Twitter QnA Question List: NC Week

[basti]

Once again, as always: Post your questions, I collect them, Hamma asks them during the QnA for you, and you get answers pretty fast after it, or follow it live.

And also as always: remember the freaking Character limit!
125 MAX! NOT MORE!

Also, it would be quite helpful if you just post your question like this:

Blablabla im awesome can i haz stuff


Dont do " or Q: Blabla or whatever crazy stuff you think makes it easy to see that you have a question, because its useless. I know that you want your question on the list, so no worrys! :P


Oh, and one last thing: Its NC week, so ask Questions about them, their weapons, Their story, whatever. Just keep it to NC. If we end up having only a few questions, i still have a long list of questions from the other QnAs, so no worrys, we have plenty of ammunition to fire at them. ;)


Ask away!

And we go:

Question:
Are modifications / sidegrades to ES vehicles also empire specific?
Answer:


Question:
We know the lightning has returned, are mods for Common Pool stuff empire specific?
Answer:


Question:
What are some NC MAX weapons and abilities?
Answer:


Question:
Is the jackhammer returning?
Answer:


Question:
Assuming the Jackhammer is returning, will it's concept and role remain the same as it was in PS1?
Answer:


Question:
Will the reaver fly like a chooper, jet or harrier jet...so will there be hover spam?
Answer:


Question:
Is it safe to assume there are caves (WOOHOO!) in Planetside 2?
Answer:


Question:
I would like to know is how beta will be rolled out and to who? (PS1 Veterans?)
Answer:


Question:
Will we see Empire specific unlocks for common pool weapons, so different versions of the same weapon for each faction?
Answer:


Question:
The reaver looks smaller than the mosquito, is that true?
Answer:


Question:
Will the vanguard be similar relative to the other MBTs in PS1, hardest hitting cannon, but the slowest refire rate?
Answer:


Question:
What are some of the upgrades that we will see for the vanguard?
Answer:


Question:
Is the Phoenix still there? And if so, will it be guided again?
Answer:


Question:
Can the Reaver Nose-gun move independently of the vehicle?
Answer:


Question:
How does the Reaver Compare with the Scythe and Mosquito?
Answer:


Question:
Do Vanguard shells still one hit Infantry? How does it compare to Mag/Prowler?
Answer:


Question:
Will infantry personal shields be different for each empire? Will the NC shields be stronger in general?
Answer:


Question:
Are HA and MAXes the only types of AV guns the NC will have or will their be lighter AV guns for other classes?
Answer:


Question:
What are the current, confirmed abilities of NC MAXes, akin to the TR MAXes ability to lock down and charge?
Answer:


Question:
How will the NC's harder hitting philosophy be balanced in their empire specific sniper rifle?
Answer:


Question:
If there are 3 HA guns per empire, what is the third one for? AI, AV and __?
Answer:


Question:
Will MAXes still be AI, AV and AA?
Answer:


Question:
Will the Sunderer be able to act as a spawn point? Will it have to deploy to spawn or can it do it on the move? Cloak bubble?
Answer:


Question:
What will the NC style be for any ES equipment that does not fall into the high damage or high armor category?
Answer:


Question:
Will the stock, unmodified Reaver by fast or maneuverable enough to survive in a dogfight?
Answer:


Question:
Are all aircraft able to climb to the same altitude? Will the flight ceiling be a wall like in PS1 or soft like a flight sim?
Answer:


Question:
Can a Reaver kill infantry as effectively as the original PS1 Reaver or will it be a bit harder like the current PS1 Reaver?
Answer:


Question:
is Don ferrone working on the score? and will he make the most bad*ss nc theme of all time?
Answer:


Question:
Faction specific knives? Will NC one be bigger? And VS glows?
Answer:


Question:
With the confirmation of sticking with Medium Battle Tanks. Can we expect to see a Heavy Battle Tank in the future?
Answer:


Question:
Will each of the empires footholds be a custom type of base?
Answer:


Question:
How extensive will the underground portions of bases be?
Answer:


Question:
Will general NC fighting style be focused on single hard shots?
Answer:


Question:
Is the vanguard turret a rifled 150mm again and if so will it behave like one this time rather than am artillery piece.
Answer:


Question:
What are the secondary weapon AA options like? will they rape aircraft?
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And this bunch (im lazy)


Now that all soldiers have rechargeable shields, what is/are the NC MAX special abilities?
Does the Phoenix use camera-mode flight like in PS1, or is it something else (hope for laser/wire-guided)
Will the Vanguard's turret be able to point up at a steep enough angle to defend itself from attacking aircraft? In PS1 you can solo a Vannie in a Mossie since the Mossie can fire down at a steeper angle than the Vannie can return fire.
Since the Gauss rifle is presumably the highest damage-per-shot of the ESMA rifles, will it have the highest kick as well or will it still go against logic and be the most controllable when crouched like in PS1? Will it also have the slowest TTK to compensate for its highest Dmg per shot?
Will the Phoenix be more effective as AA? It's a joke in PS1.
In PS1 the TR's main weakness was low up-close/single-person firepower, the VS weakness was low-AI ability, and the NC was low AA. Will the NC's AA weakness continue in PS2?
Will the NC's base infantry armour types protect them better than the VS/TR equivalents?
Will the NC still be king of the point-blank fight or are the empires more balanced in up-close fighting this time around?
Nerf the ScatMAX.


