Availability 2010

[Fix]

I'm really starting to only use the auto shotgun with every class now... its devastating long range... head shot can be 1 shot kill from across the map, and they're ain't much more satisfying than taking out those pesky snipers with a shotgun longer range than they just killed you.

I agree we need to stick in 3 or 2's much more and if they are more than 4 of us we need to even the squads out as amazingly we managed to get on the same team pretty much all night which was fantastic.

[Chainsaws]

How about we try a move and cover style where we move into position and cover the surroundings then one or two move up and start covering the front as the rest move up to the new position then repeat. If we have enough players I think we should have two medics and two anti-tank(engy or other with c4). One assault is enough as ammo doesn't run out in the time it takes them to respawn.

[Aggamemnon]

We were already doing this towards the end of last nights rounds.

Especially so on atacama, when I was pinning guys with fire near A, then shouting the direction/building at you lot, when I ducked in, you finished em up.

[Fix]

Online tonight and tomorrow night!

Got AvP 2010 ready to roll.
BC2 updated, ready to roll
TUT ready to roll

YEAAA!

[Nuttah]

I will be on, however I may be half an hour to an hour late.

[Machine]

Cracking games last night, I seemed better for my absense! Very much enjoyed the new BC2 maps.

Are we getting BC2:Vietnam or waiting a while to see if it drops in price?

[Fix]

I'm gonna leave it a while, I think the price will stay around the same mark. There has been no talk of a 'special price' with the £10 so I think it could only get lower.

[Aggamemnon]

Good to go at a tenner for me.
The soundtrack alone is prob worth that.

[Fix]

If everyone goes for it, I'll get it sooner rather than later.

I'm online tonight btw

[Chainsaws]

I'm in no rush to grab it yet. I don't think there's a special price for pre-order so it will probably be a tenner for a while.

[Fix]

Make sure ya'll got AvP on for next gaming night - we had a few on last night and it was quality gaming... even just plain 'ol DM was good with 4-5 of us. 16+ servers were wank though, no strategy, just a massacre!

[Aggamemnon]

If we can get everyone who has it on, we can start to open up the team modes more.

Personally I really like the predator hunt one, infestation is nice, and I think with like 5-8 players it would be awesome, but hard for the last guy to survive.

Team DM, and Domination on the bigger maps would work.

Survival is fucking hardcore, and a really nice game mode for 2-4 players.

The campaigns are good, not sure how short they are but definitely worth a play through at least once.

[Machine]

Sorry I couldn't join you on AvP last night, I was downloading it since my bandwidth cap resets on the 6th of each month, but they don't check till 1am each morning, effectively meaning I have punishment free downloads on the 5th of every month!

Anyway, I have it now so might be on tonight, might not, Thursday is more likely.

[Fix]

Alright! I'm online tonight - up for anything really.

[Chainsaws]

AvP was a real blast last night! My first time as predator was a bit mediocre since I hadn't done the tutorial and couldn't work out how to focus and so I couldn't jump anywhere but I don't think I've killed anyone yet as any class and not found it satisfying. My only gripe at the moment would be that the predator drools over his grab kills too long :/

I'm definitely up for some more AvP tonight.

[Fix]

Good shiz - I think I got off on the wrong foot with the hunter mode, so maybe we can start on that. Also the Infestation mode was particularly good, so up for more of that. If there are 4 of us, the we'll so some survivor too.

[Chainsaws]

Yeah, not fussed what mode we do really, only had a go at species deathmatch and a quick blast on infestation so far.

[Aggamemnon]

We did species team deathmatch, the only problem is the shit setup for games, as we are forced to have at least one of each which meant we couldn't do 3v3's.

Other than that, really good games. Surprised how tactical a fight between 4 players can be, especially so with the aliens/preds.
Got some really nice kills with the shotgun, found way to actually defend against the aliens eating my face which was nice. Didn't last long once Lem and Niko started flanking though.

Be good to get like 10 of us on.

Predator hunt I think is better with like 4-6 people where the predator actually get's to stalk different players, instead of all the marines hunting for him.
Same with infestation really, with 8 players a lot of time is spent with marines actually hunting down the lone alien, and once it does turn nasty, it's hard for one guy to survive 7 aliens gunning down on him.

Wish the game had better setup options and loaded faster but other than that really enjoying it.

[Machine]

If I see you in steam i'll join but I might not be up to much talking and might randomly dissappear tonight.

[Fix]

The main issue is load - wtf, single player loads pretty instantly so I'm not sure what the issue is here.

Second is re-starting the rounds. When the round ends there should be a restart round option, although this wouldn't be that bad if the loading times where better.

Maps is another issue - there isn't enough!

[Chainsaws]

It's the sort of game that would thrive with user added content but probably doesn't have any modding/mapping possibility at all.

I can see how 8 player infestation would be annoying for the alien but a lone predator would have no problem picking off marines.

[Fix]

Good ones last night - Species team DM is a good one.

