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+++ U.S.C.M. Database Entry: BG-386 +++
A humid, temperate planet, located in system WY-BG-3 at a 1.229 parsec, 0.3g deflection from the Kalahari Freight Corridor.

Designation BG-3 (star), 8 (8th planet), 6 (terra index) has now become synonymous with the ‘Freya’s Prospect’ colony, owned and run by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation.

Four months ago Karl Bishop Weyland closed Freya’s Prospect to pan-corporate
enterprise, reneging on several co-development agreements. Filed flight plans show increased Weyland-Yutani traffic over the past 3 months.
Manifests have not been made available to U.S.C.M. Traffic Control.
+++ End File BG-386 +++

Rounding out our blogs on the three species within Aliens vs Predator is the Colonial Marines. At first glance, the Marines might look to be underpowered or at a severe disadvantage when facing the likes of Aliens and Predators. Any experienced Marine will tell you otherwise, as they have the gear, tech, and range to best any opponent on the battlefield.

Stick Together Team

Outside of Deathmatch, a lone Marine is a dead Marine. Stick to groups or pairs and always stay in constant communication about your whereabouts and the location of your enemies. If you need to reload or heal, be sure to alert your teammate to give you some covering fire. When fighting in close quarters or in hairy situations, hug a wall or play back to back to prevent Stealth Kills from Aliens or Predators.

Marine Weapons

A well equipped Marine is a formidable foe; learn and memorize the location of key weapons in every multiplayer map to guarantee success. From the Pulse Rifle to the Smartgun, the Marine’s primary advantage in AvP is in the use of ranged weapons to attack oncoming foes. In close range, you can opt to use the Shotgun or Flamethrower.

VP78 Pistol
Your standard issue pistol is your last resort in any firefight. You have unlimited ammo with the pistol, but you’ll want to use your shots carefully to get kills in tight situations. The pistol can be fired in single round shots or in burst fire modes. Burst fire is especially useful in close quarters and single is best used at longer range.

ZX-76 Shotgun
An excellent close range weapon, the Shotgun is even more devastating when using the double barrel secondary fire mode. The shotgun is excellently paired with the Pulse Rifle to finish off any enemy that’s made his way to melee range. Pick your shots carefully, the reload times are long and the clip size is small.

M41A/2 Pulse Rifle
The M41A/2 Pulse Rifle is the standard issue, multi-purpose firearm for all United States Colonial Marines. With a hundred round clip and a secondary fire grenade launcher, the Pulse Rifle is one of your best weapons against all enemies in AvP. Luckily, Marines

M59/B Smartgun
The Smartgun is a massive heavy-fire support weapon carried using a gyroscopic harness. The weapon has a special fire mode that tracks targets, making it the perfect weapon against a fast moving alien, or a cloaked predator. The Smartgun uses two equipment slots, so be wary once ammo is running low – you’ll need to find a replacement to continue the fight.

M260b Flamethrower
A replacement for the aging M240 flame thrower, the M260b utilizes several improvements. Standard fire remains perfect for neutralizing massed or fast-moving targets. Secondary fire allows you to spray fuel for subsequent ignition, allowing the user to create a temporary wall of flame.

M42C Scoped Rifle
The M42C Rifle is a powerful scoped rifle and can down any enemy with a few well placed shots. Ammo is fairly light for the M42C, so line up your shots carefully and be prepared to switch to a shorter ranged weapon should the target get close for the kill.

Marine Equipment

A Marine is more than his arsenal, to stay alive you’ll need to use all your abilities. Heals, blocks, and the Motion Tracker will keep you alive to kill again, and again, and again. Use these tools well…

If it Moves, Shoot it
In navigating the environment of AvP, in Singleplayer or Multiplayer, you’ll have to master the Motion Tracker if you want to survive. The Tracker is the Marine’s best friend and worst enemy. Both hostiles and friendlies can be spotted on the motion tracker or heard as an audible when in proximity. A fellow Marines will show up as an X on your Motion Tracker, and hostiles as larger circles. The challenge in using the Motion Tracker effectively is keeping your eyes on the environment and the Tracker to line up shots, spot hidden or stealthy enemies, and strike back.

Melee Combat
While your weapons will serve you well for ranged combat, they can also prove to be effective melee combat weapons during close encounters. Use them to shield against incoming attacks to open up melee attack counters that stun your foes. Both Aliens and Predators are melee focused, so be quick to disrupt their heavy attacks with a light melee attack and be prepared to block when they get too close.

