Support Personnel: Give 'em some lovin'

[Veteran]

I know PlanetSide is a shooter, which of course means guns and killing and hurting and such, but without support personnel to repair your terminals, hack them and keep the generator and spawn afloat, you'll be hurting people with your Suppressor and respawning in sanctuary. Based on that, I'd say support personnel are just as important as grunts, and I think they need to take 'game balance' and skew it a little more in favor of people who are willing to do something that might not be as thrilling as ventilating their enemies for the good of the entire army. As usual, I have suggestions to illuminate this idea:

1: Hackers. When they're not reading up on Better REKS and HAX magazine, they are hacking bases, terminals and vehicles. I'd make any hacked vehicle require no certification to drive and enemy equipment terminals provide enemy MAXs and weapons. Just think how exciting the game would become with such simple changes. I've heard it suggested that this would cause imbalance or abusability, but I challenge anyone to provide a compelling argument to support this.

2: Engineer. These guys keep the generator and spawn tubes running and make sure your tank doesn't die. I'd halve the time it takes to repair a vehicle and MAX armor. What kind of reward involves two units standing like clay targets for 30 seconds while repairing a MAX, or almost a minute for a tank or AMS? It's too long, and chances are the MAX/vehicle will wind up dead in 30 seconds from a Decimator anyhow. People only live so long, why make them wait forever to send a freshly repaired unit back into the fray?

3: Medic. WHOLE LOTTA LOVE FOR THESE GUYS. Sorry for the caps, but if any support class has been shafted, it's the Medic. I'd implement stim packs as well as allow the Medical Applicator to instantly activate implants (even on the user) and let it heal stamina. Some people say medics are fine the way they are, but I just can't agree. Five cert points to be able to ressurect someone? In practice it's just frustration. Even if the guy doesn't spam release when he dies, just how long is it going to take for you to get to him? Then you have to sit there like a clay duck rezzing him, risking your own life, and then he's alive with no armor and minimal stamina. Consider also the time that guys spend waiting to be rezzed, only to say 'screw it' 30 seconds later and hit release. That's almost a whole minute wasted because of the false expectation of being rezzed. Adv. Medic is only viable for people using voicechat, I'd say.

4: Infiltrators. Every base should show security breaches on the world map when hackers are hacking doors/terminals, etc. _except_ when an infiltrator is involved. This would be so easy to implement and would make infiltrators very desirable for sapping bases to break the facility link benefits. Call me a heretic, but I also say make them totally invisible when moving to nullify the <*****> exploit, which is never going to be fixed by its base nature. There are so many ways to detect stealthers, so an exploit that a five-year-old could think up shouldn't be allowed to ruin it. Stealthers also show up like lightbulbs through rifle scopes. Also, add a second pistol slot that can only carry a REK and you have a class that is both balanced and dignified.

5: Troop transport drivers. These guys are willing to give up 3 certs to haul your sorry ass around and what happens? The HART becomes the only vehicle anyone needs. A big part of PlanetSide's appeal (and marketing strategy) is vehicles. ANYTHING that makes them more useful/necessary should be considered. I'd suggest making the HART only drop you around friendly SOIs and giving vehicles better resistance to light arms. As it is, you can shoot a Deliverer to death with an assault rifle in under a minute. That's just wrong. Add a big flat metal landing zone for Galaxies and soon Lodestars, and the vehicle driver will finally be vindicated for his sacrifice.

That's about it. Heavy Assault guys, tankers and Reaver pilots have been yucking it up since launch. I really think it's time to show some love to the behind-the-scenes guys. If anyone thinks PlanetSide is just about killing the enemy, they are missing the thing that keeps a lot of other players interested.

I get the idea that SOE understands the plight of support personnel and will be helping them out soon. If not, I really think they've missed an important avenue of improvement for the game. Time will tell.

[Flammey]

For infiltrators, why add a second slot that can only carry a REK? Why not just put a perm. REK into the Infiltarion suit? And I agree with the Adv. Medic plight. Adv. Hackers get so many abilities, Combat Engineers get a neat toy that can create 4 other neat toys. WTF do Adv. Medics get? One added ability, which hardly gets used, as it's sometimes easier and faster to respawn, and most people don't want to wait for an Adv. Med to get to them. they want back in the fight. Give those poor bastards SOMETHING more.

