Kharra Made Simple!
X_Stickman
Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">How to be an effective alien player</div> First off, my appologies to all the other guides out there (and the one by KidC on this very forum). However, the one KidC did does not seem to be very specific (it covers all areas, and as such, cannot cover every detail). I am not saying the guide isn't good, it is brilliant, but i thought i'd try to write one exclusively for the Kharra and try to pass on everything i know:
<b>Basics</b>
Ok, Khara are aliens. Which means they play drasticly different to most other things in FPS'. They require a different level of thinking to marines, or other Human sides in other games. They are, for the most part, Hit n' run. Get in, slash, gash, bite, claw and gore and get out again. Of course, with each evolution, the alien player becomes more specialised in a specific area of attack/defence. These are covered below:
<b>Skulk</b>
The basic alien. It has it's weaknesses, such as low health, but it also has it's advantages. It's name implies that it is good at hiding, which it is. It can walk up walls and ceilings, and as such, it can hide in ambush spots, waiting for marines to come walking past.
A common mistake here is to drop down right after you see the first marine. You should wait at least 2 seconds before dropping down, because the last thing you want is to drop down in front of 3 marines. 2 or 3 seconds should be long enough to see if the marine is alone, and don't worry about waiting, it's not like he can outrun you <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Parasite is often misused. Skulks seem to use it at all the wrong times. The best time to use Parasite is right before you attack. That way, if you don't manage to kill the marine in your attack, at least all the other aliens can see where the marine is, and he is unlikely to surprise anyone else.
Leap is perhaps the hardest attack in the game to use effectively. Some people say it is possible to kill a Heavy Armoured (HA) marine in 2 leaps, but i have never seen it done. Leap is mainly to get the drop on enemies. Use it to close the distance between you and your target before he can attack you. Leap-Bites are also devestating. Midleap, change your weapon to Bite and chomp away at the poor marine. This attack requires a lot of practice before you can use it effectively.
Xenocide is the Skulk's forth weapon, and it's Third Hive Attack. It is not used much in games with normal maps (it is used constantly on the ns_siege series). This is because, by the time you have got your third hive up, it is unlikely that you will be a skulk. To use this attack effectively, simply get into a group of marines and fire it. You lose your life, sure, but if done properly it can devestate a marine rush. So, you lose a life, but you also kill about 4-5 marines with it.
You need to get in close, but it is not wise to rush at a marine head on. If you can, try and get them from behind, or at very least the side. Also, never, <b>ever</b> attack a marine if they know you are there. For a skulk, the most dangerous thing is an alert marine. Sure, you're bite can kill in two shots, but you have to get close to him first, and if he knows you're coming, that is unlikely.
A skulk has no problem catching up with marines, but the noticable *clickclickclick* of their claws is likely to give them away. So, the best way for fighting as a skulk is ambushes, hide round corners, in vents, above doorways and just drop down to a marine to chomp them. Do not, however, go for the head. As of yet, NS has no area specific damage, and the head is a small target. Go for the body, as it is hard to miss that at point blank range.
<b>Gorge(Gorg)</b>
The builder class. There is one basic rule for new players and the Gorge, <b>don't go gorge</b>. Seriously, that is not a "You're new so you must be crap", it is a helpful suggestion. Chances are, on your first few games, you won't know what to do as a gorge. It is possibly one of the hardest classes to play. As the marine commander, the interface is very similar to any other RTS, but as a gorg, you are a commander from a First Person perspective. This makes it hard to judge exactly where to place all of the buildings. Also, the gorg is simply not a combat class. There are some brilliant, absolutly fantastic Gorges out there who can kill even a HA HMG (Heavy Armoured marine carrying a Heacy Machine Gun) one on one. But, to the average player, the gorg is simply not a combat class. It's ranged weapon (spit) is near to useless, used only for defence. But even then, Heal Spray is a far more effective weapon to use. It's range extends far past the Attack Sprite, so experiment with it.
Webs are perhaps the best weapon a gorg has, they can render any marine helpless. To place a web, simply fire twice. The web will appear in between the two shots. The webs can be placed anywhere, on the floor, wall-to-wall, on the ceiling etc. Experiment on different placements, but don't go mad, there's a web limit.
Babblers are everyone's favourite attack. They're cute, like puppies. Well, ok, maybe not. They are small, AI controlled skulks, that don't do as much damage as a normal skulk, are not very smart, and they blow up after a few seconds. They are mainly used for defence, as they don't fare well on attack (they only take 2-3 bullets to kill), but they cause mass confusion when two or three gorgs are spamming them into a base.
Basicaly, just don't go gorg untill you've got about 15 games under your belt, so you know what the basic layout of the maps, and where most combat takes place, and then stay out of those areas.
The reason new players should not go gorg is simple, you will lose the game with a gorg that doesn't know what to do. Also, if there is another gorg on the team, and you go gorg without knowing what to do, you can also lose the game for your team. The gorg recieves more res than other players, but if there is more than one gorg, the res flow slows down noticably. This is because, instead of one gorg taking 3 res per tick, and everyone else getting 1, there are two gorg getting 3 EACH, so that is 6 res gone in one tick (i'm honestly not sure on the numbers, but i think i am close).
This is a list of the buildings you can build and what they do, where to use them, and how effective they are:
<b>Offence Chamber(OC)</b>
Nope, this is not a chamber that gets up and attacks people. If i'm honest, that is what i thought it did at first, since the word "Offence" implies it. However, it is not an attack unit. It is in fact, Defence. It attacks any enemy units in range with an attack similar to the gorgs spit.
The Offence Chamber (OC) should be placed where ever you need to secure an area. One OC is not usually enough though, as a marine can simply walk/run past it without taking much/any damage. Two or three OC's next to each other, however, and the marine has to jump over them, and then get out of their range before being killed. If the marine is good, and on full health, they will probably get past, but they will be hurt. If they call for a medpack, they get back to full health, but they also distract their commander, no matter how briefly. If the marine chooses to carry on without a medpack, they will probably only take 1 more bite to kill them, so either way, you've helped your team greatly.
