Command Phobia

Dead_MakerDead_Maker Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7878Members
Has anyone else ended up on a server where NO ONE wants to be commander? I’ve played games where people have said “All right, I’ll be Commander for now, but somebody had better take over later!” I’ve even lost games because no one wanted to jump into the command seat. (It was rather funny actually. We were still milling around when 6 or 7 <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo--> came and ate us all. Ouch. )

When I first started, I always expected people to be fighting over the command chair. After all, you control what’s build, what weapons are dropped, tell marines where to go, see the entire map… It’s a lot of power. But, on the other hand, being commander often results in constant ABUSE. People whining, demanding ammo and health from 3 different places at once, trying to set waypoints and keeping marines together. Not to mention the noob in spawn demanding HA and a HMG in main base five minutes into the game…

That’s why I always try to pay attention to our resource points, and be polite to the commander when I ask for things, as long as he’s at least trying to do his job right. I’ll point out mistakes if I see them, but I try not to get on command’s nerves. Unless he’s totally clueless/incompetent, as in “Ignore all the resourse nozzles and let’s slowly build a turret factory and turrets here, with all the turrets on one side because, hey, no one is going to sneak PAST it and destroy the factory or anything, ha ha!”

The problem is, since so many decent players don’t WANT command duty, the only people who run to the console are Noobs (who DO need to learn after all), idiots or griefers, or actual experienced players who know what they’re doing. I don’t like to be commander myself, because I realize that while I’m good at placing things and setting defenses, I quickly get overwhelmed when things are going on in two or three places at once. Which means I’ll end up treated to endless whining and complaints. So I try to leave command, especially later in the game, to more experienced commanders. I’m guessing a lot of other players feel the same way?

Comments

  • HadesHades Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7032Members
    Command mode just dosnt work right for me...its slow and bulky and unresponsive when you need it to be
    But yeah its hard to find good commanders
  • DeadlyFreezeDeadlyFreeze Join Date: 2002-11-04 Member: 6915Members
    A. If your play as com you will get b!tch'ed at no matter how well you do

    B. You see no action

    C. Even if you hold the game by yourself no one will thank you for winning the game

    Im sure theres a whole list you could probaly think up, but mostly playing with bad people means a bad game..
  • Sgt_LuvSgt_Luv Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3721Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--DeadlyFreeze+Nov 10 2002, 03:42 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DeadlyFreeze @ Nov 10 2002, 03:42 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->A. If your play as com you will get b!tch'ed at no matter how well you do

    B. You see no action

    C. Even if you hold the game by yourself no one will thank you for winning the game
    <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Brilliant i can't think of better ones.

    Is it possible to let the soldiers at least have some independence? Total dependence on commanders mean they can get screwed veri easily. <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • Dark_QuartzDark_Quartz Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7950Members
    edited November 2002
    I dunno about anyone else, but I like being the commander. Im a team player and I try to help my team mates out as best as I can.(They ask for a gun, I give em a gun. They ask for cover fire, I give em cover fire.) Usually its good to know how to play strategy games in this kinda of situation (ie. Star Craft, C&C, Earth 2150, ect.) that way its easy to be the commander. Im used to being nearly overwhelmed with requests and the like. If someone **obscenity** continually, ignore em till he/she finally gets the point that he/she needs to respect YOUR postion as the commander. I had some more to say, but the memory of a gold fish just kicked in <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->....
  • NumbersNotFoundNumbersNotFound Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7556Members
    i LOVE being commander and i am commander when i am needed. I build turrets in good spots (non symetrical... warefare isn't geometric people!) build generators agaisnt walls (so aliens can't use the for cover, and if i have to make free standing one i'll put a turret behind it) i give hmgs, i upgrade, all that good stuff...

    one problem

    i have a 450MHz p3 and i get about 5FPS in teh ol' chair.. it makes it very unenjoyable and until i get a new comp it will stay like that....

