Ice Colony Impressions

[Edgelord]

I'm surprised I didn't see another thread up here, but I did want to see what other people thought about it.

Aside from the initial confusion of a new map (which can actually be pretty fun, unknowns are a nice break from routine) I found the ice colony to be a fantastic map. I think players will have to come up with a better command strategy, as communications blackouts left the ground forces (at least in my experience) without any semblance of command. This is a doubly interesting mechanic because it parallels ACTUAL Vietnam where units would lose contact with command and become independent and unaccountable.

I think the buildings are really cool, with the LZs favoring no specific FOB location and allowing many to be viable. It does not seem to be as big as LV-624, but I think that this is a good thing, as no one loves running around a labyrinth to kill a single xeno. The underground looks cool as well, but I didn't have much experience fighting there. Again, I've only played 1.5 rounds on it and everything I've said is surface-level at best.

All in all I really liked it and I hope it soon becomes part of the regular map rotation. But I'd like to hear the opinions of others. What do you love/hate about it?

I've also included a rare photograph of Dayton Mann enjoying the ice colony level

[Feweh]

Nice map.

However a lot of the buildings and rooms are too symmetrical and missing small details and items.

The map could use a quick over-view with more stuff lying around and out of place. Currently feels a bit barren in a lot of places.

Im also not a fan of the LZ, i wish there was more of s central building for a FOB.

[TheSpoonyCroy]

Honestly my only complaint revolves around the way byond works since right now Multilayered maps are a nightmare since it just leads to ladder camping via both sides however xenos are more likely to abuse it since marines are forced to go down to get to the hive

Like the elevator, don't care for the 2 minute recharge on it though but it seems like this just way to test out the mechanic which we might be seeing soon in Sulaco?

Also I would like to say I have a different POV from Feweh on the LZ, I love it since it means the marines aren't instantly reinforced and its a quite a trek to get back to the main center, so the xenos can easily pick off stranglers. This said from a primary marine player

[lucashunter608]

i liked the underground place, it realy feels like i'm watching a 2-D alien film, its a closed area and the elevator adds all the atmosphere, we need more open spaces, maybe pits? it would add the extra !!FUN!!, i also liked the distance between the buildings, aliens have this open field to hide themselves, and the underground area too, marines can get the garage and dominate the area, everyone gets an advantage, to an early alpha map, its pretty damn good, imagine with a mist blocking your vision...

[Feweh]

Ya, elevator is going to be camped a lot.. and with queen screech.. yikes.
Might need to map them out a bit better.

[Jen_Llama]

The map gives me some serious The Thing vibes. Just need one of the survivors to be a changeling.

[60000]

Honestly my only complaint revolves around the way byond works since right now Multilayered maps are a nightmare since it just leads to ladder camping via both sides however xenos are more likely to abuse it since marines are forced to go down to get to the hive

Like the elevator, don't care for the 2 minute recharge on it though but it seems like this just way to test out the mechanic which we might be seeing soon in Sulaco?

Also I would like to say I have a different POV from Feweh on the LZ, I love it since it means the marines aren't instantly reinforced and its a quite a trek to get back to the main center, so the xenos can easily pick off stranglers. This said from a primary marine player

Crew sector? Marines should just avoid that, it's full of flanks for xenos. Full of corridors and rooms. Would probably be better as a hive location than an FOB location.

[MrJJJ]

There is like, 3-4 ways or more for marines to enter the colony, unless aliens somehow organize themself into a good team, along with marines, it may be not be hard to enter the underground, but it be fairly difficult (Also we need to make tiles around the ladder unable to be builded at, like resin walls, doors and such things, because when you go down the ladder, you will find resin walls and huggers on them waiting for you, which is not really...fun)

[LordeKilly]

Needs a proper map.

[Dyne]

Two layered map doesnt really work out.
Marines hold topside, aliens hold below, aliens have more tools to block access below.