A common mistake is that the OC is meant to kill marines. It isn't. It is meant to slow down the marines advance, and give alert to the aliens (when they are under attack all aliens will see it). So, don't be surprised if you build 3 or 4 offence chambers, and come back in 10 minutes and they are not there. They slowed down the marines, and hurt them, and maybe even killed them. Every little thing adds up in favour of your team.
<b>Resource Tower/chamber(RT)</b>
This is the building that supplies resources (res) to your team. They are built on top of Resource Nodes, which are the holes in the ground with white steam coming out of them. These are the only places Resource Towers can be built, so whatever you do, don't build another chamber on top of the Node, as you will not be able to build a Resource Tower on it. This means wasted res, which means an angry team, which means you might get kicked if an Admin is present.
Resource Towers have high HP (Health Points), so they can take a fairly large ammount of damage before dying. This gives your team time to respond to the attack, and to save the Tower. It does not, however, mean you should leave every Resource Tower undefended. Early on in the game, it is usual to build 3-4 Resource Towers and not defend them, but later on in the game, when res is becoming ever more precious, fights over Resource Nodes become bitter and bloody. So start defending the Towers with 2-3 OCs and a few Defence Chambers (DCs).
Try not to build resource towers too close to the marines, as it costs 22 res to build, and you may only get 10 res back from it if the marines discover if.
<b>Defence Chambers(DC)</b>
This is the most used upgrade chamber in the whole game. It heals nearby buildings/players (with it's trademark "sloshing" sound when it's healing), and also provides all players with the ability to evolve Carapace, Redemption or Regeneration (more on these later).
It is usualy the Defence CHamber that comes first in a game. You can only build one Upgrade Chamber per hive, and so if you build a Sensory Chamber at the first hive (it is normaly thought that a Sensory Chamber is "useless"), your team will not be happy. Defence Chambers give them the ability to stay alive longer/better armour (Carapace), regenerate health without the aid of a Defence Chamber being near-by (regeneration) Or be teleported back to the hive on the brink of Death (Redemption).
The more DCs you have, the faster the rate of healing. However, this effect levels out at 3 DCs, in other words, 3 DCs will heal one building as fast as 14 DCs would. But, each DC can only heal one unit/building at a time (might be two, sorry if it is). So if you are assaulting a marine base, or holding off an assault with a large ammount of OCs, it is probable that you will need more than 3 DCs. It is rare to see more than 5-6 DCs in one place, however (apart from on maps like ns_siege etc).
<b>Movement Chamber(MC)</b>
This is the second most common upgrade chamber. It gives all the other aliens the ability to evolve Adrenaline, Celerity and Silence. It also grants access to the aliens version of the Phase Gate. Unlike the Phase Gate however, the Movement Chamber only allows access between hives. So when you "use" a Movement Chamber, it will take you to the farthest hive, or the hive that is currently under attack.
The MC should be placed at least one at each hive. This allows instant access to any hive that is under attack. It is also a good idea to have an MC near any forward Healing Post (a collection of DCs and some OCs that aliens can use to heal without going all the way back to a hive), so that if a marine gets into a hive while the aliens are assaulting, they can quickly get back to the hive under attack and kill the marine.
<b>Sensory Chamber</b>
The least used chamber in the game, the Sensory chamber only usually shows up at the third hive stage, when the game is usually won anyway. The sensory Chamber grants access to the Cloaking, Scent Of Fear and Enhanced Hive Sight evolutions. It also informs the alien team of any marine in it's range, and parasites any marines that touch it.
Sensory chambers do not see much action, and rightly so. Quite basicaly, unless the alien team is highly organised and/or highly skilled, the Sensory Chamber sucks. The DC allows you to take a lot more bullets before dying, but the sensory chamber allows you to hide in plain view of the marines (Cloak). But this also requires more thinking and teamwork, and so is an under-used tactic (because it is not tried, tested and approved such as the DC is).
Place sensory chambers just behind any OCs you have. This means that the Sensory Chamber can inform you of any incoming marines, in short, it acts like a radar, allowing you to strike before the marines do.
<b>Hive</b>
The Spawn-Point of the aliens and the focal point of any Marine Attack. The reason the aliens want to get more hives is to get access to more powerful abilities and alien levels, at least in 1.04. In 1.1, all alien lifeforms are available at Hive One, but their abilities are not. So, hives are still important, but the Two Hive Lockdown tactic of the marines is no longer all-dominating. The hive is very expensive at 80 res, so for God's sake, defend it! As soon as you have placed the hive, start placing OCs and DCs around the place.
A gorg should have one or two skulks guarding him at all times, but especialy when building a hive. A hive is a serious Res investment, and the last thing you want is to waste 80 res on a hive only to be rushed and killed by a marine, who then kills the hive. The hive takes a long time to build, so don't just abandon it when it's started building. Stay there, so if any marine does come, at least you can warn your team and get them there.
That about does it for the alien buildings.
<b>Lerk</b>
My personal favourite alien. This alien can fly, attack at range or up close (except in 1.1, when the bite is being taken out), and is brilliant at hit and run attacks.
Bite is not as powerful as the skulk bite, but is still a powerful weapon. I rarely use bite against marines, because i prefer taking them out with spikes (hey, i'm a sniper born and bred <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ) so i can't teach you how to dogfight JP marines, but i can tell you to practice, practice, practice. Out of all the aliens, the lerk is the hardest to use to it's full potential. There are people who can bite marines out of the air with ease, but those people are special and deserve our undying affection. I suggest you to use bite only against marine Buildings and marines with their backs turned, or in places where escape is impossible and marines are closing in.
Spikes are more powerful than people seem to think. Spiking marine is very effective, because if you spike the marine from behind, then stop when he turns around, he will be confused and paranoid, tell the other marines that there is a lerk about somewhere, and take their minds off other things. It will take a long time to take out a building with spikes though, but it is definatly worth trying. Takine out a TF (turret factory) with spikes is a very satisfying thing, because if you do it right, the marines will never know you are there. A lone lerk can take out a turret factory in a hive, and then the other aliens can get in and take down any other buildings, and then seize control of the hive. And you have the knowledge and satisfaction that it was you who made it all possible.
