DRONE STRIKES from your PHONE !@#$%!

[FireStormNova]

Did you guys read the Gamesbeat interview? :eek:

We’re going to enable this thing…this is going to be like the hunt for Osama. It’s a map app, and what we’re going to be doing is allow players to fly a drone on their phone. And then if they have a high enough level in the game, they’ll be able to launch a drone strike. So gameplay out of your phone or your iPad, and it works on both iPhone or Android. :sniper:

WOW i see some crazy things about to happen and change to the on line shooter is about to happen BIG!:cheers:

http://venturebeat.com/2012/06/18/sonys-free-to-play-online-shooter-planetside-2-will-pack-2000-players-in-an-arena-interview/
:evildrop:

[Crator]

Holy crap! That's pretty awesome!

[Mango]

I won't be impressed until I can impregnate someone through my I-phone

[The Kush]

Hmm I'm uneasy about this and how PS2 PC requirements could be met by a phone.

[Greeniegriz]

Did you guys read the Gamesbeat interview? :eek:

We’re going to enable this thing…this is going to be like the hunt for Osama. It’s a map app, and what we’re going to be doing is allow players to fly a drone on their phone. And then if they have a high enough level in the game, they’ll be able to launch a drone strike. So gameplay out of your phone or your iPad, and it works on both iPhone or Android. :sniper:

WOW i see some crazy things about to happen and change to the on line shooter is about to happen BIG!:cheers:

http://venturebeat.com/2012/06/18/sonys-free-to-play-online-shooter-planetside-2-will-pack-2000-players-in-an-arena-interview/
:evildrop:

I totally over-looked that part of the interview when i first read it. That's crazy. Course, I guess I can have my kid play "PlanetSide: Drone Strike" instead of "Bubble pop".

Cheers,

GG

[Khellendros]

I hope such a thing will have restrictions on it beyond level...

[Crator]

I would think resource restriction (with re-use timer limit) or SC....

[Fanglord]

I look forward to bombing people whilst sitting on the crapper. ;)

[Sensator]

I look forward to bombing people whilst sitting on the crapper. ;)

Haha yep.

It seems he said the beta is 'weeks away' goddamnit I guess it's not coming out any time in the very near future :(

[Littleman]

So Bill is in an important executive meeting, gets a call, "I need to take this call..." Walks out of the room, and picks up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Dude, I need you to soften up some guys for me in hex A7, northwest corner, by the tower."

Bill hangs up, loads up the app, drops a drone, takes a dump, then goes back to his ever so important meeting.

He later comes home to find that taking that call and blowing to smithereens that annoying floating tin can called a Mag-Rider and it's crew of pop-corn fairies allowed his TR squad mates to then take the tower, providing the Terran Republic a vital spawn point and turning the tide of the battle with the Vanu in full retreat!

[Toppopia]

The more i hear about this game and its new features like this, the more my dreams are finally being realised of an RTS game but you control the individual soldier/unit.

I am so happy :D:):cool::groovy:

And this adds to that, even if i don't have an Iphone or anything fancy device, will this be possible on a PC or does it have to be on a hand held device?

[Crator]

I don't see why it wouldn't be made to run on Windows.... Possible it's a web app anyways...

[IMMentat]

That could be sooo many levels of awesome.
OFC that would also need me to upgrade my 2nd gen I-phone to be able to use the damned app.

I vote for old OS compatiability on the PS2 apps!

[Jomo]

This sounds awesome. It may eventually get me fired when I keep leaving meetings to 'go to the bathroom' AKA drone, but it'd be worth it...right?

[lMABl]

Sceptical... wont know for sure until I see exactly how it works, but it sounds awesome!

[Sifer2]

While that is kind of cool. It also kind of sounds like those no skill bombing things you can use in Call of Duty after you get a kill streak. Only instead of needing to kill people now you just need a phone....

Better be expensive to use or on a 24 hour timer.

[maradine]

While that is kind of cool. It also kind of sounds like those no skill bombing things you can use in Call of Duty after you get a kill streak.

After stringing together a nice kill streak, you deserve a reward. Some games give you extra "points". Some have a deep-voiced, omniscient narrator that calls out your achievements to the heavens. And some send a gunship onto the map to make a mess of the remains. The important point here is - who cares if a reward requires "no skill"?

[Hmr85]

Aight, being able to operate a drone from my phone is just awesome.

[SideOfBeef]

After stringing together a nice kill streak, you deserve a reward. Some games give you extra "points". Some have a deep-voiced, omniscient narrator that calls out your achievements to the heavens. And some send a gunship onto the map to make a mess of the remains. The important point here is - who cares if a reward requires "no skill"?

You're ignoring his point.