And here are a few general questions to add to the pile :)

Have you enabled 3rd person view for all vehicles (with no crosshairs of course)? PLEASE say "yes"
The Lightning in PS2 is said to be different than it was in PS1. How has it changed?
Will the Lightning still be a 1-man, 360-turret, 2-weapon (cannon & LMG) vehicle?
Since main tanks can be solo tanks, how is the Lightning compensated to make it a viable alternative?
Will tank drivers still be able to shoot the main cannon, or are they (hopefully) now just secondary gunner or driver only?
If tank drivers can fire the main cannon, how do you plan to balance the "two 1-man tanks vs one 2-man tank" dynamic so that a 2-man tank is an attractive choice (hint: the one 2-man tank should win on average)?
Is the Magrider main cannon still fixed-forward or is it on a turret now?
If the Magrider main cannon is fixed-forward, how is it compensated to make it a viable 1-man tank comparable to the Prowler/Vanguard?
Will vehicle-mounted machine guns actually do significant damage to aircraft or will they shoot rubber bullets like they do in PS1?
Have muzzle velocities increase significantly on any infantry/vehicle weapons or will we be slow-lobbing bullets and shells at each other like in PS1?
Since we now have a jumpjet Light Assault class, what is/are the VS MAX special abilities?
What is the max range on assault rifles? On sniper rifles?
Do any weapons in PS2 suffer from Damage Degradation over distance? PLEASE say NO
Can you elaborate more on how PS2's inventory will work?
Will MAXes and vehicles have "trunks" you can store stuff in?
will we have the option to turn off "killing spree" notifications?
Do infantry AV weapons do much damage to softies? i.e. - are they instagib n00btubes?
Are there going to be flashbang grenades? In light (pun intended) of PS2's scale of battle, please say NO
Will the Heavy Assault class be able to carry 2 rifle-sized weapons at once? I'm hoping for e.g. - a Rifle + AV
Are there going to be different hit locations on MAXes? i.e. - headshots/vulnerable areas?
Have MAX characteristics improved in PS2 so they they are more survivable outdoors or will they still be ESAV/vehicle fodder like in PS1?

[Zulthus]

Why are the VS so much better than the NC?

[Baron]

Oh, and one last thing: Its NC week, so ask Questions about them, their weapons, Their story, whatever. Just keep it to TR.


Might want to fix that last acronym ;)


Q: We know the lightning has returned, are those empire specific as well?

Q: Are modifications / sidegrades to ES vehicles also empire specific?

[SKYeXile]

I see i heave been beaten to fixing errors.

[Hamma]

Added under the front page post! :D

[LZachariah]

What are some NC MAX weapons and abilities?

[Bags]

Why do the NC look so good?

Is the jackhammer returning? (I think this has been confirmed, not 100% sure)

[Atuday]

Wanting more info on JetPacks. Seen screen shot of an NC using it. I am wondering what the maximum weapon loads are for a jet pack trooper. Are there grenades for those troopers? How wide is the weapon selection for a jetpack trooper.

[KCTitan]

Q: Assuming the Jackhammer is returning, will it's concept and role remain the same as it was in PS1? (NC's HA weapon/Tri-barreled Shotgun)

[SKYeXile]

Will the reaver fly like a chooper, jet or harrier jet...so will there be hover spam?

[Carbanu]

Ok from the second part of the backstory about the NC, it was mentioned they were hiding in their caves.

Is it safe to assume there are caves (WOOHOO!) in Planetside 2?
Us Fraggles would be very happy.

[Bravix]

How many NC does it take to screw in a light-bulb that they were barely able to afford at a garage sale?

[Furber]

Will there be a Scatter Pistol type weapon for the NC (A shotgun pistol)? The pistols I've seen in the NC screen shots do not look like they would function the way the scat pistol did, they look more like standard, repeater-like pistols.

[Missundaztood]

Not NC related, although an NC player myself...and I'm sure this is on everyone's mind to an extent.

Question: First of all I'm not interested in a beta release date per say so I'm not going to ask for one, what I would like to know is how beta will be rolled out and to who?

[Xaine]

Will we see Empire specific unlocks for common pool weapons, so different versions of the same weapon for each faction?

Also Basti, my old chum.



Oh, and one last thing: Its NC week, so ask Questions about them, their weapons, Their story, whatever. Just keep it to >TR<.

Might want to amend the old OP. If you're going to copy/paste, do it properly lad. :P

[Fab]

The reaver looks smaller than the mosquito, is that true?

[krnasaur]

Will the vanguard be similar relative to the other MBTs in PS1, hardest hitting cannon, but the slowest refire rate?



What are some of the upgrades that we will see for them (vanguards)?

[Joock]

I know 2/3 of the Players won't like this question. But to the NC it's really a major thing.

Question:
Is the Phoenix still there? And if so, will it be wire guided aswell?

[FastAndFree]

I know 2/3 of the Players won't like this question. But to the NC it's really a major thing.

Question:
Is the Phoenix still there? And if so, will it be wire guided aswell?

On the contrary, we like the question. We just hope for the opposite answer.

[RedKnights]

Can the Reaver Nose-gun move independently of the vehicle?

How does the Reaver Compare with the Scythe and Mosquito?

Do Vanguard shells still one hit Infantry? How does it compare to Mag/Prowler?

[cellinaire]

Have never played as TR or NC myself, but here's a question anyway.


Will you guys release a forest/jungle themed screenshot with NC forces lurking secretly behind ;) ?

[Xyntech]

Will the NC have lower DPS to compensate for their higher initial bursts of damage and stronger armor?

Will infantry personal shields be different for each empire? Will the NC shields be stronger in general?

Are HA and MAXes the only types of AV guns the NC will have or will their be lighter AV guns for other classes?

What are the current, confirmed abilities of NC MAXes, akin to the TR MAXes ability to lock down and charge?

How will the NC's harder hitting philosophy be balanced in their empire specific sniper rifle?

If there are 3 HA guns per empire, what is the third one for? AI, AV and __?

Will MAXes still be AI, AV and AA?

Will the Sunderer be able to act as a spawn point? Will it have to deploy to spawn or can it do it on the move? Cloak bubble?

What will the NC style be for any ES equipment that does not fall into the high damage or high armor category?

Will the stock, unmodified Reaver by fast or maneuverable enough to survive in a dogfight?

Can the Vanguards main cannon kill infantry in one shot?

Are all aircraft able to climb to the same altitude? Will the flight ceiling be a wall like in PS1 or soft like a flight sim?

Can a Reaver kill infantry as effectively as the original PS1 Reaver or will it be a bit harder like the current PS1 Reaver?

