The Fade And The Onos

Amped1Amped1 Join Date: 2003-02-08 Member: 13287Members
A lot of people talk about how Fades are too good and Onos are too weak. So I got to thinking about what could possibly cause this. My best theory is that Fades can get into and out of combat easily, while Onos can't. Fades have blink, Skulks leap, Lerk flight, and Onos have charge, which is in slot 4. First things first : Fades' blink. They can blink in, swipe, and then blink out all in a few seconds usually evading damage. They can do this over and over eventually killing an HA even if he is being welded. I personally feel that blink should require a certain percent of the energy bar to be present in order to <b>start</b> blinking. If you bypass this percent while <b>in</b> the blink you will not be punished and you can continue to blink. Onos charge should be a simpler fix. Simply move it. I think that {Gore, Charge, Devour, Stomp} would be a better lineup for the onos skills. Stomp is a game ender after all, so shouldn't it be Hive 3? Thoughts are of course, appreciated.
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Comments

  • illuminexilluminex Join Date: 2004-03-13 Member: 27317Members, Constellation
    The real problem is that the onos is not given enough health/armor to complete its role in the game with any ease. Every other class (well, skulk is debatable) has the right amount of health/armor. If Onos was given 800 health/800 armor, the amount of dissatisfaction concerning the Onos would drop incredibly.
  • GunFodderGunFodder Join Date: 2004-02-15 Member: 26572Members
    Good luck moving Devour. As of now that is the one ability that makes an Onos viable against HA, and heavy weapons.
  • AmplifierAmplifier Join Date: 2004-02-19 Member: 26708Members, Constellation
    edited June 2004
    charge = Hive 2? + 100 armor

    Maybe?
  • MarineAnimalMarineAnimal Join Date: 2004-05-14 Member: 28676Members
    edited June 2004
    <!--QuoteBegin-Amplifier+Jun 19 2004, 12:39 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Amplifier @ Jun 19 2004, 12:39 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> 100 armor <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    <span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    Sorry.</span>
  • AmplifierAmplifier Join Date: 2004-02-19 Member: 26708Members, Constellation
    Maybe you misunderstood I said + 100 armor, not just 100 armor
  • semipsychoticsemipsychotic Join Date: 2003-07-09 Member: 18061Members
    I would definitely like to see a re-visited onos. Right now, killing a careful hive-two onos is near impossible, because they stomp-spam you as they make their exit, which is EXTREMELY frustrating.

    It's sad to see that stomp and charge are used to cover and make escapes right now instead of smashing marines into submission.
  • coriscoris Join Date: 2003-07-08 Member: 18034Members, Constellation
    The onos need a giant buff to make it viable in classic, its fine in combat though.
  • BobTheJanitorBobTheJanitor Join Date: 2003-12-10 Member: 24228Members, NS1 Playtester
    Since you mentioned fades as well: Anyone notice how every game, marines get ahead of aliens by about double the kills in the early game, then a fade shows up and evens the kills up ALL BY HIMSELF...? In a strange way, it is balanced, but it would be nicer if the slope was less jagged. More even skulk kills vs. marine kills, and then something to make fades less of the foundation of all alien strategy. I'm not sure what this would be, as I'm not big on the idea of nerfing fade health or armor, particularly.
  • ZekZek Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7962Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited June 2004
    I agree completely. It's impossible to deny that marines generally wipe the floor with skulks in the early game, and if the aliens manage to keep their heads above water then a single Fade generally wipes the floor with the LAs and lets the team come back. That may be balance but it's not fun. Skulks should be a match for early game marines, and Fades should be a match for mid-late game marines(not way stronger to compensate for skulks). It's very frustrating to feel that you're just trying to scrape by to survive until the Fade gets there as aliens, and it's very frustrating to play against a good Fade as marines. Aliens are much too dependent on the single Fade in the current build. Skulks need to be brought back to a reasonable level of power and Fades need to be toned down(maybe made cheaper too?) to shift the burden off of them.

    As for Onoses... Their current ability setup makes balancing them extremely difficult IMHO. If their HP is made any higher they will be impossible to counter in smaller areas, where stomp & devour makes them a marine nightmare. On the other hand, this leads to an overdependance on stomp which makes them <u>extremely</u> weak in situations where it's not useful(long distances, elevation difference). It also makes Hive 1 Onoses basically useless in any situation which goes against half the purpose behind unchaining them in the first place. I think Stomp should be moved to Hive 3 and Onoses should be made strong enough to play without it; they did just great in 1.04 when it wasn't even in the game, didn't they? Somewhere between that and where they are now would be more appropriate. Also, this would make them something to be feared at Hive 3 since stomp would be totally crazy in combination with much higher HP.
  • coriscoris Join Date: 2003-07-08 Member: 18034Members, Constellation
    Zek, the problem lies that fades already aren't that dangerous in clanmatches. 2 shotguns / 1 hmg will hold them off just fine.

