Battle Islands *OFFICIAL THREAD* [Archive]

MattxMosh

2004-08-03, 01:05 AM

Checked em out just now. For the moment I'm speechless.

What's with the new map? Me so lost. Have the continents become planets? Does this mean that any hope for battleships is lost forever?

Not unless theres a WATERWORLD.

Im sorry, Im just bitter Im missing out on this.

I am twice as excited after seeing teh screens, but Im not likign the world map right now, maybe once I understand whats going on, and why that happened, I may like it.

Meursault00

2004-08-03, 01:12 AM

Holy crap, just noticed the BFR_Basic certification available only to those who have Core Combat! Don't think it means anything yet though.

The maps look prime for snipe wars and infantry engagements.

Edit: Also a bug to get into other Sancs, but they say dont do it =D So don't do it!

There's some problems with the ground (there's a patch of empty space in front of a vehicle tunnel for example)

The ground in the bases is uneven, as though a meteor really did blow through. Amazing how the indestructable walls and trees weren't affected....

New warpgates, they look cool. There's also a Nexus continent where there's a dropship center.

The only way to get there is either through HART, or through a continent. Broadcast warpgates won't help you! mwahaha!

All pretty well made maps.

The global map is weird. Takes some time to get used to (like 30 seconds). Oh yea, there's some new stuff that is lacking information.

ZionsFire

2004-08-03, 01:47 AM

Core Combat users only! Sweet bejesus!

Doppler

2004-08-03, 01:49 AM

Blah same fucking base design slightly less defensable then a public library.

EarlyDawn

2004-08-03, 01:54 AM

Still haven't fixed studder.

New map is a cool concept but ugly as hell.

Peacemaker

2004-08-03, 02:09 AM

YOU GOT SOME SPLAININ TO DO!

Wtf happened? I mean really, WTF!? Why do this? We are going to have a space mod soon now. We know that for a fact.

jsloan31

2004-08-03, 02:16 AM

[14:08] <jsloan31> OMG i got it!
[14:08] <jsloan31> they're going to link SWG and Planetside for the SWG Space expansion thing.

Meh, I don't like the space thing.

Dharkbayne

2004-08-03, 02:18 AM

What's the new map?

jsloan31

2004-08-03, 02:29 AM

For those of us too lazy to search the OF (or just don't want to go there,)

jbomb175 said "Who said Planetside took place on a REAL planet... *cough**cough*"

It's a good point...and you were joking...but let me pull up a stool and expostulate a bit on this subject.

Auraxis is a construct. It's not a planet.

Auraxis was made by the Ancients while man was trying to figure out how to use a jawbone as a club. Why did they make it?

Well...I have the *real* answer, but the answer being bandied about by your scientists is that the Ancients understood and mastered dimensional travel. By that, I mean that they could move through the onion skin layers of reality, travelling through "what if" realities, until they found the reality they were looking for.

When they found that reality, they went there. Auraxis didn't go along with them, theoretically because it was the vehicle that moved them to that other reality. So when they left, Auraxis got left behind in a "shut-down" mode. It stayed in that mode until Humanity showed up and moved into the caverns. Either through forays into the caverns, or through manipulation of "patterns" stored in the warpgate shunts, mankind triggered some sort of automated systems.

Auraxis is not in shutdown mode any longer. Things might get interesting soon.

Interesting.

EDIT: Dhark, Map Pic (http://www.planetside-universe.com/media/viewer.php?img_id=1345)

SilverLord

2004-08-03, 02:49 AM

I don't want a space expansion!! OOHHH NOOESS!!

ZionsFire

2004-08-03, 02:52 AM

Holy fuck. I think the game is starting to take on my interest again...

SilverLord

2004-08-03, 02:53 AM

The game is definately getting more professional which is a huge leap in the right direction.

jsloan31

2004-08-03, 03:01 AM

/me is having a headache over how to somehow work this into his story.

