NS2, Nuclear dawn and other strategic shooters
Heady
Join Date: 2012-12-26 Member: 176337Members
Join Date: 2012-12-26 Member: 176337Members
Hello
I like first person shooters and i like strategy
Thats why i play a lot of tactical shooters like nuclear dawn or SMNC
I noticed NS2 because of the Steam sale.
My first thought was that it looks a lot like Nuclear dawn just with aliens!
Can those who played both games tell me the most significant differences?
I also heard it has a steep learning curve. Is that true?
Is there a built in voice com and does anyone use it?
I have a lot more questions but i guess it would be better if you would just tell my why i should buy NS2 :D
If i could get a few responses before the sale ends i would be grateful.
Regards Heady ;)
I like first person shooters and i like strategy
Thats why i play a lot of tactical shooters like nuclear dawn or SMNC
I noticed NS2 because of the Steam sale.
My first thought was that it looks a lot like Nuclear dawn just with aliens!
Can those who played both games tell me the most significant differences?
I also heard it has a steep learning curve. Is that true?
Is there a built in voice com and does anyone use it?
I have a lot more questions but i guess it would be better if you would just tell my why i should buy NS2 :D
If i could get a few responses before the sale ends i would be grateful.
Regards Heady ;)
Comments
Never got into ND but the biggest difference is NS2 is asymmetric. Not only are the sides visually different, they play vastly different. Essentially melee versus ranged (with exceptions).
<!--quoteo(post=2051570:date=Dec 26 2012, 05:02 PM:name=Heady)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Heady @ Dec 26 2012, 05:02 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2051570"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I also heard it has a steep learning curve. Is that true?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes, however while it is steep it is rewarding once you "get it." If you enjoy the complexities of RTS games no doubt you should be able to easily get into this.
<!--quoteo(post=2051570:date=Dec 26 2012, 05:02 PM:name=Heady)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Heady @ Dec 26 2012, 05:02 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2051570"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Is there a built in voice com and does anyone use it?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes and everyone does just about. Communication is extremely important in this game and winning without it is a tall order.
Honestly, the best way to decide if this is the game for you rather than take our word for it would be to go watch some gameplay footage on Youtube. TotalBiscuit did a series on the game if that is your cup of tea, or there are just straight videos of people playing. Seeing the mechanics in action will paint the best picture.
Some quick video links:
TB's stuff:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duiNW-hoDzw" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duiNW-hoDzw</a> -Alien gameplay
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhu9T0Hn7nM" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhu9T0Hn7nM</a> -Marine gameplay
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDwUxISMvk0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDwUxISMvk0</a> -Commander gameplay
NOTE: These were recorded during the beta
BlindNS does some great casts of organized games and tips:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/blindNS" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/blindNS</a>
Skiedragon has some tutorial videos that are pretty good to explain some of the alien movement mechanics:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/Skiedragon" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/Skiedragon</a>
Then there is the Hugh who works for UWE, his videos will show a lot of gameplay as well:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/NaturalSelection2HD" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/user/NaturalSelection2HD</a>
Yes, and no. There is a lot to the game, but you will be having fun the first time you play. I wouldn't even bother with the tutorials, just join a rookie friendly server (in green) and start shooting. Wait until you understand the objectives before you jump into the comm chair.
As long as you understand attack, defend, and hold E to build; you have the basics needed to start playing.
For someone who has been playing videogames of several different genres for the last one and a half decade, he will intuitively do well in the game.
For the generation of "gamers" who started with Call of Duty on console as their first game at the age of 10, I dare to say that it's steep.
In ND both sides are humans, with some differences (their siege weapons, stealth knives). NS2 one side, the aliens, plays completely differently and commands differently. It's also much more claustrophobic compared to the open air maps in ND.
There's also no persistent ranking system in NS2 (just ns2stats) so no level perks or advantages like Homewrecker in ND. Clean slate every game.
I watched the videos of that totalbiscuit guy and i got an idea about whats going on.
I looks nice and all.
The only thing i would to know now is, are the devs still updating the game?
