MoonsaultSlayer
Member
WHOOOOOAAA! Almost seems to good to be true. Would make for an immensely better game.
Starhawk (Closed) Beta Testing thread of impressions and questions.
- Thread starter params7
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Man-is-Obsolete
Member
I know I am trying to temper my excitement, but that was literally my two concerns I pointed out to him and that was his response. Not a lot of grey area, but....must....remain....calm.
Wow. I haven't been able to get into Starhawk like I was in Warhawk. This would be a MAJOR step in the right direction!
weekend_warrior
Banned
Wow, props to you Man-is-Obsolete. Would you mind reposting the video? I don't think I've seen it yet.
And on the topic of Dylan Jobe, he'll be on LIVE Today Thursday January 26th at 9PM EST, 8PM CT, 7PM MT, 6PM PST on Starhawk radio to talk about the beta and the future plans.
Watch it here-
http://starhawkradio.com/blogs/2012/01/24/dylan-jobe-strikes-again
Man-is-Obsolete
Member
Lol the video isn't much, and I am sure critics watching will think I took to long because I saved my resources at the beginning to run out to the left area of the map on Acid Sea. And I didn't do X, Y, and Z. My initial plan there was to build a pod beacon a jeep and a jet pack to mobilize and go grab the flag. Then a starhawk comes and wrecks havoc so I try to build a bunker to get weapons.
Keep in mind I feel I am a above average player to good player and the rest of my team is just building in the spawn offering no help. So the video I think, regardless of whether or not you feel I wasted time building one thing and not the other, shows how time consuming setting up a forward spawn by yourself or even with others can be and how under armed a player can be when doing so since a hawk can swoop in and just destroy everything you did.
So with out further ado.
http://youtu.be/So40SmhYJLs
Have you tried it lately? It's almost the exact same flying model as Warhawk.
These are the small sized maps and they're bigger than the small sized maps in Warhawk.
Have you been into your settings and selected 'Classic Warhawk Arcade Flight mode' ?
Does that really make a difference?
When we played they warhawk beta the maps were bigger no?
They do wan't us to a tleast enjoy the game I would hope.
Yes
Man-is-Obsolete
Member
Some others may be able to fill in more details from the Live Chat with Dylan Jobe, but I did gather a few great details from it.
EDIT: Maybe the OP and Title needs to be updated to show that this is now talking about the public beta and also to mention the new changes made and the ones to come. Because these are game changing things that may bring back those that abandoned the game.
- Skill system will be a flat skill system. Meaning every skill requires the same amout of skill points, which are earned by simply leveling up. So at the beginning you may get a skill point for the first 3 levels you rank up. Then those 3 points could be used to buy any skill.
- However, every skill will require a task to be completed as well. Example given would be that the Engineer Skill would be requried you to repair 10 (temp. number) ally structures and perhaps vehicles.
- Higher health, more damage dealing, and faster health regen are not skills. Instead for instance the engineer skill would allow you to spawn in game with a repair tool. Skills will be more along those lines.
- Knifing is getting a makeover, will now be R3 swipes the knife back and forth like in Warhawk. I assume this means you can hold down R3 possibly to swing the knife like in Warhawk. No more lunging.
- When very close to the enemy and with a single press of R3 you will perform a takedown with all new animations. Dylan said he saw the animator working on a take down and it looked awesome. Think of this as a stealth attack almost. Again no more lunging.
- There will be pre-built base structures with resources in them to improve the overall pace of the game. See I wasn't crazy! lol. B&B will still be important to expand upon this.
- Not sure if it was mentioned what would be done outside of the home base. For instance do the areas that look like natural forward spawn locations, you know the ones with some basis of structure already, have weapons or more?
EDIT: Maybe the OP and Title needs to be updated to show that this is now talking about the public beta and also to mention the new changes made and the ones to come. Because these are game changing things that may bring back those that abandoned the game.
Sound like good improvements.
For the overall game design maybe not that important, but fuck OHK knifes. I don't understand why they are always so ridiculous powerful. Make them like quake 3 with the saw where you they do 1/3rd damage and they can still be applied useful, but just a single hit for a kill is so cheap.
When they have a long animation time associated with them I can see some trade-off and am not that disgusted by it, but the ability to just chain kill a group by tapping the button a few times is weak.
