Thoughts on possible gameplay for Marine
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You start the game as an unsuspecting grunt (or grunts if you play multiplayer) who wakes from hypersleep just to find his ship in some serious mess. You try and gather as many survivors as you can and head for the dropship. Once there you launch onto the planet nearby, an old Wayland Yutani outpost, that you soon find has been overrun with aliens. Throughout your long wait for reinforcements, you will have to survive while rendering the facility as operational as you can again.
Sample missions:
· Find survivors: The bread and butter of the USCM. This mission is always active even if it is not the primary objective. Simply find living human civilian and soldiers. Be wary though, some may hide a chestburster and not even know it.
· Evac: Sometimes “finding” the survivors just isn’t enough. In this mission you must get as many survivors as you can back to a safe spot, all the while fending off attackers. It helps that sometimes survivors know how to use a gun.
· Get this place back online: An adventuring mission. You must leave your bunker in order to go deep into the installation to repair or activate a needed system. Sometimes it’s a secondary objective (“reactivate the light to help you navigate”) other times it’s crucial (“reactivate the air pumps”)
· Block the invasion: Aliens are always threatening to bring down your barricades, and sometimes they succede! In those occasion its up to you and what soldiers you have to kill em all. This might lead to another “Find survivors” mission.
· Killer amongst us: A predator is picking your crew one by one. Hurry up and stop him it!
· Retrieve usefull data: What has really transpired here? To find out you must go to those infested labs and retrieve the data disks from the computers. A great way to develop the story!
Stats and stat modification:
The marine has four stats that can be augmented through level up. Whenever you start a new character (at the beginning of the game or in VS matches) you will be given 20 points to spend on those stats. You must at least have a score of 1 in each stat.
Each level gives you one extra point to spend on any of those stats. The maximum for each stat is 30. In VS matches, since there is no experience, you can pre-set the level, and thus the number of points, each player will have to generate his or her character.
Here are the four stats for Marine:
· Strength: each point adds one space to your equipement. Ideal if you wanna carry heavyweapons. Also affects damage in close combat.
· Guts: each point adds 5 points to your health. Also, this affects your leadership, meaning the people around you (AI marines or armed colonists) will be more efficient.
· Initiative: each point makes you run, climb, change clip, change weapon a little faster. It also reduces the time needed to wield a door, hack a terminal, or heal yourself (or a comrade). In addition, it adds to your close combat defensive dodge. Best stat for field hackers and medics.
· Weaponskill: each point adds a little to your weapons damage. This bonus only applies to your initial “aimed” shot though, it won’t stack if you fire an automatic weapon in continous stream. It also diminishes kick back and inaccuraccy due to running. Makes good snipers.
Marine weapons
As a marine, you find most of your weapons in areas of the game. The more experimental the weapon the more hidden the area usually. There are e few indications under each weapon’s description. Here’s what they stand for.
Clip: Number of shots inside a range reapon. When they run out, you’ve got to change clips (and waste precious seconds)
Encumberance: the number of “spaces” the object takes in your equipement. Remember, the more Strenght you have, the more space you have.
Alternate: the secondary use of the weapon that can be activate using the R button (item button) while the proper function is equipped.
Combat knife: Your last resort weapon, good for cutting through the preds net or loosening the aliens grip without too much splash, but not much else.
Encumberance: 1
Pipe: When all else fails, a broken pipe can be used to keep your ennemies at bay. Longer reach than the knife but less damaging.
Encumberance: 3
Tazer pole: Sends electrical pulses to your opponents in close combat. Has the same range as the pipe but does more damage. It uses a little percentage of your battery power. No acid splash.
Clip: a small amount of battery power Encumberance: 2
Pistol: Slow, short ranged, not very powerful, but it is your only mean of defense while climbing ladders or carriyng stuff.
clip: 24 small caliber rounds encumberance: 1
Raider pistols: Christie''s double pistols. Less damaging but faster rof. Also, since they refract, they dont take up any encumberance.
clip: 16 small caliber rounds in all encumberance: 0
Shotgun: Packs a whallop at close range but very slow rof. Kicks your ennemy back (good for avoiding headbites). Watch out for acid splash!
clip: 12 shells encumberance: 2
Assault shotgun: a faster version of the shotgun.
clip: 20 shells encumberance: 3
Smuggler shotgun: The twin barreled shotgun from AR. you usually wont find it in one piece. Faster and more powerful than the shotgun, but lacks ammo.
Clip: 8 shells encumberance: 2
M41-A Pulse Rifle: Good old PR. Good at most everything including damage, rof, encumberance and ammo capacity. Plus, you can access the secondary fire via the item button. Normally, this is a grenade launcher, but you will occasionnaly find M41-Bs or M41-Cs which carry flame-throwers and shotguns.
Clip: 95 rounds encumberance: 3 Alternate: M41-A: grenade launcher (4 grenades), M41-B: shotgun (8 shells), M41-C: Flame Thrower (40 napalm compound).
