Jumping in the Comm Chair for the First Time
freebirdpat
Join Date: 2004-04-10 Member: 27826Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
Join Date: 2004-04-10 Member: 27826Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
<div class="IPBDescription">This post goes out to the players that are new to commanding</div>What was it like when you jumped into the comm chair for the first time. My first time was, "Whoa," in Keanu Reeves style, "this is crazy." then I ejected myself.
After that, I decided I needed to learn how to comm. The server I played on was notoriously short on good comms and I thought I could do it better.
I followed some advice I found in these forums, created my own listen server, turned cheats on, turn upgrades and stuff on and get to clicking. The one thing I remember from that thread, is good comms can click fast, and have to respond fast. This is no slow-paced Bridge game that grandma plays.
After practicing that a few times, learning the binds, and reading the tricks to commanding. I got the nerve to jump into the chair. I jump in the chair, I drop IPs, and armory and I realize, "Whoa," in Keanu style again, "I got 33 players yelling at me now telling me I am doing it wrong." It took some nerve and courage to hop in the chair again.
I got better. I learned. Commanding is a unique experience. Sometimes you are the team leader, the sole person keeping the team focused and together. Sometimes you are just the producer/writer while the director is out in the field, the commander in the field.
<b>So this goes to those brave enough to hop in the chair for the first time. You comm chair virgins.</b>
anyone remember the commands to start the game on a listen server so that you can practice building and placement of structures, and dropping things?
After that, I decided I needed to learn how to comm. The server I played on was notoriously short on good comms and I thought I could do it better.
I followed some advice I found in these forums, created my own listen server, turned cheats on, turn upgrades and stuff on and get to clicking. The one thing I remember from that thread, is good comms can click fast, and have to respond fast. This is no slow-paced Bridge game that grandma plays.
After practicing that a few times, learning the binds, and reading the tricks to commanding. I got the nerve to jump into the chair. I jump in the chair, I drop IPs, and armory and I realize, "Whoa," in Keanu style again, "I got 33 players yelling at me now telling me I am doing it wrong." It took some nerve and courage to hop in the chair again.
I got better. I learned. Commanding is a unique experience. Sometimes you are the team leader, the sole person keeping the team focused and together. Sometimes you are just the producer/writer while the director is out in the field, the commander in the field.
<b>So this goes to those brave enough to hop in the chair for the first time. You comm chair virgins.</b>
anyone remember the commands to start the game on a listen server so that you can practice building and placement of structures, and dropping things?
Comments
bigdig - builds everything instantly
givepoints - gives you res on both marines\aliens
That's exactly how I got fast at commanding. Learning all the hotkeys especially getting fast at meds\ammo. Placing structures quickly, base layouts, etc... were all practiced offline to pick up my speed. I'm not a pro at it but it certainly helped tremendously with responding to the team.
The first time comming I can't remember too much, as I played a lot of combat so I could get better at playing the main NS mode. After my initial encounters w/ commanding, I started doing a lot of practice offline and on those marine trainer servers to get better at it. Commanding in NS is a lot of fun, especially with a responsive team.
then I got a clue, I suggest some of you do the same <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
but that we all suffered, I think I was avarage when I finally hopped in
im sooo completely confused about it all, and it took time for me to find things in there, and what ya know, since the server didnt have a pw, some randoms joined on the server and ejected me out since we had 400res and not much ###### in base.
cool times
Times are different now, so before hopping in pay close attention to how good comms do things. Where do they place structures? Why are they placed there? Where's the best place to put them? A good comm is someone that is constantly relaying information to their team and keeps them focused. Ask them why they do the things they do and tell them you're trying to learn. People love to feel smart by teaching others. :-D
Be prepared for people to yell at you when you first start, but let them know you're trying and thank them for any criticism and seriously consider suggestions they make. Talk constantly on the mic. It's hard to comm with a keyboard and be fast enough.
Now I am practicing commanding in competitive play. It's like a whole other game! You should try it out.
This problem is almost futile in NS. You still have to build IP's and drop medpacks and ammo, something rarely or never seen in any RTS games ( I haven't yet). The down-side is that the army not always follows your orders.
I think I just observed other coms. I memorize which structure they built and in which order and where they sent their troops first. Nevertheless, after you have commanded yourself it becomes obvious.
It was not that hard to memorize the hotkeys. But I never completly memorized them. I still have to look at the layout but I automatically know which key is for which position. qwer - asdf - yxcv
Not every rts games works like that.
Well, that's how I learned it. Ah, I remember the 2.0 eclipse MS and I remember how I set up a base up there once and how we lost the match. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
Since most of the players were knew (just like me) no one dared to blame me although it was obviously my fault. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
Like I said, I haven't commanded much, I always did it when no one else did (they were new, just like me) and I think I won just as much games as com as I lost.
