Arcs and phasegates
Skuggan
Join Date: 2010-03-19 Member: 71017Members
Join Date: 2010-03-19 Member: 71017Members
Hello
First off I think arcs really needs a buff with both damage and range. At the current state the arcs are never used because you need to put them almost next to the hive. So why use arcs when axe does alot more damage.
Also the arcs are needed as a second counter to enemy buildings(hydra and whips). At the moment the only viable counter is GLs.
The second is for the commander to be able to choose the phasegate priority order. He should also be able to turn a phasegate of and then activate it maybe with a time penalty of 3-5 seconds.
Anyone has anything against these changes?
First off I think arcs really needs a buff with both damage and range. At the current state the arcs are never used because you need to put them almost next to the hive. So why use arcs when axe does alot more damage.
Also the arcs are needed as a second counter to enemy buildings(hydra and whips). At the moment the only viable counter is GLs.
The second is for the commander to be able to choose the phasegate priority order. He should also be able to turn a phasegate of and then activate it maybe with a time penalty of 3-5 seconds.
Anyone has anything against these changes?
Comments
I don't think they need a damage buff though, they already do alot of damage.
Also, it seems like marines doesn't give the ARCs line of sight.
On the phasegates suggestion, I would really like to see the commander being able to prioritize the phase gates somehow.
Instead of the order being; whatever order you build them in.
I do think arcs are way too expensive atm though, they feel like "the victory lap" unit (or, you only build them in a game you would have won anyway). But IMO Arcs should be supplemental to Marines, not the other way around.
respectfully disagree.
i think the OP hit the nail on the head.
the ARC is useless compared to 5 rines with GL. and that scenario is a lot easier, faster and more reliable than an ARC. add to it that GLs can be picked up.. and well.. you get the picture.
if its to be even considered as being used by the comm some changes are needed.
speed, dmg, range, armor etc
Respectfully agree!
When people get better and better at this game, and marines spending ammo on a hive becomes suicidal, arcs will still be as powerful as they are now (which is<i> powerful enough</i>)
Phase gate priority is one of the classic NS concepts that I hope stays exactly like it is - you have to make choices in advance to set up your phase chain (and modify it as the game continues by recycling some and building others) - if you could always change it on the fly it would be too powerful. That necessitates adding heavy penalties, which overcomplicates something that isn't even a problem to begin with. That's how you end up with a game like TF2 where there are hundreds of weapon choices that all do the same thing, but some deal +5% damage versus enemies who are on fire and were born on a tuesday, or stuff like that.
i just finished a game i think you were in, actually. i made it into an unprotected hive in subaccess with one other marine. he shot all the visible eggs while i single handedly shotgunned the hive until it was taken down. it didnt take long at all. there were 8 aliens on that team - all of whom would have loved to stop me.
i was surprised how easy it was to take down that hive with a single shotgun.
<b>so why...would any commander buy a robotics factory, then an expensive arc, then hope marines guard this slow moving, EASILY destroy-able, incredibly short ranged, difficult to path ARC??</b> people being "better" about gaurding it would barely change the obvious economical differences...
you cant even ARC a hive outside of a room like datacore, you have to be pretty much on top of it. the time it takes for that arc to take down a hive, one marine with a shotty ends it himself.
idk.. its obvious to me, but who knows maybe without any changes it will somehow be an option in the future? doubtful. but maybe
Yes, exactly! I've played many games where the comm is crying "No guys! Let me use my ARCs!" and there's no less than five on the way to the last egg-less hive.
Rarely do you see strategic ARC usage. When you do, the marines inevitably won't defend the things.
Right now they are not a viable strategy choice to GLs.
I hope the UWE team realise that the commander needs more choices for diffrent strategies.
right on time, buddy. man you guys are determined for NS1.5 arent you? :)
Shooting down a hive with no upg as a LMG marine takes 55 secs.
1 ARC takes one hive 3 minutes (with 1 trillion scans). That means a no upgraded LMG marine has the same DPS as 3 arcs..
ARCs can shoot through walls, but on the other hand, LMG has longer range. 3 arcs is 60 res + 20 res factory, one LMG marine is free.
I also think that aliens can be stopped to easily from spawning. The eggs are killed so easily and respawn only slowly.
Yes, the arks are for sieging a hive behind a wall
Yes, they should be slower in doing so than a marine, because they don't have to get in danger, like the marine to shoot.
Yes, the short range is the problem that makes them unused in nearly every game I have played so far.
+1
Maybe ARCS should have a big sign that says "GUARD ME I AM FRAGILE"
Or maybe allow marines to move ARCS.
The fragility of the ARC is what makes it balanced, otherwise it would be a superweapon.
Arcs themselves are super powerful when used by a team that guards them.
They do NOT need more range.
They need marines to guard and someone to do a line of sight.
They are so much fun when used correctly and such a disappointment when everyone runs away.
"Come back ... its fragile"