<!--quoteo(post=1857563:date=Jul 1 2011, 02:53 PM:name=PsiWarp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PsiWarp @ Jul 1 2011, 02:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1857563"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Perhaps squad system can alert players in a squad when their squad mates are engaged in battle/taking damage, with HUD visual aid.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo(post=1857563:date=Jul 1 2011, 08:53 PM:name=PsiWarp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PsiWarp @ Jul 1 2011, 08:53 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1857563"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Perhaps squad system can alert players in a squad when their squad mates are engaged in battle/taking damage, with HUD visual aid.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think a guild wars style box with the health and status of everyone in your squad would be a good idea, as well as hud indicators showing where they are and what they're doing (building, walking, shooting, dying) and what gun they're using would go a long way to making squads more helpful.
That way you know if someone behind you dies that there is an alien behind you, and if a lot of people are shooting something then there's probably an alien there too. You could also extend it to showing where your allies are aiming so you know if a lot of people are aiming somewhere that they saw something. There's lots of information that would be useful to allies that currently isn't displayed.
<!--quoteo(post=1857622:date=Jul 2 2011, 08:55 AM:name=Chris0132)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chris0132 @ Jul 2 2011, 08:55 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1857622"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think a guild wars style box with the health and status of everyone in your squad would be a good idea, as well as hud indicators showing where they are and what they're doing (building, walking, shooting, dying) and what gun they're using would go a long way to making squads more helpful.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You could also take it a bit further and add in sound cues for reloading and when an alien enters an ally's line of sight, sort of like left4dead, they are rather useful for teamwork because they help you coordinate with your allies and also turn them into little walking sensor beacons to stop you getting jumped.
<!--quoteo(post=1857659:date=Jul 2 2011, 08:51 AM:name=Chris0132)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chris0132 @ Jul 2 2011, 08:51 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1857659"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->You could also take it a bit further and add in sound cues for reloading and when an alien enters an ally's line of sight, sort of like left4dead, they are rather useful for teamwork because they help you coordinate with your allies and also turn them into little walking sensor beacons to stop you getting jumped.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pills here!
But I agree, the survivors screaming "hunter", "smoker", "boomer" is very useful. Marines saying "contact" or "skulk incoming" would be nice. L4D did a job of not making it annoying and only going off when it was useful. It would get annoying if every time there was a skulk, all marines scream out skulk at the same time or at different times."Contact skulk" skulk here!" " I see a skulk!" "SKKKKUULK!"
But I agree, the survivors screaming "hunter", "smoker", "boomer" is very useful. Marines saying "contact" or "skulk incoming" would be nice. L4D did a job of not making it annoying and only going off when it was useful. It would get annoying if every time there was a skulk, all marines scream out skulk at the same time or at different times."Contact skulk" skulk here!" " I see a skulk!" "SKKKKUULK!"<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You could press a button which will make the marine shout out something relevant - like LDF2's "Look" button that will make the character point out something to the others. Press the button when a fade is in your view and you shout out "Fade!!" etc
I really don't see how you can stealthily build a phase gate when all of alien territory is covered in infestation which reveals your position and prevents building, as well as without power.
<!--quoteo(post=1857741:date=Jul 3 2011, 07:21 AM:name=Chris0132)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chris0132 @ Jul 3 2011, 07:21 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1857741"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I really don't see how you can stealthily build a phase gate when all of alien territory is covered in infestation which reveals your position and prevents building, as well as without power.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's what happened in one of those clan matches which NS2HD filmed. There was a small area without infestation just next to alien start. A marine was crouched down hiding there and the comm put a power pack down, then a phase gate. The marine was very good and killing the aliens who attacked that and they managed to build it. Probably more down to the alien incompetence but it can be done.
Hmm possibly, although with the gorge pustule building and especially once DI starts growing on its own, I don't think there will be any real use for ninja buildings.
That would be an opportunity for a marine ability that temporarily disables the detection ability of infestation within a small area. Kind of like an inverse scanner sweep.
Just make crags work like self-sufficient islands, but they still don't -generate- any infestation. They only cost 10 TR, and they're useful for the Alien team to have floating around the map close to combat zones. 'Crag clusters' would be hard to take out, but since you could still kill the cysts by lighting the infestation on fire, the marines would be able to easily 'strand' the crag island... But the alien commanders resource investment is protected as long as the crags can hold out.
