Outfit Barracks: The good, the bad, the ugly.

[Huma]

So seeing that got me thinking. It could actually perform some viable in game functions. With the ability to put some signage up you could effectively advertise your outfit. Just slap a information kiosk in front with info regarding the outfit and requirements. Then put a part in there for people to put in an application.
Also considering the removal of the no-fire zone there's a good chance you'll see grieving going on. Having a safe place to meet, mess with your class load outs and potentially pull vehicles would be a good idea. Not to mention it would be awesome if an outfit could have a VR room and a command room with a battle map.

[Bags]

So seeing that got me thinking. It could actually perform some viable in game functions. With the ability to put some signage up you could effectively advertise your outfit. Just slap a information kiosk in front with info regarding the outfit and requirements. Then put a part in there for people to put in an application.

Why couldn't this be done via an interface? Have a "Browse outfit" menu that outfits can put advertisements in.

Also considering the removal of the no-fire zone there's a good chance you'll see grieving going on. Having a safe place to meet, mess with your class load outs and potentially pull vehicles would be a good idea. Not to mention it would be awesome if an outfit could have a VR room and a command room with a battle map.

Continents already have unconquerable footholds on them, so this feels redundant.


blah

[Lonehunter]

Outfit VR room is an awesome idea. I know there will be no more sancs, but VR is just a great way to ease new people into the game, also a great place for testing. It's hard to figure out how many bullets a gun takes to kill in battle. VR could also be used for "Outfit Practice" or training.

I'd also like to see outfit bases as a constant spawn point. So only that outfit can choose to spawn there at any time for defense

[Huma]

Lol I know bags but it's there. I'm assuming they'll be where the foot hold is anyway. It's more fluff for the other mmo peeps. But there will be griefing. Friendly fire and no weapon lock zones means there will be ass hattery galore especially between rival outfits. So it would serve it's purpose on that end.

[CutterJohn]

I want my solo player hut then. :)

[Sirisian]

You are starting to become very pesimistic bags....
His comments speak the truth though. Outfit barracks just distract from the core gameplay. Outfits can meet at empty bases or the main uncapturable base.

[Zulthus]

His comments speak the truth though. Outfit barracks just distract from the core gameplay. Outfits can meet at empty bases or the main uncapturable base.

Who cares? They don't distract from the core gameplay.

The core gameplay of a MMOFPS is the FPS aspect, the grunt game. This means, in your logic, the skill system distracts from the core gameplay. People should just be able to have everything at once. Just since it doesn't have anything to do with the "core gameplay". If all the devs focus on is the "core gameplay", the game will fail. There needs to be additional aspects other than just shooting people, or the game would get boring very fast.

What fun is it to meet at an empty base? I like the idea of customizing a base with the outfit; it is something we could call our own.

Outfit bases would in no way distract from the game, but in fact add to it. Of course.

[Lonehunter]

Maybe outfit bases will have so many customizations, they will vary more then regular bases. This would be a great way to implement player generated content, through base design. It could start with different benefits like better turrets, or less vehicle entrances? Radar jamming, or improved enemy radar detection? Then things like actually modifying walls, ramps length/width and maybe some visual design, could be the long term.

Further down the line I'm imagining a whole continent with no preset bases, just room to create.

think I'm done idea rambling

[Valdae]

Seems like a good idea, but really what are it's practical applications?

Outfit communication? That'll happen online elsewhere.

A rallying point? That can happen anywhere.

A chance for n00bs to get to grips with the game? Most new players wanna get straight into the heart of battle anyway.

Outfit training? Will never be as effective as direct combat experience, but 'training' can also can occur anywhere.

[Zulthus]

Doesn't have to have a practical application to be fun. As stated already, outfits can battle one another at these bases. Adds another level to the game.

[Huma]

Guys I think your reading the wrong thing into this. They called it housing because that's what they meant. Not a base but a building most likely in the faction uncappable area. Basically a place for outfits to get together in a secure location. Why? I'm assuming
1: Uncapturable doesn't mean ass hats aren't going to try and hit it. With no HART Building there won't be much cover.
2: With the no-fire ban lifted we'll see the return of the griefers in the uncap area in force. Atleast before you just had to worry about getting mowed. You'll have people gunning everyone down as well.

There are number of other bonuses that they could offer besides being game store money sink holes. Giving every outfit it's own base would be impractical and cause all sorts of balance problems I'm sure.

[Senyu]

I want my own house.......ontop of a mountain............................in space....

[Logit]

Seems like a good idea, but really what are it's practical applications?

Outfit communication? That'll happen online elsewhere.

A rallying point? That can happen anywhere.

A chance for n00bs to get to grips with the game? Most new players wanna get straight into the heart of battle anyway.

Outfit training? Will never be as effective as direct combat experience, but 'training' can also can occur anywhere.

