I'm Simply at Wit's End with the Skulk

Skulk vixens in Space

<div class="IPBDescription">easing back into khaa</div>Let me start by saying that I don't claim to be good at the game and never have. I was at most decent several months ago.

Anyways a little backstory. I bought NS2 in March and played up until about July when I had to give up games for a few months. I did decently on either side, marine or khaa. I never had anything close to an outstandingly bad score like I do now. Yesterday I picked the game up again and started playing my preferred side again, the khaa. I get absolutely destroyed in every aspect. so far I have found myself unable to 1v1 a single marine in any encounter. (at one point I got the first hit on an unsuspecting one and still got killed. a bit humiliating). Am I supposed to be using new tactics now? I feel like skulks are just paper. I died with 1-2 seconds of being hit by bullets. I know you're meant to be using movement and subterfuge to your advantage as khaa, but I feel like I'm playing the game on nightmare, Skulk must die mode. I haven't been able to find my mouse sensitivity sweetspot for either race. I do slightly better as marine than as a skulk.

What tactics or advice can you offer? I want to get good again. I had too many 2-14, 3-18 scores yesterday and just didn't enjoy myself at all while trying to practice. Just ended up getting red in the face because I suck now.

Squirreli_

Try and use teamwork and try and only engage targets at the same time with teammates. On publics this is hard to pull of but do try regardless.

When in close combat, you can brake your movement down with the sneak key. This allows for consecutive bites, but leads you vulnerable.

Use vertical movement to your advantage. Use walljumping. Try and find a good compromise between slowing your attack down and making yourself a difficult target.

Practice a lot. I mean, seriously. Practice. It is difficult right now.

EDIT: One more thing. Try combat mod. In server browser uncheck the selection which filters out modded servers and clear the game name field (which says "ns2"). Combat mod is all about combat, so you get more practice for basic skulking in a given amount of time. It doesn't teach to play smartly, but helps to get your technical skulk play better.

Cee Colon Slash

Everything that Squirreli says. The skulk is not designed to go toe to toe with a marine: its strength comes in numbers, and by being sneaky. As the game progresses and the marines get armor and weapon upgrades, its becomes even less effective.

In the early game, you only need to bite twice and get a parasite hit to kill a marine. I find the parasite and the first hit the easiest; it's landing that fatal third strike that proves difficult. I have found that breaking up the attack cycle really helps: attack and retreat. A wounded marine may run back to base or force the attention of the commander to provide medpacks, all of which are detrimental to marine progress.

radforChrist

But I thought It's been UWE's mantra that 1v1 in close proximity, the skulk will die.

Truth is, in the hands of a good player, it is. But in the hands of people like me, it's definitely not.

I think the skill curve is too high on skulks. They are almost OP in the hands of a competent player, so I don't think buffs are necessary, but in the hands of the rest of us, they're simply frustrating.

I just noticed when reading this thread how much my alien play has been guided by this fact. I now run when I hear a marine's footsteps, and stick to attacking when I'm with a group, or killing stuctures.

Yep, I prefer to fight structures than players because I get too frustrated when I try. Isn't that what UWE doesn't want?

We don't know the full extent of 224 yet, and I hope it is for the better. Only time will tell.

Skie

Well the skulk should be quite a lot more managable next patch with some issues addressed (knockback, collision).

Three things are very <i>key</i> with the skulk:
- Learn to listen when marines are near. Listen for the quietest, most distant footsteps, reload/shooting sounds etc. Are there multiples of footstep sounds or just a lone marine? Activate walk mode immediately to not make any sound, prepare to ambush.

- At early game, parasite and immediately bite afterwards, you can get one marine down in 2 seconds or so.

- Teamwork. If your teammates won't come to you, go with them by force.