[Erendil]

I don't have very many NC-specific questions, but here's what I got:


Now that all soldiers have rechargeable shields, what is/are the NC MAX special abilities?
Does the Phoenix use camera-mode flight like in PS1, or is it something else (hope for laser/wire-guided)
Will the Vanguard's turret be able to point up at a steep enough angle to defend itself from attacking aircraft? In PS1 you can solo a Vannie in a Mossie since the Mossie can fire down at a steeper angle than the Vannie can return fire.
Since the Gauss rifle is presumably the highest damage-per-shot of the ESMA rifles, will it have the highest kick as well or will it still go against logic and be the most controllable when crouched like in PS1? Will it also have the slowest TTK to compensate for its highest Dmg per shot?
Will the Phoenix be more effective as AA? It's a joke in PS1.
In PS1 the TR's main weakness was low up-close/single-person firepower, the VS weakness was low-AI ability, and the NC was low AA. Will the NC's AA weakness continue in PS2?
Will the NC's base infantry armour types protect them better than the VS/TR equivalents?
Will the NC still be king of the point-blank fight or are the empires more balanced in up-close fighting this time around?
Nerf the ScatMAX.


And here are a few general questions to add to the pile :)

Have you enabled 3rd person view for all vehicles (with no crosshairs of course)? PLEASE say "yes"
The Lightning in PS2 is said to be different than it was in PS1. How has it changed?
Will the Lightning still be a 1-man, 360-turret, 2-weapon (cannon & LMG) vehicle?
Since main tanks can be solo tanks, how is the Lightning compensated to make it a viable alternative?
Will tank drivers still be able to shoot the main cannon, or are they (hopefully) now just secondary gunner or driver only?
If tank drivers can fire the main cannon, how do you plan to balance the "two 1-man tanks vs one 2-man tank" dynamic so that a 2-man tank is an attractive choice (hint: the one 2-man tank should win on average)?
Is the Magrider main cannon still fixed-forward or is it on a turret now?
If the Magrider main cannon is fixed-forward, how is it compensated to make it a viable 1-man tank comparable to the Prowler/Vanguard?
Will vehicle-mounted machine guns actually do significant damage to aircraft or will they shoot rubber bullets like they do in PS1?
Have muzzle velocities increase significantly on any infantry/vehicle weapons or will we be slow-lobbing bullets and shells at each other like in PS1?
Since we now have a jumpjet Light Assault class, what is/are the VS MAX special abilities?
What is the max range on assault rifles? On sniper rifles?
Do any weapons in PS2 suffer from Damage Degradation over distance? PLEASE say NO
Can you elaborate more on how PS2's inventory will work?
Will MAXes and vehicles have "trunks" you can store stuff in?
will we have the option to turn off "killing spree" notifications?
Do infantry AV weapons do much damage to softies? i.e. - are they instagib n00btubes?
Are there going to be flashbang grenades? In light (pun intended) of PS2's scale of battle, please say NO
Will the Heavy Assault class be able to carry 2 rifle-sized weapons at once? I'm hoping for e.g. - a Rifle + AV
Are there going to be different hit locations on MAXes? i.e. - headshots/vulnerable areas?
Have MAX characteristics improved in PS2 so they they are more survivable outdoors or will they still be ESAV/vehicle fodder like in PS1?

[shortbushero]

is Don ferrone working on the score? and will he make the most bad*ss nc theme of all time?

[Kalbuth]

Faction specific knives? Will NC one be bigger? And VS glows?

[SavageB]

IF the JH returns, I'd like to see a slug shot for longer distances instead of the triple shot uselessness, has there been any thoughts/considerations from the Dev team about this?

[Corax]

With the confirmation of sticking with Medium Battle Tanks. Can we expect to see a Heavy Battle Tank in the future? IE: WH40k Baneblade/Land raider

Will each of the empires footholds be a custom type of base?

With forgelight will we see flowing water rather then still water (ps1)? Will weather affect terrain? Will we have unique biomes? Ie: Alien areas, lava flows, waterfalls etc?

Will we see anything like trenchworks/be able to construct trench lines?

How extensive will the underground portions of bases be?

To what extent, if any, will players be able to modify terrain? Ie: craters/bunkers/terrain deformation

Will hazards such as avalanches/lightning strikes/eruptions/meteors be possible/happening with forgelight?

What is the actual amount of guns per faction?

will another in game trailer be released soon?

what is the biggest fight the dev team has put together so far?

How many new vehicles will be added to the game? ie: scythe

for night fights will we have items such as thermal/night vision goggles?

will there be more options for melee weapons other than knifes? axes, swords, claws powerfists, etc

are the MAXs still a go for having a melee attack too? (I want my Space marine Terminator armor dang it!)

will there be a vehicle that bridges the gap from MAX armor to normal vehicles?

[Aaron]

Ok from the second part of the backstory about the NC, it was mentioned they were hiding in their caves.

Is it safe to assume there are caves (WOOHOO!) in Planetside 2?
Us Fraggles would be very happy.

Someone asked whether there would be caves when that part of the backstory came out. I remember them saying that there were no caves, but it was something they could probably implement. So, I don't know if they've developed caves since then; but that would be cool.

[Xyntech]

Someone asked whether there would be caves when that part of the backstory came out. I remember them saying that there were no caves, but it was something they could probably implement. So, I don't know if they've developed caves since then; but that would be cool.

I'd love to see caves that were part a of the normal continents, as opposed to a separate zone like we had in PS1. Go into a giant gaping hole in the ground or in the side of a cliff, entering a giant cavernous space. That could be pretty badass if done well.

[Senyu]

Will general NC fighting style be focused on single hard shots?

Will NC have more costmetic customization than the other factions?

Who's main ES tank is bigger, the NC or the TR?

Will NC have more voice emotes directed to TR?

Did the designers have more fun creating the NC or TR armor, looks, etc

[Mastachief]

Is the vanguard turret a rifled 150mm again and if so will it behave like one this time rather than am artillery piece.

What are the secondary weapon AA options like? will they rape aircraft?

[basti]

Snip snip. ;)

(just the marker to show me to what point i collected already. Need to keep the herd together. ;) )

[bedzike]

Will the triple-jack being coming back and actually be a insta-kill again?
Is surge gonna have the weapons away like now, or are you letting you keep your weapon out?

[SKYeXile]

Will the triple-jack being coming back and actually be a insta-kill again?
Is surge gonna have the weapons away like now, or are you letting you keep your weapon out?

Lol NC much?

