More than 2 marine weapons? :O

Samus1111111Samus1111111 Join Date: 2012-08-07 Member: 154930Members, Reinforced - Shadow
Ok, not complaining, but tbh, I'm gonna have to say that there are serious problems with the marine weaponry...

Been watching the competitive matches recently and when you never see and FT/GL and only see SG in the late game I have to ask myself why that is. Why are these "utility" weapons not used by competitive players?

I have to say that it is because of the ridiculously crazy killing ability of the SG. IMHO, from what I've seen, the SG is a no brainer since you can pretty much 1 or 2 shot all alien life-forms making the alien team virtually useless in combat. Specifically when paired with JPs, SGs really shine with how crazy they are.

Any thoughts on why we don't see GL/FT in competitive matches (or even most pub matches for that matter)?
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Comments

  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    edited March 2013
    both of those weapons are supportive and/or fortification destroyers. Competitive players rather do the PvP thing, not so much the PVE thing ;)
  • Ghosthree3Ghosthree3 Join Date: 2010-02-13 Member: 70557Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    GL makes an appearance sometimes, and shotguns usually come up early, during the w1 stage.
  • countbasiecountbasie Join Date: 2008-12-27 Member: 65884Members
    edited March 2013
    I don't think the shotgun is too strong. It's Focus for the aliens (an upgrade from NS1) that's missing.
    With Focus they could do something against JP/SG as it is.

    That again means it would be harder for marines to get into aliens bases and rape.

    Plus, Alien bases are empty all the time, hydras don't do anything, no one uses Gorge tunnels or shifts in comp play (why?) so you don't need to wait in front of a base and spam grenades. Just run/fly in and kill the RT, no need for more.

    Somehow NS2 lost its epic battles where you need FL to get rid of all the fades and GLs to get in that base aliens won't let go.
  • GoldenGolden Join Date: 2004-09-01 Member: 31169Members, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, WC 2013 - Silver, NS2 Community Developer
    GLs and Flamethrowers are ineffective against players, and 6v6 is really a PvP game.

    Gorge tunnels are too expensive.

    Shifts are only really used for energy regeneration. Players in 6v6 tend to be more careful and thus die less often than in larger games, therefore the egg spawn ability isn't necessary.
  • countbasiecountbasie Join Date: 2008-12-27 Member: 65884Members
    Golden wrote: »
    Shifts are only really used for energy regeneration. Players in 6v6 tend to be more careful and thus die less often than in larger games, therefore the egg spawn ability isn't necessary.

    Well most of the alien losses is due to egg lock or just being too slow at those RTs that get killed...

  • SquishpokePOOPFACESquishpokePOOPFACE -21,248 posts (ignore below) Join Date: 2012-10-31 Member: 165262Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited March 2013
    Because in 6v6 players become more important than structures. It's not that FT/GL sucks, it just that JP/SG works better with fewer players.

    FT absolutely destroys in well-organized pub matches. But, I've personally stopped using it because I'm tired of flying in with 5 people behind me, dying, and then realizing that those 5 people flew back to some backwater extractor to kill one skulk. 8-}
  • MaximumSquidMaximumSquid Join Date: 2010-07-20 Member: 72593Members
    If I could out fit an Exo with a flamethrower I would be quite content with the Marine Arsonal as it stands

    About the only thing that feels like it's missing is a way for marines to instantly kill an aliens structure using pres
    Sachel Charges would be damn good although a risky alternative to ARCs
  • WillzZzWillzZz Join Date: 2013-01-31 Member: 182667Members
    Because competitive matches are about winning engagements (esp 1v1/2v2) , and you can't win engagements with either of those weapons. It's just too important to kill lifeforms, especially fades. Personally, I'd love to see a GL with: Less damage per round, more rounds per reload, faster reload per round, right-click detonate. Flame I'm not sure. Maybe if we gave it longer range, more akin to using umbra? It's kind of mediocre right now but some seem to love it.
  • Blarney_StoneBlarney_Stone Join Date: 2013-03-08 Member: 183808Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    GLs and FTs are not very good for PvP. Both of them are really PvE - GLs do massive damage to structures and FTs can clear away infestation really quickly. Competitive players are all about PvP, so they stick to the rifle and shotgun
  • FrothybeverageFrothybeverage Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13593Members
    GLs are situational, and hard countered by a structure(Aka The thing they're really good at killing).
    Flamethrowers kill 1 cyst per tap of the fire button, as long as said cyst actually gets hit, they reduce(or prevent, I can't remember which) alien energy regen while they're on fire(Gorge heal puts flames out), and are generally pretty bad, unless you're either leading the way, or following behind everyone.
  • ShinoShino Join Date: 2012-11-26 Member: 173316Members
    Nexzil tried to use grenade launchers.

