Skulk Alt-fire
Militarized
Join Date: 2005-05-08 Member: 51216Members
Join Date: 2005-05-08 Member: 51216Members
So, in the new update the devs are asking for the community to help think tank up ideas about the skulks alternative fire for bite. I thought I'd pop the first thread up as a brain-storm group! (less I missed another one :( )
Anyway, I personally thought of a mix between what they said which was the attachment thing with a dot. I know they already have leap but I thought some sort of webbing from that comes from their mouth or their tongue, to grab onto the marine and pull them into them to bite them. Not sure how good this would be with leap already available... maybe the skulk could just vomit on the marine? WITH ACID! lol
Anyway, I personally thought of a mix between what they said which was the attachment thing with a dot. I know they already have leap but I thought some sort of webbing from that comes from their mouth or their tongue, to grab onto the marine and pull them into them to bite them. Not sure how good this would be with leap already available... maybe the skulk could just vomit on the marine? WITH ACID! lol
Comments
Plus, it would replace the humiliation of death by parasite.
I didn't mean it as a long-range pestering attack which IMHO isn't particularly important, but as an ambushing incentive. Something short-mid range, long enough to hit a marine from an ambush spot right before you bite them. It would require you to find your ambush spot and charge it up in advance, but in exchange you get an easier kill on the first marine to reveal himself. Personally I prefer the idea of the acid disabling his gun for a brief moment, just long enough to get in melee range and bite him once or twice. That alone would be a big help to prevent a lone marine from being able to counter ambush spots just by looking at them as he charges out the door.
Make new "Hive 1" abilities whatever you want, but leap should always at least have the option of being alt-fire of bite.
I think the charge-up damage "ambush" ability is a good idea.
This gives an awesome feeling for striking a marine from behind, adds another skill factor. marine and alien are highly vulnerable during this- teamwork is really badly encouraged with this system.
This gives an awesome feeling for striking a marine from behind, adds another skill factor. marine and alien are highly vulnerable during this- teamwork is really badly encouraged with this system.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm going to have to say no to this idea... I'm already confused in the way you're describing it and the cod4 reference only (as far as I can tell) appears in single-player, not multi-player.
timing m1 whenever it says to whoever timed it the best does the most damage to the enemy(alien having an advantage for initiating the brawl)
my Idea:
Use this.. but only on dead marines or marines under 10-20HP ? -> Skulk jumps on Marine like in Left4Dead the hunter and <b>drains health</b>! So one Skulk can get back HP after killing a marine (instead of run back to hive and heal). if the marines act in team.. they can simply shot the skulk on the dead marine. limited to only one "use" of a dead marine is allowed.
I think eating a corpse to regain health or armour at a small amount would fit their slower but more sturdy playstyle. Or to let the Skulk take a chunk out of a living enemy to regenerate a bit (slow attack-rate of course).
Also I think it would be absolutely horrifying to run as a Marine in a corridor, hear gunfire and when you come around the corner two Skulks are eating your teammate.
<u>Sugg2: Fetch</u>
Maybe upon death the Skulk can bite on to the weapon the Marine just dropped and drag it elsewhere.
This would most likely require that weapons don't despawn at the same rate or at all like it does in other games.
The weapon is of course dropped if the Skulks bites or attacks again, and maybe a small movement loss while carrying the object.
Could open up a whole lot of new interesting gameplay strategies.
Because what would be really fun would be to play as a paralyzed marine who can't move or shoot. I would really enjoy that.
This gives an awesome feeling for striking a marine from behind, adds another skill factor. marine and alien are highly vulnerable during this- teamwork is really badly encouraged with this system.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
did u know in NS1 the skulks were pretty much the size of a full grown marine...and in ns2 its meant to be more beefier. in reality this whole wrestling with skulk is totally impossible the skulk would abolutely own the marine one on one..especially in a brawl like situation.
lmao it wud be like brawling with a bear haha.
That said, I still like my idea for parasite of it fouling up the marines nanite network so that the marine equipment (commander control/viewing capabilities, marine weapons-fire, turrets) all think that the marine is an enemy and treat him/her accordingly.
There's a lot of debate over grapple type moves, and I haven't seen one yet that people seem to be really satisfied with, so let me propose one:
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Bite alt-fire is a grapple move that latches the skulk onto whatever he hit. It does low damage compared to regular bite. It changes the damage type for regular bite to anti-structure damage.
If a skulk grapples a building, he is vulnerable because he is stuck to it, but can kill the building much faster because his bite is now doing structure damage. If he wants to get off, he has to re-use the grapple attack to detach, which takes a moment or two.