Stimpacks
A Marine’s health bar consists of thee bars that can recharge over time. Once a bar is lost due to damage, it will not return unless you heal. Depending on the battle, Marines may walk away with battle injuries and need a quick heal to continue the fight. A Stimpack will heal the Marine to full, but will also leave you defenseless for a short period of time. Before using a Stimpack, examine your surroundings and alert your teammates.

“We are old, my brother. Our race is few and scattered. Our ancestry lost to myth. The humans are still children, creatures of desire and hubris, with no comprehension of the long hunt. Still, they make good sport…
They have discovered a trophy long locked away. They must not be allowed to find the crucible that spawned our most respected prey. If they succeed, all life will succumb to the crawling dark…”

Following our recent blog post on the multiplayer side of things for Aliens vs Predator, we thought we’d expand our information a bit and show off the all the Predator has to offer. As noted before, there are a ton of options and opportunities available to dominate as the Predator.

Stealth is your friend

As with the movies, the Predator’s primary strength revolves around his ability to remain hidden, to disrupt and confuse his enemies, and strike only when success is assured. The Predator will remain in stealth unless he walks in water, is attacked, or performs an attack. Playing aggressively, leaving yourself open to attack, or even taking on more than one heavily armed opponent is a sure why to exit the world of AvP and dishonor all that your clan has fought for.

While Stealth keeps you hidden from view, it’s important to realize what tools your enemy has to counter this invisibility. Marines, for example, can track motion; so moving quickly, infrequently or by way of Focus Jump, is a good way to scare a Marine and get the drop on them. Aliens, on the other hand, can see you as a faint outline, but only from certain range. Use Alien Vision (more on that later) to get the drop on them before they get the drop on you.

Energy

The Predator differs slightly from the Marine and Alien by having a rechargeable energy resource. This energy fuels the Plasma Caster, Proximity Mines, and allows the Predator to heal himself after suffering damage in combat. Once all your energy has been expended, you’ll have to find a recharge point to power up and continue the fight. Be careful though, when using a recharge point, the Predator is defenseless and open to attack, so always check your surroundings before starting a recharge.

Predator Weapons

Use your wristblades to deal with the enemy at close quarters. Attack rapidly with Light Attacks, hit hard with Heavy Attacks, and eviscerate your opponents with Finishing Moves or Stealth Kills. Block or Counter the enemy to deal with incoming melee attacks.

Plasma Caster
A signature Predator weapon, the Plasma caster can be fired in both bursts and charged shots. In bursts, the Plasma Caster is less accurate, but might be a better option at close range. For long range, the charged shot is the best bet as it will lock onto your target and delivery a one-hit-kill if it connects. One major disadvantage of the Plasma Caster is the targeting laser, which while offering lock on for the Predator, also causes all nearby players to spot the Predators location.

Combi Stick
The Combi Stick is very powerful and will kill an opponent in a single shot if it connects. At long range, the Combi Stick arcs slightly and is not instant to target, so you’ll need to compensate appropriately. At short range you are nearly guaranteed a kill if you can fire fast enough. This weapon does not require energy.

Proximity Mines
Proximity Mines are an excellent way to booby trap areas throughout the Aliens vs Predator environments. For Marines, quickly discover the key locations of weapons, such as the Smartgun, and place mines to ensure easy kills. For Alien, use mines on walls, ceilings or other areas that a pesky wallcrawler might not expect. Proximity Mines require energy to use.

Smart Disc
The Smart Disc is an excellent tool that’s easy to pick up, but difficult to master. Once launched, the disc can be controlled to pick off moving or multiple targets. Best if used at range, however in close quarters, the disc can easily destroy a squishy target.

Predator Abilities

In addition to weapons, the Predator has access to a wide range of tech to aid in his hunt of the Alien and Marines. Using these abilities frequently is the key to success, so learn them well, if you want to survive.

Focus Jump and Focus Attack
While the Predator cannot climb across all surfaces, he can jump to locations beyond the reach of Marines using the Focus Jump ability. Taking the high ground is key in taking advantage of both Aliens and Marines in combat. Sometimes a well placed Plasma Caster shot can take out a few enemies from afar, so don’t feel rushed to make a good kill.
Focus Jump can also be used on enemies with deadly outcomes. Focus on an enemy and use your Light Attack to lunge across the battlefield and deliver a crushing blow. Often, this will distract or confuse an enemy allowing for a finishing blow or a Trophy Kill.

Special Vision Modes
The Predator has two special vision modes to help expose and track Marine and Alien targets. Vision modes should be cycled frequently to spot hidden enemies and plan strategies.
Using Heat Vision, the Predator can track human targets. In this vision mode, the environment lacks detail and Aliens are increasingly difficult to see and cannot be targeted using Focus mode. As expected, using Alien Vision will allow the Predator to track Aliens, but Marines are difficult to spot and cannot be targeted in Focus mode.