[Infernus]

Two layered map doesn't really work out.
Marines hold topside, aliens hold below, aliens have more tools to block access below.

As much as people complain about it, I have not seen any of them camping at more than 1 place (2 was super rare, and only brief). Aliens have unlimited ways to go outside. They start with 4 tunnels and 2 ladders, and 2 elevators if they got positioned underground. Hivelords can even make more tunnels to connect the outside and inside.

Marines can access from 4 sides. Aliens, in no way, can protect all 4 of them.
On second or third round on IceMap, 30-fucking marines died because they kept using the same ladder where the whole alien force was waiting, and 2 human teams were already inside clearing weeds. Aliens didn't notice them for good 15 minutes, which was enough to flank them from 2 sides.

Use your brain, you can't brute force yourself to one entrance/exit. There are multiple flanking positions for a reason.

[MrJJJ]

As much as people complain about it, I have not seen any of them camping at more than 1 place (2 was super rare, and only brief). Aliens have unlimited ways to go outside. They start with 4 tunnels and 2 ladders, and 2 elevators if they got positioned underground. Hivelords can even make more tunnels to connect the outside and inside.

Marines can access from 4 sides. Aliens, in no way, can protect all 4 of them.
On second or third round on IceMap, 30-fucking marines died because they kept using the same ladder where the whole alien force was waiting, and 2 human teams were already inside clearing weeds. Aliens didn't notice them for good 15 minutes, which was enough to flank them from 2 sides.

Use your brain, you can't brute force yourself to one entrance/exit. There are multiple flanking positions for a reason.

Preety much this

[Dyne]

As much as people complain about it, I have not seen any of them camping at more than 1 place (2 was super rare, and only brief). Aliens have unlimited ways to go outside. They start with 4 tunnels and 2 ladders, and 2 elevators if they got positioned underground. Hivelords can even make more tunnels to connect the outside and inside.

Marines can access from 4 sides. Aliens, in no way, can protect all 4 of them.
On second or third round on IceMap, 30-fucking marines died because they kept using the same ladder where the whole alien force was waiting, and 2 human teams were already inside clearing weeds. Aliens didn't notice them for good 15 minutes, which was enough to flank them from 2 sides.

Use your brain, you can't brute force yourself to one entrance/exit. There are multiple flanking positions for a reason.

Aliens dont need to camp in all places. As they weeded/hugged/walled all of them, and can react accordingly.
Even with lower alien numbers marines are at additional difficulty getting in and securing a beachhead.
And its not about 'using ones brain', its about 'map is divided in two parts that dont really connect and favour different teams heavily'.

[MrJJJ]

Aliens dont need to camp in all places. As they weeded/hugged/walled all of them, and can react accordingly.

Walk intent, try it, the huggers don't jump on you apparently when you are on walk mode


And its not about 'using ones brain', its about 'map is divided in two parts that dont really connect and favour different teams heavily'.

It is about using your brain, Surface is ridiclously hard for aliens to hold, while underground is much easier, because its technically their base, while surface is a sort of base of marines, (the true one is Sulaco) if marines can't attack from multiple positions, then well...i can't suggest anything else other than "get gud" and you know how i hate that saying, if the entire area was the same, it would be Alpha map expect with winter and less bigger

[Dyne]

It is about using your brain, Surface is ridiclously hard for aliens to hold, while underground is much easier, because its technically their base, while surface is a sort of base of marines...

Reading, can you do it?
"...its about 'map is divided in two parts that dont really connect and favour different teams heavily'

[MrJJJ]

Reading, can you do it?
"...its about 'map is divided in two parts that dont really connect and favour different teams heavily'

Yes, which you are complaining about, which i explained, because if we had the same thing, it would be alpha map, but winter and smaller

[Dyne]

Yes, which you are complaining about, which i explained, because if we had the same thing, it would be alpha map, but winter and smaller

A. Not complaining, giving my impressions.
B. Whats bad with "Alpha map, but winter and smaller", compared to "Halloween map, but winter and with elevators?"

