Let me start by saying I really enjoy this game as-is, an unpolished gem, and I mean that lovingly. While it has its fair share of frustrations, glitches, and logic flaws, it remains infinitely repayable. Perhaps on that understanding alone, there’s little appetite to make much in the way of changes. But still, I’d like to give my two scents worth. I’m under no delusions. I know it’s just wishful thinking to expect any changes as a result of this message, this is more for prosperity and to see what others make of it.
I think the biggest failing of PHG is in providing a game first and foremost at the expense of providing an authentic Predator experience. Consider the amazing Alien Isolation- it succeeded by feeling like an Alien film. Predator Hunting Grounds is presently a decent shooter dressed as a Predator game, but it takes more to invoke a film than just dressing your characters to fit. I believe the following suggestions go a long way in creating the mood of the first two films, while also offering some tweaks to balance.
On reading you’d maybe be tempted to feel I’ve tilted the table too far in favor of the titular monster, but I hope most would agree the following Fireteam changes offer a counter balance. In the end, this should be an experience like the movies- mortal men against a near unstoppable monster. Most games should end with heavy losses, and actually killing a Predator (rather than simply surviving long enough to escape) should feel like a real accomplishment…
For whatever it’s worth, I play both predator and FT, I have no vested interest in making one side overpowered against the other. I’m not angry, over precious or toxic, I’m just looking for a consistent experience.
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Remove the Predator med kits and boars. They’re too slow and leave the Predator too vulnerable. All too often a dying Predator will find itself tracked from one side of the map to the other with no chance to patch-up. On the subject, please allow a sprinting Predator to push aside loitering Fireteam members. Let’s keep this real, no Predator should find themselves wedged between a wheely chair and an FT member.
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The Predator can’t be killed till the last Fireteam objective has been completed. This way, you get a longer game and a more filmic experience. Instead, whenever a predator would otherwise lose the rest of its health and need a health kit, it would simply turn invisible, leap skyward, and vanish from the game. The Predator player would then sit through an extended Predator healing animation, allowing the Fireteam ample time to progress on their mission. This will add breathing space to the action, as when the Predator randomly respawns back on the map, they need to begin their hunt from scratch. Each time the Predator respawns in this way should have a detriment to their total health, stamina, and melee damage. After the final mission has been completed, the kid gloves are off, and the Predator will be killed on its next defeat. This will also incentivize players to target missions rather than hunting the hunter, which feels very wrong.
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The Predator explosion is too easy to avoid. I’d suggest cutting the usual gameplay mechanics at the point the Predator detonates its bomb. Instead, give each player a mini-QuickTime challenge, inputting random and increasingly fast buttons in a desperate attempt to rush through the jungle, avoiding rocks, roots, vines, and enemy gunfire.
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Increase Predator melee damage by at least 25% across the board. There’s no way anyone should still be standing after two swings of a spear, sword, or overhead club swipe. Without a sense of realism, you totally lose the filmic atmosphere, and it becomes just a computer game. Before any FT fans get angry, I have a balance for this further down.
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The Predator loadout influences experience. If a player is prepared to ditch all their weapons, including their mask (which should be optional along with the plasma caster), and go at a Fireteam with just claws, they should be earning much more XP than someone who struts in with their one-hit-kill battle axe and plasma caster. Same for taking less perks.
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Allow the Predator more gear and perks, but at a huge cost to experience earnt from the game.
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When the Fireteam has exhausted their reinforcements and are reduced to their last soldier, the Predator should automatically discard its mask and weaponry, entering the final battle with its claws and wits alone. Filmic, dramatic, and offers the FT a fighting chance.
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Make it easier for the Predator to ‘hear’ the Fireteam. Again, just a steer towards realism. Most people in a jungle environment would easily place the direction of gunfire, yet I spend a huge amount of time trying to ‘spot’ these noises. I recommend sounds show on the overhead compass bar, as they do in Fortnight. Size should come into it, but actively listening shouldn’t be such a hardship.
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Predators should be able to auto-lock fully scanned targets. This would be true of both the bow and plasma caster, not the disc. Also, speed up projectile times, it’s way too easy to avoid these attacks at range. To counter this, auto-lock should drain the power bar faster.
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A cloaked Predator should be able to move crouched while remaining invisible. Otherwise, it’s so slow there’s no use in even having the option to crouch and move. This would allow a Predator to at least make some small ground on a highly alert Fireteam while remaining hidden- save for the rustle of leaves and a flock of tell-tale birds.
