Questions For Veteran Comanders
Bolter
Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8331Members
Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8331Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Issues not covered in manual</div> If there is one thing this game lacks is a way to train commanders. As things stand now, very few aspiring commanders get any forbearance from team members. And thus, they are promptly ejected before they have a chance to even figure out the interface mechanics. While I haven't attempted to command yet, I've seen many commanders, that while they apparently know how to build, do not know that denying the Kharaa that 3rd hive is essential. And, so, they end up with bottled in their base defending ohno rushes untill they run out of resources to build HA/HMG.
I would dearly like to command sometime, but I'm reticent to take the helm before I have answers to these questions:
1) How do you set waypoints?
2) How do you upgrade?
3) how do you research?
To many Veteran commanders these questions may seem trivial. However, fledgeling commanders are seldom aforded the time to figure them out themselves. I've had the opportunity to take command several times, but I feel that I should know this before I take the helm. Anything else would be irresponsible to the team. Any help would be appreciated. Thanx!
I would dearly like to command sometime, but I'm reticent to take the helm before I have answers to these questions:
1) How do you set waypoints?
2) How do you upgrade?
3) how do you research?
To many Veteran commanders these questions may seem trivial. However, fledgeling commanders are seldom aforded the time to figure them out themselves. I've had the opportunity to take command several times, but I feel that I should know this before I take the helm. Anything else would be irresponsible to the team. Any help would be appreciated. Thanx!
Comments
2) How do you upgrade?
3) how do you research?
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
#1
select the troops (players) you want to give the waypoint to and right click on their destination. you can also click on the troops you want and then click and building and place it and that building will be their way point.
**hint** you can click and drag on the map to select more then one guy
#2
by clicking on a building that can be upgrades, ie turret factory, you can see the list of options on the right hand screen of what they can upgrade to. in the turret factories case, an advanced turret factory.
#3
by clicking on any of the buildings that have research abilities, such as the Arms Lab, you will get a list of upgrades and researchable things in the same place you can see the upgrade for the turret factory.
k hope this helps, go on to victory!
Im begginging to hear
"Need HMG and Armor at base.... MED PACK.. SOilder Needs Order... SOILDER LOST!.."
In my sleep...
Manuevering your troops:
just like any RTS out there, click on a troop, or drag a box over a group to select them, right click to give the orders, Right click somewhere on the map to set a waypoint, on an unbuilt structure to issue a "Build at waypoint" command, or on a built structure to issue a "Defend Target" command.
Feeding and Caring for your troops:
This is probably the trickiest part, knowing when your troops need equip, and what priorities you give them. First off, get your troops to use the command system, not type requests for ammo/health. If they right click and use the "Need Health" or "Need Ammo" option you can hit the space bar to be instantly centered on the person that last issued the command. Once your there overkill is good, for every person there drop 2 health and 3-4 ammo, chances are even if they dont need it atm they will soon enough, be quick about it and get back to base.
As for equipment follow this general rule, Do NOT sacrifice base developement for equipment. This means NO SHOTGUNS, you can get a turret, weapon upgrade, armor upgrade, or half of motion tracking armor or HMGs for the cost of one shotty that is probably gonna get lost real soon anyways. Welders are very usefull at the start, especially for closing off vents and doors, but be sparing with them, try to be aware of who knows what to do with it and only issue 1 or 2 at the start. you shouldnt be issuing a lot of HA or HMGs untill most of your upgrades are taken care of. At most issue two sets of HA HMG Welder and a couple spare Nade launchers out, prefferably to the most team oriented players, but be wary, as soon as you issue the first set you are going to have new players whining at base for equip, which has been the death of too many marine teams, so i usaully wait on all HA HMG equip till i have the funds to make several sets.
Research and Upgrading.
Here is the basic layout for a marine commander in order of building at the main base.