[bedzike]

yeah love NC
Are the armour amount gonna be the same as in ps1?
Pjs 50
Agile 100
Rexo 200
Max 650

[mefy]

Looks like the NC are being advertised this week. Speaking of advertising, will PS2's advertising be much better then PS1? Will there be TV commercials and large marketing campaigns like all other video games?

[FastAndFree]

Q: Will destroyed/crippled Reavers turn into a wreck and crash? Or just vanish in an explosion

[Grimster]

2 questions in this post.

Will the primary(150mm) gun on Vanguard be operated by the gunner or the driver?

Looking at the Vanguard now it looks like the secondary gun has synced movement with the primary gun is this true?

[Xyntech]

2 questions in this post.

Will the primary(150mm) gun on Vanguard be operated by the gunner or the driver?

Looking at the Vanguard now it looks like the secondary gun has synced movement with the primary gun is this true?

I think I can answer both of these with confidence, given what we already know.

The driver will control the 150mm main cannon. This is the design philosophy that they are currently going with for all MBT's. Maybe this will change, but there has been no such indication of any change in that plan as of yet.

During the TR Q&A, it was confirmed that the TR's MBT will have two seats just like all the other MBT's, a driver and a gunner. The driver was confirmed to control both the main cannon as well as a coaxial machine gun. Given this information, I think that it is safe to assume that the 20mm machine guns that are fixed to the 150mm turret are also controlled by the driver. We have yet to see a confirmed sighting of a gunner turret for any of the MBT's.

[Joock]

Questions:
Will there be Medics in Rexos?

Are there any Empire Specific Weapon attachements?
(like Bayonetts for TR, Underslung Shotguns for NC or some kinda buzzy stuff for the VS?)

Will the sound of the Jackhammer be as unique as it was in PS1? (Same goes for MCG's and Lashers ofc)

Are the MAX'es Weapon systems going to stay the same as in PS1? Scatter, Falcon and Sparrow?

[GuyFawkes]

yeah love NC
Are the armour amount gonna be the same as in ps1?
Pjs 50
Agile 100
Rexo 200
Max 650

rexo was 150 originally :cool:

[TiberiusAudley]

Can Medics use Infil armor? D:

[Lunarchild]

Quick transcribe through the tracker (http://devchat.sg01.net/PSUView.aspx?qa=5):

Q: MgFalcon: Empire specific knives or no?
A: mhigby: Yep, empire specific knives are going in.
A: twothreesix: All empires will have their own knives.

Q: dubhthedark: will the vanguard driver have a gun like the current mag driver has in ps1?
A: BrewkoPS: Yes, the Vanguard driver will control a gun. (main turret)

Q: sepomat: Hmm, higby, you seem slow with the QnA today. Stop Playing the game and type faster! :P
A: mhigby: trying to solve some twitter tech issues, sorry!

Q: KC_McG: Is there any progress on Vanguard drivers having a cert for a "dedicated gunner" for the main gun?
A: mhigby: No changes on that yet, its still being pondered.

Q: Carbanu: I got really excited when Wolfman mentioned caves in the backstory of the NC how likely is it we can see those caves?
A: mhigby: hope we can work in empire home bases at some point. Probably not for launch since they're not combat areas so lower priority.

Q: dubhthedark: will the phoenix remain an NC specific av weapon? Is it still in ps2?
A: twothreesix: The phoenix is in, but it has been modified to be laser guided

Q: KC_McG: Will the Reaver have different versions (Mk. I, Mk. II) that would customize it's speed and armor like other vehicles?
A: BrewkoPS: Yes, You will be able to unlock skills that allow you to increase your vehicle's speed, armor, and more.

Q: psucom: Is it safe to assume there are caves (WOOHOO!) in Planetside 2? (Screenshot from earlier this week)
A: mhigby: We've got some pretty crazy canyons, but nothing I'd call a cave. Dont rule it out, though!

Q: NerdCredentials: Will there be different continents again or one massive open world?
A: mhigby: there are different continents

Q: FavionCast: Why was there decision made to get rid of the Sanctuary?
A: mhigby: mostly to get people into combat faster.

Q: sepomat: any chance that the sancturays return and replace those uncapturable bases at some point, if the Communty loobys for this?
A: mhigby: We're listening to you guys, but I think you'll find that the new setup is a lot more fun.

Q: dubhthedark: Will the nc max remain an empire specific max or will max be a generic tree for all sides
A: twothreesix: A mix of both, the NC max will have unique and shared skills in its tree

Q: FavionCast: I still listen to the PS1 soundtrack, are you guys going to be using the same style or soundtrack?
A: mhigby: Stay tuned dude, we're doing some cool stuff with soundtrack that we'll be releasing info about in the future.

Q: Canthon001: Will the other factions be getting a air to ground fighter since the NC is getting the reaver?
A: BrewkoPS: All light assault aircrafts will have air-to-ground, as well as air-to-air.

Q: FavionCast: Hell yeah, I absolutely loved that soundtrack.
A: mhigby: Yah, music is serious business around here too... check d cans for proof! http://yfrog.com/kkv6mxrj haha

Q: psucom: Can the Reaver Nose-gun move independently of the vehicle?
A: kevmo0: the reaver nose gun is fixed forward

Q: FavionCast: Will gal drops still be viable?
A: BrewkoPS: Yes, galaxy drops are still in.

Q: psucom: What are some of the upgrades that we will see for the vanguard?
A: kevmo0: An upgrade that is unique to the Vanguard is temporary shield generator, which makes it take no damage for a few seconds

Q: psucom: The reaver looks smaller than the mosquito, is that true?
A: kevmo0: they are roughly the same size
A: mhigby: mossie vs reaver size comparison: http://yfrog.com/h2vfqofj

Q: psucom: Do Vanguard shells still one hit Infantry? How does it compare to Mag/Prowler?
A: kevmo0: Vanguard 150mm is currently tuned to 1 shot most infantry on a direct hit

Q: psucom: What are the current, confirmed abilities of NC MAXes, akin to the TR MAXes ability to lock down and charge?
A: twothreesix: I'll give you one, the NC MAX will have a shield ability

Q: Hezzy88: What are those blue blob things in the ATV + Base picture? Are they shields of some sort?
A: mhigby: courtyard shields. they can be taken down individually as bases & CYs are captured in stages. Looking forward 2 the thread on this!

