a veteran-rookie's thoughts
Zeno
Join Date: 2007-09-05 Member: 62183Members
Join Date: 2007-09-05 Member: 62183Members
<div class="IPBDescription">some praise and a to-do list for uwe</div>So... NS2 is released and I finally have a little free time to play it. During the beta and alpha I wasn't able to play because I had an old cpu at that time...so I'm basically a rookie - but a black armored one ;)
First of all: Concratulations UWE! Your game is awesome. It exceeded my expectations by far. It runs very well, the atmosphere is right, the gameplay is very good, graphics are awesome...EVERYTHING has been done right. I've even tried commanding and found that it's pretty fun. (I've been commanding all day today - I only commanded once or twice in NS1) Won some games - thats a first since ns1 1.04
Now...after the first 2-3 days of playing I have noted some points where I had problems or that I'd like to see in future versions:
<ul>Main menu/Server browser:
following things I noted because after crashing out of the game I can't find the server I was playing on:</li><li> I'd like to see who is playing on a selected server (in Source-games you right click for this)</li><li> There should be a history-list of servers that I connected to</li><li> One should be able to add a server to favourites ingame or after playing - not BEFORE I connect to it.
Game:
</li><li> Though waypoints are shown on the minimap they are barely visible. It took me 2 days to realize they are actually on the map.
</li><li> Buildings under attack pulse slightly but again it's hard to see quickly. Actually I sometimes have trouble finding the CC under attack at all. Imo it should blink red, like it always did...
</li><li> When commanding I use the minimap a lot and there are the same problems as above: Units who request something are barely highlighted (if they are at all... I don't even know it because I never saw it). Same for stuff under attack..
</li><li> To summarize it: highlighting on the minimap barely works for me.
</li><li> When given a command, the waypoint and the voice should say what to build. Build RT instead of "construct here"
</li><li> Same for alarm messages: instead of "structure under attack" it should say which kind of structure is under attack.
</li><li> There should be a sound when you try to fire an empty gun: its quite confusing without the classic empty-click.
</li><li> There are these "floating buttons" that suggest what to build or research (as comm - idk how to call it.) I have no idea how exactly they work yet.. It's nice to have them because in a chaotic hive room they show where the upgrade-structure I'm looking for is located. But on the other hand they are hard to see (especially on the marine side) and often I end up clicking the wrong thing. Imo they should be better visible and be placed further away from the strucutre.
</li><li> Marines should either be unable to drop a gun (only able if you are standing on another one) or dropped guns should be automaticly picked up if you don't have one. Pressing g instead of f in the middle of a fight isn't quite rewarding.
</li><li>I'm missing the ability to "stick" a mac to another unit. It'd be a lot more comfortable to right click on a exo once so the macs follow him instead of guiding them all the time.
</li><li> Ability to "center view on selected unit" as commander is needed. It's standard in every rts. OR: whenever a unit is selected it should be (visibly) highlighted on the minimap. (Problems I had: assigning macs to different squads and then not finding them on the map again after selecting... so I have no idea which squad is near and which one on the other side of the map for example)
</li><li> assigning something to a squad feels very irresponsive .. I have to press ctrg+1 for a whole second every time
</li><li> and finally: add a last-used-weapon binding. At least as an option in the menu.</li></ul>
Since I wasn't following the development very closely in the last 2-3 months I don't know if these are low priority issues or design desicions ... wanted to mention these points just in case.
Question: what about AA/AF?
Here's a small bug: Whenever I launch the game the first time after starting Steam, my profile picture is not displayed in the menu (only a white square). I have to restart the game for the main menu to be complete.
Thats it for now...maybe I'll add stuff later.
First of all: Concratulations UWE! Your game is awesome. It exceeded my expectations by far. It runs very well, the atmosphere is right, the gameplay is very good, graphics are awesome...EVERYTHING has been done right. I've even tried commanding and found that it's pretty fun. (I've been commanding all day today - I only commanded once or twice in NS1) Won some games - thats a first since ns1 1.04
Now...after the first 2-3 days of playing I have noted some points where I had problems or that I'd like to see in future versions:
<ul>Main menu/Server browser:
following things I noted because after crashing out of the game I can't find the server I was playing on:</li><li> I'd like to see who is playing on a selected server (in Source-games you right click for this)</li><li> There should be a history-list of servers that I connected to</li><li> One should be able to add a server to favourites ingame or after playing - not BEFORE I connect to it.
Game:
</li><li> Though waypoints are shown on the minimap they are barely visible. It took me 2 days to realize they are actually on the map.
</li><li> Buildings under attack pulse slightly but again it's hard to see quickly. Actually I sometimes have trouble finding the CC under attack at all. Imo it should blink red, like it always did...
</li><li> When commanding I use the minimap a lot and there are the same problems as above: Units who request something are barely highlighted (if they are at all... I don't even know it because I never saw it). Same for stuff under attack..
</li><li> To summarize it: highlighting on the minimap barely works for me.
</li><li> When given a command, the waypoint and the voice should say what to build. Build RT instead of "construct here"
</li><li> Same for alarm messages: instead of "structure under attack" it should say which kind of structure is under attack.
</li><li> There should be a sound when you try to fire an empty gun: its quite confusing without the classic empty-click.
</li><li> There are these "floating buttons" that suggest what to build or research (as comm - idk how to call it.) I have no idea how exactly they work yet.. It's nice to have them because in a chaotic hive room they show where the upgrade-structure I'm looking for is located. But on the other hand they are hard to see (especially on the marine side) and often I end up clicking the wrong thing. Imo they should be better visible and be placed further away from the strucutre.
