Idea: A new class of suit to consider the "Mule"

[stick100]

Now that we know that there is no econonmy I thought of a support role that has not yet been mentioned. The Mule. A mule is typically used in other MMO's to transport or hold goods so that a persons main character does not have to deal with these items. In planetside it would make sense to wish to serve your squad by carring neccessary items such as ammunition, med kit ammo, repair kit ammo and so on. A player could get certified in something like a "transport suit" that would have medium class armor, but move like a heavy and have something like 3 times a heavies storage. This "mule" would have a large backpack on thier back that would take time to access possibly like a D2 style horadric cube that would take several seconds after you click on it to open. This person would be able to support stealth medics and stealth engineers and other classes that might need more equipment then they can carry. This class would be invaulable in supporting a long campain deep into enemy teritory.
I understand that this class would require art work (a new model) but this could be done relevitly easily. You could take the model for the medium suits and attach a large backpack to the back.
I also understand that some people will probably think that this class would be overpowering due to its ability to sustain itself for a long time, but I think that its carrying capacity is ofset by the loss of speed, time to access the backpack and several other conditions. Also this class would require BEP to certify in removing some of the versitility of the class. Also it would probalbly make sense to only allow this class into places(vehicles) that support heavies, this is because 1 the backpack would take up alot of space physically, 2 if you did not do this then this new "mule" suit would be the best suit for a pilot becuase they could carry tons of repair equipment and care nothing about the fact that thier footspeed has been slowed. I think this is a viable support role that has not yet been addressed.

[Incompetent]

*cough*yourfirstpostshouldn'tbeasuggestion*cough*

[stick100]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Incompetent

No offense meant but why?

I have been watching PS for around 3 years and posted on several boards including the old official PS boards. In addition to that I am a computer science major in my senior year who has been studing all of the problems and possiable solutions to the progamming issues of PS. Also my brother works as a programmer for SOE and we have dissused at length most of the major progamming problems faced by SOE in the creating of MMOs. I have been lurking the board off and on for a very long period of time, I used to have an account on this board but forgot the account name.

Now that I am done with that, do not assume simply because this is my first post that this is not a well thought out post, or that I do not understand the game.

[Hamma]

Interesting idea indeed. Not sure what to say about it heheh, Seems like it would be useful when your on foot, but if there are vehicles involved, all vehicles have trunks :D

[Zarparchior]

I dunno... MAXs have a fairly large ammo capacity AND they can attack stuff. If they did decide to incorporate something like you suggested, there would have to be some penalties.

Normal person = Normal Inventory Space
Person in MAX = Large Inventory Space
Pack Mule = THREE times a Large Inventory Space?

I doubt they will have this because it would affect balance. Two people with two accounts could support an entire outfit in terms of supplies. They'd never run out of room, and opposing outfits would then be forced to get a Pack Mule just so they don't have to worry about running out of supplies/ammo either.

Since this game no longer sports an economy, there are two deciding factors left: Time it takes to get it (i.e. with vehicles), and inventory space (i.e. weapons). Allz you do if you die to get more weapons is going to a local weapons depot (obviously not called that, but feeling much to lazy to check actual name) and pick it up. If you didn't have to choose wisely in what kind of weapon and ammo you need, then this would turn into a very un-fun game. Limits in games is what makes them fun. You need to OVERCOME them, not waltz through them.

And it's not that I don't think highly of you either. I just don't like the idea. ;)

[Unregistered]

I thought it was a good post, and not a bad Idea at all.

All though I had been thinking of it in much the way Hamma had in where vechicles would play this type of support role with their trunks. But after reading your post I began to think about an outfit trying to do some "Black Opps" and sneaking across enemy lines on foot. They might really be able to use something like that.

The only draw back I see to it is how many people would really do this? Will players actully be living long enough to need this type of support?

Nice post, and welcom to the forum :)

[stick100]

Originally posted by Unregistered

Nice post, and welcom to the forum :)

Thank you no one else seems to think much of the idea. I understand that vehciles will be the main method of carrying spare supplies but what about all the situations that have been mentioned during which you cannot use vehciles like heavily forested area, sustained attack inside building, and when alot of stealth enemy jackers are around.

The point of the idea of the suit is that I believe that some people will want to play this support role, and the developers should make it possiable to do so.

[Unregistered]

Well I like the Idea, but I don't know how many people would be interested in playing this type of support role. I think this is the sort of thing that will come up in beta.

Things like "We drop in to the enemy base, kill everyone but before the base switches to our control they all respawn, and were out of ammo. There needs to be a way to bring more ammo"

Or durring beta we might find out that we all die a lot faster then we use up our ammo, and the need for something like this goes away.

Ilike I said, good idea, but only time will tell if it's necessary.

[Incompetent]

No offense meant but why?

you just posted the EXACT same thing on PSI on the wrong board, and in my none to lengthy experience people who write suggestions before Hi are ussualy nubs, so sorry i jumped to conclusions.

In response to the post, i think it would be a ok idea, but the game is pretty much finalized so there isn't much hope of it being implemented, but hey, theres always expansions.

Edit: after six seconds (literaly) at PSI, i've realized its redundant because Sunderers and MAXs already do the same thing.

[Flashingfish]

Originally posted by BrileyPS (on PSI)
Hey all, just thought this would be a good first posting for me, since this caught my funny bone. A qoute from stick100 (I understand that this class would require art work (a new model) but this could be done relevitly easily. You could take the model for the medium suits and attach a large backpack to the back.) I think we should hire you to be a artist on Planetside, since you have such a good grasp of whats needed to do this..since its easy. You forgot that along with a new model, there is also a new textue, and physiquing the model, along with the animation for the new character...also then theres programming..which I won't begin to go into...but I know for one there is no easy for implimatating a new character. Heheh, just wanted to give you guys a perspective that this game is by far the largest that I have ever worked on and that I'm amazed at how well things are coming. Stick not trying to poke fun at you, since I don't think the idea is all that bad..but you yourself can carry quite abit, and in a fire fight..I have never seen a guy run to the front to give me more bullets..or honestly don't want to depend on him. Hope to kill you guys soon in Planetside...later

Just wanted to give a definitive answer :)

[PSI Dr X]

I start laughing everytime I see that :D

GG BRILEY!!!

oh and on another note Dave said every vehicle will have a trunk where it can, besides it's own ammo, fit extra items ammo. And MAX's have a huge inventory and hardly need to carry anything themselves.

[Hamma]

I can just see someone now going up behind a heavy and opening their ass to take out some ammo

:eek:

[Unregistered]

:love: Briley & Stick.


/me figures out a way to get Briely to make fun of me

[PSI Dr X]

hehe we alredy nicknamed the mule bitch in IRC :D

BITCH GET OVER HERE AND GIMME AMMO!