Umbra is a brilliant, brilliant weapon. It literaly smacks you in the face with a bat called "teamwork". You cannot attack with Umbra, only defend. So, use it. Umbra stops a lot of bullets from actualy hitting what they are aimed at, so if a hive is under attack, get in there, sit on top (or flap behind it) and use umbra, that will buy the hive about 20 more seconds of life. Not much time, you may think, but 20 seconds is more than enough for a few skulks to get in and kill all of the marines in there. Use it on fades as well, while they are Acid Rocketing a marine installation, and they will be almost invunerable, especialy if there is a gorg or defence chambers nearby.
Spores. Ahh, spores, we're talking nerve gas here people. Spores are devestating. Want a marine to move? fire some spores at him, no marine can last inside a spore cloud for more than a few seconds. Spore-Spamming a base is so effective it is untrue, but it is also a cheap tactic. Again, this is a third hive ability, so the game will probably be over by the time you get it anyway, but still extremely fun to use. It is a gas cloud, so is unaffected by anything in the way. If a marine is hiding somewhere noone can get to, fire some spores into the place he is hiding, and he will have to come out or die anyway.
<b>Fade</b>
Now, this is the shock troops. They are undefeatable one on one, at least, if the alien is the same skill level as the marine, but you have to be pretty new/rubbish to get beaten by a marine as a fade. That said, a fade is not invincible, and do not believe that you are. A level 3 LMG can make light work of a fade if the fade is not careful, and a Level 3 HMG is a very powerful weapon indeed. Also, watch out for shotguns. They are becoming more and more popular now, and 2 well placed shots from a L3 shotgun can take down the most heavily armoured fade easily.
Claws are the main attack of the fade, and deadly. Use them when a marine gets up close. If the marine is in heavy armour with a HMG, do not believe you are a god and face it front on, circle it, slashing as you do, or the marines will be frying up a juicy fade burger in no time.
Acid Rockets. Powerful, long range, and the most used weapon in the game (apart from bite and the LMG of course, ok, so it's not, but it sure seems like it). When you are attacking a marine base with acid rockets, look for some mines and aim for them. If the marine team is stupid enought to have a lot of mines around the base when the aliens have fades, you can expect a large boom. Hit a few mines in the marines base, and the lot goes up, taking out any marine who happens to be close by.
Blink is a buggy weapon that requires a lot of luck to use. It is a brilliant idea, aim where you want to go, fire, and you're there. If there is ANYTHING in the way though, a small bump, bulkhead or something similar, you stop there. There are also some things that you can get stuck in if you blink to them. Also, never rely on blink to work all the time, it works about 75% of the time, and only 50% of those are what you meant to do (i.e, you got to where you wanted to)
Bile Bomb, the Acid Rockets bigger brother. This is an artilery weapon, it has concussive force, and a large splash area. It also packs one hell of a punch. Beware of it's large blast radius though, because you will likely be caught in it yourself, and this thing hurts bad. It does not fly like an Acid Rocket either, it arcs through the air, so aim accordingly.
<b>Onos</b>
Oh yeah, the Kharra's tank. This thing is a beast. Think of a rhino with a *very* foul temper, extremely tough skin, and with a lot more horns, and you've got yourself an Onos.
Gore does exactly what you think, smacks your horns into whatever is unfortunate enough to get in the way. It takes about 2 hits to kill a marine, or one if you're lucky (they lost a little health before they met you).
Paralyse. Again, does what you expect. It is similar to the web, but with 2 subtle differences. The web only restricts movement, the Paralyse attack stops the marine from moving. However, he can spin around and fire his weapon, but not his Jetpack. So, if you get good enough, you can take down a good JPer, then gore them as they hit the ground.
Charge is another good attack. Burst though the middle of a group of marines, and if they survive, they are lucky. You do NOT need to keep firing it though. Use this weapon once, and then it lasts until your energy runs out. It is, again, what you expect. Lower your horns and run into whatever is in front of you. You cannot make any sharp turns while using this though, as it will cancel the attack (or at least, it's supposed to).
Primal Scream. The nearest thing i can think of to this is the Death Chant the Klingons use in Star Trek Armada (yes, im <b>that</b> sad). It increases the speed, rate of fire, and health of all aliens around, including yourself. Use it while attacking, and i can guarentee your team mates will be happy for it.
Right, that about covers the basics for each alien.
<b>Tips</b>
<u>Skulk</u>
Don't attack head on, come in from behind or the sides.
Throw yourself into your attacks. You don't have enough health to run in, get shot, then run back out. You will die, and acomplish nothing.
Parasite everyone
Practice Leap-Biting
Hide in places no one expects you to be
Use shadows and use the element of surprise
Listen for cries of "Medpack!", then rush in the direction of the sound. Should only take one bite to take down an injured marine
Never attack if they expect you to (unless there's no choise), inform your team where they are, and then move on
Throw yourself at turret factories. If you can do this about 4 times (and the marines don't weld it) you should be able to kill the Turrect Factory. Move around as you bite the TF, because turrets find moving objects harder to track.
<u>Gorg</u>
Try and stay out of combat until you're confident you can handle a marine one on one
Try to keep a skulk with you at all times
Stay out of places used by marines all the time
Listen to your teammates. Any desicion you make as a gorge affects the whole team, not just you, so don't be selfish
If you don't want endless demands made of you, don't go gorg <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
When you get to know the people you're playing with, like become a regular on the server, and you feel safe with the admins, try out new strategies, like putting a Sensory chamber first. BUT! be VERY sure the admin won't ban you, and tell the team that you are going to do it, and explain why
If you do not match the above, ALWAYS put a DC first <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
ALWAYS health spray your team. They will only thank you, as it won't hurt them and can only help them
<u>Lerk</u>
Stay in vents and in high places, spiking marines and their buildings.