Q: FavionCast: With going into the F2P model, are you guys taking special consideration into anti-hack? PS1 died a lot due to hackers imo.
A: mhigby: We're putting serious efforts into integrating anti-hacking tech from the ground up. We hate hackers as much as you do.

Q: dubhthedark: can we expect the thunderer back?
A: kevmo0: no plans for an empire specific transport at this time

Q: psucom: Can a Reaver kill infantry as effectively as the original PS1 Reaver or will it be a bit harder like the current PS1 Reaver?
A: kevmo0: a Reavers TTK on an infantry is real fast, but they have to be accurate. Flying low and slow is also risky

Q: jessewyner: How many rounds in NC pistol?
A: twothreesix: The NC pistol has 12 rounds right now. We're still balance testing though so it may change.

Q: psucom: How will the NC's harder hitting philosophy be balanced in their empire specific sniper rifle?
A: twothreesix: The NC sniper rifles will have slower rate of fire and hit harder in comparison to the other empires.

[sylphaen]

Not sure if the question has been asked before:

Will there be vehicles hacking in PS2 to spread the Vanguard love ?

Edit: Gah ! Wrong date !!!
>.<

[Carbanu]

great q/a session, ive been missing the last couple and I was a sad panda.

[MgFalcon]

Quick transcribe through the tracker (http://devchat.sg01.net/PSUView.aspx?qa=5):

That's right I got the first question! :cool:

[Grimster]

I really hope the feedback during beta is good enough to make them change their mind about drivers controlling the main gun on tanks.

[CutterJohn]

A: twothreesix: The phoenix is in, but it has been modified to be laser guided

woo!

A: kevmo0: An upgrade that is unique to the Vanguard is temporary shield generator, which makes it take no damage for a few seconds

Very nice. I love that sort of stuff on vehicles.

A: kevmo0: Vanguard 150mm is currently tuned to 1 shot most infantry on a direct hit

Sounds like tanks won't be as dominating. Should put omgsolokillwhore vehicle worries to rest.

A: mhigby: courtyard shields. they can be taken down individually as bases & CYs are captured in stages. Looking forward 2 the thread on this!

I too am looking forward to this. Sounds similar to the conquest mode in BF2 games. Multiple objectives to fight over rules.



I really hope the feedback during beta is good enough to make them change their mind about drivers controlling the main gun on tanks.

What if feedback is such that it convinces them it was the right move?

[Hamma]

Thanks for the post Lunar! Got family in town so I havent been able to contribute much to the silly Twitter stuff. :lol:

[Fab]

I like this picture (http://yfrog.com/h2vfqofj)!

Good Q/A!

[Goku]

Not sure if the question has been asked before:

Will there be vehicles hacking in PS2 to spread the Vanguard love ?

Edit: Gah ! Wrong date !!!
>.<

There is no vehicle hacking in PS2 last I knew.

[BorisBlade]

What if feedback is such that it convinces them it was the right move?

The thing is, if they put in driver=gunner then change it, people will be upset and gripe (if they liked it). But if you do it from the start, people dont know any different and either see it as an innovation compared to other games, or just dont pay much attention and it seems normal. But if it went into beta with the PS1 style vehicles, people wouldnt be clammering to get it changed to driver=gunner. In otherwords if it goes live with the current system then we are far less likely to get it fixed.

Still think that if they really cant make up their minds they should just let us have the option to give our gun control as a pilot to a second gunner seat, with an armor bonus or somethin to help compensate for the extra manpower. Then they still get the best of both worlds.

Goin this awful driver=gunner route on the tanks also screws up balance and design of other vehicles. Buggies really have to have dedicated drivers, with the speed and maneuverability of a buggy, tryin to drive and shoot at the same time just doesnt work well at all in that kind of vehicle. But then if you have to get 2 people to man this buggy which would only have one weaker gun, why do that when you can get a 2 man tank with 2 guns with massively more firepower and massively more armor. Tanks should have main gun and secondary gun slots and one dedicated pilot, 3 people total. Let em have uber firepower and armor, the higher manpower and slower speed helps to balance it.

[FastAndFree]

I like this picture (http://yfrog.com/h2vfqofj)!

Good Q/A!

Me too, and something interesting (if nonsensical) I noticed - the Mosquito looks almost like it was designed to be able to "shed" it's tail section and turn into a minijet or something

(well, a minijet without thrusters since they are both attached to the tail)

[Graywolves]

I'm just happy to know the Phoenix is laser-guided now.

[CplVars]

I'm just happy to know the Phoenix is laser-guided now.


You mean to tell me that I can't get sniped to death in my Pounder as I run out the door anymore?

[Captain1nsaneo]

You mean to tell me that I can't get sniped to death in my Pounder as I run out the door anymore?

And I won't get forced out of cover as a sniper?

[Xyntech]

Q: KC_McG: Is there any progress on Vanguard drivers having a cert for a "dedicated gunner" for the main gun?
A: mhigby: No changes on that yet, its still being pondered.

I like that they are considering it. If there is a viable option to have both systems, it would be the perfect compromise in my mind. As long as there is an advantage to having a dedicated gunner.

Q: dubhthedark: will the phoenix remain an NC specific av weapon? Is it still in ps2?
A: twothreesix: The phoenix is in, but it has been modified to be laser guided

Sweetness. Sounds like it is going to be a lot more fun and balanced.

Q: KC_McG: Will the Reaver have different versions (Mk. I, Mk. II) that would customize it's speed and armor like other vehicles?
A: BrewkoPS: Yes, You will be able to unlock skills that allow you to increase your vehicle's speed, armor, and more.

Q: Canthon001: Will the other factions be getting a air to ground fighter since the NC is getting the reaver?
A: BrewkoPS: All light assault aircrafts will have air-to-ground, as well as air-to-air.

We already pretty much knew this, but I think it's awesome that every empires fighter craft will have the opportunity to ground pound and dogfight. Even though the Scythe is doubtless gonna be one of the weaker ground pounders, it should still have variant options that make it pretty deadly to squishies and tanks. Considering that it will probably be the strongest air superiority fighter, the balance will be perfect for me. Change things up by spamming some infantry now and then, while usually being configured to be on the hunt for some fighters or galaxies to bring down. My biggest concern is how effective tank hunting will be in the Scythe, since that was bar none my favorite thing to do in a reaver.

