Frontal 'boneshield' mechanic?
yehawmcgraw
Join Date: 2012-09-16 Member: 159694Members
Join Date: 2012-09-16 Member: 159694Members
<div class="IPBDescription">esp. for Gorge and Onos</div>Some recent comments are tangentially mentioning frontal 'boneshield' mechanics, and I figured it deserved its own post:
Back when NS2 was releasing the models for the various aliens, I markedly remember noticing how protruding bones were strategically placed to block bullets from the front. You know, those t-shaped things coming off the gorge's back and the onos' head. Actually using this boney protection would accentuate the clever model design and add valuable mechanics to the game:
See:
<a href="http://ns2jp.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/gorge.jpg" target="_blank">http://ns2jp.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/gorge.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.natural-selection.it/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/kharaa_onos_render.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.natural-selection.it/wp-content...onos_render.jpg</a>
I think a frontal damage immunity or LARGE reduction on the bone segments (or just generally from "the front", if easier to hitbox) would be wonderful for these classes. Gorge needs this protection. Like how the gorge tends to be spitting down a long hallway, but instantly and silently gets sniped by a far away marine before the gorge knew what hit him. Or when a gorge is blasted though a hole in his clogs while he is peaking. Frontal armour will protect the gorge in these situations, making marines rush him to attack from the sides. This would complement the gorges natural dig-in strategy nicely, allowing them to harrass easier near the safety of their nests..
Same goes for Onos (in dire need of a revamping!), allowing him to charge where no other aliens could hope (e.i. long tunnels) as fire tends to come from one direction at these ranges. The one-direction protection would allow him to enter battles relatively safely, but once in melee he can be downed, especially by multiple marines, as fire will naturally (and intelligently) come from all different directions. It would add a lot more depth to alien positioning for these not-so-stealthy classes.
What I would warn is that measures must be taken to signify that you are hitting bone and/or little damage is being dealt! It would be extremely frustrating having to find out though much trial and error that you are not actually hurting the target. For this I would suggest using boney white gibs/particles to fly off the shot boney area, and that possibly custom cracking or ricocheting sound be used. Or visual ricochets.
Back when NS2 was releasing the models for the various aliens, I markedly remember noticing how protruding bones were strategically placed to block bullets from the front. You know, those t-shaped things coming off the gorge's back and the onos' head. Actually using this boney protection would accentuate the clever model design and add valuable mechanics to the game:
See:
<a href="http://ns2jp.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/gorge.jpg" target="_blank">http://ns2jp.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/gorge.jpg</a>
<a href="http://www.natural-selection.it/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/kharaa_onos_render.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.natural-selection.it/wp-content...onos_render.jpg</a>
I think a frontal damage immunity or LARGE reduction on the bone segments (or just generally from "the front", if easier to hitbox) would be wonderful for these classes. Gorge needs this protection. Like how the gorge tends to be spitting down a long hallway, but instantly and silently gets sniped by a far away marine before the gorge knew what hit him. Or when a gorge is blasted though a hole in his clogs while he is peaking. Frontal armour will protect the gorge in these situations, making marines rush him to attack from the sides. This would complement the gorges natural dig-in strategy nicely, allowing them to harrass easier near the safety of their nests..
Same goes for Onos (in dire need of a revamping!), allowing him to charge where no other aliens could hope (e.i. long tunnels) as fire tends to come from one direction at these ranges. The one-direction protection would allow him to enter battles relatively safely, but once in melee he can be downed, especially by multiple marines, as fire will naturally (and intelligently) come from all different directions. It would add a lot more depth to alien positioning for these not-so-stealthy classes.
What I would warn is that measures must be taken to signify that you are hitting bone and/or little damage is being dealt! It would be extremely frustrating having to find out though much trial and error that you are not actually hurting the target. For this I would suggest using boney white gibs/particles to fly off the shot boney area, and that possibly custom cracking or ricocheting sound be used. Or visual ricochets.
Comments
That's been changed since though. Onos is now more of a general big-slow-target type of enemy. I like the idea of boneshield much better myself, but I think we'd have seen it implemented by now if UWE wanted to.
You sure? I've heard hearsay that UWE is no longer interested in that direction, but nothing concrete.
Fine by me, I think the ability will be almost useless anyhow. Kinda like vortex. Just a delay.
It wasn't used often because it was basically a 'stop' button. When you used it you couldn't do anything else, and running away or fighting was usually a better strategy.
Vortex is far from useless.
i definitely want to and was some weeks ago playing around with it (as an ability, not something passive). that's nothing official now, so i can't guarantee that we will add this.
for all post 1.0 features, nothing is fixed. it all depends on how the game plays at release, which will give us a much clearer picture of what is needed. but, from my observations so far: boneshield is needed :) can't wait until we finally ship the game and i can again focus on new features.
Just because something does not directly contribute to murdering the enemy does not mean its useless.
Maybe have some kind of disadvantage when using the bone shield. You can't use gore or stomp in bone shield mode, you can only walk or charge forward. The ability would be on a 10 second timer between uses, but once it is activated it can be held as long as you want. Maybe have the bone shield as a separate upgrade (even though the onos model already has it).
Edit: and vortex is really strong, it allows you to remove welders so you can take down an exo, or (correct me if I'm wrong) remove exos and wipe out all the marines quickly.
for all post 1.0 features, nothing is fixed. it all depends on how the game plays at release, which will give us a much clearer picture of what is needed. but, from my observations so far: boneshield is needed :) can't wait until we finally ship the game and i can again focus on new features.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's very encouraging to hear, even in an unofficial capacity.
I think a bone shield type ability would work well for this, both gorge and onos. I'm not sure if it should be handled as a passive, active, or combination of both. I want to say a active ability myself. Maybe for the onos have it a secondary fire for all weapon slots so he can still maneuver and close the gaps and for the gorge have it automatically activate on crouch, like it curls up into a little bone cover ball.
Also, I thought the original gorge bone shield was suppose to have the added benefit of converting damage into energy for the gorge to increase his ability to hunker down in a nest and keep himself and all his little plants healed up.