</li><li> Marines should either be unable to drop a gun (only able if you are standing on another one) or dropped guns should be automaticly picked up if you don't have one. Pressing g instead of f in the middle of a fight isn't quite rewarding.
</li><li>I'm missing the ability to "stick" a mac to another unit. It'd be a lot more comfortable to right click on a exo once so the macs follow him instead of guiding them all the time.
</li><li> Ability to "center view on selected unit" as commander is needed. It's standard in every rts. OR: whenever a unit is selected it should be (visibly) highlighted on the minimap. (Problems I had: assigning macs to different squads and then not finding them on the map again after selecting... so I have no idea which squad is near and which one on the other side of the map for example)
</li><li> assigning something to a squad feels very irresponsive .. I have to press ctrg+1 for a whole second every time
</li><li> and finally: add a last-used-weapon binding. At least as an option in the menu.</li></ul>
Since I wasn't following the development very closely in the last 2-3 months I don't know if these are low priority issues or design desicions ... wanted to mention these points just in case.
Question: what about AA/AF?
Here's a small bug: Whenever I launch the game the first time after starting Steam, my profile picture is not displayed in the menu (only a white square). I have to restart the game for the main menu to be complete.
Thats it for now...maybe I'll add stuff later.
Comments
As long as we're on the subject: The maps could do with some improving. Not the levels themselves, but the overhead maps you view of them. Some maps don't clearly indicate where there are concrete walls that you cannot move through. This is pretty important to people just understadning maps for the first time.
Here what I think are the problems from marine perspective.
It runs with ok frames for me, but sadly it have some short hangups and it can happen during combat and that means sure death.
Its harder to track aliens with the rifle, and shotgun, because they move like crazy on the surface. They dont move where they are facing etc.
Problem is close combat tracking and also the switch axe have too short range, its totaly useless in close combat.
I find aliens a bit strong because of this and their 1 hit kill ability. In NS1 to bite a marine you needed perfect aim on him, in NS2 you just have to be close and your bite will hit them no matter what.
Was able to kill marines with skulk most of the time even exos because they just cant track me. Too low frame rates i gues.
GL shoots are too slow.
Motion tracking circles are too bright for me. I just blocks out the targets and makes aiming harder again. I think it should only appear if they are beyond walls or cloacked.
Commander menu is a bit too gray. Its hard to memories and identify the buildings.
In NS1 when onos infestation started, marines still had the option to build base on high areas or in vents. That was a lot of fun back then. And also was able to use mines to climb up to places.
Now since we are forced to be in the open every time maybe marines should get some kind of barricade to block onos attacks just like the gorge have those round things to block hallways.
Also losing command station and portals should not end the game. In NS1 it was also a big fun to hide from the aliens and try to build up a secret base somewhere.
Vents are too alien exlusive at the moment, and there are no high grounds to build bases safe from onos attacks.
So i like the game so far but there is much to improve to make it real fun.
PS:
I would gladly pay a few dollar for a classic marine outfit DLC and also for a classic LMG with side clip.
<ul><li> This one's low priority eye candy: Flame animation should change: if a marine fires and turns the flame stays rigid straight like a giant light saber. It should bend and ..you know.
</li><li> Menu: More options for Microphone including "test microphone". I still haven't figured out how do use it. Whenever I say something nobody can hear me. (Or maybe they just ignore me, idk :) So knowing if it works at all would be nice and mic testing ingame could help )
</li><li> Low-priority stuff: at the end of the round show commanding related stats: structures built, res spent, units lost etc... for both teams to compare.
</li><li> Commander UI: when pressing space (go to last notification), when this notification isn't valid any longer (e.g. medpack-requesting marine died), play a sound that makes it clear.
</li><li> Low priority: add credits to the game. You know... the rolling text, showing everyone's name who contributed or developed. It'd be cool just to look.
</li><li> It'd be great to use speeddebug (or is it debugspeed?) in a game. It's only working when cheats are on but it doesn't modify anything...just shows you a red bar. It'd be great for practicing walljump while playing.
</li><li> Commander UI: can we disable some quick-keys? I constantly use the big map as commander (set to c) and it happened not once that I beaconed the whole team or bought an fade egg instead of an onos egg by pressing C -for map-. So... the map key and the quick-keys of the com-ui are conflicting.
</li><li> I said in the first post but again: An alarm WHICH structure is under attack would be great. Especially if its the powernode in a base.</li></ul>
so much to the objective part.
Here's my balance rant: :)
<ul><li> Obviously: fix 229. A hive with crags around it is basically invincible. Also regen...
</li><li> I find the ARCs are way too tough. Usually the comms are sending a train of them into the hive and even when all the escorting marines have been quickly slain it takes too long for even a team of oni or skulks to destroy the ARCs. You could send just send the arcs alone and let them shoot... by the time they are destroyed there is no hive any more.
</li><li> Grenade spam. It's awful. I don't mind being killed but at least the player killing me should be aware that I'm actually there - I'm not even talking about having the skill to aim a little. As a skulk or even gorge you get fragged whithin seconds by someone just happily spamming grenades at you. This is especially bad in the sorting hive on mineshaft where marines are standing somewhere miles away down the hallway and killing everything that's not an onos with grenades.
Solution: keep the dmg vs structures (or even increase it - I don't mind) but decrease dmg against lifeforms.
</li><li> I want res while I'm dead. Maybe I'll open up a thread about this.</li></ul>
This would be best.
For improving the commander experience. Also for new players there is no mention of pressing space to go to alert and how to set squads. I know there is the in game voice hint but perhaps allow players to make bindings so they can see the hidden controls.
Agreed for the server browser. Really needs work.