Predator: Hunting Grounds Catch-All Thread

[Voodoo Magic]

Samurai and Viking are DLC too. Just cause Cleo is better than the worse classes doesnt make her great.

No, you called Cleo decent though (which she is). And recognized her as the best option for melee (which not only works on randomers honestly but experienced players too if it's peppered in and out. Pick your spots.) And the differences between the middle tier Predators are minimal to be honest, but they're all playable.

Plus with Cleo's energy, I personally like running her with an unlimited camouflage with Modified Reserves and just smart disc and shoot arrows from high points and never lose cloak due to a drain of power.

But hey, ask yourself: If the Cleopatra DLC Predator came out and it was the best Predator in the game - better than them all... would you be happy? Or would you be calling her a "Pay to Win" class too?  It seems like a no-win-situation when viewed from the angle you're viewing it.

If you playing solo Dutch87 is overall better than Recon, Scout and Support, most players can have a higher chance of winning with him or Dante than with the other classes, since they are both tanky and damage dealing classes.

See, this is where I think you're laying it on a bit thick and I just wish you'd say, 'yeah, maybe I oversold it a bit saying Dutch'87 is pay to win.'  First, solo is situational. Second, if you and the Predator are equally good players at full health, you're not surviving solo as Dutch'87 (hence why it's an asymmetrical game and therefore not really "pay to win".)

Also, I'd argue there's advantages and disadvantages to being Support or Dutch or Sniper if you end up solo, depending on your playstyle AND the Predator's playstyle. 

[Samhain13]

No, you called Cleo decent though (which she is).

Maybe its my understanding on english but I think decent and great are 2 different things. She is fine, she isn't bad, that's all. Bad stamina and speed but specializations, perk, gear points and damage boost make up for it a little.

And recognized her as the best option for melee (which not only works on randomers honestly but experienced players too if it's peppered in and out. Pick your spots.)

Not if its a good FT playing on PC. Sure I have beaten PC premades FTs with melee on the past, which could be done by PS preds as there isn't much difference in using melee as Predator playing PS or PC. But those players weren't in like the top 1% of this game which is who I base when I say that melee isn't effective to work on. Maybe that's mainly what differs my experience and opinion, I evaluate the game by including how it works on PC, and since this game wasn't originally designed to be released for PC, I think that's where a lot of balancing issues come into play. FT advantage is higher on PC due to how the mouse helps in aiming to spot and hit the Predator, FT gameplay gets a higher advantage on PC than Predator's.

And the differences between the middle tier Predators are minimal to be honest, but they're all playable.

More noticeable in competitive level matches with players that are all using meta FT builds.

Plus with Cleo's energy, I personally like running her with an unlimited camouflage with Modified Reserves and just smart disc and shoot arrows from high points and never lose cloak due to a drain of power.

All classes will get unlimited cloak as long as they aren't using thermal with modified reserve, except by Viking, Berserker and Samurai I believe. I made a video a while ago testing it on all. Scout actually can use both thermal and cloak without energy drain with modified reserve.

But hey, ask yourself: If the Cleopatra DLC Predator came out and it was the best Predator in the game - better than them all... would you be happy? Or would you be calling her a "Pay to Win" class too?  It seems like a no-win-situation when viewed from the angle you're viewing it.

I would be fine with it cus it would balance out with the pay to win FT dlc. Its fair if both sides get it. And like I said FT clearly has the advantage over the Predator on PC, you give them more overpowered stuff while Predator gets nothing, just screws the game's balancing even more. From what I hear from some PS teams, on privates usually FT tend to have a higher winrate regardless of who plays as predator, so maybe its not just on PC, even if its more notiable there. You have all players on the same level of skill, chances of FT winning are always higher.

See, this is where I think you're laying it on a bit thick and I just wish you'd say, 'yeah, maybe I oversold it a bit saying Dutch'87 is pay to win.' 

He is not as much pay to win as Dante is.

First, solo is situational. Second, if you and the Predator are equally good players at full health, you're not surviving solo as Dutch'87 (hence why it's an asymmetrical game and therefore not really "pay to win".)

You can if you are doing a 1v1 wristblades x knife fight vs a Hunter class using Dutch87 + thick skin + owlf trained + mud resistance damage + last survivor boost + 2 fast healing syrettes to heal. Vs Dante would probably be harder to fight vs, its easy as hell to 1v1 preds with him in knife fights regardless the player cus thats how the game work, I mean the knife and the parry is bs in general on this game, but with those classes it just takes to another level.

