Veterans stack aliens hard enough so that new players on marines will get a proper first impression to not stick around that long. ;)
Massive waves of new players are always a frustrating thing for the veterans of that game because many things appear so obvious that it's hard to understand how someone can not get into it immediately. I remember when the TF2-hat cross-promotion hit Super MNC back then… two weeks of absolute horror with feeding players everywhere on the team. Nearly impossible to get a good game going and the new players got stomped so hard (0/30 KDR) that they soon left again. It was such a frustration that they probably even lost some of the old regular players during that time. About 4000 people joined back then, only about 300 probably stayed around. I hope NS2 does better than that.
Thus far the Steam stats indicate a raise in the active player base from 2000 to 3000 again.
I would also not expect that the people who joined now are as ready to take time to learn the game as those who bought it on Steam release. The release buyers are those who were dead-sure that they would love the game and invest time to learn it to make those 20 bucks worth it. The guys who only bought it now for ~7.50 € are more the kind that goes "well, I might try it and if I don't like it from my first impressions, it's not much of a loss". Steam deals kind of work that way with people.
its a bit tough for me as there is rarely a good comm on the other team leading to a bit of an imbalance, but im delighted to see the popularity of the game increase like this.
If you are that worried about finding a good game, my advice is find 5-7 like minded people and get scrimming :)
<!--quoteo(post=2048912:date=Dec 20 2012, 07:51 PM:name=CrushaK)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CrushaK @ Dec 20 2012, 07:51 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2048912"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Veterans stack aliens hard enough so that new players on marines will get a proper first impression to not stick around that long. ;)
Massive waves of new players are always a frustrating thing for the veterans of that game because many things appear so obvious that it's hard to understand how someone can not get into it immediately. I remember when the TF2-hat cross-promotion hit Super MNC back then… two weeks of absolute horror with feeding players everywhere on the team. Nearly impossible to get a good game going and the new players got stomped so hard (0/30 KDR) that they soon left again. It was such a frustration that they probably even lost some of the old regular players during that time. About 4000 people joined back then, only about 300 probably stayed around. I hope NS2 does better than that.
Thus far the Steam stats indicate a raise in the active player base from 2000 to 3000 again.
I would also not expect that the people who joined now are as ready to take time to learn the game as those who bought it on Steam release. The release buyers are those who were dead-sure that they would love the game and invest time to learn it to make those 20 bucks worth it. The guys who only bought it now for ~7.50 € are more the kind that goes "well, I might try it and if I don't like it from my first impressions, it's not much of a loss". Steam deals kind of work that way with people.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Actually, it's more a frustration on how rookies never seem to understand the importance of saying, "I am indeed a newbie". We can't assume you are, because we also can't assume you'll be receptive to orders and advice.
<!--quoteo(post=2048910:date=Dec 20 2012, 09:49 PM:name=Omar - The Wire)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Omar - The Wire @ Dec 20 2012, 09:49 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2048910"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It's spectacular. Just spent 3 hours teaching people about the game.
It's rewarding, try it out. Want a better game play? Go play in a gather. People gotta learn somewhere.
The player base now is part of the player base in 6 months. You should be thrilled.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I could not agree more. I just helped a team of half-greenies win for the first time. Hearing the thrill in their voices as we took out a base of the other team for the first time helped remind me what I love about this game.
Marines are easier than ever with the 'run straight at you' green skulks/lerks/fades... so long as you're on a server that can keep its tickrate at 30 so hit detection actually works
Yeah, it's easy to get a few extra kills because of bad skulks... but try playing commander right now. Getting your team to cap RT's is like pulling teeth.
<!--quoteo(post=2048957:date=Dec 20 2012, 08:04 PM:name=ritualsacrifice)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ritualsacrifice @ Dec 20 2012, 08:04 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2048957"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yeah, it's easy to get a few extra kills because of bad skulks... but try playing commander right now. Getting your team to cap RT's is like pulling teeth.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I've commed all day, while teaching people and probably won 70% of the matches.
<!--quoteo(post=2048961:date=Dec 20 2012, 08:12 PM:name=Omar - The Wire)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Omar - The Wire @ Dec 20 2012, 08:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2048961"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I've commed all day, while teaching people and probably won 70% of the matches.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
IME, half the team was unable to figure out how armories or phasegates work.