I wouldn't worry about it as much in PS2, because I can't see drone strikes being anywhere near as powerful as in COD or the like. PS2 has people more spread out, with more health and often in vehicles and (probably) with a way to shoot the drone down. While a drone strike may not take much effort to use, I doubt it will have much payoff either.

[maradine]

You're ignoring his point.

I wouldn't worry about it as much in PS2, because I can't see drone strikes being anywhere near as powerful as in COD or the like. PS2 has people more spread out, with more health and often in vehicles and (probably) with a way to shoot the drone down. While a drone strike may not take much effort to use, I doubt it will have much payoff either.

I'm not ignoring anything. His point on timing and cost was perfectly reasonable and didn't warrant comment. I'll be more careful in the future.

[mintyc]

why is soe trying to take over my life?

this had better not be true or i am not gona get anything done ever again.

[Mango]

If this comes to pass I would fear playing PS2 in the 9 to 5 time frame. I wouldn't even want to go outside for fear of instantly getting my head blown off by a cavalcade of bored office workers.

[RandomNPC]

I'm assuming drone strikes will be like a CR5 orbital strike type thing. Something you'll be able to use in game as well.

[qbert2]

Sounds like an 'easy' button. What's the point of allowing people to kill others in game when there is no way to combat it. It sounds cool but from the point of view of people on receiving end it's not fun.

[Ailos]

I read this, too, and though "Why are they trying to make this game even more addicting?" Seriously, it'll eventually evolve from "Don't text and drive" to "Don't drone and drive".

[Mango]

It's like I'm playing a match of halo 4 or something and then all of a sudden I'm having to dodge giant polyominoes falling from the sky because some kindergartener started playing tetris on his DS.

[RandomNPC]

Sounds like an 'easy' button. What's the point of allowing people to kill others in game when there is no way to combat it. It sounds cool but from the point of view of people on receiving end it's not fun.

I'm sure you'd be able to shoot down the drone. And it'll either cost resources, have a cooldown or both.

Have a little faith in the devs, they aren't completely retarded - only a few are TR/NC.

[OutlawDr]

Hopefully we are able to shoot these drones out of the sky

[Zolan]

This is either a great idea, or a terrible idea..... probably both.

[Zekeen]

Oh crap! We're going to be NUKED by Smedley during Beta.... QUICK! WHICH SIDE DOES SMEDLEY PLAY?! Please say he plays NC!!!! PLEASE SAY HE PLAYS NC!!!!

[infinite loop]

After stringing together a nice kill streak, you deserve a reward. Some games give you extra "points". Some have a deep-voiced, omniscient narrator that calls out your achievements to the heavens. And some send a gunship onto the map to make a mess of the remains. The important point here is - who cares if a reward requires "no skill"?

Posts like this give me great pause about the audience this game is attracting. Killstreak rewards in COD is without doubt the worst mechanic ever built into a game, period. Your reward should be the fact that you got a killstreak.

I am extremely worried about this drone strike thing. If I die to shit that someone launched from their goddamn phone this game is fucked.

[Total Overkill]

In all honesty? At least Mac users can play Planetside2 now *zing*

[Fenrys]

If I had a cellphone, I'd be excited by this.

I don't though, so it's merely interesting.

[CutterJohn]

Really?

I mean.. Really?!

:doh:

[Captain1nsaneo]

Oh crap! We're going to be NUKED by Smedley during Beta.... QUICK! WHICH SIDE DOES SMEDLEY PLAY?! Please say he plays NC!!!! PLEASE SAY HE PLAYS NC!!!!

He plays NC and flies a reaver.

Agreeing with this either being really really stupid or possibly cool. I'm just not much of a fan of getting killed by things I can't kill in return.

[Fenrys]

I'm just not much of a fan of getting killed by things I can't kill in return.

We don't know that yet. It will probably cost resources like any other vehicle, and maybe you can shoot down the drones before they fire/drop bombs.

[RandomNPC]

We don't know that yet. It will probably cost resources like any other vehicle, and maybe you can shoot down the drones before they fire/drop bombs.

Like I said, have a little faith in the devs. They're not going to add a free kill mechanic.

[Sabot]

I think you're overreacting to this... It will probably be on a 24 hour timer or something like that, can only be used while not in game, require cert.... it'll probably not even completely destory a tank. If you even get to guide the rocket yourself. Might just be that you choose a hex and launch a AI controlled drone strike that picks the first available enemy ground target. Actually showing the game in action, in real time, and allowing you to effectively play it from you phone is nothing they have claimed would be possible... I guess we'll see.

[Sheppe]

Planetside has Orbital Strikes, how is the drone strike any different apart from the fact you don't have to turn your computer on, wait for ps and character to load, type /ia then pull out a cud and hit the 4 then point and click.

