Simple hugger change.

[Abbysynth]

Summary (a quick, 2-3 sentence summary): Dropping a facehugger or throwing it as a non-carrier adds a 0.5 second activation delay. It also now takes 0.5 seconds before a hugger is applied to the face using a mouse click. If someone is below 33% full health or are in critical painloss, AND are downed, applying the hugger is instant.

Benefits (How this will benefit the server and game as a whole): Before the xenos all create an ocean of salt, think it over first. Huggers are the main weapon of xenos, yes, but they aren't intended to be and never were in any of the films or literature. It's always supposed to be about how physically more intimidating the xenomorphs are, how vicious and merciless. For a long time now the gameplay for xenos has been entirely focused on the facehuggers, when they have plenty of other tools at their disposal to get rid of marines. This is a suggestion that I've been mulling over ever since the CQC update and this is probably the simplest solution for a wide range of issues and frustrations.

Marines already get hurt a lot by facehuggers. Not only is an instant-death kind of tool like this a toxic thing for a competitive game, it really takes a lot of the skill out when you have absolutely no recourse whatsoever to being instantly double-hugged. This type of gameplay makes the game no fun for anyone. Couple it with superfast cooldown pounces or spits and it gets even more frustrating.

Details (Description of how you think this would work, the benefits, etc): I think that xenos have enough tackles and disarms that even a 0.5 second delay should be acceptable for them once they get used to having to do it; most of the time people are downed for far longer than that anyway. This would still make 1v1 xenos impossible to fight, but it's that tiny window of opportunity for people to actually react that is a needed part of the game.


Implementation (Optional, if you have an idea how to implement it): A pretty simple rewrite of the facehugger code

[Whistle]

Death to hugger combat, I am strongly in favour with attempts to negate its... dulling, salt inducing effects.

+1 from a xeno.

[Karmac]

+1

I expect at least 3 pages of +1's only for Joshuu to show up, write in "No" and lock the thread.

[Sarah_U.]

+1, it generally allows for hugger traps (Which is grand, since huggers should be able to work independantly) and still allows for both teams to have a chance at it.

I'm anti-CC as a whole, and this update would be far more reliable for both sides. People can adapt, we've seen it with the sprites and many other things.

[Feweh]

Carriers shoulsnt suffer the delay, its their whole point is to throw huggers.

However, dropping xenos shohld have the .5 delay

[Renomaki]

What about helmets, though? Will there be a delay in removing them as well? A lot of xenos tend to aim for the head, since otherwise slashing marines is not an easy process as of current, and a headslash against a marine is the fastest way to down them compared to any other limb (unless you are a rav, where you hurt no matter where you aim).

Also, crit marines are often very difficult to infect due to the higher chance of death when dragging them back to a nest.

If this update where to come in, I'd be seeing more marine deaths than infections, with only stragglers from a battle being infected, which oftentimes is very few. But that is just me.

[Surrealistik]

-1. Combathugging is still cancer, and still a complete violation of lore. It needs to be replaced entirely, not merely weakened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXkSCqvL0ko&feature=youtu.be&t=296

[Casany]

-1. Combathugging is still cancer, and still a complete violation of lore. It needs to be replaced entirely, not merely weakened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXkSCqvL0ko&feature=youtu.be&t=296

So your saying it should either be removed or stay the EXACT same. Why can't we make it better for the time being?

+1

[Surrealistik]

So your saying it should either be removed or stay the EXACT same. Why can't we make it better for the time being?

+1

Because removing combat huggers is (apparently) imminent, and I'd rather dev focus be put on that removal rather than an interim half measure which may delay it between the effort diverted or worse, the idea that this inadequate fix is 'good enough'.

[outordinary]

They are sentient beings, I see no reason why they should have a "delay" to bouncing up on a face. If anything they need a change so people can't walk up to them and stab them.

-1

[Jakers457]

They are sentient beings, I see no reason why they should have a "delay" to bouncing up on a face. If anything they need a change so people can't walk up to them and stab them.

-1

Huggers aren't sentient?

[Ghostboy1217]

Huggers are living things that can sense when a potential host is near whether they are sentient or not I am not sure, but I do think that the hugger battles are kind of bs it would be good to see a nerf sooo.
+1

[Bigchilly]

+1 anything to counter hugger combat.
EDIT: Nuetral, wait till incoming hugger changes happen, if they ever happen

[Damarik]

+1

I support this from both sides of the game, actually.

As a Marine, Hugger Combat is just too strong as it is. Especially with one Xeno holding two. You get pounced and rekt in about 2.5 seconds, and drug away before you can do anything to fight back.

As a Xeno, it makes sense that Huggers wouldn't have as quick a reaction time when they're being carried. They feel safe. There's no hurry to infect because something safe placed them on the host. The only time a Hugger should be primed and ready to insta-hug is when the Carrier starts flinging them around like a poop-chucking monkey.

If anything they need a change so people can't walk up to them and stab them.

However, I also agree with this. In every instance of a Hugger in danger or near a host without hive backup, we've seen they can move like fuckin' greased lightning. They pounce and hug. It's what they do. Huggers shouldn't be used just as bullet fodder, nor should they get rekt by a simple knifing. I'd say institute an Acid Spray directed at anyone who knifes them. Not fatal, but enough to do damage, with a 2% chance of hitting the eyes and causing the eye-damage fog.

[Stingray]

Doesn't sound too bad of a nerf, double hugging is certainly one of the most annoying aspects of fighting the aliens - the marine can't defend themselves against it once they're pounced, whether my opinion is from salt or not who knows.

Maybe a different option is to induce a slowdown to the aliens when holding their huggers? If they're using their "hands" to carry them, it would make sense for it to slow them down, since they can't use all of their limbs as effectively without risking crushing the hugger.

[Snypehunter007]

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=7075#p122569

Locking.