<!--quoteo(post=2048966:date=Dec 20 2012, 08:19 PM:name=ritualsacrifice)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ritualsacrifice @ Dec 20 2012, 08:19 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2048966"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->IME, half the team was unable to figure out how armories or phasegates work.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> lol well can't speak to that.
Nobody reads/watches tutorials. Lets just face it. Honestly. Nobody. Watches. Tutorials.
That's why there should be messages, one-time-click-ok in-your-face messages, when you start the game the first time. "YOU NEED A LOT OF EXPERIENCE TO COMMAND [OK]" , "JOINING GREEN ROOKIE SERVERS IS A GOOD IDEA [OK]", ...etc.
Coached these players and a friend for 3 hours Was pretty fun All their first or 2nd time playing ha No one knew how armories even worked They kept spaming need healing until I told them armories heal I played alien comm a few times as well and Coached the enitre green team to a win They did not even know how to evolve was pretty funny <img src="http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/9466/2012122000002.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
The matches are a lot more fun with greenies, in my opinion. I'm seeing a lot more 50/50 win rate.
Given some experience, the tide seems to shift in favor of the aliens, until the skill levels are high enough to balance it out. Aliens are just easier to play once you get the hang of the game.
For gods sake: Teach the new players! Don't stack aliens! If you have only a bit of brain, you shouldn't sacrifice a greater player base for your short-timed fun.
It may be hard to go marines right now. But if you not help the new players, they will go. And this will kill NS2 in the long term. So think ahead! You will have more fun in the future, if you help the newbs instead of bashing them now.
Either they try to listen ("STAY TOGETHER PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE"), but some don't and then you have 15+ Exos dropped in the course of the game and your team still won't win, and an 80 minute high-tech stalemate that only a "server shutdown" can end (which it finally did). Or they listen and it's REALLY great. I feel some rookies are better in following commands than the older players.
just had a great game on marines, 80% green players, we were dropping Oni like no ones business, and eventually won, but it could have gone either way.
we had a new player as comm, but about 5 mins in got a more experienced player who teched out and kept the support up.
just wanted to chime in with the above and urge people to play both sides and get the new players into the game with a bit of support and coaching. NS2's long term player base is more important than winning every game for the next couple of weeks (.../ in general).
It's a ton of fun on green filled servers to toy with folks rather than just trying to rack up kills too.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to parasite a lone marine to death while laughing so hard you are almost crying because he has spent all his ammo and is chasing you around with his hatchet because you refuse to bite him?
<!--quoteo(post=2048950:date=Dec 20 2012, 10:37 PM:name=RaZDaZ)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RaZDaZ @ Dec 20 2012, 10:37 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2048950"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Cowards stack teams, play vs real players and be a man!!!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo(post=2048994:date=Dec 20 2012, 09:31 PM:name=xen32)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xen32 @ Dec 20 2012, 09:31 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2048994"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Time to be a commander.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Oh well, it really hurt my feelings, when my team can't save a single harvester and will not move a muscle when our hive is being chopped by a single marine. I was so hard to be friendly still. So much hard not to rage quit. Rookies go for frags, they see no point in defending or attacking structures. That's what I was explaining them later when all hope was gone.
By the way, I see marines getting stacked again, also they tend to win more. Guess it wasn't alien buff in post-release builds, but rather player skill that improved.
Comments
It's rewarding, try it out. Want a better game play? Go play in a gather. People gotta learn somewhere.
The player base now is part of the player base in 6 months. You should be thrilled.
Massive waves of new players are always a frustrating thing for the veterans of that game because many things appear so obvious that it's hard to understand how someone can not get into it immediately.
I remember when the TF2-hat cross-promotion hit Super MNC back then… two weeks of absolute horror with feeding players everywhere on the team. Nearly impossible to get a good game going and the new players got stomped so hard (0/30 KDR) that they soon left again. It was such a frustration that they probably even lost some of the old regular players during that time. About 4000 people joined back then, only about 300 probably stayed around. I hope NS2 does better than that.
Thus far the Steam stats indicate a raise in the active player base from 2000 to 3000 again.
I would also not expect that the people who joined now are as ready to take time to learn the game as those who bought it on Steam release. The release buyers are those who were dead-sure that they would love the game and invest time to learn it to make those 20 bucks worth it.