Personally, I think it adds to the "cool" factor.

After all, it's a video game. Does everything really need to serve a purpose?

I vote yes to this thread.

[morf]

I'm okay with it so long as they have a weekly reality show like Cribz where some outfit shows off their pad.

Would in-game television programming distract from core gameplay? Nah, when did tv ever distract anyone?

[SavageB]

So seeing that got me thinking. It could actually perform some viable in game functions. With the ability to put some signage up you could effectively advertise your outfit. Just slap a information kiosk in front with info regarding the outfit and requirements. Then put a part in there for people to put in an application.
Also considering the removal of the no-fire zone there's a good chance you'll see grieving going on. Having a safe place to meet, mess with your class load outs and potentially pull vehicles would be a good idea. Not to mention it would be awesome if an outfit could have a VR room and a command room with a battle map.


Considering that SOE stated that the outfit bases can be customized/adding additions to them, via the "resources" or in game "credits" will give these outfits a sense of accomplishment. On top of that, I can see these outfit bases being viable in a tactical adv when attacking or defending a base or certain areas of interest. If anyone thinks that this wont be a practical in game item, I beg to differ. Since there are "landing struts" on the tower/outfit base in the first trailer, this tells me that a senior role in the outfit can place this base anywhere on the map within certain limitations of course. I would love to have these outfit bases/towers, gonna add a lot of variety and tactical gameplay to PS2, however the majority of my comments on how exactly they will work is pure speculation at the moment. I support Huma on this subject.

[Graywolves]

If you're completley against housing then just view it as a resource dump so that people don't have over 9k resources floating around.

It's really up to the players if they decide whether or not they wish to use the housing or how to use it if at all.

[Raymac]

If you're completley against housing then just view it as a resource dump so that people don't have over 9k resources floating around.

It's really up to the players if they decide whether or not they wish to use the housing or how to use it if at all.

So simply stated. So true.

[Crator]

I'm really curious to see what they come up with for this. They do have experience with SWG in doing this, albeit I wasn't too impressed. In-game player housing sections always seem to be desolate. I've seen it in DAoC and SWG. I've not thought much on what could be done about it so I have no suggestions. Have there been any suggestions on this in the past that were really good? Idealab?

[Logit]

I'm really curious to see what they come up with for this. They do have experience with SWG in doing this, albeit I wasn't too impressed. In-game player housing sections always seem to be desolate. I've seen it in DAoC and SWG. I've not thought much on what could be done about it so I have no suggestions. Have there been any suggestions on this in the past that were really good? Idealab?

I loved the housing in SWG. You could build your own player cities and shit. Not too many games have this. It's always nice to have an area you call home. Since sanctuary is out, this could help fill that role.

[kubacheski]

I think SavageB has it right in that you note the "landing struts" and the mention of space travel and PS2 having a sandbox aspect being eventualities.

Think of it this way, when(if) space travel gets implemented, the new planets we colonize won't necessarially have bases on them. Imagine having to hold your territory on the "prime planets" to store up resources. With the resources you build a ship that you launch to other planets. The ship sets down and that's your base, kind of the keep in a castle, you gather resources to expand the base, build walls/turrets/outbuildings/etc. The locations that you "land" on should be thought out for tactical advantage and defensibility as well as expansion. Some could even be built taller, while others built outward depending on your location and desires for what you want.

Then you take the resources from your primary planets and your newly created colony and stockpile them until you can either create more on-planet bases or build another ship to keep jumping from planet to planet. Sort of your own lattice network with interconneting Gateways for travel from one to another.

Larger outfits get the benefit of having more grunts to be in more places to collect resources, so how do you reward the smaller, more specialized outfits that SOE mentions? The mission system that is getting built in. You could hire the more specialilzed outfits (MAX outfits/Reaver outfits/etc) to assist with assaults/defenses/hacks. Who knows a graded system for support roles contracted by the outfit (squad within the outfit really) with the main mission.

But all of this is done on the assumption that this will be purchased from within game by resources and probably the certs necessary to accomplish the building of said ships/bases. More likely it will be done with Station Cash so there's a supplemental revenue stream associated with it.

[Kouza]

Outfit barracks would be more cool if it was a little more sandbox....

Place it on the map... (Its a barracks not a BASE mind you), Then from there you can build Refineries, Turrets (bigger them spit fire smaller then wall turrets), Small Walls (Not ones you can stand on but, you can stand behind and shoot over),

Would have some cool ideas behind it.

IE: The further towards the line you put it the more resources it gains you (When your empire owns it).

All kinds of little things could come from it.

Instanced is just dumb though.

[Crator]

Instanced is just dumb though.

They've said nothing about instancing. In fact, they made it more of a point to say, it's a seamless, open world (no more load screens).