1. 2 marine portals
2. Turret factory and armory
3. 4 turrets
4. observatory
5. - Research Motion tracking [done by selecting the observatory, then clicking the motion tracking icon](this upgrade is seriously overlooked by many commanders, having motion tracking online can triple or quadruple the effectiveness of the good marines you have on your team, and keep your casualty rate due to skulk ambushes to a minimum)
6. 4 more turrets
7. Phase Gate
8. - Upgrade your armory [done by selecting the armory and hitting the upgrade icon]
9. - Upgrade your Turret factory [Done by selecting the turret factory and hitting the upgrade icon]
10. Arms Lab
11. Siege Turret
12. Prototype lab
13. -Research Heavy Armor [done by selecting prototype lab and hitting the heavy armor icon]
14. -Research Jet Packs [Done by selecting the prototype lab and hitting the Jet Back icon]
15. now i start issuing HMGs, Nade Launchers, HAs and JPs while i advance the armor and weapon levels [done by selecting the arms lab and either upgrading the armor level or ammo level, 3 upgrade levels to each]
There is also the option at the Observatory to send a distress beacon, If you notice 60% plus of your team is dead and you have 25 res to spend hit it, all of your marines will spawn instantly.
Tactics and Manuevering:
Start the game by doing steps 1-3 of your upgrades list, then send a group of marines to the nearest hive. Forget the Resource nodes on the way, get them to a hive. Once there get them a Turret factory and 4-6 turrets, then get the resource node there. Once that is secure get a few extra nodes between that hive and your base. By now you should have an observatory up. Get a Phase portal at that hive and throw a few more turrets there, and upgrade the Turret Factory and get a siege turret there.
Now move your marines to a second hive, IF its occupied get them to the third hive, If you find either of these hives unnoccupied get a turret factory, turrets, a phase portal, and a siege turret there in that order.
Now get armorys at any hives you have secured.
Push toward that third hive, get your marines close and start to turret field in to it. Build a Turret factory, get some turrets out for cover, build another turret factory in the turrets and expand farther. continue this till your close enough for a siege turret to start attacking the structures (and hopefully the hive, remember, the siege can shoot through walls. so securing a room adjacent to the hive your attacking is good enough. Before you get the siege up and draw the wrath of all the aliens that have a clue get an armory and a phase portal at this forward base to make sure ammo and reinforcemens are prompt. Now get the siege out and youve won the game.
Remember though, this is your battle plan, and no plan survives contact with the enemy, what will seperate the competent commanders from the good commanders is how well they keep their troops fed, and how they react to alien conters. Keep heart, you can win this :")
As far as people bickering goes...well, I've been in a lot of matches like that, but I must say, that the more the commander keeps people busy, the less the b1tching. If the commander doesn't provide immediate and forcefull guidance, players will start looking for something to do. And you ALL know what happens when you got a bunch of bored marines without orders.
Some will go clear across the map, find a resource node, and start yelling for the commander to drop an extractor...
Some can't shoot, and want a shotgun right away (the one weapon that requires the most skill to use)...
Some walk alone, and get mauled by Skulks. So now they want HA for payback...
Some make it to the hive, and start yelling for reinforcements, ammo, and health (they ussualy are dead before you can say "which hive?")...
Long story short, the very best matches I've been in are those in which the commander knows what he wants done, and focuses his troops with the task at hand. The ultimate cure for bickering is Success and Victory. Sounds easy, but it's not! hehe!
I think <b>all</b> marines need a basic understanding of commanding. Enough that if their current commander has grown tired of it and needs a break, or quits the server, the game won't fall apart. Also just to be able to relate to a single person trying to coordinate battles in 3 different locations, a Rambo constantly screaming for a grenade launcher, and the guilt you feel after a battle is lost.
I am convinced if all marines spent a while in that chair they would be more understanding to their commanders and more willing to help him, and relieve some duties, instead of creating them.
<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>Wyked Posted on Nov 18 2002, 04:53 PM</span>
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->4. observatory
5. - Research Motion tracking [done by selecting the observatory, then clicking the motion tracking icon](this upgrade is seriously overlooked by many commanders, having motion tracking online can triple or quadruple the effectiveness of the good marines you have on your team, and keep your casualty rate due to skulk ambushes to a minimum)<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You can't stress the importance of observatories and motion tracking enough. Don't bother building turrets without them, it's a waste of valuable resources. Many commanders, as you already said, aren't aware of how essential motion tracking is. It makes your turrets actually hit their targets sometimes! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Bot link <a href='http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pat.murphy/rcbot/' target='_blank'>Rocket Crowbot for NS</a>
search for .cfg files someone made a Commander/Marine .cfg just hit enter to switch
But why on earth would you want to play the Marine side? <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo-->
Ok now the Manual for marine petting......