I'm not sure how long AvP will last as one of our played titles as there aren't that many maps, but the ones there are good ones. Game modes keep it alive too. There are also some big inconsistencies with hand to hand combat, although its a nice-to-have in the game as it give you (as an alien or pred) at least another option or chance of taking someone down - but it generally comes down to 'who blocked first' or who can get the charged hit in first.

The inconsistencies I talk of are; as a marine, melee doesn't always make aliens stumble, yet sometimes it does - it might be a timing thing I don't know but this causes me a major gripe - not every fight should be the same, but the marines should have a margin of hope somewhere like if a melee attack is blocked by them, a counter attack should always make the enemy stumble. Between Aliens and Preds its slightly different as both can block each others light attacks forever, but it comes down to what I said earlier - who can get in that charged attack or who blocks first.

The best or rather, the most successful class is of course, aliens - because;

1. They heal themselves. Quite quickly to boot.
2. They can see through walls, albeit not that far, but its further than any marine or pred can.
3. They're fast.
4. They can climb on anything.
5. They can insta-kill from behind
6. They move almost silently.
7. They can hide in the dark.

The only downside I see is that they're weak so in a killzone, your dead meat, but think of how fast you get back into the action compared to a marine or pred. You could spawn the other side of the map and be back in less than 10 seconds to wipe out any stragglers.

The most satisfying class, is Predator. Specifically spear kills, they are some of the best I've ever seen. Disc kills are quite fantastic once done right. Shoulder cannon is total hax, and so are mines, but I guess they had to put in some other tools for the pred to use.

Marine class is simple, run and gun. Its nice to be one of two marines against preds and aliens as you feel as though your at a disadvantage, but your not, well, you are, but only from behind. Meet an alien or pred head on and you're ready to fire - the ball is pretty much in your court if you can aim or keep track of the enemy, with only speed being a problem.

I'll be honest, I'm not big on the Predator hunt mode, because the pred simply isn't strong or stealthy enough. Even cloaked a sharp marine can shoot in the head area and get a kill. Your only hope is to catch a marine on his own and even then you need to get behind them because if they've got a shotty, your fucking screwed - first shot your stumbling on the floor, next shot your dead :/

Anyway, I'm sure there is lots more fun to be had on this so lets just enjoy what we've got!

[Machine]

Sorry I had to dash, game seems ok, didn't really get into it that much and hardly got to be anything other than a marine. Should be on properly Thursday for AvP or BC2

[Chainsaws]

Yeah, I'm on board with Fix there. If I were told I could only make one balance change to the game it would be to make Preds take a lot more firepower to kill. I can see why the aliens don't take many shots to make it fair for marines but the preds really feel like the weakest class. Even when invisible it's still easy to guess where they are on a lot of maps thanks to the motion trackers, if it's near a pillar they're probably on it etc. Pred vs Alien is fine though, it just doesn't feel right to pop the buggers down with a couple of bursts from the rifle.

I think the issue with the melee is that Lem and Niko have mastered it and there's a MASSIVE wall when playing against someone who can do it right when you can't. I think what wasn't being explained to me (and causing me frustration) was that I wasn't falling over for light attacking a block too many times but that they were blocking and immediately countering which stumbles me. Often I knock a player over and before I can finish them they get back up and pull a finishing move on me yet when I get knocked over it's all over because I'm dead before I get any control back over my character. What I think they really missed a trick on is when an alien or pred is on their back they should still have a chance to block in some way.

Apart from the obvious frustration last night I can see myself enjoying the game for a while and the single player certainly looks good but I don't know it will become a classic. There are a few too many niggles that will probably drive us all away from full time play before too long. I'll be happy to keep it on for those times we feel like a blast on it though!

[Aggamemnon]

We did explain it. Numerous times, with different analogies each time.

It comes down to rock, paper, scissors.
Block, Light Attack, Heavy Attack.
A B C whatever.

Block stops Light attack.
Light attack beats heavy attack.
Heavy attack beats block

2 examples for you.

Pred players comes in with a light attack, Alien blocks.
Pred stumbles (not falls) and the alien follows with heavy attack.
If pred blocks, he loses. If Pred quickly light attacks, he beats out the heavy attack (probably won't kill only having hit once so follow up).

Alien comes rushing in with a targeted attack.
It knocks the guy over and he goes for a light attack twice.
Pred player jams hold of block, prob takes the first hit, but will block the second, alien stumbles and attempts to heavy attack but the pred keeps light attacking, pred wins.


I have a feeling marine doesn't always get a stumble on aliens, because it really depends entirely on the aliens attack type.
Marines can't block heavy attacks, so if an alien opens with this, you are not gonna stop them.
Regardless, if you melee an alien, they will always stop for a second, if you have the shotgun or a nade ready you can give it to them and either kill or knock them over.
Blocking will make them stumble, but let's face it, just melee them and shoot, if you have the right gun you win, if not your dead.