Commander Senses Not Tingling?

JefeJefe Join Date: 2003-04-21 Member: 15734Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">sneaky skulks ruin my day</div> As commander, I seem to lack the ability to realize my base is under attack. I can't count how many games I've commed where we'll be assaulting their hive while two skulks run into my base and have a feast. Why can't I see the red dots on the minimap? Heregoes some examples:

Gaem 1: NS_Tanith. I had about 6 of my HA minions split up and start assaulting hives, 3 at Engine Room and 3 to Feed, we already had Refinery secured. Soon after the attack began I hear "your base is under attack." I disregarded it, figuring it was just another RT (we had almost the entire map, and they were chomping all game.) 5 minutes later I realize that my base is under attack, and scream "GET BACK TO BASE NOW" over voice comm, hoping that one of my heavies (which is all of them) would hear. They eventually got back and killed the 2 skulks, but all I had left was a sliver of my arms lab and my rt. gg me, game over.

Gaem 2:NS_Eclipse. We had just started the game and after a measly skulk rush we took Maintenance hive. As I was securing maintenance, same thing happened, they chomped on our IP. I jumped out and died heroically, and told the remaining 2 people to get back to base and clear it. We had to rebuild pretty much everything. I got back in the comm chair but had to go...didn't see the result.

So is this just because of my nubcaeky comm skills or because I'm as dumb as a post? I only started comming 2 weeks ago.

Comments

  • Paranoia2MBParanoia2MB Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7832Members
    They should make seperate sounds (not sure if they do) for "Base under attack" and "Resource Tower under attack."

    It could help.
  • BigMadSteveBigMadSteve Join Date: 2003-02-12 Member: 13472Members
    You should <b>always</b> press jump and see what is being attacked. Then you can tell if it is important or not. By pressing jump it take you to the latest alert.
  • CEldinCEldin Join Date: 2002-09-16 Member: 1323Members
    Also, generally you should have one guy guarding base, or have it defended somehow. If its mines, then after a skulk dies due to a mine, check your base to make sure there is not a undefended hole somewhere; skulks capatalize on this weakness.
  • ZekZek Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7962Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    Yeah, besides a possible sound addition this is primarily your fault. You should always be checking what's under attack, and knowing wouldn't have made much difference anyway if you didn't have anyone or anything defending your base.
  • GadzukoGadzuko Join Date: 2002-12-26 Member: 11556Members, Constellation
    It's really best to check out all the alerts you get. I tend to get very neurotic when I comm, which is why I don't do it often, because I'm constantly leaping about the map checking things out... I don't have voice comm (yet) so I have to type everything. There's an irritating bug which makes my view sometimes start scrolling in a random direction when I send a chat message, and this never fails to infuriate me if I was looking at something important.
  • Bosnian_CowboyBosnian_Cowboy Join Date: 2003-06-07 Member: 17088Members, Constellation
    Yeah, commanding is very frustrating. It's buggy and laggy. Skulks always attacking your damn res. I absolutely hate it. It's weird how commanding is so annoying but being gorge is oddly satisfying.
  • Marine0IMarine0I Join Date: 2002-11-14 Member: 8639Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--Bosnian+Jun 9 2003, 12:43 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Bosnian @ Jun 9 2003, 12:43 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> It's weird how commanding is so annoying but being gorge is oddly satisfying. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Not really weird. Commanding means trying to make things happen but ultimately relying upon someone else. Potential for frustration is incredible.

