<!--quoteo(post=1810887:date=Nov 27 2010, 05:09 AM:name=NurEinMensch)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NurEinMensch @ Nov 27 2010, 05:09 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810887"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I like the new Lerk. Never was too fond of Lerk bite.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I got way too confused and disorientated with ns1 lerking. Ended up just sitting back and gassing mostly, which is perfect for the new lerk cause I can gas then needle harass which is way too much fun. I think the sniper thing is a bit over powered though.
I don't like the new lerk. Not because of balancing - I think this kind of issues can be solved by changing damage, energy or life points - but because it's not epic at all. Hiding in the top a of big room, waiting to dive onto a marine to bite him, with the risk to be shotguned in the face is fun. Trying to shoot at a crazy lerk flying around you is fun and challenging. Sniping from a distance is much less fun imo.
Another argument. Flight attacks are rare (specific to NS?) in fps, ranged combats and sniping are not at all. There is not much added value there.
<!--quoteo(post=1810894:date=Nov 26 2010, 07:21 PM:name=steppin'razor)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (steppin'razor @ Nov 26 2010, 07:21 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810894"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I got way too confused and disorientated with ns1 lerking. Ended up just sitting back and gassing mostly, which is perfect for the new lerk cause I can gas then needle harass which is way too much fun. I think the sniper thing is a bit over powered though.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, it's almost griefer-ish, it's fun but it shouldn't be, but I like being able to hide in the shadows and be a royal pain in the arse. If I want some adrenaline I can always try and spike and fly at the same time.
I think flight doesn't cost energy right now. Not sure if that gets changed or not. Either way it's still possible to get into "dog fights" with the Lerk, just instead of bite you use spikes.
<!--quoteo(post=1810989:date=Nov 27 2010, 02:10 AM:name=zex)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (zex @ Nov 27 2010, 02:10 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810989"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->All aliens should have a melee option, just like all marines have melee option regardless of what long range weapon they are using.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Gorges too? I mean they have big jaws. But please let you be the one who explains that logic to all the people who will inevitably cry about how much this sucks because it totally ruins everything NS1 stood for and so on and so forth.
<!--quoteo(post=1810992:date=Nov 27 2010, 02:14 AM:name=NurEinMensch)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (NurEinMensch @ Nov 27 2010, 02:14 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810992"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Gorges too? I mean they have big jaws. But please let you be the one who explains that logic to all the people who will inevitably cry about how much this sucks because it totally ruins everything NS1 stood for and so on and so forth.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Gorge doesn't have a melee attack? I don't see any reason why they shouldn't. Taking options away from players is bad design IMHO YMMV
I think Lerk flight needs some tweaks, but I prefer the ranged harassment Lerk to the flying skulk Lerk. I like that NS2 is mixing up the alien gameplay a little more.
Since he doesn't have a bite, the spikes should be have really high damage, maybe 25 damage a hit. Then you have firefights between lmg marines and lerks.
<!--quoteo(post=1810989:date=Nov 26 2010, 08:10 PM:name=zex)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (zex @ Nov 26 2010, 08:10 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810989"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->All aliens should have a melee option, just like all humans have melee option regardless of what long range weapon they are using.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The marines have melee because they have limited ammo and need a backup weapon once they completely run out. It's almost never preferable for them to use the axe over and other weapon when engaging enemy players. I don't see why lerks and gorges need melee because they both have regenerating energy. (I don't think they're designed to take out buildings either... skulks, fades, and onos are much better suited for that)
Kharaa don't have all of their weapons implemented yet. I think it's way too early for people to complain about anything being useless.
<!--quoteo(post=1810995:date=Nov 26 2010, 08:22 PM:name=zex)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (zex @ Nov 26 2010, 08:22 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810995"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Gorge doesn't have a melee attack? I don't see any reason why they shouldn't. Taking options away from players is bad design IMHO YMMV<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Giving players too many options is bad design, too. Better to keep it simple.
I was going to show NS2HD how to do Airal attacks with spikes and gass but it got too late at night :/ with upto an hours practice you can gas the crap out of an area while in constant motion in their air. Problem is that eveyone who goes Lerk seems to play in a linear style like all the other lifeforms
The lerk is all about multiple direction attack, weaving back and fourth, the best method of using lerk is to imagine doing a Figure of 8 inside a Bowl on a Bike/BMX above a marines head.