Umbra your team when they ask for it, and even if they don't
When marines are about, try to stay in the air
Practice flying, as it is hard
Use spores to shift annoying marines
Umbra is for buildings too, use it on everything you want to defend, but it only lasts about 10 seconds, so don't expect it to be there when you get back
<u>Fade</u>
You are an assault soldier, act like one
Use acid rockets untill the marines get up close, then switch to claws/swipe
The acid rocket splash damage is a lot bigger than it looks like, so just because the marine is round the corner doesn't mean you can't hit him, hit the wall near him
Never try and aim for the marine dead on, unless he is coming straight for you. aim for the ground in front or the walls to the side, and let the splash damage do the rest
Never, ever, EVER <b>expect</b> blink to work, expect it to fail and be happy when it works <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
<u>Onos</u>
have fun
use primal scream whenever you can
Remember, JPs are your mortal enemy, paralyse them when you can.
Use physcological warefare on the marines. Before actualy going into the base, use primal scream outside, so they know you're out there. They won't come out, and they'll be scared. It's also great fun to do this <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Don't be worried about one or two ground troops, you can take them easy
DO be worried about 4 HA with HMG. You're very tough, but you're not a God. And at 70 Res, you are a very important investment to your team.
The upgrades (max number is 3 levels of each upgrade, and you can only have one from each chamber, and there is one chamber per hive):
<b>Defence Chamber</b>
Carapace: Most widely used, increases armour by a percentage each level. Level 1 is useless, Level 3 is deadly
Regeneration: Used mainly by lerks, this regenerates your health and armour without a gorg or a Defence chamber being nearby.The rate of regeneration increases each level.
Redemption: This teleports you back to the hive on the brink of death. The percentage/chance of it working increases each level.
<b>Movement Chamber</b>
Adrenaline: Each level increases the rate of Energy Recharge (useful for Fades with Acid Rocket and Lerks with Flying and Spikes)
Celerity: Increases the speed of the alien, each level increases the speed by more.
Silence: Silence movement, but not attacks. Each level increases the silence. Level 3 is silent.
<b>Sensory Chamber</b>
Cloaking: Guess <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> Makes you almost completely invisible. Each level decreases the amount of time it takes to cloak once you stop moving (you can't cloak while moving)
Scent Of Fear: Targets each injured marine with an orange, squiggley circle thing on hive sight. I'm not sure what each level does, i think it increases the range
Enhanced Hive Sight: Locates marines, without them being parasited. Each level increases the range of this effect.
<b>Meanings/Glossary</b>
OC - Offence Chamber
DC - Defence Chamber
MC - Movement Chamber
SC - Sensory Chamber
RT - Resource Tower
Spamming - In game, this is the reapeted use of a single attack, or repeating anything, over and over and over. On the forums, it is saying something pointless. Like in a thread about Lerk Strategy, someone saying "I've got a ginger cat". That is Forum Spam
MedSpam - A commander dropping Medpacks onto a marine so fast he is invincible. A viable tactic, however, as this will eat away at the marines resources very fast
Res - Resources
One more tip, LEARN THE MAPS! follow other aliens about untill you know the map layout like the back of your hand
Phew, ok, im done. First guide for NS i wrote. Any good? anything you want to add?
**DISCLAIMER** This is written for NS Version 1.04. I will update it for 1.1 when it comes out if you want.
<b>Basics</b>
Ok, Khara are aliens. Which means they play drasticly different to most other things in FPS'. They require a different level of thinking to marines, or other Human sides in other games. They are, for the most part, Hit n' run. Get in, slash, gash, bite, claw and gore and get out again. Of course, with each evolution, the alien player becomes more specialised in a specific area of attack/defence. These are covered below:
<b>Skulk</b>
The basic alien. It has it's weaknesses, such as low health, but it also has it's advantages. It's name implies that it is good at hiding, which it is. It can walk up walls and ceilings, and as such, it can hide in ambush spots, waiting for marines to come walking past.
A common mistake here is to drop down right after you see the first marine. You should wait at least 2 seconds before dropping down, because the last thing you want is to drop down in front of 3 marines. 2 or 3 seconds should be long enough to see if the marine is alone, and don't worry about waiting, it's not like he can outrun you <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Parasite is often misused. Skulks seem to use it at all the wrong times. The best time to use Parasite is right before you attack. That way, if you don't manage to kill the marine in your attack, at least all the other aliens can see where the marine is, and he is unlikely to surprise anyone else.
Leap is perhaps the hardest attack in the game to use effectively. Some people say it is possible to kill a Heavy Armoured (HA) marine in 2 leaps, but i have never seen it done. Leap is mainly to get the drop on enemies. Use it to close the distance between you and your target before he can attack you. Leap-Bites are also devestating. Midleap, change your weapon to Bite and chomp away at the poor marine. This attack requires a lot of practice before you can use it effectively.
Xenocide is the Skulk's forth weapon, and it's Third Hive Attack. It is not used much in games with normal maps (it is used constantly on the ns_siege series). This is because, by the time you have got your third hive up, it is unlikely that you will be a skulk. To use this attack effectively, simply get into a group of marines and fire it. You lose your life, sure, but if done properly it can devestate a marine rush. So, you lose a life, but you also kill about 4-5 marines with it.
You need to get in close, but it is not wise to rush at a marine head on. If you can, try and get them from behind, or at very least the side. Also, never, <b>ever</b> attack a marine if they know you are there. For a skulk, the most dangerous thing is an alert marine. Sure, you're bite can kill in two shots, but you have to get close to him first, and if he knows you're coming, that is unlikely.
A skulk has no problem catching up with marines, but the noticable *clickclickclick* of their claws is likely to give them away. So, the best way for fighting as a skulk is ambushes, hide round corners, in vents, above doorways and just drop down to a marine to chomp them. Do not, however, go for the head. As of yet, NS has no area specific damage, and the head is a small target. Go for the body, as it is hard to miss that at point blank range.
