New Comms

NikonNikon Join Date: 2003-09-29 Member: 21313Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">cut us some slack</div> Hey guys-
As you can tell, im relatively new to NS, ive only been playing for like three months, but I really like the way this game is progressing so I decided to register for the forums to get a little help. I really like the Comm. function and would like to learn how to comm. better, but whenever I am on a public server, the same thing happens. When the game starts, no one wants to comm., then when someone finally jumps in the chair, and even says hes new, but will do his best, everyone starts yelling at him, calling him a "stupid nub", and then ejects him, rinse wash and repeat. If there is a good comm. around that everyone knows, he ends up being comm. for the entire duration of his playtime on the server. Are there any Pub Servers where I can go to learn how to be a better comm.? Im really sick of seeing someone try to comm, and getting yelled at because hes learning. Everyone has to learn, and you are gonna suck at first, but in order to get some better comms for the marines to truly stand a chance against the aliens, we need to help and encourage new comms, and give them 'constructive' help, like tell them where on the screen they can find things, not just yell ' YOU F'ING NUB OF A COMM. DROP ME A HMG, WHERE ARE OUR UPGRADES, OMG EVERYONE EJECT THIS RETARD'..... that does nothing but make another potential comm. get **** and stop trying, then everyone cries that there are no good comms. I want to learn, and would really like to see this community help new comms instead of berate them. Thanks
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Comments

  • james8448james8448 Join Date: 2003-07-26 Member: 18438Members
    Tip: Become a regular to a server and when u know most people on your team ask if u could have a go as comm, I only ever been comm a few times but cause I knew everyone on my team they helped me along and seemed 2 work better for people they know


    Sorry had 2 move the post just incase u missed it the firs time <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • MrMojoMrMojo Join Date: 2002-11-25 Member: 9882Members, Constellation
    Or comm under a different name to practise a lot. It will make you feel much more confident.
  • DarkRageDarkRage Join Date: 2003-08-12 Member: 19475Members
    well some people really take this game to heart and really do love to win.
    thats is why some will try to eject/kick you for being new and only wanting to learn.

    i would suggest finding a server that supports new comms and try's to help them.

    like i am a n00b comm as most would say, yet i comm on this sever alot 195.20.109.201:27015 and none seem's to mind because they know i am still learning and would like to learn more.
  • XzilenXzilen Join Date: 2002-12-30 Member: 11642Members, Constellation
    You can always stop by my server and WATCH me comm, since I'm like so kick ****, =)
  • MrMojoMrMojo Join Date: 2002-11-25 Member: 9882Members, Constellation
    Oh, stop pimping it already <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • itsmemoitsmemo Join Date: 2003-07-17 Member: 18232Members, Constellation
    comming isnt THAT hard, its just people make it seem hard,

    your team usually helps 50% they may discover an area to secure earlier than you.

    dont be afraid to step into the chair, because most the time no one else wants to. and if they say you suck ignore them, cause there the ones not bothering with it.

    ...and remember, there is no such thing as a good comm, a comm can only be as good as his marines, same goes for the marines, marines can only be as good as there comm.
  • ApodysophiliaApodysophilia Join Date: 2003-09-21 Member: 21088Members
    a friend and I have learned to comm, by going one on one. it lets you get used to the stuff. or sometimes go 2 on 1
    2 <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> vs 1 <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • XzilenXzilen Join Date: 2002-12-30 Member: 11642Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--MrMojo+Sep 29 2003, 04:53 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (MrMojo @ Sep 29 2003, 04:53 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Oh, stop pimping it already <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    hahaha. but but but I can't! =)