Or there new maps, gamemodes, aliens, weapons, etc coming?
Are the fixing the bugs the players are reporting?
I dont wanna join a community when the devs already dropped the game
<!--quoteo(post=2051657:date=Dec 27 2012, 04:48 AM:name=soccerguy243)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (soccerguy243 @ Dec 27 2012, 04:48 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2051657"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I enjoy both NS2 and SMNC. SMNC has the teamwork elements but NS2 really stands apart with the asymmetric gameplay and the roles of commanders for a RTS aspect<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Wow i found one of the ~1000 remaining SMNC players outside the SMNC forums, amazing :D
I watched the videos of that totalbiscuit guy and i got an idea about whats going on.
I looks nice and all.
The only thing i would to know now is, are the devs still updating the game?
Or there new maps, gamemodes, aliens, weapons, etc coming?
Are the fixing the bugs the players are reporting?
I dont wanna join a community when the devs already dropped the game
Wow i found one of the ~1000 remaining SMNC players outside the SMNC forums, amazing :D<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Devs have been doing weekly updates to the game since release. They are currently on break but come January there is suppose to be a massive addition patch which will introduce some fun gameplay mechanics. They've stated several times that they intend to stick with ns2 far into the future... (they've invested 10 years into making ns2, I don't think they intend to let it die)
As far as new maps, modes, weapons... One new addition to that January patch was a new map, and possibly a new weapon. Modes and maps and designs are constantly being modded into the game through the steam workshop. Plenty of people use the ingame Spark software (the game's engine) to make new maps, modes, and cosmetic changes. This game is heavily moddable.
I watched the videos of that totalbiscuit guy and i got an idea about whats going on.
I looks nice and all.
The only thing i would to know now is, are the devs still updating the game?
Or there new maps, gamemodes, aliens, weapons, etc coming?
Are the fixing the bugs the players are reporting?
I dont wanna join a community when the devs already dropped the game
Wow i found one of the ~1000 remaining SMNC players outside the SMNC forums, amazing :D<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2012/12/state_of_the_game" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2012...ate_of_the_game</a>
Sagan I was literally just about to post the same link to enforce my points stated above :) Great minds think alike!
Yes.
"Or there new maps, gamemodes, aliens, weapons, etc coming?"
Yes. A lot from the community too as the game is practically open source as well.
"Are the fixing the bugs the players are reporting?"
Yes.
About the use of the voice feature. The voice quality is perfect and sampled at mono 16 bit 16 kHz if I recall correctly. A lot of people, compared to other games, use the microphone to speak to the team, in NS2. If you ask me(and many others), one of the primary roles of the commander is to use the voice comm to speak to the team. Not everyone uses the voice comm though, but start talking and others will too.
As far as new maps, modes, weapons... One new addition to that January patch was a new map, and possibly a new weapon. Modes and maps and designs are constantly being modded into the game through the steam workshop. Plenty of people use the ingame Spark software (the game's engine) to make new maps, modes, and cosmetic changes. This game is heavily moddable.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That sound nice
Going to buy it
See you ingame!
More like a cliff wall amirite.
Well before we get too nuts with the whole we're awesome equals... please remember that my dad can beat up your dad. :D
<!--quoteo(post=2051742:date=Dec 27 2012, 05:14 AM:name=Heady)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Heady @ Dec 27 2012, 05:14 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2051742"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->That sound nice
Going to buy it
See you ingame!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Welcome to the madness!
I wouldn't worry about future content... gotta remember Natural Selection has its origins in the modding world... this game is a labour of love for UWE. I've bought a few copies of the game during these sales just to support the team, NEVER done that before.
1) Top Clancy's rainbow six (first one)
2) Counter strike 1.6
3) Natural selection 2
4)Enemy territory the quake wars
....
150) Any Call of duty game
In terms of the RTS.
1) Starcraft in any incarnation
2) Natural selection 2
3) Command and conquer
4) Most other FPS RTS games
1) Top Clancy's rainbow six (first one)
2) Counter strike 1.6
3) Natural selection 2
4)Enemy territory the quake wars
....