Will have to see if NS2HD wants to do a Part 2 on attack methods now flight lessons are over :)
<!--quoteo(post=1811227:date=Nov 27 2010, 05:48 PM:name=SgtBarlow)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SgtBarlow @ Nov 27 2010, 05:48 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1811227"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I was going to show NS2HD how to do Airal attacks with spikes and gass but it got too late at night :/ with upto an hours practice you can gas the crap out of an area while in constant motion in their air. Problem is that eveyone who goes Lerk seems to play in a linear style like all the other lifeforms
The lerk is all about multiple direction attack, weaving back and fourth, the best method of using lerk is to imagine doing a Figure of 8 inside a Bowl on a Bike/BMX above a marines head.
Will have to see if NS2HD wants to do a Part 2 on attack methods now flight lessons are over :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Looking forward to playing some of the more open maps. I think there is a time to be dynamic with movement, but other times not. This may be because my fps is very bad (not having a go here) because I am on a laptop in 640 x 480. But if I am not weaving around marines firing spikes (they always seem to forget how powerful they are) i'm hiding in rafters.
The west cc/hive node on Rockdown is a pain when the marines get it. I managed to fly into the rafters today and didn't realise there was a ridiculous network of spots to fire on without being hit. You can take out the power node, CC and res tower from relative safety and no one seems to know you are there. It is almost as bad as the hole near by that allows you outside the map in terms of advantage.
<!--quoteo(post=1811227:date=Nov 27 2010, 12:48 PM:name=SgtBarlow)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SgtBarlow @ Nov 27 2010, 12:48 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1811227"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I was going to show NS2HD how to do Airal attacks with spikes and gass but it got too late at night :/ with upto an hours practice you can gas the crap out of an area while in constant motion in their air. Problem is that eveyone who goes Lerk seems to play in a linear style like all the other lifeforms
The lerk is all about multiple direction attack, weaving back and fourth, the best method of using lerk is to imagine doing a Figure of 8 inside a Bowl on a Bike/BMX above a marines head.
Will have to see if NS2HD wants to do a Part 2 on attack methods now flight lessons are over :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Flight is too unforgiving now compared to NS1 IMO because you can't use the flap for emergency acceleration anymore. Gliding nonstop through the level without any interference is one thing, but fighting marines without ever stopping your momentum is very hard, and if you screw up once then you're floundering about until you can get another clean launch. In NS1 you could just point in a direction and flap a few times to get started again, and there was still plenty of skill to utilizing effective flight patterns to do hit-and-run attacks and dodge bullets.
There was a huge argument, Lerk spikes was originally in NS1 and replaced with bite later, There was a huge uprawr bigger than intial minor complaints about it. So it's back this time cause ranged attack was needed.
I agree, ranged attack is needed. It becomes a more supportive class, which it should be. Just behind the skulks and fades when they go piling it, but is also great for some sneaky solo attacks on the side.
I think you have really nailed the alien classes, my only concern is improving the skulk wall walking ability. Fade - Blinks/magic, Lerk - support/Flies, Gorge - Meat Sack/runs, Onos - Muscle Machine, Skulk - wall walks badly :(
Every class seems very nicely defined so far, would just like to see more wall movement from the skulk. I also think the alien 'view' of the world needs a little more atmosphere. Maybe adding a slight fish eye lens to the edges of the screen could pull things back a little, help with close quarter combat and make me feel like I should be chewing humans. Though I am sure there is stuff yet to add.
Also on the re-press argument, that is not strictly true. If you are diving down rockdowns marine start corridor firing spikes and you hit a marine, getting going is a lot harder now. However, you can fly to your hearts content as (did it not used to?) you do not loose energy anymore.
Sorry, but lerk without bite is boring as hell to play. Yeah just sit back and snipe with spikes all day, no thanks but that's no fun. I say add bite back and keep spikes as well for the people who suck at lerking.
We already have a fragile melee class. It's called the skulk. Zero cost cannon fodder and skill dependent. The role is filled well by the skulk.
Having a flying fragile melee class when the skulk can already leap as a Tier 0 ability makes even less sense than spending 30 plasma on a class you expect to fly at marines with. When I don't care about dying, I prefer to use the cheapest class.