    <3
  • BigMadSteveBigMadSteve Join Date: 2003-02-12 Member: 13472Members
    You could have a look in the <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=SF&f=20' target='_blank'>Frontiersmen Strategy</a> forum. There's bound to be something in there that can help you out.
  • UnknownUnknown Join Date: 1970-01-01 Member:
    Hehe, I'm better than Xzilen will hope he could ever be. *natch* <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • NikonNikon Join Date: 2003-09-29 Member: 21313Members, Constellation
    Thanks to all the people that posted with helpful responses. Yes I have looked in the Frontiersman Strategy Forum, but reading about how to do something and actually doing are entirely different, espcially with Comm'ing, I mean just learning where everything is can be a large task. I read once about someone who made a demo of the comm'ing basics(i.e. how to use the menu, how to respond to marines requests, upgrades ect...), it sounded like fantastic Idea, but the link for the demo was broken =[......... maybe a REALLY good comm. could make another one, or the DEV team make a "Basics of Commanding" demo, for us newbies to watch, that way we dont have to jump into the chair relatively blind. Or perhaps even a training mode like in the begining of Half Life, where it would run you through the basics of dropping equipment and upgrading. (this idea may already be in the in S&I forum, sorry if it is). But again thanks to those of you who have given IP's of servers to come practice on.
  • PseudoKnightPseudoKnight Join Date: 2002-06-18 Member: 791Members
    The worst way to learn the basics of commanding is jumping in on a public server. Read the manual, watch others command, read some strategies if you can't pick them up from your pub commander, and -- most of all -- use simple logic. If players don't do ANY of those, the other players have a right to be mad, imho.
  • taboofirestaboofires Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9853Members
    It's one thing to be nice when your comm makes mistakes, and it's another entirely to let him get away with truly horrible strats, letting hundreds of res pile up when there are things that need to be payed for, or having no idea how to work the commander interface. The first steps in learning to be a comm should be play by yourself on LAN to get used to things, and read the forums. Those two steps are the manual of NS comming, and not doing so will get you the equivalent of RTFM (regardless of how rude it is, sometimes it is justified).
  • The_SpectreThe_Spectre Join Date: 2002-11-18 Member: 9212Members
    This will probably sound not so nice and stuff, so sorry in advance, but a full pub server with 10+ people counting on YOU to make it a good game is NOT the time and place to figure out the interface. A comm who doesn't know how things work will make the game boring/frustrating for both teams, aliens too because they won't get any challenge.

    1. Try joining an empty server if you just want to figure out the interface.
    2. Play at least a dozen games as marine under a decent commander so you have a basic idea of how and when to do stuff, before you try it yourself. Jumping in the chair right after DLing the game is really a bad idea.

    This might sound unfriendly to newbies and all that, but it's the truth. The command chair <i>IS</i> unfriendly to newbies.
  • CheesyPetezaCheesyPeteza Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9784Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    Start up your own server with bots to learn how to use the commander interface and figure out the tech tree etc.

    Watch other commanders and learn some strategy.

    Then get in the comm chair and I'll have no problem with you.

    If you get in the chair and start going umm how do I select people? What do I need to build first? I'll eject you as you have not done your home work. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • ThiefThief Ownage Join Date: 2003-08-09 Member: 19214Members, Constellation
    I suggest hosting a personal server with like 3 of your friends, have them call for ammo, ask for WP, and health etc, until you get familiar with the interface. When you have mustered up the guts, go comm on a pub server and do your best, remember, if you are ejected, dont worry about it. Think if honestly you did something wrong, or the team is full of ejecting morons. I remember the first pub comm win I had, it feels awesome <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • eggmaceggmac Join Date: 2003-03-03 Member: 14246Members
    It's sad, there is so much arrogance and feelings of superiority among NS pubs. What's even worse is that those usually come from completely unexperienced people who always want everything to be their way, although they don't know anything at all.

    So I suggest you just ignore the whiners and try your best while comming. Just have a go
  • AyatollahAyatollah Join Date: 2003-01-06 Member: 11921Members
    by the way, there is soooooo such a thing as a good comm

    commander x, who can be attentive to his marines, who has a clear plan, who has clear priorities, etc.

    is infinitely better than

    commander y, who either ignores or is just plain neglectful, who spends the entire game pushing towards one very mcuh failing position, etc.

    the commander's most important trait (more so than game subtleties which can be learned) is leadership. chances are, if you can do it in real life, you can do it in NS too.

    -aya
  • CalDreaminGilpCalDreaminGilp Join Date: 2003-07-23 Member: 18385Members
    edited September 2003
    K first off, The way to be a good comm is to know the game itself. So for me, I played for awhile, learned the strats and the maps as just a regular marine. This is one of the keys just to start to learn to comm.

    Then I took a couple of friends of mine, and I played with them on an empty server and learned the user interface of the comm. This goes a long way. You can never be a good comm if you dont know the qwerasdfzxcv setup.