Stealth and Trophy Kills
Killing an enemy with a Stealth or Trophy Kill will reward the player with an animated killing blow that will instantly kill the other player. There are two types of attacks, Stealth Kills that are performed from behind, and Trophy Kills that are performed from the front. While these kills are brutal, they also leave the Predator defenseless as they deliver the killing blow. Always be aware of your environment before you engage in one of these kills, otherwise you might become a victim yourself.

There you have it, you now have all the information to dominate as the Predator in Aliens vs Predator. Learn your abilities, use stealth, and make us proud.

Ahh, the Alien. I’ve said pretty much everything I could in a previous blog post about their history, mythology, and my fascination with them. But now that we have a demo of Aliens vs. Predator to play, and will soon have a full game, it’s time to take a look at actually playing as the wall-crawling, face-eating xenomorph.

Paging Number Six

So what goes into playing as an Alien? As a xenomorph you’re part of the hive-mind; it’s your duty to serve the Queen — kind of like being a warrior ant in a big, really scary ant colony. The Aliens are a kind of biological force, a seething mass of destruction that moves through a cold & unforgiving universe as a literal hive-mind.   So how does this translate to a single-player story-based campaign? Well, if you’ve seen Alien: Resurrection you’ll have a hint at the story from the Alien’s perspective. It plays magnificently off the hubris and greed of humans, which has been a cornerstone of the series since the original Alien.

You play as Number Six — you will have to wait to play to see just what your purpose and the reason for the number is, but you are introduced into the story in such a way that makes it incredibly satisfying once you finally have a chance to chase down some weak, squishy humans.

Aliens vs. Predator is refreshing in that you need to really play to the mindset of your chosen class. Predators need to be master of stealth & Marines need to work together — and Aliens need to be masters of sneaking around in dark, wet places, hunting down isolated members and killing them quickly & silently. In multiplayer this requires both teamwork (especially in the non-deathmatch modes) and a lot of patience. You can’t just charge a marine and you can’t leave yourself open to a Predator’s stealth attack — keep on the move against Predators and find a good dark spot to lurk, preferably on the other side of a ledge where they can’t sneak up and kill you from stealth.

Taking out lights actually helps you, too — Aliens can use heavy attacks to knock out all kinds of light sources, and it really will make you harder to spot, at least to Marines. Predators really are a different breed and in my multiplayer experience, the best thing you can do is wait for them to expose themselves while going after someone else. You can’t overpower them, and you can’t knock them out of stealth the way the Marines can.

Above all — in the single player campaign and especially in multiplayer — learn to use ceilings and learn to use ledges. Retreat to them often — other players will give chase, and once you’ve drawn them from your cover is the best time to go after them. I’ve already mentioned staying still to avoid and vanish from the Marine’s motion tracker; the flip side to this is that if you’re holding still you better not be in a spot that’s easy for the Predator to sneak up on you.

Abilities

Other classes have the clumsy duty of picking up and using weapons. This is what you have to do when your entire exoskeleton is not itself a lethal weapon. And while Aliens don’t get any kind of ranged attack, AvP relies on a lot of melee combat, and aliens are incredibly fast and agile — and it is worth noting that claws and teeth don’t run out of ammo.

Heavy Attack: Uses your tail to out-and-out clobber your prey. Marines are squishy and this will bring them down quickly. The tail has a slower windup but exceptional reach for a melee weapon; enough that if you’re on a ceiling low enough over an enemy it will reach them. Heavy attack also will give you a brief stun on your opponent. Depending on your situation, you can either try to follow it up with another heavy attack (if you think you’ll have time), or follow it up with a flurry of light attacks.

Light Attack: You’re more maneuverable than Marines or Predators, and I’ve actually found the light attack useful in a situation where I can out-maneuver my opponent — dash around something, get behind your enemy, and let out a flurry of quick attacks. Following up a successful block with a flurry of light attacks is a great way to handle a close-encounter melee threat.

Focus Mode: Enter focus mode to zero in on a particular foe — especially one that’s fleeing you. This will lock you on, and even better, if you tap “light attack” while in focus mode you will leap towards your opponent; you can either attack unsuspecting prey from above in this way, or quickly close the gap on a fleeing opponent.

