Are You Happy With The Game Balance?

nemirnemir Join Date: 2003-02-06 Member: 13189Members
<div class="IPBDescription">jsut wanting to get a feel</div> I am a bit of a newbie to FPS in general, much preferring RTS and XXXX games instead. Well, okay then, back in the days of Doom2 I was competitive, but I really haven't played since, except to try them out and on the occaisional LAN where I was outvoted as to game choice.

A friend of mine introduced me to NS, and I loved it. He came over and we LANed up and connected over my cable one night. Didn't go to sleep til about 8am. It rocked.

We played both marines and aliens quite a bit and we lost as both and won as both. That was in the last version, though (v1.3 I believe, or maybe 1.03)

Since the update to the new version I haven't been on a marine side that won the day. About the only time we get close is when we relocate to a hive site, and then upgrade weapons ASAP. That seems the only way marines can compete with the waves of fades that hound us.

I was wondering if that was simply poor play on our marine team's part, or if it was a shift in the balance that was tipping the scales.

does anyone have any actual server stats on how many times games are won by team one or team two?

Is there a simple thing that could shift the balance so subtly that it could be an even chance? Do people care that marines have it tough, or is that not the way it should be?

I personally feel like it is slightly unbalanced in favour of the Aliens, but I also really like that idea. The sense of accomplishment I will have when I am finally part of a Marine victory will be enormous.

Anyways, just some ramblings by a new member and new-ish player

Cha

Nemir

Comments

  • GWARGWAR Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2297Members, Contributor
  • PegePege Join Date: 2002-11-27 Member: 10088Members
    The game balance seems quite good, except in big servers. I've played in 1.04 26 player servers and I can say that in these games, marines totally own aliens. Even clanners don't seem to be able to twist the game into aliens favour! Spawning still takes too long and aliens don't have enough resources at the start so theres nothing stopping a 12 marine team from taking both hives right in the start. What can you do with unupgraded skulks when there are 8 marines coming to your hive? The aliens need at least doubled resources or super-skilled skulks in 26 player games to make them somewhat even... If you don't believe me, go test balance yourself in a big server. And play alien side.
  • Nemesis_ZeroNemesis_Zero Old European Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 75Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    What should I say? Ah, <a href='http://www.pvponline.com/archive/1999/pvp19990407.gif' target='_blank'>yes <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--></a>
  • PaqPaq Join Date: 2002-12-15 Member: 10876Members
    edited February 2003
    I think game would be just perfect by doing few changes at sentry:

    it should be cheaper or
    do more damage or
    have better accuraty or
    have more armor

    If some of those things would happen i will be very happy <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
    Then NS will be balanced....at my opinion
  • AcKzAcKz Join Date: 2002-11-27 Member: 10079Banned
  • kavasakavasa Join Date: 2003-01-05 Member: 11889Members, Constellation
    Nope.
    <a href='http://www.shambler.net' target='_blank'>Shambler</a> has posted what seems to be a cool, innovative analysis of the current balance problems. He also has some very interesting ideas for balancing things out.

    Basically, on pubs, one of two situations will generally obtain: large teams or small teams. With large teams, marines seem to win roughly 70% of games. With smaller teams (8 and down), the aliens seem to win roughly 70% of games.

    In clan play, marines seem to pretty much rock the house. Hell, even on pubs where decent people play alot, a comm that can convince his players to just pound the alien start hive can win most games.

    Which isn't to say it isn't fun, or that these are universal truths. It's just... not balanced.

    -K
  • SupernornSupernorn Best. Picture. Ever. Made. Ever. Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7608Members, Constellation
    hehe..i like it when n00bs ask stupid questions when there is a perfectly good working search button....

    oh..and YES.
    i am perfectly happy with the balance..im saying this cos ive been here from the beginning of release and i know how much the balance has improved...hehe..and yes, im sick of balance posts....
  • PaqPaq Join Date: 2002-12-15 Member: 10876Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--kavasa+Feb 6 2003, 02:10 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (kavasa @ Feb 6 2003, 02:10 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Basically, on pubs, one of two situations will generally obtain: large teams or small teams. With large teams, marines seem to win roughly 70% of games. With smaller teams (8 and down), the aliens seem to win roughly 70% of games. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    That is so true.
    I only play on pubs where is 12-18 players, so you know what happens. Aliens wins almost every game and it sucks.