First of all, the relation between a Marines and commander must be love.... =D What i mean is that you have to communicate perfectly, even with just 2 words, and the marine must understand what you meant. The most difficult part is making the marines stick together, the best way to achieve this is cool method =) : First you say: OMGZ0r BASE UNDER ATTACK EVERY1 BACK TO BASE!!!! you waypoint em all, one by one into the base. Once they arrieve, tell em that the aliens retreated to regroup and heal, but they will be back, so the marines will stay....... Once they all arrive, you select em all by dragging the mouse while holding the mouse button. Once they are all selected, start throwing waypoints, guide em trought the map, always waypoint at places they can see, so they can follow em easily =). It´s annoying when you are a marine and you listen Move to waypoint soldier, you take a peak around, and you see a small circle at the other side of the map, if you dont know the map, and this happens, you are pretty much **obscenity** because you will die while you try to find the way into that place, that´s why i always guide my marines, never let em sepparate, keep moving constructing and guiding them into resources, siege spots, and NEVER stop giving orders. When the marine has spare time, they tend to do stupid things like trying to take a peak on a hive...... most of the times, a one way trip. Always keep a waypoint for a marine or they´ll start doing stupid things because they dont see the map as you do, and most of the times you think you can go for it and survive, but the truth is that you are weak, and a pusseh....... and you die easily =P. Life sucks huh?? =D well if you have a good comm that keeps you busy all the time, you wont have to worry about doing nonsense stuff because most of the times he will guide you into the battle, from the best angle possible........
GOOD LUCK SOLDIER =D.
This is for marines: j00 bishes, stop whining for ha´s with hmg´s when the round just started <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo-->
but the bottom line is, if you dont aknowledge them and pay attention like the mother supperior that you are they will turn into LMG weilding death drones that go out and waste your resources asking for health
How do you bring the console up?
I thought that it was the "`" key (below the "esc" key), but it does not work on my install. I must add that I'm running a "fresh" install of HL/NS. What I mean by that is that I didn't have a bunch of mods on my HD. I had uninstalled HL a long time ago, so what I'm running is complete default.
Incidently, if I ever get to access my console, how do I bind "drop ammo" and "drop health" to hotkeys?
Thanx for any help!
I know the binding is done in the console. I remember that much from my old HL days. However, I've been unable to bring the console up. I thought it was the "`" key, but it doesn't work. Do I have the wrong key in mind? if so, which is the right one?
Thanx for any help. Cheers!
bind "`" "toggleconsole"
Add this argument to the target line of your shortcut (right-click, select properties):
-console
so basically, how do I open doors as a commander? i've tried left and right clicking on buttons, nothing happens <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->
That Bot App really works. It will even add alien bots that build and roam arround their hive. I even saw a developed collector outside the enemy hive, WITH O-chambers!
The bots are kind of dumb though. They get stuck, fall to their deaths all the time, and ask for ammo and health. They don't follow waypoints past the first couple of turns, and then they run off and get lost somewhere in the map. When they stumble upon a resource node they start pestering you to build, and when you tell them to guard something they move off after 10 sec. When you give them a weapon they ask for ammo even though they are right next to an armory, and if you give them armor they promptly lose it...It's just like the REAL THING!! LOL!!
The only thing it's missing to make it real is one of them yelling for a shotgun/jet-pack at the start of the game! Hehehehe...
On a more serious note, thanx for all the advice folks, I appreciate it.
SilverHorse, you put the mouse cursor over the button that opens door or over an elevator, and the cursor will change to an icon of a button. Click to activate it.
The manual (or at least one version I saw) claims that the commander can click on a door, as well as the button that activates the door, but this never seems to be an option for me. Maybe it was removed? Or maybe narrow doors are just harder to click on than elevators.
Also, you should know that NS_Hera contains some doors that not even the commander can open until after they've been welded. If you were practicing on those doors, well, that's no good. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->