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The Predator should be able to instantly Stealth Kill FT. The circumstances for this to ever come up are close to non-existent, so a cunning predator should be rewarded for getting into such a position.
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Fireteam members trapped in nets or traps should also allow the Predator the opportunity to one-hit-kill in melee. Again, this relies on the Predator acting very fast, because these traps only take a few moments to escape from, less with help from a friend.
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Being able to come back as a reinforcement should be a perk. It shouldn’t be a given. And, under no circumstances should this bring Bots into the game. If the players have left the game, there’s no reinforcements coming. Simple as that. Reinforcements should also arrive randomly by captor at one of the usual starting spaces, they shouldn’t spawn out of thin air. Again, let’s keep it real. On that subject, not being able to walk or run through, shoot past, or hack around the surprisingly resistant helicopter evacuation ropes is very infuriating.
Now the Fireteam…
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Whenever the Predator kills a Fireteam member, as when the Predator is wounded, they should vanish skyward. For the Predator player, they would see an animation of cleaning a skull or otherwise celebrating their kill, lasting about 60 to 90 seconds. Likewise, the Fireteam get a breather to focus on their objectives. This also introduces more of the ebb-and-flow pace of a film, as when the Predator randomly respawns on the map, they need to begin their hunt from scratch again.
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The knife should be a desperate measure. Period. Reduce the damage, take away the parry-stun mechanic. The knife needs to be a last resort, not the go-to weapon of choice for players trying to shaft the Predator raw.
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Give the players the option of a shotgun or machete for a secondary weapon. Pistols are pointless. Increase the shotgun damage by 25% but reduce the effective range. This gives a player options. The machete would act much the same as the present-day knife in terms of damage and with the parry-stun, but shuld require a huge chunk of stamina to swing it. This should be a two-handed beast of a weapon, like Dutch’s in the film, something physically able to parry a Predator attack. Also, parrying the Predator should stun the FT performing the move, at best rendering the combat a draw, it should not give the Fireteam advantage in a one vs one situation. The parry-stun should be used to fend off a Predator till help can arrive to bail you out, or while you’re making an escape. When creating a loadout, players would need to consider carefully, do they take a secondary weapon that deals huge amounts of damage, or one that might keep them alive for longer? Decisions, decisions…
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Increase all firearm damage when in close range. By close, I mean at a range whereby the Predator could launch a melee attack. This will stop Predators simply spamming their improved melee combat.
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Remove the spotting mechanic. FT don’t need it, it’s easy enough to spot a moving Predator already. At least give the Predator some element of stealth. FT already have equipment that renders invisibility moot. There’s nothing scary about always knowing where the Predator is.
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When the Fireteam has exhausted their reinforcements and are reduced to their last soldier, the last FT should have the option of abandoning the mission to escape. However, being the last soldier should also mean the Predator is likewise killable.
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The ability to diffuse a Predator’s bomb should be a perk unlocked at a high level. Without it, your only option should be to run like hell. Diffusing the bomb should also be a difficult QuickTime event type game, and much harder than running. If some players have opted to run but another player is attempting to diffuse the bomb and makes a mistake, all remaining FT are killed in the blast. It’s a big gamble and should be treated as such, with a high XP reward.
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If the Predator is killed and 3 to 4 Fireteam are still alive, the Predator doesn’t have the option to detonate its bomb. It simply dies a failure.
And finally, a few minor suggestions…
- Predator melee weapons need better tracking.
- When FT members run out of stamina it should cost take them 3 seconds of being stationary to recover it, or else it stays empty.
- For the love of god, the Predator should not find their progress impeded by ankle high obstacles. Rubble, logs, rocks- what the actual hell? the Predator is this agile and unstoppable thing, how is this even a thing?
Anyway, that’s it. In closing, the Predator should be a force to reckon with. Any Fireteam’s first and foremost response to a Predator attack should be fear and a drive to survive. The Predator will attack and either make a kill or retreat to heal, giving the remaining FTs a sufficient chance to progress with their objectives. No more Predators spamming melee, or frustrated by ranged weapons that never hit. No more FTs switching to their knives for cheap kills or feeling constantly harassed while trying to get their missions finished. I personally, as an FT player, have never minded getting taken down by a Predator. It feels right and I personally like the survival-horror vibe. As FT I like feeling the odds are against me, and they should be. As the predator, I shouldn’t be feeling like I’m not the biggest threat on the map. It shouldn’t be a totally balanced game, but I believe the pauses between Predator attacks would give the game a better pace and allow the FTs a chance to do their thing. That’s it. Thanks for reading.