What you are missing is not the older game-play, it's the older community, back before meta strats and people were generally newer / less competitive to the game.

Originally posted by CupCupBaconBox:

When the game was still pretty new and the matches were tuned to last a really long time? Every round felt like this big, epic war effort that typically took one or two hours. You really had to coordinate and push in order to win. But I think the devs started listening to the wrong people as they pushed updates, the hyper-competitive gatekeeper players who wanted the game to be tuned to be super fast, where each round was more like a meta-gaming e sport. That's when I started to lose interest in the franchise. But man... I spent hundreds of hours playing those early versions of the game, and I absolutely would jump at the chance to play any kind of revival that brought back the old gameplay.

NS1 always had longer games. The main reason is the command system. Aliens dont have a commander on NS1, and they dont have super OP stomping siege onos to end games quickly. Also there's time pressure when aliens get theyr hives up. Aliens could have 3 hives in NS1 and it could still last on. On NS2 unlikely that a game lasts much longer, unless marines extend theyr loss by turtling. If marines turtle on NS1, they could still win the game XD

I never played on competitive servers for NS1. I prefered the 32 player servers. More fun, more chaos.

yes i been part of that time.. i even made maps for ns 1... my favorite is ns nothing
i actually talked to ken 20 banks the level designer of that map...

good times.. please make natural selection 3 now...

Well, they made NS2 with trying to get in to e-sports.

Sadly it was a bad gamble, and they failed to get e-sports crowd and lost the old game's soul.

Not that NS2 is bad as game, per se, it just lost everything made NS1 a game it was.

Returned to NS1 back in December of 2023 after a decade, joined their discord community, launched two classic servers as the others were too modded for my tastes. Been aiding the updating and bugtesting efforts of the local unofficial devs keeping the game alive. Finding a steady number of new and mostly old veteran players nowadays, lured by the scent of easy nostalgia. While the META/ENSL players zip around murdering everyone, whenever we can form a group of casuals there's a good chance of grand old fun reminding us of the olden days 2002-2003. Discord invite link: https://discord.gg/ZUSSBUA To download and install the latest NS v3.3b9: https://github.com/ENSL/NS/releases/tag/v3.3b9 Ultimate goal is to release NS1 on Steam, preferably by making it independent of a Half-Life requirement, these projects are in the works, have been for some time now. In any case, we certainly are looking for players in general, preferably casual matches in mind, though ENSL gathers are available for those with skill and determination. Feel free to show up and say hi on discord or in-game.

NS1 was truly peak tbh. i personally loved games that would go on for hours and hours like back in the day. I would play NS2 more but there is no OCE players anymore. its so sad :(

yes I remember! The greatest times!

NS1 was the magic formula. I would honestly trade NS2 just to have everything from NS1 back.
You forgot Siege mode as well, that was also insanely fun when you just want to get access to higher life forms and higher tech early in the game and brawl out.

This might be a weird take, but I also like the heavy suits and HMG more over the honking exosuit. Doesn't make any sense what so ever for marines to port in a huge mech suit in tight space environment.

NS1, I remember Al gorge Server. RIP NS1. Siege cannons. Remember stargate map and another map like a big vent where aliens came down from you had to get jetpacks and build siege cannons higher up. NS1 was amazing. The first version of any game is always the best.

Still amazing. One of the few games capable of evoking an emotional response from me, besides the obvious dosage of nostalgia of course. :) Wish we had more European players, most I encounter are of the US, mighty tough to synch our timezones. Alas, I shouldn't be too picky, for we need all and more participants in general. Especially casuals, bringers of spontaneous chaos and improvised fun. Here I go promoting a category above all others again, but they were indeed the bread and butter of the community while it lasted.

what i truly miss is these ns_siege maps only that was always a big party and scary stuff when the doors opened.....good ol days guys

agree and miss it also, back when a gamer had to have grit and team work. Back when your welding contribution made all the difference. RIP.

Unfortunately, I discovered this game only towards the end of its days and in version 2. Sometimes I drop a comment about it somewhere. I don't know if new players will find out about it. But I still see newcomers. It's a pity that the studio decided to change their plans like this. I respect that. But games that are like for small children do not attract me to play. Im from Shadow Warrior, Duke Nukem 3D, Doom, Quake III Arena and Starcraft era. But i mostly loving team coop games like Q3A, NS. I remember it like it was yesterday when I came trained from insane bots in Quake and thought how much of a master I was. Well, I met the first human players and they taught me that I was nothing. :D

Originally posted by Baby on board:

NS1, I remember Al gorge Server. RIP NS1. Siege cannons. Remember stargate map and another map like a big vent where aliens came down from you had to get jetpacks and build siege cannons higher up. NS1 was amazing. The first version of any game is always the best.

Epic experience, and experiencing Siege mode and the maps and the general attitude of the players was peak gaming, and an experience that is nearly impossible to live up to a 2nd time. Greatest moments in gaming for me and for anyone who has experienced it, got to be a part of something special. Stargate holds a special place in my heart

Half life Engine scaled well for large player count games, 32 player servers were awesome. What was nice is that both players had a chance to win late game based on skill, there was no late game gimmicks like infestation. You had a chance to hold out and do a sneaky phase gate or heavy armor push, and relocate the base in case you lost main.