I know there's av mods... but why is there still no way to select between multiple AVs ingame? Seems like such a trivial feature. And you wouldn't have to get your AV to run again every fricking week.
Do you guys have any kind of PR plan around big updates like this? This is one of the biggest content patches in NS2's history and it doesn't have a name, no emails went out, the Twitter account is silent, etc. Seems like an oversight if the intent of these patches is to stir up interest, particularly among previous fans.
Do you guys have any kind of PR plan around big updates like this? This is one of the biggest content patches in NS2's history and it doesn't have a name, no emails went out, the Twitter account is silent, etc. Seems like an oversight if the intent of these patches is to stir up interest, particularly among previous fans.
That's not one of the biggest content patches lol. I agree about the PR thing though.
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
Do you guys have any kind of PR plan around big updates like this? This is one of the biggest content patches in NS2's history and it doesn't have a name, no emails went out, the Twitter account is silent, etc. Seems like an oversight if the intent of these patches is to stir up interest, particularly among previous fans.
I think they're preparing something massive for the 300th build along with proper PR.
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
Onos res is fine. The problems are the new bone shield and the increased pres gain. Fix the right things.
Do you guys have any kind of PR plan around big updates like this? This is one of the biggest content patches in NS2's history and it doesn't have a name, no emails went out, the Twitter account is silent, etc. Seems like an oversight if the intent of these patches is to stir up interest, particularly among previous fans.
I think they're preparing something massive for the 300th build along with proper PR.
I hope it is the revert of all the last balance and gameplay changes.
Do you guys have any kind of PR plan around big updates like this? This is one of the biggest content patches in NS2's history and it doesn't have a name, no emails went out, the Twitter account is silent, etc. Seems like an oversight if the intent of these patches is to stir up interest, particularly among previous fans.
I think they're preparing something massive for the 300th build along with proper PR.
The fact that they just released a freaking new gun a build before it makes me think they don't.
The again, for weeks now I've had this creeping suspicion that a big, maybe subconscious, reason for rapid iteration is to get to build 300...
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
I agree. I've pointed it out before, and I still think it's a big flaw in current balance. Oni usually appear before jetpacks and well before exos, and many games in pub are won by holding out until Onos and then steamrolling everything.
Yes, there's Exos, but Exos are decidedly more passive than the quite agile Onos. An Onos can keep up pressure on multiple positions or quickly change targets; Charge, Celerity and tunnels allow them to be all over the map. Compare Exos, which have to slowly walk everywhere.
Delaying Onos might be a start (try 60/65 res), so there's time for Exos to appear simultaneously, but it still marks a shift in gameplay where marines are decidedly put on the defensive. And defensive marines late game usually die.
The new pres gain speed is not helping with this. I think it should be reverted.
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
I agree. I've pointed it out before, and I still think it's a big flaw in current balance. Oni usually appear before jetpacks and well before exos, and many games in pub are won by holding out until Onos and then steamrolling everything.
Yes, there's Exos, but Exos are decidedly more passive than the quite agile Onos. An Onos can keep up pressure on multiple positions or quickly change targets; Charge, Celerity and tunnels allow them to be all over the map. Compare Exos, which have to slowly walk everywhere.
Delaying Onos might be a start (try 60/65 res), so there's time for Exos to appear simultaneously, but it still marks a shift in gameplay where marines are decidedly put on the defensive. And defensive marines late game usually die.
The new pres gain speed is not helping with this. I think it should be reverted.
Perhaps speed up jp/exo research time. And/or give exos ability to heal themselves (like onos bone shield) if commander has researched the power-surge ability.
Onos bone shield also acts as a shield for players behind the onos. Perhaps allow exos to have a similar "shield" effect for players standing nearby, so that they can weld more easily.
Exos still ridiculously under powered and useless for the final tier marine tech, especially given their high cost in research time, research cost, low dps, slow speed, and player res.
Other problem on pubs is the number of people who save for exo on marine side. Saving for exo really doesn't provide anywhere near the benefits of saving for onos on alien side, and comes at great cost of map control as marines (usually rookies/hidden-rookies and the odd stubborn vet) refuse to spend on mines/jps/shotguns.