    I also get about 5fps as a soldier when 4 onos rush in : /
  • GhostfaceKillahGhostfaceKillah Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1438Members
    i like being commander when there is less than 8 ppl on ur team, cause it gets hecktick with 8+ marines whining for health and ammo and blah blah blah
  • charles_darwincharles_darwin Join Date: 2002-11-06 Member: 7428Members
    Yeah I kinda inch away from being commander. Guys heads up for the commander. DONT TYPE IN WHERE AND WHEN Y OU WANT AMMO OR HEALTH. USE THE RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON MENU so the commander cant track where you are by pressing space bar. Plus itll save your **obscenity** when your typing in your commands when a **obscenity** skulk comes out of your **obscenity**. This message brought to you by the National Commander Association and Skulk **obscenity** Hives Commision. <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • LegionnairedLegionnaired Join Date: 2002-04-30 Member: 552Members, Constellation
    I've played commander so much now that I'm kind of burnt-out.

    I'll play one game a day though, but if it's a bunch of forum goes, or, at least, not morons, I'll gladly jump in the chair.
  • MaxPepper13MaxPepper13 Join Date: 2002-11-06 Member: 7375Members
    It takes a certain person to sit in that chair..... a person with patience, a good idea of teamwork, a person willing to put there foot down and say no HMG for joo yet. They got to know how to play... and they got to be able to run the game with very little latency <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> (lots of they gots but hey it's true) A lot of people don't fit into this profile. People prefer to take a first hand approach to wiping the infestation off the boards. Give em a gun and tell em go shoot stuff and build along the way. All and all most people won't do good in the chair anyways.
  • MrFaceMuncherMrFaceMuncher Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5194Members
    Ive had mixed times in 'the seat'.... a couple of wins from the start (prepatch).

    But since the patch - is it just me or have all the good players gone to aliens??


    Everytime lately ive jumped into the seat (and i mean EVERY time) all the marines immediately turn into N00bs and run off in different directions.....like not even bother to finish building stuff.

    Like WTF - shouldnt more not LESS marines have -read newbieguides/learnt from there mistakes by now??


    I usually get my own back and change to aliens and fang them all.... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->


    But id luv to command a decent platoon...



    PS just had a REALLY good game against marines on NS_nancey there cmdr was doing fancey stuff like repositioning there bases......he was the best commander ive ever ate <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

    PPS NS REALLY rocks when all team m8's are using voicecomm and have functioning synapses... <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • RotA_PlagueRotA_Plague Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6768Members
    Frankly commanding is one of my favorite jobs and I get my same old, same old frame rate (fps_max 30). I deal with players that don't want to tell me where they are and want ammo, it just takes 3 seconds longer then before(I click on each green dot or group of green dots on the map till I find the person). When I am a marine, I act as if I am in a bot is Starcraft if I can but I might just walk around the area to scare aliens or attract aliens and look out for them. I have to admit that verison 1 really tossed everyone that was going to use teamwork as marines againist the wall and said "Hey, no need for that". So as I am seeing marines are getting more and more victorys. Just got to get use to the game.

    Yes I relize that I am answering myself and I mention this too often... Just hoping it to take effect
  • RandomEngyRandomEngy Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6146Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Heh, I love the command seat, and try to get it whenever possible. The comm seat is the first place I head when the round starts; it's by far the most rewarding and interesting position in the game. Also, commanding gives you a better perspective on how the map works, and really helps you getting places when playing normally. And I'd much rather command than play normally under a commander who doesn't quite know what he's doing or sqanders all the team's resources on badly positioned turret farms. I hate when commanders set up some turrets at a resource point and just leave the thing to itself, because turret farms (especially bad ones) are just sitting ducks for decent aliens with 2 hives.
  • Shifty_EyesShifty_Eyes Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1784Members
    I refuse to command because of that stupid slide the screen does when I move it, so I have trouble actually getting it to hold still. I make sure EVERYONE shuts up and leaves the commander alone. Sometimes I pray for FF so I can kill the first moron to ask for "HMG HVY ARMR BSE CMDR."
  • JeebusJeebus Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7967Members
    I Figure myself to be a pretty good commander (4/5 wins, loss was versus play testers, too evil <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo--> ) but the main reason I wont command a game is because it takes a lot out of you constantly monitoring all the troop movements. Unlike an actual Pure RTS game troops dont always follow commands so if you tell them to move to a resource node, go monitor another base come back and hes attacking 5 offensive chambers with his knife you get just slightly upset. THE COMMANDER CAN SEE EVERYTHING and he knows whats best assuming he knows how to play of course