    Skulks need a BIG boost while the fade should stay the same. THe lerk needs a bit of a boost too to prevent it from beeing instagibbed by the shotgun.
  • MarineAnimalMarineAnimal Join Date: 2004-05-14 Member: 28676Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Amplifier+Jun 19 2004, 01:27 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Amplifier @ Jun 19 2004, 01:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Maybe you misunderstood I said + 100 armor, not just 100 armor <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yep, my apologies.
  • GhostBomberGhostBomber Join Date: 2002-11-04 Member: 6910Members
    This kind of goes back to the thing about EVERY alien having to hit-and-run in combat. In my opinion, Onos charge should NOT be a method of running away. What if instead of a large speed increase and causing small amounts of damage on direct contact, charge instead slightly increased speed and increase damage done by gore significantly. However, as it is, the Onos can STILL use stomp to run away. I have to agree with the suggestion of moving stomp to the third-hive slot. Because the Onos would no longer have a viable method of running away at two hives, it would also need an armor increase.

    As for fades, I think blink should be slowed down and cost more. Then add 50 armor. That way, a group of marines will ALWAYS have the upper hand, since 50 armor is nothing to a group of LMGs, and the fade can hardly blink away. As it is now, a fade can harass a group constantly, especially with metabolize.
  • DiablusDiablus Join Date: 2003-03-31 Member: 15080Members
    edited June 2004
    It is a weapon to run away. It does crap damage and somehow, someway a 5 ton beast is stopped dead in its tracks from a 150-200 pound human with some armor.

    Or better yet, a 50 pound turret with the only 3 tripod legs support it <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • ZekZek Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7962Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited June 2004
    Well if it's only ever used to run away from danger then it shouldn't be called Charge. Maybe something like "Panic" or "OH SHI."

    As for Fades, maybe we need to make it less of an art just to land a blow on them to close the pub/scrim gap a bit. Frankly I miss the days of teleport Blink, provided we could fix it.
  • IcejellyIcejelly Join Date: 2003-06-10 Member: 17176Members
    me too....*sob* good ol teleport blink, which was what i loved most... that was truly a "blink". <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • NolSinklerNolSinkler On the Clorf Join Date: 2004-02-15 Member: 26560Members, Constellation
    My ideas for the whole fade provides such a big boost thing:

    Fade: 300/250 health. 70 res. Blink is 100 units/second faster than the current blink. Each level of carapace gives 50 more armor.

    Onos: 800/700 health. 80 res. Hive 0 attack: gore: does 100 damage to marines and 200 damage to structures. Hive 1: Devour: Devour time is shorter, while devouring the onos takes away armor, roo. The armor goes directly to the onos armor. The health goes directly to the onos health. Hive 2: Stomp: Same as now. Hive 3: Charge: Uses 24% energy/second. Does damage relative to size (I.E. a turret would take about 1000 damage/second, a siege turret would take 800 damage/second, all other buildings would take 400 damage/second, marines would take 550 damage/second, HA would take 300 damage/second (they are made to withstand such forces) Please realize these numbers are just examples. Carapace gives 150 more armor with each level (carapace actually does something now).

    In combat:

    Skulk
    Lerk(1)-----------Gorge(1)--------------Onos(4)
    |
    |
    Fade (3)

    Now the Onos will be harder to get, because you will have to stay as skulk or gorge for a while (no going fade, then onos). The fades cost is increased because of early fade, and lerk cost stays the same.

    Skulk: 70/20 health. Health is increased slightly to make up for LA marines owning skulks (2 more bullets to kill skulk).


    The fade being better for more res is because the marines can get upgrades before someone saves up 70 res (its like saving for onos right now, only 5 res less...). The marines will have upgrades by the time fade comes out, so it will be easyer to kill than early fades now.

    The Onos gains a boost in health and a boost in power to charge, gore and devour. The Onos is now a beast (maybe).
  • James_DizikesJames_Dizikes Join Date: 2004-03-05 Member: 27159Members
    Some time ago a few people gave a wonderful suggestion for buffing up the onos that I personally think got less attention than it deserved.

    The suggestion basically amounted to making the onos relatively bullet proof when attacked head on. Everyone that has played the latest build of CS and used the riot shield will know what I’m talking about. With this change, any bullets that strike the front of the onos’ hit box would do little to no damage. To compensate, any bullets that strike the side or back end of the onos would inflict great amounts of damage. Perhaps such hits would not be absorbed by armor at all. Any damage to such areas would be taken off directly from the health points.

    This would open up interesting new tactics to both teams:

    *No longer could a single marine (LA or HA) threaten an onos. However, two or more marines could outflank the onos and quickly put him down. In this sense ramboing is punished and tactical team maneuvering is rewarded.