Current onosplosion problem is exactly where we were 3 years ago, as illustrated by the quote in my signature.
I really liked that aliens have more traits to chose from, so you can make builds that suit your playstyle. I.e. in pub games I focus on RT biting and structure damage in general and I usually avoid firefights (2/30 K/D and 30-60k structure damage is normal for me), I hated crag hive start as it doesn't really help in res biting (with shift hive/celerity you will get to RTs faster, with shade/Phantom (previous build, with cloak+silence) you could also get to RTs faster (no crawling in vents/waiting to stay undetected). But with Crush, crag hive is now good to me as well.
However, my biggest complaint now is that silence was taken away from shade hive. Shade first was very rare strategy in (pub) games, and when it was used, it's strongest point (to me) was silence. Now, as a res biter, I don't see much point in taking shade first. Aura might help me to dodge a bullet or two, but that's it, everything else is going to feel like I'm unupgraded. I've heard that we will get FOCUS soon, and that might totally change my opinion on shade first/second, but I'm talking about current build. I was huge fan of shade before, but not in this build.
But, since shade first or even second was very rare, this won't affect anyone that much. So overall, I liked all the stuff (except crosshairs) in recent updates.
^ this. People were complaining about game stagnation, now the meta has been shaken for sure, I don't see any reason to complain anymore. It's called Natural Selection for a reason, you either adapt to changes or go extinct. I don't say it's flawless, the balance has gone quite a bit wild lately (at least on publics) but hey, you can't make any changes without trials and errors. Every game suffers from imbalanced stuff from time to time and it gets fixed eventually (except maybe huge playerbase games like Dota 2/CS:GO/TF2 but I'm not sure). Now we're out of the comfort zone and have to re-learn things.
After all, isn't continuing learning the whole point of life?..
I really liked that aliens have more traits to chose from, so you can make builds that suit your playstyle. I.e. in pub games I focus on RT biting and structure damage in general and I usually avoid firefights (2/30 K/D and 30-60k structure damage is normal for me), I hated crag hive start as it doesn't really help in res biting (with shift hive/celerity you will get to RTs faster, with shade/Phantom (previous build, with cloak+silence) you could also get to RTs faster (no crawling in vents/waiting to stay undetected). But with Crush, crag hive is now good to me as well.
However, my biggest complaint now is that silence was taken away from shade hive. Shade first was very rare strategy in (pub) games, and when it was used, it's strongest point (to me) was silence. Now, as a res biter, I don't see much point in taking shade first. Aura might help me to dodge a bullet or two, but that's it, everything else is going to feel like I'm unupgraded. I've heard that we will get FOCUS soon, and that might totally change my opinion on shade first/second, but I'm talking about current build. I was huge fan of shade before, but not in this build.
But, since shade first or even second was very rare, this won't affect anyone that much. So overall, I liked all the stuff (except crosshairs) in recent updates.
From a res biting perspective, I find aura better than silence, because, with aura, you're never going to get suprised by defending marines and you don't have to stop biting to scout around corners for sneaking marines. Also, have you tried vampirism? As a combat upgrade it seems to be really strong at the moment.
Vampirism doesn't work that good as a skulk. I either kill a marine almost unscratched or die anyway. Maybe other lifeforms would benefit from it, Fade especially. Didn't have many chances to try vampirism lately.
Vampirism doesn't work that good as a skulk. I either kill a marine almost unscratched or die anyway. Maybe other lifeforms would benefit from it, Fade especially. Didn't have many chances to try vampirism lately.
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
If the aliens are saving for onoses en masse, what is preventing marines from just ending the game before they appear? In a typical game, the marine-alien balance is the most marine favoured just before fades appear, and if the aliens forgo fades in favour of more onoses, this skew is only going to get bigger. I don't think we need to pamper marines content on sitting at their phase gates when all they need to do is to walk inside the hive room that has nothing but skulks and an odd lerk defending it.
DC_DarklingJoin Date: 2003-07-10Member: 18068Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver
TBh im personally done with all the changes.