<b>Gorge(Gorg)</b>
The builder class. There is one basic rule for new players and the Gorge, <b>don't go gorge</b>. Seriously, that is not a "You're new so you must be crap", it is a helpful suggestion. Chances are, on your first few games, you won't know what to do as a gorge. It is possibly one of the hardest classes to play. As the marine commander, the interface is very similar to any other RTS, but as a gorg, you are a commander from a First Person perspective. This makes it hard to judge exactly where to place all of the buildings. Also, the gorg is simply not a combat class. There are some brilliant, absolutly fantastic Gorges out there who can kill even a HA HMG (Heavy Armoured marine carrying a Heacy Machine Gun) one on one. But, to the average player, the gorg is simply not a combat class. It's ranged weapon (spit) is near to useless, used only for defence. But even then, Heal Spray is a far more effective weapon to use. It's range extends far past the Attack Sprite, so experiment with it.
Webs are perhaps the best weapon a gorg has, they can render any marine helpless. To place a web, simply fire twice. The web will appear in between the two shots. The webs can be placed anywhere, on the floor, wall-to-wall, on the ceiling etc. Experiment on different placements, but don't go mad, there's a web limit.
Babblers are everyone's favourite attack. They're cute, like puppies. Well, ok, maybe not. They are small, AI controlled skulks, that don't do as much damage as a normal skulk, are not very smart, and they blow up after a few seconds. They are mainly used for defence, as they don't fare well on attack (they only take 2-3 bullets to kill), but they cause mass confusion when two or three gorgs are spamming them into a base.
Basicaly, just don't go gorg untill you've got about 15 games under your belt, so you know what the basic layout of the maps, and where most combat takes place, and then stay out of those areas.
The reason new players should not go gorg is simple, you will lose the game with a gorg that doesn't know what to do. Also, if there is another gorg on the team, and you go gorg without knowing what to do, you can also lose the game for your team. The gorg recieves more res than other players, but if there is more than one gorg, the res flow slows down noticably. This is because, instead of one gorg taking 3 res per tick, and everyone else getting 1, there are two gorg getting 3 EACH, so that is 6 res gone in one tick (i'm honestly not sure on the numbers, but i think i am close).
This is a list of the buildings you can build and what they do, where to use them, and how effective they are:
<b>Offence Chamber(OC)</b>
Nope, this is not a chamber that gets up and attacks people. If i'm honest, that is what i thought it did at first, since the word "Offence" implies it. However, it is not an attack unit. It is in fact, Defence. It attacks any enemy units in range with an attack similar to the gorgs spit.
The Offence Chamber (OC) should be placed where ever you need to secure an area. One OC is not usually enough though, as a marine can simply walk/run past it without taking much/any damage. Two or three OC's next to each other, however, and the marine has to jump over them, and then get out of their range before being killed. If the marine is good, and on full health, they will probably get past, but they will be hurt. If they call for a medpack, they get back to full health, but they also distract their commander, no matter how briefly. If the marine chooses to carry on without a medpack, they will probably only take 1 more bite to kill them, so either way, you've helped your team greatly.
A common mistake is that the OC is meant to kill marines. It isn't. It is meant to slow down the marines advance, and give alert to the aliens (when they are under attack all aliens will see it). So, don't be surprised if you build 3 or 4 offence chambers, and come back in 10 minutes and they are not there. They slowed down the marines, and hurt them, and maybe even killed them. Every little thing adds up in favour of your team.
<b>Resource Tower/chamber(RT)</b>
This is the building that supplies resources (res) to your team. They are built on top of Resource Nodes, which are the holes in the ground with white steam coming out of them. These are the only places Resource Towers can be built, so whatever you do, don't build another chamber on top of the Node, as you will not be able to build a Resource Tower on it. This means wasted res, which means an angry team, which means you might get kicked if an Admin is present.
Resource Towers have high HP (Health Points), so they can take a fairly large ammount of damage before dying. This gives your team time to respond to the attack, and to save the Tower. It does not, however, mean you should leave every Resource Tower undefended. Early on in the game, it is usual to build 3-4 Resource Towers and not defend them, but later on in the game, when res is becoming ever more precious, fights over Resource Nodes become bitter and bloody. So start defending the Towers with 2-3 OCs and a few Defence Chambers (DCs).
Try not to build resource towers too close to the marines, as it costs 22 res to build, and you may only get 10 res back from it if the marines discover if.
<b>Defence Chambers(DC)</b>
This is the most used upgrade chamber in the whole game. It heals nearby buildings/players (with it's trademark "sloshing" sound when it's healing), and also provides all players with the ability to evolve Carapace, Redemption or Regeneration (more on these later).
It is usualy the Defence CHamber that comes first in a game. You can only build one Upgrade Chamber per hive, and so if you build a Sensory Chamber at the first hive (it is normaly thought that a Sensory Chamber is "useless"), your team will not be happy. Defence Chambers give them the ability to stay alive longer/better armour (Carapace), regenerate health without the aid of a Defence Chamber being near-by (regeneration) Or be teleported back to the hive on the brink of Death (Redemption).
The more DCs you have, the faster the rate of healing. However, this effect levels out at 3 DCs, in other words, 3 DCs will heal one building as fast as 14 DCs would. But, each DC can only heal one unit/building at a time (might be two, sorry if it is). So if you are assaulting a marine base, or holding off an assault with a large ammount of OCs, it is probable that you will need more than 3 DCs. It is rare to see more than 5-6 DCs in one place, however (apart from on maps like ns_siege etc).
<b>Movement Chamber(MC)</b>
This is the second most common upgrade chamber. It gives all the other aliens the ability to evolve Adrenaline, Celerity and Silence. It also grants access to the aliens version of the Phase Gate. Unlike the Phase Gate however, the Movement Chamber only allows access between hives. So when you "use" a Movement Chamber, it will take you to the farthest hive, or the hive that is currently under attack.
The MC should be placed at least one at each hive. This allows instant access to any hive that is under attack. It is also a good idea to have an MC near any forward Healing Post (a collection of DCs and some OCs that aliens can use to heal without going all the way back to a hive), so that if a marine gets into a hive while the aliens are assaulting, they can quickly get back to the hive under attack and kill the marine.
<b>Sensory Chamber</b>
The least used chamber in the game, the Sensory chamber only usually shows up at the third hive stage, when the game is usually won anyway. The sensory Chamber grants access to the Cloaking, Scent Of Fear and Enhanced Hive Sight evolutions. It also informs the alien team of any marine in it's range, and parasites any marines that touch it.
