This Weekends Xeno Update has some adjustments...

[apophis775]

NOTE: Unnecessary salt will be IGNORED. This update for tonight/tomorrow is already 95% coded and it's not going to change until I see it in action.


First, at some point over the weekend, the sprites will be updated.

Before that (probably friday or tonight at midnight server time) I'm going to push the Xeno Balances. These affect the following classes:


Runner:
Tiny Health Increase
Tiny Damage Increase
Pounce "self-stun" lowered
Pounce "target-stun" slightly lowered
Runners can now rapid-pounce and hit several marines within a few seconds (about, 1 marine per second).
Runner "intent" now matters. If they have green intent, they will "push" the marine. Any other intent, tackles.
Cost to evolve from runner is HALVED (200)


Hunter:
Tiny Health Increase
Tiny Damage Increase
Pounce "self-stun" lowered
Pounce "target-stun" increased
Hunters can also rapid-pounce, but not as effectively (there is a cumulative delay to your movement that builds each time you pounce in succession as you throw yourself around)

Ravagers:
Tiny health increase
Slight Damage Increase
Tiny Armor Deflection increase

Crusher:
Minor Damage increase (they are still more tanky than stabby)
Health Increase
Armor increase


Sentinal:
Spit Delay dropped CONSIDERABLY. (once every 3 seconds for neurotoxin)
Minor armor deflection increase.
Cost to evolve from Sentinal is HALVED (200)

Spitter: (This is where the bulk of the new "ranged alien" stuff lies. They are able to shoot at lot of acid quickly, but then they must recharge)
Spit Delay dropped CONSIDERABLY (Once every 2 seconds for neurotoxin, once every second for acid-spit)
Acid-Spit damage increased
MINOR health increase
Minor plasma increase
Minor Armor deflection increase

Praetorian: (These, are ranged GODs for about 8 seconds every minute)
Spit Delay dropped CONSIDERABLY (roughly twice a second for Acid-spit, once a Second for Neurotoxin).
Plasma increased to 800
Armor Deflection Increased
Minor health increase

Boiler:
Very slight speed increase



Note that, THESE ARE INITIAL BALANCE ADJUSTMENTS. I'll adjust them as the weekend progresses to get them to a nice end-spot.

Some planned adjustments as well:

Drone/Hivelord balances
Boiler Decreases in prep time for bombard and bombard time
Praetorian Long-range-vision


Also, here's a SNEAK PEAK at what I'm planning for the major part of XENO UPDATE PART 2 (sometime next week or early week after)

UPGRADE SYSTEM

Instead of evolving, a T1/T2 can select to get an "evolutionary upgrade". Their name will change to reflect (ayylamo>Advanced ayylamo>Elite ayylamo>Elder ayylamo>Ancient ayylamo). Each increase, add a small boost to damage, speed, health, health regen, and armor deflect. However, if you take a SINGLE EVOLUTIONARY UPGRADE you will NOT be able to evolve. Also, each upgrade, will increase the time between upgrades. So, a runner at roundstart, can expect to be able to become ancient, at around an hour or so in (for starters, will be adjusted later)


CASTE LIMITS
All ayylamos will have a "tier" variable. there will also be limits on evolution. For example, an infinite number of T1s, but the number of T2s will be 20% of the total Alien palyers. T3s, will also be 20% of the total alien players. MEANING:
If there are 10 aliens, there will be 2 T2, 2 T3. This will make evolution MUCH more strategic. Also, this may be adjusted as well, but is meant to function with the Upgrade system, to allow upgraded T1s and T2s, to "keep pace" a little with their T3 counterparts.





I'm also debating some stuff with nests but I'm not sure the direction I'm going to go.

[Solacian72]

Well, time to dust off the ol' xeno costume. Ayylmao

[Perfectian]

But only the strongest must be capable of evolving... 200 seconds. Here we go.

Now we need to resprite runner because nobody wants to play those little pussies.

[DMAN]

Sharpen those scythe arms, blood is waiting to be poured.

[Egorkor]

inb4 ancient larva.

[NoShamNoWow]

Time to load the truck full of salt and drive it into CM, here we go bb

[TeknoKot]

I think Ravager's only needs armour increased, rest is fine.

[Feweh]

I'm more excited for the changes to Sentinels, Spitter, Prae.

They were fucking awful before

[Tristan63]

Runner is not red

[coolsurf6]

Weitd but i love this update! Even as a marine.

[Perfectian]

Runner is not red

Because every each one of these suckers is blue.

[Varnock]

The spit will fly SOON(tm)

[LordLoko]

i just have one problem with this "Evolutionary upgrade"

Hivelord right now is just a beefed up drone that can make caves, all other classes have soemthing that makes you want to still be them, runners can go full sanic, carriers can be the salt on earth forever,etc. However, drones has no benefits to stay as drones since Hivelord is a direct upgrade.

