Gameplay Discussion: Predators

[apophis775]

So, we are moving closer and closer towards re-opening the whitelist. As such, I'm open to feedback and how you think this should be done.


Firstly, let me clear up our current "plan" for the predators:

1. They WILL remain whitelisted
2. The "whitelist" process will shift a bit from "RP Backgrounds" to "How do you think preds should be played, and how do you intend to play". - NOTE: If you end up NOT playing as they way you stated you intend to play, you WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE WHITELIST. At the same time, it WILL be after an admin investigation, not a player complaint that is lightly salted.
3. The number of preds that can spawn in a round, will be limited
4. Predator rounds will not necessarily need predators readied up (preds can late-join).


Other than that, preds will have to uphold a "code of honor" that I'm currently working on that will be released soon.


So, with that rough outline, what do YOU the PLAYERBASE want from preds?



EDIT: Posts that are directly moronic/salty will be removed. CONSTRUCTIVE THINGS ONLY PLEASE.

[LordeKilly]

a predator vs marines gamemode

[masterspots]

Less initiating with plasma casters on one lone person.

[Xenomorph Dominatrix]

I would dearly like if they were removed or greatly reduced:

They seem a grief mode akin to space ninja at the moment

They completely ruin the round for whichever side they decide to attack a lot of the time, especially when it's the humans.

Ridiculous super runspeed that you can't outrun, a spammable gun that can stun entire groups of marines instantly and also explodes (plasma caster which didn't do either in the films?) almost instakills melee beheading, seemingly infinite healing, and ridiculous armour that no one should have really

[Hackie-Sama]

Predators have proven rather consistently to be interesting side-opponents. Majority of them have brought interesting gameplay to the table, like bringing the wounded to the Nexus, accepting melee duels. I would prefer a smaller amount of Predators, generally one to three. As, anymore just whoop so much ass it's unreasonable.

[Arachnidnexus]

For Predators to have honor instead of cloaking and running away whenever something doesn't go their way.

[apophis775]

For Predators to have honor instead of cloaking and running away whenever something doesn't go their way.

Well, the issue is that many times if a pred tries to engage a human, that human calls for help, and 30 humans arrive. The greatest pred on earth, can't fight that.

I remember fighting 2 marines in a fair hand-to-hand fight, and someone coming by and just rocketing us.

[RoswellRay]

I definately like the move from backstory to play style. A lot of us have great ideas on how we want to play a pred but writing a backstory is very intimidating for those of us not confident in storytelling.

[spheretech]

Predators are fun as a new thing to play at first, but otherwise, I don't think they actually bring anything to the game. Not once have I enjoyed playing against a predator as a xeno OR marine, and playing as one was not actually as enjoyable as I thought. I was excited for them before, but now that I think about them, they're just a way for the privileged to do something else by letting it out on the regular players. They're not needed in a normal round. Marines usually have too much on their hands already, and they don't need a predator spamming plasma casters on them to make it worse. The only way I'd be fine with them being used is to balance a really one sided battle, like 20 xenos 5 marines. But then again, xenos probably worked for that win and don't need someone messing things up. Not one predator including myself has actually contributed to a round in a positive way IMO, you usually just have fun by killing things by yourself while EVERYONE that you hurt is left angry with fair reason, they don't have much of a chance.

So basically, I don't want them in the game at all.

EDIT: Someone mentioned predators being like space ninjas, and that comparison is absolutely on point. Nobody likes ninjas, they can instantly kill you and are only fun for the player playing them.

[Grypho]

Most salt probably comes from the fact they can freely choose their side. I just recommend to force them ally the marines and go to war against the aliens. Would remove most of the salt and clarify things a lot. Plus it would be more canon. They would MORE LIKELY ally humans than the aliens.

[Nero3217]

Well, the issue is that many times if a pred tries to engage a human, that human calls for help, and 30 humans arrive. The greatest pred on earth, can't fight that.

I remember fighting 2 marines in a fair hand-to-hand fight, and someone coming by and just rocketing us.

Isn't that where the pred can then just cloak and fire upon the marines? It shouldn't be that hard once cloaked. What I also want is for them to stay cloaked and observe those that do acts that make them worthy and quite possibly a list being put down instead of them just going "I've found that random xeno or random human that I've decided to face in melee combat at first sight!" Maybe something such as this human has killed xxx amount of xenos or this SL has commanded his squad and coordinated well with them. This xeno has done such and such to give the humans a rough time and has become a worthy hunter of being hunted.

