GL is a noskill weapon
RevanCorana
Join Date: 2015-08-14 Member: 207125Members
Join Date: 2015-08-14 Member: 207125Members
Comments
We were actually discussing the GL today on Discord, I think some tweaks may go into it soon for testing, watch this space I guess.
But i agree: Hitting is too easy. The damage is too high. You can instant kill skulks, lerks. And the firerate is too high too. 4 grenades can be fired in less then 5 seconds. that has a higher damage output then the equal amount of sg blasts in that time.
1. are fast projectiles
2. have large hitboxes
3. do high damage
just getting rid of one of those three would be a good start.
I also question what this trajectory calculation is about. Do you want grenades to inherit some momentum from a moving marine?
Exactly, also I meant speed up reload time not "increase"
Might just be conditioning/nostalgia, but I feel that the ns1 gl is more distinct sounding than the one in ns2. NS2's gl just seems to get lost in the action.
Probably the higher pitch and the grenade rattling.
Lets first look at the Shotgun - the other heavy spiking damage weapon. For it to be spiking damage with its 17 pellets, you need to be close. The further away you are, the less damage you recieve. Makes good sense? Yup.
The shotgun requires precise aim or praying. Makes good sense? Yup.
The shotguns projectiles travels instantly, which makes sure that all three "worlds of the game" (the shooter, the server and the shot at), have the same impression.
Lets look at GLs. For it to make damage you can be on the other side of the map, and the damage is still the same. Even the rifle has a spread, so it deteriates over distance too. The pistol doesnt but is a very hard weapon to use efficiently.
Due to "the three worlds" you actually never know where the projectiles actually are, so you cant jump through the "holes" in the Rate of Fire.
A GL you cannot aim - the projectile moves slowly compared to the instantanious nature of the other bullet weapons, and hits are luck or because you "mined" a door, and the proximity to the lifeform moving through it, whether it be a fade fleeing in good time, or a skulk moving in, it blows up.
This leaves us with the worst part: You want the teams to be clashing and be moving for an advantage all the time. A game like CSGO rewards interaction with the enemy team as the objectives are few and always manned. GLs doesnt make people clash. Its a niche weapon, which only causes frustration on the alien side due to instagibs, that just sorta happens because the gl shot in your general direction.
I have no problem with SGs. They are limited to short range - if i get shot, i was out played, or chose a poor engagment. If shot by a GL, i get frustrated. The damage is too spiky on too long a distance.
My suggestion: GLs are a support weapon either in the sense of soft crowd control, or a building DESTROYER. Half the damage against aliens or put it around 70 - maybe implement a CSGO like tag when hit, causing you to lose movementspeed. Keep the damage the same or buff it agains structures. Down with the Pres cost.
Lets not have something as frustrating as GLs in the game, just because some people cant aim, and find a little more luck with the gl. It is a game, and it isnt supposed to be frustrating. Its okay for an instrument to be devilish frustrating to learn too play - but not for a game. Not when the purpose of the game is the players enjoyment, rather than other peoples enjoyment as is often with music.
Most weapons and sounds in NS were more distinct imho. As for the marine weaponry, they felt more... well... like they had more UMPH and indeed, uniqueness in terms of sounds
In case anyone is wondering about Vortex Aureal A3D, here's a demo. Put yer headphones on dammit! Nothing has come close to that proper 3D positional audio raytracing system...
Keep in mind shotguns are an outlier to marine design like lerk spikes is to alien design. Marines are, by design, supposed to have an advantage over longer distances against an alien.
I'm not saying shotguns need range nor am I questioning why rifles work. I'm saying marines are inherently designed for ranged dominance, just like how aliens are meant for close ranged dominance, with the only two major differences being the shotgun and lerk spikes. (flamethrower and spit aren't effective)
This is why the flamethrower suffers as it is, because it's range is so low it has to compete in the alien's strongest range. If the flamethrower was moved to be a higher range weapon that was stronger at a distance than up close, it would fit the game better and have a use in combat.
He meant that the shotty is for marines what the lerk spikes are for aliens
Aliens are melee orientated, spikes (spit?) bends that rule
Marines are ranged orientated, shotty bends that rule
The nader is a bastard in any game, burst (or spike) damage can be annoying as hell if it comes from a mostly random source like a grenade
Let's get rid of #1 and make it a homing missile... that moves verrrrry slowly. You can outrun it, but one day... ONE DAY it will find you. You'll never be able to stop running from it.
I feel like, as powerful as it was, there was at least MUCH less GL spam.
I mean, to have the same number of grenades going into a room there would need to be 4x the Pres spent on them!
#GLAttachment4Ever
Yes, add the blue shell to the game. Let's make it casual.....
He was joking.
So was he (I think).
Then I'm not getting the blue shell reference.
Mario Kart.
The blue shell always hits (it basically can't be dodged by anything but extremely skilled players) the player in front of the race, and can only be dropped for players at the back. Basically it allows a badly performing player to hugely screw up the day of a well performing one simply by pure RNG. There's a reason people hate it.
Babblers and Umbra only protect against bullet damage, but are useless against grenades. Carapace and biomass HP do help late game, if the aliens are winning, but are not particularly interactive or fun.
Here's a random idea: maybe give Drifters an ability to soak up GL damage for nearby aliens?
Gorge grenade devour, afterburner bellyslide -> new escape mechanism!
come to think of it we need @Chops to git on that NS2 racing mod again!
I WAS TOLD THIS WOULD NOT BECOME MARIO KART