The offensive use is still limited, as it would be very expensive in terms of TR to constantly build more crags, and frankly the marine team would need to be either incredibly unobservant or thoroughly steam-rollled to be unable to deal with encroaching infestation.
easily killed, has no defense, and they are exposed in the open.
gorges dropping mini-Cyst has to cost energy NOT res. due to how easy it is to kill infestation now, spreading infestation must be easier. removing LOS Cyst have would also help. adding better defenses to Cyst, making them auto cloak or built under ground - only scan reveals them infestation needs to start doing damage to power nodes and marine buildings
charlie you made infestation extremely easy to kill now, you nerfed infestation basically so much now, which makes infestation useless.
-
shotguns
just because you lower their long range damage it doesn't mean close up damage needs to increase, revert it back or lower it then before. you also have to remember how easy it is to get weapons since marines don't depend on commander for weapons which makes every marine have shotgun or flamethrowers etc... weapons need better recoil system, way to easy to aim, maybe has something to do with how big and slow aliens are...
whips
they are useless because:
1.short range 2.slow moving 3.easily killed
whips need to be built under the ground, allow scan to only reveal them. And whips would only be see by the marines if the commander whats to move them from one location to other, but once they're rooted into the floor they go under it. they attack from under the floor, marines can only shoot them if scan reveals them.
Just need to make Cysts less "farmable", they sit there and are basically free points for Marines + chain reaction crippling for Kharaa.
As suggested by a member before, let Whips start with Bombard as a passive projectile splash attack, maybe around Hydra range and whip any Marine that moves too close. That way it isn't purely a melee range static defense, and Uprooting actually has a chance to see aggressive play (with Whips bombarding Marine bases/outposts).
I can certainly see the reasoning behind cysts. But making it possible for the marines to kill infest early doesn't mean it has to be easy. The health of the cyst needs to be at least 2 or 3 times higher than it currently is. In fact I would suggest changing it so it's strong against weapons like rifle, shotgun, pistol but weak against the switch-axe. It might even be useful to change the cyst from being a single object to being a small grouping of these boils or bubbles that all need to be destroyed.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Build 180 feedback and stuff I’m thinking about: - <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#1<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> in my mind: addressing problem with base sentries extending game lengths - <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#2<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> in my mind: too much time for all players building and attacking Cysts. Focus should be on player vs. player. - <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#3<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Cysts need to become tougher the longer they’re alive, or closer they are to the hive. A single basic marine can rush the hive, kill a pustule or two and take out half the map's infestation. - <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#4<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Cysts have too little health, and are the links are too easily severed. Cysts also lack innate health regeneration. - <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#5<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Something needs to be done to make whips useful. - <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#6<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Shotguns are doing a bit too much dmg close now - <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#7<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Add CoD style menu that tells you to press your use key to pick up a weapon - <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#8<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Possibly allow alien comms to switch between hives (or allow energy usage for all) - <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#9<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Address marine jumping<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#1<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> There are many suggestions thrown out for this, but here is something that hasn't really been brought before I believe. Bilebomb could be modified a bit to better end the turret stalemates. Instead of bilebomb acting as an out of control tennis ball launcher, it acts more like artillery. Increase the damage done significantly (with increased splash) but lower the refire rate by the same amount. Increase energy consumption, and plant the gorge in place while the gorge performs the attack (similar to the fade's stab). Maybe also give it not such a steep firing arc. The problem with bilebomb is that the gorge stays way too exposed while shooting bilebombs. If gorges could pop out of cover, fire the bilebomb and then pop back into cover, it would be tons more useful in sieges against turret farms.
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#2,#3 & #4<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> There are too many cysts imo. I always imagined tougher, larger and less numerous cysts. I would change it so that Cysts are larger structures requiring Tres to build, and can be built from the start. They are tougher (equivalent to a power node). A commander will normally only build 1-2 per room (depending on size of room). Cysts can only be built if connected to the hive, but should survive unconnected..maybe with some sort of penalty. This would solve the weak cysts quickly being taken out and disconnecting entire areas at once. Mini-cysts are then made by BOTH gorges and hive energy, and always require a hive connection to survive . They act primarily to connect cysts to hives and quickly spread infestation around into smaller areas. Initially alien comm could rely entirely on mini-cycts and only build a Cyst when they want to secure a room (a cyst could upgrade from a mini-cyst).
