Update 294 Released on Steam! - Natural Selection 2

SystemSystem Join Date: 2013-01-29 Member: 182599Members, Super Administrators, Reinforced - Diamond
edited April 2016 in NS2 General Discussion

imageUpdate 294 Released on Steam! - Natural Selection 2

Fellow Chompers and Frontiersmen, Today we introduce a new (small) gameplay change! One of our goals is to ‘shake up’ certain elements of gameplay- be it long standing balance issues,...

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  • WasabiOneWasabiOne Co-Lead NS2 CDT Join Date: 2011-06-15 Member: 104623Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
  • The_Welsh_WizardThe_Welsh_Wizard Join Date: 2013-09-10 Member: 188101Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    While I like this change far far faaaaaaaaaaaaar more than the idea of 2 res meds and I also think it was needed, I think this should be the time to remove the pick up delay too. Otherwise it is NOT possible to medpack your "hero players" properly but pretty much impossible.
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    As a med spam hero I laugh at your "(small)". The skulk in me rejoices, though.

    But the "hero spam" you describe is going to be difficult even with the new pickup delays. A 20% reduction in cooldown does not make up for a 50% decrease in (immediate) efficiency. This is probably going to tip balance slightly (further) towards aliens.

    I'm really looking forward to the other changes you have in mind, though; I also like that you put them in one at a time to look at effects, unlike in some previous versions.
  • KasharicKasharic Hull, England Join Date: 2013-03-27 Member: 184473Members, Forum Admins, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, NS2 Community Developer
    Personally I would rather have seen a 35hp insta-heal and then 15 over 3 seconds (or 40hp and 10 over 2 seconds) to counter the lerk bite poison.

    Bit this is a welcome change and one that I have wanted to see for a long time. There are many other changes I would love to see but i'll not get into that here.
  • AeglosAeglos Join Date: 2010-04-06 Member: 71189Members
    Well, guess we are about to be painfully aware of how long 1 second is.

    Is anyone going to calculate how many bites less against each level of upgraded armour this will result in? Assuming accurate bites and meds.
  • FrozenFrozen New York, NY Join Date: 2010-07-02 Member: 72228Members, Constellation
    It means lerks now rape every marine at all times, for starters. It means armor 3 is more needed to give a 5th swipe from a fade and bites from skulks.

    Idk if it's going to be removed from comp mod or not but I'd expect bloodbaths at higher levels lol
  • Warforce17Warforce17 Join Date: 2013-09-12 Member: 188154Members
    Frozen wrote: »
    It means lerks now rape every marine at all times, for starters. It means armor 3 is more needed to give a 5th swipe from a fade and bites from skulks.

    Idk if it's going to be removed from comp mod or not but I'd expect bloodbaths at higher levels lol

    I was also thinking that lerks will become stronger because their poisen will counter the healing effect to some degree.
  • YojimboYojimbo England Join Date: 2009-03-19 Member: 66806Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Shadow
    Frozen wrote: »
    It means lerks now rape every marine at all times, for starters. It means armor 3 is more needed to give a 5th swipe from a fade and bites from skulks.

    Idk if it's going to be removed from comp mod or not but I'd expect bloodbaths at higher levels lol

    You don't know that it hasn't been out for even an hour yet, get a minimum of 48 hours of personal testing before you reach this conclusion, assumptions are deadly.
  • meatmachinemeatmachine South England Join Date: 2013-01-06 Member: 177858Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
    Aeglos wrote: »
    Well, guess we are about to be painfully aware of how long 1 second is.

    Is anyone going to calculate how many bites less against each level of upgraded armour this will result in? Assuming accurate bites and meds.
    Faster to just test than calculate tbh.

    Or what's possibly more important, is actually playing the game and see how it plays out in real engagements.
    Testing things in a sterile environment can tell you only part of the story when it comes to ns2 balance.
  • MartigenMartigen Australia Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2714Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Reinforced - Onos
    edited April 2016
    Or what's possibly more important, is actually playing the game and see how it plays out in real engagements.
    Lol, such logic. This is the NS2 forums.


  • AeglosAeglos Join Date: 2010-04-06 Member: 71189Members
    Aeglos wrote: »
    Well, guess we are about to be painfully aware of how long 1 second is.

    Is anyone going to calculate how many bites less against each level of upgraded armour this will result in? Assuming accurate bites and meds.
    Faster to just test than calculate tbh.

