Skulk leap an upgrade?
Phaeton
Join Date: 2008-05-03 Member: 64203Members
Join Date: 2008-05-03 Member: 64203Members
I was looking over the forums but I can't see any thread asking if you all think that making the skulk leap an upgrade is a good idea. I always thought it was the right second hive upgrade. A couple good alien players with leap right off the bat will own most marines just as with early fades in NS1. I don't know if it is overpowered in NS2 because it always is too laggy for me to play :S Thoughts?
Comments
I am undecided about that. Leap proved to be a very valuable ability to me countless of times.
In the right hands it can even break a game, to me this feels like having marines buy their pistols every respawn, tho.
But that's only if that upgrade doesnt carry over between spawn, of course.
Having leap as a commander triggered upgrade seems like a good idea to try. Are any tech tree images for NS2 floating around? Would like to see what it looks like at the moment.
<!--quoteo(post=1803943:date=Oct 31 2010, 09:37 AM:name=SgtBarlow)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SgtBarlow @ Oct 31 2010, 09:37 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1803943"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Its all in the Twitter Discussion Thread<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The hell with that thread when it comes to discussing any given topic. You can't carry a decent discussion in there. I salute people how start a separate thread when appropriate, like now.
and start with a leap of some sorts.
or give the vanilla skulk something else in his pocket to use.
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I've always seen the leap to only make the skulk overpowered when they can have a lot of uses of it, single use every now and then becomes an excellent movement option without becoming as op... Was thinking maybe instead of removing the skulk leap in the early game, each hive could decrease the energy usage of it.
So, at the start of the game each leap would use say 2/3 - 3/4 of the skulks energy, creating a few seconds between each possible leap and very little energy for attacking immediately. As more hives come in the energy cost could lower allowing them to leap more often and attack quicker/more after leaping.
At the same time though, leap needs to be a more worthwhile upgrade. I think it should do a considerable amount of bonus damage to a marine if the skulk connects with a well timed leap (so I'm referring to connecting with the marine at the end cycle of the leap). In real life something flying at you at that speed would surely inflict damage on its own? Maybe something like 30 HP.
i am not sure when it should strike in, but i think seconds after the first contact, so if some skulks survive the could do some pressure in the marine base
or if not, they are faster at their res nodes and could try to protect em from being minced :)
At the same time though, leap needs to be a more worthwhile upgrade. I think it should do a considerable amount of bonus damage to a marine if the skulk connects with a well timed leap (so I'm referring to connecting with the marine at the end cycle of the leap). In real life something flying at you at that speed would surely inflict damage on its own? Maybe something like 30 HP.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well I like the idea of when your leaping and biting doing a bit more damage maybe like 5 or 10 more. But no the actual leap doing 30 damage is insanely too much. In NS1 it was like what 1 or 2 damage? If it was 30 why even bite? Just jump at them!
Keep brain storming people.
Keep brain storming people.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
^This, except why not expand it to all of the early game alien abilities, and then have an upgrade for instant abilities early on. To balance give marines less ammo at the start and make them pick it up at the armory, then give them an early game upgrade to give full ammo on spawn. This could give some very diverse starting battles.
Keep brain storming people.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I can see it now:
"We're losing double! NSPlayer, get your ass over there with the rest of the team!"
"wait a sec, I don't have leap yet"
*goes in late, dies alone*
byebye double
"We're losing double! NSPlayer, get your ass over there with the rest of the team!"
"wait a sec, I don't have leap yet"
*goes in late, dies alone*
byebye double<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Perhaps gaining it atfer a kill or two instead?
Or just have it automatically research for the entire alien team after 2-3 minutes.
Just my 2 cents.
If NS2 keeps copying Blizzard, I approve.
With leap on tram, you would have a skulk rush every game. It gets you through the level in a quarter of the time.
I think it will promote team work early on (you can't go rambo as much) and give an even early rush experience if teams choose to. That or a chance for marines to get sentry tech up and running.
At least it will be plainly clear after we get to play.
At least it will be plainly clear after we get to play.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, if the skulk really does turn out to be overly clumsy, at least we'll have the opportunity to see it now. I agree that the skulk doesn't "feel" like it moves as freely as it did in NS1. It doesn't keep its momentum quite as well in NS2, imo. Seems to stop harder and doesn't feel as loose, especially when changing directions.
1. Is leap a necessary ability for a skulk, does he need it to survive.
2. How much skill does it take to utilize this move in a offensive way. Is it too easy to use and own marines with.
If marines set up properly to defend there base at the start leaping skulks shouldn't be much of a problem with 6 of them shooting at them. I feel as fast as the game is right now having it upgradeable isn't completely warranted.
I don't really see any need for a cool down for skulks, they should be completely energy management based. It already takes a lot of energy to use it and if you are biting and missing you can really spam it. Raises the skill cap IMO a good player would realize how much damage he could do before he decides to retreat. I think that's sort of where the balance issue is most at play how much energy the abilities cost.
I'm really biased against aliens. I hate them all. <3 visions.