Update 298 Released! - Natural Selection 2

SystemSystem Join Date: 2013-01-29 Member: 182599Members, Super Administrators, Reinforced - Diamond
edited May 2016 in NS2 General Discussion

imageUpdate 298 Released! - Natural Selection 2

After the response and tracking of a lot of the changes we introduced last week we decided to continue with another update of shakeups. There are some minor adjustments to...

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  • WasabiOneWasabiOne Co-Lead NS2 CDT Join Date: 2011-06-15 Member: 104623Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
  • WyzcrakWyzcrak Pot Pie Aficionado Join Date: 2002-12-04 Member: 10447Forum Moderators, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Amazing amount of work. Many thanks to everyone who put this together! :)
  • MisterOizoMisterOizo Join Date: 2013-01-08 Member: 178214Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester
    You're welcome! (Olkaa hyvät!)
  • MoFo1MoFo1 United States Join Date: 2014-07-25 Member: 197612Members
    Nice list of changes, I can't wait to play a game now (seeding a server right now lol)

    One question though.. why were high ping servers made blue instead of red? That kind of removes the impression that they are bad... People should always be encouraged in any way to play on the lowest ping servers possible...
  • PoNeHPoNeH Join Date: 2006-12-01 Member: 58801Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester
    Playtest was great yesterday. Can't wait to play this week! :)
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    edited May 2016
    This looks really neat!

    I really, really, really like gorge and onos changes - although I'm slightly worried about the tunnels.

    I'm less happy about the umbra and pres changes. Umbra was rarely used as it is, and now it's less useful, too. And pres... well, lifeform killing is a huge problem in pub. And you just gave everyone more lifeforms. Yay.


    edit: That said, this change definitely improves the game.
  • BleuBleu Buenos Aires, Argentina Join Date: 2014-09-01 Member: 198212Members, NS2 Playtester
    Can't wait to see how it all plays out.
    Great job!
  • FrozenFrozen New York, NY Join Date: 2010-07-02 Member: 72228Members, Constellation
    edited May 2016
    I mentioned briefly in the playtest:

    5 is just not in the realm of combat keystrokes.

    Now that webs are going to play a prominent role, they NEEEEEEDDD a realistic way to use them mechanically. I simply cannot control my movements with wsad-space and my mouse while press 2 athen 5 in the build menu to get a web out. Obviously we'll want to use these in combat areas to assist skulks.

    I just don't feel that a good way to balance an ability is to hide it behind difficult key-presses. Obviously this is less of an issue for some, but its major for me.

    Power surge is still too strong, and will always be while it's lethal to skulks.

    Otherwise I really do like these changes, but continue to hope that it's just the start of Strawberry NS2.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Wyzcrak wrote: »
    Amazing amount of work. Many thanks to everyone who put this together! :)

    Oh puleeze stahp that you git :tongue:
  • WyzcrakWyzcrak Pot Pie Aficionado Join Date: 2002-12-04 Member: 10447Forum Moderators, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    You know you feel the love.
  • KasharicKasharic Hull, England Join Date: 2013-03-27 Member: 184473Members, Forum Admins, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, NS2 Community Developer
    Personally, I think powersurge has been made too weak now. but all in all I really like the changes, Keep up the good work guys.
  • BicsumBicsum Join Date: 2012-02-27 Member: 147596Members, Reinforced - Gold
    Does that table flipping gorge represent the dev teams current mood? ;)
  • rkfgrkfg Russia Join Date: 2013-09-03 Member: 187744Members, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    Well, aliens seem to be buffed quite heavily, gorges and babblers gained new purposes which is great. I always felt bad for useless babblers and webs, now they can be used to harass and humiliate marines pretty often. And man, that nutrient mist looks seriously OP for saving almost dead RTs. Though, as an alien comm, I'd be pleased to use it. I'm curious how it will shift the balance, maybe for once aliens start winning more often than marines...
  • remiremi remedy [blu.knight] Join Date: 2003-11-18 Member: 23112Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester
    Frozen wrote: »
    I mentioned briefly in the playtest:

    5 is just not in the realm of combat keystrokes.

    Now that webs are going to play a prominent role, they NEEEEEEDDD a realistic way to use them mechanically. I simply cannot control my movements with wsad-space and my mouse while press 2 athen 5 in the build menu to get a web out. Obviously we'll want to use these in combat areas to assist skulks.

    I just don't feel that a good way to balance an ability is to hide it behind difficult key-presses. Obviously this is less of an issue for some, but its major for me.
    Yes, I agree with this. Webs have always been incredibly clunky to place.
  • IeptBarakatIeptBarakat The most difficult name to speak ingame. Join Date: 2009-07-10 Member: 68107Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    Can we have it so babblers you attach to yourself or other aliens aren't counted as a used babbler egg? Right now if you spawn another egg, all your babblers attached to a player are removed.

    Other than that, loving the update! (especially the fade movement change)
  • rkfgrkfg Russia Join Date: 2013-09-03 Member: 187744Members, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited May 2016
    Can we have it so babblers you attach to yourself or other aliens aren't counted as a used babbler egg? Right now if you spawn another egg, all your babblers attached to a player are removed.
    Then a gorge would be able to cover everyone with babblers and then the game will be renamed to Babblerfield 2.
  • develdevel Join Date: 2014-09-13 Member: 198444Members
    Babblers cap is 6? Changelog omits that.
  • develdevel Join Date: 2014-09-13 Member: 198444Members
    @MoFo1, no need to suffer. Set the Steam server browser on auto-connect and go watch some YouTube.
  • IeptBarakatIeptBarakat The most difficult name to speak ingame. Join Date: 2009-07-10 Member: 68107Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    remi wrote: »
    Frozen wrote: »
    I mentioned briefly in the playtest:

    5 is just not in the realm of combat keystrokes.