    The main thing to learn right now at least through my experience is dont waste cash on 1308123 turrets at the beginning, i hardly ever build turret facs at my non hive resource nodes and just have a marine guard them till we have them fighting where we want (I.E. trying to retake a hive we secured). People dont realize how expensive these things are, and if that enterprising skulk somehow manages to wedge himself between the wall and the Tfac (ALWAYS make sure they cant hide behind it if possible) assuming you had 3 turrets there thats 82 resources down the drain. Also phase gates work wonders and had rarely seen them used before although they have started to appear more and more now, a good thing.

    The biggest reason I dislike jumping in the chair though is people who ask for Grenade launchers and havn't followed a single god damn order the whole game then start votes. I always reward those who follow orders first, they win cause they got a cool gun and I win cause I got what was wanted done. Plus there is the added bonus of them more willing to follow orders when it really becomes important because they know it will help them too. Plus field commanders can help a lot in game because not only do they take some of the load off the commander but troops can actually see him and are more likely to follow him around than with some invisible hand in the sky.

    Anyways I've rambled on long enough and I think im actually gonna play some now, Good luck Officers and dont be afraid of that chair!
  • ianskiianski Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7707Members
    I have binds saying "Use the right-click menu so i know where you are" <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

    I've found that the best way to tell a team to shuttup and stop requesting hmg/ha is to just ignore them and go monitor a group of marines that're actually earning their bickies taking out aliens. once they die and come back to base i tell them to stand still and drop the good stuff on their head then proceed to explain that the people bugging me that they need to go earn it.

    In the end you get someone complaining about the commander and trying to vote me off while everyone else says i rock.. sounds good to me <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • FlatlineUTDFlatlineUTD Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7695Members
    The only reason I was even *interested* in this mod was because of the chance to be Commander. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

    I've said it in another thread, but I've been playing RTS games for about 8 years now, and I was starting to get tired of Warcraft III.

    I'll gladly jump into the CC without a second thought in any game.

    The first game I played as Commander, it was after the game had been going for a while, so I was getting swarmed by Onos from the minute I took the chair. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->

    I don't know how, but we somehow managed to win the game. Needless to say, that got me over my fears pretty quickly. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • Lord_ChambersLord_Chambers Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6160Members
    edited November 2002
    The command chair is unattractive for me because of the stress involved. I have no problems leading, but I worry so much that people are having fun, and that I win for my team, that it becomes more than pointing and clicking. However, I realize I'm wiser than the majority of people who would command, so I feel it's my duty.

    The easiest way to make the comm seat comfortable would be to have a muting function, so that the idiot saying "i need a good gun in spawn pls," or screaming like a prepubecent girl, can disappear from your thoughts. The second improvment would be the command interface. It's hard as heck to find troops, and select more than two to give a waypoint.

    As the game develops I'm sure these implementations will be made, along with soldiers learning how to be self-directed, and so the plight of the commander is a temporary thing. I think the best way for soldiers to know how to how to be self-directed is to be a commander themselves. I suggest you all give up the commander seat to the inexperienced if you ever find yourselves beating the aliens easily, so they can do some learning when the stakes aren't so high.
  • ZifZif Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7692Members
    A lot of you are complaining about people asking for equipment.
    Perhaps this is justified in the early game, but when marines respawn, they are absolutely useless until they get some kind of equipment once the aliens get that inevitible second hive.
    Marines are at their top effectiveness when each has heavy armor, a heavy machine gun, and a welder (infinite armor, woo!). They need these things.