TL;DR - it's a wireless OS

[Lorgarn]

Hmm I'm uneasy about this and how PS2 PC requirements could be met by a phone.

Well, lol, it's not like your running the game with Forgelight on your phone. Read the whole paragraph, "It's a map app". Which basically means that all you're seeing is a fancy map.

And yes, I'm somewhat interested. But I'm more interested in the other stuff that's going on.

[Kran De Loy]

If these are sufficiently resource intensive than I see no reason why they are different than grenades...

I like the idea, even if I don't have any kind of smartphone myself.

Well at least as long as they have more limitations of use than just resource cost, that is.

[Tikuto]

Not sure about this, too. Seems like something of an team-work effort required to aid the lagging App-user.

Additions to App:
(Outfit Speciality) - Maybe the app can allow for Outfit 'super-weapons' (http://www.planetside-universe.com/showthread.php?p=739455#post739455), which could be triggered by responsible Outfit member(s)
and
(Drones) - allow for additional a category of 'remote weaponry' only available through PlanetSide2's application under restrictive conditions (like not being able to be logged-in Client & App at same time).

Acceptance of Weaponry:
Drones and other things remotely activated could be categorized so that they can be assembled in-line with everything else in-game. This, to me, presents itself as an accepted selection of equipment alongside 'Tanks' and 'Ships' accept the understanding is their 'Drone' gameplay style fits perfectly with an Android application like a remote.

'Drones' weaponry only available for App-users remotely. Cool.

[Alanim]

Well since you're in a drone you could technically just stream the game to the player from one of their servers so you'd expect some mild latency. I actually find this to be a pretty alright idea.

[Fab]

I think you're overreacting to this... It will probably be on a 24 hour timer or something like that, can only be used while not in game, require cert.... it'll probably not even completely destory a tank. If you even get to guide the rocket yourself. Might just be that you choose a hex and launch a AI controlled drone strike that picks the first available enemy ground target. Actually showing the game in action, in real time, and allowing you to effectively play it from you phone is nothing they have claimed would be possible... I guess we'll see.

You are probably right, it will certainly not be OP, but i like the idea.
What I find interresting is more the general direction that this game is taking : between that and the App, they mean to make the game more than just something that you just play 2 hours after work.

[Figment]

Could well be these strikes would require laser sighting or something from outfit buddies on the ground? >.>

If it's a fly-aim-by-map thing, it won't be that powerful.

Curious though, if it's just showing a map, how's it going to avoid vertical obstacles? >.> High altitude drone? Couple hellfires? Will it just do radar surveillance for your buddies? Had a lot of questions on that one yesterday, but it seems too unwieldy to become OP, unless...


100 outfit mates at the office synchronise their coffee breaks. >.>

[Xaine]

If this comes to pass I would fear playing PS2 in the 9 to 5 time frame. I wouldn't even want to go outside for fear of instantly getting my head blown off by a cavalcade of bored office workers.

Lol

Drones bumping into each other in the sky, looking for targets.

[Fenrys]

It would be fun to get a small, grainy camera view from the weapons system of a drone that flies along a path and altitude you set before takeoff. You control the weapons and countermeasures as it flies along a preset path, where it can be shot down, and maybe add a few scripted evasive maneuvers and/or an afterburn-to-closest-friendly-base button.

I hope anyone with a web browser can use it. I think it would be cool to send a drone ahead of us over a drop zone while riding as a passenger of a Galaxy.

[wOOtbEEr]

What do you guys think of...

DRONE MISSILE: 100 Station Cash

w00tb33r

[Tikuto]

· Drone Strike (quick, anti-ground (attack))
· Drone Ward (prolonged, anti-air (protect))
· Drone Scan (slow, anti-all (reveal))

Cool?

[Fylix]

My one concern is that the 2000 player pop will be getting filled up with people piloting drones on their phone. If this is in addition to the 2000 pop, cool, if not, then I'd really rather have full players taking those spots.

[Mechzz]

I don't see why it wouldn't be made to run on Windows.... Possible it's a web app anyways...

That's a thought that's worried me on and off as a non-smart phone owner.

Has anyone seen, or made the assumption that, every time they talk about iPad and smart phone "stuff" that the same "stuff" will be available on the PS2 website?

In other words I hope I won't need to buy a fecking ipad or smart phone to enjoy these social aspects of the game.

[Baneblade]

Hmm I'm uneasy about this and how PS2 PC requirements could be met by a phone.

/facepalm

[DOUBLEXBAUGH]

While playing on account 1, log into account 2 on phone and scout ahead with drone!

[RSphil]

Hmm I'm uneasy about this and how PS2 PC requirements could be met by a phone.

It's a drone so you wouldn't need ps2 pc graphics anyway. Drones can have grainy pics ect. I think this is awsome and can't wait to see it in action and see what else they come up with.