If a skulk grapples a marine, the marine is NOT disabled. The marine's camera will be jolted (kinda like the Onos stomp thing), so his aim will be off for a moment, but he can still shoot and can get the skulk off of himself reasonably quickly. But if he doesn't shoot the skulk off, the fact that the skulk is attached to him means the skulk can go back to using regular bites and will never miss. Very useful for jetpackers -- leap onto a jet in midair, grapple, and you're now hanging off the jet as he flies and can finish him off with regular bites.
The grapple attack would stop you from using regular bites until the animation finished, something like 1/2 a second to maybe 1 second depending on balance. This would give a grappled marine a brief window to shoot you off before you could switch back to regular bites and munch him. A grappled marine would still be able to move and fly, but would be slowed to maybe 2/3 normal speed.
The animation would show the skulk initially latching on with his jaws, then using his front claws to hold on/dig in with a sort of bear-hug move, then releasing his jaw so he can go back to biting. That would help it make more sense that if for example the marine turns around, the skulk stays latched onto the same point. You don't swing around with him.
lmao it wud be like brawling with a bear haha.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
thats kind of the point. skulk has the advantage because the marine let him engage(by not killing it on time/getting hit from behind). and who says the marines are not able to hurt a skulk with a tazer? :P
basically its way worse then regular biting because a marine can knock you off and deal say 40% of your health but if you hit from behind you have the advantage, the longer your on the marine the more you hurt him. its also a teamwork maneuver. The marine is not completly helpess solo though, a good one can punch/taser it off really quickly get up and shoot it. What would be not freakier but more awesome then seeing 2 skulks eat your friends corpse is watching your mate struggle as one is clawing on him and hes trying to kick it off and 2 come beside him and finish the job and leap out up to vents.
<!--quoteo(post=1721281:date=Aug 7 2009, 09:08 AM:name=Triggerman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Triggerman @ Aug 7 2009, 09:08 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1721281"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><u>Sugg1: Devour</u>
I think eating a corpse to regain health or armour at a small amount would fit their slower but more sturdy playstyle. Or to let the Skulk take a chunk out of a living enemy to regenerate a bit (slow attack-rate of course).
Also I think it would be absolutely horrifying to run as a Marine in a corridor, hear gunfire and when you come around the corner two Skulks are eating your teammate.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Eating a or doing anything with corpses is just not going to happen in any UWE game iirc.
However the idea of a vampiric attack could fly with UWE. Would be a special bite that does less damage and leaves you unable to bite for a few seconds while you chew. So if you bite-bite-munch and the marines doesn't die then you better get out of there.
<!--quoteo(post=1721281:date=Aug 7 2009, 09:08 AM:name=Triggerman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Triggerman @ Aug 7 2009, 09:08 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1721281"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><u>Sugg2: Fetch</u>
Maybe upon death the Skulk can bite on to the weapon the Marine just dropped and drag it elsewhere.
This would most likely require that weapons don't despawn at the same rate or at all like it does in other games.
The weapon is of course dropped if the Skulks bites or attacks again, and maybe a small movement loss while carrying the object.
Could open up a whole lot of new interesting gameplay strategies.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I lol'd at the image of a skulk with an HMG in its mouth head raised high and prancing about. However the idea has some merit if the weapon despawn time resets after skulk drops it to balance out the fact that he moved it away. Would be a GREAT way to set up bait for ambushes. Most original idea I've heard today and I like it.
Another would be a grapple with the front limbs and a frenzied scratch/stab motion with the hind legs. This would be reminecent to cats or rabbits kicking and scratching their way out of an embrace. Now this "fighting" animation would look like the Skulk could be snapping at the Marine's head but only for show and not function. The goal for this is mainly to impede movement and cause confusion. The grappled marine cannot use weapons, cannot jump, movement is slowed, and the only way out is to utilize jump and swift yaw movements of the mouse to loosen the skulk off. At least now skulks can sacrifice themselves for a purpose, and even aid in higher level battles. This also opens up new mechanics for the Heavy Armor argument.
Looking at the new Skulk I see some similarities to the Onos, and another thought was a type of head-butt for the skulk. If your not biting you can trade dealing damage to disabling the enemy for a brief moment with a forceful jab with that nasty looking helmet the Skulk has. That or add machine gun/parasite barrels to those very large shoulder blades...(j/k)
I'm not sure how I feel about grappling. I imagine that it would be difficult to make it look convincing, so that skulks appear to be making contact with their victims, instead of floating in front of them or jutting out at a strange angle. How about a hamstring attack? Sneak up behind a marine, press alt-fire, and chew or slice through the back of his leg. It would slow the marine down, but not stop him, would take a couple of seconds to execute, and can only be mended with a medpack.
I also like the idea someoen else had in the other thread about slime. Basically you can place slime (I imagine it being capped at 1 or 2 puddles of slime per skulk, if you place a third the first once disappears) and when marines go in it they get a movementspeed decrease (possibly jumping less aswell).