For the overall game design maybe not that important, but fuck OHK knifes. I don't understand why they are always so ridiculous powerful. Make them like quake 3 with the saw where you they do 1/3rd damage and they can still be applied useful, but just a single hit for a kill is so cheap.
When they have a long animation time associated with them I can see some trade-off and am not that disgusted by it, but the ability to just chain kill a group by tapping the button a few times is weak.
Is this game meant to feel so shitty?
So much wasted potential. What is it with Sony first parties, they never seem to be able to nail the feel of shooters (outside Killzone 3 and Resistance 1).
This game had so much potential, but I can already bet that the one major thing they need to fix, they wont. The game just feels.....wrong.
So much wasted potential. What is it with Sony first parties, they never seem to be able to nail the feel of shooters (outside Killzone 3 and Resistance 1).
This game had so much potential, but I can already bet that the one major thing they need to fix, they wont. The game just feels.....wrong.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
Sounds like this one is not for you, and thank God because we've got enough of that shit out there already.
MoonsaultSlayer
Member
I do hope vehicles are part of the pre-built package. It's a home base, why the hell aren't there vehicles around yet? Otherwise, why limit us to one side of the map if there's no resources for us to acquire? Some sacred honor pact between both sides?
Been having fun though. Would be the best MP game if these things get included. Home base = vehicles and weapons pre loaded. Further advancements require spawning walls, turrets, spawning zones and more vehicles etc. Would be such an amazing game.
Been having fun though. Would be the best MP game if these things get included. Home base = vehicles and weapons pre loaded. Further advancements require spawning walls, turrets, spawning zones and more vehicles etc. Would be such an amazing game.
weekend_warrior
Banned
.
The flying model is probably the same. I think the framerate and the input lag are not. All this post processing is probably taking it's toll. I can't get over the muddy feeling as well.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
Here goes. . .
Starhawk BETA Primer
Before you spawn you can choose where on the map you want to be dropped, you can use the left stick to finagle it so you spawn well out of the range of your rift spawn location. As your pod is rocketing to the planet press the stick in the direction you want to head.
You can get an Incoming kill bonus if you drop your pod on an enemy on foot, in a hawk, or in a jeep. Even in a jetpack if youre that damn good.
You pop out of the pod with a machine gun and three grenades. Not much of a change, but a fighting chance if you choose. Machine gun loses accuracy crazy fast. As it is in Aliens, fire with short controlled bursts to maintain accuracy best.
X jumps
Hold down R2 to sprint
R1 fires the equipped weapon, L1 lobs grenades.
R3 is the melee attack which is presently one hit, one kill. This can be used on hawks if you land on top of them and stab the pilot or against a non-moving jeep passengers.
Three grenades and some machine gun fire is enough to stop a jeep or a Hawk if need be.
Weapons found on the Map:
Weapons on the map are spread out on the map on what look like futuristic manhole covers. On the maps you will find:
- Repair Tool near both faction bases. The repair tool can be used to fix your Build & Battle (B&B) structures and vehicles, or damage enemy structures and vehicles.
On the space map it is to the left of the rift energy generator on the other side of the map, run under the little bridge and you will find it there. On the Acid Sea it is on the right side of the dirt road closest to the actual sea, if you pass the two rift energy (RE) barrels to your right, you have gone past it.
- Land Mines. Land Mines currently always spawn near the Outcast side of the map and they look like a bundle of dynamite.
On the acid sea they are on the protrusion with the ladder leading up on the Outcast base in the dead center of the map. On the Space map the mines can be found to the left of the top of the ramp leading to the center, on the right if youre approaching from the Rifter base.
- Ammo Packs, these look like metal rectangles. They contain limited ammo for all weapons (except repair tool, I need to confirm this) and one grenade. There are several of these strewn about both maps and theyre seemingly useless if you have no good weapons.
Weapons in the B&B Supply Bunker:
- Shotgun
- Rocket Launcher (x4), dumb fire with R1, hold down L1 to aim and lock on to jetpacks or hawks.