<!--quoteo(post=1811236:date=Nov 27 2010, 01:20 PM:name=Runteh)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Runteh @ Nov 27 2010, 01:20 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1811236"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->... The west cc/hive node on Rockdown is a pain when the marines get it. I managed to fly into the rafters today and didn't realise there was a ridiculous network of spots to fire on without being hit. You can take out the power node, CC and res tower from relative safety and no one seems to know you are there. It is almost as bad as the hole near by that allows you outside the map in terms of advantage.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My concern comes from this part - should the lerk be an anti-structure class? If there are parts of bases that can be seen from any real distance and shot from safety (or from a safe vantage point) then the aliens may need (or want) to always get a lerk camping there. If that's countered by making the lerk slow to take out buildings then you potentially get a very bored lerk taking down bases, if you go further and prevent them damaging buildings at all that's a bit weird. I guess maybe the answer is to make sure the maps don't allow it too much (noone minds sentries going down I imagine).
<!--quoteo(post=1811327:date=Nov 28 2010, 02:15 AM:name=VodkaGorblasky)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (VodkaGorblasky @ Nov 28 2010, 02:15 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1811327"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Sorry, but lerk without bite is boring as hell to play. Yeah just sit back and snipe with spikes all day, no thanks but that's no fun.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> You don't have to sit back. The lerk is perfectly capable of pushing hallways by himself. I'll credit/blame bad FPS for this but so far it was extremely managable taking marines on even 1v3 (even in close range until shotguns hit) because they simply can't track well at 3 FPS, or they can't aim, idk which (bear in mind, even if they could, it'd be super easy to back out while pelting them, and most likely killing one or two of them before getting away alive).
Gas ahead, move up. Someone runs through, they will be slightly hurt and you can take them out rather easily. Repeat. If you have any sort of backup at all you can destroy whoever opposes you until the currently broken weapons hit. The lerk fills a role, and it fills it well. If this game was DoTA, lerk would be banned every game.
Really not trying to blow my own horn by saying all this (especially because I'm not a great player in any other games either), I just experienced regular KDRs of 20+ etc, it felt a lot a like kicking a baby most of the games I played. I'm sure this will change for the worse (read: change for the better of the game) as people get better performance, but keep in mind I haven't even mentioned the snipe ability once through this whole post. Add that to the pushing power and the lerk is just insanely versatile and powerful, if that isn't fun to play then you should go and join Al-Qaeda.
<!--quoteo(post=1811327:date=Nov 28 2010, 01:15 AM:name=VodkaGorblasky)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (VodkaGorblasky @ Nov 28 2010, 01:15 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1811327"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Sorry, but lerk without bite is boring as hell to play. Yeah just sit back and snipe with spikes all day, no thanks but that's no fun. I say add bite back and keep spikes as well for the people who suck at lerking.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What? I have to play in 640 x 480 in a laptop but I can still kick ass. Maybe you should work on your Lerk skills more? This certainly is not just sitting back and firing spikes.
<!--quoteo(post=1811524:date=Nov 28 2010, 06:32 PM:name=Runteh)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Runteh @ Nov 28 2010, 06:32 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1811524"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What? I have to play in 640 x 480 in a laptop but I can still kick ass. Maybe you should work on your Lerk skills more? This certainly is not just sitting back and firing spikes.
Do you think you can just go flying around like you did when the marines actually stable FPS and netcode to work with? No. Lerk needs to be able to dodge and I've got the picture that the present lerk model doesn't do that very well. Can't really comment on my own first hand experience until I get better FPS though.
True, but everyone is in the same position with regards to FPS. Also (video above) not everyone plays for 4 hours a day or has the time to.
Also, the textures and walls in NS1 made it a lot easier to home in on aliens. Visually the background is incredibly complex in NS2. This will make tracking aliens a lot harder.
<!--quoteo(post=1811530:date=Nov 28 2010, 06:50 PM:name=Runteh)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Runteh @ Nov 28 2010, 06:50 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1811530"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->True, but everyone is in the same position with regards to FPS. Also (video above) not everyone plays for 4 hours a day or has the time to.
Also, the textures and walls in NS1 made it a lot easier to home in on aliens. Visually the background is incredibly complex in NS2. This will make tracking aliens a lot harder.
This is NS2, not NS1 also..<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm having some trouble understanding what you're trying to say so I'll summarise my interpretation and you may correct me if I'm wrong.
You argue your point based on the following concepts: 1) that a design is fine if it's flawed only for a subset of the userbase, because being skilled at the fps portion of the game is an aberration 2) that knowledge is not to be generalised
Am I correct?
If I am, then number one is based on values and as such it's arguable either way and number two is a naïve concept that for obvious reasons doesn't hold when properly examined.
Comments
Looking forward to the Onos and Exo skeleton, and everything else!
I got way too confused and disorientated with ns1 lerking. Ended up just sitting back and gassing mostly, which is perfect for the new lerk cause I can gas then needle harass which is way too much fun. I think the sniper thing is a bit over powered though.