Not ns2, but with running this 'feature beta' as thats what it feels like.
Im all for trying new things, balancing, getting new players etc.
But the recent changes seem not thought out, or doing more damage then they are worth.
Man, you cant even blink once without missing like a whole list of changes.
Instead of a feeling of 'oh boy, perhaps they will have something shiny' its becoming 'what did they change THIS time'.
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
If the aliens are saving for onoses en masse, what is preventing marines from just ending the game before they appear? In a typical game, the marine-alien balance is the most marine favoured just before fades appear, and if the aliens forgo fades in favour of more onoses, this skew is only going to get bigger. I don't think we need to pamper marines content on sitting at their phase gates when all they need to do is to walk inside the hive room that has nothing but skulks and an odd lerk defending it.
Clearly you don't have experience with this. This is a serious problem that constantly happens, and creates a lame end game.
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
If the aliens are saving for onoses en masse, what is preventing marines from just ending the game before they appear? In a typical game, the marine-alien balance is the most marine favoured just before fades appear, and if the aliens forgo fades in favour of more onoses, this skew is only going to get bigger. I don't think we need to pamper marines content on sitting at their phase gates when all they need to do is to walk inside the hive room that has nothing but skulks and an odd lerk defending it.
Clearly you don't have experience with this. This is a serious problem that constantly happens, and creates a lame end game.
That is why he said you have to end the game before they got all team onos.
If the problem is the entire team going onos then how is raising onos res cost going to change anything?
All you'd be doing is giving Marines more time to win before the exact same problem arises...
If you increase the window of time where marines have an advantage, there's more pressure for some aliens to fade, reducing the size of the subsequent onos ball.
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
If the aliens are saving for onoses en masse, what is preventing marines from just ending the game before they appear? In a typical game, the marine-alien balance is the most marine favoured just before fades appear, and if the aliens forgo fades in favour of more onoses, this skew is only going to get bigger. I don't think we need to pamper marines content on sitting at their phase gates when all they need to do is to walk inside the hive room that has nothing but skulks and an odd lerk defending it.
Clearly you don't have experience with this. This is a serious problem that constantly happens, and creates a lame end game.
I rarely experience this because when I'm on the marine side and get to this point, all I need to do is tell the marines to walk into the hive. If one third of them listens, the game is over. There is absolutely nothing the aliens can do about it. I'm sorry if you play with teams who don't understand this and have no one experienced enough to tell them. It's not a balance issue if it can be avoided by playing correctly.
If the problem is the entire team going onos then how is raising onos res cost going to change anything?
All you'd be doing is giving Marines more time to win before the exact same problem arises...
If you increase the window of time where marines have an advantage, there's more pressure for some aliens to fade, reducing the size of the subsequent onos ball.
There is already a huge window. Even if the alien team is planning on having a decent amount of fades, there is still a good chance the marines can end the game before they appear if they understand this fact. If the aliens ditch fades in favour of more onoses, this window is ridiculously big. You can see where this is going if you further push onoses later into the game.
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
If the aliens are saving for onoses en masse, what is preventing marines from just ending the game before they appear? In a typical game, the marine-alien balance is the most marine favoured just before fades appear, and if the aliens forgo fades in favour of more onoses, this skew is only going to get bigger. I don't think we need to pamper marines content on sitting at their phase gates when all they need to do is to walk inside the hive room that has nothing but skulks and an odd lerk defending it.
Clearly you don't have experience with this. This is a serious problem that constantly happens, and creates a lame end game.
I rarely experience this because when I'm on the marine side and get to this point, all I need to do is tell the marines to walk into the hive. If one third of them listens, the game is over. There is absolutely nothing the aliens can do about it. I'm sorry if you play with teams who don't understand this and have no one experienced enough to tell them. It's not a balance issue if it can be avoided by playing correctly.
If the problem is the entire team going onos then how is raising onos res cost going to change anything?
All you'd be doing is giving Marines more time to win before the exact same problem arises...