[Oryon22]

This would be awesome! But of course, shouldn't be used more than once a day.

[MrKWalmsley]

I thought this game was poor-person-friendly? :(

So an outfit made up of poor persons who cannot afford IPhones or androids now have a dis-advantage over the outfit of rich kids with the latest IPhones and android tech? Great...

[Mastachief]

Holy crap! That's pretty awesome!

awesomesauce i say

[Craftyatom]

I skipped the iPad section because I thought it ws same old, same old...

Thanks for alerting me to this!

[MrKWalmsley]

If drones and drone strikes will be available in game it would be ok. But if this turns out to be an exclusive to like IPhone or Android, then that really would be giving power to those who are richer. It's not directly pay to win, but the results would be the exact same, only it's not SOE you are giving your money to to get this power.

[JHendy]

After stringing together a nice kill streak, you deserve a reward. Some games give you extra "points". Some have a deep-voiced, omniscient narrator that calls out your achievements to the heavens. And some send a gunship onto the map to make a mess of the remains. The important point here is - who cares if a reward requires "no skill"?

I care if the reward requires no skill if it's capable of wiping out half of my squad.

The first two rewards you mentioned are absolutely fine, the third, which is a distinctly different kettle of fish, is not!

Rewarding a kill streak with more kills is a horrible idea.

Personally, I hope that the 'drone' they're talking about here is simply PS2's version of the orbital strike. That is to say if you've achieved the correct rank in-game, you can also spend your OS cooldown via the game map on your phone.

[Dagron]

But if this turns out to be an exclusive to like IPhone or Android, then that really would be giving power to those who are richer.

Which is why a lot of people here keep asking for it to be usable from a browser:
No smartphone to play at work? Break into your boss' office and play from his PC's internet explorer.
While you're there, take a screenshot of his TR buddies getting exploded and set it up as his screensaver. :lol:


Rewarding a kill streak with more kills is a horrible idea.

Agreed.

[MrKWalmsley]

Which is why a lot of people here keep asking for it to be usable from a browser:
No smartphone to play at work? Break into your boss' office and play from his PC's internet explorer.
While you're there, take a screenshot of his TR buddies getting exploded and set it up as his screensaver. :lol:

Now that I would support!

[Corax]

I can definitely see the smartphones + tablets easily handling a grainy cam view of the real time battlefield.
Simple controls would be things like a touchpad thumbstick on each side to control turning and elevation control. A space bar for booster. And a swipe mechanic for changing weapon systems. As the drone flys into a hotspot it automatically acquires targets for the user with an outline recognition system. The user then taps the outlined enemy unit and the drone fires its weapons. Simple and straight forward.

Or you can take it a step further with things like the ipad/ipod/iphone where the device can register tilting if the device. Then use this for the piloting mechanics.

After seeing the apps out there for ipads these days I have no doubt that this kind of thing would be able to hold up very well to the graphical demands.

As for fairness, yea make it so the drones can be destroyed. And that it costs resources to launch, I would say in the price range between the Flash and the ES Fighters. But basically it uses your ingame resources you have earned so that way while you are off line you can still advance your character somewhat, and it prevents players from abusing the mechanic somewhat.

Hell you can even make a cert tree for it.

Drones:
Only usable when player is logged off of main account.
Level 1: 1 Cert Point
You have access to a drone that provides a single predator guided missile.
Resource cost: 200 Polymers
---Player Guides a drone into a hex and has access to 1 predator guided missile.
Level 2:
You can now branch off into 2 types of drones.
A: Recon drone
Cost: 220 Catalysts
Drone circles the hex providing passive scans every 30 seconds that reveal all vehicles and air units. Drone stays in the air until destroyed, player logs off from app, or 10 minutes have passed.
----Side grade: Advanced scanning sub-routines. 1 Cert Point
---------Drone now reveals enemy infantry and MAX's but only scans every 50 seconds.
---Side Grade: Armor IFF transponder 2 Cert Point
---------Drone reveals only Armor elements every 10 seconds.
---Side Grade: Air IFF Transponder 2 Cert Points
---------Drone reveals all Air units every 10 seconds
---Side Grade: Infantry IFF Transponder 3 Cert Points
---------Drone Reveals Infantry elements every 10 seconds
---Side Grade: Active User IFF Transponder 5 Cert Points
---------This requires the user to be actively guiding the Drone. Player 'taps' any enemy unit they see on drone cam. This then reveals the position of the enemy to all friendly units in the Hex, the "tagged" remains revealed for 30 seconds.

