Thoughts on the Ant-Lions

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Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

I'm sure I can't be the only one who found the tame Ant-Lions to be one of
the most fun bits of the game and wished that I could call them up later on.
Obviously the problem is that they are too powerful because they are
inexhaustible but this could easily be fixed by using some of the mechanisms
used in HL such as:

1. Treating the ALs as ammo that auto recharges over time like the alien
claw thingy in HL only with a longer recharge time - Every time you chucked
or squeezed the pherobomb it would call up 4 AL and then you'd have to wait
for more "ammo" to become available.

1b. Treating them as ammo but having a one-time fixed number of AL you can
call up so that you would be forced to save them for a special occaion -
"firing" would just bring the current number out there up to 4 assuming that
you had any spare.

2. Having them turn on you if there was nothing else to kill like those hand
grenade bugs in HL.

Also it would be nice and more consistent if the pherobomb worked on the
Ant-lion queens.

One more thing - I have played HLSubstance which has loads of AL queens and
hordes of Vortigaunts hanging around the place from early on so how come not
one of the miserable bastards offered to make me a pherobomb?
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

Yeah, it would have been great if the bug bait worked in a few other
scenerios. Eg. the battle by the generator - bung a few more Combine in
but also let the Ant Lions go in...
Because the bug bait only works in part of the game, it does make that
part feel like a different game. It would have been better to have had
the weapons freely available (once you found them), like the original
HL did. None of the weapons was overpowering there.
But as the OP notes, you'd need to limit the power of the bug bait
significantly for this to work.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 08:39:54 GMT, "Nick Hounsome"
<nh002@nickhounsome.me.uk> wrote:

>Also it would be nice and more consistent if the pherobomb worked on the
>Ant-lion queens.

Why would that be more consistent? The pheromones are designed to act
on ant lions, not the queens that excrete them.
--
Andrew, contact via interpleb.blogspot.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
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Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"Andrew" <spamtrap@localhost.> wrote in message
news:4qnev0t6433c6o8k8660gigvphh83d2pjc@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 08:39:54 GMT, "Nick Hounsome"
> <nh002@nickhounsome.me.uk> wrote:
>
>>Also it would be nice and more consistent if the pherobomb worked on the
>>Ant-lion queens.
>
> Why would that be more consistent? The pheromones are designed to act
> on ant lions, not the queens that excrete them.
> --
Exactly - the Antlion Queen just sees you as another Queen and hence - a
rival.
Like bees and wasps and ants do.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

On 26 Jan 2005 01:30:58 -0800, chadwick110@hotmail.com wrote:

>Yeah, it would have been great if the bug bait worked in a few other
>scenerios. Eg. the battle by the generator - bung a few more Combine in
>but also let the Ant Lions go in...
>Because the bug bait only works in part of the game, it does make that
>part feel like a different game. It would have been better to have had
>the weapons freely available (once you found them), like the original
>HL did. None of the weapons was overpowering there.
>But as the OP notes, you'd need to limit the power of the bug bait
>significantly for this to work.

Actually, it does work in other areas, but with a different
application. Leave it to Valve to take sneaky shortcuts with their
NPC's. Notice if you will that when you're with your Allies, usually
around 3 or four, they exhibit exactly the same behaviour as the
Antlions, except that you do not have an unlimited supply. The Bugbait
is replaced with the Call (C) key. Point in a direction and press "C"
(Throw the Bugbait). Press "C" again to recall the Allies (Squeeze the
Bugbait). Your people will obligingly obey with suicidal loyalty. They
can also get in your way, like their insectiod counterparts.
I used to be careful to defend these people just for humane reasons,
but now I realise that they are nothing more than Antlions in Human
form.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"David Seiver" <Nonya@bizniss.net> wrote in message
news:g65kv098ltqqji90b3q96b80fv8slqga61@4ax.com...
> On 26 Jan 2005 01:30:58 -0800, chadwick110@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>>Yeah, it would have been great if the bug bait worked in a few other
>>scenerios. Eg. the battle by the generator - bung a few more Combine in
>>but also let the Ant Lions go in...
>>Because the bug bait only works in part of the game, it does make that
>>part feel like a different game. It would have been better to have had
>>the weapons freely available (once you found them), like the original
>>HL did. None of the weapons was overpowering there.
>>But as the OP notes, you'd need to limit the power of the bug bait
>>significantly for this to work.
>
> Actually, it does work in other areas, but with a different
> application. Leave it to Valve to take sneaky shortcuts with their
> NPC's. Notice if you will that when you're with your Allies, usually
> around 3 or four, they exhibit exactly the same behaviour as the
> Antlions, except that you do not have an unlimited supply. The Bugbait
> is replaced with the Call (C) key. Point in a direction and press "C"
> (Throw the Bugbait). Press "C" again to recall the Allies (Squeeze the
> Bugbait). Your people will obligingly obey with suicidal loyalty. They
> can also get in your way, like their insectiod counterparts.
> I used to be careful to defend these people just for humane reasons,
> but now I realise that they are nothing more than Antlions in Human
> form.
>

Good point but lets face it - Given the chance I'd feed my allies to the
Ant-Lions and use the Ant-Lions!

Ant-Lions re-spawn faster or can be enticed to with bugbait.
Ant-Lions can fly.
Ant-Lions don't follow you around all the time and get in your way unless
you call them.