[Scarecrowe]

For the infiltrator bit why not make a cert that takes 2 points and gives your infil suit a built in REK. Im a infiltrator and i would definitley spend the extra points on it just to avoid the incoveinience of opening up my inventory and changing my pistol to a REK

[Aen]

Make the Inf suit cost 3 certs. Add an extra pistol spot that can only hold support items. Such as the BANK, Med. Applicator, and of course the REK. Hell you could even throw in the command uplink, anything besides a weapon, and I dont see the problem with that.

[TheRagingGerbil]

Great post Veteran.

[ChewyLSB]

Yes, Advanced Medics do get the shaft! I am an Advanced Medic/Combat Engineer, and out of all the certs I have, Advanced Medic gets used the least.

[Liquidtide]

4: Infiltrators. Call me a heretic, but I also say make them totally invisible when moving to nullify the <*****> exploit, which is never going to be fixed by its base nature.

I'm often an Infil, except when they have an ILF link, but could you explain this exploit more so I'm not caught on the receiving end of it?

Thanks
~Tide

[SilverLord]

I'm often an Infil, except when they have an ILF link, but could ou explain this exploit more so I'm not caught on the receiving end of it?

Thanks
~Tide

i do not know the exploit he is talking about either. As for the Adv. Medics. I had the cert for awhile, it'd get used very rarely but my outfit weanted me to have it. I said screw it because half you guys don't wait for me to get there. Dropped and serted to a Prowler. I dunno what they should give us but...something has to be done sometime. IMO.

[M4d_Jack]

i agree with the main thread ideas. and i'll go one step further--give those players who keep the battle going, such as engineers, XP for their efforts!!! i can repair gens, turrets, and tanks all day and get not a darn thing for it. the latest patches have made killing the main focus of the game, yet no one can do anything without the techies...

[Veteran]

I can't discuss exploits on this board, or in private messages. It's against the board's policy and the wrong people might read it and decide to use it.

Suffice it to say it's simple but effective and completely unstoppable because it relies on a hardware exploit, thus my belief that pure invisibility is the best long-term fix.

[Madcow]

I can't discuss exploits on this board, or in private messages. It's against the board's policy and the wrong people might read it and decide to use it.

Suffice it to say it's simple but effective and completely unstoppable because it relies on a hardware exploit, thus my belief that pure invisibility is the best long-term fix.

What he said. I'd also like to add that there are some people who are using the exploit and don't even know it and wouldn't know how to turn it off if they did. I can sympathize with them as it's really not their fault. Different hardware does different things, and are you supposed to pretend you don't see something that you obviously do?

I like the suggestions, although based on the violent opposition that I received for daring to say that we should be able to drive jacked vehicles but the speed caps at 75% and the handling goes down I can't imagine that suggestion will get much love here.

I love the infil ideas, but I'm a tad biased.

[Veteran]

I didn't mean to imply that anyone who didn't figure out that exploit is somehow failing or not being smart. I would never have thought of it either, but someone mentioned it once and it has colored my view of infiltrators ever since (no pun intended).

[TeraHertz]

Lovin? I want XP, not love.
XP for people spawning at your AMS please !

[Doppler]

1: Hackers. When they're not reading up on Better REKS and HAX magazine, they are hacking bases, terminals and vehicles. I'd make any hacked vehicle require no certification to drive and enemy equipment terminals provide enemy MAXs and weapons. Just think how exciting the game would become with such simple changes. I've heard it suggested that this would cause imbalance or abusability, but I challenge anyone to provide a compelling argument to support this.

No, simple fact is advanced hacking is 5 cert points and already the best support skill in the game, you want to give them the benefit of 24 plus cert points worth of vehicle certs.

2: Engineer. These guys keep the generator and spawn tubes running and make sure your tank doesn't die. I'd halve the time it takes to repair a vehicle and MAX armor. What kind of reward involves two units standing like clay targets for 30 seconds while repairing a MAX, or almost a minute for a tank or AMS? It's too long, and chances are the MAX/vehicle will wind up dead in 30 seconds from a Decimator anyhow. People only live so long, why make them wait forever to send a freshly repaired unit back into the fray?
This one is also a balance issue. To change the repair time for vehicles whould not only make vehicles more imbalanced then they already are versus grunts, but also put defenders at a disadvantage if their enemies storming into a base can repair considerably faster, bottom line if it aint broke dont fix it.

