I have already seen two big posts on this forum, where a lot of new things were proposed in the balance and equipment of the predator and people. My post will be less about numbers and more about functional things.
Controllability
The most important thing in the game is convenient control. To date, the Predator has quite a few problems (getting stuck in the environment, ping-pong from branches and walls, jumping incorrectly along his trajectory), which significantly spoil the gameplay experience and cause annoyance.
Trajectory
First, the visually displayed trajectory must be fully synchronized with the real leap trajectory. If the trajectory shows that the predator will jump to the marked place, it should jump to there, and not land twice as close. If the trajectory indicates that the predator is jumping onto the roof of the depot, the predator should jump onto that roof rather than face-first into the wall.
Secondly, during the game, situations constantly occur when, after a leap, in the air, a predator hits its head on a branch and falls, or touches a tree trunk, tower, other obstacle and bounces like a ping-pong ball in an unexpected direction. To prevent this, the visual trajectory must take into account the size of the predator and its full-length flight with its arms raised above its head, and warn the player of a future collision.
If there is such an obstacle in the path of the leap, then the visual trajectory should be interrupted at the point of collision and show a warning frame. This will give the player the necessary feedback that his leap will be interrupted by contact with the environment, and allow the player to adjust the trajectory of the leap.
Such a visual warning is very useful, including on the Headquarters map, where there are high cliffs that the predator cannot jump on. Currently there are no warnings other than a trajectory not appearing and camera jerking when the leap key is pressed.
Alternatively, the shape of the visual trajectory can be changed to a rectangular corridor.
Autoparkour
One of the problems in controlling a predator is how it stops walking when it hits an obstacle in the form of a low rocky ledge that is knee high, or a railing around a building, or a log, or a bush, or a small ledge of the landscape.
Let the predator automatically jump/climb such small obstacles without slowing down.
Vertical jumps
Sometimes, usually at the most inopportune moment, during the leaps, the predator suddenly flies vertically upwards. This happens when he touches some low bush, stone, tree root, rocky ledge or fence in front of him. These annoying unguided vertical jumps can be partly corrected with an updated visual trajectory that will show that there is an obstacle in front of the predator, and auto-parkour that will allow you to climb obstacles before the leap.
But there is an easier solution, which is to let the predator fly through these low obstacles. For example, turn off for a fraction of a second the physical model of a low obstacle in front of the legs of a predator, as soon as he received the command to leap, or something like that. In my opinion, this will be a more practical and friendly option for players.
Handling around obstacles
A door frame can be a predator’s worst enemy. Even hitting it with its shoulder, the predator will firmly bury itself in it and stand still, forgetting in sad thoughts under the bullets of the fire team. Then he will clumsily turn 90 degrees away from the wall to step to the side, and then another 90 degrees back to finally go through the door. And God forbid that he touched the second jamb!
Similarly, the predator behaves with the rest of the environment. Even contact with the cave wall at a 30 degree angle slows it down and stops it. I’ve tested the marine and he keeps walking at a 45 degree angle to the object. At a sharper angle, he doesn’t even stop sprinting.
The solution to this problem is improved handling around obstacles. The predator should be more slippery around the environment and slide along it. The contact shouldn’t slow down its movement and rotation around the axis so much.
Jumping off branches
Add jumping from branches by pressing the usual small jump (Spacebar). The leap wastes stamina, and double-clicking the crouch is extremely inconvenient, long and leads to shaking the predator on the branch.
In general, it is strange that such a logical possibility was not added initially.
Rock climbing
Similar to tree climbing, you can add rock climbing. This would be very useful on the Headquarters map, where now a predator that climbs trees and sheer skyscrapers has to go around a waterfall and some hills for a long time to find a place to jump.
It is entirely possible for a Predator to leap onto the top half of a cliff and climb to the top using the same animation as on a tree.
Changing weapons while leaping
The Predator itself slowly changes weapons. In addition to this, leaping from the branches to the marine, he has to spend a lot of time to get a close-range weapon. Which makes the controls artificially limited and clumsy.
Let the Predator change weapons and gear mid-air, as well as how he can activate heat vision and stealth. This will make character control more lively and comfortable.
Locking in buildings
The fact that a predator can still be locked in buildings, corners, scaffolding remains absurd and outright game exploit. Try to stop a 200 kg motorcycle or a 350 kg tiger. I would look at you!
At a minimum, a predator should push away people who have blocked its passage. It would also be fun if a predator on a sprint knocked the marines off their feet or unbalanced for a short time.