Sure this guy is among the best players in the PC community, both wristblades and Hunter like classes suck for melee combat but this is suppose to be a 1v4 game yet I seen him beat the best PC preds in knife fights and if he was using Assault or Recon things would be diffferent.

Of course in a long range weapon approach this happens instead:

Also, I'd argue there's advantages and disadvantages to being Support or Dutch or Sniper if you end up solo, depending on your playstyle AND the Predator's playstyle.

And there are playstyles that are much more effective than others and can give a much bigger advantage depending on the skill level and platform of the players.

[Voodoo Magic]

First, solo is situational. Second, if you and the Predator are equally good players at full health, you're not surviving solo as Dutch'87 (hence why it's an asymmetrical game and therefore not really "pay to win".)

You can if you are doing a 1v1 wristblades x knife fight vs a Hunter class using Dutch87 + thick skin + owlf trained + mud resistance damage + last survivor boost + 2 fast healing syrettes to heal. Vs Dante would probably be harder to fight vs, its easy as hell to 1v1 preds with him in knife fights regardless the player cus thats how the game work, I mean the knife and the parry is bs in general on this game, but with those classes it just takes to another level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bnc_3D0NV8

Err... yeah...  I'm sorry but if I watched a Predator play like this in a real match I'd say he was a noob. This was a staged blade battle. We both know nobody who knows how to play Predator: Hunting Grounds nor has experience playing would play as a Predator this way, understanding wristblades, how parry and the mechanics work. So this is not a fair representation of gameplay, nor simulation of realistic gameplay and subsequently not a representation that Dutch'87 as pay to win. Funny to watch though.

Sidenote: When I was talking about melee working on experienced players if it's peppered in and you pick your spots, I mean jump in camouflaged, slash with a weapon and jump out, often when they're distracted by AI or moving from points A to B. 

[Samhain13]

So both players agreed to have a knife vs wristblades fight for fun at the end, it was a private match among friends and sometimes we do that. Its not like there are players that would do better than this with wristblades only, noobs would have died there. You can just see what happens when I decide to not that on the second video. Still its stupid as hell that 1 fireteam can almost beat a Predator 1v1 even with only wristblades, it shouldn't be like this.

I had players ask to do knife vs wristblades fights on public games both playing as ft or pred. Its a thing on the game.

Yeah, you jump in with melee, then we all turn fire you and make you go second wind in 3 seconds then snipe you mid air while you leaping away and then you die before you can heal. Its what happens with most Predators that try melee vs me, the shortest matches. Maybe against ps teams it could last longer.

[Wweyland]

We need an Eskimo Predator.

[Voodoo Magic]

Can't wait to see the new Predator that we'll (assumingly) get in a couple weeks!

Still its stupid as hell that 1 fireteam can almost beat a Predator 1v1 even with only wristblades, it shouldn't be like this.

So is healing yourself with a syringe after you've been impaled with a combistick. But I understand its need and am fine with it; a game mechanic so Predators don't just melee everyone to death. But that's where the other Predator toys come in.

[SuperiorIronman]

You could possibly do a mode where it really is just fisticuffs. Like how Dutch setup a bunch of traps you have the player setup traps at the start of the match and dare the Predator player to come after you using only their fists. So FT spawns first and you can go to specific areas and create traps to block or impede progress. The FT however can't just place these things, they do have to wait for the interaction to complete which means your trap setting can backfire if you take too long as you wont be able to place more after the trap setting countdown is over and the match begins. .

Both sides can only melee but FT can find weapons at the start of the match like a bow and arrow that fires explosives or health packs, however they wont be able to get ammo for the bow.

Predator wont have mask nor can cloak.

The fireteam has to wait for a recue chopper to arrive with OWLF backup, chopper arrival begins when the player finds a radio to call for help which isn't necessarily in the location you hold up in. The players then have to rush the chopper while getting around Stargazer PMC moving in to mop you up while Predator tries to run you down.

[SuperiorIronman]

So something I noticed about our new Predator (Exile) is that his choice of weapon seems to be styled after a climbing axe. Kind of weird to note but something I found kind of interesting given we know them to be great climbers. The implication at least to me is that it's less a weapon and more a tool. Likely something from a hunting kit or the home world that either had dual purpose or was repurposed into a weapon. If that is the case that seems like a cool detail for not only the Predator's as a whole but for the Exile as well given we know he can't go back into Yaujta territory for some reason. In this case likely having to make due with what he had which meant hunting with something out of a tool kit.

