Personally I think this sounds fine. A natural balance is that Commander controlling 1 unit can't help the alien team with alerts, or waypoints and etc.... During that time the commander is neglecting team management and direction, so has to get out before too long or risk giving the advantage to the marines.
Of course I still raise options for tweaking... just because it seems practical in theory, doesn't mean it can't be abused/unbalanced in practice.
There could be upgrades to go with this whole mind-control thing too. Such as, for 10 res all mind-controlled marines can move faster (like cybernetics) to represent the fact that andrenaline is being flushed through their body and mabye even being produced faster. This way, when the marine is taken over and shoots his ally while building resource tower he can then run away faster. You could even add upgrades that allow the marine to do a xenocide style thing (infested Terrans from Starcraft anyone?)
I've heard rumors that natural selection was intended to be something like a starcraft FPS, and that blizzard forcefully stopped the project and flayra had to rework many a thing.
We should refrain from making ns more like it again.
Let's look at this one by one and think it all through from a design aspect and gameplay point of view.
Point one, does specifying which part of the body a parasite has infected on the body add anything useful to the game? No. Why? The player is parasited, a specific body part is not going to change that fact and having random pieces glowing across your screen will have several bad effects particularly on functionality and how pleasing it is to the eye.
You don't like a boring circle? It's after all a grunge style to fit the game and it works. If it's not broke, don't fix it.
Point 2, refer to point one. A parasitic lifeform inside a marine which only has a tracking function realistically would not do this anyway.
Point 3, I've pretty much made this irrelevant in points 1 and 2. The parasite effecting the body and only for tracking purposes means this point really isn't... there.
Point 4, interesting design theory but it's lacking KISS. Keep it simple, stupid. Adding distance monitoring is taxing on the player and can make a game appear tedious. I wouldn't add this from a design point of view.
Point 5, running out of breath... parasitic infection? I am fairly sure in the animal world parasitic life forms use their hosts for a purpose and don't look to move, pretty much because they generally die and are so basic they don't have the ability to do so. Another design point of view is it then takes the point away from parasite if only one player has to parasite one player in an area, to then infect them all. I'd discount this idea based on that.
<!--quoteo(post=1717943:date=Jul 19 2009, 04:41 AM:name=RobB)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RobB @ Jul 19 2009, 04:41 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1717943"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I've heard rumors that natural selection was intended to be something like a starcraft FPS, and that blizzard forcefully stopped the project and flayra had to rework many a thing.
We should refrain from making ns more like it again.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Joke?
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I am fairly sure in the animal world parasitic life forms use their hosts for a purpose and don't look to move, pretty much because they generally die and are so basic they don't have the ability to do so.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Parasitic is anything that harm's the host. Ticks, fleas, Mosquitos are parasites and still move.
Yes, maybe microscopic or penetrating parasites won't move in a body, but that depends.
I'd say that a Parasite should at least a) show the class (vanilla - round, jet - ragged [because of adrenaline], heavy - edged ["muscle"]) and b) show the health (blue - healthy, green - few scratches, yellow - <b>I'm bleeding!</b>, red - <b>where's my arm?</b>) of a marine.
<!--quoteo(post=1718215:date=Jul 20 2009, 01:29 PM:name=RobB)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RobB @ Jul 20 2009, 01:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1718215"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Parasitic is anything that harm's the host. Ticks, fleas, Mosquitos are parasites and still move.
<b><i>Yes, maybe microscopic or penetrating parasites won't move in a body, but that depends.</i></b><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Oh so exactly like the ones in Natural Selection? Since, y'know, skulks don't spit out bizarre mosquitos or fleas.
And to the other point of your post, some information on the host might be okay, but I think giving away all of the information about a marine would be a little much. A parasite that is capable of detecting adreniline levels of a marine or using ways of detecting muscular strength is way too complex and ultimately a little BS in terms of gameplay. This is not a JRPG and you should not get such a powerful "Scan" technique. Location is more than enough information for aliens. If you want to tell what kind of marine it is then listen to their footsteps when you get closer.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Oh so exactly like the ones in Natural Selection? Since, y'know, skulks don't spit out bizarre mosquitos or fleas.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> But there are parasites that stay i.e. in the digestive systems, while there are ones that swim with the blood stream. they obviously move.