Broken aiming
This item fits more into the category of a bug or a broken game mechanic. This has already been reported here on the forum, but I want to re-draw attention.
When attacking FT members with long-range weapons (bow, spear, plasma), projectiles fly to the left of the aiming point. This doesn’t happen with AI or objects, only with players.
Informing
Spotting
When marines spot a Predator without being seen themselves, or spot it from a distance, Predator players get confused and wonder: “What kind of cheating is that?” In this regard, I would like to propose the following thing.
When a marine spots a predator, the predator will see a red eye icon above that marine’s head (or an eye with an arrow pointing in the direction when marking off-screen). This will give the predator information on which side they are being seen, by whom, and how many Marines (if several of them are spotted). However, this mechanic will force the fireteam to use this ability more carefully. For example, if you are a sniper sitting in ambush and don’t want to give out your position.
Cloak
When I first started playing PHG, it was always difficult for me to determine in heat vision whether a predator remained under cloak or not. To be honest, even now in the heat of battle, I have to turn off heat vision to see this, or navigate only by sound. The fact is that the light blue stripes along the edges of the screen and the hexagonal grid above the radar completely fall out of sight during the gameplay. Attention is focused on the center of the screen and the figure of the predator, respectively, you are looking for information about the cloak on the figure of the predator, and not on the edge of the screen.
The predator model in heat mode should get a visual representation of the cloak on it. For example, at the moment when we turn on heat vision, while a predator is cloaked, we can notice a visual effect on it in the form of running waves for a second. You can leave this effect permanent. I think it will look quite good and informative.
Buffs
The game has a lot of buffs, both perks and specializations. Such as increasing ranged damage, increasing melee damage after uncloaking or after hitting in the back, increasing stamina, reducing damage taken on trees, etc. But in the course of the gameplay, there is no information when certain buffs begin to take effect, how long they last, when the effect ends, and whether they work at all.
As in many other games, information about active buffs and debuffs is displayed on the interface using icons. Under the health bar, there is enough space to place such icons. For example, a melee damage buff can be displayed with the familiar image of wrist blades, a long-range one with arrows, speed/stamina with a timer, and the like.
Stamina
As a rule, in games, the effect of fatigue and low stamina is shown by dimming or blurring the screen. It increases as fatigue increases and weakens when the stamina bar is replenished. The PHG has recently introduced a dark spot effect, however it only appears briefly when the leap key is pressed.
My suggestion is to make this visual effect long-term. For this effect to be on the screen while the low level of stamina is not enough for the leap. When the scale of stamina is restored sufficiently, the effect will gradually disappear.
Minimap
A lot of people have already written about the problems of the round mini-map, and I will repeat this too. The contours of the buildings should become more contrast and distinct on it, the icons of pigs should be lighter and larger. The range needs to be increased as now I can literally stand on the boar icon on the scoreboard map, but on the minimap it’s still out of range.
So far, this is a rather useless UI element, good only to collect arrows and a disk (the only ones clearly displayed) and find the pig when it is very close.
Second wind
In addition to difficulties in navigating due to a too dark filter on night maps, which I wrote about earlier, and the ability to block a helpless predator in the buildings, in the second wind mode it is not clear whether the predator is being pursued or not. Is it necessary to run away from the fire group or not worth wasting time on this.
It would be nice to add a marker showing the pursuit of a predator. There may be an icon showing the presence of marines in dangerous nearness. Or even which side they are from, and how far away they are.
“Downed” status
The scoreboard for the predator lacks the status “Downed”. Sometimes it’s hard to tell how many marines are still on their feet. Often you put down the whole squad thinking that one of them is still alive. And that he will revive the squad or be able to go on the radio. In such cases, you don’t want to end the match so quickly.
The new status will allow the player to better see the state of the fireteam.
Balance
Axe
The ax received a noticeable boost and became dynamic, but from the perspective of the fireteam, it became overly powerful, capable of laying down in two blows. His standard attacks look reasonable, but his strong alt attacks has two problems: with a hit zone and an ultimate combo with a quick strike. Regarding the latter, you can slightly increase the delay after a strong attack, so that the predator doesn’t make a quick attack after that so instantly.
About the hit zone. The ax currently deals 100 damage across the entire area of effect, no matter how far the marine ran. Even dodging a hit and running over the predator’s shoulder, the player still receives 100 damage. It shouldn’t be.