    *Carelessly defended bases (even with obscene numbers of turrets) could be assaulted. Many of you agree this should be a primary role of the onos. The marine counter is to place turrets in such a manner that attacking one leaves the onos vulnerable to another. (A turret/marine combination could also be used to outflank an onos.)

    *Since most of the alien attacks are melee, the primary challenge in attacking any marine is closing the distance gap. Currently, a marine relocation to any hallway or bottleneck that forces the aliens to make a frontal assault across a long distance often results in a stalemate. With the suggested change, an onos could walk down that same hallway protecting a group of skulks until the skulks were within range to attack. The onos could lead other classes of aliens into battle by providing cover. Again, this rewards teamwork.

    *Adding more than one onos into the equation increases the tactical complexity in interesting ways. Two onos standing back to back could counter a two marine flank, but more marines could be used to counter this maneuver.

    *Two onos could assault turret farms that only a single onos could not.

    At this point, some of you will want to respond that large groups of onos would be overpowering. To this I’d first say, “of course!” If the aliens have enough resources to all go onos they should be pretty powerful. However, (for those of you still interested and reading) I can think of a few marine counters to large groups of onos.

    *A circle of onos all facing outwards (or even a single onos in a hallway) could be attacked with a grenade launcher. A grenade explosion from the front would obviously not cause much damage, but a grenade lobbed into the circle (or underneath or behind a single onos) would cause great amounts of damage.

    *Jetpacks – always touted as an onos counter – really would counter onos if the top of their hit box were vulnerable. The same could be said about the advantage of high ground and elevation in general. This would give further tactical considerations to a commander when deciding where to build bases and place turrets.

    *And finally, as long as some small amount of armor is taken away when the onos is hit in the front, a large group of marines would still be threatening to a single onos even when attacking down a hallway. If the distance were great enough and the group large enough, the marines would eventually whittle away the onos’ armor.
  • EidolanEidolan Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8694Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Diablus+Jun 19 2004, 08:04 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Diablus @ Jun 19 2004, 08:04 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Or better yet, a 50 pound turret with the only 3 tripod legs support it <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Lol ya i never got how those dam things never fall over.
  • ZekZek Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7962Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    Even with frontal shielding the Onos could still get his **** handed to him by 2 HMGs.
  • IcejellyIcejelly Join Date: 2003-06-10 Member: 17176Members
    hmm..the frontal plating thingy sounds alot like locational damage to me, no? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • UnknownUnknown Join Date: 2002-06-12 Member: 759Members
    Yea, it sounds like location damage, which may or may not be in NS ever as far as I know. But it is a good idea none-the-less, but it seems kinda abusable. For example, if I need to run away and know that my butt is my weak spot, I could just start running for the door then do a 180 turn around and run backwards, making the bullets hit my "shield" rather than my butt. Also, about the jetpacker thing, I don't really think that would help much because most onos try to devour the jetpacker anyways (its like being spit killed by a lone gorge that has little hp), therefore looking at the marine with the "shield" in the front.
  • coriscoris Join Date: 2003-07-08 Member: 18034Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-Icejelly+Jun 20 2004, 03:35 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Icejelly @ Jun 20 2004, 03:35 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> hmm..the frontal plating thingy sounds alot like locational damage to me, no? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Flayra has actually talked about adding it to the onos in the future. I think its a great idea, but i still think that the onos would be way too vurnurable if it only had 700 hp when facing it from any other angle than head on, it would die in a matter of 1-2 seconds by a single hmg.
  • TastyTasty Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18988Members, Constellation
    Isn't the main problem with tough Fades and weak Onoes really due to the bugged hitboxes? A crouching fade has a much smaller hitbox than it appears to have, while the Onoes hitbox extends forwards so even when the space cow is hiding behind a corner you can still hit him?

    The Onoes became whimps when they fixed their hidden hitboxes, if they fix the Fade's hitboxes, then the Marines will start blowing them away too.
  • KwilKwil Join Date: 2003-07-06 Member: 17963Members
    Take meta from fade.
    Take stomp from onos.

    Give meta to onos
    Give something funky to fade. (I still like the idea of a sticky-bomb if the numbers were properly balanced but I'm willing to put up with other ideas)
  • GunFodderGunFodder Join Date: 2004-02-15 Member: 26572Members
    edited June 2004
    I'd like to see Fade swipes be more powerful than they are now. That'd make them more effective against HA and make them less of a hit-and-run artist.

    Make fades and skulk faster than they are. Not quite cerelity fast stock, but close.

    Buff Onos armor and HP, or add bugged hitboxes back, lol. If not, Have a "umbra effect" for bullets hitting Onos in heavily armored Front and top i.e. 1/2 hit. I'd also like to see Onos speed dropped too. I believe a 'rine should be able to outrun an Onos w/o charge or cerelity.