If you increase the window of time where marines have an advantage, there's more pressure for some aliens to fade, reducing the size of the subsequent onos ball.
There is already a huge window. Even if the alien team is planning on having a decent amount of fades, there is still a good chance the marines can end the game before they appear if they understand this fact. If the aliens ditch fades in favour of more onoses, this window is ridiculously big. You can see where this is going if you further push onoses later into the game.
Onosplosion was not an issue before 299. With the same server and server population, with the same level of player "intelligence", how did we not have onosplosion before 299? (Well unless you go back to whatever build created onosplosions in early 2013)?
Aliens shouldnt be able to onos ball. The marine team failed.
By the time marines have fended off lerks and defended RT harassment and got aliens on 2-3rts and even restricted them to 1 hive, killed a few lerks/gorges etc., and gotten to a2/w2; the onoses arrive. Bye bye phase gate in Hub/nano/cross.
Onosplosion is a problem that is happening. And frankly the counter -- HMG -- is just pitiful.
Either reduce JP research time, reduce upgrade research time, increase hmg DPS, or increase onos cost +/- nerf boneshield armour recharge.
If the problem is the entire team going onos then how is raising onos res cost going to change anything?
All you'd be doing is giving Marines more time to win before the exact same problem arises...
If you increase the window of time where marines have an advantage, there's more pressure for some aliens to fade, reducing the size of the subsequent onos ball.
There would be also more time for marines to research Exos to fend off the Oni, making Onos the counter to Exos rather than the other way around.
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
If the aliens are saving for onoses en masse, what is preventing marines from just ending the game before they appear? In a typical game, the marine-alien balance is the most marine favoured just before fades appear, and if the aliens forgo fades in favour of more onoses, this skew is only going to get bigger. I don't think we need to pamper marines content on sitting at their phase gates when all they need to do is to walk inside the hive room that has nothing but skulks and an odd lerk defending it.
Clearly you don't have experience with this. This is a serious problem that constantly happens, and creates a lame end game.
That is why he said you have to end the game before they got all team onos.
Aliens shouldnt be able to onos ball. The marine team failed.
In theory yes, in practice it does not work that way most of the time.
There seem to be two types of alien teams that typically arise in public, broadly speaking. There's those than can fend off marines with skulks, lerks and maybe one or two fades, and that res bite enough to kinda keep marines busy; and there's those that lack basic teamwork and that often don't even make it to the end game. There seems to be very little in between. Of course, this is anecdotal.
My point is that in pub, a good team will be able to hold their ground with skulks and lerks, until they have acquired enough pres/momentum to go Onos and steamroll everything, and a bad team will lose no matter what, often not even making it to the Onos stage.
I've been saying this for a while now; the problem is the sheer amount of momentum aliens gain in midgame or so. Marines need to constantly spend res to compete, and thus always need their RTs up. Aliens will do just fine if they suddenly lose all their stuff in midgame, because of all the pres they already saved up - they only need to spend it once. Basically, if aliens have held enough RTs for a while there is no way for marines to stop them, whereas marines always need all the RTs they can get.
The faster pres gain speed worsens this problem, because it reduced the time aliens need to hold their RTs.
Having played several matches now, I have noticed an issue with the mid-game onosplosion destroying games for marines who until then dominate the map. If aliens are able to hold 2-3 rts, the pattern appears on 10v10+ player servers to be: 1-2 lerks, 2 gorges/re-gorges, and 5-6 players save for onoses rather than anyone going fade.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
If the aliens are saving for onoses en masse, what is preventing marines from just ending the game before they appear? In a typical game, the marine-alien balance is the most marine favoured just before fades appear, and if the aliens forgo fades in favour of more onoses, this skew is only going to get bigger. I don't think we need to pamper marines content on sitting at their phase gates when all they need to do is to walk inside the hive room that has nothing but skulks and an odd lerk defending it.
Clearly you don't have experience with this. This is a serious problem that constantly happens, and creates a lame end game.
I rarely experience this because when I'm on the marine side and get to this point, all I need to do is tell the marines to walk into the hive. If one third of them listens, the game is over. There is absolutely nothing the aliens can do about it. I'm sorry if you play with teams who don't understand this and have no one experienced enough to tell them. It's not a balance issue if it can be avoided by playing correctly.