The principle of dealing damage with a strong attack from behind the head should be changed so that the damage decreases towards the edges of the affected area. Let the ax have a main area with 100hp damage. From it to the edge, the damage will go in descending order up to 50hp.
Thus, dodging and running over the shoulder of a predator, the player will receive 50-60 damage. It will be fair to the predator as well, since sometimes it is not easy to hit a nimble marine, and it will be fair to the marine, rewarding him for dodging.
Hook
The hook definitely needs fixing for its third instant hit. He, just as physically cannot be so fast, logically looks like a piece of animation is missing there.
And in general, the balance of speed and damage raises questions. Let, for example, it be a fast weapon, but not with such high damage to put down a marine in 2 seconds.
Сlub
The war club suffers from poor sticking to enemies, two weak first hits and a slow third one. Currently, this weapon can only work on beginners who don’t try to dodge.
The club should do better sticking to enemies, increase the damage of the first two hits a little, and maybe reduce the delay a little to the third one.
Katana
The katana is well balanced in the hands of the Ghost Samurai. However, when I gave the katana to the Fervent Hunter, I spent quite a lot of time pocking the marines, and the weapon was rapidly reducing my stamina.
I think the katana should slightly increase the damage of quick strikes and reduce the stamina consumption.
Net gun
I wish the net would nail the marines to the walls and the ground more often, like in the movies.
Disk
Along with the improved disk controllability, there was some imbalance. It still deals 100 damage at any speed, which, coupled with the controllability, made it a two-hit weapon.
The essence of the proposal is to reduce the standard damage to 50-60, and leave 100 in the fast mode. Thus, we will get a slow mode with less damage, where it is easier to hit the target, and a fast mode with more damage. This will encourage players to use the disc with more dexterity, to turn on the boost at the right moment to do more damage. This will add balance and make the disc more varied.
I don’t know what was the reason for making three discs, but I’m in favor of having only one disc by default, like originally, and like it was in the movies. A player with three discs can easily lay down the entire team without leaving the spot. It was so until he became sensitive to ping and poorly controled.
Three discs can be moved to the Large Pouch perk, which increases the amount of gears. However, they should receive a debuff in the form of reduced durability up to 75%. Either you have one solid disk, or three brittle ones.
Another issue with the disc is that maybe after Isabelle DLC it seems to be too sensitive to ping. I usually have a 40-120 ping and the disc is constantly teleporting and twitching while flying, making it hard to control.
The third problem is the disk getting stuck in the air. It constantly gets stuck near objects or in the middle of a doorway.
And my favorite - the disk is stuck in the middle of nothing!
Traps
Sometimes traps fall incorrectly, crookedly, creating an oblique or vertical trap zone. I would like to be able to pick up these back.
Fire launcher
Today, the wrist fire launcher is gear more for some fun than use. It can’t even mark a marine for a heat marker.
My suggestion is to increase the burning time by 1.5-2 times. So that small long-term damage was inflicted and the marine could be seen on the thermal marker.
Berserker class
The Berserker is severely lacking in health. Although the numbers show that the Viking and the Berserker have the same amount of health, in fact, in the gameplay it is felt that the Viking has 1.5 more of it. To be honest, playing as a Viking, I don’t feel his slow speed, which should feel lower than Berserker’s.
Berserker feels like a slow Hunter. HP drops as fast as the Hunter, but he is also too slow to quickly hide and run. Even the Scout feels more tanky due to its high speed than the tank class itself.
Berserker should get more health. Not as much as Viking, at least something in between Viking and what we have now.
Classes in general
In general, I would like the approach to gameplay for the three main classes to be significantly different. As well as the tactics of the fireteam in the fight against different classes. Now the variety for a predator depends only on the type of weapon. And Scout handles better with all types. Even heavy weapons (hammer and ax), which are supposedly intended for tank classes, work better in the hands of a Scout simply because he catches up with the target faster.
I contributed an idea that could get lost in the comments of this forum. Its essence is to reconsider the stamina consumption for melee attacks of the Scout and Berserker. Heavy weapons will take more stamina from the Scout and less from the Berserker. The logic here is: let’s give a two-handed 6 kg battle ax to an Olympic runner and powerlifter, and then see who swings the most. I’m betting on a powerlifter.