    Or what's possibly more important, is actually playing the game and see how it plays out in real engagements.
    Testing things in a sterile environment can tell you only part of the story when it comes to ns2 balance.

    Because, gasp, calculating is faster and more accurate? Going by feel only gets you so far, and knowing how many hits I have to do to get the kill is very important for assessing risk when engaging. What does my post have to do with NS2 balance anyway, may I ask?
  • WakeWake Join Date: 2003-03-05 Member: 14351Members, Constellation
    Yojimbo wrote: »
    This is good, we need change, no matter if it's better or worse (hopefully for the better lol)

    Woohooo ! Yojimbo is in Shake your Tail Feather mode, let's rock !
    <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qdbrIrFxas0&quot; frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
  • JektJekt Join Date: 2012-02-05 Member: 143714Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited April 2016
    1 second seems like a short duration for the HoT. Haven't tested it at all though.

    Does the instant 25 override the heal over time if the HoT is going to heal to 100 for example?
  • meatmachinemeatmachine South England Join Date: 2013-01-06 Member: 177858Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
    Well considering It'd take like a whopping 5 minutes to load up a game and get a skulk to bite you while standing on a pile of medpacks and count the bites until you die, I dont know about you but that to me sounds faster than using maths to figure it out, without leaving any uncertainty.
    Have you figured it out yet? Do your results agree with what you get by testing it in-game?
    Aeglos wrote: »
    Going by feel only gets you so far
    Me: Going by maths only gets you so far
    You: Going by feel only gets you so far
    Herp derp lets have a pointless argument
  • develdevel Join Date: 2014-09-13 Member: 198444Members
    Jekt wrote: »
    1 second seems like a short duration for the HoT. Haven't tested it at all though.

    I dunno, when you get stunned in Dota2 for 1 second, you can literally feel the Eternity.
  • Lev SteelLev Steel Join Date: 2012-10-13 Member: 162274Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    The basic marine commanders spellpower should result in a higher value of the HoT, even with a 1 second duration.
    f*** blizzard! *troll*
  • BeigeAlertBeigeAlert Texas Join Date: 2013-08-08 Member: 186657Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    devel wrote: »
    Jekt wrote: »
    1 second seems like a short duration for the HoT. Haven't tested it at all though.

    I dunno, when you get stunned in Dota2 for 1 second, you can literally feel the Eternity.

    This isn't a stun. If the commander wants to spend 4 rez to heal you up faster than waiting for the HoT of the 2 rez, that's up to them.
  • AeglosAeglos Join Date: 2010-04-06 Member: 71189Members
    Well considering It'd take like a whopping 5 minutes to load up a game and get a skulk to bite you while standing on a pile of medpacks and count the bites until you die, I dont know about you but that to me sounds faster than using maths to figure it out, without leaving any uncertainty.
    Have you figured it out yet? Do your results agree with what you get by testing it in-game?
    Aeglos wrote: »
    Going by feel only gets you so far
    Me: Going by maths only gets you so far
    You: Going by feel only gets you so far
    Herp derp lets have a pointless argument

    Oh, I'm sorry. In addition to not being able to read, you are also unable to do maths. I haven't gone and made the calculations yet, because it is even faster if someone else who already knows just posts it. I'd be disappointed to know if the PDT made the change as a proof of concept rather than as a considered change. Why 25 + 25 after 1 second and not other combinations as Kasharic suggested?
  • ZavaroZavaro Tucson, Arizona Join Date: 2005-02-14 Member: 41174Members, Super Administrators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Playtester, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
    If I recall correctly, @Jekt, if a marine is at say 10 health, you drop a med, he will instantly heal to 35 and HoT will start. If you drop a second med, he will pick it up (more or less) instantly going to 60 (plus whatever has already healed), then continue to heal over time. I'm not sure if the over time effect stacks for a regeneration period, though I believe if does.
  • Racer1Racer1 Join Date: 2002-11-22 Member: 9615Members
    This could conceivably give medpacks even more value in a heavy firefight. Previously, each time you dropped a med, it would fill the player's health until full and all the remaining health benefit was lost.

    Now, the player gets some of that immediate benefit as before, but the remaining health benefit is given to them slowly, which means they are able to receive more of the potential healing available.

    So good commanders will want to provide just enough medpacks for the healing + attacks to keep players at just under 100% health.
  • FrozenFrozen New York, NY Join Date: 2010-07-02 Member: 72228Members, Constellation
    edited April 2016
    BeigeAlert wrote: »
    devel wrote: »
    Jekt wrote: »
    1 second seems like a short duration for the HoT. Haven't tested it at all though.