3: Medic. WHOLE LOTTA LOVE FOR THESE GUYS. Sorry for the caps, but if any support class has been shafted, it's the Medic. I'd implement stim packs as well as allow the Medical Applicator to instantly activate implants (even on the user) and let it heal stamina. Some people say medics are fine the way they are, but I just can't agree. Five cert points to be able to ressurect someone? In practice it's just frustration. Even if the guy doesn't spam release when he dies, just how long is it going to take for you to get to him? Then you have to sit there like a clay duck rezzing him, risking your own life, and then he's alive with no armor and minimal stamina. Consider also the time that guys spend waiting to be rezzed, only to say 'screw it' 30 seconds later and hit release. That's almost a whole minute wasted because of the false expectation of being rezzed. Adv. Medic is only viable for people using voicechat, I'd say.

I whould like to see if anything the implant and stamina issues of being a medic fixed, i'm hoping theyll be fixed the same time we get the much proimised stimulant function for our med guns.

4: Infiltrators. Every base should show security breaches on the world map when hackers are hacking doors/terminals, etc. _except_ when an infiltrator is involved. This would be so easy to implement and would make infiltrators very desirable for sapping bases to break the facility link benefits. Call me a heretic, but I also say make them totally invisible when moving to nullify the <*****> exploit, which is never going to be fixed by its base nature. There are so many ways to detect stealthers, so an exploit that a five-year-old could think up shouldn't be allowed to ruin it. Stealthers also show up like lightbulbs through rifle scopes. Also, add a second pistol slot that can only carry a REK and you have a class that is both balanced and dignified.

I dont feel its necissary to change the game in response to an exploit, and exploit will get fixed, also stealthers dont need a lot of help other then relief from the IFB. Face it a stealther is not sposed to be a an end all kill all class, it's 2 cert points, you get what you pay for.

5: Troop transport drivers. These guys are willing to give up 3 certs to haul your sorry ass around and what happens? The HART becomes the only vehicle anyone needs. A big part of PlanetSide's appeal (and marketing strategy) is vehicles. ANYTHING that makes them more useful/necessary should be considered. I'd suggest making the HART only drop you around friendly SOIs and giving vehicles better resistance to light arms. As it is, you can shoot a Deliverer to death with an assault rifle in under a minute. That's just wrong. Add a big flat metal landing zone for Galaxies and soon Lodestars, and the vehicle driver will finally be vindicated for his sacrifice.

I just want the ability to drive transports in reinforced and the hart returned to 10 mins.

Finnaly let me point this out, most people who fill the rolls you point out have some form of support cert to compliment their regular fighting cert, i dont know many people who have just support cers.
Oh before anyone asks heres my certs:
Reinforced
Med Assault
Enforcer
Anti vehicle
Combat Engineering
Advanced Medic
AMS

[Happy lil Elf]

XP is not the point of Planetside. You'll find out just how pointless playing for exp is after hitting BR 20.

[Queensidecastle]

I wish that Sony would track more stats than they due currently so that some things become more evident. Dicepoint has taken it about as far as you can go but support players are totally not represented there. If sony could keep track of the ammount of repairing, healing, hacking, and transporting you do in some way, this problem would be solved. I find it really annoying that I am only 4000 or so on the dicepoint board because my kills are low and my hacks are high. Fact of the matter is, almost all 700+ of my kills are with a repeater or a boomer as opposed to MAX suits, reavers, vanguards, lightnings or the like. It is a hell of a lot more difficult (and rewarding) to brazenly kill Darklight reinforced Heavy assault troopers with a pistol, than it is to run around as an AI MAX suit for instance. It does not take into consideration how you kill your enemy or what support activities you are responsible for. These are all equally as important to raw kill count

Anyone that snuck past dark light MAXs, turrets, mines, motion detectors and slips in for an extremely crafy difficult tower hack and gets absolutly no points or recognition for this knows what I am talking about.

