Commanders Can Have Fun
DJ Splendid
Join Date: 2010-08-14 Member: 73629Members, Constellation
Join Date: 2010-08-14 Member: 73629Members, Constellation
There's plenty of premature negativity bouncing of the walls so I want to spread some ###### and doughnuts having already had my rant about some of the silliness being voiced (http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=111651).
Sure, as Commander you hit some pretty hard glass ceilings in the current build. So how can you squeeze your jaunts for more entertainment?
General funtime #1 is probably helping people in your server getting to grips with things. I've seen plenty of people doing this, which means there's still a solid line between the community here and the bottom feeders of LoL et al. This is GOOD. The soul of 90s PC gaming is still glowing. A bit. Dimly. Well actually its almost ###### dead but that's why NS2 is our last, best hope for golden-gaming conservation so do your bit :P
General funtime #2 is probably using the time you have to discover the dynamics of the maps. Sure, weapons costs / properties will change a fair bit, as will a bunch of other mechanics, but learning to identify a 'good' position on a map in general NS2 terms is a skill you can develop RIGHT NOW that won't become completely obsolete.
This skill will lead to two things. The first is development of your own playbook: the builds and map-centric exploitation you'll repeatedly undertake for profit and victory. The second is the ability to read a situation and design a good approach to improving it on the fly.
Tram is the only map that is complex enough to really develop this skill on. Below are a few map-centric tactics that I've developed that often directly contribute to victory. I've only included a couple because I'd really like you to post yours and get a 'sneaky tricks' thread on the go, something happy & useful to discuss.
A L I E N
Currently the most challenging Commander side but arguably the best to hone this skill with because of that.
() Send a starting drifter immediately to the L-shaped vent bordering the natural marine expo in the south west of the map. Have it morph into a crag at the same Y-axis position as the hive/cs build area.
This will allow skulks and an early lerk to uber-harass in that area, vastly slowing and sometimes even preventing the marines to reach tech 2 (which means you may actually win, holy ######). Also provides an excellent forward position to attack marine start from, should the marines fail to take the area.
()Place crags on the rafters/beams of hive areas or hotly-contested rooms. They'll rarely be seen by marines and the hidden source of hps really swings a battle (sure, the gas ability of the crag is wasted, but sneaky heals are valuable).
()Place whips in vents to clobber MACs given a move order over large distances. They often take vents and this is a good way to thwart the enemy commander.
M A R I N E
The easier side to Command once you complete the tech rush to GL/F, but there should be plenty of taxing assaults/sieges by competent aliens until you reach that point. Learn how to survive them / neutralise them with efficient sentry spots and overwatch spots.
()Place back-to-back sentries in the L-shaped vent in the south west to deny the Aliens of its massive harassment value. (I once had a lerk in that vent that was causing havoc. I had a marine keep the lerk's attention while i built sentries in LOS at either end. He didn't notice and became the filling for a vent sandwich. Good to know if they get there before you do).
()Mix up the sentry placement with singletons facing the centre of a room or corridor that has no other assets in it. It's amazing how often they pick off retreating aliens or provide warning of an incomming fade. I find backing them up against the out-cropping supports of the walls along the tram tracks very successful. Unexpected sentry is unexpected.
()Place a sentry at the mouth of the vent facing the hive/cs build area at the Alien natural expo in the north west. This causes mayhem. I often have several MACs in that pipe, ready to harass with sentries underneath before retreating back up.
Sure, as Commander you hit some pretty hard glass ceilings in the current build. So how can you squeeze your jaunts for more entertainment?
General funtime #1 is probably helping people in your server getting to grips with things. I've seen plenty of people doing this, which means there's still a solid line between the community here and the bottom feeders of LoL et al. This is GOOD. The soul of 90s PC gaming is still glowing. A bit. Dimly. Well actually its almost ###### dead but that's why NS2 is our last, best hope for golden-gaming conservation so do your bit :P
General funtime #2 is probably using the time you have to discover the dynamics of the maps. Sure, weapons costs / properties will change a fair bit, as will a bunch of other mechanics, but learning to identify a 'good' position on a map in general NS2 terms is a skill you can develop RIGHT NOW that won't become completely obsolete.
This skill will lead to two things. The first is development of your own playbook: the builds and map-centric exploitation you'll repeatedly undertake for profit and victory. The second is the ability to read a situation and design a good approach to improving it on the fly.
Tram is the only map that is complex enough to really develop this skill on. Below are a few map-centric tactics that I've developed that often directly contribute to victory. I've only included a couple because I'd really like you to post yours and get a 'sneaky tricks' thread on the go, something happy & useful to discuss.
A L I E N
Currently the most challenging Commander side but arguably the best to hone this skill with because of that.
() Send a starting drifter immediately to the L-shaped vent bordering the natural marine expo in the south west of the map. Have it morph into a crag at the same Y-axis position as the hive/cs build area.
This will allow skulks and an early lerk to uber-harass in that area, vastly slowing and sometimes even preventing the marines to reach tech 2 (which means you may actually win, holy ######). Also provides an excellent forward position to attack marine start from, should the marines fail to take the area.
()Place crags on the rafters/beams of hive areas or hotly-contested rooms. They'll rarely be seen by marines and the hidden source of hps really swings a battle (sure, the gas ability of the crag is wasted, but sneaky heals are valuable).
()Place whips in vents to clobber MACs given a move order over large distances. They often take vents and this is a good way to thwart the enemy commander.
M A R I N E
The easier side to Command once you complete the tech rush to GL/F, but there should be plenty of taxing assaults/sieges by competent aliens until you reach that point. Learn how to survive them / neutralise them with efficient sentry spots and overwatch spots.
()Place back-to-back sentries in the L-shaped vent in the south west to deny the Aliens of its massive harassment value. (I once had a lerk in that vent that was causing havoc. I had a marine keep the lerk's attention while i built sentries in LOS at either end. He didn't notice and became the filling for a vent sandwich. Good to know if they get there before you do).
()Mix up the sentry placement with singletons facing the centre of a room or corridor that has no other assets in it. It's amazing how often they pick off retreating aliens or provide warning of an incomming fade. I find backing them up against the out-cropping supports of the walls along the tram tracks very successful. Unexpected sentry is unexpected.
()Place a sentry at the mouth of the vent facing the hive/cs build area at the Alien natural expo in the north west. This causes mayhem. I often have several MACs in that pipe, ready to harass with sentries underneath before retreating back up.
Comments
Certainly it's enjoyable, I wouldn't do it all the time but hopping in as a commander now and then would be fun at this point.
Doubtless that will change though once they start adding in more complication and busy work.
General funtime #2 is probably using the time you have to discover the dynamics of the maps. Sure, weapons costs / properties will change a fair bit, as will a bunch of other mechanics, but learning to identify a 'good' position on a map in general NS2 terms is a skill you can develop RIGHT NOW that won't become completely obsolete.
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This^ is important. Even when the servers are empty, it's good to just hop on one with a good ping and play around as a commander. It's a great way to learn tech trees and the map layouts. I've gained just as much knowledge about commanding when I've played on my own as I have in actual games.
Everyone is noticing the fact that you are making up vague opinions.
<!--quoteo(post=1811900:date=Nov 30 2010, 05:07 AM:name=Chris0132)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chris0132 @ Nov 30 2010, 05:07 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1811900"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I found alien comm easier actually because they have more automated processes, crags autoheal buildings and people, whips autoattack in all directions, power nodes don't need repairing.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
MACs will probably automatically go to repair damaged things near them eventually, in fact I've seen them do it occasionally even now, but it's rare.