Duffman

2004-08-03, 03:23 AM

they maps are just thrown together i think... they have to work on them all alot before live. The Battle islands look like ms paint for gods sake

I Hate Pants

2004-08-03, 03:30 AM

I really enjoy it. I can't wait till they release more new continents.

I don't know about you guys. But I would love to see a space expansion for this game. With space stations for empires and huge space ships to walk around in while another player pilots it towards another planet.

ARGH! I want more!!!!!!

EarlyDawn

2004-08-03, 03:38 AM

The new map is Nexus, a single base surrounded by multiple towers. I don't recall the exact number. The base is at the lowest level of a pit. You have to climb multiple concentric hills circling the base to reach them.

Wasn't very tactically impressive, IMO. As someone from dragonwolves said on TS, the entire thing had a very "made a few hours prior" feel to it.

jsloan31

2004-08-03, 03:56 AM

I'd like a new planet other than Auraxis.

I DON'T like each continent being a entire planet.

Yes, it would be cool to have space stations, and things, but don't make each continent a new planet...

WritheNC

2004-08-03, 03:58 AM

When the hell is Mt. Cyssor going to be hallowed out and a base is put in underneath the highest peak, with 3 tunnels leading to the cavern where the base resides!?!? :D

Meursault00

2004-08-03, 05:02 AM

I'd like to see tunnels in that mountain so infantry and MAXes can take a shortcut.

I don't really care if each continent is actually a planet. Looks the same, feels the same, hence, it is the same. I don't think they'll be releasing a space expansion for the game. What would that accomplish? Unless you fought over orbital stations, there wouldn't be much for fighters to do. I don't know, maybe used to transport between continents or something. Moo.

These maps are going to take some time to get used to. I wonder if a flail shot from one island can fly and hit a target on another island. Man, talk about ownage.

PhatBoy

2004-08-03, 05:52 AM

This is brilliant news. This is what I really want from the game, a real story and plot. After you read the information in the manual, that's it, the story ends there. Now the Devs are putting in space combat, giving us more information on the Ancients and the purpose of Auraxis, and that can only be good. It will keep the game fresh and exciting and it won't just be mindless labouring over the same bases ad nauseam. This can, really, only be a good thing.

jsloan31

2004-08-03, 06:46 AM

Um, when did they announce space combat?

Infernus

2004-08-03, 07:30 AM

I was gonna play the Battle Islands last night... but that got nazified by my dad...

Ok upon my review:

The Islands themselves are very nice, all of them... Nexus could've been done better though, its basically a pit with a drop ship center at the bottom and 4 or 5 towers around it...

The Map is weird, but I can get used to it... I like how it shows how long until a cavern unlocks...

The Maps for the Oshur CLuster... well... they look like BAD MS Paint jobs...

Lartnev

2004-08-03, 08:05 AM

Nexus could've been done better though, its basically a pit with a drop ship center at the bottom and 4 or 5 towers around it...

What's wrong with that? :p

Yeah I love all the battle islands and can't wait to try them out in combat. The new map is interesting, I like the way they show you how long's left on the cavern timers. The whole 'continents are now planets' thing will take some getting used to, especially for those poor HART shuttle pilots who now have to take you across a galaxy instead of just dropping you from a large height above Auraxis. :D

Infernus

2004-08-03, 08:14 AM

What's wrong with that? :p

Yeah I love all the battle islands and can't wait to try them out in combat. The new map is interesting, I like the way they show you how long's left on the cavern timers. The whole 'continents are now planets' thing will take some getting used to, especially for those poor HART shuttle pilots who now have to take you across a galaxy instead of just dropping you from a large height above Auraxis. :D

It just feels like it was a last minute thing... and this raises a question... how do we HART? How do we OS (I mean... the planets are all spread out...) ? WTF!

Incompetent

2004-08-03, 08:40 AM

I like them, the patch needs some serious polishing but overall the new stuff seems good (and i happen to like nexus.) I'm glad were going to get some story stuff soon.

