105717Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester
    edited March 2013
    Is this thread for real? Marine hoping is a huge part of the game.
    Marines have ranged weapons which are used to kill skulks at a distance. If the skulk does close the distance, you do whatever you can to create more distance.

    I agree with just about everything JamesEarl posted. He isn't being an elitist at all. All he is saying that if there is a mechanic (marine jumping) that helps you excel in the game, do it. It isn't an exploit nor a cheat. So there really isn't any logical reason not to.
  • Katana-Katana- Join Date: 2008-11-25 Member: 65575Members
    Savant: I think you should re-read some of your posts. Check your attitude. If any one is being arrogant it is you.

    I don't see any where in JameEarlyJonos' posts where he does anything other than say jumping helps him survive in encounters with multiple skulks. I don't think any player can really deny that. In fact the purpose of the thread was to discuss wither or not it provides too much survivability.

    Form the sound of your posts, you are saying you good enough that you don't need the extra survivability provided by frequent jumping and you go on to imply that any one who even uses jumping to improve survivability is a poor player because they made a 'tactical' error.

    On topic:

    NS uses twitch shooter mechanics. It always has. NS1 had fast paced, free movement, recoil-less gun play. NS2 has the same.

    Marine hoping to dodge has been a part of NS for 10 years. I don't see any reason to change something so fundamental. At most a slight nerf to marine acceleration or strafing speed is imaginable.

    To me, the feel of skulk vs marine is pretty good right now. Probably the best it has been in NS2.



  • SavantSavant Join Date: 2002-11-30 Member: 10289Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Katana- wrote: »
    Savant: I think you should re-read some of your posts. Check your attitude. If any one is being arrogant it is you. I don't see any where in JameEarlyJonos' posts where he does anything other than say jumping helps him survive in encounters with multiple skulks.
    Are you not reading his posts?
    Movement options when dealing with skulks aren't really a matter of opinion or preference.
    And yes, there is a right way to play. ... Your line of reasoning is flawed and indicative of a very low level of play.
    Make sense now? If for some reason the above was too tough to understand, I could also just pub in the same server with you and put up a vastly superior k/d. Whatever works for you
    I won't bother posting more, since the attitude in his posts already got him a warning from the mods and he has been post jailed once already.

    No one, especially not the poster in question, has the right to suggest that their way is the only right way to play. That's just plain arrogance and I have no time for it. I won't be saying more on the matter since frankly it's not worth my time. Have an issue with me? Take it to private messages or take it to the mods.
  • ResRes Join Date: 2003-08-27 Member: 20245Members
    You call that low fps james? That video shows much smoother gameplay than my computer :/

  • CyberKunCyberKun Join Date: 2013-02-02 Member: 182733Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Oh hey it is James Earl Onos. I blame you for our loss earlier today.

    I feel like the biggest issue with the Marines is that their movement is only really based off of jumping. Walking backwards stops them to a crawl and while I understand why it is needed, I think the best thing for their movement is to not have that be so excessively bad. Then once that is the case, lower the effectiveness of jumping slightly. This will give the Marines more options than jumping, and help the newer players that don't understand the only useful movement is the dumb jump spam. So yeah, I think the effectiveness of jumping is a bit too strong.

    For helpful future discussion, what speed can the Marines get with proper jump movement compared to the Slulk?
  • matsomatso Master of Patches Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7000Members, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, Squad Five Gold, Reinforced - Shadow, NS2 Community Developer
    Well, jumping does not give you extra speed . There are a few advantages though;

    - it allows you to turn in the air and move backwards without the backwards walking penalty.
    - makes you a smaller target, taking you out of the view of the skulk and possibly making his bite miss.
    - may allow you to jump over the skulk
    - allows you to crouch without loosing speed, making you an even smaller target

    But it does not actually change your horizontal speed any.

    Base skulk speed is 7 m/s, which usually gets to about 8-11 if walljumping. However, a skulk takes longer to reverse his direction than a marine does, which (together with the latency) allows for juking to be effective.

    Marines have a base speed of 5, increasing to 6 (5.2 on infestation) for sprinting (somewhat modified by what you are carrying).

  • pearlykpearlyk Join Date: 2013-01-19 Member: 180732Members
    @Savant

    He (James) didn't say anything wrong, you can play however you want, but if there's a better way of playing you would be a fool to not try it, think for a second, you could have turned situations you lost into wins if you tried to juke skulks, and no offense, but the NS2stats rounds you've linked are nothing special at all.

    If you don't want to "spam your jump key like a moron" then please don't post BS like "playing for teamwork" if you're not willing to utilize better strats for the greater good of your team.

    @Topic

    It's a perfectly valid tactic, and sure, it's annoying to play against as a skulk, but that's because the movement looks to be still messed up atm.
  • tarquinbbtarquinbb Join Date: 2012-11-03 Member: 166314Members
    edited March 2013
    the funny thing about this is that jumping as a marine is ONLY useful if the skulk can't aim or doesn't have the anticipation to expect the juking. it allows the marine to outplay/outsmart a skulk in a combat situation.

    what do you want... marines to be immobile while firing like a sentry gun? because that's effectively what you'll do if you alter it in the slightest.
  • tarquinbbtarquinbb Join Date: 2012-11-03 Member: 166314Members
    edited March 2013
    Also, since actions speak louder than words. Here's a video I recorded on one take after being accused of cheating on a server. Playing with terrible FPS and stuttering the entire time. This particular part demonstrates what happens when your movement doesn't suck as a marine:

    http://tinyurl.com/a6v6y6b (youtube link at a specific time. can't seem to direct link without the forum transforming it into a link at the beginning)

    Perfect example of a situation in where you need good movement to survive. Without well timed jump jukes, I certainly would have lost that 1v3.

    P.S.: I ended that pub as 28-3 even with the horrible FPS.
    Savant wrote: »
    Did you not read what the mod said about insults? I'm not going to respond to your abuse any further. If you want to go back into post jail, be my guest. I'm done with you.

    Saying I'd be embarassed about linking rounds with poor performance is abuse?

    if any decent marine had been killed by any of those skulks, they would be raging hard... i mean just cavorting towards a marine with full hp and a full LMG clip speaks volumes for the mindset and/or skill discrepancy.

    if marines couldn't beat that lame crap, the game would suck.

    (quoted because the video is relevant)
  • GISPGISP Battle Gorge Denmark Join Date: 2004-03-20 Member: 27460Members, Playtest Lead, Forum Moderators, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, Squad Five Gold, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Onos, WC 2013 - Gold, Subnautica Playtester, Forum staff
    Talesin wrote: »
    Be polite, and keep it civil.

    We wont tell you guys again, now STOP IT! Last change. - GISP
  • XaoXao Join Date: 2012-12-12 Member: 174840Members
    Res wrote: »
    ^this. It is not marine jumping that needs to be looked at , it is fine as is. It is the fact that a good "juking" marine can out pace a skulk in combat due to a recent acceleration change in 240.

    Taken from crisp movement thread:
    matso wrote: »
    Only the momentum ("feel-like-a-brick") bug was fixed. The improved hitreg is still there, as is the lower air control/acceleration. The latter changes are fairly subtle though - it's slightly harder to dodge, and marines have a slightly easier time to dodge you, as your acceleration is slightly lower.

    So skulks now lose all speed built up once they turn...into a strafe jumping marine.
    Karma.AU wrote: »
    model collision is not right yet.

    Is a nice way of saying what I would put as I'm not even sure if model collision even exists in NS2, the only consistency I find is skulks and marines go through each other while skulks will block every single alien life form all the time.


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