150) Any Call of duty game
In terms of the RTS.
1) Starcraft in any incarnation
2) Natural selection 2
3) Command and conquer
4) Most other FPS RTS games<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No Quake? :( , I am surprised you put ns2 above C&C though since there are bugger all viable strategies
1) Top Clancy's rainbow six (first one)
2) Counter strike 1.6
3) Natural selection 2
4)Enemy territory the quake wars
....
150) Any Call of duty game
In terms of the RTS.
1) Starcraft in any incarnation
2) Natural selection 2
3) Command and conquer
4) Most other FPS RTS games<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
the shooter part she not be a problem for me at all
i just have hard times in rts games
in C&C your troops always follow orders and work together. Hence I put it lower as you are more certain of the results of your actions while NS2 Marines can do some pretty cool or pretty dumb stuff. So for example you don't have to order suicide rushes on the enemy base but you might have to tell a guy to provide cover fire and not stand there letting the aliens eat his friend.
Achron. Where you can go back in time, tell your units to go somewhere else and destroy production of you opponent's future army, while he tries to send his future army into the past to stop it from happening. Or when you send a unit from the present to walk into the enemy base, fast forward into the future to scout what he has, and then go back to the present and tell the scout to stop without spending his life. Or cloning your army with its past and future selves to desperately defend against a bomb that explodes through time.
Yeah, that's Achron.
Going to buy it
See you ingame!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Only tip...use your map key....<i><b>ALOT</b></i>
Depends.
There is an in-game key that lets you speak on your mic and your teammates will hear it.
Something like in Counter-Strike, with pre-recorded voice commands actived by a key, not exactly.
It has some voice commands, but I hardly see anyone using it. The voice commands are very limited and hard to use.
I only see marines using and it's just 3 of it: Request medpack; Request ammo; Request order.
There are some cool ones: Seen hostiles; Covering you; Following you. But, they are hard to use. You need to hold X and click in it with the mouse. :(
Something like "X 1", "C 3" and others available in Counter-Strike are one of my dreams in this game.
1) Starcraft in any incarnation
2) Natural selection 2
3) Command and conquer
4) Most other FPS RTS games<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You haven't played many RTS games then.
What about things like Rise of Legends, Supreme Commander or Hearts of Iron?
Ranking NS2 high because the units may be not executing your orders correctly is not really a viable reason. Stupid units would be called AI problems in other RTS games while it's a perky "feature" in NS2.
For the RTS aspect does it only really matter how much there is to do for the commander, how many different viable strategies are there, how much impact his decisions can have on the outcome of the match and whether or not the units are balanced properly against each other with respect to price, rock-paper-scissors balance and special abilities.
What about things like Rise of Legends, Supreme Commander or Hearts of Iron?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I actually do own a copy of Supreme commander but I put most other RTS games as weirdly a lot of the ones I own and have played are pretty obscure such as Machines Wired for war etc
Achron. Where you can go back in time, tell your units to go somewhere else and destroy production of you opponent's future army, while he tries to send his future army into the past to stop it from happening. Or when you send a unit from the present to walk into the enemy base, fast forward into the future to scout what he has, and then go back to the present and tell the scout to stop without spending his life. Or cloning your army with its past and future selves to desperately defend against a bomb that explodes through time.
Yeah, that's Achron.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That game would probably have driven me mad, sounds like awesome possibilities though ^^
But. NS is much more deeper. More variations, more upgrades, more tactics, more cooperation between commander and soldiers, and between soldiers themselves. NS is much more frustrating, ND is more action filled.
Total Annihilation > SupCom
For someone who has been playing videogames of several different genres for the last one and a half decade, he will intuitively do well in the game.
For the generation of "gamers" who started with Call of Duty on console as their first game at the age of 10, I dare to say that it's steep.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So true.
We bumped our heads years ago, learning by doing, trying and failing. But never giving up hope to once beat that single player campaign of C&C or any games alike. That is some experience no one will ever take away from you, finally paying off.