<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This was not an intended change. It likely is a result of the changes in particle effects optimizations, but we aren't exactly sure how and why that would have happened. Looking into it.
It pissed me off because I couldn't see the spores and thus couldn't find a spore free location fast enough. Guess I need to put it back in high until fixed.
I just said this in a different thread, but I'd like to say it here as well.
To anyone arguing that spores are useless or that spores should be turned into a ranged attack / something like umbra:
I've managed to kill off and/or harass large groups of marines using spores simply by flying quickly in confusing yet effective patterns. If you understand the map, you can easily fly over (and away from) marines, dropping and lifting in rapid succession when necessary, sporing them straight to hell, before looping back around and doing the same right over their heads. It's very possible to force marines to have to run through long trails of spores whether a squad is advancing or retreating, and this allows you to manipulate their movements (by channeling them into unspored areas). You already have an effective ranged attack in spikes (which, while not doing boatloads of damage, is great at ignoring armor and pissing off individual marines from positions of relative impunity), so I don't think the lerk needs additional reasons to stay out of combat. The trick, then, has to be how to survive gassing-runs.
As a ranged option, umbra allows me to support fellow aliens from afar by shielding doorways or guarding them as they take down structures without requiring me to awkwardly flap around in the marine base. This is far more sensible than requiring me to trail my compatriots into the thick of battle just so that I can defend them.
Now this isn't an argument in favor of eliminating the reduced visibility effect, and it may even be the case that lerks need a bit of an upgrade. I'd just really hate to see a return to the NS1 mechanic.
Comments
--Cory<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thank goodness...
To anyone arguing that spores are useless or that spores should be turned into a ranged attack / something like umbra:
I've managed to kill off and/or harass large groups of marines using spores simply by flying quickly in confusing yet effective patterns. If you understand the map, you can easily fly over (and away from) marines, dropping and lifting in rapid succession when necessary, sporing them straight to hell, before looping back around and doing the same right over their heads. It's very possible to force marines to have to run through long trails of spores whether a squad is advancing or retreating, and this allows you to manipulate their movements (by channeling them into unspored areas). You already have an effective ranged attack in spikes (which, while not doing boatloads of damage, is great at ignoring armor and pissing off individual marines from positions of relative impunity), so I don't think the lerk needs additional reasons to stay out of combat. The trick, then, has to be how to survive gassing-runs.
As a ranged option, umbra allows me to support fellow aliens from afar by shielding doorways or guarding them as they take down structures without requiring me to awkwardly flap around in the marine base. This is far more sensible than requiring me to trail my compatriots into the thick of battle just so that I can defend them.
Now this isn't an argument in favor of eliminating the reduced visibility effect, and it may even be the case that lerks need a bit of an upgrade. I'd just really hate to see a return to the NS1 mechanic.