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#5<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Whips are sitting ducks. They are easy to avoid and easy to take out. I like idea of making them more like traps. They can burrow underground, and pop out only when in range. A scan is needed to see and shoot at the burrowed whip, but it could take less damage than when above ground. Yea..its all very SC2ish... but f*c*it..it works. Also wouldn't hurt to make them root and move faster...and maybe also attack while unrooted but with decreased range and/or damage.
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#6 & #7<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Not much to say. I agree with both. Seems like we have way too many Corporal Hicks running around, and I hate accidentally picking up a weapon I don't like.
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#9<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Again lots has been said. Either we want marines jumping around on trampolines in combat to be effective or we don't. Significantly decreased accuracy while jumping, or no firing while jumping comes to mind. Its been done in many other games.
First of all. I am real excited seeing the notes reflect the communities concerns.
Second the real problem with the turrets IMHO is this. If the marines survive until the mid game they simply have to build turrets outward to win. It is slow, painful, and thus not fun. and as a marine I can't help myself ... I'm like... we brought up power ...lets build turrets.
My first suggestion is capping a) Cap the number of turrets to a multiple of Comm Chairs - If marines have taken half the map then they can build turrets all over the place. b) Cap resource nodes to only emit x amount of resources. - This would mean that single resource node in marine base would finally gag and stop producing. - This would also mean NO game would last forever.
Yeah comms sucking isn't an argument for balance, shotgun being able to one shot skulks doesn't make a lot of sense when it carries eight shots and is available right out of the door, it should require two shots, one as the skulk is closing, one at close to point blank, or use your pistol or something, or add a bit of knockback to a full blast, having a better melee weapon than the aliens is really silly for marines.
<!--quoteo(post=1859810:date=Jul 11 2011, 10:44 PM:name=kingmob)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (kingmob @ Jul 11 2011, 10:44 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1859810"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->First of all. I am real excited seeing the notes reflect the communities concerns.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, me too, really great to see everyone with similar ideas for what would improve the game.
My idea for a solution to sentry spam:
I feel like hydras are reasonably balanced right now because if there is only 1 a single marine can take it out easily, if there are 2-3 then he needs a nade launcher or some backup. They work as area denial for a period of time and stop individual marines from going certain places but they can also be taken out relatively easily and don't do huge amounts of damage.
I feel like sentries do too much damage too quickly. If you just step out as a skulk you can sometimes lose half your health before leaping away. I think delaying the amount of time the sentry starts to fire and also making it so that it <b>starts at a slow rate of fire and slowly increases the longer it is firing (as it spins up)</b> would be a good idea. That way if you spot sentries you can move in front of them relatively safely, but if you stay in their line of sight for too long you will take damage. If you jump into an area with 4-5 sentries then you will start to take lots of damage the longer they are shooting at you.
This enables them to continue working as area denial defence without being as brutal. Same as hydras, often I will just run past hydras if I can but if placed correctly they will prevent me from going near a hive or down a certain corridor. This should be the same with sentries.
The other thing I would do is improve bile bomb. I think that bile bomb should cover the sentries in goo and disable them from firing for 10 seconds or so. This would allow gorges to use bile bomb without taking lots of damage. At the moment bile bomb is useless against sentries because you need to stand in the line of fire while shooting it (unlike the nade launcher which can shoot round corners). This would also allow gorges to temporary disable sentries and then their team mates could destroy them, making bile bomb much more useful.
Comments
solid idea. also, implement "YOU'RE SQUAD FIVE" sound file.
I think a guild wars style box with the health and status of everyone in your squad would be a good idea, as well as hud indicators showing where they are and what they're doing (building, walking, shooting, dying) and what gun they're using would go a long way to making squads more helpful.
That way you know if someone behind you dies that there is an alien behind you, and if a lot of people are shooting something then there's probably an alien there too. You could also extend it to showing where your allies are aiming so you know if a lot of people are aiming somewhere that they saw something. There's lots of information that would be useful to allies that currently isn't displayed.
Very nice.
Pills here!