    After all this, I was ready to go comm in a pub. I didn't say I was a dumb nub and I just commed. You win some and loose some, it really depends on your team.

    But if you want a chance, make sure your comfortable with the maps and the hotkeys, then just go into the chair confidently and don't go in saying "I'm new but I'll try." Too many regular players would rather comm themselves then to feel they are in the hands of someone they feel might not know the game.

    but my biggest piece of advice, as stated above. Know the game before you decide to get in the all mighty chair. Feel confident in where any part is on the map, and what your hot keys are, before you go into a pub.
  • devicenulldevicenull Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15967Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Just make sure you don't sit in the comm chair for 5 min figuring out how to drop an ip, esp when the game just started..
    LAN servers are your friend, turn on sv_cheats 1 and practice dropping stuff.
    Just bothers me when commanders take 5 min to get the 1st IP down..
    Learn the qwerasdfzxcv .. it is your friend, esp dropping health/ammo.. I can spam 20 res worth in about 2 seconds by mashing a and s <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • SDJasonSDJason Join Date: 2003-05-29 Member: 16841Members
    edited September 2003
    in all honesty.. if you want to learn to comm.. play starcraft....... or any rts type game.....(tho starcraft and age of empires are most similar)

    THEN.. imagine your marines are your workers/soldiers/siege units

    and your turrets are stationary defenses...

    The minerals/resources are resource towers you must build to extract

    From there all it is is an RTS with bitching whining solders.... workers who refuse to do what you ask....and heavy attackers who do not know how to stick in a group

    Add in that everyone has an accuracy of -100 percent, loves to disobey you, and always do hte opposite of what you say...

    Leaving the rant above aside.. it really is a lot like an RTS if youve ever played one.. ud be surprised to find many of the upgrades..ect are all in the same locations...


    EDIT: Im an experienced comm.. but i DO have bad games... along with the good... many ppl here have played with me... however i can still say im ejected sometimes.... dont let it bug you... as it doesent matter.. if the team refuses to accept the strategy you lay out.. you WILL be ejected.. dont get down on yourself.. just try again...
    ~Jason
  • EvoEvo Join Date: 2003-01-11 Member: 12180Members
    Yeah, don't sweat it if you get booted from the chair a few times. People are stupid and will **** about anything.
    I remember one time I hopped in the chair because no one else was willing to, and started doing my best to comm. I had a little comm experience before, so I knew how to place buildings and where buttons were and the tech tree and other basics, but I had never actually commed a full game yet. Anywho, like I said I started trying to do my best, but we were up against a pretty coordinated alien team so it was rough going. I was trying to do like 6 things at once, and players were yelling at me ("I need ammo!" about 10 seconds from base... <!--emo&::nerdy::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/nerd.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='nerd.gif'><!--endemo--> ), and suddenly I get booted. Then one guy starts attacking me on voice coms, all "Man you suck as a com, why the **** were you in the chair?!"... needless to say that **** me off pretty bad, so much that I basically snapped and told this **** that I was in the chair "because no one else would step up to the ****ing plate, and I was just doing the best godd@mn job I could, so all you m*ther****ers shoulda tried to ****ing help me out a little instead of whining your ****ing **** off and not listening to me, but I guess its just too easy to **** out and blame someone else for your own ****ups, cuz we've really ****ing lost this godd@mn game now because no one else is going to ****ing comm and put up with your b*tching!!" Or something allong those lines <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->. It was quite explicit TBH, but I really blew my lid. I know I shouldn't have... usually im very good at keeping my cool during a game (it IS only a game after all). But I was insulted and went off on this dude something fierce. <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo-->
    In retrospect it was kind of funny though, because voice went DEAD silent after I finished... it was a perfect replication of the stunned silence that consumes a room after someone flips their lid <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->. The only three things I remember after that were: 1) Someone typing for a "comm plz" 2) No one hopping into the chair 3) Us loosing the game rather quickly and me quitting the server <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->

    ANYWHO!
    Point of the tale being... the best way to learn is by failure, so don't be discouraged when people ****, when you loose, when you screw up, etc. Its all part of the learning experience, so stick with it and you'll start winning a game or two eventually <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->


    <b>Don't think of it as failure. Think of it as time-released success.
    --Robert Orben</b>
    <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • ForlornForlorn Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2634Banned
    Play a LAN game and learn. It doesn't matter if you are slow, but it's really bad if you don't know what the heck you are doing.
  • TakelTakel Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7496Members
    I suggest that you stay on a particular server and become a regular. Then after some time, watching how people comm (and observe if needs be to get an idea on the whole flow of things, win AND losses) ask to comm when no one is willing to and just try your best.