Another argument. Flight attacks are rare (specific to NS?) in fps, ranged combats and sniping are not at all. There is not much added value there.
Yeah, it's almost griefer-ish, it's fun but it shouldn't be, but I like being able to hide in the shadows and be a royal pain in the arse. If I want some adrenaline I can always try and spike and fly at the same time.
Gorges too? I mean they have big jaws. But please let you be the one who explains that logic to all the people who will inevitably cry about how much this sucks because it totally ruins everything NS1 stood for and so on and so forth.
Gorge doesn't have a melee attack? I don't see any reason why they shouldn't. Taking options away from players is bad design IMHO YMMV
The marines have melee because they have limited ammo and need a backup weapon once they completely run out. It's almost never preferable for them to use the axe over and other weapon when engaging enemy players. I don't see why lerks and gorges need melee because they both have regenerating energy. (I don't think they're designed to take out buildings either... skulks, fades, and onos are much better suited for that)
Kharaa don't have all of their weapons implemented yet. I think it's way too early for people to complain about anything being useless.
<!--quoteo(post=1810995:date=Nov 26 2010, 08:22 PM:name=zex)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (zex @ Nov 26 2010, 08:22 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1810995"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Gorge doesn't have a melee attack? I don't see any reason why they shouldn't. Taking options away from players is bad design IMHO YMMV<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Giving players too many options is bad design, too. Better to keep it simple.
However, why am I mostly on the ground, sniping / gasing when I have wings?
Either the flight mechanics need to be gunship-style to compliment / fit shootyness, or flap-flap-dive to facilitate bitey and kitey.
At the moment we have flap-flap-shoot (often pointless) or waddle-waddle-shoot (usually worthwhile, but I'm not flying).
!?
Truly, I think there's an actual design mix/mess here.
with upto an hours practice you can gas the crap out of an area while in constant motion in their air.
Problem is that eveyone who goes Lerk seems to play in a linear style like all the other lifeforms
The lerk is all about multiple direction attack, weaving back and fourth, the best method of using lerk is to imagine doing a Figure of 8 inside a Bowl on a Bike/BMX above a marines head.
Will have to see if NS2HD wants to do a Part 2 on attack methods now flight lessons are over :)
with upto an hours practice you can gas the crap out of an area while in constant motion in their air.
Problem is that eveyone who goes Lerk seems to play in a linear style like all the other lifeforms
The lerk is all about multiple direction attack, weaving back and fourth, the best method of using lerk is to imagine doing a Figure of 8 inside a Bowl on a Bike/BMX above a marines head.
Will have to see if NS2HD wants to do a Part 2 on attack methods now flight lessons are over :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Looking forward to playing some of the more open maps. I think there is a time to be dynamic with movement, but other times not. This may be because my fps is very bad (not having a go here) because I am on a laptop in 640 x 480. But if I am not weaving around marines firing spikes (they always seem to forget how powerful they are) i'm hiding in rafters.
The west cc/hive node on Rockdown is a pain when the marines get it. I managed to fly into the rafters today and didn't realise there was a ridiculous network of spots to fire on without being hit. You can take out the power node, CC and res tower from relative safety and no one seems to know you are there. It is almost as bad as the hole near by that allows you outside the map in terms of advantage.
with upto an hours practice you can gas the crap out of an area while in constant motion in their air.
Problem is that eveyone who goes Lerk seems to play in a linear style like all the other lifeforms
The lerk is all about multiple direction attack, weaving back and fourth, the best method of using lerk is to imagine doing a Figure of 8 inside a Bowl on a Bike/BMX above a marines head.
Will have to see if NS2HD wants to do a Part 2 on attack methods now flight lessons are over :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Flight is too unforgiving now compared to NS1 IMO because you can't use the flap for emergency acceleration anymore. Gliding nonstop through the level without any interference is one thing, but fighting marines without ever stopping your momentum is very hard, and if you screw up once then you're floundering about until you can get another clean launch. In NS1 you could just point in a direction and flap a few times to get started again, and there was still plenty of skill to utilizing effective flight patterns to do hit-and-run attacks and dodge bullets.
There was a huge argument, Lerk spikes was originally in NS1 and replaced with bite later, There was a huge uprawr bigger than intial minor complaints about it. So it's back this time cause ranged attack was needed.