Q: psucom: Is it safe to assume there are caves (WOOHOO!) in Planetside 2? (Screenshot from earlier this week)
A: mhigby: We've got some pretty crazy canyons, but nothing I'd call a cave. Dont rule it out, though!

I'll settle for a "don't rule it out." Maybe we will get an entire continent that is full of caves and caverns, where it's got a lot of surface land but also tons of underground areas seamlessly integrated. You could make it a continent that is like half the size of most continents, but has just as much space to fight in when you factor in the layers of underground parts.

Q: psucom: What are some of the upgrades that we will see for the vanguard?
A: kevmo0: An upgrade that is unique to the Vanguard is temporary shield generator, which makes it take no damage for a few seconds

Badass. Makes me giddy to think what sort of outside the box abilities the Magrider and Scythe are going to have. My money is on the Scythe getting some sort of Flash Step-esque short distance teleportation :D

Q: psucom: What are the current, confirmed abilities of NC MAXes, akin to the TR MAXes ability to lock down and charge?
A: twothreesix: I'll give you one, the NC MAX will have a shield ability

Sort of like the Vanguards shield ability maybe? I'm calling it, the Prowler will have a lockdown ability :rofl:

Q: psucom: How will the NC's harder hitting philosophy be balanced in their empire specific sniper rifle?
A: twothreesix: The NC sniper rifles will have slower rate of fire and hit harder in comparison to the other empires.

Shit. This worries me a bit. Fortunately there are two major ways they can still balance this:

A) No sniper rifle can one shot anybody with a single headshot.

If they go this route, then headshots could just bring someone down from full health to very low health. The NC rifle would bring it down the furthest, while the other rifles would still bring it down pretty far. All sniper rifles would be able to 2 shot the infantry, with the trade off being that non NC sniper rifles would get the second killing shot off quicker, while the NC rifles would get one shot kills on pre-damaged infantry more frequently than the other two.

B) Every sniper rifle can one shot anybody with a single headshot.

If they go with this option, then even the weakest of the three ES sniper rifles must be strong enough to drop someone in one shot. The strength of the NC rifles higher damage would then lie in body shots, not head shots.

This is a tricky area and I hope they get it right. They have some very thin margins within which to balance it.

[MgFalcon]

The thing is, if they put in driver=gunner then change it, people will be upset and gripe (if they liked it). But if you do it from the start, people dont know any different and either see it as an innovation compared to other games, or just dont pay much attention and it seems normal. But if it went into beta with the PS1 style vehicles, people wouldnt be clammering to get it changed to driver=gunner. In otherwords if it goes live with the current system then we are far less likely to get it fixed.

Still think that if they really cant make up their minds they should just let us have the option to give our gun control as a pilot to a second gunner seat, with an armor bonus or somethin to help compensate for the extra manpower. Then they still get the best of both worlds.

Goin this awful driver=gunner route on the tanks also screws up balance and design of other vehicles. Buggies really have to have dedicated drivers, with the speed and maneuverability of a buggy, tryin to drive and shoot at the same time just doesnt work well at all in that kind of vehicle. But then if you have to get 2 people to man this buggy which would only have one weaker gun, why do that when you can get a 2 man tank with 2 guns with massively more firepower and massively more armor. Tanks should have main gun and secondary gun slots and one dedicated pilot, 3 people total. Let em have uber firepower and armor, the higher manpower and slower speed helps to balance it.

I gotta agree, having the driver as the main gunner is a HORRIBLE IDEA - this isn't that pussy-footed Battlefield game... This. Is. PLANETSIDE 2! *Kicks messenger into bottomless pit*

I'm not fond of having 3 people per tank, but the Gunner seat would be supposedly useless unless they are the MAIN GUN, not the secondary. You'll have people doing the retarded Battlefield approach and instead of getting a gunner for the secondary weapon... they'll just drive off into the battle... like even when there are people wanting to get into that position in the tank.

What I would like to see - is the BADASS OG Planetside concept: You need a buddy to fire the main cannon. That concept made the game!

[Baron]

Badass. Makes me giddy to think what sort of outside the box abilities the Magrider and Scythe are going to have. My money is on the Scythe getting some sort of Flash Step-esque short distance teleportation :D


Maybe the Scythe gets a temporary cloaking field? That would be sweet


Sort of like the Vanguards Shield ability


A-la BF2142 ...a GREAT shield mechanic, I am very pleased.


I'm calling it, the Prowler will have a lockdown ability :rofl:


This made me LOL, almost spit up my Dr. Pepper :p

[Xyntech]

I don't think it would be at all overpowering to give the driver the ability to control a badass, super deadly AA, AI or even a weaker AV gun. If you don't like splitting your attention between gunning and driving, just ignore the gun most of the time. Make it an AA gun so that you have the option of scaring away aircraft occasionally.

It would still give the driver both something extra to do (if they wish) as well as an added perk that the driver would get to use another one of their upgrade options themselves.

Hell, the driver could STILL drive away and use the tank solo, he would just be very silly to do so. Run around as a super armored one man version of a skyguard, or just try to machine gun down and run over all the squishies you can find. Why not? People used to occasionally ride around solo in the old Magmower, it just left them at a severe disadvantage in most situations.

Driver gets secondary gun, gunner gets main gun. Anybody not willing to accept this as an alternative to the PS1 system is a selfish and unreasonable asshole.

My preferences in order:
1) Driver gets secondary gun, gunner gets main gun
2) Driver gets secondary gun, gunner gets main gun. Modification available to swap the positions, with some power or armor disadvantage for doing so
3) Driver gets main gun, gunner gets secondary gun. Modification available to swap the positions, with some power or armor bonus for doing so
4) PS1 system
5) Driver gets main gun, gunner gets secondary gun, no option to swap (current system)

I still would accept the new system, but I think it is the worst of the 5 options. Options 1), 2) and 3) are all pretty close to tied for me, personally. I think that all three, if balanced properly, would be viable compromises that should keep the game slanted towards team work.