[RoswellRay]

One thing I would like to say is perhaps more pred lodge locations. I've seen the same scenario play out a few times.

Pred uses big temple for lodge, alien nest is next to it, a few aliens try to jump the pred, 85% of the hive is erradicated by the pred.

[apophis775]

Isn't that where the pred can then just cloak and fire upon the marines? It shouldn't be that hard once cloaked. What I also want is for them to stay cloaked and observe those that do acts that make them worthy and quite possibly a list being put down instead of them just going "I've found that random xeno or random human that I've decided to face in melee combat at first sight!" Maybe something such as this human has killed xxx amount of xenos or this SL has commanded his squad and coordinated well with them. This xeno has done such and such to give the humans a rough time and has become a worthy hunter of being hunted.

Kinda hard to do that, when a rocket stuns a pred for around 15 seconds, and kills the humans he was fighting with.

[Seehund]

I like preds the way they are, an unpredictable force of nature that can completely flip the tables on either side for any reason.

It's gonna take some strict monitoring to ensure this privilege isn't abused like, I'll admit, has been once or twice in the past.

I don't have any more input right now, just a question - is there a plan to limit the amount of whitelists, or?

[Gentlefood]

The biggest issue I see with predators currently is how drastically they can stack the odds against a faction should they choose to, intentionally or unintentionally. For example, a few rounds ago a predator destroyed the engineering APC and severely damaged the wiring to turn off the lights. It was repairable, but due to constant xenomorph and predator harassment it was never repaired. Meaning that the entire colony had no lights. Then the predators went on to assault the FOB and blow massive holes in it and take out a few marines forcing the marines off planet pretty early in the round effectively giving the Xenomorphs free reign. Now if the Predators had shifted over to assaulting the Xenomorphs with the same force as they had attacked the marines, it might have played out very differently. However the predator players at that time had to leave, which is understandable, but gave the Xenomorphs an enormous advantage of choosing when to assault (They had managed to get something insane like 6 Crushers + other T3s at this point too).

I'm not saying that the actions the predators took above were necessarily in the wrong. But the way it can heavily skew game balance against a faction might need to be mitigated. Perhaps a "No attacking the FOB or the Main Hive" rules. Or no disabling critical systems with the plasma caster.

[apophis775]

No limit on whistlist amount

[SecretStamos (Joshuu)]

Predators are fun as a new thing to play at first, but otherwise, I don't think they actually bring anything to the game. Not once have I enjoyed playing against a predator as a xeno OR marine, and playing as one was not actually as enjoyable as I thought. I was excited for them before, but now that I think about them, they're just a way for the privileged to do something else by letting it out on the regular players. They're not needed in a normal round. Marines usually have too much on their hands already, and they don't need a predator spamming plasma casters on them to make it worse. The only way I'd be fine with them being used is to balance a really one sided battle, like 20 xenos 5 marines. But then again, xenos probably worked for that win and don't need someone messing things up. Not one predator including myself has actually contributed to a round in a positive way IMO, you usually just have fun by killing things by yourself while EVERYONE that you hurt is left angry with fair reason, they don't have much of a chance.

So basically, I don't want them in the game at all.

EDIT: Someone mentioned predators being like space ninjas, and that comparison is absolutely on point. Nobody likes ninjas, they can instantly kill you and are only fun for the player playing them.

I don't really think you have much of a say here Spheretech, since you abused the role yourself. We literally removed you last week, and now you're asking for their removal?

Either you had a sudden change of heart or you've been eating some sour grapes my friend.

[Derpislav]

Most salt probably comes from the fact they can freely choose their side. I just recommend to force them ally the marines and go to war against the aliens. Would remove most of the salt and clarify things a lot. Plus it would be more canon. They would MORE LIKELY ally humans than the aliens.

Yes, but the marine goal is wiping out all xenos, while the most lore-breaking thing you can do as a predator is help with a genocide. If the marines are being either a nuisance to the hunt, or very close to killing off the last drone/larva, predators by all means would fight them. And notice the difference between "fight them to stop them from messing our hunt up" and "fight them as a honorable opponent".

