So a few things that I observed that I think are worth bringing up.
There should be some kind of soft protection against accidently shoving your fellow teammates off roofs and down a Z level. I don’t think anyone has done it on purpose, but I can definitely envision issues where new players are accidently shoving people off of roofs when they’re reduced to smaller pathways. So maybe having a system that prevents it wouldn’t be bad.
I read the part you wrote about Multi-Z sniping and hardpoints (“…or setting up sniper nests in the FOB for multi-layer defense stacking”). I think rather than mechanically discouraging marines from setting up fields of fire from higher Z levels, it might be a good idea to focus on teamwork aspects to counter it. If a location is setup as a hardpoint, there could be some good counterplay in the Queen organizing a multi-level push to assure you don’t leave the team up there providing fire support or organizing large scale flanks that use their climbing ability to the advantage.
I know during the tests there was a concern about players being unable to tell when they were being flanked from above. Maybe having a system that tells you that you can hear light, medium or heavy footsteps about you would be interesting. Could create some very soul moments where you mistake a marine for a drone while also providing some decent warning for the players below without having to have someone use the look up verb constantly.
Agree, the game can be a bit too pushy and chaotic at times. The punishment for that usually is just getting interrupted when you’re trying to splint, not an instant roof toss. I’m for this, will add it to the doc.
Multi-Z is actually meant to encourage this, it just becomes a problem when used defensively in places like FOB. Areas like the large clearing south of LZ1 on Solaris having an additional vantage to shoot from made assaulting from that direction very very difficult for Xenomorphs. Otherwise It’s fine I think.
I do prefer visual indicators where possible, but audio indicators might also be good if it doesn’t pan out. Good idea.
Is there a possibility of like, deployable or makeshift bridges across rooftops, maybe functioning similar to the tents already in game?
And way less relevant, how would the space outside say the Almayer work? (Or does it just insta delete you now? Can’t remember) Obviously very rarely used outside of events, but would you like, fall off level 2 hull and land and break your leg on level 1 space?
with the introduction of stuff like VTOL and (hopefully one day) dropship rework, are there plans to give xenomorphs more direct aerial counterplay? obviously the big joke is flying xeno strains/castes, is something like that a possibility? i can’t imagine ‘runner pounces at dropship’ is the most reliable source of counter, and something like boiler simply lacks to mobility or range to reliably hit a fast moving airship.
Yes, most likely in the form of ambush castes physically leaping onto and attacking aircraft, as well as ranged castes being able to target aircraft. For the dropship, in hover it won’t be moving in a way that makes it difficult to target, and while they vtol can, it’s not exactly the easiest thing to fly, and it will also require landing directly on the ground. I don’t anticipate that xenos will have a difficult time directly countering the vtol in a way that suits the impact it has on the game.
I remember they tested a end-game mechanic for xenos during the good old self destruction days years ago where the xenos make a Mega Boiler that starts shooting up at USS Almayer after the 3 hour mark to wreck the marines shipside support, eventually starving groundside marines of all supplies and assistance, which was a funny and amazing concept in my opinion.
Have it automatically bound towards something if people dont have it bound towards something.
Needing to remind people via admin announcements that " you can look up, go bound it please (this is a critical feature that makes the maps fun, interactive and playable who have it) " is silly. It’s akin to having spacebar not be the automatic action key, and needing it to be bound manually.
Something like Shift + F would be good.
Just my two cents, Multi-Z is awesome but needs more people onboard/knowing how to use key features about it.
With multiZ its very nice when you have the high ground. You can always look z levels below, you have 100% control. But from below its hard to know if above can see you or if there is a openings. If you dont know the map i find myself spam clicking look above, if i cant, nothing happend. So i have to move one tile, look up. Does not work, move one more tile and look up and etc until i actually can look up.
If you are above you never ever have that issue because you can always see the tiles below. I kinda wish there was a button. Look up always when possible as a auto feature and you can see it toggled on.
Had 1 happen to me literally just a day ago. We were shooting xenos from the top floor and one guy pushed me off the walkway directly into the warm embrace of a sentinel.