The pros are that it's:
Fun and easy to use
Very, very useful for ambushing (place one by a doorway, and come from a vent when they expect you to be behind the corner, etc)
Dodgeable, meaning the marines are never doomed to be in it, unless several skulks are working together laying down a carpet.
Not really sure if it has any cons.
Or, a modified, legacy parasite. I kind of like the ideas being thrown around in the other thread about the alien commander being given full info on a parasited marine, meaning he sees evertyhing the marine has, and possiblty everything the marine sees (that is, his teammates, the marine base, and so on). It's basically a boost to the vision as it is removed from all the regular aliens as the commander takes over the scouting role. Or you could have a timed vision for everyone. Or a personal vision permanently. Or no vision at all, and just keep it as the parasite is, possibly +a small amount of damage. Kind of like it being a remnant of "before the marines countered the parasite" so it still does the damage but doesn't have the effect. Makes sense imo.
I'm fine with any of these.
So discussing specifically alt-fire for the Skulk is pretty much dead by now >_<
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The bad thing about Fetch is that it feels pretty poor to put it on the right click button. It's such a hot and desired button to put something that matters when you're actually fighting, just as the Marine can use the rifle-butt to knock the Kharaa out of their face if they get too close.
UWE are probably looking for a more combat-related ability with a small twist; Fetch is more like a tactical and fun thing.
Anyway, moving on.
Extending and cleaning up the idea of Fetch a bit just because I'm bored mostly.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><u><b>Fetch</b></u>
<b>Upon death the Skulk can bite on to the weapon the Marine just dropped and drag it elsewhere.
This would most likely require that weapons don't despawn at the same rate or at all like it does in other games.
The weapon is of course dropped if the Skulks bites or attacks again, and giving the Skulk a small movement penalty while carrying the object.</b>
<b>Further speculation of abilities:</b>
<u>Tracking Device</u>: The Marine team can later on decide to upgrade their weaponry to have a positionary system that allows the commander to see as dots on his map where dropped weapons are to counter excessive hiding of the weapons.
<u>Disintegrate Weapon</u>: Possibly the Kharaa can store the Marine weapons inside a structure built by Gorges to break it down for a small amount of resources to the Kharaa team if it remains inside the structure long enough, but at risk of revealing the location of the structure if the Marine team gets the Tracking Device upgrade.
(<u>Thievery</u>: What if certain parts on structures inside the Marine base could be stolen? The Skulk can enter the base and try to get away with a specific part of a specific structure, for example disabling an Armory until the missing piece is retrieved or the Commander repairs it.)
<b>Conclusion:</b>
It gives the Skulks a tactical ability to lure Marines into traps, as well as stopping the Marine's assault if the Skulks are left alone long enough to hide the weapons.
It could also create a battle for resources by introducing two new tech-skills; one for each team such as Tracking Device and Disintegrate Weapon.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well... just let the ideas loose on what Fetch could make for the game.
Or any other ability for that matter.
Edit: Yes Fetch is probably a bad name for the ability when it's a creature that people like to compare to a dog >_<
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->NeoSniper: "It would be like finding all those lost socks from the washer."
JAmazon: "I lol'd at the image of a skulk with an HMG in its mouth head raised high and prancing about."<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Haha, for some reason I really feel like drawing that :p
Now that the final design of the new Skulk is out I can finally sketch on some fan-art ^^
I like the idea of a grapple as a risky ambush skill. It should not completely incapacitate marines, only hinder them for an amount of time until the grapple is removed or a timer expires.
This serves to allow multiple skulks to take down lone marines more easily if one skulk can land a grapple. The grapple could be stopped by a rifle butt if coming from the front. A grapple on the backside would be unblockable. This way, a very skilled TSA could be moderately effective against noobier skulks that haven't mastered grapple. The gameplay here would involve the marine always trying to face the skulks to be able to fend off a grapple attempt. The grapple attack could be a charge-up or otherwise timed action. It should allow a marine a slight warning just before activation to allow the player to try to spin around and bash.
This would make the attack risky by revealing your position. It could also leave a skulk flopping for a half-second if the attack is bashed or otherwise misses. These risky elements would make the grapple a higher skill and less utilized attack in many situations, but it would add a great amount of atmosphere during its use.
That said, I still like my idea for parasite of it fouling up the marines nanite network so that the marine equipment (commander control/viewing capabilities, marine weapons-fire, turrets) all think that the marine is an enemy and treat him/her accordingly.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
this is proabably the best idea that suits the skulks role best. that way if a marine wanders off from the team a skulk can just wait for him up in the vents or somethin and ambush him in one hit..and he wont need any extra energy to leap to safety as there isnt any more marines around. The skulk shud proabably make like a scary scream (like the xeno scream in ns1) just before it attacks just so that the marine gets a little window of notice to counter attack.