Ice Colony is better then Alpha or Halloween because of the upper building locations relevant to LZ, that is good.
But I'd be more then happy if the lower level would just be cut off- the map has enough hidden areas for a hive, especially taking into account that weeds can go on any surface now.

[MrJJJ]

A. Not complaining, giving my impressions.

It sure looks like complaining and not a impression

B. Whats bad with "Alpha map, but winter and smaller", compared to "Halloween map, but winter and with elevators?"

Because this map may be a regular map(we don't know yet) and has been played quite a shit ton of time already, and people enjoy it alot, some due to complexity, some due to so much snow, and some due to how nothing is always the same, and no spot is always 100% FOB.



But I'd be more then happy if the lower level would just be cut off- the map has enough hidden areas for a hive, especially taking into account that weeds can go on any surface now.

So you want aliens to preety much always lose? because they can't place weeds on snow unless its just simple snow layer or part of a building, they get slowed a bit by snow but less than marines, the buildings while some are big, are very easy to siege and keep hold of and flush aliens out, its why underground exists, to prevent a landslide marine victory, i already said try using walk intent, which for some reason made huggers not attach to me that were put down on the ground, and try attacking from multiple sides instead of one, its harder to enforce 4 flanks than 1, jezz.

[Dyne]

Reading, try it again.
I am not asking 'how to win as marine', I know how its done.
This is a thread on 'impressions', and I'm giving mine.

Last two rounds on ice map I played as alien, and weeds go on most snow areas. (Compare to green grass on Alpha and Halloween).
Problem is crossing z-levels, as both sides claim their 'turf', so aliens lose some on planting weeds upside, and marines lose a lot on trying to enter caves, even using elevators.

One direction or four is not that important, as aliens worth their plasma fortified, weeded, and laid huggers on all entrances.
Attacking from four directions in most cases just lets aliens deal with every group bit by bit.

From the last five rounds I saw and played on "Ice Colony" I'd see a benefit of cutting the lower z-level, adjusting the "Frozen Ship" to fit in a unified cave complex,
and let both sides contest the same ground, not stay on their own turf waiting for others to make a fatal move.

[jalen earl]

From what ive seen there isnt much incentive for xenos to leave the sub level except for scouting most of the time when trying to raid a FOB you end up bogged in snow in a field of blue lights failing at evading fire.

Also those fucking blue lights i like the idea and it gives the real ice colony vibe but you almost cant get the jump on anyone unless they stray well off a path. Seems like there are way too many .

as for the lifts i like the feature but again the whole mass death at the hands of a queen pokes a hole right through it. Theres still a few teething things but other than that i really enjoy theis map from both sides as it ups the difficulty forcing strategy changes.

[Arachnidnexus]

I'd rather have so many ladders that it becomes much more about holding space rather than having to just hold down a few ladders. The thing is you don't need the entire xeno or marine force to hold down a chokepoint because of the very nature of the ladder. One boiler or one sentry can basically camp a ladder forever, and vents allow xenos to re-position quickly to another ladder if needed. Marines can also use mines and xenos can use huggers to make one ladder locked off since sacrificing troops to check a chokepoint over and over again is a good way to lose the round.

[Varnock]

I'd rather have so many ladders that it becomes much more about holding space rather than having to just hold down a few ladders. The thing is you don't need the entire xeno or marine force to hold down a chokepoint because of the very nature of the ladder. One boiler or one sentry can basically camp a ladder forever, and vents allow xenos to re-position quickly to another ladder if needed. Marines can also use mines and xenos can use huggers to make one ladder locked off since sacrificing troops to check a chokepoint over and over again is a good way to lose the round.

According to the Ice Colony Bug thread it was added in that you can throw unprimed nades down ladders to blow up the other level, so marines shouldn't have any hugger issues anymore with those. Of course I also have yet to actually try this, so I have no clue how it works.