    I dunno, when you get stunned in Dota2 for 1 second, you can literally feel the Eternity.

    This isn't a stun. If the commander wants to spend 4 rez to heal you up faster than waiting for the HoT of the 2 rez, that's up to them.

    You realize that to get the same heal for any amount of res that it takes longer now right. Halving the time before the next pickup doesn't accomplish parity.

    Assuming 2 seconds between pickups for simplicity with 50hp/0hot

    0s+2s=2s

    Assuming 1 seconds between pickups for simplicity with 25hp/25hot

    0s+1s+1s+1s=3s

    It's possible with the HOT that you won't need the 4th med, but you will still probably need additional time to survive another attack.
  • rantologyrantology Join Date: 2012-02-05 Member: 143750Members, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Gold
    edited April 2016
    Jekt wrote: »
    1 second seems like a short duration for the HoT. Haven't tested it at all though.

    Does the instant 25 override the heal over time if the HoT is going to heal to 100 for example?

    Yes it does. The HoT will "stack" until you are full HP and you still receive the instant 25 healing from additional meds during this time.
    A 20% reduction in cooldown does not make up for a 50% decrease in (immediate) efficiency.

    This is one thing we'll be watching quite closely- it's the one figure we were not entirely sure on. If it need adjusting, adjusting shall be done! We wanted to preserve the ability to 2-bite a marine under med spam and .45 (the skulk bite timer) was the figure we arrived at during playtesting to do that. So let us know how this pickup delay feels in the wild. Also one thing to consider too - would a no-armor marine becoming 3-bite be okay if you knew the marine comm wanted to dump 3+ res into him if we were to shorten the delay?
  • meatmachinemeatmachine South England Join Date: 2013-01-06 Member: 177858Members, NS2 Playtester, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
    Aeglos wrote: »
    Oh, I'm sorry. In addition to not being able to read, you are also unable to do maths. I haven't gone and made the calculations yet, because it is even faster if someone else who already knows just posts it. I'd be disappointed to know if the PDT made the change as a proof of concept rather than as a considered change. Why 25 + 25 after 1 second and not other combinations as Kasharic suggested?
    Xanax recommended.
    You're preaching to the wrong person here. Also PDT trello is public, recommend you hit it up some time if you want a better idea of the kind of consideration these issues get :)
  • WyzcrakWyzcrak Pot Pie Aficionado Join Date: 2002-12-04 Member: 10447Forum Moderators, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Really enjoyed reading these posts. Fun watching folks react. The energy is fun. Yay for change. I'm sure we'll iron out whatever (if anything) about the new meds that isn't good enough.
  • FrozenFrozen New York, NY Join Date: 2010-07-02 Member: 72228Members, Constellation
    @rantology Do you guys realize that when a lerk starts biting a marine with 100 hp now he can two bite them if they get a med? It used to be:

    100-40-90-30-80-20-70-10-60-dead

    Now we'll see

    100-40-75-15-40-dead and adjust from 40 to 60 with the over time heal won't really happen.
  • navazkanavazka Join Date: 2015-12-08 Member: 209825Members
    The med spam needed a change. I welcome this, thanks.
  • migalskimigalski Boston Join Date: 2014-07-02 Member: 197181Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited April 2016
    With this medpack nerf can we remove the cooldown for med pickups entirely then? This just seems like a nerf vs a good commander who med accurately.

    If a commander would like to medspam then it would be extremely expensive (double the cost) and would still keep the skill ceiling for commanders relatively similar.
  • VetinariVetinari Join Date: 2013-07-23 Member: 186325Members, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver
    rantology wrote: »
    A 20% reduction in cooldown does not make up for a 50% decrease in (immediate) efficiency.

    This is one thing we'll be watching quite closely- it's the one figure we were not entirely sure on. If it need adjusting, adjusting shall be done! We wanted to preserve the ability to 2-bite a marine under med spam and .45 (the skulk bite timer) was the figure we arrived at during playtesting to do that.

    Glad to hear you're on it already.
    rantology wrote: »
    So let us know how this pickup delay feels in the wild.
    Uhm... sure. *glances at Dark Souls III*
    rantology wrote: »
    Also one thing to consider too - would a no-armor marine becoming 3-bite be okay if you knew the marine comm wanted to dump 3+ res into him if we were to shorten the delay?

    No. No, it wouldn't. (subjective)
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