Allies cause more trouble than they are worth mainly because they wont stop
following you around and getting under your feet. Even when you send them to
safety while you scout the place out cautiously they just mill around for a
bit and then come after you again.

I've tried using them as cannon fodder - I mean scouts - but they are
stunningly unobservant (or they just don't trigger stuff that you do)

Overall they seem less intelligent (if slightly less kamikaze) than the
Ant-Lions and I often wish I could just shoot them even if it made them
hostile.

The only useful humans to have on your side are Barney and Alyx - obviously
you are supposed to charge into battle side by side but since they seem
pretty near indestructible a good tactic is to just hide until they win the
battle for you (Not that I would be so cowardly you understand 🙂.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 07:56:51 GMT, "Nick Hounsome"
<nh002@nickhounsome.me.uk> wrote:

>Overall they seem less intelligent (if slightly less kamikaze) than the
>Ant-Lions and I often wish I could just shoot them even if it made them

Not so much less intelligent than equipped with fewer options. They
are more limited than the Antlions, as you said.
I can imagine that if the Antlions had voices, they would be saying
"Whoops!" " Sorry, Doctor Freeman" "Let me get out of your way!"
"Whattever you say, Doc!" "FOLLOW FREEMAN!!"

Speaking of voices, try talking to some of the allies with the use
key, and check out the responses.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"Nick Hounsome" <nh002@nickhounsome.me.uk> wrote in message
news:7lHKd.12732$n9.7892@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> "David Seiver" <Nonya@bizniss.net> wrote in message
> news:g65kv098ltqqji90b3q96b80fv8slqga61@4ax.com...
>> On 26 Jan 2005 01:30:58 -0800, chadwick110@hotmail.com wrote:
>>
>>>Yeah, it would have been great if the bug bait worked in a few other
>>>scenerios. Eg. the battle by the generator - bung a few more Combine in
>>>but also let the Ant Lions go in...
>>>Because the bug bait only works in part of the game, it does make that
>>>part feel like a different game. It would have been better to have had
>>>the weapons freely available (once you found them), like the original
>>>HL did. None of the weapons was overpowering there.
>>>But as the OP notes, you'd need to limit the power of the bug bait
>>>significantly for this to work.
>>
>> Actually, it does work in other areas, but with a different
>> application. Leave it to Valve to take sneaky shortcuts with their
>> NPC's. Notice if you will that when you're with your Allies, usually
>> around 3 or four, they exhibit exactly the same behaviour as the
>> Antlions, except that you do not have an unlimited supply. The Bugbait
>> is replaced with the Call (C) key. Point in a direction and press "C"
>> (Throw the Bugbait). Press "C" again to recall the Allies (Squeeze the
>> Bugbait). Your people will obligingly obey with suicidal loyalty. They
>> can also get in your way, like their insectiod counterparts.
>> I used to be careful to defend these people just for humane reasons,
>> but now I realise that they are nothing more than Antlions in Human
>> form.
>>
>
> Good point but lets face it - Given the chance I'd feed my allies to the
> Ant-Lions and use the Ant-Lions!
>
> Ant-Lions re-spawn faster or can be enticed to with bugbait.
> Ant-Lions can fly.
> Ant-Lions don't follow you around all the time and get in your way unless
> you call them.
>
> Allies cause more trouble than they are worth mainly because they wont
> stop following you around and getting under your feet. Even when you send
> them to safety while you scout the place out cautiously they just mill
> around for a bit and then come after you again.
>
> I've tried using them as cannon fodder - I mean scouts - but they are
> stunningly unobservant (or they just don't trigger stuff that you do)
>
> Overall they seem less intelligent (if slightly less kamikaze) than the
> Ant-Lions and I often wish I could just shoot them even if it made them
> hostile.
>
> The only useful humans to have on your side are Barney and Alyx -
> obviously you are supposed to charge into battle side by side but since
> they seem pretty near indestructible a good tactic is to just hide until
> they win the battle for you (Not that I would be so cowardly you
> understand 🙂.
>

I got fairly good using squads. They are good as medics and can create
distractions and draw fire away from you.
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"James A. Cooley" <jacooley@centralpets.com> wrote in message
news:jwQKd.84500$Ta2.25850@fe2.texas.rr.com...
>
> I got fairly good using squads. They are good as medics and can create
> distractions and draw fire away from you.

"Take this med kit Dr Freeman"
[long pause whilst nothing happens]
"Take this med kit Dr Freeman"
[long pause whilst nothing happens]
"Take this med kit Dr Freeman"
[long pause whilst nothing happens]
"Take this med kit Dr Freeman"
[Finally 100% so off we go]

The medics are the most irritating - I want them to just stay back out of
harms way so that they can fix me and the rest of the team up after I've
killed all the bad guys - but no! Not the medics! Those morons want to be
heros!
 
Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 19:09:51 GMT, "Nick Hounsome"
<nh002@nickhounsome.me.uk> wrote:

>The medics are the most irritating - I want them to just stay back out of
>harms way so that they can fix me and the rest of the team up after I've
>killed all the bad guys - but no! Not the medics! Those morons want to be
>heros!

Too right, after playing Vietcong it is terrible to endure the
retarded AI of the HL2 medics.
--
Andrew, contact via interpleb.blogspot.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.
 
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