I'm impressed, very impressed. Here's what I think.
O Aliens have innate regeneration at a rate of 2% per second, this regeneration will always heal at least 1 point of health or armor and stacks with DC healing, but doesn't 'stack' with Regeneration.
In my opinion this is one of the best changes included in Beta 6. Proposed to many a yea in the NS.org I&S forums this will radically change Alien gameplay. All classes will be able to employ a less hit 'n' run style of attacking. Carapace will be chosen more often although this also makes Dxx less of a neccessity. Defending a Hive will be easier and being spawncamped made harder with innate regen (+DCs +Hiveheal?). Lerks can be more offensive and camp vents with Carapace instead of obligatory Regen. Lerks with Carapace will therefor be a more flexible unit, having the opportunity to gas/umbra from cover and make attack runs when the opportunity presents itself. End game scenarios will be easier for attacking Aliens and more difficult for attacking Marines.
Alien coverage will move to the centrefield as they are able to hold positions instead of having to make an obligitory run back to the Hive for health. Whereas NS previously revolved around an Alien team defending its Hive to grind down Marine resources until a suitable moment for a counter-attack, the gameplay will be opened up to allow offensive/defensive strategies to both teams.
O Alien upgrades cost 0 resources.
O Gestating to skulk costs 0 resources.
When this was initially suggested in I&S I was totally against it (the former), and although I was still sceptical when I saw it on the changelog, I'm looking forward to seeing how it works. A wonderful solution to the problems: "Alien RTs are too expensive and difficult to hold in the early game". Now Gorge can drop an RT and defend it in the early game and this also promotes tempgorging for res in every moment of the following stages of the game. This will also open up the class system at an earlier stage and allow players to use the Lerk (bearing in mind the improvements it has undergone), Fade and Onos sooner and with greater frequency. Everything about these changes serve to improve the early game and make it less likely that a round will be decided in the first minutes of the game as we will see RT-derived resources being a tighter race.
O Sieges no longer damage friendly players.
O Siege now does 330 Damage.
My views on this are in another thread.
O Players using Cloaking upgrade will no longer be fully visible at any time unless attacking.
O Players moving faster than walking pace will gradually become more visible the faster they move, but only to a max visibility of 30%.
O Turrets will not fire at aliens with less than 10% visibility.
Cloaking will become a more viable choice for SC upgrade and SCs a more viable preference as the first/second chamber. The 'gamma-hax' controversy will continue to have an undesired effect on the NS community.
O Parasite now takes precedence over Scent of Fear image (allows players to see that their Parasite hit when using SOF to help teammates track enemies).
O Parasite now has a different icon based on if the target was a player or a structure.
O Marines near Sensory chambers show up as if detected by Scent of Fear.
Improved SCs, innate regen... SDM, anyone? Sensories will allow a network of cloaked (see cloaking improvements) territory that will show up any incoming enemies. SCs will be placed imaginatively in safe or hidden locations to create early warning posts for Marine movement towards the Hives (RTs, key locations etc.). First-chamber Sensories could become an effective strategy for a speedy Alien expansion.
O Turrets now prioritize players over structures.
O Offense Chambers now priorities players over structures.
O Shotgun range begins to fall off at 500 units, and is then reduced by 1% for every 2 further units, resulting in 0 damage after 700 units, to stop shotgun sniping.
O Acid rocket now does double damage to armor.
O Bile Bomb's range has been increased by 15%.
Shotguns will be less effective against static defenses and at chasing down fleeing Aliens (and as a 'keeper' in Combat mode). Acid Rockets will be worth their points in Combat mode, and more frequently used. In Classic mode 3-Hive Fades will play a greater role in preventing a Marine comeback.
O Gave each Alien a unique landing sound.
O Updated Jetpack sound.
O Reverted LMG firing sound back to sound from beta 4.
One word: Thankyou!
O Updated Pistol reload sounds.
O Updated LMG clip out and clip in sounds.
O Updated welder idle sound to be more obvious when not welding anything.
O Replaced raindrop sprites.
O Updated med-pack model.
Anticipation + o_O