The guys who only bought it now for ~7.50 € are more the kind that goes "well, I might try it and if I don't like it from my first impressions, it's not much of a loss". Steam deals kind of work that way with people.
its a bit tough for me as there is rarely a good comm on the other team leading to a bit of an imbalance, but im delighted to see the popularity of the game increase like this.
If you are that worried about finding a good game, my advice is find 5-7 like minded people and get scrimming :)
Massive waves of new players are always a frustrating thing for the veterans of that game because many things appear so obvious that it's hard to understand how someone can not get into it immediately.
I remember when the TF2-hat cross-promotion hit Super MNC back then… two weeks of absolute horror with feeding players everywhere on the team. Nearly impossible to get a good game going and the new players got stomped so hard (0/30 KDR) that they soon left again. It was such a frustration that they probably even lost some of the old regular players during that time. About 4000 people joined back then, only about 300 probably stayed around. I hope NS2 does better than that.
Thus far the Steam stats indicate a raise in the active player base from 2000 to 3000 again.
I would also not expect that the people who joined now are as ready to take time to learn the game as those who bought it on Steam release. The release buyers are those who were dead-sure that they would love the game and invest time to learn it to make those 20 bucks worth it.
The guys who only bought it now for ~7.50 € are more the kind that goes "well, I might try it and if I don't like it from my first impressions, it's not much of a loss". Steam deals kind of work that way with people.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Actually, it's more a frustration on how rookies never seem to understand the importance of saying, "I am indeed a newbie". We can't assume you are, because we also can't assume you'll be receptive to orders and advice.
It's rewarding, try it out. Want a better game play? Go play in a gather. People gotta learn somewhere.
The player base now is part of the player base in 6 months. You should be thrilled.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I could not agree more. I just helped a team of half-greenies win for the first time. Hearing the thrill in their voices as we took out a base of the other team for the first time helped remind me what I love about this game.
<img src="http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/5108/32227668.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Thats also in their interest because it increases the likelihood to fight against new players as well.
People thought their win rate was bad before? Wait for a few more days of this ###### going on xD
I've commed all day, while teaching people and probably won 70% of the matches.
IME, half the team was unable to figure out how armories or phasegates work.
lol well can't speak to that.
That's why there should be messages, one-time-click-ok in-your-face messages, when you start the game the first time. "YOU NEED A LOT OF EXPERIENCE TO COMMAND [OK]" , "JOINING GREEN ROOKIE SERVERS IS A GOOD IDEA [OK]", ...etc.
Was pretty fun
All their first or 2nd time playing ha
No one knew how armories even worked
They kept spaming need healing until I told them armories heal
I played alien comm a few times as well and Coached the enitre green team to a win
They did not even know how to evolve was pretty funny
<img src="http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/9466/2012122000002.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Given some experience, the tide seems to shift in favor of the aliens, until the skill levels are high enough to balance it out. Aliens are just easier to play once you get the hang of the game.
Alien Kham needs to be harder :P
It may be hard to go marines right now. But if you not help the new players, they will go. And this will kill NS2 in the long term. So think ahead! You will have more fun in the future, if you help the newbs instead of bashing them now.
Either they try to listen ("STAY TOGETHER PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE"), but some don't and then you have 15+ Exos dropped in the course of the game and your team still won't win, and an 80 minute high-tech stalemate that only a "server shutdown" can end (which it finally did).
Or they listen and it's REALLY great. I feel some rookies are better in following commands than the older players.
we had a new player as comm, but about 5 mins in got a more experienced player who teched out and kept the support up.
just wanted to chime in with the above and urge people to play both sides and get the new players into the game with a bit of support and coaching. NS2's long term player base is more important than winning every game for the next couple of weeks (.../ in general).
Do you have any idea how hard it is to parasite a lone marine to death while laughing so hard you are almost crying because he has spent all his ammo and is chasing you around with his hatchet because you refuse to bite him?
Real Men Go Random!
Random always puts me in Aliens... I'm starting to mistrust it.
Oh well, it really hurt my feelings, when my team can't save a single harvester and will not move a muscle when our hive is being chopped by a single marine. I was so hard to be friendly still. So much hard not to rage quit.
Rookies go for frags, they see no point in defending or attacking structures. That's what I was explaining them later when all hope was gone.
By the way, I see marines getting stacked again, also they tend to win more. Guess it wasn't alien buff in post-release builds, but rather player skill that improved.