Starting questions (warning: newbie content)

[Dracar]

I actually don't have planetside, but I will as soon as I upgrade my computer. But, I would like to ask some questions for future reference.

In your opinion, I would like to know which specialization in planetside is the hardest to learn/master, which specialization is on average over the servers the most needed/there is the least of, and if there is any specialization that helps the most when trying to be a commander.

When I say specialization, I mean like, light/heavy infantry, pilot, tank, recon, or whatever combination of Certifications you can think of.

Thank you in advance for your help, and I hope I have everything straight, because I've never actually played PS, so I'm bound to make some mistakes in what I talk about.

Dracar

[Intruder]

Hardest to learn/master - definatly being a sniper.
Most needed - Advanced medics.


(all my own opinions that is )

[Jaged]

The hardest specialization is more of a matter of opinion. The hardest ones most defiantly are sniper, grunt, cloaker, and pilot. Which one is the hardest is a matter of debate. I don't really think there is any class of which more is needed. There is plenty of everyone. For commanding, I would pick up a gal cert so you can ferry your minions around. Other than that, I dont know.

[Everay]

it took me a goot 30 minuets to even shoot someone with a sniper rifle, and then i started to rack in the kills, and the only reason it took me 30 minuets, was because of all those damned enemy snipers, that and infultrator, and mastering a reaver can take a while, to be able to shoot anyone down is a great acomplishment, hell, just yesterday me and a squadie took down a combined total of about 16 enemy planes, with only us two in the air, and with only using our two planes (but not at once, and he got ten)

[SecondRaven]

Hardest is Sniper, The most needed would be Medics

[Everay]

ill tell you the trick to hit a moving target, first, zoom in to where you see him well, but dont zoom in all the way, then aim where you think he will go, then wait for him to reach the bar closest to the corsair in the scope, and then fire. simple

all those bars in there surve a purpose, they arnt just decorations

[Jaged]

When did everyone decide that sniping was the hardest? I don't mind because I am a sniper, but it really dosent seem that hard. We just sit in one place and shoot. Sure, leading is hard, but you have to lead with any weapon.

[CrimsonTwilight]

Hi there! First off, a few weeks I ago I was doing pretty much what your doing right now. My first bit of advice is to look at http://www.planetside-universe.com and check out its Game Info section and wealth of information. Everything I say here can be read there except for the odd bit that comes from general game experiences.

Things like troop transports could be considered as a less popular route of advancement among most servers, but they arn't always very exciting, which is most likely the reason there arn't a bazillion of them around. Not to many people get kicks from dropping off soldiers in a hot battle, only to drive back to the nearest base and do it again. I'm not saying its a bad idea to get a transport though, I have the galaxy certification (big dropship) and people love it when I give them rides when I'm on the way to battle. If you learn that you like squad warfare more than soloing, as many do, its advantageous to have a transport cert at some point to help move your squad around.

Most people start off with the Medium Assault and Reinforced Armor certifications, which are usually a must have for the beginning grunt. Some choose to forget these certs later on if they decide they don't want them.

People also like to get the Heavy Assault certification because of its firepower. If your Terran you get a nice mini chaingun that spits lead quite quickly. If your New Conglomerate (ME) you get a tri-barrel fast-fire shotgun. If your Vanu you get a spiffy Lasher which shoots orbs of energy which lash out on nearby targets and do max damage on a direct hit.

None of the Certifications are to hard to learn, but some will only be useful when you know how to use them well. The key with ALL of your skills and weapons and vehicles is to try them out and explore what they can do. Just recently I learned that a Jackhammer (New Conglomerate Heavy Assault), when using armor pierceing ammo and set on secondary firing mode, can eat through a max wonderfully if you strafe around fast enough.

I think you might also like to try some skills. They are: Hacking, which allow you to hack into medical terminals for health, and hack doors and command centers more quickly; Medical, which allows you to heal yourself and friendlies with a medical applicator; and Engineering, which allows you to repair vehicle and body armor (including your own) which the correct tools.

All of these skills have advanced versions: Advanced Hacking allows you to hack equipment, vehicle, and advanced medical terminals in addition to speeding up all other hacks, Advanced Medical gives you the ability to revive dead soldiers, and Combat Engineering which allows you to use 'ACE's. An ACE is a little device that can be turned into a mini gun turret, mine, remote mine, and motion sensor, that in turn are planted on the ground or walls to defend. You also get the exp for the kills these items make as long as you are on the same continent as the items.

Multi-Crew vehicles may also be fun for you, I suggest researching them on Planetside-Universe.

Mechanized Assault Exo-Suits or MAX are interesting. Each team has a "MAX" for anti-infantry, anti-vehicle, and anti-aircraft. The Terran maxes can anchor down and fire incredibly fast (they have dual guns), New Conglomerate maxes can activate a shield around themselves that eats up damage, and Vanu can jump jet way up high.

I have seen all sorts of commanders. There is no distinct advantage to having a certain skill or cert when being a commander. Just be sure that when you hit Command Rank 2 that you have a Command Uplink device with you.

Hope you have a good time playing! Don't forget to check out http://www.planetside-universe.com

[Dracar]

Well, thank you. Can't wait to play PS, looks like an cool game, and not just about pure brute strength, gotta love strategy games. Again, thanks for all your input.

Dracar.

[MilitantB0B]

Being a good infiltrator is pretty hard. Sniping is hard to master, but not that hard to pick up and make a good weapon of it. Being a pilot is fun, and so is MAXs. Its not that hard to try different things out, just give it all a go and see what you like best. :D

[Flammey]

Hmm, yes, no one skill is really harder to use than any other. The skills I have trouble with are Flying, and Sniping. The rest for me are a breeze. I can drive anything in this game well, and I can use any weapon well. Currently, I'm Frontline Support, as I'll call it. That means, I have AMS, Heavy Assault, Anti Vehicle, Reinforced Armor, and engineering.

I've tired all the MAX's for Vanu, and I must say that none of them are any better than the other, at what they are supposed to do. See, The Starfire is excellent at Anti Air, but crappy against other things. The Quasar is good at Anti Infantry, and even lightly at anti Vehicle. But it's no good against air. And the Comet is good at anit Vehicle, and lightly at anti Infantry, but no good at air.

My suggestion, is to try things out some. Try a vehicle for a day or two. If you don't like it, you can trade in for a new one. Incidently, if your going to start with air, start with the mosquito. Work your way into the Reaver. Once you know the details of the Mosquito, you are ready for the Reaver. Liberator and Galaxy are whole different ball games. Mostly because you are dependent on others for your weapons, with the exception on the Lib's forward cannon, which kicks ass, I might add.

But anyways, try things out in the VR center.

[Nimbus]

I agree totally with Flammey on the reaver and mosquito.
I would definately say that a good commander skill to have would be galaxy. It allows you to keep everybody together for 1, and 2 nobody gets left behind. If you want to go with combat right away, you might not have points for a vehicle and it gets real aggrivating real quick when your commander keeps saying "grab a vehicle and go to wp2". You either have to hitch a ride or hoof it all the way there.

Hardest things? fighting a tank with a knife. No I dunno, I've never really had problems with anything. Being an effective Reaver pilot was the most challenging thing I've done so far. Never tried being an infiltrator though.

[CraZy]

there is no hard to learn certs....
you can lear whatever you want if you like it.