[spheretech]

I like preds the way they are, an unpredictable force of nature that can completely flip the tables on either side for any reason.

It's gonna take some strict monitoring to ensure this privilege isn't abused like, I'll admit, has been once or twice in the past.

Too much power for one person. It's no secret that people have complained about even admins abusing this role. I don't think ANYONE can be trusted with it. Hell, maybe even more so staff than players, considering they get more slack for abusing it by nature. Nobody wants to tell on a friend.

[Arachnidnexus]

The ability for predators to basically determine who wins a round is rather salt-inducing. They're currently strong enough to take on multiple xenos and marines and win pretty decisively. This means that a handful of players who get access to reduced stuns, are immune to huggers for the most part, do not feel pain, have armor rivaling that of B18 without movement penalty, get plasma casters, etc. get to dictate what happens in a round. It makes predators feel like a clique where a few popular players get to have their fun at the expense of everyone else.

[Feweh]

Too much power for one person. It's no secret that people have complained about even admins abusing this role. I don't think ANYONE can be trusted with it. Hell, maybe even more so staff than players, considering they get more slack for abusing it by nature. Nobody wants to tell on a friend.

Nothing personal, but you were removed from Predator for being really bad. You were a shining example of what is wrong with many Predator players and caused quite a bit of grief from players. Probably not the best thing to be saying above coming from someone like you.

[Grypho]

Yes, but the marine goal is wiping out all xenos, while the most lore-breaking thing you can do as a predator is help with a genocide. If the marines are being either a nuisance to the hunt, or very close to killing off the last drone/larva, predators by all means would fight them. And notice the difference between "fight them to stop them from messing our hunt up" and "fight them as a honorable opponent".

To balance this out, there could be, as suggested above, a directive to un-ally the marines and ally the aliens once the marines are trying to destroy the hive and last of the specimen.

[spheretech]

First of all, please consider not trying to shoot me down before reading my whole post just because I am who I am.

Not one predator including myself has actually contributed to a round in a positive way IMO, you usually just have fun by killing things by yourself while EVERYONE that you hurt is left angry with fair reason, they don't have much of a chance.

I don't think I abused the role. Not on the level that you say level. Everyone is using the role wrong, it's just bad for the game. Actually, contrary to what you said, I am probably more relevant to this topic than anyone else, having played on both sides. And apparently, whenever I have a different opinion, I am salty according to you.

The role is absolutely no different than ninjas. They contribute NOTHING to the game besides fun for the player playing them. If you disagree please state redeeming factors about predators. And since I don't have to sit behind a stupid fake wall that alot of predators probably also sit behind, I can speak freely. Predators are simply a playtoy for the privileged, like I said. ESPECIALLY for the staff. I SERIOUSLY doubt ANYBODY plays a predator to "make the round more fun" or things like that. They play it because it's fun. For THEM.

So now that I have no predator role to lose, I can say what it actually is. Saying that it's there for RP and to make it more fun for others is absolute bullshit.

I don't really think you have much of a say here Spheretech, since you abused the role yourself. We literally removed you last week, and now you're asking for their removal?

Either you had a sudden change of heart or you've been eating some sour grapes my friend.

EDIT: This is probably for a different thread. I am yet to see a player who has seen me play as a predator actually say I was "bad". Only staff, because it's easy to agree with one of the head admins and hop on the band wagon. You don't even know what I did wrong (I still absolutely disagree with the stupidity of the RP issue that had me removed).

[Arachnidnexus]

Also let's be real, it's not particularly fun to fight predators because they're going to win because of their gear and innate abilities. As an alien I don't even try to tangle with predators unless I happen to be a Ravager because luckily Predators have not been coded to be immune to charges yet (although I expect that to change in the future). Most Queens will explicitly forbid xenos from attacking Predators because they know that predators are going to use any excuse to tear the hive apart.

[Killaninja12]

I honestly don't care about Predators being powerful, I enjoy fighting them and being pinned down at times by them, it happens. Besides, the rounds are fairly rare for the most part and only happen ever so often that it's a nice change of pace. It's one round out of hundreds of others you play within a small game, I feel no salt within the game as whatever happens, happens. I don't play Pred, but love the presence they offer to the game. It's a real game changer when you know you're being hunted down and attempting to survive. Always adds an extra layer of oomph for me. But yeah, I like the way Preds are and hope they stay that way.