    Now that webs are going to play a prominent role, they NEEEEEEDDD a realistic way to use them mechanically. I simply cannot control my movements with wsad-space and my mouse while press 2 athen 5 in the build menu to get a web out. Obviously we'll want to use these in combat areas to assist skulks.

    I just don't feel that a good way to balance an ability is to hide it behind difficult key-presses. Obviously this is less of an issue for some, but its major for me.
    Yes, I agree with this. Webs have always been incredibly clunky to place.

    You could try replacing the babbler ball slot with webs, and have the babbler ball functionality added to spit. It would also cut down on rookie gorges trying to kill marines with babbler balls.
  • MoFo1MoFo1 United States Join Date: 2014-07-25 Member: 197612Members
    devel wrote: »
    @MoFo1, no need to suffer. Set the Steam server browser on auto-connect and go watch some YouTube.

    That's not really a solution... For starters when I first go on the game and open the browser if I see a server that's one spot from being full, I'll double click on it as fast as possible.. Now there's a chance that my second click will hit that dumb info panel and I won't be able to join before it fills up..

    Using auto-connect also doesn't let you keep an eye on 3-4 full servers at a time so you can join the first one with an opening, which again you want to join as quickly as possible so you double click... oh wait info panel.

    It's not necessary since right clicking brings it up... why make left click bring it up as well? It's just a stupid design decision (which is why I'm hoping it's a bug)
  • develdevel Join Date: 2014-09-13 Member: 198444Members
    Yes, that's a workaround for very specific conditions.
  • WasabiOneWasabiOne Co-Lead NS2 CDT Join Date: 2011-06-15 Member: 104623Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    devel wrote: »
    Babblers cap is 6? Changelog omits that.

    Gorge Babblers
    You can now only place one egg, but it will spawn 6 babblers
  • WasabiOneWasabiOne Co-Lead NS2 CDT Join Date: 2011-06-15 Member: 104623Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    MoFo1 wrote: »
    Nice list of changes, I can't wait to play a game now (seeding a server right now lol)

    One question though.. why were high ping servers made blue instead of red? That kind of removes the impression that they are bad... People should always be encouraged in any way to play on the lowest ping servers possible...

    This is one step for the browser, I believe Blue is RANKED, there will be icons to represent this in the future. Some things just didnt get done in time for the update.
  • NeokenNeoken Bruges, Belgium Join Date: 2004-03-20 Member: 27447Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Playtester
    edited May 2016
    The nutrient mist change is quite a big buff. I don't see much reason now for a marine to spend time and ammo to decyst structures compared to just shooting it. Like the changes for the gorge though. Not sure about the pres change, will have to see how that one pans out.
  • navazkanavazka Join Date: 2015-12-08 Member: 209825Members
    Nutrient mist now prevents structures off infestation from taking damage, and prevents disconnected cysts from taking damage. Also heals cysts at half crag efficiency. It no longer requires infestation to be placed.

    I'd like to note that unless you keep the in-game documentation in sync with your changes (i.e. the nutrient mist description in the commander view in this case), most players (especially new ones) will not know it, except those who read the changelogs (and remember them).
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    When a team concedes, everyone is treated to a short sequence showing all the conceding team’s players and structures being destroyed.

    Just had a game end in a concede and no one noticed anything.

    Also my bites seem to connect worse now which is almost surely placebo.

    Also also there appears to be a new bug which shows the destroy animation of structures destroyed during a previous life again if you come across the spot where it happened.

    Also also also I agree with mofo that a single click on a server should not open that info panel.
  • npstrnpstr Join Date: 2015-03-11 Member: 201964Members
    edited May 2016
    Destroyed marine buildings seem to be lying around not getting removed:

    2b16110f41.jpg

    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=683505286

    Is it a bug, is it a feature?
  • HamletHamlet Join Date: 2008-08-17 Member: 64837Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited May 2016
    Enemies will be parasites for 10 seconds if they walk through a web
    (ノಠ溶融ಠ)ノ彡 New Minigame-Mode confirmed!
    NS1 had combat, but now you can be the parasite!
    Coming to Crawling under your skin this summer.
  • NousWandererNousWanderer Join Date: 2010-05-07 Member: 71646Members
    edited May 2016
    I was just testing things, and it seems like it now takes 51-52 seconds for 6 babblers to drop a full extractor to 0. Just a FYI for anyone playing gorge later on.

    Potential bug: I had an issue when alt-tabbing where every babbler was frozen in place/unresponsive to bait after tabbing back in.
    Potential bug: I'm also getting a mod error when trying to activate NS2+ now.

    This is an interesting patch. I'm not sure about the nutrient mist buff or umbra nerf. Decysting used to be encouraged, and now straight-up DPS will be. And umbra was underused as is, so why nerf what didn't feel overpowered before?

    Also, this is more in reference to the previous patch, but contamination is crazy powerful in pubs now. If it's a big map and marines are sitting pretty on two tech points, it doesn't really matter: once aliens get the third hive, it's over. You could argue that was the case previously, but the "push or die imminently" threshold now begins as soon as the third hive is raised. I'd argue that these particular 3-2 games are more influenced by contamination than successful engagements now. The marine team can scramble to counter by trying to out-DPS the contamination cysts, but the bile bomb effect is instantaneous, and it becomes impossible to juggle welding and damaging the cysts unless a sizable chunk of the team is focused on doing so. Which says nothing of the fact that the only real option for a marine team at that point is to successfully push a hive, which means they can't afford to be hanging out in base defending against contamination which is quickly eroding their phase gate, IPs, arms lab, and proto. You should rethink this one.

    I don't have any strong opinions about the resource cost, fade movement, or phase gate armor changes yet.
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