Marine Commander Low Skill Cap
Spizike
Join Date: 2012-04-01 Member: 149794Members
Join Date: 2012-04-01 Member: 149794Members
<div class="IPBDescription">with regards to Public games</div>This is going to be a lengthy thread, bear with me please.
Disclaimer 1: I have not comm'd competitive matches and my arguments are directed at public games only.
Something I've noticed, in relation to NS1 and the progress the game has been heading, is the skill-cap for marine comm is noticeably lower and in a declining trend (especially with 210). I understand the devs intend the game to be FPS-first and RTS-second. However, in the current comm role with how forgiving it is, it turns the marine comm into more of a cumbersome task than a fun change from shooting aliens. There are no penalties for poor decisions because there are few poor decisions and it gets masked in the rapid resource generation. i.e., If you drop an extractor too far out of you territory and lose it early game, it has no lasting impact.
This is not simply a problem arising from one issue. It's a combination of the increased economy, the map designs, the power system, mobile arcs, short early-games, lack of 2nd hive importance, etc.
With the exception of timing a rush (which is difficult if you do not have close spawns and also considered cheese), there are a lack of strategies for the marine comm. For example, in NS1 you had to react and counter a 2nd hive - you could attack it with JPs, PGs, SG rush, or siege it (depending on the hive size, location, skill-level of the team, you could assess what was most viable). In NS2, you get all the goodies within 10 minutes - imo, having full tech is not a strategy. Marine comms don't have any decisions to make. They simply research everything and make sure they are not hoarding resources.
Disclaimer 2: I am not proposing stripping all the new cool gadgets in NS2 and reverting back to NS1. See recommendations below.
Recommendation 1: <b>Slow down the economy.</b> This will add an element of choice. You need to choose to research X, Y or Z, not all 3 at the same time.
Recommendation 2: <b>Add ability to drop on infestation.</b> Something the comm can research at a cost. This will increase the strategy marines can implement.
Recommendation 3: <b>Increase cost of Nano constuct/shield and/or implement a cooldown.</b> Comms will need to decide when to use these abilities rather then how they are spammed currently.
Recommendation 4: <b> Increase research cost, decrease time of research.</b> I understand this will mean Marine comms will have more down-time with regards to tres. But, it will allow them to react accordingly to alien strategy and create a penalty for poor decisions.
Recommendation 5: <b> Require a robotics factory to be in proximity of arcs to function (or another structure).</b> Of course this structure will also need to be powered. This will increase the comm and team interaction that is lacking while hives get sieged. And create a counter structure for aliens so they are not so helpless against 20 arcs. Marines can arguably create multiple robo factories, but they need to be built at location at least.
I don't suggest implementing all of the above, but I believe some have merit in improving the game and the experience of the marine commander.
Disclaimer 1: I have not comm'd competitive matches and my arguments are directed at public games only.
Something I've noticed, in relation to NS1 and the progress the game has been heading, is the skill-cap for marine comm is noticeably lower and in a declining trend (especially with 210). I understand the devs intend the game to be FPS-first and RTS-second. However, in the current comm role with how forgiving it is, it turns the marine comm into more of a cumbersome task than a fun change from shooting aliens. There are no penalties for poor decisions because there are few poor decisions and it gets masked in the rapid resource generation. i.e., If you drop an extractor too far out of you territory and lose it early game, it has no lasting impact.
This is not simply a problem arising from one issue. It's a combination of the increased economy, the map designs, the power system, mobile arcs, short early-games, lack of 2nd hive importance, etc.
With the exception of timing a rush (which is difficult if you do not have close spawns and also considered cheese), there are a lack of strategies for the marine comm. For example, in NS1 you had to react and counter a 2nd hive - you could attack it with JPs, PGs, SG rush, or siege it (depending on the hive size, location, skill-level of the team, you could assess what was most viable). In NS2, you get all the goodies within 10 minutes - imo, having full tech is not a strategy. Marine comms don't have any decisions to make. They simply research everything and make sure they are not hoarding resources.
Disclaimer 2: I am not proposing stripping all the new cool gadgets in NS2 and reverting back to NS1. See recommendations below.
Recommendation 1: <b>Slow down the economy.</b> This will add an element of choice. You need to choose to research X, Y or Z, not all 3 at the same time.
Recommendation 2: <b>Add ability to drop on infestation.</b> Something the comm can research at a cost. This will increase the strategy marines can implement.
Recommendation 3: <b>Increase cost of Nano constuct/shield and/or implement a cooldown.</b> Comms will need to decide when to use these abilities rather then how they are spammed currently.
Recommendation 4: <b> Increase research cost, decrease time of research.</b> I understand this will mean Marine comms will have more down-time with regards to tres. But, it will allow them to react accordingly to alien strategy and create a penalty for poor decisions.
Recommendation 5: <b> Require a robotics factory to be in proximity of arcs to function (or another structure).</b> Of course this structure will also need to be powered. This will increase the comm and team interaction that is lacking while hives get sieged. And create a counter structure for aliens so they are not so helpless against 20 arcs. Marines can arguably create multiple robo factories, but they need to be built at location at least.
I don't suggest implementing all of the above, but I believe some have merit in improving the game and the experience of the marine commander.