Granted I could be entirely off base with this. The description (if it has one) didn't load in for me. Still if that was the case that's a good bit of character work on Illfonic's part.

[The Shuriken]

So the Isabelle tapes mention that Royce became one of the Yautja. They gifted him with their armor and tech. Could he possibly be added in as a Predator character one day?

[Voodoo Magic]

So the Isabelle tapes mention that Royce became one of the Yautja. They gifted him with their armor and tech. Could he possibly be added in as a Predator character one day?

I think it's possible, but I assume it gets less likely the more older this game gets. But if Adrien Brody was affordable enough and they could justify all the costs versus speculated demand, I don't know any reason why it wouldn't be feasible as long as licensing gave it a green light.

[acrediblesource]

So the Isabelle tapes mention that Royce became one of the Yautja. They gifted him with their armor and tech. Could he possibly be added in as a Predator character one day?

Only if it doesn't look like the cartoonish thing in the comic.

[(Bad Blood)]

You could possibly do a mode where it really is just fisticuffs. Like how Dutch setup a bunch of traps you have the player setup traps at the start of the match and dare the Predator player to come after you using only their fists. So FT spawns first and you can go to specific areas and create traps to block or impede progress. The FT however can't just place these things, they do have to wait for the interaction to complete which means your trap setting can backfire if you take too long as you wont be able to place more after the trap setting countdown is over and the match begins. .

Both sides can only melee but FT can find weapons at the start of the match like a bow and arrow that fires explosives or health packs, however they wont be able to get ammo for the bow.

Predator wont have mask nor can cloak.

The fireteam has to wait for a recue chopper to arrive with OWLF backup, chopper arrival begins when the player finds a radio to call for help which isn't necessarily in the location you hold up in. The players then have to rush the chopper while getting around Stargazer PMC moving in to mop you up while Predator tries to run you down.

That would be an amazing Mode! I would think it very engaging and much more suspenseful.

[Voodoo Magic]

Speaking of suspenseful, these night modes have made the game a lot more suspenseful. Lots of scary Predator sneak attacks. Love it!

[Mr.Turok]

I need verification of something. Was it true that Illfonic intentionally made the game to be balanced in favor of Fireteam since the beginning of the game's production? Like I remember this detail was brought up in a podcast interview that if Fireteam worked together, they would always win against the Predator but I am not sure. I recalled this due to their latest Predator Twitch streaming that when it comes to balancing and gameplay changes, they purposely mostly look at making gameplay fun for Fireteam players rather than a balance of both Fireteam AND Predator players and I recall in that moment that something similar was said in one of the interviews here by AVPGalaxy.

Secondary reason why I bring this up is that they provided additional reason to why they balanced the scale of Fireteam to have an equal footing of 1vs1 fights with Predator and Fireteam and its the primary reason why they shot down the idea of 2P vs 6FT as they believe the balance would favor Predator too much, as it would be 2 vs 1 due to focus fire........even though the single Fireteam has 5 more of his people behind his back?

I don't believe Illfonic would think this narrowly but I just need more verification if this statement and vision is true to their gameplay changes or not, and the detail from the interview they had here would be very useful.

Thank you in advance!

[Voodoo Magic]

I need verification of something. Was it true that Illfonic intentionally made the game to be balanced in favor of Fireteam since the beginning of the game's production? Like I remember this detail was brought up in a podcast interview that if Fireteam worked together, they would always win against the Predator but I am not sure. I recalled this due to their latest Predator Twitch streaming that when it comes to balancing and gameplay changes, they purposely mostly look at making gameplay fun for Fireteam players rather than Predator players and I recall in that moment that something similar was said in one of the interviews here by AVPGalaxy.

Yep. We had actually discussed it before.

Illfonic's CEO Charles Brungardt and CCO Jared Gerritzen said on our very own AvPGalaxy podcast that they wanted to flip the tables where the Hunter becomes the Hunted, where this Elite Fireteam can be a stronger force than the Predator if they work together. Where a Predator is not a God. That it bleeds. Where it can be stressful to be a Predator. A game where the Predator has to be tactical to accomplish goals.