Level 2
B
Tactical Drone
Cost: 300 Auraxiam
This enables the player to loadout their drone with up to 2 different weapon systems at a time. (+50 polymers for 2nd weapon system)
Chainguns: AI weapon 1 Cert Point
Side grade: AP rounds: 2 Cert Points
+30% damage to Armor/MAX units, -30% damage to infantry.
Side Grade: Inferno Rounds: 3 Cert Points
+10% Damage to infantry, - 20% damage to MAX/Armor. Sets Infantry+MAX targets on fire. (Damage over time)

Helstrike Pods. 1 Cert Point
Side Grade: Gas Canister Rounds: 2 Cert Points
+50% Damage to Infantry, MAX/Armor units are immune.
Side Grade: Armor Shredders: 3 Cert Points
+50% Damage to MAX/Armor. -50% Damage to infantry.
Side Grade: Flak Strikers: 5 Cert Points
+50% Damage to air, -30% damage to Armor/MAX/Infantry.

Air to Air Rockets 1 Cert Point
Side grade: Target Acquisition Booster 2 Cert Points
+20% Increase to lock on timer. (Faster) -40% To speed of rocket (slower)
Side Grade: Rocket Nitro 3 Cert Points
+20% to speed of Rocket, -30% to lock on timer
Side Grade: Retro Thrusters 5 Cert Points
+30% to rocket maneuverability , -10% to speed, -10% to lock on timer.

Level 3
Drone Bomber
Cost: 150 Polymers, 150 Catalysts.
Drone now has a high capacity of dumb fire bombs.
Side Grade: Bunker Busters 2 Cert Points
+20% Damage. -20% AOE
Side Grade: Napalm Strike 3 Cert Points
+20% AOE, +10% damage to Infantry, -20% damage to armor. DOT for 10 seconds for anything caught in fire.
Side Grade: Gas Bombs 5 Cert Points
+50% AOE, +20% Time of effect (gas cloud lingers). Shifts with wind. MAX/Armor is immune,

Level 4
Drone Strafing runs.
Cost: 100 Polymers, 100 Catalysts, 100 Auraxium
Chose your weapon subsystems. Select your angle of attack and altitude. Launch drone and sit back and watch the mayhem. on your screen.
Drone launches from nearest base.
If drone is not destroyed by the end of its mission, you are refunded 25 Polymers, 25 Catalysts and 25 Auraxium.
Side Grade: Bigger payload 2 Cert Points
Player gives up the refund to be able to do 1 extra attack run
Side Grade: Nitro Booster 3 Cert Points
+20% speed, -2 ammo count of each weapon.
Side Grade: Stealth Shield 4 Cert Points
Undetectable on radar, - 20% speed, -3 ammo count
Side Grade: Fuel Pods 5 Cert Points
+30% Range, -10% speed, -2 ammo count.

Level 5
Kamikaze Drone
Cost: 100 of each resource.
Drone is flown by operator, explodes on contact for massive damage.
1 shot kill on infantry, MAX's, Flash, and Lightning, and ES Fighter. Massive damage to Tanks, Liberators, and Galaxys.
Side Grades: Flak Shield 2 Cert Points
+40% Armor, -30% Speed.
Side Grade: Afterburner 3 Cert Points
+50% Speed (for 5 seconds), - 10% maneuverability, -10% Damage
Side Grade: MOAB 5 Cert points
+20% Damage, +10% AOE, -20% Speed. -20% Handling, -20% Armor.

[Dragonien]

Awesome idea.

Adds a hole new dynamics to the game play, from reco to assassination, allowing you to take on strong point:cool:
Be long time till I have the rank to do a drone strike thou :cry:

[Dagron]

[Some great ideas]

I really like your suggestions, but i'd hope the weapons didn't hit people just for tapping on them, those should have a somewhat limited precision at least.

[Corax]

Yea I think the biggest thing would be to set it where it is linked to your station account, have it cost resources. But most important of all to make it so that you can only use the Drone when your character is logged out of Planetside 2.

This will go lengths to prevent players from:
1. Spamming drones of doom all day.
2. Give a sense of tactical play and usage
3. Make you have to earn the ability to launch drones.
4. And prevent players from dual boxing accounts where they are playing and calling in drones at the same time.

[Corax]

I really like your suggestions, but i'd hope the weapons didn't hit people just for tapping on them, those should have a somewhat limited precision at least.

I would think it more along the lines of either:
A. Tap on target and it fires to where you tapped, EX: Chaingun/Flak.
Your not so much targeting the player as the location the player is at. So if your aiming at a moving target you need to predict to where they will be.
This is for dumb fire weapons.