But I agree, the survivors screaming "hunter", "smoker", "boomer" is very useful. Marines saying "contact" or "skulk incoming" would be nice. L4D did a job of not making it annoying and only going off when it was useful. It would get annoying if every time there was a skulk, all marines scream out skulk at the same time or at different times."Contact skulk" skulk here!" " I see a skulk!" "SKKKKUULK!"
But I agree, the survivors screaming "hunter", "smoker", "boomer" is very useful. Marines saying "contact" or "skulk incoming" would be nice. L4D did a job of not making it annoying and only going off when it was useful. It would get annoying if every time there was a skulk, all marines scream out skulk at the same time or at different times."Contact skulk" skulk here!" " I see a skulk!" "SKKKKUULK!"<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
THIS IS A WONDERFUL IDEA!!!
Only when it is possible to deactivate it! Or I will be hard doing a sneak PG or hiding to get one.
It's what happened in one of those clan matches which NS2HD filmed. There was a small area without infestation just next to alien start. A marine was crouched down hiding there and the comm put a power pack down, then a phase gate. The marine was very good and killing the aliens who attacked that and they managed to build it. Probably more down to the alien incompetence but it can be done.
Like in this video at 20sec~
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuYmn_xYB78" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuYmn_xYB78</a>
Comes and does fly by of death!
Just make crags work like self-sufficient islands, but they still don't -generate- any infestation. They only cost 10 TR, and they're useful for the Alien team to have floating around the map close to combat zones. 'Crag clusters' would be hard to take out, but since you could still kill the cysts by lighting the infestation on fire, the marines would be able to easily 'strand' the crag island... But the alien commanders resource investment is protected as long as the crags can hold out.
The offensive use is still limited, as it would be very expensive in terms of TR to constantly build more crags, and frankly the marine team would need to be either incredibly unobservant or thoroughly steam-rollled to be unable to deal with encroaching infestation.
easily killed, has no defense, and they are exposed in the open.
gorges dropping mini-Cyst has to cost energy NOT res.
due to how easy it is to kill infestation now, spreading infestation must be easier.
removing LOS Cyst have would also help.
adding better defenses to Cyst, making them auto cloak or built under ground - only scan reveals them
infestation needs to start doing damage to power nodes and marine buildings
charlie you made infestation extremely easy to kill now, you nerfed infestation basically so much now, which makes infestation useless.
-
shotguns
just because you lower their long range damage it doesn't mean close up damage needs to increase, revert it back or lower it then before.
you also have to remember how easy it is to get weapons since marines don't depend on commander for weapons which makes every marine have shotgun or flamethrowers etc...
weapons need better recoil system, way to easy to aim, maybe has something to do with how big and slow aliens are...
whips
they are useless because:
1.short range
2.slow moving
3.easily killed
whips need to be built under the ground, allow scan to only reveal them. And whips would only be see by the marines if the commander whats to move them from one location to other, but once they're rooted into the floor they go under it. they attack from under the floor, marines can only shoot them if scan reveals them.
As suggested by a member before, let Whips start with Bombard as a passive projectile splash attack, maybe around Hydra range and whip any Marine that moves too close. That way it isn't purely a melee range static defense, and Uprooting actually has a chance to see aggressive play (with Whips bombarding Marine bases/outposts).
- <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#1<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> in my mind: addressing problem with base sentries extending game lengths
- <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#2<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> in my mind: too much time for all players building and attacking Cysts. Focus should be on player vs. player.
- <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#3<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Cysts need to become tougher the longer they’re alive, or closer they are to the hive. A single basic marine can rush the hive, kill a pustule or two and take out half the map's infestation.
- <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#4<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Cysts have too little health, and are the links are too easily severed. Cysts also lack innate health regeneration.
- <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#5<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Something needs to be done to make whips useful.
- <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#6<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Shotguns are doing a bit too much dmg close now
- <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#7<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Add CoD style menu that tells you to press your use key to pick up a weapon
- <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#8<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Possibly allow alien comms to switch between hives (or allow energy usage for all)
- <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#9<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Address marine jumping<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#1<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> There are many suggestions thrown out for this, but here is something that hasn't really been brought before I believe. Bilebomb could be modified a bit to better end the turret stalemates. Instead of bilebomb acting as an out of control tennis ball launcher, it acts more like artillery. Increase the damage done significantly (with increased splash) but lower the refire rate by the same amount. Increase energy consumption, and plant the gorge in place while the gorge performs the attack (similar to the fade's stab). Maybe also give it not such a steep firing arc. The problem with bilebomb is that the gorge stays way too exposed while shooting bilebombs. If gorges could pop out of cover, fire the bilebomb and then pop back into cover, it would be tons more useful in sieges against turret farms.