Lartnev

2004-08-03, 09:18 AM

Does Nexus remind anyone else of Bastogne from Band of Brothers? O_

Hamma

2004-08-03, 09:23 AM

they maps are just thrown together i think... they have to work on them all alot before live. The Battle islands look like ms paint for gods sake
Did you see the same maps I did? I was extremly impressed with the new maps, they were nice to look at and they seemed more optimised FPS wise than the larger conts.

Infernus

2004-08-03, 09:35 AM

Did you see the same maps I did? I was extremly impressed with the new maps, they were nice to look at and they seemed more optimised FPS wise than the larger conts.

I think he means the way they look on the map when you press "M"... not the way the continents are designed...

As in this image: http://www.planetside-universe.com/media/viewer.php?img_id=1344

not this one: http://www.planetside-universe.com/media/viewer.php?img_id=1340

EDIT: The world (or is it system) map is beginning to grow on me... I like the way it gives Info for each planet when you select it but... whats with the different colors marking the warpgates? And why do certain planet's have little blinking rings around them?

MattxMosh

2004-08-03, 10:45 AM

I took about 2370647230 screenshots, Heres a few of them, Illl upload more when Im not at work.

http://www.mattmosh.com/BattleIslands/index.html

Infernus

2004-08-03, 10:50 AM

http://www.mattmosh.com/BattleIslands/pages/PSScreenShot0042.html

What is that?

SilverLord

2004-08-03, 11:08 AM

http://www.mattmosh.com/BattleIslands/pages/PSScreenShot0042.html

What is that?
Agreed, it looks like a blitch in the games textures or something, maybe overclocking?

Infernus

2004-08-03, 11:10 AM

Agreed, it looks like a blitch in the games textures or something, maybe overclocking?

Thats what I was thinking... but why would you show off a glitch?

SilverLord

2004-08-03, 11:17 AM

He needs to get back... Maybe it's some type of translucent fog?

:giggle:

Aratsu

2004-08-03, 11:25 AM

No, everybody saw it last night. They were calling it `spaceships'. They're on Ishundar on the test server at M-12 and K-15

ChewyLSB

2004-08-03, 11:53 AM

WHy is everyone complaining about the new global map? I think it's brilliant. It feels more "professional", if you know what I mean. Besides, does it really change the game at all? No, not really. Does it remove any of the funcionality of the old map? No, not really. The only thing that bothers me is that you can't tell which warpgate links to what continent, but that's a minor complaint.

Dharkbayne

2004-08-03, 12:41 PM

Wtf? So how are they gonna explain the conts being seperate planets?

What about Auraxis? Does it just not exist anymore?

Indecisive

2004-08-03, 12:47 PM

This new explanation hurts my brain.

I translate it to be that it was just thought to be a world before, but its not. Which would explain why we couldnt just fly to another continent.

Limited knowledge would equal a limited map...

It so confusing. Im still waiting for my interweb. I want to play.

EarlyDawn

2004-08-03, 01:05 PM

Guys, you are NOT incorrect. It was originally one planet, Auraxis.

It's obviously getting blown apart in the story event.

I can't stand the new map. Not very pretty. Hope they change it around. I liked seeing all the continents on one screen. Would've prefered that they just put the cluster where Oshur was. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

ChewyLSB

2004-08-03, 01:06 PM

I can't stand the new map. Not very pretty. Hope they change it around. I liked seeing all the continents on one screen. Would've prefered that they just put the cluster where Oshur was. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

You still can, all the continents are on the outer edge of the global map...

EarlyDawn

2004-08-03, 01:07 PM

Yes, but that relates back to the uglyness thing. It just looks incredibly patchwork. I want my planet back.

Infernus

2004-08-03, 01:23 PM

Yes, but that relates back to the uglyness thing. It just looks incredibly patchwork. I want my planet back.

Indeed... that was my original problem with it... plus all the lines it makes when you click on a continent (links and such)... Early did you get your problem fixed yet?

Lartnev

2004-08-03, 01:31 PM

I think Smoke said there was still work to be done on the new "starmap."