If the problem is the entire team going onos then how is raising onos res cost going to change anything?
All you'd be doing is giving Marines more time to win before the exact same problem arises...
If you increase the window of time where marines have an advantage, there's more pressure for some aliens to fade, reducing the size of the subsequent onos ball.
There is already a huge window. Even if the alien team is planning on having a decent amount of fades, there is still a good chance the marines can end the game before they appear if they understand this fact. If the aliens ditch fades in favour of more onoses, this window is ridiculously big. You can see where this is going if you further push onoses later into the game.
Onosplosion was not an issue before 299. With the same server and server population, with the same level of player "intelligence", how did we not have onosplosion before 299? (Well unless you go back to whatever build created onosplosions in early 2013)?
Onosplosion has been a problem since I got back here, so at least several months.
When it works in theory, it also works in practice. When you get stomped by a team of skulks, you got outplayed and deserve the lose. Don't blame game balance when there is a skill difference between the Teams.
The higher pres gain is indeed very problematic and a terrible, unwanted and unneeded change that for whatever reason buffs aliens more. Lerk res is a joke now.
Comments
That's not one of the biggest content patches lol. I agree about the PR thing though.
I think onos res cost will have to be increased to 65 or more.
Onos res is fine. The problems are the new bone shield and the increased pres gain. Fix the right things.
I hope it is the revert of all the last balance and gameplay changes.
The fact that they just released a freaking new gun a build before it makes me think they don't.
The again, for weeks now I've had this creeping suspicion that a big, maybe subconscious, reason for rapid iteration is to get to build 300...
I agree. I've pointed it out before, and I still think it's a big flaw in current balance. Oni usually appear before jetpacks and well before exos, and many games in pub are won by holding out until Onos and then steamrolling everything.
Yes, there's Exos, but Exos are decidedly more passive than the quite agile Onos. An Onos can keep up pressure on multiple positions or quickly change targets; Charge, Celerity and tunnels allow them to be all over the map. Compare Exos, which have to slowly walk everywhere.
Delaying Onos might be a start (try 60/65 res), so there's time for Exos to appear simultaneously, but it still marks a shift in gameplay where marines are decidedly put on the defensive. And defensive marines late game usually die.
The new pres gain speed is not helping with this. I think it should be reverted.
Perhaps speed up jp/exo research time. And/or give exos ability to heal themselves (like onos bone shield) if commander has researched the power-surge ability.
Onos bone shield also acts as a shield for players behind the onos. Perhaps allow exos to have a similar "shield" effect for players standing nearby, so that they can weld more easily.
Exos still ridiculously under powered and useless for the final tier marine tech, especially given their high cost in research time, research cost, low dps, slow speed, and player res.
Other problem on pubs is the number of people who save for exo on marine side. Saving for exo really doesn't provide anywhere near the benefits of saving for onos on alien side, and comes at great cost of map control as marines (usually rookies/hidden-rookies and the odd stubborn vet) refuse to spend on mines/jps/shotguns.
Current onosplosion problem is exactly where we were 3 years ago, as illustrated by the quote in my signature.
Hmmm, maybe 300 will be a republishing of 249
However, my biggest complaint now is that silence was taken away from shade hive. Shade first was very rare strategy in (pub) games, and when it was used, it's strongest point (to me) was silence. Now, as a res biter, I don't see much point in taking shade first. Aura might help me to dodge a bullet or two, but that's it, everything else is going to feel like I'm unupgraded. I've heard that we will get FOCUS soon, and that might totally change my opinion on shade first/second, but I'm talking about current build. I was huge fan of shade before, but not in this build.
But, since shade first or even second was very rare, this won't affect anyone that much. So overall, I liked all the stuff (except crosshairs) in recent updates.
After all, isn't continuing learning the whole point of life?..
From a res biting perspective, I find aura better than silence, because, with aura, you're never going to get suprised by defending marines and you don't have to stop biting to scout around corners for sneaking marines. Also, have you tried vampirism? As a combat upgrade it seems to be really strong at the moment.