Lacrima-99: Experimental gun, not yet mass produced. The company mercenaries have access to it though, as it seems it was specifically tailored to take out preds (yeah right). The primary fire is your standard machine gun, a bit more powerful than the M41-A, but a bit slower. The secondary fire however is an electrical pulse that temporarily stuns targets and causes a slight distortion in the predator''s cloak.
Clip: 60 rounds Encumberance: 3 Alternate: pressing R will fire an electro-pulse. Doing so uses up a bit of your battery power.
Flame Thrower: Bug killing fun. Causes progressive damage once the target is on fire but it wont make a good defensive weapon. Covers a large area though. You can access the secondary fire via the item button. The secondary fire only sprays fuel, which can then be set on fire (as sort of a trap)
Clip: 100 napalm compound Encumberance: 2 Alternate: napalm spray(uses up napalm compound anyway)
Draco double burner: An experimental flame thrower used primarily by the company''s troopers. Longer range than the other flamer and the alternate fire is a machine gun that has some stopping power (better defensive weapon).
Clip: 100 napalm compound Encumberance: 4 Alternate: Machine gun (80 ammo)
Grenade launcher: Fires three different grenade types (switch using the Item button). The grenades are: Incendiary (swallows the place in flames, ideal for aliens) Frag (smaller explosion, but more damage, for preds) and proximity (blows up when someone walks within range) Has great power but you can also damage yourself.
Clip: 8 grenades Encumberance: 3 Alternate: switch ammo
M42 sniper rifle: Definetely NOT a defensive weapon. Since this is a 2D game, you can''t really snipe. Here is how it''s done: When you press and hold the item (R) button, a crosshair appears on screen. You can move the crosshair with your D-pad until it reaches its target. Then press the B button to send the bullet flying. If your crosshair is on target, it will connect with deadly force. In addition, you dont have to limit your sniping to what you see on screen as your screen will follow your crosshair instead of your character for the time you hold R.
Clip: 30 High caliber rounds Encumberance: 3 Note: Item button automatically set to AIM function as soon as weapon is equipped.
Rail Gun: An even more powerful version of the sniper rifle, slower and more ressource consuming however. The closest the marine can get to a "one-shot-kill" weapon. For the bigger foes.
Clip: 10 slugs + some battery power Encumberance: 5 Note: Item button automatically set to AIM function as soon as weapon is equipped.
Laser Rifle: A large rifle that shoots a stream of concentrated light in a continuous beam. Damage depends on how long you maintain the beam on your target. It''s continuous stream is ideal for swiping an entire area. It relies on battery power, so an Ion-folding battery (see next article) is a godsend with this weapon.
Clip: lots of battery power. encumberance: 4
Smartgun: An incredibly destructive weapon with two firing modes. One fires in a standard fashion, the other is an autotargeting version of the sniper rifle''s aiming principle. It only locks on one ennemy though, so it might not be a good Idea to use that mode of fire against large groups. Very heavy.
Clip: 300 high caliber rounds Encumberance: 5 alternate: switch between firing modes.
Chaingun: Old Painless. Shoots a stream of bullets so intense it pulverises anything that spends more than half a second in its path. You can''t walk while shooting it though and changing aim requires (like with all weapons) that you release the fire button. Which is a disadvantage since it takes about a second to wind up again.
Clip: 500 rounds (takes ten seconds to burn through that) Encumberance: 5
Rocket Launcher: Shoots rockets plain and simple. Blows up very large areas, so dont be in them.
Clip: 3 rockets Encumberance: 5
Special marine weaponsPower loader arm: Easily the most powerful close combat weapon available to the marine, it can only be used while piloting the powerloader. A single hit can send a whole horde of aliens flying back. For thougher ennemies, it can also grab crush them.
Encumberance: only weapon useable while in PowerLoader. Alternate: Pressing R, the loader will attempt to grab a single ennemy and crush it (delivering massive damage). If you successfully grab an ennemy, you can''t attack any other!
Marine Items
here''s a list of the various items you''ll come across as a marine. Those include Items used with the item button, secondary weapons, and equipable items.
Items to be used with the item button:
Rations: Taste awfull, but full o vitamins :)
uses: restores 10 health every time one is taken.
Encumberance: 1/5
Stimpack: A basic mean of restoring your health, restores a low percentage.
Uses: restores 50 health everytime one is taken
Encumberance: 1
Medkit: A complete medical kit that can be used over and over and lets you give some health to your fellow marines by pressing the L button at the same time as the R button (and standing next to one of your fellas of course). Be weary though that the healing process requires your full attention and you will have to stop healing if you are to fend off attackers. It requires a small amount of energy in order to work properly.
Uses: restores 5 health per second ( time reduced by Initiative), can be used on allies. Requires a small amount of battery power.
Encumberance: 2
Complete Medpack: the field medic''s primary tool! It features a whole backpack of the futuristic intruments of medicine. It heals a lot and requires the same battery power as the normal Medkit.
uses: restores 10 health per second (time reduced by Initiative), can be used on allies requires a small amoun of battery power.