Oh yeah, I once wanted to join a clan, plan-b it was called. Since I have done so badly in the match when it should've been decided whether they take me or not they decided I should be the next com. Funny thing, because I only commed once or twiced. Eventually they became inactive.
Though I'm not sure.
Then, after 2 weeks of playing "competitive"^^ i played on a pub and nobody went comm, so I tried it and made the standard procedure. It didnt took me too long to click on the medpack request button with mouse, but i definetely needed 5 minutes (or 100 meds) to actually get used to the medpack shorcut (e->s->mouse1). I don't know if i won those games (i think i didnt <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />), but I had a start on the field.
The funny thing is that i never got ejected in my early times, but nowadays, when i command on public, i often get ejected because I either don't build TFs or someone else wants to comm and since he is a regular player (or even admin), i get ejected. 8)
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/salute to you, virgin commanders. If it weren't for you being brave in the first days of NS, we wouldn't have good commanders now. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Actually, the first time I played NS was at this LAN party. I was with a bunch of other guys here to try out this cool RTS/FPS game, and they were like, "Oh, you should join Marines since you've played a FPS and you should get the hang of it easier".
Turns out the entire Marine team is the n00bs.
So, I jump into the comm chair and get friendly with the interface really quick. With my RTS background we did OK, but my team was a bit incompetent and we were all clumsy so we eventually lost. However, I was handing out level 3 HMGs for the Alamo of Marine Start, and all the regulars got really pissed that they had to try three times to break the base. Good times.
Anyways, I recommend looking up a few Comm Guides to help with the strategy side of things too. Two of the best can be found on <a href="http://www.tacticalgamer.com/wiki/index.php/Natural_Selection" target="_blank">http://www.tacticalgamer.com/wiki/index.ph...tural_Selection</a>. RouterBox has an excellent, albeit slightly outdated, guide and the one from NSLearn is top notch for theory. After you build the intuition and the strats, get to hammering away with speed training so you can med spam in those 10 seconds before the next wave of skulks hit.
I must say, we lost... but i clicked the 'kaboom' icon (Which was funny BTW).
For the Original Poster:
Memories: I had the chance to command with good players. And THAT is the thing. Good players are not only good shooters. They understand that it's not a frag contest. They understand the commander problems. So you can improvise or try new things.
The best thing about commanding is the bond you develop with players. You start to 'sense' if a 'lieutenant' is going to need Medpacks before he tells (radio). You start to realize what is important. For example the aliens can have the control of the RTs. I assure you: One 'Ninja', a PG and one hive is down in less than 20 seconds; before aliens realize it. Sometimes Marins teams only upgrade to provide Fast PG. Even the commander phased and got a bit of the hive. The first and only one hive <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />.
I've seen and played all chamber (SC or MC too) as first in all version as an alien and a commander. And Yes! Sensory or Movement in 1.04 were good first chambers too, not only for the fourth round (the teamA 2 / 1 TeamB looser syndrome). MT was a long... long... research at that time. A lot of middle level clans where not even able to realize that the aliens where using it. They just thought it was impossible but got spanked anyway. The surprise and the fact the opponent couldn't ADAPT did the trick. Mostly, because they were solely developing upon the DC plan, which is not bad but known like the back of the hand.
ALL was and still is about adaptation. The chamber, the hive position, the number of player (not only 6vs6 on FFA), the bond you have with players, the reactivity of player (15 loonies with Rambo attitude are still useless), etc.
Nowdays NS has evolved, but mainly the game is still the same. The problem is the players. It’s hard to find players that understand the game on FFA (even clans). A lot comes from other mods. A lot still don’t get you can be glued on the ceiling.
-They usually want a million medpack because they can’t kill that single skulk, which is not moving by the way.
-They don’t even build the IPs and find a way to eject you because they think upgrades aren’t coming fast enough. But nobody built the ArmsLab either… On the other side alien have 2 Rts and 15 players…
-They have ‘ninja stylized moves’ but attack an alien RT instead of building the PG you put in front of them because of a tremendous act of generosity comparing to their IQ.
-They play NS_ maps like Siege maps.
-They usually think they can make the ‘difference’ alone but don’t realize that teamwork is much more efficient than this. Ultimately they NEVER and never will do the difference.
-They use standardized strategies like MC first and never think something else is possible. From time to time good players do it and demonstrate that anything is possible with the right ‘moves’.
I miss the days of old. Not because of the version but because of players. You could hear “Even if the game is lost, that was a hell of a game we’ve just played”. I miss the keyboard customization which was better. If only we had a ‘nano-spanker’ you can drop on some reluctant marins (NS2).