Mini Alien Lifeforms

twilitebluetwiliteblue bug stalker Join Date: 2003-02-04 Member: 13116Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
edited December 2016 in Ideas and Suggestions
These ideas have been floating around in the community for a while. I am just trying to gather feedback and opinions to hopefully develop them further.

Upon death as a Lerk/Fade, alien could respawn as a Lerkling or Fadeling respectively (limited versions of Lerk and Fade). it would make the game more interesting and easier to learn IMO. Even if the light versions of Lerk and Fade are much weaker, they would give new players much more time to practice the common lifeforms, and improve the flow of the game, instead of suddenly taking away a new "toy" they just earned and discourage players from spending resources.

For balance, mini Lerk/Fade would be similar in combat effectiveness as Skulk. Lerkling and Fadeling would have less health and maximum energy, and only have the basic abilities available, and cannot evolve abilities or upgrade traits. (edited) You can repurchase the full Lerk or Fade at a discount. Switching lifeform would incur the full cost.

Additionally, a more powerful Skulk which costs PRes to evolve which starts with Leap could be interesting, sort of like Marines can pay a few res to boost their combat abilities with hand grenades. Maybe Skulks could buy a "second life" upgrade (once per life) and become a tougher Babbler when they die?

Returning to Skulk after death is another reason why aliens concede so often when things go bad, I think. I know it's for balance. But it's not fun when marines do a push and most of your team die, and it goes downhill fast. It's not very fun though... Whereas Marines can still recover a little better with beacon or relocate, and don't take a long time to repurchase their weapons/upgrades to get back in the fight.(edited)

Comments

  • The_Welsh_WizardThe_Welsh_Wizard Join Date: 2013-09-10 Member: 188101Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    This would destroy a big part of the core gameplay of the game.

    When all of your lifeforms die, yes, of course it goes downhill fast. That is how it should be. You can solve this problem by not losing your lifeforms.
  • SantaClawsSantaClaws Denmark Join Date: 2012-07-31 Member: 154491Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    We could also just reintroduce feign death, that was an amazing trait right fellas?!
  • twilitebluetwiliteblue bug stalker Join Date: 2003-02-04 Member: 13116Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    This would destroy a big part of the core gameplay of the game.

    When all of your lifeforms die, yes, of course it goes downhill fast. That is how it should be. You can solve this problem by not losing your lifeforms.

    Thanks for the feedback.

    I deleted the suggestion that returning to the full lifeform could be done at a discount. Since the Lerkling and Fadeling are mainly intended for keeping movement consistent across deaths rather than giving aliens too much comeback power.
  • RedSwordRedSword Join Date: 2006-12-07 Member: 58947Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
    edited December 2016
    I initially thought this thread was about having a smaller playable lifeform. I.e. a tad bigger than a babbler. Could be interesting (if we're able to find a use to it... maybe a mass parasiter with poor bites ?).

    I disagree with the respawning at a higher lifeform. The game added a lerk/fade training recently. It does help (or should) new player learn the game.
  • meatmachinemeatmachine South England Join Date: 2013-01-06 Member: 177858Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
    Could be cool playing as a swarm of babblers, kinda like these guys that were playable in Turok.
  • jrgnjrgn Join Date: 2006-11-03 Member: 58289Members
    Maybe if you make a small arena of, for example, the secret rooms where the tiny lifeforms could battle out
    :D
  • cooliticcoolitic Right behind you Join Date: 2013-04-02 Member: 184609Members
    I thought this was going to be a thread about adding neat little critters to infested areas, which would be really cool if we also had a better infestation system.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    We could also just reintroduce feign death, that was an amazing trait right fellas?!

    I think that is a dead ringer for awesomeness mate :trollface:
  • RevanCoranaRevanCorana Join Date: 2015-08-14 Member: 207125Members
    I think thatd be a great idea for rookies servers.
    A great replacement to Combat since its effectively dead.
  • ZdrytchXZdrytchX Australia Join Date: 2016-02-06 Member: 212662Members
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    We could also just reintroduce feign death, that was an amazing trait right fellas?!

    I think that is a dead ringer for awesomeness mate :trollface:

    combined with halucination = oh gwd
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    ZdrytchX wrote: »
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    We could also just reintroduce feign death, that was an amazing trait right fellas?!

    I think that is a dead ringer for awesomeness mate :trollface:

    combined with halucination = oh gwd

    We should let dead players control hallucinations
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    ZdrytchX wrote: »
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    We could also just reintroduce feign death, that was an amazing trait right fellas?!

    I think that is a dead ringer for awesomeness mate :trollface:

    combined with halucination = oh gwd

    We should let dead players control hallucinations

    I'd still rather be a Babbler :(
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    ZdrytchX wrote: »
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    We could also just reintroduce feign death, that was an amazing trait right fellas?!

    I think that is a dead ringer for awesomeness mate :trollface:

    combined with halucination = oh gwd

    We should let dead players control hallucinations

    I'd still rather be a Babbler :(

    Babbler hallucinations?
  • cooliticcoolitic Right behind you Join Date: 2013-04-02 Member: 184609Members
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    ZdrytchX wrote: »
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    We could also just reintroduce feign death, that was an amazing trait right fellas?!

    I think that is a dead ringer for awesomeness mate :trollface:

    combined with halucination = oh gwd

    We should let dead players control hallucinations

    I'd still rather be a Babbler :(

    Babbler hallucinations?

    Only if you can have a swarm of them.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    ZdrytchX wrote: »
    Kouji_San wrote: »
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    We could also just reintroduce feign death, that was an amazing trait right fellas?!

    I think that is a dead ringer for awesomeness mate :trollface:

    combined with halucination = oh gwd

    We should let dead players control hallucinations

    I'd still rather be a Babbler :(

    Babbler hallucinations?

    Now that's just elite trolling right there. Don't play with my feelings like that T_T

    Babblers are life!
  • ZdrytchXZdrytchX Australia Join Date: 2016-02-06 Member: 212662Members
    edited December 2016
    Now that i think about it, rupture is the most useless alien commander ability: takes like 1.5 seconds to burst and really only covers a significant amount on a player's screen for 1 second... Perhaps they could spawn babblers there that have a lifetime of 15 seconds? If the alien commande is being cheap by not spawnin eggs, he can spawn babblers for players to control! hue hue
  • NordicNordic Long term camping in Kodiak Join Date: 2012-05-13 Member: 151995Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Shadow
    Rupture is an incredible support ability from the commander. The power comes from the parasite. On low skill teams you can rupture to parasite so that the aliens will actually see there is a marine there and respawn. On higher skill teams the information is even more valuable because it helps skilled lifeforms choose when to engage better. I would argue that the current rupture parasite effect is more valuable than bonewall, and in many ways more valuable than even drifter abilities (enzyme, mucous, and hallucinations).
  • NordicNordic Long term camping in Kodiak Join Date: 2012-05-13 Member: 151995Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Shadow
    Just had an idea based on initial suggestion:
    Spectate mode while waiting for respawn could be improved by prioritizing following teammates who have the same weapon/lifeform as you had when you died, who have higher skill ratings.

    This might help players learn by watching first hand how the game should be played.

    That is a genuinely interesting idea.
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