    Just keep trying to comm when you can, ask the whole team if they want to put up with a possible loss to help raise a new comm...after all, even the experianced and brilliant comms want to be on the ground to shoot crap up every once in a while

    Memorize and use the hotkeys and people are less likely to suspect you're a total n00b...after all there are a lot of field comamnders out there who are more than willing to give you advice on how they thing they should comm (just listen or ignore them depending on your choices...that's your job)
  • NikonNikon Join Date: 2003-09-29 Member: 21313Members, Constellation
    <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> thanks again guys for your advice and help, i know where the buttons are, and the tech tree, but i need to learn the maps a little better, and i re-did all my binds so I will have to figure out the hotkeys for myself. I think ill hold off comm'ing for a bit till Im a little more familiar with the game.
  • HAMBoneHAMBone Probably the best Commander Join Date: 2003-04-02 Member: 15139Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    edited September 2003
    If you have any RTS experience then you will have no prob. I think that one of the most important things is that you learn the hotkeys. You really shouldnt remap them, the current way is very simple. At the very least you should know/be familiar with the hotkeys to drop medpacks and ammo. You should get a microphone and talk to your team, communication skills might be the most important on a pub. Other than that just go ahead and do it. If you feel like smurfing or something that might help. I garuntee there are thousands of comms 10x worse than you who play every day. Just BE ASSERTIVE. Part of winning on pubs is somehow getting the marines to listen to you and follow your orders, if you start out the game apologizing and saying youve never commed then even if you dont get ejected you will probably have a hard time getting anyone to do what you want. As for strategy, read some strategy guides and see how other people are winning. I do a fast upgrade/phase gate/shotgun rush on pubs which seems to work really well but you should really try not to tie yourself down to one particular strategy or build order, just kinda flow with the game and react.
  • RocketRiderRocketRider Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19428Members
    The "default" binds for the comm (the 4x3 block of keys) are really quite intuitive, so if you changed those, I'd suggest going back to them. And don't give up: you just gotta keep trying until you "get it". I won't suggest specific strategies, but in my opinion, it's those comms that use their voice comm regularly and keep morale high by keeping soldiers occupied that succeed the most; an idle player is doing nothing for the team, and damn is he going to get bored :)
  • EpidemicEpidemic Dark Force Gorge Join Date: 2003-06-29 Member: 17781Members
    Just a tip - Keep your marines fully healed (Morale is resource-less <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--> ) and show responsiveness
  • Fang-CEFang-CE Join Date: 2003-01-06 Member: 11946Members
    edited September 2003
    Here's a few tips for new comms:

    Electricity is your best friend. Avoid sentry guns like the plague. One electrified tf is 100x better than 4 sentry guns around it.

    Quick initial build order: One IP, Electrified TF Right next to it (all buildings should be clustered in the tf electric field) one Armory. Then order marines to grab res nodes, anywhere, doesnt matter where. You want a minimum of 5 electrified res nodes. Once a node is built, electrify it IMMEDIATELY.

    Then I do or (when I have the res):
    Arms Lab
    Weapons upgrade
    Observatory
    Motion tracking
    2nd Weapons
    Advanced Armory (This takes forever)
    Phase Tech
    Armor Upgrade
    3rd Weapons
    Lot's o' HMG's
    2nd Armor
    Proto Lab
    JP's if you have expert players, HA's if not
    3rd Armor

    Other buildings:
    Drop a phase gate next to an electrified res node in a hive (you should at least have one node in a hive for the phase). The phase gate in your base should be in the tf electric field. Have marines phase back in if the aliens attack your base.
    If you want to siege something, drop a tf first, electrify it, then drop a second tf RIGHT next to it. No sentries are needed.

    Note: no where did I say I would build sentry guns. They are a waste of resources compared to electricity. There are only very specific cases where sentries are useful, and it's far FAR less than most commanders realize.
  • CommunistWithAGunCommunistWithAGun Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
    Yes I agree. Give people a chance. You will be amazed.
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