    The main problem is that it's a pretty big investment (25pres + 25tres). On top of that, you have to catch the aliens off guard with it- if they see it, drop a single whip at your hive and it's completely ineffective.

    They stopped using them.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    GLs are situational, and hard countered by a structure(Aka The thing they're really good at killing).
    Flamethrowers kill 1 cyst per tap of the fire button, as long as said cyst actually gets hit, they reduce(or prevent, I can't remember which) alien energy regen while they're on fire(Gorge heal puts flames out), and are generally pretty bad, unless you're either leading the way, or following behind everyone.

    And an often overlooked part is the burning of Umbra and Spores
  • FrothybeverageFrothybeverage Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13593Members
    Yeah, but most people don't know/care even if you explain it to them.

    Either way:
    FTs are pretty bad.
    They do a lot of things, but don't do any of them well, except kill cysts.
    Boy do they kill cysts.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Pretty much yeah and the welder can do the same thing for a lower cost and it can repair. Clogs don't like fire either :P
  • FrothybeverageFrothybeverage Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13593Members
    Gorge structures in general, don't like fire.

    Also:
    Welders = Cyst killing without having to crouch.
  • MouseMouse The Lighter Side of Pessimism Join Date: 2002-03-02 Member: 263Members, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    GLs = The only weapon with a direct, hard counter
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    edited March 2013
    Mouse wrote: »
    GLs = The only weapon with a direct, hard counter
    Attached Babblers love shotties though :P

  • sotanahtsotanaht Join Date: 2013-01-12 Member: 179215Members
    I don't understand how you could say that 6v6 is more of a pvp game. If anything, 6v6 should be much LESS of a pvp game because it is so much easier to find a place where there are no enemy players nearby at all and just murder buildings all game. I'm able to find that sort of opening to solo (many) RTs and occasionally upgrades in every game I play, and I never play anything less than 9v9
  • FrothybeverageFrothybeverage Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13593Members
    6v6 competitive != 9v9 pub play.

    competitive games are way more coordinated, and ruthless.
  • WheeeeWheeee Join Date: 2003-02-18 Member: 13713Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    sotanaht wrote: »
    I don't understand how you could say that 6v6 is more of a pvp game. If anything, 6v6 should be much LESS of a pvp game because it is so much easier to find a place where there are no enemy players nearby at all and just murder buildings all game. I'm able to find that sort of opening to solo (many) RTs and occasionally upgrades in every game I play, and I never play anything less than 9v9

    you would think that, wouldn't you. but top tier teams have great map awareness and it would take a screw-up of pretty large proportions to allow a single marine to sneak in and snipe something behind the engagement lines. this is compounded by easy scouting (scans and drifters), and wheel-spoke map layouts. and if you fail, well, you just threw away 25 p-res because there's no way you're going to be able to re-acquire the gl behind enemy lines.


  • ZxaberZxaber Join Date: 2010-07-29 Member: 73315Members
    Flamethrowers kill 1 cyst per tap of the fire button, as long as said cyst actually gets hit, they reduce(or prevent, I can't remember which) alien energy regen while they're on fire(Gorge heal puts flames out), and are generally pretty bad, unless you're either leading the way, or following behind everyone.