Sensory chambers do not see much action, and rightly so. Quite basicaly, unless the alien team is highly organised and/or highly skilled, the Sensory Chamber sucks. The DC allows you to take a lot more bullets before dying, but the sensory chamber allows you to hide in plain view of the marines (Cloak). But this also requires more thinking and teamwork, and so is an under-used tactic (because it is not tried, tested and approved such as the DC is).
Place sensory chambers just behind any OCs you have. This means that the Sensory Chamber can inform you of any incoming marines, in short, it acts like a radar, allowing you to strike before the marines do.
<b>Hive</b>
The Spawn-Point of the aliens and the focal point of any Marine Attack. The reason the aliens want to get more hives is to get access to more powerful abilities and alien levels, at least in 1.04. In 1.1, all alien lifeforms are available at Hive One, but their abilities are not. So, hives are still important, but the Two Hive Lockdown tactic of the marines is no longer all-dominating. The hive is very expensive at 80 res, so for God's sake, defend it! As soon as you have placed the hive, start placing OCs and DCs around the place.
A gorg should have one or two skulks guarding him at all times, but especialy when building a hive. A hive is a serious Res investment, and the last thing you want is to waste 80 res on a hive only to be rushed and killed by a marine, who then kills the hive. The hive takes a long time to build, so don't just abandon it when it's started building. Stay there, so if any marine does come, at least you can warn your team and get them there.
That about does it for the alien buildings.
<b>Lerk</b>
My personal favourite alien. This alien can fly, attack at range or up close (except in 1.1, when the bite is being taken out), and is brilliant at hit and run attacks.
Bite is not as powerful as the skulk bite, but is still a powerful weapon. I rarely use bite against marines, because i prefer taking them out with spikes (hey, i'm a sniper born and bred <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ) so i can't teach you how to dogfight JP marines, but i can tell you to practice, practice, practice. Out of all the aliens, the lerk is the hardest to use to it's full potential. There are people who can bite marines out of the air with ease, but those people are special and deserve our undying affection. I suggest you to use bite only against marine Buildings and marines with their backs turned, or in places where escape is impossible and marines are closing in.
Spikes are more powerful than people seem to think. Spiking marine is very effective, because if you spike the marine from behind, then stop when he turns around, he will be confused and paranoid, tell the other marines that there is a lerk about somewhere, and take their minds off other things. It will take a long time to take out a building with spikes though, but it is definatly worth trying. Takine out a TF (turret factory) with spikes is a very satisfying thing, because if you do it right, the marines will never know you are there. A lone lerk can take out a turret factory in a hive, and then the other aliens can get in and take down any other buildings, and then seize control of the hive. And you have the knowledge and satisfaction that it was you who made it all possible.
Umbra is a brilliant, brilliant weapon. It literaly smacks you in the face with a bat called "teamwork". You cannot attack with Umbra, only defend. So, use it. Umbra stops a lot of bullets from actualy hitting what they are aimed at, so if a hive is under attack, get in there, sit on top (or flap behind it) and use umbra, that will buy the hive about 20 more seconds of life. Not much time, you may think, but 20 seconds is more than enough for a few skulks to get in and kill all of the marines in there. Use it on fades as well, while they are Acid Rocketing a marine installation, and they will be almost invunerable, especialy if there is a gorg or defence chambers nearby.
Spores. Ahh, spores, we're talking nerve gas here people. Spores are devestating. Want a marine to move? fire some spores at him, no marine can last inside a spore cloud for more than a few seconds. Spore-Spamming a base is so effective it is untrue, but it is also a cheap tactic. Again, this is a third hive ability, so the game will probably be over by the time you get it anyway, but still extremely fun to use. It is a gas cloud, so is unaffected by anything in the way. If a marine is hiding somewhere noone can get to, fire some spores into the place he is hiding, and he will have to come out or die anyway.
<b>Fade</b>
Now, this is the shock troops. They are undefeatable one on one, at least, if the alien is the same skill level as the marine, but you have to be pretty new/rubbish to get beaten by a marine as a fade. That said, a fade is not invincible, and do not believe that you are. A level 3 LMG can make light work of a fade if the fade is not careful, and a Level 3 HMG is a very powerful weapon indeed. Also, watch out for shotguns. They are becoming more and more popular now, and 2 well placed shots from a L3 shotgun can take down the most heavily armoured fade easily.
Claws are the main attack of the fade, and deadly. Use them when a marine gets up close. If the marine is in heavy armour with a HMG, do not believe you are a god and face it front on, circle it, slashing as you do, or the marines will be frying up a juicy fade burger in no time.
Acid Rockets. Powerful, long range, and the most used weapon in the game (apart from bite and the LMG of course, ok, so it's not, but it sure seems like it). When you are attacking a marine base with acid rockets, look for some mines and aim for them. If the marine team is stupid enought to have a lot of mines around the base when the aliens have fades, you can expect a large boom. Hit a few mines in the marines base, and the lot goes up, taking out any marine who happens to be close by.
Blink is a buggy weapon that requires a lot of luck to use. It is a brilliant idea, aim where you want to go, fire, and you're there. If there is ANYTHING in the way though, a small bump, bulkhead or something similar, you stop there. There are also some things that you can get stuck in if you blink to them. Also, never rely on blink to work all the time, it works about 75% of the time, and only 50% of those are what you meant to do (i.e, you got to where you wanted to)
Bile Bomb, the Acid Rockets bigger brother. This is an artilery weapon, it has concussive force, and a large splash area. It also packs one hell of a punch. Beware of it's large blast radius though, because you will likely be caught in it yourself, and this thing hurts bad. It does not fly like an Acid Rocket either, it arcs through the air, so aim accordingly.
<b>Onos</b>
Oh yeah, the Kharra's tank. This thing is a beast. Think of a rhino with a *very* foul temper, extremely tough skin, and with a lot more horns, and you've got yourself an Onos.
Gore does exactly what you think, smacks your horns into whatever is unfortunate enough to get in the way. It takes about 2 hits to kill a marine, or one if you're lucky (they lost a little health before they met you).