    Gorging is just you makin massive walls <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • GlissGliss Join Date: 2003-03-23 Member: 14800Members, Constellation, NS2 Map Tester
    One time, I did this to a very good commander.
    Same situation, they were rushing Cargo hive. I Gorged, snuck quietly into their base with the PowerSilo route. We had massive overflow of resources (didn't put up a hive, newbie Gorges), and so I layed down 5 chambers at once, and didn't build any of them. Immediately I built 2 more (resources shot up like a rocket), and defense chambers to back them up.
    <events happen here>
    When the Commander told me of his situation in the chair, he figured a Skulk had walked in a blew up on a mine. Never again did he hear that "Base is under attack" sound. Until 2 Infantry Portals were gone, plus half of an Armoury... Hehe. Then he jumped out and died.
    HA rush was all they had, the team wasn't really good, but they could take down at least 1 HA.
    One by one, they went down. And we won.
  • BigMadSteveBigMadSteve Join Date: 2003-02-12 Member: 13472Members
    Commanding can be very satisfying if you win. In the ready room everyone says: "Nice one comm!" "Who was your comm rines? He is excellent?"
    "OMG!1 U DA BOMB!1!!one"
  • TiaxTiax Join Date: 2003-05-28 Member: 16802Members
    I must say, from your examples your one of them irritating coms. You start comming a game and when things go bad you hop out and 'have to go'.

    As a side note, the alert worked fine. You simply failed to check your base. You would not believe how many games I win while playing alien by sneaking as a lone skulk into the marien base and killign the IPs, then chewing the commander, and then everything else. Its unbelieveable how many coms send their precious JP's or HA's into combat and fail to leave a base defender.

    I feel the best time for a lone skulk to attack is later in the game when everyones trying to defend the last hive. Me spawning and dieing isn't gonna help anything so I go for where it counts....and many times....I win the game. (Though when I say I im speaking of actually dealing the final blow....the win belongs to the team, not me)
  • StakhanovStakhanov Join Date: 2003-03-12 Member: 14448Members
    Jumping to alert is always effective , if one skulk just started munching at a RT recycle it , it will disappear before the skulk finishes destroying it. Base Under Attack > Jump , always. Re-click on the minimap elsewhere if it's just a worthless/unreachable structure being attacked.

    Marines need to focus on the hives and hit fast , and you have to keep track of alien progression. Thoses "surprise WoLs" are quite annoying especially if you have no HAs or cant afford to siege , they alert your team while other aliens do the more important tasks (destroying all your RTs , breaking a siege , controlling a choke point)

    This night I had an extremely long game , won by aliens (some of them dying 80 times reportedly) even after we teched to max... We controlled the cargo res , semi-relocated to room with things (2 different spawning locations , disorienting) and generally owned the map (took generator and other nodes without trouble , aliens had viaduct and silo , 5 nodes max while we had 7)
    As always , a few aliens munching RTs wasting their time while I outfitted my brave soldiers with jetpacks then HAs. Massive siege in the Redroom , I thought it was a GG (built 5 sieges !) but neglected to fortify the room (thought 2-3 turrets plus a phase would make it with HA welders)

    Then we attacked Silo , and it all went wrong.
    HA GL/HMG/GL , was doing fine , but the aliens somehow halted us (it was a 3on3 match , we didnt have that much firepower compared to the hive + 3 DC healing) and stood here unable to complete a siege , then I noticed my HAs being webbed and fades coming. Since Viaduct has been utterly annihilated previously I thought they wouldn't try it again , but a daring skulk removed the Redroom phase and TF then gorged. They managed to take Via back.

    With a skulk harassing the base every now and then , cramped movement and cratering JPers (welding webs midair is utopia) we had to disengage from silo (well , the fades threw us out) so we fortified Generator harder. Then a few players started joining the alien team and we welcomed a NS player in ours... needless to say , the generator eventually fell to the multi fade fury while the room with thing was spammed with turrets and buildings , making people stuck and unable to phase and reload fast. Fades destroyed the base once , then twice , no more time to weld , last HA besides me dying , I took his HMG and killed the last fades before GG.

    When playing fair (no JP HMG rush) in smaller games the aliens always win because of their better communication and flexibility. I don't know if voicecomm would have helped though.
  • ChurchChurch Meatshield grunt-fodder // Has pre-ordered NS2 Join Date: 2002-12-31 Member: 11646Members, Constellation
    I always glance at the minimap every few seconds. When under attack, units and buildings flash red. And yes, use the jump key often.
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