- Grenades (x1 per respawn within the bunker IIRC)
Vehicles
There are three vehicles in the beta which are obtained from the various pads / garages. Each vehicle cost TWO RE to spawn. You do not need to spawn a new pad/garage to obtain a new vehicle! Every B&B structure has a small yellow access panel. For vehicles you approach this, press SQUARE and a vehicle will spawn for you.
ABSOLUTELY DO NOT HOLD DOWN SQUARE WHEN SPAWNING A VEHICLE! This will reclaim the bunker and send the rift energy (I dont believe its 1:1) back to the person who spawned it. Holding down square is screwing your teammates.
When you spawn a vehicle pad / garage the first vehicle comes free. If you spawn a Jetpack pad, make sure you run up and grab your jetpack before somebody else or it will then cost you TWO RE to obtain a jetpack. Hawks and jeeps just sit there until you use them.
- Jeep, this is a three seater. Driver, Passenger, and gunner. The passenger can fire whichever normal weapon they have equipped drive by style, or use the repair tool on the jeep while driving.
Controls: R2 gas, L2 brake, press both and you E Brake for tight turns. L3 is the horn. You can hold down X and use the left stick to change seats in the jeep while youre still in it.
- Hawk, one pilot no passenger. Be careful - unlike warhawk you are exposed here and in mech form you can be knifed by jetpack users or head shot by a sniper.
Mech Controls: X jumps, O transforms. R3 or L3 is the mech stomp to squish humans under foot. L1 dumb fires weapon pickups, and R1 is machine gun.
Flight Controls: R3 is chaff to get rid of missiles or mines attached to you. Chaff regenerates over time. L2 is brake, R2 is thrust when held down, double tap R2 to boost or double tap and hold to boost until you run out of boost. I believe you can still E Brake in a hawk by pressing both brake and thrust. All modes IIRC have canned missile scrubbing by pressing the left stick in a direction and pressing X, this can be changed in the options.
L1 fires weapon pickups, and R1 fires machine gun.
Jetpack - Jump and hold R2 to fly. Feather R2 to float around. holding down L1 to aim while hovering will lock you into position until you deplete the energy or get your shot. Pressing X while flying will boost you vertical and deploy chaff to lose a missile / rocket launch. Pressing O will boost you down and deploy chaff to lose a missile / rocket launch.
Your team starts with nothing at the start of the game. You will need to gather RE by waiting for dole like a 99%er at the rift generator, or you can be a Starhawk 1%er and mine RE by shooting the green barrels on the map.
The space map has 24 barrels, the Acid Sea has 16 barrels. Mining RE allows you to build fortifications faster for your team.
The six crucial structures for a forward base are:
- Pod Beacon so your team mates can spawn there. This will also spew RE.
- Vehicle pad (I prefer jetpack or Hawk for greater mobility).
- Supply Bunker
- Sentry Guns x3 on top of the Supply Bunker. You can mount these on top of the supply bunker for defense of the bunker against attacks. Its better to put them there as foot soldiers have limited options of approach against them.
It is better to repair a structure than to lose it and need to farm the RE required to spawn it again. Always have a repair tool handy!
Spawn forward! Defend your base and structures. Be mindful of the 32 B&B limit (e.g. on space map you only need three walls in a linked triangle to protect the flag).
Be aware of what is around you when you spawn! You do not need redundant structures in an area. See what is NOT there and build it.
Destroy the enemy structures. Always be destroying the enemy structures. Damn your KDR, get in there and blow their shit up! Do not let these godless sons of whores have anything they can use against you! Prioritize your attack. Take down their vehicle pads first, in order of priority:
- Hawk Pad
- Jetpack Pad
- Garage
Then take down their automated artillery! Beam cannons and Sentry Guns CAN be damaged by a machine gun. Do not forget this. You can take them out at a distance and approach safely. Sentry guns on the ground near you can be one hit killed with a melee attack (R3). Sentry guns can also be shot in the red dot in the front between the guns with a sniper rifle for a one shot kill.
Once youve crippled their vehicles and automated defenses, take out their supply bunkers and sniper towers. Never stop kicking your enemies in the balls and teeth! </ePatton>
weekend_warrior
Banned
Been playing most of the day in the GAF server, and damn the game feels good right now. The jetpack nerf worked good, the air combat feels good, everything feels balanced finally.