Paralyse. Again, does what you expect. It is similar to the web, but with 2 subtle differences. The web only restricts movement, the Paralyse attack stops the marine from moving. However, he can spin around and fire his weapon, but not his Jetpack. So, if you get good enough, you can take down a good JPer, then gore them as they hit the ground.
Charge is another good attack. Burst though the middle of a group of marines, and if they survive, they are lucky. You do NOT need to keep firing it though. Use this weapon once, and then it lasts until your energy runs out. It is, again, what you expect. Lower your horns and run into whatever is in front of you. You cannot make any sharp turns while using this though, as it will cancel the attack (or at least, it's supposed to).
Primal Scream. The nearest thing i can think of to this is the Death Chant the Klingons use in Star Trek Armada (yes, im <b>that</b> sad). It increases the speed, rate of fire, and health of all aliens around, including yourself. Use it while attacking, and i can guarentee your team mates will be happy for it.
Right, that about covers the basics for each alien.
<b>Tips</b>
<u>Skulk</u>
Don't attack head on, come in from behind or the sides.
Throw yourself into your attacks. You don't have enough health to run in, get shot, then run back out. You will die, and acomplish nothing.
Parasite everyone
Practice Leap-Biting
Hide in places no one expects you to be
Use shadows and use the element of surprise
Listen for cries of "Medpack!", then rush in the direction of the sound. Should only take one bite to take down an injured marine
Never attack if they expect you to (unless there's no choise), inform your team where they are, and then move on
Throw yourself at turret factories. If you can do this about 4 times (and the marines don't weld it) you should be able to kill the Turrect Factory. Move around as you bite the TF, because turrets find moving objects harder to track.
<u>Gorg</u>
Try and stay out of combat until you're confident you can handle a marine one on one
Try to keep a skulk with you at all times
Stay out of places used by marines all the time
Listen to your teammates. Any desicion you make as a gorge affects the whole team, not just you, so don't be selfish
If you don't want endless demands made of you, don't go gorg <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
When you get to know the people you're playing with, like become a regular on the server, and you feel safe with the admins, try out new strategies, like putting a Sensory chamber first. BUT! be VERY sure the admin won't ban you, and tell the team that you are going to do it, and explain why
If you do not match the above, ALWAYS put a DC first <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
ALWAYS health spray your team. They will only thank you, as it won't hurt them and can only help them
<u>Lerk</u>
Stay in vents and in high places, spiking marines and their buildings.
Umbra your team when they ask for it, and even if they don't
When marines are about, try to stay in the air
Practice flying, as it is hard
Use spores to shift annoying marines
Umbra is for buildings too, use it on everything you want to defend, but it only lasts about 10 seconds, so don't expect it to be there when you get back
<u>Fade</u>
You are an assault soldier, act like one
Use acid rockets untill the marines get up close, then switch to claws/swipe
The acid rocket splash damage is a lot bigger than it looks like, so just because the marine is round the corner doesn't mean you can't hit him, hit the wall near him
Never try and aim for the marine dead on, unless he is coming straight for you. aim for the ground in front or the walls to the side, and let the splash damage do the rest
Never, ever, EVER <b>expect</b> blink to work, expect it to fail and be happy when it works <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
<u>Onos</u>
have fun
use primal scream whenever you can
Remember, JPs are your mortal enemy, paralyse them when you can.
Use physcological warefare on the marines. Before actualy going into the base, use primal scream outside, so they know you're out there. They won't come out, and they'll be scared. It's also great fun to do this <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Don't be worried about one or two ground troops, you can take them easy
DO be worried about 4 HA with HMG. You're very tough, but you're not a God. And at 70 Res, you are a very important investment to your team.
The upgrades (max number is 3 levels of each upgrade, and you can only have one from each chamber, and there is one chamber per hive):
<b>Defence Chamber</b>
Carapace: Most widely used, increases armour by a percentage each level. Level 1 is useless, Level 3 is deadly
Regeneration: Used mainly by lerks, this regenerates your health and armour without a gorg or a Defence chamber being nearby.The rate of regeneration increases each level.
Redemption: This teleports you back to the hive on the brink of death. The percentage/chance of it working increases each level.
<b>Movement Chamber</b>
Adrenaline: Each level increases the rate of Energy Recharge (useful for Fades with Acid Rocket and Lerks with Flying and Spikes)
Celerity: Increases the speed of the alien, each level increases the speed by more.
Silence: Silence movement, but not attacks. Each level increases the silence. Level 3 is silent.
<b>Sensory Chamber</b>
Cloaking: Guess <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> Makes you almost completely invisible. Each level decreases the amount of time it takes to cloak once you stop moving (you can't cloak while moving)
Scent Of Fear: Targets each injured marine with an orange, squiggley circle thing on hive sight. I'm not sure what each level does, i think it increases the range
Enhanced Hive Sight: Locates marines, without them being parasited. Each level increases the range of this effect.
<b>Meanings/Glossary</b>
OC - Offence Chamber
DC - Defence Chamber
MC - Movement Chamber
SC - Sensory Chamber
RT - Resource Tower
Spamming - In game, this is the reapeted use of a single attack, or repeating anything, over and over and over. On the forums, it is saying something pointless. Like in a thread about Lerk Strategy, someone saying "I've got a ginger cat". That is Forum Spam
MedSpam - A commander dropping Medpacks onto a marine so fast he is invincible. A viable tactic, however, as this will eat away at the marines resources very fast
Res - Resources
One more tip, LEARN THE MAPS! follow other aliens about untill you know the map layout like the back of your hand
Phew, ok, im done. First guide for NS i wrote. Any good? anything you want to add?
**DISCLAIMER** This is written for NS Version 1.04. I will update it for 1.1 when it comes out if you want.
Comments
1. Put it on a website not directly on the forums
2. Put it in Kharra strategy
3. Don't make super long posts like this.
This was designed to be a newbie guide, so it wouldn't belong in the Kharra strategy forum anyway, plus it's not really any strategies. But hey, if the mods wanna phase it, fine by me <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
However, you made a few mistakes. There is no limit to the effectiveness of DCs. If you place 8 DCs under a hive, then all 8 will heal the hive, and you if you're near it. Plus, each DC can heal up to 3 targets at a time.