EarlyDawn

2004-08-03, 01:33 PM

Indeed... that was my original problem with it... plus all the lines it makes when you click on a continent (links and such)... Early did you get your problem fixed yet?V-V-N

They refuse to address studder ::sigh::

Lartnev

2004-08-03, 01:34 PM

What studder? :p

Infernus

2004-08-03, 01:42 PM

V-V-N

They refuse to address studder ::sigh::

:(

I wish I could help you, btu I have no idea... my problem got fixed after that AGP bufer thing and the adaptive LOD (which works very well might I add is working very well for me... I was able to play on close to max graphics at a target 45 FPS...)

Yerster

2004-08-03, 01:50 PM

I HATE the new map. thay could have at least put the tool bar at the bottom..it is annoying trying to work it from the top. so far i find it a Pain to get on the battle islands without harting. i spent 30 mins an couldn't find a warp gate that would take me.

an just think about the BRFs. if it is useable bye CC owners only...you dont have to worry aboput seeing tons of them. lol

Warborn

2004-08-03, 02:38 PM

an just think about the BRFs. if it is useable bye CC owners only...you dont have to worry aboput seeing tons of them. lol

There will be tons of them, because lot's of people will now buy CC. That was the whole point of making the CC-only. CC didn't do well, so now they're going to give you more reasons to buy it. CC owners may think this is a perk, but it's really more of a negative to people who didn't buy CC because they didn't find much value in it gameplay wise. But because BFRs are cool I'll end up buying it.

Lartnev

2004-08-03, 02:48 PM

so far i find it a Pain to get on the battle islands without harting. i spent 30 mins an couldn't find a warp gate that would take me.

That's because they don't work yet.

Madcow

2004-08-03, 04:30 PM

There will be tons of them, because lot's of people will now buy CC. That was the whole point of making the CC-only. CC didn't do well, so now they're going to give you more reasons to buy it. CC owners may think this is a perk, but it's really more of a negative to people who didn't buy CC because they didn't find much value in it gameplay wise. But because BFRs are cool I'll end up buying it.

Yep. I couldn't have been more negative about CC previously, and now I'm thinking about buying it. Of course, I'm thinking of buying it on Ebay rather than full price, but it's more than I was willing to do before.

Casimir

2004-08-03, 04:37 PM

yeah the battle islands kick ass.

'nuff said

DeltaForceAlpha

2004-08-03, 04:39 PM

I think they look cool and I'm interested in how the story will play out.

Btw Lartnev, Nexus reminded me of Bastogn from BoB also. (great mini-series)

Sentrosi

2004-08-03, 05:34 PM

You can also buy Core Combat for like $10 or something. I forgot where but it is out there.

Indecisive

2004-08-03, 05:47 PM

www.gogamer.com

Dont buy ps from ebay. It will be used and no good.

ChewyLSB

2004-08-03, 06:20 PM

I was bored, so I thought of an explanation for the space thing.

When the Terran Republic first came to Auraxis, they only discovered one continent (let's make it... Forseral). They colonized this large land mass first, but some expeditions came across large green domes, and they were not sure what they were for. However, they did find that if they took the energy from these strange domes, the energy could be used for power for their outposts (NTU Silos/ANT's). After they finished colonizing their continent, they wondered what was across the water, however, any expedition that went too far out were never heard from again (Aircraft crashing if they go to far out). Finally, the Terran Republic decided to use the strange beams, despite many people's fears of coming upon the same outcome as the aircraft that left from their continent.

The expeditions discovered whole new continents, but they weren't sure whether they were on the same planet. They decided that all 13 continents that they found were on the same planet, and made the map accordingly so. Then the whole New Conglomorate/Vanu Soveignty split off occured, along with wormhole collapsing.

However, recent discoveries, including the caverns, have deduced that the continents were not all on the same planet, as previously believed. Rather, every continent is on a seperate planet, which would explain all of the harshly different climates. Therefore, a new map has been created to clarify this.

Yes, I'm a loser.

Doppler

2004-08-03, 06:58 PM

Yea but a question that occurs to me, how did the heart pilots miss that whole "Hey were flying through space" thingamajig.