Anything to adress that?

[Perfectian]

i just have one problem with this "Evolutionary upgrade"

Hivelord right now is just a beefed up drone that can make caves, all other classes have soemthing that makes you want to still be them, runners can go full sanic, carriers can be the salt on earth forever,etc. However, drones has no benefits to stay as drones since Hivelord is a direct upgrade.

Anything to adress that?

Drones are faster and more reliable than hivelords. They are good at estabilishing forward bases, instead of reinforcing old ones.

[Fritigern]

Not the changes I would have made but they're interesting.

I have a feeling the culmination of a lot of these changes is going to push aliens back into the OP side of things, but I'm willing to let it ride and see where the nerf stick needs to land.

As for Hivelords? Well, I'd like to see them be able to put down something other than "purple sacs" that put out weeds, namely different colour variations that spit out different patches of creeping weeds that give negative and positive effects. The whole weeds mechanic could be a lot more interesting than it is currently.

[Mitchs98]

I don't see how limiting aliens T2 and T3 potential is going to make them OP, at all. If anything this will balance aliens greatly while giving them much needed buffs while also making 6 crushers at a time no longer possible.

Before you go WOAH BRO MUH MUHREEN, calm yoself. I main marine, hell I rarely play aliens, so..yeah. I'm very much pro marine, but I'm also about balance. This will definetely help balance and give marines a good chance during low pop, whereas now the aliens can just mercilessly steamroll them with three ravs and two crushers. I'm all for buffing the aliens in return for lessening the T3 spam.

The ONE THING I am against in this update is the horror that would be an Ancient Crusher, which in all honesty seems like it'd be easy to get due to crushers mostly only dying to stupidity. This definetely sounds fun and might even prompt me to play alien more. The prospect of becoming an ancient runner and zipping around faster six times the speed of a bullet sounds fun.

[SpanishBirdman]

Kinda funny that boilers get the smallest upgrade, they've always struck me as the least powerful T3.

[Gentlemanly_headcrab]

I am SO FREAKING EXCITED for this update, now I might actually be able to be a good Prae or ranged spitting caste without failing miserably because of horribly long wait times between shots.

[jalen earl]

Looks like a fun weekend. Pretty keen to give praetorian another whirl

[LordeKilly]

Kind of excited to see Marines getting their shit pushed in now. Aliens are more deadly and aren't just target practice now, and getting up close is going to suck. (still going to do it though)

[MamuelMamington]

I really like the fact that runners and hunters are going to be able to do the kind of fierce rapid attacks that are depicted in the movies, but as always it's going to have some kind of impact on game balance. If anything I'm excited about the subsequent marine update that'll pop up in response to this.

[apophis775]

I don't see how limiting aliens T2 and T3 potential is going to make them OP, at all. If anything this will balance aliens greatly while giving them much needed buffs while also making 6 crushers at a time no longer possible.

Before you go WOAH BRO MUH MUHREEN, calm yoself. I main marine, hell I rarely play aliens, so..yeah. I'm very much pro marine, but I'm also about balance. This will definetely help balance and give marines a good chance during low pop, whereas now the aliens can just mercilessly steamroll them with three ravs and two crushers. I'm all for buffing the aliens in return for lessening the T3 spam.

The ONE THING I am against in this update is the horror that would be an Ancient Crusher, which in all honesty seems like it'd be easy to get due to crushers mostly only dying to stupidity. This definetely sounds fun and might even prompt me to play alien more. The prospect of becoming an ancient runner and zipping around faster six times the speed of a bullet sounds fun.

Let me clarify:

The upgrades, are for T1/T2 only. There might be SOME for T3 planned, but the upgrades are mainly to keep the lower tiers useful.

[apophis775]

Kinda funny that boilers get the smallest upgrade, they've always struck me as the least powerful T3.

They are taking me more time to analyze/work with. They have to be handled delicately. They aren't a close-range support, but a long-rage rape factory. I mean, their acid-gas stuff can be crippling, and if used properly as both a screen and area denial, it could probably really help the ayylmaos

[TeknoKot]

They are taking me more time to analyze/work with. They have to be handled delicately. They aren't a close-range support, but a long-rage rape factory. I mean, their acid-gas stuff can be crippling, and if used properly as both a screen and area denial, it could probably really help the ayylmaos

But boiler can't hit where he wants to, though, all the acid globs usually pass by if there's no walls, turrets or marines getting it.

[Boltersam]

I'm probably going to be an Ancient Drone just to prove to all of you that Drones can be badass too. I kinda already did with my killing spree on the Sulaco, but still.

Super hyped for this update as an alien player, but stuff like repeated pounces wouldn't be given to Aliens without some kind of marine buff to counteract it.

Suspicious Staaaaaaaaaaaare