Kharaa frustration

L etrangerL etranger Join Date: 2012-09-06 Member: 158076Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Design suggestion</div>Hello, i found two redundant things, that are very frustrating while playing Kharaa against Marines.

* The first thing is the Exo capacity. I'll not debate about it's firepower or toughness but about it's drawbacks.
Actually the only drawbacks i seen, is that the Exo can't be teleported, use phase gate or build. Those drawbacks are mostly macro game and one sided. I think a fair feature, with such impact on micro game, should have drawbacks on both side.

Micro game ex: Marine jetpack, Marine side: Can Fly, but for a limited fuel time.
Marine jetpack, Kharaa side: Hard to hit flying marine, but its fuel only reload on ground.

I think, a limited vertical field of view (ex: 90°) applied to the Exo, to add blind spots, would improve the micro game fairness.

<a href="http://uppix.net/5/4/b/f07854fd579da3f5d21b7e3d01af2.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://uppix.net/5/4/b/f07854fd579da3f5d21b7e3d01af2.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

Marine: Improve the feeling of being in a Exo. Un-allow camping in a map corner. Encourage Exo movement, and protection.
Kharaa: Offer safe attack positions opportunities around the Exo.

This blind spot would only be exploitable by Skulk, Lerk and Gorge (with the risk of being killed while crossing the field of view first), since Fade and Onos are too tall.

* The second thing, as small Kharaa, it happens often for marines to jump on your back when you are trying to bit them. The top of your screen being obstructed by your jaw, it is more confusing for you to track them, than the marines to track you, while stepping on your back. My suggestion here, is to make the marines drift from Kharaa back so they become as much disoriented as you. Stop Kharaa poney deadly party :(

Comments

  • antacidantacid Join Date: 2007-08-07 Member: 61821Members, NS2 Playtester
    The exo gets decimated by bile bomb, there is your drawback.
  • L etrangerL etranger Join Date: 2012-09-06 Member: 158076Members
    Bile bomb is great but too much related to macro game (requiring specific hive & building).
  • FroztyFrozty SWEDEN Join Date: 2012-01-22 Member: 141596Members
    Joking right?
    Jetpacks atm are useless against skulks and fades.
    Leaping Skulk > Jetpack Marine
    A good Gorge can just bilebomb the exo suit.
  • Squirreli_Squirreli_ Join Date: 2012-04-25 Member: 151046Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited September 2012
    <!--quoteo(post=1981326:date=Sep 21 2012, 03:35 PM:name=BuzterOne)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BuzterOne @ Sep 21 2012, 03:35 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1981326"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Joking right?
    Jetpacks atm are useless against skulks and fades.
    Leaping Skulk > Jetpack Marine<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Exo has a low skill ceiling whereas jetpacks have a high skill ceiling. Thus, a newbie marine can do a lot more with an exo suit and respectively a skilled marine with a jetpack is much more effective. Currently all competitive play favours jetpacks heavily, with only the occasional one exo thrown into the mix in late games. Even then, the exo is often bought at a front line proto lab that has been set up by the jetpack marines, because it's disadvantages are really hard to work with when playing against a good opponent.

    As to being useless against skulks and fades: They are a marked improvement on the marines ability to stay alive, and while the marine stays alive, they have a chance of shotgunning down any lifeform. Shotgun by the way is the best weapon for countering skilled fades. Even dual exo is usually less effective, because it's damage is easier to anticipate and thus it is easier to time escape blinks.
  • BeelzebubBeelzebub Join Date: 2012-08-12 Member: 155506Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1981326:date=Sep 21 2012, 08:35 AM:name=BuzterOne)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BuzterOne @ Sep 21 2012, 08:35 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1981326"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Joking right?
    Jetpacks atm are useless against skulks and fades.
    Leaping Skulk > Jetpack Marine
    A good Gorge can just bilebomb the exo suit.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Except with the adrenaline nerf a skulk doesn't regen energy fast enough to take out a JP unless he does it within the first 5 seconds. A few leaps to a JP and then a skulk is grounded waiting for energy
  • elmo9000elmo9000 Join Date: 2012-03-24 Member: 149324Members
    Exo already has enough drawbacks both in that it cant phase/beacon, but also in combat. The spool up time means that you have to prefire (anticipate) quite a bit if you want to deal any continuous damage. You also move very slowly which further makes it harder to deal damage since you cannot keep clear firing line for a long time. No need to make the exo even more useless than it already is.
  • RobustPenguinRobustPenguin Join Date: 2012-08-17 Member: 155719Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1981286:date=Sep 21 2012, 11:40 AM:name=antacid)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (antacid @ Sep 21 2012, 11:40 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1981286"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The exo gets decimated by bile bomb, there is your drawback.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    30 damage over the whole duration of a bile is hardly decimated when you consider its 9 shots to kill a gorge in an exo. You only need to bile him 15 times and hope noones repaired him in 2 seconds....