one idea with parasites is that the aliens would intercept voice and word chatter of that solo marine without them even knowing. this idea of intercepting would only work on the parasited marine and would make the aliens try and parasite as many of the marine team to try and understand early gameplay plans been discussed by the marines. this would be most useful for ambushing skulks when marines start shouting for ammo and meds
<!--quoteo(post=1718269:date=Jul 20 2009, 12:59 PM:name=c@nt@b)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (c@nt@b @ Jul 20 2009, 12:59 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1718269"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->one idea with parasites is that the aliens would intercept voice and word chatter of that solo marine without them even knowing. this idea of intercepting would only work on the parasited marine and would make the aliens try and parasite as many of the marine team to try and understand early gameplay plans been discussed by the marines. this would be most useful for ambushing skulks when marines start shouting for ammo and meds<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Idea is cool. Ventrillo kills it though.
This idea will have it limitations with clans using ventrillo but is still usefull with public matchs and marines will still find it faster to use the game to call for ammo and med than shoutting with them comm in vent.
Comments
Of course I still raise options for tweaking... just because it seems practical in theory, doesn't mean it can't be abused/unbalanced in practice.
We should refrain from making ns more like it again.
Point one, does specifying which part of the body a parasite has infected on the body add anything useful to the game? No. Why? The player is parasited, a specific body part is not going to change that fact and having random pieces glowing across your screen will have several bad effects particularly on functionality and how pleasing it is to the eye.
You don't like a boring circle? It's after all a grunge style to fit the game and it works. If it's not broke, don't fix it.
Point 2, refer to point one. A parasitic lifeform inside a marine which only has a tracking function realistically would not do this anyway.
Point 3, I've pretty much made this irrelevant in points 1 and 2. The parasite effecting the body and only for tracking purposes means this point really isn't... there.
Point 4, interesting design theory but it's lacking KISS. Keep it simple, stupid. Adding distance monitoring is taxing on the player and can make a game appear tedious. I wouldn't add this from a design point of view.
Point 5, running out of breath... parasitic infection? I am fairly sure in the animal world parasitic life forms use their hosts for a purpose and don't look to move, pretty much because they generally die and are so basic they don't have the ability to do so. Another design point of view is it then takes the point away from parasite if only one player has to parasite one player in an area, to then infect them all. I'd discount this idea based on that.
Point 6, there is no point.
We should refrain from making ns more like it again.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Joke?
Ticks, fleas, Mosquitos are parasites and still move.
Yes, maybe microscopic or penetrating parasites won't move in a body, but that depends.
I'd say that a Parasite should at least
a) show the class (vanilla - round, jet - ragged [because of adrenaline], heavy - edged ["muscle"]) and
b) show the health (blue - healthy, green - few scratches, yellow - <b>I'm bleeding!</b>, red - <b>where's my arm?</b>)
of a marine.
Ticks, fleas, Mosquitos are parasites and still move.
<b><i>Yes, maybe microscopic or penetrating parasites won't move in a body, but that depends.</i></b><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Oh so exactly like the ones in Natural Selection? Since, y'know, skulks don't spit out bizarre mosquitos or fleas.
And to the other point of your post, some information on the host might be okay, but I think giving away all of the information about a marine would be a little much. A parasite that is capable of detecting adreniline levels of a marine or using ways of detecting muscular strength is way too complex and ultimately a little BS in terms of gameplay. This is not a JRPG and you should not get such a powerful "Scan" technique. Location is more than enough information for aliens. If you want to tell what kind of marine it is then listen to their footsteps when you get closer.
But there are parasites that stay i.e. in the digestive systems, while there are ones that swim with the blood stream. they obviously move.
Epic fail.
<img src="http://www.unrealaddicts.com/forums/attachments/humor-forum-fun/3523-epic-fail-thread-timberfail.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
this idea of intercepting would only work on the parasited marine and would make the aliens try and parasite as many of the marine team to try and understand early gameplay plans been discussed by the marines.
this would be most useful for ambushing skulks when marines start shouting for ammo and meds
this idea of intercepting would only work on the parasited marine and would make the aliens try and parasite as many of the marine team to try and understand early gameplay plans been discussed by the marines.
this would be most useful for ambushing skulks when marines start shouting for ammo and meds<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Idea is cool. Ventrillo kills it though.
This idea will have it limitations with clans using ventrillo but is still usefull with public matchs and marines will still find it faster to use the game to call for ammo and med than shoutting with them comm in vent.
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