[Raymac]

I like this picture (http://yfrog.com/h2vfqofj)!

Good Q/A!

One of the cool things about that picture is that it appears the Mossie engines rotate vertically. It's just a cool detail. Looking forward to the animation of that and the Reaver landing skids.

As for the continued driver gunner debate, I'm disappointed they haven't made a "dedicated gunner" cert yet, but I'm glad they are still considering it. I think allowing the driver to control the main gun is a good change, but I'd like to see people allowed to focus on just driving and just gunning.

Basically, there is a difference between promoting teamwork and forcing teamwork. In an open-world like Planetside, I don't want to force a certain type of gameplay if it can be avoided. If people want to solo, freaking let them. Numbers and teamwork, especially in vehicle-side, will always win the battle, but at the end of the day this is just about having fun.

2 players in 1 tank will obviously be stronger than 1 player in 1 tank. Worst case scenario is that 2 players in 2 tanks will be stronger than 2 players in 1 tank, but that will still require teamwork, even more so. It still encourages teamwork.

[MgFalcon]

One of the cool things about that picture is that it appears the Mossie engines rotate vertically. It's just a cool detail. Looking forward to the animation of that and the Reaver landing skids.

As for the continued driver gunner debate, I'm disappointed they haven't made a "dedicated gunner" cert yet, but I'm glad they are still considering it. I think allowing the driver to control the main gun is a good change, but I'd like to see people allowed to focus on just driving and just gunning.

Basically, there is a difference between promoting teamwork and forcing teamwork. In an open-world like Planetside, I don't want to force a certain type of gameplay if it can be avoided. If people want to solo, freaking let them. Numbers and teamwork, especially in vehicle-side, will always win the battle, but at the end of the day this is just about having fun.

2 players in 1 tank will obviously be stronger than 1 player in 1 tank. Worst case scenario is that 2 players in 2 tanks will be stronger than 2 players in 1 tank, but that will still require teamwork, even more so. It still encourages teamwork.

Touche, your point is strong and valid.

[Xyntech]

2 players in 1 tank will obviously be stronger than 1 player in 1 tank. Worst case scenario is that 2 players in 2 tanks will be stronger than 2 players in 1 tank, but that will still require teamwork, even more so. It still encourages teamwork.

Absolutely. This is why I'm not really worried, regardless of which way they end up doing it. It's just far from my first preference.

[Baron]

Scythe:

I think would be cool if it didn't have any landing gear ..and just "hovered" (think Mag / thresh) for it's landing mode

[Xyntech]

Scythe:

I think would be cool if it didn't have any landing gear ..and just "hovered" (think Mag / thresh) for it's landing mode

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/1494/1726009shutupandtakemym.jpg

[Talek Krell]

Q: dubhthedark: will the phoenix remain an NC specific av weapon? Is it still in ps2?
A: twothreesix: The phoenix is in, but it has been modified to be laser guidedYesssss. Not only is that much more balanced, but laser guided missiles are always fun to use. Sweet memories of the Half-Life missile launcher. :love:

Q: Hezzy88: What are those blue blob things in the ATV + Base picture? Are they shields of some sort?
A: mhigby: courtyard shields. they can be taken down individually as bases & CYs are captured in stages. Looking forward 2 the thread on this!Win. That's going to be awesome interplay between infils and air support.

Q: psucom: How will the NC's harder hitting philosophy be balanced in their empire specific sniper rifle?
A: twothreesix: The NC sniper rifles will have slower rate of fire and hit harder in comparison to the other empires. Hrm. I predict that balancing that is going to be troublesome.

Driver gets secondary gun, gunner gets main gun. Anybody not willing to accept this as an alternative to the PS1 system is a selfish and unreasonable asshole.Great to see that this "argument" is still alive and well in the forums.

Worst case scenario is that 2 players in 2 tanks will be stronger than 2 players in 1 tank, but that will still require teamwork, even more so. It still encourages teamwork.True though this may be, I can't help but think of it as a failing in design when the most effective way to fight is to leave all of your vehicles half crewed. I'd like to reserve that playstyle for the lightnings and leave the MBTs for the people who want to fully crew them.

[Xyntech]

Don't put my biased words in Graywolves' mouth :p

[sylphaen]

Originally Posted by Xyntech
I'm calling it, the Prowler will have a lockdown ability

:lol:

A) No sniper rifle can one shot anybody with a single headshot.

If they go this route, then headshots could just bring someone down from full health to very low health. The NC rifle would bring it down the furthest, while the other rifles would still bring it down pretty far. All sniper rifles would be able to 2 shot the infantry, with the trade off being that non NC sniper rifles would get the second killing shot off quicker, while the NC rifles would get one shot kills on pre-damaged infantry more frequently than the other two.

B) Every sniper rifle can one shot anybody with a single headshot.

If they go with this option, then even the weakest of the three ES sniper rifles must be strong enough to drop someone in one shot. The strength of the NC rifles higher damage would then lie in body shots, not head shots.

+1
Exactly what I was thinking !

In addition, they can also fiddle with the magazine size or overall available ammo but that would have the least impact since snipers are usually hiding somewhere and have plenty of time to reload.

[Talek Krell]

Don't put my biased words in Graywolves' mouth :pOop. >.<

I looked at that before I posted it and thought "...did that?....nah" :p

[HELLFISH88]

Scythe:

I think would be cool if it didn't have any landing gear ..and just "hovered" (think Mag / thresh) for it's landing mode

Yeah this is a pretty cool idea. It builds on the unique feel of the Vanu and will look all badass with the new particle effects. Plus the noises. My favorite part of the Magrider was the freaky noises it made.

[HELLFISH88]

Delete me Hamma. (The post not me)

[Rumblepit]

will we be able to change weapon load outs on maxes? and can you confirm melee weapons for maxes?

[Baron]

will we be able to change weapon load outs on maxes? and can you confirm melee weapons for maxes?

Yes and Yes

[FastAndFree]

Scythe:

I think would be cool if it didn't have any landing gear ..and just "hovered" (think Mag / thresh) for it's landing mode

Hell yeah!

[Talek Krell]

will we be able to change weapon load outs on maxes? and can you confirm melee weapons for maxes?Technically they just said that MAXes had the ability to melee, so valid question.

