Alien assault
SmellyTerror
Join Date: 2011-08-22 Member: 118027Members
Join Date: 2011-08-22 Member: 118027Members
<div class="IPBDescription">...because I like to be scared</div>Ok, so Aliens, especially noob pub aliens, can't coordinate to save their lives. And that's ok most of the time. But there comes a time late-game where only a coordinated assault is going to do anything, and people - I dunno, don't read? Don't listen?
But they do on the Marine side, at least a little. Seems those order icons do a little bit of pushing, and base-bits being dropped around the place certainly tends to bring everyone together...
Anyway, I'd like it if the aliens had some way to do that, in keeping with their atmosphere.
Warrrior Alpha: mutation available to Fades (?), quite expensive (15 personal res?)
You lose the ability to blink...? 90 second cooldown?
Aaaanyway, however you balance it or keep it rare, it gives you the ability to use your Call to Battle.
The ability causes a huge, distinctive, and terrifying roar. Marines nearby should hear it.
All the alien players see you highlighted on the map and through walls. A newbie message comes along like "xxx calls you to assemble" or something.
A 20 second counter triggers, during which you move slowly as you seeth with generic rage.
At the end of the counter, you emit a second horrible roar (Marines nearby should also hear that, and perhaps pooh themselves). Your movement goes back to normal (enhanced?). For 20 (?) seconds, all Kharaa within range (large range) gain a bunch of buffs. I think all could get Frenzy and Swarm even if they haven't researched it...? And perhaps a little on top.
I think it'd also be cool if this power would also trigger a nearby Shade to activate, if off cooldown. Terribly frustrating to ask Alien commanders to do it, because for some reason they don't...
BUT - and this would be the main event - the Battle-Cry would also upgrade the usual Shade cloak to be *immune* to observatory detection. It could only do that if a Shade was in range.
As an optional extra, or perhaps <b>instead of </b>the stealth buff above: the ability could (during that 20 second wait time) let the Warrior Alpha spawn eggs - maybe 1 per second? The eggs would decay over time, but the assault would have a lot more weight with up to 20 eggs right outside the target area...
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I like this because it gives the Aliens a solid assault option and gives pub-aliens a clear directive, but it does it with a pile of atmoshperic drawbacks. First, the Marines would hear the roars coming from down the corridor, and hopefully would be ready. Second, the Marines would have a decent opportunity to bust up the party by attacking before the aliens assemble / get buffs, and then they'd know when the aliens were coming (the second roar) so could pour on the fire even with enemy stealth. And third, if the Marines can clear out the (vulnerable) Shades, they can prevent the stealth effect.
But despite all that it would be scary as hell for the Marines - telling everyone what you heard, people running home, taking up firing positions, ready for the horde. The Aliens could even be bluffing (typing / talking to tell their team to ignore the signal and the other side).
It's atmospheric, fills a present hole (alien late-game vs turrets or turtling in-base), and needs no added models, just (perhaps) a new sound effect or two (the hive damage-shriek lowered an octave / slowed might work), and an egg-placement attack.
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Again, I'm suggesting a buff to the aliens. I don't really want to *buff* as such, but to add options. Obviously the Marines could use some love, too - but the ability above can be tweaked to tune it as a late-game assault option against turtle tactics without necessarily making the aliens a lot more powerful. It has a lot of drawbacks already.
...personally, I think the Assault Rifle needs a little damage boost. Not much, but just a bit to give the Marines a little more early-game pushing power. I honestly cannot see how Marines stand any chance of preventing a second Hive as the game presently stands.
A little boost to the rifle would let them push and put pressure on the aliens straight away, or at least take and hold more territory.
But they do on the Marine side, at least a little. Seems those order icons do a little bit of pushing, and base-bits being dropped around the place certainly tends to bring everyone together...
Anyway, I'd like it if the aliens had some way to do that, in keeping with their atmosphere.
Warrrior Alpha: mutation available to Fades (?), quite expensive (15 personal res?)
You lose the ability to blink...? 90 second cooldown?
Aaaanyway, however you balance it or keep it rare, it gives you the ability to use your Call to Battle.
The ability causes a huge, distinctive, and terrifying roar. Marines nearby should hear it.
All the alien players see you highlighted on the map and through walls. A newbie message comes along like "xxx calls you to assemble" or something.
A 20 second counter triggers, during which you move slowly as you seeth with generic rage.
At the end of the counter, you emit a second horrible roar (Marines nearby should also hear that, and perhaps pooh themselves). Your movement goes back to normal (enhanced?). For 20 (?) seconds, all Kharaa within range (large range) gain a bunch of buffs. I think all could get Frenzy and Swarm even if they haven't researched it...? And perhaps a little on top.
I think it'd also be cool if this power would also trigger a nearby Shade to activate, if off cooldown. Terribly frustrating to ask Alien commanders to do it, because for some reason they don't...
BUT - and this would be the main event - the Battle-Cry would also upgrade the usual Shade cloak to be *immune* to observatory detection. It could only do that if a Shade was in range.
As an optional extra, or perhaps <b>instead of </b>the stealth buff above: the ability could (during that 20 second wait time) let the Warrior Alpha spawn eggs - maybe 1 per second? The eggs would decay over time, but the assault would have a lot more weight with up to 20 eggs right outside the target area...
---
I like this because it gives the Aliens a solid assault option and gives pub-aliens a clear directive, but it does it with a pile of atmoshperic drawbacks. First, the Marines would hear the roars coming from down the corridor, and hopefully would be ready. Second, the Marines would have a decent opportunity to bust up the party by attacking before the aliens assemble / get buffs, and then they'd know when the aliens were coming (the second roar) so could pour on the fire even with enemy stealth. And third, if the Marines can clear out the (vulnerable) Shades, they can prevent the stealth effect.
But despite all that it would be scary as hell for the Marines - telling everyone what you heard, people running home, taking up firing positions, ready for the horde. The Aliens could even be bluffing (typing / talking to tell their team to ignore the signal and the other side).
It's atmospheric, fills a present hole (alien late-game vs turrets or turtling in-base), and needs no added models, just (perhaps) a new sound effect or two (the hive damage-shriek lowered an octave / slowed might work), and an egg-placement attack.
---
Again, I'm suggesting a buff to the aliens. I don't really want to *buff* as such, but to add options. Obviously the Marines could use some love, too - but the ability above can be tweaked to tune it as a late-game assault option against turtle tactics without necessarily making the aliens a lot more powerful. It has a lot of drawbacks already.
...personally, I think the Assault Rifle needs a little damage boost. Not much, but just a bit to give the Marines a little more early-game pushing power. I honestly cannot see how Marines stand any chance of preventing a second Hive as the game presently stands.
A little boost to the rifle would let them push and put pressure on the aliens straight away, or at least take and hold more territory.
Comments
But it has given me an idea
All alien players gets this "waypoint" that will probably be simple ones like: Defend or Attack.
What you are suggesting will give an atmospheric feel. But I think if a Hive screamed that instead it would be mutch more terrefying :p
Second up, I'm still angry at lazy people on these forums... I probably always will be, it's interesting hearing the oppinions of people who disagree with an idea... it's just plain boring to hear the ignorant oppinions of people who didn't even bother to read the original idea.
Third up: Broseidon, YES, hive scream/roar that issues a buffed mass attack against a specific base... very cool.
That would also be less work for the devs if they don't have to modify the fade.
There are so many GOOD ideas that solve the long end game, and in my oppinion, in later versions of ns2, most of these good ideas could even work alongside eachother.