I think you have really nailed the alien classes, my only concern is improving the skulk wall walking ability. Fade - Blinks/magic, Lerk - support/Flies, Gorge - Meat Sack/runs, Onos - Muscle Machine, Skulk - wall walks badly :(
Every class seems very nicely defined so far, would just like to see more wall movement from the skulk. I also think the alien 'view' of the world needs a little more atmosphere. Maybe adding a slight fish eye lens to the edges of the screen could pull things back a little, help with close quarter combat and make me feel like I should be chewing humans. Though I am sure there is stuff yet to add.
Also on the re-press argument, that is not strictly true. If you are diving down rockdowns marine start corridor firing spikes and you hit a marine, getting going is a lot harder now. However, you can fly to your hearts content as (did it not used to?) you do not loose energy anymore.
with the option to upgrade to a sniper spike like the alt attack currently. Get rid of the normal spike spam and give him a melee attack.
We already have a fragile melee class. It's called the skulk. Zero cost cannon fodder and skill dependent. The role is filled well by the skulk.
Having a flying fragile melee class when the skulk can already leap as a Tier 0 ability makes even less sense than spending 30 plasma on a class you expect to fly at marines with. When I don't care about dying, I prefer to use the cheapest class.
Sigh. NS1 fanboys.
The west cc/hive node on Rockdown is a pain when the marines get it. I managed to fly into the rafters today and didn't realise there was a ridiculous network of spots to fire on without being hit. You can take out the power node, CC and res tower from relative safety and no one seems to know you are there. It is almost as bad as the hole near by that allows you outside the map in terms of advantage.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
My concern comes from this part - should the lerk be an anti-structure class? If there are parts of bases that can be seen from any real distance and shot from safety (or from a safe vantage point) then the aliens may need (or want) to always get a lerk camping there. If that's countered by making the lerk slow to take out buildings then you potentially get a very bored lerk taking down bases, if you go further and prevent them damaging buildings at all that's a bit weird. I guess maybe the answer is to make sure the maps don't allow it too much (noone minds sentries going down I imagine).
You don't have to sit back. The lerk is perfectly capable of pushing hallways by himself.
I'll credit/blame bad FPS for this but so far it was extremely managable taking marines on even 1v3 (even in close range until shotguns hit) because they simply can't track well at 3 FPS, or they can't aim, idk which (bear in mind, even if they could, it'd be super easy to back out while pelting them, and most likely killing one or two of them before getting away alive).
Gas ahead, move up. Someone runs through, they will be slightly hurt and you can take them out rather easily. Repeat.
If you have any sort of backup at all you can destroy whoever opposes you until the currently broken weapons hit.
The lerk fills a role, and it fills it well. If this game was DoTA, lerk would be banned every game.
Really not trying to blow my own horn by saying all this (especially because I'm not a great player in any other games either), I just experienced regular KDRs of 20+ etc, it felt a lot a like kicking a baby most of the games I played. I'm sure this will change for the worse (read: change for the better of the game) as people get better performance, but keep in mind I haven't even mentioned the snipe ability once through this whole post. Add that to the pushing power and the lerk is just insanely versatile and powerful, if that isn't fun to play then you should go and join Al-Qaeda.
What? I have to play in 640 x 480 in a laptop but I can still kick ass. Maybe you should work on your Lerk skills more? This certainly is not just sitting back and firing spikes.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdLfWHoXaI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdLfWHoXaI</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdLfWHoXaI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdLfWHoXaI</a><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hello there. Meet wltrs.
<center><object width="450" height="356"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jzyi4XF0jKk"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jzyi4XF0jKk" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="356"></embed></object></center>
Do you think you can just go flying around like you did when the marines actually stable FPS and netcode to work with? No. Lerk needs to be able to dodge and I've got the picture that the present lerk model doesn't do that very well. Can't really comment on my own first hand experience until I get better FPS though.
Also, the textures and walls in NS1 made it a lot easier to home in on aliens. Visually the background is incredibly complex in NS2. This will make tracking aliens a lot harder.
This is NS2, not NS1 also..
Also, the textures and walls in NS1 made it a lot easier to home in on aliens. Visually the background is incredibly complex in NS2. This will make tracking aliens a lot harder.
This is NS2, not NS1 also..<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm having some trouble understanding what you're trying to say so I'll summarise my interpretation and you may correct me if I'm wrong.
You argue your point based on the following concepts:
1) that a design is fine if it's flawed only for a subset of the userbase, because being skilled at the fps portion of the game is an aberration
2) that knowledge is not to be generalised
Am I correct?
If I am, then number one is based on values and as such it's arguable either way and number two is a naïve concept that for obvious reasons doesn't hold when properly examined.