B. Smart fire weapons. These are lock on esque weapons. Which would be accomplished either by tapping on your target, waiting for lock on to be achieved, and then tapping again to fire.
OR
The 1st target in range is automatically locked on when it is brought into range and then you tap on it to fire. Weapon is self guided to target (IE AA weapons)

C. You manually guide the weapon to the target. IE: Predator missile. You tap on the target, the warhead is launched. Then you drag your finger on the screen to guide it to the target (with opetional side grade booster that you tap for a quick boost)

[Dagron]

Making them cost resources and only be available when you're offline does prevent people from making 300 accounts and creating a bot app just to rain down drone debris all over a battlefield. :D

Althou, it's still kind of possible if your outfit trusts you with their account information. O_


I would think it more along the lines of either:
A. Tap on target and it fires to where you tapped, EX: Chaingun/Flak.
Your not so much targeting the player as the location the player is at. So if your aiming at a moving target you need to predict to where they will be.
This is for dumb fire weapons.

B. Smart fire weapons. These are lock on esque weapons. Which would be accomplished either by tapping on your target, waiting for lock on to be achieved, and then tapping again to fire.
OR
The 1st target in range is automatically locked on when it is brought into range and then you tap on it to fire. Weapon is self guided to target (IE AA weapons)

C. You manually guide the weapon to the target. IE: Predator missile. You tap on the target, the warhead is launched. Then you drag your finger on the screen to guide it to the target (with opetional side grade booster that you tap for a quick boost)

Agreed, as long as in this case "The 1st target in range is automatically locked on when it is brought into range and then you tap on it to fire. Weapon is self guided to target (IE AA weapons)", the weapon was slow and had poor manouverability so it wasn't a guaranteed hit.

[Geist]

A lot of different interpretations here.

My thoughts? It sounds to me like the drone will be flown by using the on-screen map, which means no graphics. And until you reach a certain level in game, it can only be used for reconnaisance. Then, once you reach the required level, you would then shoot a "Hellfire Missile" at the mass of red dots or ask a clan member to use a Tag Laser(if they're in PS2) for a more precise missile strike.

To balance it, make it the size of a UAV(like Battlefield), with a distinct buzzing sound and a weakness to bullets.

[mintyc]

hmm i wonder how manny PS2 players are going to be arrested for being a super terrorist when some one at the supermarket sees them standing at the cheese counter targeting a missile strike with there phone.

[Eyeklops]

I wonder if the drones are counted into the 2000 player server cap, or if they have a separate limit. Imagine 1900 iDrones flying around and only 100 PC players on a cont. Skeet shooting.

I can also see everyone will be using a second/third/fourth accounts to fly around drones as scouts. This is could be a bad idea.

[atone]

great idea. glad i thought of it. i'll take a check SOE ;)

[Xyntech]

I gotta say, I think this will be 10x cooler than having EvE players call in orbital strikes for Dust 514.

I definitely support the notion of it being a web app in addition to android and iphone. Me personally, I'll be using my android when I'm not at a computer where I can freely use the browser, but aside from that, I'd prefer to use the browser.

I wonder if the drones are counted into the 2000 player server cap, or if they have a separate limit. Imagine 1900 iDrones flying around and only 100 PC players on a cont. Skeet shooting.

I can also see everyone will be using a second/third/fourth accounts to fly around drones as scouts. This is could be a bad idea.

Yep, it will have to balance it against that. I'm not into the whole dual boxing thing because it's too much hassle for me to care to bother with, but I'll certainly make a second account if I need to so that I can control a drone when needed while I'm playing.

[p0intman]

drone strikes from my iphone? Yes please. What I want to know is, can I launch a drone strike from my iphone while im ingame on my pc?

[Xyntech]

drone strikes from my iphone? Yes please. What I want to know is, can I launch a drone strike from my iphone while im ingame on my pc?

Either yes, or no but you can make another account anyways and still do it, so yes.

It's really going to be a failure if they don't take that into consideration. Another thing for us to make sure to exploit in beta.

I've got easy access to 3+ smartphones, so I'll certainly exploit it as much as possible for testing purposes.

[p0intman]

Either yes, or no but you can make another account anyways and still do it, so yes.

It's really going to be a failure if they don't take that into consideration. Another thing for us to make sure to exploit in beta.

I've got easy access to 3+ smartphones, so I'll certainly exploit it as much as possible for testing purposes.


Honestly, I have a feeling their designing this around the notion that people will keep to one account... it worries me.

[Ratstomper]

Honestly, I don't see a problem so long as its the same system you can use in game. Have a smart phone version of the drone screen in the game. That way people with iphones owners don't have some kind of advantage, they're just helping with one of their normal abilities from a remote location.

[Xyntech]

Honestly, I have a feeling their designing this around the notion that people will keep to one account... it worries me.

It may be possible that they are already considering ways to make it be less effective to use multiple accounts.

For example, I mentioned that I don't bother to dual box because it's too much of a bother for me, but I'd be more than willing to make an extra account or two to use on my phone. I believe most players are like me, which is why I'm not as worried about the F2P aspect of the game in general.