ChewyLSB

2004-08-03, 07:14 PM

No, that's not what I meant. I meant each "continent" is a landmass on a different planet, and each continent is surrounded by water on the planet.

Firefly

2004-08-03, 07:28 PM

No, that's not what I meant. I meant each "continent" is a landmass on a different planet, and each continent is surrounded by water on the planet.
I hate it all. The Battle Islands might be good in the long run, but it makes for insta-zerg shooting. No more strategy, let's all go run to the Battle Island and slaughter everything just like in twitch-games!!

I hate the fact that we're forced to swallow a lame story idea that hasn't even been explained, and likely won't be until long after they are released to the public.

I hate that continents are going away, even if they suck. Why not just ADD more new content rather that replace? And after all this, we still have game problems and the imbalance factor of empire-hopping XP whores. Something they refuse to acknowledge. So continents are disappearing and as we know it NOW (since no information is forthcoming) all the continents magically turned into individual planets when Auraxis the Death Star construct vaped itself? That's dumb.

I hate the fact that there are no oceans between continents (the planet ideas are fucking stupid). So much for Naval Combat, now I have to worry about starfighter jockeys never coming back to the ground. Let's all go play SWG again! YAY!! not...

I hate the fact that we got saddled with stupid combat rules and supposed Broadcast Warpgate additions would change that, such as being able to instantly hack anywhere on the planet if we had zero bases and were forced to ANT race in Sanctuary... yet taht mysteriously does not happen? Or am I too busy discussing cybersex in /broadcast?

I hate the fact that no concept art was ever available for any of this, including new content such as BFRs and Phantasm and all that happy horseshit.

But I love Planetside, so I tolerate this Animal Farm-esque mysterious midnight rewrite of the rules.

Ivan

2004-08-03, 07:42 PM

Or am I too busy discussing cybersex in /broadcast?
Yes, and next time I want to use bananas. ;)

Lartnev

2004-08-03, 07:45 PM

Look on the bright side, all the zerglings will head for the battle islands leaving the rest of use to fight properly :D

The story line hasn't been explained yet because the battle islands are only on test, makes sense to add the storyline when they go live.

They have to remove a continent to provide the resources for the battle islands, iirc each battle island can hold the same amount of people as a full sized continent, so given their proximity they probably HAD to remove a continent to make it work.

Galaxy or a planet, there's no difference. You still just go through a warpgate to get to another continent. It actually opens up the idea of water combat because they might be able to add a continent/planet later on which is covered in water. If we end up with a space expansion, well it has been something that people have wanted for a while, even if you haven't.

Ivan

2004-08-03, 07:50 PM

Yeah, if anything at all this just gives them more room to expand the game what ever way they want.

Firefly

2004-08-03, 07:59 PM

It actually opens up the idea of water combat because they might be able to add a continent/planet later on which is covered in water.
So in other words it's possibly going to be like an even lamer version of Core Combat? Instead of few people using it anywhere, you can only use it on one continent?

Lame.

juggalokilla

2004-08-03, 08:00 PM

on the idea of being locked out, didnt you notice we have 1 home continent now? each sanc has a single hard link and 2 broadcast warpgates so the end of lockouts is near. i saw an nme using the bug though, we rammed him with planes to kill him. funny stuff to see a broadcast of nme in m-15 of sanctuary. i wonder if they maybe put that in for new tactics. maybe like only combat would be bumper cars because of weapons locks, that would be sweet!
Everyone would cert loadstars! :eek:

Yerster

2004-08-03, 08:33 PM

we still have game problems and the imbalance factor of empire-hopping XP whores

3 cheers for the bandwagon!!!