Fade is pretty nice with it. Also, Lerk.
If the aliens are saving for onoses en masse, what is preventing marines from just ending the game before they appear? In a typical game, the marine-alien balance is the most marine favoured just before fades appear, and if the aliens forgo fades in favour of more onoses, this skew is only going to get bigger. I don't think we need to pamper marines content on sitting at their phase gates when all they need to do is to walk inside the hive room that has nothing but skulks and an odd lerk defending it.
Not ns2, but with running this 'feature beta' as thats what it feels like.
Im all for trying new things, balancing, getting new players etc.
But the recent changes seem not thought out, or doing more damage then they are worth.
Man, you cant even blink once without missing like a whole list of changes.
Instead of a feeling of 'oh boy, perhaps they will have something shiny' its becoming 'what did they change THIS time'.
Clearly you don't have experience with this. This is a serious problem that constantly happens, and creates a lame end game.
That is why he said you have to end the game before they got all team onos.
If the problem is the entire team going onos then how is raising onos res cost going to change anything?
All you'd be doing is giving Marines more time to win before the exact same problem arises...
If you increase the window of time where marines have an advantage, there's more pressure for some aliens to fade, reducing the size of the subsequent onos ball.
I rarely experience this because when I'm on the marine side and get to this point, all I need to do is tell the marines to walk into the hive. If one third of them listens, the game is over. There is absolutely nothing the aliens can do about it. I'm sorry if you play with teams who don't understand this and have no one experienced enough to tell them. It's not a balance issue if it can be avoided by playing correctly.
There is already a huge window. Even if the alien team is planning on having a decent amount of fades, there is still a good chance the marines can end the game before they appear if they understand this fact. If the aliens ditch fades in favour of more onoses, this window is ridiculously big. You can see where this is going if you further push onoses later into the game.
Onosplosion was not an issue before 299. With the same server and server population, with the same level of player "intelligence", how did we not have onosplosion before 299? (Well unless you go back to whatever build created onosplosions in early 2013)?
By the time marines have fended off lerks and defended RT harassment and got aliens on 2-3rts and even restricted them to 1 hive, killed a few lerks/gorges etc., and gotten to a2/w2; the onoses arrive. Bye bye phase gate in Hub/nano/cross.
Onosplosion is a problem that is happening. And frankly the counter -- HMG -- is just pitiful.
Either reduce JP research time, reduce upgrade research time, increase hmg DPS, or increase onos cost +/- nerf boneshield armour recharge.
There would be also more time for marines to research Exos to fend off the Oni, making Onos the counter to Exos rather than the other way around.
In theory yes, in practice it does not work that way most of the time.
There seem to be two types of alien teams that typically arise in public, broadly speaking. There's those than can fend off marines with skulks, lerks and maybe one or two fades, and that res bite enough to kinda keep marines busy; and there's those that lack basic teamwork and that often don't even make it to the end game. There seems to be very little in between. Of course, this is anecdotal.
My point is that in pub, a good team will be able to hold their ground with skulks and lerks, until they have acquired enough pres/momentum to go Onos and steamroll everything, and a bad team will lose no matter what, often not even making it to the Onos stage.
I've been saying this for a while now; the problem is the sheer amount of momentum aliens gain in midgame or so. Marines need to constantly spend res to compete, and thus always need their RTs up. Aliens will do just fine if they suddenly lose all their stuff in midgame, because of all the pres they already saved up - they only need to spend it once. Basically, if aliens have held enough RTs for a while there is no way for marines to stop them, whereas marines always need all the RTs they can get.
The faster pres gain speed worsens this problem, because it reduced the time aliens need to hold their RTs.
Onosplosion has been a problem since I got back here, so at least several months.
I hadn't noticed more than 2 onoses at a time before 299. Now I regularly see 4-6 appearing together.
The higher pres gain is indeed very problematic and a terrible, unwanted and unneeded change that for whatever reason buffs aliens more. Lerk res is a joke now.