    If all of you were just complaining about asking for stuff you don't even have researched yet, well, as I said I guess in that case you're complaints are justified.
  • Lord_ChambersLord_Chambers Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6160Members
    Good point Zif and others. I think a lot of commanders spend too many resources on turrets and not on equipment. In my experience though, people complain even when they aren't under-equiped. They run off by themselves, get wasted, and expect to be re-outfitted with my 9 resources.
  • VigilantiaVigilantia Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 51Members
    As said be4, commanding take a **obscenity** load out of you (think 3 years of your life). and when you kick the **obscenity** of the aliens team that had 3 onoses and then this lame **obscenity** lone marine that did nothing gloats, then it gets **obscenity** off. I sometimes go Omm if no one goes, but thats a rare occation
  • Ender1Ender1 Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7973Members
    I love commanding. Though I'm a little hesitant to 'jump in' the chair because, again, of the constant stress of the job. The only thing that gets on my nerves is when I see a good commander being ejected just for (like many of you said) not getting his/hers HMG at base on time. And then we're stuck with nobody as commander, no one wants to command, and the good commander that was ejected cannot go back in. Then we lose the game because of poor leadership, etc. <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo-->

    Right. Well, I guess you can't please everyone. You're likely to **obscenity** off at least one person as commander, no matter how good you are. Needless to say, I think commanding is probably the most interesting job for me. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

    <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • PulsePulse To create, to create and escape. Join Date: 2002-08-29 Member: 1248Members, Constellation
    One time I foolishly decided to jump into the CC, and let me tell you, doing anything at 5 fps is unpleasant, let alone commanding 6 idiots who completly ignore my waypoints and say_team remarks while asking for guns 60 miles away from an armoury and asking for ammo 2 inches away from one. all of them decided to tell the other team as well as me that they need ammo and medpacks using text, after telling them to use the radio so I can "jump" to them about 30 times with no response other than "need ammo **obscenity**" "give me ammo mistar commmderr!!!11" and "I n33d tEh si meDpeck" At least they never figured out how to eject me, I jumped out of the seat anyway and decided to ease my aggression by killling some aliens, as soon as I jumped out someone was in, after asking for orders with the radio 3 times and asking if he was awake with say_team to no response but a shotgun, I made my way to a hive with a teammate tagging along, we met heavy resistance and my teammate died but I survived and started taking out the hive, now at about 6 health and with 3 shotgun shells left I asked for ammo and health (with the radio) and got (of course) nothing. I used my pistol to finish off the hive and my last shotgun shells to take out a gorge, now I had absolutly nothing but a knife and 6 health, but did the commander listen to my frantic spamming over the radio and say_team? Obviusly not, about halfway through a resource tower's health a sculk came and killed me. I spawned and saw what my commander had been doing the whole time, he had been spawning ammo and jetpacks all over our base, there were at least 25 jetpacks and about 30 ammo packs just sitting around. After that, I quit and havent been marine very often since. I still can't decide whats more frustrating, Commanding a bunch of idiots, or being commanded by an idiot.
  • CrazedMonkOnaMissionCrazedMonkOnaMission Join Date: 2002-11-06 Member: 7429Members
    People really need to give commanders some slack, particulary new commanders. Seriously, I don't mind new guys trying out commanding, cause if no one is "allowed" by the community to learn commanding, that would suck. But seriously, new players that try commanding get bitched at bad, and that leaves a mark. Even good commanders get bitched at, since commanding itself is very subjective on if your doing a good job or not. You might have had the right strategy, but your team might not have bene listening and so you lost. Or you might have had a bad strategy but your great players (and bad opposing team) still allowed you to win.

    People are afraid of being commander, cause they don't know if their doing good, man if I just hear one guy say "whoa your a good commander" or "your doing a good job" then I can relax a bit, otherwise the pressures really high. Any moment "you suck, **obscenity** you, don't you know how to spawn health, omg" and stuff can start springing up, and you know at least you got some guys supporting you with "wtf are you talking about, he is doing great." All that makes commanding a whole lot easier, cause you won't be second guessing yourself all the time.
  • PulsePulse To create, to create and escape. Join Date: 2002-08-29 Member: 1248Members, Constellation
    edited November 2002
    How about requirement! If you can't read say_team you can't command, that about rules out half of the community though <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo-->
    [edit] maybe you should have to read the manual too, that leaves about 50 of us. Maybe I'm being a bit too harsh, how about this: If you can read at all you can command (still rules out a lot of players <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo--> ) [/edit]
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