KIAsan

2004-08-03, 09:56 PM

Couple of points:

1. Hurray for the return of home continents, gives defense a new meaning.
2. If you fly too high on the battle islands, your instantly killed (not returned to flight level automatically) - could be a bug.
3. If you warp into the battle islands, you don't always end up in the warp bubble. I actually ended up outside the warp bubble on several occasions.
4. The most direct link for the NC to gain access to the Oshur cluster, is through Desolation (the island with all the tech plants) while TR and VS gain links through Extinction & Ascension.
5. Base benefits pass through the oshur cluster warpgates (if you own tech on Desolation, then you get tech benefits on your linked bases on Extinction and Ascension.
6. There won't be much fighting on these islands (Oshur Cluster) if one empire has already capped it. You will most likely be fighting to keep your home continent and/or your first tier bases (connected to your home continent).
7. Every home continent links to 3 other continents. 2 of those links are to continents that share a home continent link with the other empires. Only 1 link is to a second tier base (which is also the continent that links to the Oshur Cluster). This point is probably way confusing, you really have to study the star map. I'll try to paint a simplified picture later.
8. The circles around certain planets on your map, mean you own that continent (capitol) so you can broadcast warp through it.
9. The only way for the NC to get to Nexus, is by going through the TR or VS (assuming each fights their way directly to the Oshur Cluster), however if TR and VS fight over Nexus, it gives the NC a chance to hit them from their flanks. (alternatively, it allows the TR and VS to double team the NC).

There were a lot of other notes I made, but will don't have them in front of me. Interestingly enough, during todays playtest, the CSRs disabled the outside warp gates, so the only way onto the Oshur Cluster was through the hart. Guess they feared bringing tanks and reavers from sanc and not fighting over desolation.

ChewyLSB

2004-08-03, 10:32 PM

KIA, did you /bug and /report those?

Firefly

2004-08-03, 10:38 PM

Oh please. /bug and /appeal do nothing but get a canned form-letter response from the CSR Flavor of the Day.

ChewyLSB

2004-08-03, 10:42 PM

Might as well... I mean, that is the point of the playtest, to discover the bugs, and how are the devs going to find out about the bugs if you don't even try to tell them?

MattxMosh

2004-08-03, 10:52 PM

No, everybody saw it last night. They were calling it `spaceships'. They're on Ishundar on the test server at M-12 and K-15

It looked like a bizzare unfinished rock formation, not a glitch.

People were slapping motion senseros on it, and bailing out of ships/landing to get on top of it.

Meursault00

2004-08-03, 11:05 PM

Personally, I think the devs rushed the battle islands into the Test server. They didn't want to disappoint us, they didn't want their name tarnished by not keeping their word. I wouldn't be surprised if their initial tests had the same bugs or problems.

Perhaps that spaceship is a way to reintroduce the Vanu

ChewyLSB

2004-08-04, 12:21 AM

I just thought of something. What's going to happen to the people who log out on Oshur the day before the Battle Island patch goes live? :scared:

martyr

2004-08-04, 12:33 AM

on test serv, they do in fact show up on the old oshur, as it's still there, but on live, they'll get the "you've been relocated to your sanctuary" bit

Lartnev

2004-08-04, 07:13 AM

Erm Meursault, it's the test server so it doesn't matter whether it was rushed on or not tbh.

Madcow

2004-08-04, 10:40 AM

www.gogamer.com

Dont buy ps from ebay. It will be used and no good.

Thanks for the link. I've seen a bunch on Ebay that were brand new, but they go for at least this much anyhow. May as well buy from here.

apachepilotpat

2004-08-04, 11:26 AM

couple of points
a. Why call the battle islands oshur, they are not oshur they should either be called the osher cluster or something else because oshur they are not
b. dosnt this pic http://www.planetside-universe.com/media/viewer.php?img_id=1340 just make you want to go down that river in one of those little yellow rafts, like this http://home.att.net/~baylit/pics/misc-ship-Y-zodiaclifeboat.jpg except big enough for three people and with a small outboard motor, and shoot at the people on the bridges or on land. extinction woud be so perfect for this.
c. what is up with that pic for the new world screen. i think they should first design their own ps based background not just some pic of space they got from google. they should draw like a cloud of gas that contains the planets and stuff and put stars around that and very slighty visible through it. why not put in those moons and sun we keep seeing in ps too. i also think that the planet dots shoud be bigger, just big enough to slightly see the outline of the cont.