Current XP system problems.

[Navaron]

Does this bother anyone else? Right now, if I squad up in a squad with 5 other guys, and I pwn a max, I'll get about 30 xp. Now if I was lone wolfing, I'd get at least 140 xp.

Now I wouldn't mind at all if I got 140, and my squad mates got 30, that's how it SHOULD be.

With bases, we busted our asses all over yesterday, CDL can testify to it. I mean, 100's on 100's fights. Cont' had a pop lock so many people were there. So there's this one base, no one can get, it was TR which we lost, then the NC capped it's tower, and the VS must've had at least 4 ams's out there. So we're all fighting over this for a little over and hour, and it goes nuetral several times, so we know we won't get resecure xp and what not, but hey, after all this slaughter, we should definately get 5000 xp. We don't. Somehow we get 3400. Not a bad haul, but not good. Especially considering all the points we've been getting from kills is an average of 12xp.

The point of this, is that a buddy of mine decided to lone wolf it, and not squad up. So he's a killing machine, and every guy he's killing he's getting MUCH more xp than us, and when the base caps, he gets 5000 xp.

I know xp isn't the motivator of this game. But I was under the impression team play and squad work was the entire focus of the game. So why is Sony openly discouraging it?

I feel really bad for guys in empires that are massively outnumbered. IF you lose bases repeatedly, plus you're squaded up, you're only getting a couple of points for every guy you kill as you get forced from the base. Those guys never had a chance. They'll never get enough xp to be more flexible and fight back better, they'll just be forced back out of a base and gain a measily 80xp or so.

[SmilingBandit]

So you have to share the xp. So do your squadmates, if they're holding their own in the battle then in the end it's a wash.

[MightyMule]

Okay so your are suggesting that only people who make the kills get the primary EXP, I think you are missing a HUGE issue of support roles. YOu basically are saying to them "We are doing the killing which we believe is more important than your role within the squad". If we went by your methods there would a great reduction in the number of people playing support roles (Eng, Medic, Galaxy, Sunderer, Heavy Tank, Assault Buggy, etc...). The shared EXP across the squad method is not only the simplest but the most effective for a game that is (or should) revolve around playing as a Team.

[Hamma]

Playing alone sucks :p I think its fine this way. Otherwise everyone would already be BR20, where is the fun in that?

[Jarlo]

I play to have fun, exp is a side effect that soon enough will not matter at all as we will all be br20. Stop staring at the little numbers and have fun. If I wanted to play to exp I would play EQ.

[kerosene31]

I have no problems with the current xp system. Individual kills are insignificant compared to base caps anyway.

[beavis88]

It ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Mazzic]

I'd wadger that it's the same concept of how EQ XP used to work.

You get less xp per kill. But, you have a squad of 10 people plugging away. So, in theory you're probly going to get the same, if not more, XP during a base hit from enemy kills that you would solo. Simply because if you die, its going to take you a bit to get back into the action. Vs. Fighting with a well coordinated Squad that can rezz you or protect each other.

It's all about TeamWork.

[�io]

Originally posted by beavis88
It ain't broke, don't fix it.

But it is broke, you get WAY more BEPs lonewolfing than if you're in a squad and it should be the other way around.

[beavis88]

But it is broke, you get WAY more BEPs lonewolfing than if you're in a squad and it should be the other way around.

If everyone in your squad is as "good" as you (ie as efficient at killing), you should get 20% more XP in squad. Even with two support-type members, you should get the same amount of XP. Slackers in the squad will definitely cost you.

Bear in mind that for base caps, the "time slice" calculation is done for EACH member of the squad -- so if only half your squad is in the SOI, you're not going to get full XP. This is obviously not a consideration if solo...

I see your points about the deficiencies in the system, but I just don't think they are nearly bad enough to warrant messing with it. Everyone will be BR20 in a little while anyway, maybe then people will stop caring so much about XP...

[AcidCat]

I'm no longer concerned about experience points, I just play for fun now that my character has everything I want. So it doesn't bother me at all.

[Navaron]

Originally posted by beavis88
If everyone in your squad is as "good" as you (ie as efficient at killing), you should get 20% more XP in squad. Even with two support-type members, you should get the same amount of XP. Slackers in the squad will definitely cost you.