Patapwn
Member
Anyone?
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
This shit keeps freezing my PS3. :/
The Take Out Bandit
Member
With the jetpack I wish they would remove the safe landings. It's a waste of energy with the current jetpack model. Also if you do not fully deplete / run the energy into the red it should recharge a bit more quickly than if you bottom it out.
I'm thinking in terms of how hovering mechanics used to work in Armored Core. Careful boost and feathering to maintain flight, but if you bottom out you're screwed until your generator kicks back in.
Too many flyers tonight.
Trying to dogfight and suddenly there are three planes on my ass. Well then I'm not getting in the air.
I hope in the server options they allow you to just filter certain control types. Sorry n00bOgaf, not a fan of Ace Combat "flight" and its retard fans.
I'm thinking in terms of how hovering mechanics used to work in Armored Core. Careful boost and feathering to maintain flight, but if you bottom out you're screwed until your generator kicks back in.
Too many flyers tonight.
Trying to dogfight and suddenly there are three planes on my ass. Well then I'm not getting in the air.
I hope in the server options they allow you to just filter certain control types. Sorry n00bOgaf, not a fan of Ace Combat "flight" and its retard fans.
JerzeyDevil
Banned
"failure to connect"
And damn, they need to cut the re-charge time down for the rocket pack, or atleast lower the cost to 1 rift point. Thing got nerfed to the point of almost being useless.
And damn, they need to cut the re-charge time down for the rocket pack, or atleast lower the cost to 1 rift point. Thing got nerfed to the point of almost being useless.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
As opposed to being a complete menace previously?
If they'd balance it as I suggest above, it should be fine with the current limitations. Penalizing players across the board when you're not even red lining is a bit silly.
Thanks, it really helped. Ending up winning and coming top with only 3 deaths (two were accidental suicides aswell). Didn't know about the repair tool, it's really useful!
What's the best way to get through the laser shield? Once they go up, I notice an immediate slowing down in the pace of the game.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
Suicide run is the only option I have found. Granted, I've got zero self preservation skill in the game, so you could fare better if they only have a shield; but no beam/sentry set up. Generally I get in and start getting torn to ribbons by the auto guns, but take the shield down with my dying breath.
Get in under the shield, and three grenades IIRC will take it down. Take a rocket launcher just in case. The shield generator is the tall skinny thing - aim for that.
Glad I'm finally helping.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
It was a bit more scary in Warhawk. You couldn't fly into it with aircraft.
Just take it down as soon as you see it go up. Find a safe approach.
You can size up the base, if all the guns are forward - approach from the rear.
Make sure you come at it with a vehicle, just beware as your hawk/jeep will be a target if they have a beam turret up. It you have a hawk or jetpack you can try getting into their bunker and using their weapons to take out their installations.
It's useful to know that they cannot shoot at you or damage their own bunkers if you're in it. So they NEED to come in after you through the door or from the roof.
Something I like to do is take over an enemy forward position and leave the bunker standing. This way if they attack your pod beacon and try to attack you they can't deal any damage without coming in after you.
Plus it's one less item they can build on the map.
Man-is-Obsolete
Member
I think the laser towers need a nerf. Either their effective range needs a nerf or the damage dealing needs a nerf. That or limit the number of Laser towers and auto turrets that can be built to like 5 of each for each team. 5 is an arbitrary number but may be what is needed.
Though 5 laser towers at the home base could still pose an issue, but if a team can only build 5 then 1 or 2 would definitely get built somewhere else as well.
Though 5 laser towers at the home base could still pose an issue, but if a team can only build 5 then 1 or 2 would definitely get built somewhere else as well.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
Beam Turrets have been massively toned down through the course of the beta, both in firing range and damage dealt.
They are not a massive problem if your team isn't a bunch of cowards. :\
On the contrary, I just find this beta amazing, hardly anything to complain about (after the last patch that is).
I loved Warhawk, and while it did take me a few matches to get the hang of it....well...let's just say that I love Starhawk.
Its fluid, its fast, and there is always a chance for a comeback.
For those complaining about slow resources, sorry but that's bullshit, it takes no time to gather resources, I mean, the barrels are pretty fucking noticeable. What do you want? "SHOOT FOR MONEY" neon signs with a big ass arrow pointing at them? c'mon.