Oh and don't forget that in 1.04 lerk has a bite that does as much damage as the skulk bite, despite what it says in the tooltips or the manual, so use it often. A lerk has small hitboxes, and if you can fly well you can survive a LONG time with carapace. So, fly in and bite a marines, and fly out. Bite the jetpackers to.
However, you made a few mistakes. There is no limit to the effectiveness of DCs. If you place 8 DCs under a hive, then all 8 will heal the hive, and you if you're near it. Plus, each DC can heal up to 3 targets at a time.
Oh and don't forget that in 1.04 lerk has a bite that does as much damage as the skulk bite, despite what it says in the tooltips or the manual, so use it often. A lerk has small hitboxes, and if you can fly well you can survive a LONG time with carapace. So, fly in and bite a marines, and fly out. Bite the jetpackers to. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
that's the kind of post i'd prefer. I was trying to make like, The ultimate guide to Kharra here.
Worx even more often!
DO NOT USE REGENERATION WITH LERKS if there is the slightest chance a marine is near.
This is a bad idea because lerks die really fast. it takes only a split second to take one down even behind umbra with a pistol. 33 res gone instantly. Get cara and take the time to fly back to the hive to heal.
DO NOT USE REGENERATION WITH LERKS if there is the slightest chance a marine is near.
This is a bad idea because lerks die really fast. it takes only a split second to take one down even behind umbra with a pistol. 33 res gone instantly. Get cara and take the time to fly back to the hive to heal. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hmm. Lately I have been going lerk when hive two went up, playing umbra support for the fades. With adrenaline it is easy to be in umbra cover at all times, and I find that marines have a tough time taking me out as long as I don't let 'em get close. A hmg or several marines will force me to retreat, but not kill me. I usually go for regen, and while I have been in a few narrow scrapes, I only die when I don't concentrate. But until hive two, cara's probably the way to go.
Keep em coming guys <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Maybe i'll write a marine one later
Even better - xenocide. NS's game engine refers to this weapon as "divine wind". Now "divine wind" translates into Japanese as "kamikaze" - which represents the style of attack of this weapon!
Yay for edutainment!
Xenocide was the case of a sci-fi novel by Orson Scott Card dealing with the issue of wiping out an alien life form completely (known as xenocide). I think in this case it's derived from "suicide", with "xeno" added (xeno means alien).
Leap is best used as a mobility tool. It's best used to close the distance to your prey faster, to help dodge gunfire, and to bring down jetpackers (I like to jump onto them and bite them down). There's little advantage to using it as a weapon - I doubt it was designed to be used primarily as a weapon. But that's just speculation, of course.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> never, ever attack a marine if they know you are there. For a skulk, the most dangerous thing is an alert marine. Sure, you're bite can kill in two shots, but you have to get close to him first, and if he knows you're coming, that is unlikely<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Uh... you don't have a choice. If the marine knows you're there, what are you going to do? Not attack and get gunned down? If the marine doesn't know you're there it's a bonus, if he does it's bad luck. He still has to die.
To add to the skulk advice - keep off the floor if at all possible. It's amazing how many skulks still walk around as if they're marines and get mown down when they turn a corner and run into a marine.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You can only build one Upgrade Chamber per hive<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You can only build one <b>type</b> of upgrade chamber per hive. I knew what you meant, but the nubcaeks might not <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->A gorg should have one or two skulks guarding him at all times, but especialy when building a hive<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unfortunately, this isn't practical. The best way to protect a gorge is to ensure that the marines are nowhere near him, and that means keeping their expansion in check and patrolling for them. Defending a gorge who's setting up a hive is a good idea, but often the team can't really afford to lose two skulks to babysit the gorge. It depends on the game - if the gorge keeps dying, protect him. If he can hold his own, don't worry.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Spikes are more powerful than people seem to think. Spiking... <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Important to mention: the spikes hit immediately, and exactly where the crosshairs point. They don't hit where the spike models show they do.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Blink is a buggy weapon that requires a lot of luck to use. It is ...<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Blink will put the Fade's head where the crosshairs point. If there is room for the head, but no room for the body, it will not work. If the object blocking the body is inside the level, you will get stuck (ie, an elevator floor). If the object blocking the fade's body is outside the level, you will simply fail to move (if you aim at the base of a wall, for example). Crouching (or duck jumping) helps because it makes the Fade smaller, so it means that you need less clearence. Aiming up also helps (usually you aim at the middle of a wall; this means that your legs would go through the floor so it doesn't work. But if you duck, your legs won't go through the floor if you aim at the middle. That's why crouching is so popular).
A general tip, particularly for skulks and fade: don't stop moving. I've lost count of the number of times I've seen a fade or a skulk hammering away at a turret, just standing there while it shoots them. Circle it!
Worx even more often! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes. Blinking is one of the coolest skills in the game and should not be overlooked.
The suffix 'cide' is from the latin 'cida'. It means kill. So any word with a suffix of 'cide' becomes blahblahkill. The xeno and geno part is just a nice rhyming play on words.
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And if you like blink now, wait until you play with in 1.1. It blows the current one off the planet. Totally cool.
Great topic guys, keep 'em coming.
can you webbeh it then? rofl. DON'T KILL ME <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
And the chap talking about hitboxes of fades determining their blinking ability - sometimes I run down a straight corridor, aim slightly up at a wall further forward and blink but it doesn't work. It just seems buig-ridden, not as clearcut as you make out.
It's easy to blink accurately if you're blinking down at your target.
I expected that to be the reason. If my linguistical skills do not fail me, "xenocide" literally means "foreignkill". Actually, that is quite appropriate, as the marines are the aliens in the eyes of the kharaa (since "alien" simple means "foreigner"). Marinocide would also be good. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Cool! Just like the fade in the manual!
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<!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> ya got it before me!! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
xeno means other, or alien. i.e. xenophobia - fear of outsiders
Stickman, eeeexxcelllent guide!! nice. so many posts can create too much noise and not enough signal, ya know? this post is clearly the latter <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->