Anyone that repairs the Base gens after defeating a squad trying to hold the room and take a base knows what I am talking about

Anyone that has spent 2 or 3 med packs reviving troops at the front of an assault wave helping keep it strong knows what I am talking about

However the Surging Agile Heavy assault/Special Assault grunts are reguarded as the best players since no other information is tracked. I think the dynamics of the game would be much more interesting and realistic if peeps thought they would get credit for support roles

[Kenney]

That makes no sense, because playing for XP after you hit BR 20 is pointless. UNtil then, there is a point to playing for XP. I agree it shouldn't be someones goal in planetside to get XP, but there is a point to it. The more you get, the more abilities you can gain, the more you can help out your squad, outfit or whatever.

[Tegadil]

If I remember correctly, they DID at one point have some sort of drugs that enhanced your abilities, but SoE thought it would be bad for PR if people became of the mentality that you had to have your drugs before the big firefight.

But yeah, the medic needs something else. A medic-only stim would certainly put them in higher demand, and perhaps a few tweaks to the revival are neccescary. Being a medic shouldn't be a burden, really. Hell, I LOVED being a medic in Enemy Territory.

[Queensidecastle]

As far as medics go, they dont have to make any balance changes at all. All they have to do is do what people have been asking for since beta: Dont create the backpack of a dead player untill he respawns someplace else. That way, the person doing the Revive has time to rez them before they turn into a backpack

[Flammey]

Don't think that SOE won't up the BR level. I have a feel it's going to happen real soon.It'll either be 24 or 28. I'm told those are the only 2 numbers they will use. I can not give any more information on this subject as the rest is under NDA, and I'm not the one under the NDA. My information is second hand, and incomplete. But it does come from an SOE employee. From what I gather, the next thing they are implimenting is OBO, or Outfit Base Ownership, which, I for one, don't really care about. AFTER OBO is implimented, I expect that you can look forward to more BR. It may even be implimented as OBO is. Just be patient guys. Things will most likely get better as time passes.

[Flammey]

As far as medics go, they dont have to make any balance changes at all. All they have to do is do what people have been asking for since beta: Dont create the backpack of a dead player untill he respawns someplace else. That way, the person doing the Revive has time to rez them before they turn into a backpack


I just re-read this, and DAMN, that's a good idea. If they are respawning, and if they get revived before their respawn timer runs out, Suddenly, they are back on the battlefield.

[Doppler]

Also dont make the person respawn with no armor and no stamina again whould go a long way.

[Veteran]

What if the soldier doesn't _want_ to be rezzed? I kill myself all the time to respawn elsewhere.

[Flammey]

Also dont make the person respawn with no armor and no stamina again whould go a long way.

Actually, you rez with what ever armor you had when you died. I died with 115 armor once, and got rezzed with 115 armor. And I fixed that asap with my nano gun.

[Veteran]

As far as making hacking too cool by allowing hacked vehicles to require no certification...

1: I see maybe 1 or 2 vehicles that can be hacked per playsession. They usually get blown up before I can hack them.

2: Anyone would be able to drive it, so it's not for the hacker alone. In fact, make it so that anyone _but_ the hacker can drive it. Problem solved.

3: Engineering is just as good as hacking, so let's not delude ourselves into thinking that hacking is the end-all be-all of equipment skills.

4: It would be fun. FUN. It wouldn't break the game and it would let jacking be used for more than spies trading empire equipment.

In short, it might never happen, but it's not a bad idea.

[Doppler]

Engineering VS Hacking
Hacking, hack terminals get gear whatever gear you want, whenever where. Completes the function of the game (to take bases and towers) faster and easier. Steal enemy vehicles. Hack enemy vehicle terms.

Engineering. You repeair shit, usualy people wont hold still for you to do it but thats ok, also you can fix vehicles. At combat engineering you can place mines which are really only a deterrant to vehicles and not so much anymore. YOu cna place motion sensors and spits which never seem to work right, the only thing you do get which is real spectaular is boomers. You always get bitched at by people who dont have the cert to get the gens and tubes up.

So why whould from a qualification point of view whould a hacked vehicle be any easier to drive then af reshly spawned one. Thiink about it, it's not that your not allowed to drive it its that your genetic matrix cannot interface with the vehicle.

The number of vehicles you see hackable per play session is immaterial, my infil seeks out ams and hacks them quite often or at least make smy squad aware of them.