I'm not a great flyer, so its jeeps and jetpacks for me.
Space is pretty fun, depending on how my team is playing I sometimes play as a sniper, spawning northeast of the base on top of one of the highest buildings on the map. High visibility, gives me great access to many of the barrels, once I get enough resources I get a turret to cover my back and a jetpack pad. Once I get enough I fly down and push the spawn points forward. Pretty fun map.
As for Acid, well, jeeps are just too OP for this map. Great accuracy from long range, very small cooldown, great protection, and great/fast escape route. What I hate about Acid is that if you fall off the cliffs, there is a small path around, you think you MIGHT be able to go back up, but nooooo.... :C
Ha ha, I too have fell from the cliffs many times to then be relieved when I land on a ledge, to then be frustrated that there is no route back up atall! as you say, you would think there would be just one route up even if you have to walk a way to get to it
It's the third-person shooting mechanics that get me. The encounters feel incredibly awkward.
No?
Metalmurphy
Member
It doesn't.
Dr.Palutena
Member
I'm really loving the game, especially after learning the importace of Rift Barrels. Though this is really a team game to the point its amazing even if you have one other guy who understands what needs to be done for a specific map and utterly annoying if you dont.
I must say that I'm absolutely loving using the hawks in this game. Air combat feels great, using L2 to do slow fly-bys feels like a much more balanced substitute to hover mode and mech mode has finally started to click with me. It's now my go to vehicle, as it should be.
@MuseManMike I know what you mean about the awkward shooting. It's really hard to place your finger on what it is that feels off.
Getting a kill with the assault rifle feels more like luck than skill; you never have a good sense of exactly how much damage you're doing to the enemy and how much more you have to do to kill them. How much of that is due to the overly strong bloom, I'm not sure, but that definitely doesn't help.
Grenades feel good but I haven't used them enough to say if there's anything wrong with them. Mines blend too easily into the environment; unless you're looking for them, you probably won't know they're there until they kill you. Snipers feel fantastic right now, I don't want anything about them to change.
Edit: a couple of other minor nuisances. There's a small window during the mech -> tranfer animation where the controls don't register. It's led me to crash into buildings and other structures more than a few times.
There's also some inconsistency in the direction that BnB structures spawn. Weapon fortresses spawn towards you and hawks spawn away from you.
@MuseManMike I know what you mean about the awkward shooting. It's really hard to place your finger on what it is that feels off.
Getting a kill with the assault rifle feels more like luck than skill; you never have a good sense of exactly how much damage you're doing to the enemy and how much more you have to do to kill them. How much of that is due to the overly strong bloom, I'm not sure, but that definitely doesn't help.
Grenades feel good but I haven't used them enough to say if there's anything wrong with them. Mines blend too easily into the environment; unless you're looking for them, you probably won't know they're there until they kill you. Snipers feel fantastic right now, I don't want anything about them to change.
Edit: a couple of other minor nuisances. There's a small window during the mech -> tranfer animation where the controls don't register. It's led me to crash into buildings and other structures more than a few times.
There's also some inconsistency in the direction that BnB structures spawn. Weapon fortresses spawn towards you and hawks spawn away from you.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
Been thinking more about how they could add a combat roll / dodge move to the game to help cut down on some of the razorback deaths.
While running press X. So R2 + X = Combat Roll.
I'm just sick of getting run over by the razorbacks crazy ass hitbox. That thing is the vanilla Sagat of Starhawk vehicles. >:|
While running press X. So R2 + X = Combat Roll.
I'm just sick of getting run over by the razorbacks crazy ass hitbox. That thing is the vanilla Sagat of Starhawk vehicles. >:|
The Take Out Bandit
Member
Two small maps: Acid Sea and Space.
Pai Pai Master
Banned
Loving this. My friends and I still play Warhawk from time to time. We took turns playing around in the beta and once we started to figure it out it became immensely satisfying. Love the building mechanic and the new hawk.
Any chance the framerate will get better before launch? I'm currently okay with it in single player for the most part but I would hope that splitscreen would run as good.
Any chance the framerate will get better before launch? I'm currently okay with it in single player for the most part but I would hope that splitscreen would run as good.