Encumberance: 3
Flares: Contrary to the PC avp games, those are actually used to leave a trail rather than light your way. They can also confuse the pred''s autotracking.
Uses: Dropped on the way or thrown.
Encumberance: 1/3
Hacking tool: Get access to electronically locked doors with this. You need to find override programs in order to access the more highly incripted locks.
uses: hack-a-lock or any electronical panel (hacking time reduce by Initiative). Key item.
Encuberance: 1
Wiedling torch: Allows you to seal doors or unseal them (when they were previously sealed) in order to slow ennemies down. It can also be used in specific locations to uncover a secret passage. It gobbles up a certain amount of battery power.
uses: Sealing and unsealing, opening some passageways (wielding time reduced by initiative). Uses battery power. Key item.
Encumberance: 1
Infrared eyepiece: Allows you to see through dimly lit areas while eating up a little of your battery. Also, you can detect weak segments in the walls.
uses: see in the dark, use a small amount of battery power, key item.
Encumberance: 0
Booster: A cocktail of physical-boosting drugs that accelerate your metabolism for a little while.
Uses: doubles your speed for a short while everytime one is used.
Encumberance: 0
Harness: Hang one of the cords on one of the ledges to drop safely onto the ground below. Watch out for hostiles though.
uses: allows you to fall long distances safely, allowing you to reach previously unreachable locations. Key item.
Encumberance: 2
Grappling gun: As seen in Alien 1. This thing fires a wire that lets you cross gaps, but only if you have a harness to sustain you.
uses: cross great distances with harness, allowing you to reach previously unreachable locations. Key item
Encumberance: 1
Keycards: Opens those otherwise un-unlockable doors.
uses: key item
Encumberance: 0
Power pack: allows you to restor power in key areas of the game.
uses: key item
Encumberance: 2
Toolkit: Notice how all that is mecanical or electrical seems to fail in the alien universe? well this little kit is there to ensure you can fix it.
uses: Same as the hacking kit, except it repairs things (time reduced by Initiative)key item
Encumberance: 2
Secondary weapons
All alternate fires on primary weapons are secondary weapons (see above article), in addition there are :
Hand grenades: they detonate after two seconds or upon impacting a living being. Their distance is affected by your character''s Strenght.
Encumberance:1/8
Incendiary grenades: same as above except their explosion is much wider and leaves a flaming trail. But they are weaker on armored foes.
Encumberance: 1/8
Sentry gun: Deployable turrets that fire only in the direction they are aimed. However, I''d like to see an alien pass through THAT storm of bullets! still, they are better at taking down one ennemy at a time. Be sure to keep them supplied with ammo!
Clip: 500 High-caliber rounds Encumberance: 4
Explosives: for the pyromaniac in all of us. Press and hold R to arm the devices. Then press L to place one or many of them. then release R to denotate. Can also bring down weak walls.
Encumberance: 1
Equipable Items
Those items don’t take up any space in your arsenal since they are design to fit snuggly on your body. Some have limitations to them being activated.
Flak jacket (armor): Better protection than your standard military suit, but just slightly. Reduces damage by 10%. Note that you can only wear one armor at a time
Marine Armor (armor): Offers some great protection all around. Reduces damage by 30% (reduces acid damge by 55%). Note that you can only wear one armor at a time
Space suit (armor): A large an cumbersome suit that slows you down and doesnt block physical damage. It doesnt look very efficient but in fact it protects you from most environemental hazards (fire, acid, gaz). Note that you can only wear one armor at a time
"Bear" suit (armor): Top of its class in the protection department, the Bear suit (used by the corporate mercenaries) is a combination of body armor and Hazmat suit. It offers 35% damage reduction and 90% environmental damage reduction. It slows you down a little though. Note that you can only wear one armor at a time
Shoulder lamp: you need to find that as soon as possible If you are to go down in alien infested territory. Doesnt use any battery power and is activated automatically when reaching a dark area when equiped.
Battery pack: A small battery that can produce quite large amounts of energy. You have this as soon as you start the game but beware, it’s power is easily depleted. You’ll need to find power entries in order to recharge it.
Motion tracker: The marine''s best friend, it indicates the position of moving ennemies all around you. Beware though, Aliens tend to stay immobile until they ambush you. You cannot equip a heavy weapon (4 or 5 encumbrance) at the same time as a motion tracker.
Ion Folding Battery: This is the battery they have in AvP2, replaces your current battery It’s a battery that slowly feeds on the surrounding oxygen’s electrons by circulating a pack of Ions through a hyper-conductor. Thus it recharges constantly (albeit a bit slowly) making it great for any energy consumming marine or the energizer bunny. It will recharge more efficiently if you take it to a power entry though.
[Thoughts: Gameplay][Thoughts: Predator][Thoughts: Alien][Discuss in Forums]
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