With that in mind, what they could do is something like requiring a certain amount of actual in game activity on an account to be able to call in a drone strike from your phone. Players who do stuff like dual boxing could still get around this by various methods, but it would undoubtedly be more of a hassle and most players who are like me wouldn't care enough to bother doing it.

There will certainly be room for exploitation, but we need to see what they've thought of in beta to know just how far that exploitability will go. If it's minor/fringe exploitability, I won't be too concerned. If it's very easy to use exploitability, I'll do everything I can to help get it fixed.

[Vetto]

While cool.. really wish some of this stuff was coming to Android phones, My phone only a year old and i am not going to drop it for a iphone for some App.

[Asp]

While cool.. really wish some of this stuff was coming to Android phones, My phone only a year old and i am not going to drop it for a iphone for some App.

"So gameplay out of your phone or your iPad, and it works on both iPhone or Android."

Also, you guys might want to wait and see (in beta hopefully) what they even plan to do with this, before we shed too many tears over how broken/overpowered/unfair it all is.. It's likely to be little more than an out of game interface app you d/l for free that allows you to take advantage of a one shot ability you have while in the game anyway.. Costs resources, on a c/d timer, etc etc..

[Xyntech]

While cool.. really wish some of this stuff was coming to Android phones, My phone only a year old and i am not going to drop it for a iphone for some App.

They've generally indicated that they intend to support Android as well.

"[I]Also, you guys might want to wait and see (in beta hopefully) what they even plan to do with this, before we shed too many tears over how broken/overpowered/unfair it all is.. It's likely to be little more than an out of game interface app you d/l for free that allows you to take advantage of a one shot ability you have while in the game anyway.. Costs resources, on a c/d timer, etc etc..

Oh I think it will be a blast, and has a lot of potential to be well balanced. I'm just seeing a lot of ways it could easily be exploited, and I intend to try and make sure that none of them are possible by the time the game launches. If all of them are already solved before beta even starts, I can focus that attention towards other areas.

[Lythca Frost]

I think this is a fantastic idea to keep 'offline' interactivity present for those out of the house. SOE is definitely pulling some cool stunts with this app. However, the one thing I dislike, as brought to my attention by a friend, is that this potentially allows players to kill others without threat of death.

Hopefully it requires some time to certify, has a decently long cooldown, and actually places a drone model in the game that can be shot at! keep up this level of ingenuity SOE, and you have a definite winner here!

[Fenrys]

prevent players from dual boxing accounts where they are playing and calling in drones at the same time.

There is no good way to do this that I have seen suggested. The current plan is to put a minimum level barrier on the Call4Drone ability.

Accounts are free, and characters earn resources when offline. Therefore, you could make a bunch of accounts, let them gather resources while you don't play them, then log onto one of your alts while playing to call in a drone. Then immediately log into a 2nd alt account if you want to launch a 2nd drone strike.

With a minimum level requirement, you'll at least need to put some time into developing each of the characters you want to have drone capabilities.

[Xyntech]

There is no good way to do this that I have seen suggested. The current plan is to put a minimum level barrier on the Call4Drone ability.

Accounts are free, and characters earn resources when offline. Therefore, you could make a bunch of accounts, let them gather resources while you don't play them, then log onto one of your alts while playing to call in a drone. Then immediately log into a 2nd alt account if you want to launch a 2nd drone strike.

With a minimum level requirement, you'll at least need to put some time into developing each of the characters you want to have drone capabilities.

Players only earn experience offline. They need to pay money to earn resources offline.

[Haro]

We really don't have any information on this, so I wouldn't get up in arms just yet. There's a lot of ways that this can be implemented, and I think that a phone app isn't going to be particularly deadly in a game of this scale. If it's just working off a map, it will hardly be as precise as a CoD drone or something like that working in-game and in-engine.

But for me, the drone opens the door to a whole new level of interaction. We already know about the full map, the voip, and the stats, but I would love to see something like Battlefield 2's commander mode come to browsers and mobile devices. Support roles, like reconnaissance, logistics, etc. could be a very interesting mechanic without really exacerbating a pay-for-kills model.

I agree with others though, I'd rather not see a kill-streak model go into game, and the drone will need to be carefully implemented to avoid this. I could tolerate support kill streaks in the MW games like UAVs, counter UAVs, and the like (I happen to be an absolute specialist addict in MW3) but it can be a very unbalanced model when combined with camping (something way too common and encouraged in that style of games) and team mismatches. And there have been some horrible designs for kill streaks, like nukes, Juggernaut, or attack dogs that feel like hacks I've seen in other games.