    I could have sworn I remember reading about a plan to make the flamethrower disable buildings. Whips and Hydras would thrash around and generally do nothing until the fire was out. Was this ever added? Was there a reason it would have been removed? Maybe it was just a suggestion I read.
  • |strofix||strofix| Join Date: 2012-11-01 Member: 165453Members
    6v6 competitive != 9v9 pub play.

    competitive games are way more coordinated, and ruthless.

    I'm inclined to say that they are far less coordinated... in a sense.

    The reason I think these two weapons rarely make an appearance is because they aren't specifically designed for killing players. They are intended to fill the traditional "strategy" role in this FPS/RTS hybrid. That is, they kill bases. They kill structures. Not strictly structures, but you get my meaning. They are for those situations where its not skill that is important, its the "counter" that you need.

    From what I have seen, competitive games are almost entirely devoid of the traditional "strategy" gameplay. There are no bases, no outposts, no structures, save one or two every now and then. All marine res goes into upgrades and getting marines to the front line faster. All alien res goes into fade eggs.

    On the whole, in comparison to NS1, NS2 is pretty light on the RTS side, but competitive games take it to a whole new level.

  • sotanahtsotanaht Join Date: 2013-01-12 Member: 179215Members
    edited March 2013
    Wheeee wrote: »
    sotanaht wrote: »
    I don't understand how you could say that 6v6 is more of a pvp game. If anything, 6v6 should be much LESS of a pvp game because it is so much easier to find a place where there are no enemy players nearby at all and just murder buildings all game. I'm able to find that sort of opening to solo (many) RTs and occasionally upgrades in every game I play, and I never play anything less than 9v9

    you would think that, wouldn't you. but top tier teams have great map awareness and it would take a screw-up of pretty large proportions to allow a single marine to sneak in and snipe something behind the engagement lines. this is compounded by easy scouting (scans and drifters), and wheel-spoke map layouts. and if you fail, well, you just threw away 25 p-res because there's no way you're going to be able to re-acquire the gl behind enemy lines.


    For the record I do it with a default loadout, not so much as a welder or jetpack even if they are researched. I'm suicide rushing RTs. I was really attacking the point about 6v6 being more "pvp oriented" rather than the GL/FT argument itself.
  • SquishpokePOOPFACESquishpokePOOPFACE -21,248 posts (ignore below) Join Date: 2012-10-31 Member: 165262Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited March 2013
    sotanaht wrote: »
    Wheeee wrote: »
    sotanaht wrote: »
    I don't understand how you could say that 6v6 is more of a pvp game. If anything, 6v6 should be much LESS of a pvp game because it is so much easier to find a place where there are no enemy players nearby at all and just murder buildings all game. I'm able to find that sort of opening to solo (many) RTs and occasionally upgrades in every game I play, and I never play anything less than 9v9

    you would think that, wouldn't you. but top tier teams have great map awareness and it would take a screw-up of pretty large proportions to allow a single marine to sneak in and snipe something behind the engagement lines. this is compounded by easy scouting (scans and drifters), and wheel-spoke map layouts. and if you fail, well, you just threw away 25 p-res because there's no way you're going to be able to re-acquire the gl behind enemy lines.


    For the record I do it with a default loadout, not so much as a welder or jetpack even if they are researched. I'm suicide rushing RTs. I was really attacking the point about 6v6 being more "pvp oriented" rather than the GL/FT argument itself.

    Yes, but now there is only 5 people left to defend against a big attack. Or 4 people in a crucial push somewhere else. With less players, you have to take into consideration that you may be losing tempo or map control. Attacking RTs is a valid tactic, but must be considered with the whole picture. It's a bit more complicated than "oh, there's less players, that means we are free to attack all the buildings!"

    In a bigger game, gaps in tempo matter less, because there's usually always another player to pick up the slack. Competitive 6v6 does not have this luxury.
  • GoldenGolden Join Date: 2004-09-01 Member: 31169Members, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, WC 2013 - Silver, NS2 Community Developer
    sotanaht wrote: »
    I don't understand how you could say that 6v6 is more of a pvp game. If anything, 6v6 should be much LESS of a pvp game because it is so much easier to find a place where there are no enemy players nearby at all and just murder buildings all game. I'm able to find that sort of opening to solo (many) RTs and occasionally upgrades in every game I play, and I never play anything less than 9v9

    And if you do that, someone will respond. Else, they'll pressure hard because you're out of position. It's much easier to organize a team of 6 consistent players than it is to organize a 9 player team of randoms.

