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Natural Selection 2

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Natural Selection 2

Natural Selection 2 is a multiplayer video game which combines first-person shooter and real-time strategy rules. It is set in a science fiction universe in which a human team fights an alien team for control of resources and territory in large and elaborate indoor facilities. It is the sequel to Natural Selection.

Like its predecessor, Natural Selection 2 features two opposing teams of players, Kharaa (Aliens) and Frontiersmen (Marines), seeking to destroy the other's respective base. While the two teams have the same essential goals, gameplay for each team varies drastically. Marines largely rely on guns and other pieces of technology to annihilate the alien presence. Aliens, however, rely primarily on melee attacks. Certain alien lifeforms can walk on walls, fly, and even dash forward in the blink of an eye. Players also have a currency system which they use to buy better equipment or evolve into higher lifeforms.

The primary feature that differentiates Natural Selection 2 from others in the FPS genre is its strategy component. Both teams may have one player act as a commander, who is given a top-down view of the map and plays the game in a Real-time strategy perspective. The commander can place buildings, research upgrades and has a number of abilities to support their team (dropping health and ammo packs, using certain support units to aid in combat or building, or erecting walls to block enemy movement), at the cost of resources. Buildings in Natural Selection are designed to aid players in their offensive, defensive, stealth and speed capabilities.

For a team to achieve victory, they must eliminate all of the opposing team command structures (Hive of the Kharaa, Command Station of the Frontiersmen). The Aliens also have the option of destroying all infantry portals (Marine spawn structure) and any surviving Marines; however because eggs (Alien spawn structure) automatically spawn around hives, Marines cannot do the same.

A game engine originally dubbed "Evolution" was developed specifically for the game. It has since been renamed "Spark". The game engine utilizes the Lua scripting language for game logic, allowing for easy expansion of the game's mechanics. Physics support is provided by several third-party libraries.

The game was officially announced in October 2006. It was to be developed by the Natural Selection creator's newly founded company, Unknown Worlds. Charlie ‘Flayra’ Cleveland will continue his work on the game and Cory Strader (concept artist from Natural Selection) will also be contributing concept artwork.

On December 1, 2006 the first major announcement of a possible feature was announced, named 'Dynamic Infestation'. A video containing an example of Dynamic Infestation was posted on the Unknown Worlds development blog.

On August 31, 2007, podcasts by Max McGuire and Charlie Cleveland were released. These audio updates have since been released at irregular intervals. They discuss the development process, funding and focus, and serve as a basis for interviews with other names in the industry.

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