New player, can anyone give me some advice/tips?

[Mandalore]

I played this game for a few days on and off at my friend's house, and I really liked it. A lot like Tribes, but really huge :)

Anyway, I was thinking of starting on Emerald as a Terran. What is a good basic starting template? I want to play as a grunt, but I also want to snipe. Is it possible to incorporate both of those roles without giving up too much? And, more to the point, what certs are most useful to the Terran Republic and outfits? I'd like to be a good teamplayer above all else, but I want to play a good fighting role as much as possible. Thanks in advance!

Oh yeah, before anyone tries to tell me, I couldn't post on the official PS forums for some reason. I have a Station account, but everytime I try to log into the forums over there, it just repeatedly prompts me to log back in, so I can't get on the forums. Their tech support wasn't much help either.

[Holgarth]

It will depend on what battle rank you are, I will assume you are very new and have done all the VR training (useing all weapons, and vehicles, including sitting in gunner seats), this should have you at battle rank 4.5

This will give you a decent grunt template or a sniper with lower armour.

Grunt Template:
Medium Assault - 2 points
Reinforced Armour - 3 points
This will leave you with 2 points to spend either on transport (ATV, Harasser, ground transport, or ground support), or on armour (Infiltration suit, or Max Anti-air)

Sniper Template:
Medium Assault - 2 points
Sniper - 3 points
This will leave you with 2 points to spend either on transport (ATV, Harasser, ground transport, or ground support), or on armour (Infiltration suit, or Max Anti-air)

When you get to BR5 you could drop what ever cert you used the last 2 points on and and spend the 3 points on either Sniper or Reinforced Armour cert depending on what template you used. This would then give you your Grunt/Sniper base character.

Hope it helps, Have fun.

[Dharkbayne]

I'd suggest Engineering, Medic, Sniping, Medium Assault, Rexo (If you want to carry 2 weapons), SA/HA/MA

I'm also Terran/Emerald, member of The Black Widow Company (www.theblackwidowcompany.net) , If you need an outfit, just stop by and apply on our forums.

[Meursault00]

Same thing happens to me, I think you may have to be a subscriber or something.

Grunt+Snipe? Sir, you have chosen one of the best combos ever.

If you want to grunt, the best way is to use your empire specific HA weapon, which in your case would be the MCG. However, having both Sniping and HA will take some time. But you can always grunt with your Cycler in the meantime.

Generally, you want something like this at BR18. Rexo, HA, Sniping, MA, Medical,Engineering, and Harasser (vehicle is really your choice). It is around this point where the real killwhoring and hate tells begin =D.

After going through the VR and looking at everything in the sanctuary, you should be at BR4 with 7 cert points. Grab MA, a Vehicle cert (that's 2 cert points), now you have a choice between SA, Sniping, or AV. If you want to start sniping, go for it.

But with this basic outline, you are almost completely self sufficient. Try to go for HA by dropping Sniping once you get BR5, this will allow you to killwhore, but be aware that you aren't deadly yet because of your weak armor.

Get Rexo as soon as you can.

If you uncerted Sniping, recert that as quickly as you can.

Or try to get HA as quickly as you can.

For now, medkits and friendlies with Engineering will be able to support you, just know where to find them.

At lower BR levels (5-7) doing ANT runs will defintely help you gain BR and hence gain certification points.

Killing in Planetside is slightly different than other games. Pick your battles, strength in numbers, keep up with the zerg. I don't really know how to put it all into words at this point, but you may find that at the beginning that you suck. Don't be deterred though, cause once you reach around BR10, the fun will begin.

If you find that you aren't that good at killing stuff, look for squads, join active outfits.

Soloing will net you the most xp IF you are good at killing stuff.

Get to a base before the zerg arrives.

From Sniper to Sniper, if you didn't know already, Being a sniper in Planetside is different than in other FPS. Also, being a sniper at BR18 is a completely different feeling than being a sniper at BR4, its a lot more fun for one thing. At BR18 you really do have more flexibility in the location of your sniping nest. So long as multiple snipers can't spot you at the same time, you're fine. Plus, it's comforting to be able to take a shot, back down, maybe pop a medkit, use the med applicator on yourself, come back out and look for that sniper. Oh, btw, Med cert is a must for a sniper.

I'm to tired+lazy to talk about anything else without babbling on and on. Other people will probably have different views and better advice. This is just my two cookies.

[Mandalore]

Thanks for the outfit info. I may check that out, as I know very well how important clans are in gaming. Don't take me for a total newbie, though, I've been had my share of CAL-IM matches :0

Also, the mini chaingun looks pretty sweet. Is it a legit assaulting weapon or garbage?

[Meursault00]

O0oh, CAL-IM, fellow CounterStrike junkie perhaps? :)

The HA weapons are a matter of taste and each one takes some time getting used to.

All the HA weapons are pretty well balanced at this point. JH for short, Lasher (personal favorite) for Short/Medium, MCG for medium. I would advise that you use the MCG in groups as they are even more deadly in that manner.

Offtopic: In CS, right before I quit, a friend in PS (who quit and went back to CS) knew that I was quite skillfull with close range weapons (shotty, mac10, deagle) and he advised me to join the NC because of their near instagib weapons. Well I joined, and I found that the glove didn't quite fit my hand.