    Jetpacks are exeptional tools, they are so cheap and let a single marine fight much higher res forms very easily. Shotgun jetpack marine can take out a similar skilled fade easily enough if you can aim, jetpack totally negates onos, makes it very difficult for skulks, lerks are pathetic and gorge wont kill you. They also allow you to do horrific damage to some alien bases, thinking about generator or cargo here for example.
  • KopikatKopikat Join Date: 2012-09-06 Member: 158170Members
    edited September 2012
    Drawbacks: Extremely slow (Being the slowest thing in the game. Even Onos can Charge across the map, but Exos can only crawl along), huge hitbox (important for things like Spikes, Bile Bomb, etc), many blindspots where smaller Lifeforms can attack it in complete safety, can't weld/repair, Comm can't heal it remotely (I mean by dropping medkits and such, not MACs), I don't think they can be affected by Nano-Shield, etc.

    They have a lot of drawbacks. Now here's my question: What's the drawback to a Fade or Onos compared to a Skulk that doesn't apply to the Marine/Exo situation? (By that I mean, larger hitbox, high res cost, etc doesn't count)
  • FroztyFrozty SWEDEN Join Date: 2012-01-22 Member: 141596Members
    edited September 2012
    People have to stop whine about the Skulk nerf and learn how to AIM.
    Before i could just jump around the rines and hold my mouse1 and if the rines were BAD i got all 2-3 of them.
    You could even hit 2 rines in 1bite..

    But i didnt like in Ns1 that Skulk was useless when rines had armor 1&2, but i think Skulk should be able to evolve so they get spikes or something on their model.
    So they maybe do twice the damage?
  • BeelzebubBeelzebub Join Date: 2012-08-12 Member: 155506Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1981700:date=Sep 22 2012, 05:48 AM:name=BuzterOne)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BuzterOne @ Sep 22 2012, 05:48 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1981700"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->People have to stop whine about the Skulk nerf and learn how to AIM.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    In case you didn't notice the tweet, there is an actual problem with skulk bite registration on the last update...Of which they said they have fixed it so im assuming it will be better with the next update
  • SixtyWattManSixtyWattMan Join Date: 2004-09-05 Member: 31404Members
    Exo

    Pros:
    -Lots of health at Armor lvl3
    -<u>Extremely</u> high ranged damage
    -Rocket feet

    Cons:
    -Expensive
    -Slowest unit in the game
    -Can be killed by Bile Bomb
    -Can't Phase
    -Can't be beaconed
    -Can't be health packed
    -Can't be nano shielded (I think?)
    -Can't repair at armory
    -Can't be exited
    -Can't build structures
    -Can't repair other players/structures


    Exo is fine IMO. Takes teamwork to kill them and it takes teamwork to keep them alive.
  • KopikatKopikat Join Date: 2012-09-06 Member: 158170Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1981828:date=Sep 22 2012, 12:50 PM:name=SixtyWattMan)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SixtyWattMan @ Sep 22 2012, 12:50 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1981828"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->-Can't repair at armory<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Actually, it can.
  • SixtyWattManSixtyWattMan Join Date: 2004-09-05 Member: 31404Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1981845:date=Sep 22 2012, 04:37 PM:name=Kopikat)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kopikat @ Sep 22 2012, 04:37 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1981845"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Actually, it can.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY
  • XariusXarius Join Date: 2003-12-21 Member: 24630Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    Of all the things that frustrate me when playing aliens, skulk vs EXO play is pretty low on the list.
  • measlesmeasles Join Date: 2007-02-26 Member: 60122Members, Constellation
    I think the solution is in the 'BITE RADIUS' of both Skulk and Lerk.

    A neck is far more movable then what a double handed gun is.
    There is no indication of a hit when playing as alien, and if you bite down really hard on someone or something metal you get a sensation of "Hey, I just bit something".