However, in PHG everything is exactly the opposite! The scout does 9 strong ax attacks and 7 strong hammer attacks, 34 quick ax attacks and 25 quick hammer attacks. Berserker makes 6 strong ax attacks and 4 strong hammer attacks, 21 quick ax attacks and 16 quick hammer attacks. It turns out that our runner wins the race, and lifts a barbell of 300 kg, while the strong man cannot run, and pulls only 200 kg from his last strength.
Yes, I know about the different percentage of melee damage. But Scout’s 900-5%=855 is still more than Berserker’s 600+10%=660. I took strong ax attacks. The advantage on the side of the Scout is significant, and in the same way it can be felt in the gameplay without any numbers.
Let the stamina be spent for movement as it’s now, everything is logical here - the Scout runs and jumps more, because he is light, and it’s more difficult for the Berserker, because he is heavy. But melee should work exactly the opposite - the Scout quickly gets tired with heavy weapons, while for the Berserker this is his native element.
As a result, Scout doesn’t lose much from such a change. His tactic, just like now, is to jump, hit and quickly run away until he loses his health. The Berserker, on the other hand, gains stamina for sustained melee combat and for escaping afterward.
“Ghost” Specialization
As far as I understand, the purpose of this specialization was one precise attack from cloak. In fact, a player can simply spam the cloak button in a fight, receiving an unlimited buff by as much as 30%. Because of what this specialization is now overpowered.
The Ghost effect should get a cooldown of 10-14 seconds, after which it will work again. So the buff will become what it should be. With the help of the buff icons, which I wrote about above, it will be possible to visualize the cooldown for it.
New weapons
Whip
A whip can be a wide range weapon like a combi stick. The Predator spins it around him, hitting marines behind his back and sides, and makes several moves to attack the area in front of him.
During his alternate attack, he launches the whip in a straight line in front of him, making a long-range strike. Also, an alternative attack can take a second form, where the whip wraps around some marine in the distance, and the predator pulls him to himself. It can work like this: single press of an alternative attack - the predator makes a direct long-range snap with a whip; holding an alternate attack - the whip wraps around the target and pulls it, dealing low damage.
Shuriken
I don’t agree with the leaks that shuriken is just a smart disk variant. Shuriken works on a completely different principle. It looks more like an unguided boomerang than a disk controlled from afar. I see the shuriken as a mid-range throwable weapon that can have cool unique mechanics as well.
The shuriken can be used for melee strikes, just like the smart disc, by simply pressing the attack button. It can get a new animation of its own.
The shuriken throw will have two options, like a bow shot.
- First: quick throw when we hold aim + attack. The predator throws the shuriken at the aiming point, the shuriken flies 6-8 meters, then soars diagonally upwards, turning around, and returns back to the hand.
I’m not an artist at all, so these are just sketches.
- Second: a strong throw with unique mechanics. We hold aim + hold attack until it charges. (Like a red bow shot.)
For example, we are in a tree and we want to launch a shuriken into the building where the FT guys are hiding. We hold down a strong throw, the predator swings, we release the button, and the predator throws a shuriken at the aiming point.
The shuriken then flies into the building and starts bouncing off the walls and furniture, slicing through the Marines and damaging them. The shuriken does 15-20 bounces and gets stuck like a disc. The FT can break it like a disk, and the predator needs to pick it up before they do.
Shuriken can be an alternative to Plasma Caster for smoking FT out of buildings. Three of these shurikens thrown inside can wreak havoc.
In an open space, in a forest, shuriken can also bounce off walls, objects, rocks, and maybe tree trunks, but it will get stuck in the ground. Including a strong throw can be used to reach the shuriken at a greater distance than with a quick throw. For example, when we are in a tree and see how someone from the FT puts dirt on himself.
To prevent the shuriken from flying away after ricochets to the edge of the map, it will automatically return to the hand when it flew too far from the predator.
Long wrist blades
Wrist blade variant or primary weapon. Due to the size, it should have a large impact zone, but be slightly slower than standard blades.
Two-handed wrist blades
It may be a variant of the wrist blades. Two equipments on each arm. With a new animation of attacks with both hands.
Arm blades
Huge blades that are attached to the side of the arms. Primary weapon for two hands. It can be used for sweeping strikes with a large area of damage in front of a predator.
Dagger
Ritual dagger. Primary weapon. It can move like an elder’s machete. The Predator will cut and thrust while holding the dagger in a reverse grip.
Double plasma cannon
It’s just a stylish thing. Option instead of the standard caster. A charged shot will fire from two cannons with the same damage as a standard caster. Rapid fire will be from each gun in turn.