  • sotanahtsotanaht Join Date: 2013-01-12 Member: 179215Members
    edited March 2013
    Squishpoke wrote: »
    sotanaht wrote: »
    Wheeee wrote: »
    sotanaht wrote: »
    I don't understand how you could say that 6v6 is more of a pvp game. If anything, 6v6 should be much LESS of a pvp game because it is so much easier to find a place where there are no enemy players nearby at all and just murder buildings all game. I'm able to find that sort of opening to solo (many) RTs and occasionally upgrades in every game I play, and I never play anything less than 9v9

    you would think that, wouldn't you. but top tier teams have great map awareness and it would take a screw-up of pretty large proportions to allow a single marine to sneak in and snipe something behind the engagement lines. this is compounded by easy scouting (scans and drifters), and wheel-spoke map layouts. and if you fail, well, you just threw away 25 p-res because there's no way you're going to be able to re-acquire the gl behind enemy lines.


    For the record I do it with a default loadout, not so much as a welder or jetpack even if they are researched. I'm suicide rushing RTs. I was really attacking the point about 6v6 being more "pvp oriented" rather than the GL/FT argument itself.

    Yes, but now there is only 5 people left to defend against a big attack. Or 4 people in a crucial push somewhere else. With less players, you have to take into consideration that you may be losing tempo or map control. Attacking RTs is a valid tactic, but must be considered with the whole picture. It's a bit more complicated than "oh, there's less players, that means we are free to attack all the buildings!"

    In a bigger game, gaps in tempo matter less, because there's usually always another player to pick up the slack. Competitive 6v6 does not have this luxury.

    Except that if they respond it will probably take 2 skulks or 1 higher lifeform to do so appropriately, which now means the aliens are down to 3 for their push or 4 for their defense. That or they let the harvester go. I know nothing about competitive of course, I'm just thinking out loud here.
  • RoobubbaRoobubba Who you gonna call? Join Date: 2003-01-06 Member: 11930Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    sotanaht wrote: »
    I know nothing about competitive of course, I'm just thinking out loud here.

    I can only speak of ENSL gathers, of which I've played quite a few now and love them. They're not anywhere near comp level play, I'm told, but they are definitely a world apart from public servers. The level of coordination, teamwork and strategy is incomparable with pub play. You should try them out, they're a fantastic opportunity to play with decent players who communicate and coordinate very well. :)
    It will then become quite rapidly clear why GLs and FLs aren't used often in 6v6 play, and your queries about RT harassment/defense will be answered, too :)
  • _Necro__Necro_ Join Date: 2011-02-15 Member: 81895Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Setting both weapons to 20 p-res would increase their use and send the message to new players that they are not superior to the shotgun. Completely disable whips, hydras, crags, and so on would also benefit the use of the FT.
  • abseabse Join Date: 2013-03-11 Member: 183881Members
    edited March 2013
    As it is now i feel the GL to be completely useless due to the whips hard counter, it really feels broken and i think it needs to be fixed in some way, please consider it.

    FT is good as it is i think, but the idea of crags, shades and shifts not performing their function while on flame could be interesting.

    [Also, sometimes i think 20 pres for shotty is too much, 15 would fit, but im not sure]
  • FrustrationFrustration Join Date: 2013-01-19 Member: 180628Members
    FT is not useless at all.You just need to use with with JPs.Very good against retreating Onos, Fades and Lerks.It is also kind of demoralizing for the Aliens.

    GL is kind of pointless late in the game.Lvl 3 rifles are much more effective and you can still shoot skulks etc.
    Only good usage is detering skulks of other marines.Spamming basically.Mostly you are fucked if you go alone with that.
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