I'm wondering if NS:C is actually going to achieve its goal of helping to familiarize people with classic NS. When I first started playing NS, as aliens I understood the idea that you had to bite the marines, and they could shoot at you. That part was simple enough. There were two major things that took me a while to learn. First, how do upgrades work? Not what do they do (that was explained by the help menu that popped up when you highlighted them, I believe), but how do you get them? What do the upgrade chambers do? Secondly, there was the issue of learning the maps, because NS maps are quite large. As a matter of comparison, I have played TFC about 3 times, I think, all at LAN parties. I don't know the maps, but give me 5 minutes of running around and I will know where to go to start shooting at the enemy. With NS, I remember a game on bast (back in 1.03 probably) where I ran around for probably 20 minutes without seeing an enemy structure or player.
NS:C won't help with understanding these semi-complex issues. You can learn how to use the upgrades, but you don't learn that you need three of the chambers placed to get the maximum effect of the upgrade. New players will expect to have lots of upgrades and won't understand why they can't get their favorite 3 upgrades right away. I realize there is a minimap to help learn the levels, but when the comm is shouting "Get to cargo, there's a fade and an onos taking it out," the minimap won't help because it doesn't have the names of places, and even if it did it would take too long to find.
In conclusion, while NS:C might bring new players to NS classic, it won't make it much easier for them to understand the game.
I think it's going to familirize them to how the combat system works and what the upgrades are and how they work. It won't make them veterans, but it will make them more competent than they would be if they hadn't played combat.
As for balance, the Combat onos seems rather well balanced. It doesn't take much time to kill/redeem them, but in Classic, they drop rather quickly. Don't have first hand experience, but I've seen sseveral people go onos/fade and get worked easily... Lerk is great. I don't miss spikes because of the flight model and lerk bite, which is scary as hell! I'm jumping around in my chair a bit, letting out paniced yells when a lerk comes around, like in 1.0X days...
There are some serious new bugs in 3.0g but overally it looks balanced so far (games I played so far were great..).. I would even guess Flayra might be trying to release it soon (in matters of days or weeks not months) becuase servers were turned into different mode which will be used by normal pubs (cycling both classic and combat masp) to check for bugs..
Comments
NS:C won't help with understanding these semi-complex issues. You can learn how to use the upgrades, but you don't learn that you need three of the chambers placed to get the maximum effect of the upgrade. New players will expect to have lots of upgrades and won't understand why they can't get their favorite 3 upgrades right away. I realize there is a minimap to help learn the levels, but when the comm is shouting "Get to cargo, there's a fade and an onos taking it out," the minimap won't help because it doesn't have the names of places, and even if it did it would take too long to find.
In conclusion, while NS:C might bring new players to NS classic, it won't make it much easier for them to understand the game.
As for balance, the Combat onos seems rather well balanced. It doesn't take much time to kill/redeem them, but in Classic, they drop rather quickly. Don't have first hand experience, but I've seen sseveral people go onos/fade and get worked easily... Lerk is great. I don't miss spikes because of the flight model and lerk bite, which is scary as hell! I'm jumping around in my chair a bit, letting out paniced yells when a lerk comes around, like in 1.0X days...
the longer it doesn't come out
the better it will be in the end run
be pashion, i know it is very hard
best to just join the ranks of coni members, support the dev team you love
i will when i get a job ><
I would even guess Flayra might be trying to release it soon (in matters of days or weeks not months) becuase servers were turned into different mode which will be used by normal pubs (cycling both classic and combat masp) to check for bugs..