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#2,#3 & #4<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> There are too many cysts imo. I always imagined tougher, larger and less numerous cysts. I would change it so that Cysts are larger structures requiring Tres to build, and can be built from the start. They are tougher (equivalent to a power node). A commander will normally only build 1-2 per room (depending on size of room). Cysts can only be built if connected to the hive, but should survive unconnected..maybe with some sort of penalty. This would solve the weak cysts quickly being taken out and disconnecting entire areas at once. Mini-cysts are then made by BOTH gorges and hive energy, and always require a hive connection to survive . They act primarily to connect cysts to hives and quickly spread infestation around into smaller areas. Initially alien comm could rely entirely on mini-cycts and only build a Cyst when they want to secure a room (a cyst could upgrade from a mini-cyst).
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#5<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Whips are sitting ducks. They are easy to avoid and easy to take out. I like idea of making them more like traps. They can burrow underground, and pop out only when in range. A scan is needed to see and shoot at the burrowed whip, but it could take less damage than when above ground. Yea..its all very SC2ish... but f*c*it..it works. Also wouldn't hurt to make them root and move faster...and maybe also attack while unrooted but with decreased range and/or damage.
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#6 & #7<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Not much to say. I agree with both. Seems like we have way too many Corporal Hicks running around, and I hate accidentally picking up a weapon I don't like.
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#8<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> <b>YES</b>..to either.
<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->#9<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Again lots has been said. Either we want marines jumping around on trampolines in combat to be effective or we don't. Significantly decreased accuracy while jumping, or no firing while jumping comes to mind. Its been done in many other games.
I am real excited seeing the notes reflect the communities concerns.
Second the real problem with the turrets IMHO is this.
If the marines survive until the mid game they simply have to build turrets outward to win.
It is slow, painful, and thus not fun.
and as a marine I can't help myself ... I'm like... we brought up power ...lets build turrets.
My first suggestion is capping
a) Cap the number of turrets to a multiple of Comm Chairs
- If marines have taken half the map then they can build turrets all over the place.
b) Cap resource nodes to only emit x amount of resources.
- This would mean that single resource node in marine base would finally gag and stop producing.
- This would also mean NO game would last forever.
Tell your comm to stop spamming turrets and get some upgrades!
I am real excited seeing the notes reflect the communities concerns.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, me too, really great to see everyone with similar ideas for what would improve the game.
My idea for a solution to sentry spam:
I feel like hydras are reasonably balanced right now because if there is only 1 a single marine can take it out easily, if there are 2-3 then he needs a nade launcher or some backup. They work as area denial for a period of time and stop individual marines from going certain places but they can also be taken out relatively easily and don't do huge amounts of damage.
I feel like sentries do too much damage too quickly. If you just step out as a skulk you can sometimes lose half your health before leaping away. I think delaying the amount of time the sentry starts to fire and also making it so that it <b>starts at a slow rate of fire and slowly increases the longer it is firing (as it spins up)</b> would be a good idea. That way if you spot sentries you can move in front of them relatively safely, but if you stay in their line of sight for too long you will take damage. If you jump into an area with 4-5 sentries then you will start to take lots of damage the longer they are shooting at you.
This enables them to continue working as area denial defence without being as brutal. Same as hydras, often I will just run past hydras if I can but if placed correctly they will prevent me from going near a hive or down a certain corridor. This should be the same with sentries.
The other thing I would do is improve bile bomb. I think that bile bomb should cover the sentries in goo and disable them from firing for 10 seconds or so. This would allow gorges to use bile bomb without taking lots of damage. At the moment bile bomb is useless against sentries because you need to stand in the line of fire while shooting it (unlike the nade launcher which can shoot round corners). This would also allow gorges to temporary disable sentries and then their team mates could destroy them, making bile bomb much more useful.