It's probably better (if you want to have fun killing stuf) to start new characters (and delete them afterwards if you wish) go to VR and try their weapons out to see what you like. If not to determine which empire to join, then surely to get a sense of what you're up against.

[ICha0sI]

It's not like tribes, never say that again!

Also holgarth, I thought you can only get BR 3 and almost 4 from doing ALL the training? not 4.5..

[2stoned]

Well, if it helps you can look at take my certs as a BR20 template if you wish, ive been playing and sniping for over a year now and i consider myself a good sniper, but that is my personal view and obviously i am biased.

Standard ExoSuit
Standard Assault
Agile ExoSuit
Reinforced ExoSuit-needed
Medium Assault-needed
Sniping-needed
Medical-needed
Engineering-needed
Advanced Medical- up to you this is not essential but i need this for my outfit squad.
Heavy Assault-needed(i think)
Ground Support- also not needed but we seem to always lack ams when fighting so...
(one cert point left over)

You may want to have AV to deal with those pesky reavers and mossy's that will piss you off when sniping. so if you dont take Adv medic then take AV this leaves you with 2 points to get transport like an ATV or a delly/raider for squads etc.

I would suggest the Sniper rifle, MCG combo, i go for 40 sniper bullets, 3 Boxes of normal bullets, 2 Boxes of AP(to deal with MAXes, AV/AA ones if AI your dead unless the guy is a fool.)
BANK in slot 1 and medical in slot 3
I also carry 2 units of amour repair and 1 of medical. Also a REK. I think thats it, anyway thats just what i use you may want to try another load out which suits your playstyle.

You may hear people suggest that you should equip two sniper rifles, i dont personally find this as good as my combo but it may be good for people who have just started sniping, all it takes is practice you should know if your bullet will hit the enemy or not as soon as you take the shot. My advice is to place your crosshair in front of your target read what he/she is about to do and place it in advanced. This should allow the crosshair to be perfect the time the enemy is near it, then all i can describe it as is instinct of when to shoot. It all depends on different ranges, all i can say to you is practice makes perfect.

I hope that helps.

Empire:TR
Server:Werner
Outfit:Blood Brothers

[Holgarth]

Also holgarth, I thought you can only get BR 3 and almost 4 from doing ALL the training? not 4.5..

Well with introduction of core combat vehicles and weapons it has boosted the amount of XP you get, and now with the intro of the new variant vehicles for for ATV and Deliverer it makes it up to about BR 4.5.
Remember also to not only use all the equipment in VR like the Advance Engineering items, medi kits and repair guns, rek, etc. Also make sure you jump into every vehicle seat gun position for the different gun types, deploy an AMS and use the matrix coder on it, fly a loadstar to a ground vehicle terminal and then get any vehicle and load it aboard the loadster (or drive over to aircraft term and use that vehicle to load).
All of the above gives XP, I have also allowed for using the cert and implant terms at sanc, and the warpgate as they also give XP, this should get you to 4.5 BR.

[Duffman]

They got red names above their head, Kill em.

[JetRaiden]

get Heavy Assault ASAP. then diversify as you get more Battle Ranks. thats how all my characters started, with the exception of my first one, who I cant remember what my first certs were.

[ZjinPS]

Stryker junkie.. I love that miserable piece of crap. Now it is said that the turret bug has been fixed? If I were VS or NC I'd stay the heck out of a turret.

Watching them (stryker missles) circle spitfires is still pretty cute, unless that spitfire is chewing you to pieces.

[Toneball]

Sniping is THE way to go IMO. Unless I'm a support character (cloaker or pilot) all my characters have it. Start out with rexo / MA combo, having 7 cert points you can afford it and have 2 extras. Setup a load out with cycler, sweeper, ammo for both, a REK, maybe jammer grenades and a couple med packs for standard combat. Once you hit BR5 you can get the bold driver. Give yourself two loadouts in addition to your combat:

Rexo, BD, Cycler, 3 medpacks, Plasma Grenades, REK and four boxes of ammo for each of your gun. Use this for defending and when you have plenty of cover. Switch between the BD and Cycler depending on the range of the target.

Rexo, BD, Sweeper, 3 medpacka, Plasma grenades, REK and again four boxes of ammo for each. Use this loadout for assaulting a base or tower or when you don't have much cover. Keep sniping from a ways away, giving those with HA and AV to push forward. Once things are going in your favor, or if someone sneeks up on you, swap to the sweeper and have at is.

As you gain ranks, get yourself HA, AV, Medical and Engi, or experiment and find what you like. Also at BR 6, 12 and 18 you get implants. I suggest Enhanced Targeting so you can pick off the ones without full health for a one shot kill. Darklight Vision to see cloakers and find AMS's. (note: when reloading; hide, switch to 3rd person and turn on DLV so you don't get boomered) Audio Amp will let you see people sneeking around the hill or cloakers trying to hunt you, unless they have sensor shield. Also, indoors, audio amp will let you see people comming for you around corners.

PS, if you do ALL the VR training (vehicles and weapons). Go around and look at ALL the different PS spinning logos (lockers, implant terms, spawn tubes, door locks...). You can get BR 4.5