Update Discussion Thread (October 2018)

[Teruyo]

So, in other words...

We kinda brought back the days when mines were capable of insta-killing runners?

Back when I was startin out, mines were capable of killing runners of any age, as well as doing considerable damage to any xeno that triggered them. Then they nerfed them to the point that runners with full health could survive a mine if they stumbled into it.

But now it sounds like mines are stronk again, but also more dangerous to use now. Most... interesting... I can't wait to see it in action for myself.

Yeah i runned into mine today and it killed me as ancient runner with full HP. Mines before, were deadly for runner before but in current state... runners are even more useless then before and i never thought that could be possible to make.

[CABAL]

Atleast that bullshit runner strategy of pushing marine into the mine is no longer viable. It wasn't happening often, but hey! I'm not the one who has the right to judge devs *wink *wink.

We really need a drastic change, or issues like that will just pop out for eternity. Here stun-lock from benos, here PB from shotguns, here one shot kills from both sides...

[kastion]

Yeah i runned into mine today and it killed me as ancient runner with full HP. Mines before, were deadly for runner before but in current state... runners are even more useless then before and i never thought that could be possible to make.

You think thats bad? I got hit by a frag grenade as an ancient lurker and got crit instantly 100-0.

[Swagile]

i still remember when you could stack mines and hide them under girders

now they brought it back except it takes even less skill to do now; just place a mine down and wait for the kill

[TreeCop]

From what I saw of the thunderdome tests, it looked like 2 mines were enough to crit a pred, so they seem to do quite a bit of damage now

[WinterClould]

Kesserline = hard as a fucking baguette. Probably.

I foresee many dead benos by his landmines, for as long as they stay this strong.

[SolarMacharius]

Yeah I played as a crusher and the claymore did a decent chunk of my health. As a crusher. If you dont have explosive resistance kiss your ass goodbye

[Karmac]

I can't wait for that one marine that drags a dead xeno over a mine

you know it's gonna happen

[MattAtlas]

mfw crusher and queen get half their health chunked by mines

[Dok]

This update was sponsored by Delta engineers gang.

[misto]

i smell xeno buffs in the air following these fresh shrapnel explosives. beware!

[WinterClould]

They need the buffs. But I'm hoping for something other then straight stat buffs, ya know, like, more tools to coordinate and encourage players to work together, stuff that rewards that?

[TheMaskedMan2]

Shrapnel grenades are strong as heck against beans. I won't give anything specific away, but they are really good if you actually aim them. For some reason Marines think Shrapnel grenades are useless because they're only hitting Xenos with shrapnel from the far edges, if you guys aim it well it fucks them up. Also mines do damage crushers now BUT Xenos can now extremely reliably disarm mines from behind. It will never damage you if you approach the mine from behind, and just slash it. So if you notice the mine and get behind it, slash, bam. I actually prefer that instead of Crusher big stompy.

Though when it comes to Xeno buffs I have a few ideas really. Particularly I think right now Xenos don't have a lot of ranged options, which is why buckshot is so prevalent. Spitter corrosive spit does tickle damage. Praetorian corrosive spit is not reliable at all because of how short range it is. I still think Praetorian should get buffs to spit range back, it gives Xenos a reliable ranged option to mess up a few Marines. Focused damage. Boilers are the suppressors, Praes can be the focused damage. As well, Spitters are a T2 so I can understand not wanting them super powerful but it's rare that your acid spit is a viable choice in combat considering the plasma cost, accuracy, and so on. You are better off using Neurotoxin. Literally runners do more burn damage with getting shot than a spitter. Hell, I think a floor tile does more damage then a spitter shooting you.

While we are on the topic of acid spit, the accuracy and range of neuro/acid are both quite awkward. I would argue acid should have a more severe fall-off in damage at higher ranges, but also a point blank spit should rarely ever miss, let Xenos point blank too perhaps? For example, with this change, I would like if a Spitter point blanks you with acid spit, it can be likened to a close range vomit with a good amount higher damage. Though if they decide to spit at long range, the damage falls off as the spit "travels" through the air, and the effects diminish greatly. It would add a bit more practicality and strategy to using acid spit as a Xeno. Run up close for a big chunk of burn damage, or pepper away with tickle damage from across the screen? Also Praetorian would make a perfect pheromone giver and support caste if you give it range to acid spit back. Please.

Nobody wants to hear this but I think Carrier hugger throwing should be made useful. Give it a much longer cooldown, a higher plasma cost, and have it so if a hugger hits a marine directly midair, it will infect them. Though if it misses, the hugger is still stunned. Hell, you can make the cooldown for the throw as long as the hugger stun so it's not something a Carrier can use to solo a whole squad, more just an augment to their infecting capabilities, it would also require skill to actually hit a Marine midair.