    There really needs to be a little bit of 'auto-aim' on skulk and lerk to make this game 'playable'.
  • RowenRowen Join Date: 2012-05-04 Member: 151545Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1981845:date=Sep 22 2012, 11:37 PM:name=Kopikat)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kopikat @ Sep 22 2012, 11:37 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1981845"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Actually, it can.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It used to. Now looks like it can't.
  • fishpigfishpig Join Date: 2012-09-02 Member: 157386Members
    Why would you need to make it harder for an exo to survive? It is at the top of the marine's tech tree and is what can be summed up as the maximum evolution for marines, hence it makes perfect sense that it should be hard for a skulk, the basic kharaa unit, to kill it. Marines do not get the same courtesy with onos especially when they have stomp. All those that complain that exos are op and cause an instant end game (which is not true) should realize that this makes perfect sense since marines have been able to advance themselves to this point and should be rewarded as such.
  • 1dominator11dominator1 Join Date: 2010-11-19 Member: 75011Members
    The drawback is that it costs 50 res is slow as a snail and requires top tier tech. Not everything has to be crap, some things are allowed to be upgrades.
  • ChickenOfWarChickenOfWar Join Date: 2003-04-09 Member: 15352Members
    The other day I was on the alien team facing a small exo rush.

    We thought we were prepared, two dedicated bile bomb gorges and plenty of fade and skulk harassers to try to keep them at bay. I think there were two double mini gun exos and maybe one or two welding marines.

    Our bile bombs didn't do squat, with both of us constantly keeping up the biling. They were able to push into terminal hive from landing pad even with all our hydras and whips at the door. Don't think bile bomb is such a huge threat to exos. The exo rush starts a complete base race as it is nigh impossible to actually stop the rush, exos just deal too much damage. Especially if one exo is covering another. They should have an up/down max viewcone and should probably turn slower as well.

    The marine team needs to be balanced around teamwork.
  • r0@rr0@r Join Date: 2012-09-23 Member: 160490Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1982518:date=Sep 24 2012, 10:04 PM:name=ChickenOfWar)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ChickenOfWar @ Sep 24 2012, 10:04 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1982518"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The other day I was on the alien team facing a small exo rush.

    We thought we were prepared, two dedicated bile bomb gorges and plenty of fade and skulk harassers to try to keep them at bay. I think there were two double mini gun exos and maybe one or two welding marines.

    Our bile bombs didn't do squat, with both of us constantly keeping up the biling. They were able to push into terminal hive from landing pad even with all our hydras and whips at the door. Don't think bile bomb is such a huge threat to exos. The exo rush starts a complete base race as it is nigh impossible to actually stop the rush, exos just deal too much damage. Especially if one exo is covering another. They should have an up/down max viewcone and should probably turn slower as well.

    The marine team needs to be balanced around teamwork.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    I think the big drawback is that it can neither beacon nore phase. A better counterstrategy than shielding would propably be starting an offense far away from those exos. If you face them the way they want you to, you will lose.
  • Samus1111111Samus1111111 Join Date: 2012-08-07 Member: 154930Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=1982984:date=Sep 25 2012, 01:52 PM:name=r0@r)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (r0@r @ Sep 25 2012, 01:52 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1982984"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think the big drawback is that it can neither beacon nore phase. A better counterstrategy than shielding would propably be starting an offense far away from those exos. If you face them the way they want you to, you will lose.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Problem here is that 1-2 exos can take out a base much quicker than even a full team of fades/skulks (gorges take too long to actually get to the marine base). And when add in the ability to beacon your non-exo marines to defend, the base trade situation (in my experience) tends to favor the marines since they can defend, then pahse back to repair/support the exos).
  • ChickenOfWarChickenOfWar Join Date: 2003-04-09 Member: 15352Members
    Yeah the base race started by exos seems to always favor the exos
  • hakenspithakenspit Join Date: 2010-11-26 Member: 75300Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1981700:date=Sep 22 2012, 08:48 PM:name=BuzterOne)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BuzterOne @ Sep 22 2012, 08:48 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1981700"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->People have to stop whine about the Skulk nerf and learn how to AIM.
    Before i could just jump around the rines and hold my mouse1 and if the rines were BAD i got all 2-3 of them.
    You could even hit 2 rines in 1bite..<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah lets leave the left mouse button holding for the marines.

    Sorry but the skulk nerf coupled with the hitreg issues make for a major issue, its hard enough to time the bite as it is.
    claiming aliens simply spawm left mouse is totally ignorant as melee based combat requires getting to target before spamming left mouse.
    Marine combat doesn't.
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