So... about the Crusher...
CrushaK
Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167195Members, NS2 Playtester
Join Date: 2012-11-05 Member: 167195Members, NS2 Playtester
I hate it. At best it feels like a gimmick for the map. Simply to show off that we can put some nice dynamic stuff in there.
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with map specific dynamics in general (I actually suggested the sandstorm that appears in fixed intervals in Tribes Ascend's Bella Omega map).
But there is a line that was crossed when you actually die from seemingly random events in a map that you have no control over and no warning about. At times it even seems like the mechanic is waiting especially for a player to walk there before it triggers, simply to trololo you in the face with a "oh look, we have natural cause deaths here!".
It affects gameplay. Marines might be setting up in Crusher right at that point or you could be the last guy to join who could turn the team fight to a victory for your team in that location - and then the damn random thing comes down on you and blasts you to hell. Tough luck if you just went Lerk for 30 pres.
You might argue that it's a conscious risk that you take by taking that shortcut, but honestly there is not much else what the map can offer. Brew Room and the tunnel from Sorting to Crusher are long open corridors that make you a nice target and give marines plenty of preparation time, paired with an audible door opening. You basically have to rely on this death trap in a lot of cases.
I wonder if that thing is actually in the NSL version of the map, if such a version actually exists.
I'd be okay if there was some button on the side of the machine that marines could press to activate the Crusher once, if they know that an alien is about to come through. Then it would at least not be some randomness that I blame on the map.
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with map specific dynamics in general (I actually suggested the sandstorm that appears in fixed intervals in Tribes Ascend's Bella Omega map).
But there is a line that was crossed when you actually die from seemingly random events in a map that you have no control over and no warning about. At times it even seems like the mechanic is waiting especially for a player to walk there before it triggers, simply to trololo you in the face with a "oh look, we have natural cause deaths here!".
It affects gameplay. Marines might be setting up in Crusher right at that point or you could be the last guy to join who could turn the team fight to a victory for your team in that location - and then the damn random thing comes down on you and blasts you to hell. Tough luck if you just went Lerk for 30 pres.
You might argue that it's a conscious risk that you take by taking that shortcut, but honestly there is not much else what the map can offer. Brew Room and the tunnel from Sorting to Crusher are long open corridors that make you a nice target and give marines plenty of preparation time, paired with an audible door opening. You basically have to rely on this death trap in a lot of cases.
I wonder if that thing is actually in the NSL version of the map, if such a version actually exists.
I'd be okay if there was some button on the side of the machine that marines could press to activate the Crusher once, if they know that an alien is about to come through. Then it would at least not be some randomness that I blame on the map.
Comments
And smart marines setting up in Crusher will keep an eye on the conveyor belt, making you a sitting duck anyways when using that thing as an attack vector
I could get behind this.
The crusher has a predictable pattern to it, last time I checked it crushes every 5-7 seconds. (Depending on when you start counting.)
Aw come on.. lets have some map reality.. I like the crusher.
Hell I have been active on the newbie weekend and guess how many I saw die vs the crusher? 0
as lerk it's not worth going thru the crusher back to sorting hive, have to go the long way. ur just rolling the dice
and dont say u can watch for the signs. ur flying around everywhere fast, no time to waste to spot for signs
If you could at least turn it off by killing the power node, then it would have some strategic quality.
But it's just meh right now. No real warning, you just have to wait to be sure. Waiting = boring.
It ranks for me on the same level as Back Alley on Docking suddenly lacking a power node... a random change from the usual game mechanics which seems pointless.
+100 irony points for this thread being by Crushak
It's not about falling for it. It's about making a quick escape route not so quick and one that can kill you. Now any time you approach it you have to stop, wait for it to smash then go through otherwise you are risking it. Even if it had a light on it like some one previously suggested I would prefer to do just do away with the mechanic completely.
I think you're doing it wrong.
My teammate was just killed by 3 skulks and a gorge.
I had only an LMG, a pistol and my axe. So I attempted to go for a suicide kill on the gorge.
When I entered Crusher I immediately killed 1 skulk.
The other 2 skulks and the gorge were caught off guard and they started walking backwards... right into the crusher.
And all three died.
Then I laughed...
I laughed so long that I alien reinforcements came and killed me.
I couldn't aim or shoot properly cause I was laughing too hard.
I see no real problem with the crusher.
I was also hoping that the security check point at the north point in NS2_Descent would set off an alarm when a marine walks through with his guns.
Even without the crushing machine part, it would still be a long tunnel that Marines can shoot straight down without any fancy jumping to reach it.
Thank you for this opportunity to spectate, crusher!