Stealth Kill: If you’re good at what you’re doing, this will be the norm for you. Aliens are not designed to be caught in toe-to-toe melee. On the other hand, this is nothing more satisfying than sneaking up behind another player and delivering a brutal and gory stealth kill — especially if you’ve just managed to pick someone off from the group, and are able to slip back into the shadows. Some things to note: You can’t get the kill while you’re sprinting, even if you’re right behind your target. Just position yourself, stop moving for a split second, and hit the stealth kill button. Be careful doing this, too — it takes a few seconds to execute the move, and during this time you are vulnerable. Conversely, this was my favorite way to take out Predators: Wait for them to execute a special kill and then dash up behind them. You will be able to execute your own stealth kill before they even turn around. For good measure, eat their head before retreating back to the shadows, which will restore any lost health. Now you’re thinking like an Alien!

With the Aliens vs Predator incoming very shortly on February 16th, we’ve pulled together some advice from the community team to you, based on our experiences with the game. First up is a close quarters video to give you a good visual representation, then a bit of text from our community team.

Alien – Edward@Sega
Playing as the Alien reminds me of long-ago, playing games like Descent – disorientation, occasional nausea, and an ultimate “ah-ha” moment as you learn to maneuver while upside-down. First rule of playing Alien: If you’re on the ground for long, you’re dead. Marines especially will catch you quickly and you can’t withstand a frontal assault from them. Learn to cling to walls out of their line of sight, and especially learn to stay just outside of/above rooms that they’re in, where you can wait for one of their group to wander off alone. Predator playstyle is more difficult to counter – they tend to hop from pedestal to pedestal, scanning for easy targets. Your best bet when against predators is to keep on the move and wait for them to expose themselves, then sneak up from behind. Even better, wait for them to take out a target, and take them out while they’re distracted with their kill.

Always use the sprint ability to close distances, or if you’re caught in front, to get away. Your best bet if you’re actually caught on the ground with an enemy is to find an object to run them around; your strong attacks are lethal enough that if you catch someone from behind you can kill them before they turn around (with a bit of luck and dodging). The other big thing: be aware of the marine’s motion trackers. They will pick you up when you move but lose you when you stop. Move in quick bursts from one spot to another. Most shooters punish you for standing still, but most shooters don’t allow you to cling to dark corners where no one can see you until it’s too late.

Predator – Clumsyorchid
To be effective with the Predator, you’ll need to use the many tools at your disposal. The Predator has many different skills and abilities, but only starts with cloak, melee, vision modes and the focus jump ability. Mastering these core skills will easily put you at the top of the scoreboard.

Once in the game, you should quickly activate your cloak ability and seek out your prey. Cloak is best used against the Marines, as they won’t see you coming; but don’t forget that Aliens will see you if in range. Marines can track your movement, so using the focus jump ability to move quickly about the map is essential in staying alive. Focus mode also allows for a lunge attack to close the distance on an unsuspecting Alien or Marine. Once an enemy is targeted, use the light attack to jump to your target and deliver a blow. If done properly, you’ll be in a good spot to perform a trophy kill and take a bit of your foe with you as a reward.

Ranged weapons populate the map and will keep the other species fearing for their lives while you stalk them from the shadows. If ever the battle is too tough, don’t hesitate to flee and apply a heal to stay in the fight. Using all of your abilities effectively is the key to success.

Marine – Martin – the fat ninja
The key to survival as a marine is TEAMPLAY – it’s not about running around like a headless chicken shooting shadows. Do that and you’ll be deader than a dodo before you can say “Kane is looking a bit peaky, do you think it was something he ate!” Communication is key; if you have a headset, use it – it could mean the difference between win or lose. One of your greatest assets is your motion tracker; learn to rely on it more than your eyes as predators will more than likely be cloaked. But you also need to look everywhere. Stay sharp!

If you can, position your squad in a tight, confined area with narrow entry/exits; this will draw the enemy towards you through these combined entry points, allowing you to take them out. Camp if need be – there’s nothing wrong in wanting to stay alive.

Stay close together with your backs to the wall; this will give you and your squad much-needed protection from the rear, allowing you to concentrate on enemies attacking from the sides, above, below and in front of you. If you can’t position yourself against a wall, form a tight block with your backs to each other.

And remember… a squad that stays together, survives together.

Block and Counter
Now that you have the basics, there is one other bit of advice that will make you continue to dominate in multiplayer: defense. AvP contains a fair amount of melee and all species will need to use the blocking system to remain alive long enough to get the next kill.

When in range of another species, if you lack the advantage, use block. This will help stop any light attack and present you with an opportunity to counter. This can sometimes seems unnatural, especially as the Marine, but it can be the only thing to prevent death from a skill player.

Countering with a melee strike immediately after a block will will push your opponent back and stun them slightly, exposing them for a heavy attack or a barrage of light attacks. Use block correctly with your other key abilities and you will be an unstoppable force.