    70 res for a Fade is way too much ATM...If alien res problems are solved then maybe. 60 is as far as I'd go. And with 250 armor stock, what would a cara fade be at? Near invincible with Blink I would think.
  • SchmurfySchmurfy Join Date: 2003-05-14 Member: 16322Members, Constellation
    I think that fades are ok for now, but onos and skulks are not really, they really need a boost :<

    a fade is easily took down by some hmgs (when marines have decent aim)
    For onos, taking away stomp is a really bad idea with its current hp/armor since it will become useless, on the other side in the 1.04 days onos were monsters, when they came out they were nearly invincible.
  • TugBoatTugBoat Join Date: 2004-04-22 Member: 28077Members
    I think you all need to look at the game itself, honestly.

    If you are an Onos, and you just run straight at a bunch of Marines, you deserve to die, that is just stupidity, sick of people saying they shouldnt die to easy, when I play and see them die is mainly due to the fact they run straight at a bunch of Marines.

    A smart Onos will play the game as it is meant to be played, Stealth, just because you are "Big" doesnt mean you are meant to be a tank.

    The whole idea of this game is Marines are meant to be the attackers, Aliens are the defenders, at present with all the inbalance suited towards the favour of the Aliens, the Aliens become the attackers, as the fades are unfortunately made to strong, (Dont forget the purpose of NS ( As I have said above, Stealth is meant to be what aliens are about)) I will say, the fades just need tweaking, to Attack the way they do is going against the grain of this game, Blink in, attack, Blink out, no stealth is needed.

    Onos is fine as it is (Except his huge devour range above his head), Fade needs tweaking, to make him work as a stealth unit he is meant to be.

    Those are my thoughts about this, based on what NS, CO is meant to be about.
  • frostymoosefrostymoose Join Date: 2003-09-12 Member: 20799Members
    "If you are an Onos, and you just run straight at a bunch of Marines, you deserve to die, that is just stupidity, sick of people saying they shouldnt die to easy, when I play and see them die is mainly due to the fact they run straight at a bunch of Marines.

    A smart Onos will play the game as it is meant to be played, Stealth, just because you are "Big" doesnt mean you are meant to be a tank."

    the onos has 700 health and 600 armor, it's freakin' huge. how can you say it's meant for stealth. not only that, but an onos CAN'T be stealthy considering they are as I've said freakin' huge and make a lot of noise.

    "The whole idea of this game is Marines are meant to be the attackers, Aliens are the defenders, at present with all the inbalance suited towards the favour of the Aliens, the Aliens become the attackers"

    By the story, aliens are the defenders, yes, but in the game the aliens dont win by defending! they have to defeat the marines...

    "(Dont forget the purpose of NS ( As I have said above, Stealth is meant to be what aliens are about)) I will say, the fades just need tweaking, to Attack the way they do is going against the grain of this game, Blink in, attack, Blink out, no stealth is needed."

    no stealth is possible. the blink is...freakin' loud. get silence? motion tracking gives you away. fade is a "warrior class," though.
  • TugBoatTugBoat Join Date: 2004-04-22 Member: 28077Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-frostymoose+Jun 22 2004, 02:11 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (frostymoose @ Jun 22 2004, 02:11 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> "If you are an Onos, and you just run straight at a bunch of Marines, you deserve to die, that is just stupidity, sick of people saying they shouldnt die to easy, when I play and see them die is mainly due to the fact they run straight at a bunch of Marines.

    A smart Onos will play the game as it is meant to be played, Stealth, just because you are "Big" doesnt mean you are meant to be a tank."

    the onos has 700 health and 600 armor, it's freakin' huge. how can you say it's meant for stealth. not only that, but an onos CAN'T be stealthy considering they are as I've said freakin' huge and make a lot of noise.

    "The whole idea of this game is Marines are meant to be the attackers, Aliens are the defenders, at present with all the inbalance suited towards the favour of the Aliens, the Aliens become the attackers"

    By the story, aliens are the defenders, yes, but in the game the aliens dont win by defending! they have to defeat the marines...

    "(Dont forget the purpose of NS ( As I have said above, Stealth is meant to be what aliens are about)) I will say, the fades just need tweaking, to Attack the way they do is going against the grain of this game, Blink in, attack, Blink out, no stealth is needed."

    no stealth is possible. the blink is...freakin' loud. get silence? motion tracking gives you away. fade is a "warrior class," though. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Hiding around a corner is stealth enuff for an Onos, close range, marines have a very slim chance to defeat him.
  • blackholedreamsblackholedreams Join Date: 2004-02-04 Member: 26023Members
    Somehow the idea that a giant rhino should be stealthy seems rather preposterous.
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