    I have tryed bigger servers too, but i like the smaller ones more...
  • saint0zsaint0z Join Date: 2002-10-16 Member: 1505Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--Nemesis Zero+Feb 6 2003, 07:00 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Nemesis Zero @ Feb 6 2003, 07:00 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> What should I say? Ah, <a href='http://www.pvponline.com/archive/1999/pvp19990407.gif' target='_blank'>yes <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo--></a> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    lolool nem nice one
  • TyphonTyphon Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 1899Members
    I think its well balanced (i play on 14-18 player servers), but theres always room for improvement. The biggest thing is tweaking the resource model so the game is balanced for all player sizes.
  • AnachronismAnachronism Bontãgo Programmer Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10701Members, Constellation
    No. If I have to defend against or do one more jetpack + HMG rush I'm gonna puke.

    -Anach
  • Ph0enixPh0enix Join Date: 2002-10-08 Member: 1462Members, Constellation
    edited February 2003
    Its pretty well balanced for pub play.

    For professional clan play, no.

    Marines are too powerful early on. I hope jetpack and jetpack research cost both go up, research time is also a possibilty, i think its only 50 seconds ATM.
  • DraxoDraxo Join Date: 2002-11-22 Member: 9653Members
    i agree.. the balance issues in regards to marines/aliens depending on the size of the team, is mostly a matter of resources.. but also that conscentrated fire of a large number of marines totally pwns all aliens that are available with 1 hive.
  • ZelZel Join Date: 2003-01-27 Member: 12861Members
    having never played an NS clan match i have only one bit of information to share:

    i play where there is about 3 v 3 at all times, and have seen marines win two games in 1.04, and i play a lot of games.
  • NiteowlNiteowl Join Date: 2002-09-04 Member: 1274Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    <!--QuoteBegin--Zel+Feb 6 2003, 12:41 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Zel @ Feb 6 2003, 12:41 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> i play where there is about 3 v 3 at all times, and have seen marines win two games in 1.04, and i play a lot of games. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    uhm, 3v3? sheesh, that's what i call certainty of outcome (for aliens). 3v3 you might as well not even have the rines come out, and just leave the aliens in the RR congratulating each other on OWNING the rines.

    IMHO.
  • ElectroKiwiMonkeyElectroKiwiMonkey Join Date: 2002-11-06 Member: 7384Members
    Personally I think that NS is quite nicely "balanced" at this point. That's not to say I don't think there isn't room for improvement - far from it. The accepted build orders and tactics are getting stale, in my opinion. I can't remember the last game I played where the Marines didn't immediately rush a hive, or the Aliens didn't rush off to the Marine hive hoping for a quick pwnz0ring.

    I remember, back when NS had just been released, the immense joy of Skulking on ns_bast, hiding up in the roof of Atmospheric Processing and waiting for unwary marines to come up clanking by. Oh, and I'd be cloaked half the time. Yes, CLOAKED. This was before the masses decreed that WE MUST HAVE D-M-S AND NOTHING ELSE OR YOU'RE A NOOB. These days your average pub game won't even GET to Sensory chambers, since the game will be over shortly after the second hive goes up if the Aliens are doing their job. Even if you do manage to get Sensories up, what good is cloaking going to do you against an upgraded and outfitted Marine with motion tracking? Anything from the Sensory chambers follows this example, really. The Onos too. I generally see the Marines ending up fully upgraded when all is said and done, but that's just because all of their upgrades are actually useful, unlike some that have been fiddled with in patches.

    As I see it, it's not a question of making the game MORE balanced. Of the games I play, which are almost always around 15 players, victories tend to go 50/50 or so. I think what's important is that Flayra and co. work at making everything in the game as viable as possible, creating as much possibility for tactical variation as they can.
  • tigerplttigerplt Join Date: 2003-01-17 Member: 12411Members
    I have only one complaint... The siege cannons! They totally screwed the marines over on that point. They don't shoot half the time if, even if you are pinging and sighting at the same time. They need to put the range back to what it was or even extend it. Oh well, thats I half to say about that.

    tigerplt <!--emo&::siege::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/siege.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='siege.gif'><!--endemo-->
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