New gears
Falcon
A falcon with knife from a leaks might be a good option for a smart disc. I think he will look good. But I would like the falcon to be a type of gears and perform the canonical reconnaissance role from the movies and help the predator find the marines.
A falcon can be a cross between a motion detector and target isolation. The predator will launch the falcon, and it will rise up and fly straight to the fireteam. Having reached them, the falcon will circle above them high in the sky, highlighting their silhouettes. Marines can hide under the roof to get out of the scan and line of sight of the falcon, or try to shoot it down. The falcon will return back to the predator when the ability time runs out, or its hull strength, or the predator called him back. The falcon may have a cooldown until its strength is restored. The falcon can be launched a certain number of times, just like other gears.
Hunting dogs
The Predator blows his whistle to activate the hunting dogs. Three dogs spawn outside the camera on the ground and run out from behind him or from nearby bushes. They run towards the squad and attack random marines. The predator can take advantage of the distraction and attack the FT.
Dogs will have HP, FT can kill them. The surviving dogs will run away when the ability time runs out. Summon dogs should also have a cooldown so that the trio can be called after a certain amount of time. You can summon dogs a limited number of times.
Unlike a falcon, dogs will not run towards an undetected enemy. Marines must be visible to the predator. For example, when a predator stands on a branch above the camp in which the marines run, and he calls the dogs. If there are no enemies nearby, for example, a predator whistled at its respawn, dogs will appear and will just walk and sit nearby. When the predator goes into the jungle and encounters the AI, the dogs will attack the AI as soon as it enters their detection zone.
Noose
The Predator takes out a small coil and swings, aiming. We can see the transparent silhouette of the coil, which can be attached to the ceiling, walls above the first floor, branches or alarm towers, as well as its trap area on the ground. After being thrown, the coil is attached to the surface and lowers a thin noose to the ground.
The trap should be fairly inconspicuous. The noose should give out only a barely noticeable gleam, like a cobweb thread. You can apply the effect of partial invisibility to the coil, like a trap, and add the sound of a thread ringing from the wind.
The loop is triggered when a marine enters the zone. The noose binds his legs and pulls him up, hanging him upside down.
A captive marine can cut the thread with a knife to free himself immediately, or shoot the coil to fall, and then cut the thread with knife blows. The coil can be shot, including by partners, in cases where it is installed under a branch, and the marine hung high above the ground to lower a comrade and help cut the noose with knives.
The released marine will take damage from falling from a great height.
With the help of the loop, it will be possible to canonically hang opponents.
Net trap
The same principle as with the noose: we attach a coil, a net unfolds under it, the marine falls into a trap, the net closes and lifts the caught up. The marine can get out by cutting the net (here he will not be able to shoot the coil like with a noose on his own). Or his teammates shoot the coil, dropping the caught on the ground, and cut the net with knives.
Hand noose
It looks like a noose trap, but is released from the wrist device or held by the predator in the hand. Predator aimingly throws a noose around the Marine, tightening his neck, and pulls him to himself. The Marine takes choke damage. Thus, a person can be pulled up to a branch, after being released, he will fall and receive damage. Or recreate the situation from the first film - catch the marine, drag him into the jungle on a sprint, separating him from the rest of the team, and attack there.
Vibro-spike
The Predator extends its left arm, aiming as it does with a fire launcher. It shoots out a large double-edged black spike. The spike pierces the Marine and twists into his body with a whirring sound. The spike continues to buzz and spin for a while, causing bleeding.
Blade launcher
In some films, predators shoot with wrist blades, I think you can implement such an element in the game.
The Predator takes aim with his left hand and fires a blade from his wrist device. I think doing a simple damage hit is boring because we already have arrows. Therefore, let the blades nail the marine to the environment. And he will have to press the action button to pull the blade out of his shoulder, legs, to free himself. If there are no objects nearby, the blade will stick in the body until the Marine pulls it out.
The blade will deal damage on impact and cause bleeding while stuck in a marine.
Laser fence
The purpose of this gear is to restrict the movement of FTs or block the exits of buildings and caves by placing laser walls. In the movies, these lasers cut xenomorphs with ease, but for the game they can be made less lethal.
Touching such a fence will cause the marine to take damage and recoil with a pain sound. He can’t go through that one.
City Hunter’s first aid kit
Aid kit variant. Instead of a syringe, the predator unfolds a plate, pours out a substance that ignites and turns into a blue gel, then cauterizes their wounds.