[DefinitelyAlone0309]

Range options and area crowd control (no, not neuro spit spam, since those are just single targeted spits being spread out) would be lovely for xeno. If stun is too powerful of a crowd control, make it slow, stagger stun, short knockdown, short disarm, ....

[Build_R_]

Even just something to counter all of the explosives would probably be good for xenos. The shrapnel nades are pretty fucking useful though provided you don't FF with 'em.

[Renomaki]

you know, i was just gonna say how, with the new mine update, the art of disarming them as xeno may be more useful, but I been beaten to it it seems.

... However, now that I think about it.. I haven't seen it in action yet, so I don't quite know the range of the mine's shrapnel blast, but if you had a mine facing a path that often has marines traveling it, and a sneeky breeky xeno was able to get behind it, do you think the xeno could use it as ghetto shotgun of sorts?

Just a funny thought.

[MattAtlas]

you know, i was just gonna say how, with the new mine update, the art of disarming them as xeno may be more useful, but I been beaten to it it seems.

... However, now that I think about it.. I haven't seen it in action yet, so I don't quite know the range of the mine's shrapnel blast, but if you had a mine facing a path that often has marines traveling it, and a sneeky breeky xeno was able to get behind it, do you think the xeno could use it as ghetto shotgun of sorts?

Just a funny thought.

Yeah, shrapnel is strong as fuck. If you're helmetless and you hold a primed M15, you'll get decapped.

[CABAL]

Yeah, shrapnel is strong as fuck. If you're helmetless and you hold a primed M15, you'll get decapped.

Finally a nade that will kill me in hive denying larvaes. It was stupid to survive grenade blast in your hand and be stabilised by nest.

[Nimiety]

Really funny, moderation and admin staff don't like the distance between them and the development team, and yet they are posting on the forums as if they are regular players. There's a line in the sand, guys-- Player or Staff. Pick which side you are on already. This forum is for player feedback, not for staff feedback to other staff. That is ridiculous, use the proper channels or you look like a big old goof.

I liked the goonchat port, I can see it being really useful for co-ordination between xenos and even marine fireteams maybe since you can set your fireteam buddies to highlight string and pick out what they are saying much more easily. I didn't play enough when it was being tested to see if the combining feature had much effect in combat log spam but I guess it might. Frag grenades are cool, but why abandon the --DP nomenclature? It appears to still be a 'dual purpose' grenade being primed either by hand or by grenade launcher just like the other in the DP series.

Oh and I had an idea about how to change the incendiary grenades and WP rockets. What if they spat out shrapnel projectiles that set things on fire instead of the weaksauce 3x3 AoE/ AoE ignition of the incendiaries? Hell, sniper flak magazines could use a buff if you wanted to give those a cone of shrapnel behind whatever they hit.

[Bancrose]

Nobody wants to hear this

[kastion]

these new claymores are fucking stupid op. They lowered the damage by nothing so it still does insane damage and they added their ridiculous stuns back. Fuck this shit.

[Simo94]

I wish they would bring the goonchat back, idk why its tied to the lighting, cant we have just the chat update?

[Gnorse]

Kstion, you can literally make claymores useless by slashing them in literally any other direction that the one they are facing.
Sneakedit : they're pretty much as strong as carrier traps now, which is neat.

[TheDonkified]

Yeah I don’t really see claymores being that big of an issue since you can disarm them pretty easily. I’ve done it numerous times now. If you don’t want stun, have a crusher do it.

However, I have been noticing how clunky it is to play xeno without the ability to macro, especially with castes such as warrior and prae who have abilities that you can combo. Bringing back xeno macros would be great.

Also, with the introduction of the burrower and some of the changes surrounding it, I’ve noticed that xeno have been recently redesigned in a way that is functionally sound without really considering the “fun” aspect that makes people want to play xeno. While I can get the idea of getting a xeno to form an important niche for function for the hive, there is no point if no one wants to play that xeno cause it ONLY has that niche/function going for it. It’s the same issue with the MT role, where it is probably the most boring role in the game if it only fills its function. You only really have fun if you goof around and do projects, and that’s under the assumption that MPs won’t be faggots and cuck you for the sake of it.

When trying to balance the xenos, there need to be considerations about the value of each caste or xenomorphs in general in terms of how they can help the team AND how much enjoyment you will get out of playing them.

[kastion]

except the claymores now rock crushers hard because of shrapnel. As a runner you cant see a claymore when you are running 5000 mph. Idk if its just me but I cant tell which way claymores are facing half the time either.