You're kind of late for the Friday twitter session though. Unless you're starting early for this week. :p

[FastAndFree]

Do we even know if this week will have a Theme?
Weren't they doing one every 2 weeks until now?

[Captain1nsaneo]

Do we even know if this week will have a Theme?
Weren't they doing one every 2 weeks until now?

This is correct as far as I know, but I do think we still get a history update.

[Shogun]

so where do i find the list of all questions and answers?
is bags from cologne and fell into coma due to the beginning of the german carnival season? ;-)

he was so fast with updating the lists after the last Q&As

hellau!

[Firefly]

so where do i find the list of all questions and answers?
Yeah what's the deal? Not that I have any love for the NC but I want to see the answers to whatever questions were asked.

[Talek Krell]

I think they're a bit back in the thread aren't they? In a bit of an impromptu form? (Checking)

Edit: Found what I was thinking of. Lunarchild transcribed this straight from the twitter tracker:

Q: MgFalcon: Empire specific knives or no?
A: mhigby: Yep, empire specific knives are going in.
A: twothreesix: All empires will have their own knives.

Q: dubhthedark: will the vanguard driver have a gun like the current mag driver has in ps1?
A: BrewkoPS: Yes, the Vanguard driver will control a gun. (main turret)

Q: sepomat: Hmm, higby, you seem slow with the QnA today. Stop Playing the game and type faster! :P
A: mhigby: trying to solve some twitter tech issues, sorry!

Q: KC_McG: Is there any progress on Vanguard drivers having a cert for a "dedicated gunner" for the main gun?
A: mhigby: No changes on that yet, its still being pondered.

Q: Carbanu: I got really excited when Wolfman mentioned caves in the backstory of the NC how likely is it we can see those caves?
A: mhigby: hope we can work in empire home bases at some point. Probably not for launch since they're not combat areas so lower priority.

Q: dubhthedark: will the phoenix remain an NC specific av weapon? Is it still in ps2?
A: twothreesix: The phoenix is in, but it has been modified to be laser guided

Q: KC_McG: Will the Reaver have different versions (Mk. I, Mk. II) that would customize it's speed and armor like other vehicles?
A: BrewkoPS: Yes, You will be able to unlock skills that allow you to increase your vehicle's speed, armor, and more.

Q: psucom: Is it safe to assume there are caves (WOOHOO!) in Planetside 2? (Screenshot from earlier this week)
A: mhigby: We've got some pretty crazy canyons, but nothing I'd call a cave. Dont rule it out, though!

Q: NerdCredentials: Will there be different continents again or one massive open world?
A: mhigby: there are different continents

Q: FavionCast: Why was there decision made to get rid of the Sanctuary?
A: mhigby: mostly to get people into combat faster.

Q: sepomat: any chance that the sancturays return and replace those uncapturable bases at some point, if the Communty loobys for this?
A: mhigby: We're listening to you guys, but I think you'll find that the new setup is a lot more fun.

Q: dubhthedark: Will the nc max remain an empire specific max or will max be a generic tree for all sides
A: twothreesix: A mix of both, the NC max will have unique and shared skills in its tree

Q: FavionCast: I still listen to the PS1 soundtrack, are you guys going to be using the same style or soundtrack?
A: mhigby: Stay tuned dude, we're doing some cool stuff with soundtrack that we'll be releasing info about in the future.

Q: Canthon001: Will the other factions be getting a air to ground fighter since the NC is getting the reaver?
A: BrewkoPS: All light assault aircrafts will have air-to-ground, as well as air-to-air.

Q: FavionCast: Hell yeah, I absolutely loved that soundtrack.
A: mhigby: Yah, music is serious business around here too... check d cans for proof! http://yfrog.com/kkv6mxrj haha

Q: psucom: Can the Reaver Nose-gun move independently of the vehicle?
A: kevmo0: the reaver nose gun is fixed forward

Q: FavionCast: Will gal drops still be viable?
A: BrewkoPS: Yes, galaxy drops are still in.

Q: psucom: What are some of the upgrades that we will see for the vanguard?
A: kevmo0: An upgrade that is unique to the Vanguard is temporary shield generator, which makes it take no damage for a few seconds

Q: psucom: The reaver looks smaller than the mosquito, is that true?
A: kevmo0: they are roughly the same size
A: mhigby: mossie vs reaver size comparison: http://yfrog.com/h2vfqofj

Q: psucom: Do Vanguard shells still one hit Infantry? How does it compare to Mag/Prowler?
A: kevmo0: Vanguard 150mm is currently tuned to 1 shot most infantry on a direct hit

Q: psucom: What are the current, confirmed abilities of NC MAXes, akin to the TR MAXes ability to lock down and charge?
A: twothreesix: I'll give you one, the NC MAX will have a shield ability

Q: Hezzy88: What are those blue blob things in the ATV + Base picture? Are they shields of some sort?
A: mhigby: courtyard shields. they can be taken down individually as bases & CYs are captured in stages. Looking forward 2 the thread on this!

Q: FavionCast: With going into the F2P model, are you guys taking special consideration into anti-hack? PS1 died a lot due to hackers imo.
A: mhigby: We're putting serious efforts into integrating anti-hacking tech from the ground up. We hate hackers as much as you do.

Q: dubhthedark: can we expect the thunderer back?
A: kevmo0: no plans for an empire specific transport at this time

Q: psucom: Can a Reaver kill infantry as effectively as the original PS1 Reaver or will it be a bit harder like the current PS1 Reaver?
A: kevmo0: a Reavers TTK on an infantry is real fast, but they have to be accurate. Flying low and slow is also risky

Q: jessewyner: How many rounds in NC pistol?
A: twothreesix: The NC pistol has 12 rounds right now. We're still balance testing though so it may change.

Q: psucom: How will the NC's harder hitting philosophy be balanced in their empire specific sniper rifle?
A: twothreesix: The NC sniper rifles will have slower rate of fire and hit harder in comparison to the other empires.

[Erendil]

Does anyone know if any more of these questions have been answered? AFAI can tell several of the questions listed in the OP of this thread have not been addressed yet, including the list I posted (which is the whole slew of questions tagged onto the bottom of the OP)...