Well put. Either start them on the map OR find a better way to deploy them, to avoid the edge map spam.
The recent XCOMs saw this and came up with the drop ships. They made sense to that games lore, it was visually impressive AND allowed them to get more fast response aliens, into the fight.
They don’t have to have bigger maps. That was just one idea to avoid the current edge of map, known spawn point, spam. Find a better creative way, to get get the reinforcements into the map is all I am suggesting.
That’s a cool idea. Maybe it could change for certain types of maps–like, near the ocean, ayys could crawl out of the water, which would fit their aquatic nature, in alien bases they could come out of various walls, as a nod to Aliens, and on other maps maybe burst out of the ground, a la the Zerg.
So guys you basically say that aliens showing at the edge of the map when there is road or field or some canyon is bad… but aliens showing from underground or from sea shore or even some crazy organic dropship is great idea?
Or bigger map or more dense packed groups of enemies - even now when some people complain about difficulty while fighting most basic aliens… Interesting.
But I believe in devs, that they will find something that will please you. For me nothing must be changed and I like it the way it is currently. Maybe there could be some indication one or two rounds earlier that something is approaching to particular spawn point (but only when you are like less than 15 tiles from it).
Very cool ideas. Something new and different to spawn them in. I love the idea of coastal maps and the aliens reinforcements pouring in from the sea. It fits perfectly with the game lore and has the potential to look fantastic too.
Nope, not saying it is bad. Boring, bland, cheap… Maybe there are so many better more interesting ways to do the same thing. The current map edge spam works… but feels like an after thought.
The game has a great feel so far, it would be disappointing to leave this current mechanic in the game (in its current format).
I actually think there’s a nice tactical element in there, in one of the nest maps there’s a few dead ends with spawning locations. If you ignore them eventually you will hit a bottleneck when clearing the small corridors and the enemy reinforcements will come and attack you from the rear leaving you surrounded from all sides.
I just preemptively set up a few defensive positions with good cover a sniper and a few turrets to cut off the reinforcements spawning in while clearing the nest with my main group. It requires you to plan ahead and be mindfull of optimal positioning.
I was thinking that they plan on making it so you can’t see alien hp right? So they could do that with the spawn points. Even if they’re in set locations on the edge, if you don’t know which ones, you could waste time locking down a point with no spawner, and the aliens surround you. Then, with enough research, you can eventually see the spawn points. This would make it so that getting specific research may feel rewarding by giving you a new tactical weapon, and canonically it can represent you being able to predict their movements. Either way, I know the devs are working hard to give us the best product they can.
I do agree they should be able to be blocked. Destroyed just doesn’t fit though, as these spawn points aren’t teleporters or anything, they’re a slight abstraction of enemies from surrounding roads and buildings outside the map area hearing gunfire and responding. Unless you drop a building on the spot, it wouldn’t make sense to permanently disable the spot.
The best way to disable a spawn is to pull back your front, or otherwise rearrange your squad, and deal with them as they arrive. They are not infinite. The only way you get enemies behind you is if you’re impatient. Which also tends to be how soldiers get ambushed from behind in the real world as well.
Was thinking exactly this… city maps drop the building next to it, alien caves collapse the cave next to it. The out door maps are not as bad but the alien caves really frustrate me. Leaving soldiers waiting around at the spawn caves, to hold up the spam, for 3-4 turns.
Definitely understand, though for me, it just seems the cost of doing business. I think it’d be nice to have a slightly more dynamic system that would maybe only allow a given point to spawn a certain number of enemies, after which it has to cool down before it can activate again. This would also allow for some shenanigans like reinforcements trying to stop you from getting to queen, but also new reinforcements trying to stop you getting back out afterwards (assuming the mission didnt just end). Even just spreading it out inside, with some reinforcements waiting until the queen was engaged to show up further in would spice it up a bit.
Yea, agree totally agree with that too. I think we all want a challenge to stop us killing the queen but there are better ways of doing it. The current spawns just slow the game down. They don’t make it harder. Just sit two guys with launchers and drop 2 nades on the heads every turn. Repeat. Repeat. wait for the spawn to stop… next cave… Removes some fun from the attack.
If these side spawns were adding fun or excitement to the game… cool, let them stay in. BUT if they are easy to deal with, just hold up the game play and just slow down the player (not in a fun way) they should change.
If all the extras that spawn in, start on map near the Queen. The closer we get to her, the harder it gets. Or just spread out loads more in map aliens from the start. I think it would feel like we had walked into the alien base and kicked a hornets nest… exactly as it should!
If they stick with spawn points make them interesting or give an ‘oh shit’ moment. We trigger a trap and the aliens pour out the ground in an ambush, the first shot hits the queen and a wave of aliens climbs out a crevice behind us, Our explosions collapse a cave wall and they pour out from a hole in the wall, The queen has some sort of summon ability that all the extras are ‘(sp)born’ near her when she is attacked…
Having the flashing point on the ground, ‘aliens will spam here every turn’, just feels a little ‘B grade’ when the rest of the game is looking so friggan A grade!
What the Devs have made so far is fantastic so I am sure they will sort it out. Also, the game might totally change with the balancing and stronger aliens later.
You can do this on every map even ignoring spawns. Game is not balanced yet so this is not the best argument. Wait for nades cost, launchers inaccuracy and ceilings in caves, and I suppose you won’t use so happily Grenade Launchers in tight caves.
I totally understand your sentiment. The only reason I have zero concerns about it right now is that we’re still in bb3. If we were at final beta and the spawns were never updated at all all the way through, even if it’s just AI changes to modify which spawn they go to and how they use them tactically, then I would be a little worried. I feel like there’s just too many systems missing right now to worry about the spawns at the moment.
or more dense packed groups of enemies - even now when some people complain about difficulty while fighting most basic aliens… Interesting. 
there are so many better more interesting ways to do the same thing. The current map edge spam works… but feels like an after thought.
There should not be anything like ‘in the back’.