That's just not true though. That's how it should be. But right now, we're all pretty damn efficient, and instead of us all getting 12 xp every 20 seconds, if we split up we'd be getting 150-200 every 30-40 seconds, plus 85% better chance at capping out xp for base caps.

Trust me, I know hackers and meddies and engies got fucked. I'm interested to see what happens to help them.

[Cease]

Well I just came from Dark Age of Camelot. I look at Planetside XP like DAoC RPs(realm points). In that game if you do any sort of damage you get RPs if that person dies. In this game you have to get the kill shot for you(and your squad) to get XP. Considering how many HUGE battles take place in PS, you can often go through a ton of ammo, get a ton of hits, but not get one kill/XP because someone else got the kill shot.

Classic example last night. I was in a DC Max. A Magrider was outside our base blasting turrets. First of all I was shocked that they actually knew how to use the cannon on Magrider. 2nd, I was shocked I was able to sneak up on it with a Max. I locked down and tore into it. They were slow to react and just sat there for about 3 seconds. It was burning down fast and it finally took off. But I still had a bead on it and was ripping it a new one. It skims off right into a couple of grunts who throw a few cycler shots on it and one of them gets the kill shot/XP. I didnt get anything, but a lighter inventory from the bullets I burned.

I also see this a lot when I snipe. If I get the 1st shot, and someone else gets the 2nd... I get nil XP.

Thats a flawed system that needs to be adjusted. XP isnt my main concern, but it can be a little disheartening when you fight tooth and nail for such a long time and don't have much to show for it.

[Airlift]

I stopped caring about the reward system two BR ago. I do still enjoy a good lone wolf session, usually to warm up when I just start playing. After I'm in the zone tho, I will go find my team and trade off the uber kill exp for more enjoyable play.

[beavis88]

That's just not true though. That's how it should be. But right now, we're all pretty damn efficient, and instead of us all getting 12 xp every 20 seconds, if we split up we'd be getting 150-200 every 30-40 seconds, plus 85% better chance at capping out xp for base caps.

Maybe I'm missing something here...but I just don't get why you think you get less XP for kills in squad. Let's say for the sake of argument, each of you kills on guy worth 150xp, every minute.

So, clearly in this case, if you were all solo, you'd be getting 150xp/minute.

If you had 10 people in a squad, all doing exactly this, you should each get ((150 xp * 1.2) / 10) * 10 = 180xp/minute. The "/ 10" is dividing the XP among the squad, the "* 10" is because each squadmember is doing exactly this.

(This assumes you get a 20% bonus to XP for being in a squad; then the adjusted XP is divided evenly among the squad members -- last I knew this was true)

Given what I know about the squad XP calculations (which may very well be out of date by now...) I don't see how, given the same kill rates, you'd ever get less XP in squad that was only killing and not capping.

[Nitsch]

You get more exp in squad than soloing... unless you are the only one killing in the squad.

Soloing you get exp only when you kill something. If you are in a squad you are getting exp from others when you are doing other stuff like running back to the tower to reload, hacking a cc, running around trying to find something to kill... You may not see as big numbers in squad, but you will get more in the long run.

If you don't believe me, try this (i have done this): Find your average huge zerg battle solo for 30 minutes.... watch your exp bar move. Now join a full squad and join a similiar sized battle... your exp bar will move substantally more!

Plus you will live longer with people guarding your back and you will be able to find action faster from recon from other group members. You will get a dab more exp if a person in your group does an ant run.... you will get a bit more if one of your group members was checking out another base and gets exp for that base cap etc. etc.... but most importantly YOU HAVE MORE FUN IN A GROUP (unless they are idiots)!

[Nitsch]

No, the person who gets the kill should get the primary xp, and then the squad should share a % also

If this were true, why in the hell would i want to carry around my armor repair kit in the limited space of my inf suit when i could be carrying ACE's or ammo? Why would someone want to fly a galaxy? Why would someone want to do an ant run? Why would someone be a medic/engineer (god i love those people!)? Why would someone drive a tank, sunderer, buggy etc.... when everyone else would get full credit for the kill while you only get a % (and you were the one who got the cert!)?

Support classes are not plentiful enough now (when was the last time you got a rez?), this exp system would make it worse.