Rifle Secondary fire
Tquila
Join Date: 2010-02-26 Member: 70738Members, NS2 Playtester
Join Date: 2010-02-26 Member: 70738Members, NS2 Playtester
I've been a big fan of the barrel hit, and I think it is a huge part of how good a marine is with the rifle, basically if you wack an alien in the head, you are pretty much secured a kill (and maybe even a flawless victory).
I have had no problems actually hitting with the secondary, until 215. It seems that the area of which a hit/knockback is detected has been vastly diminished, or maybe the knockback/stun effect is gone all together (although I seem to have noticed a few stuns, at least I want to believe).
I have no clue how good I am at actually hitting with it, but I did hit fairly often in 214, and it was a must in my rotation of skills in fight with skulks, so that it's lower hit rate, is purely based on my feeling. It's now at a point where I don't even rely on the usage of it anymore, as it seems like a risk which is way to high, for the chance of success.
I have looked in the 215 patch notes, but there seem to be no entry regarding it.
TL;DR: I used to hit with rifle secondary fire, now I don't.
So has anyone else noticed a decreased hit box / hit rate with it, or has the stun been removed / rng'd all together?
I have had no problems actually hitting with the secondary, until 215. It seems that the area of which a hit/knockback is detected has been vastly diminished, or maybe the knockback/stun effect is gone all together (although I seem to have noticed a few stuns, at least I want to believe).
I have no clue how good I am at actually hitting with it, but I did hit fairly often in 214, and it was a must in my rotation of skills in fight with skulks, so that it's lower hit rate, is purely based on my feeling. It's now at a point where I don't even rely on the usage of it anymore, as it seems like a risk which is way to high, for the chance of success.
I have looked in the 215 patch notes, but there seem to be no entry regarding it.
TL;DR: I used to hit with rifle secondary fire, now I don't.
So has anyone else noticed a decreased hit box / hit rate with it, or has the stun been removed / rng'd all together?
Comments
The rifle is a very good weapon in my oppinion, and often I will prefer it over the shotgun until JP's available (at which point shotgun is madness on crack). Would it possibly be better if a slam with the rifle would give a knockback of sorts, but without the stun (unless it is an airborne skulk)? It would probably give more incentive to use it close range.
It may also just be me, not knowing it was airborne stun only, and now that I'll probably use it less when there's a skulk eating off my legs then it finds its place. But in that case, how are marines supposed to deal with a skulk at very close range (the point where you look straight down trying franticly to hit whatever is storming in circles around you feet)? Is it a hit'n'miss kind a thing, or should you rely on fellow marines / the commander to provide backup.
In competative it probably isn't as big an issue as in pubs, because the competative games tend to have people moving more organised in groups. But I also think it would be nice to have skill based option which allow a marine to actually get the skulk out of the close range, in just a few meters away. That would give a more balanced way in the marine v skulk setting.
I guess it comes down to if the marine should have the 'luxury' of being able to deal with the skulk that close, as said, the rifle is vicous at the mid/long range if you spot the skulk, so maybe it's just a reward for getting to the marines feet? But a proper skulk (as the game is now) will 95% of the time manage to kill the marine, if you get to his feet, and he is alone (if another marine is looking at him you're toast anywho).
I totally missed this. I was wondering why it didn't seem to be doing much to interrupt the skulks lately. I knew I was hitting them since I get a kill or two per game from the rifle butt, but this makes a lot more sense now XD