[Toppopia]

As long as i can use this on my PC then it won't be too bad, and if they add in more command style tools, then this could really help with planning attacks and such. The leader can whip out his phone or go to the web browser and start using indepth tools to create waypoints, lines of advance, and so on and so forth.

[Fenrys]

Players only earn experience offline. They need to pay money to earn resources offline.

Do you remember where you read/heard that? I'm under the impression that you earn both while offline, and earn both faster while online.

[SixShooter]

I think it sounds awesome if only to distract me from PSU while I'm at work (like right now).

[Ajaks]

And then if they have a high enough level in the game, they’ll be able to launch a drone strike.

My concern is an abundance of drones over the long term. In the early days of PS1 when the amount of CR5s was small Orbital Strikes were a strategic asset. Once everybody became a CR5 The OS became another form of spam.

Hopefully as the game matures and more players reach the level requirement the dev team will take this into consideration and drones won't congest the sky like a swarm of locusts. As long as drone spam doesnt get out of control I think its a great idea.

Although I think "The Locust" is a pretty appropiate name for the thing.

[Toppopia]

My concern is an abundance of drones over the long term. In the early days of PS1 when the amount of CR5s was small Orbital Strikes were a strategic asset. Once everybody became a CR5 The OS became another form of spam.

Hopefully as the game matures and more players reach the level requirement the dev team will take this into consideration and drones won't congest the sky like a swarm of locusts. As long as drone spam doesnt get out of control I think its a great idea.

Although I think "The Locust" is a pretty appropiate name for the thing.

Hmm, i have an idea on how to solve that OS spam, make it so the top 5% of a faction can call in orbital strikes, it still keeps it tactical because so few people can use it, and it won't be used by newbs that don't know what they are doing.


And on topic, i could imagine a queue for using this.

You're at work, you have your break, you quickly log into the app and such, you then click to use the drone, then....

You are place 5982nd in the queue for the drone strike. Would you like to wait or leave the queue?

[Bazilx]

As Thor would say, I like it.

[DoctorBrain]

I am extremely worried about this drone strike thing. If I die to shit that someone launched from their goddamn phone this game is fucked.

If this comes to pass I would fear playing PS2 in the 9 to 5 time frame. I wouldn't even want to go outside for fear of instantly getting my head blown off by a cavalcade of bored office workers.

My concern is an abundance of drones over the long term. In the early days of PS1 when the amount of CR5s was small Orbital Strikes were a strategic asset. Once everybody became a CR5 The OS became another form of spam.

I agree completely with the above posts. The concept of calling in supporting drones using mobile devices seems like one of those ideas that sounds great on paper but would be horrible if actually implemented. There is way too much potential for abuse and spam, especially considering that PS2 will be free-to-play. Players might end up running dual accounts - one for drone spam, the other for actual, consistent play. What would it be like if you ran up against one opponent who had a recon drone or drone strike available whenever he needed it? A guy sitting at his computer, playing PS2 and calling in drone strikes with his iPad, will have a significant advantage over players with only a computer. And what about larger outfits - theoretically they could have legions of "AFK" members who could provide drone support to them at any time. The game won't be quite as fun anymore when fleets of drones flown from simplified UI's on iOS or Android devices are backing up all the major outfits or groups.

This problem becomes even more apparent when one considers the long-term; as Ajaks pointed out, what is it going to be like six months down the line, when everybody has the required resources or certs to call in drones? A cooldown can be avoided with secondary accounts. A level cap or resource requirement would have to be fairly high to avoid abuse with alt accounts, to the point where the drone concept might not be practical.

I really like the concept of having PS2 apps for mobile devices, but I think we should leave the gameplay in the actual game.

[Crator]

Hmmm, good point DocBrain....

[Machine]

So Bill is in an important executive meeting, gets a call, "I need to take this call..." Walks out of the room, and picks up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Dude, I need you to soften up some guys for me in hex A7, northwest corner, by the tower."

Bill hangs up, loads up the app, drops a drone, takes a dump, then goes back to his ever so important meeting.

He later comes home to find that taking that call and blowing to smithereens that annoying floating tin can called a Mag-Rider and it's crew of pop-corn fairies allowed his TR squad mates to then take the tower, providing the Terran Republic a vital spawn point and turning the tide of the battle with the Vanu in full retreat!

epic win.

[Arovien]

Finally!

Unlike the C.I.A. I won't be respecting political borders... o wait...

[Malorn]

Cooldown & resource cost and it might not be a completely retarded idea.

[Toppopia]

Cooldown & resource cost and it might not be a completely retarded idea.

Or a queue you have to sit in so that only dedicated people will use it. And if you go afk then you get moved back down the queue, :lol:

[Kran De Loy]

Accumulating cooldown based on how often the ability is used and how much in game activity the account has combined with a high training cost to get to the drone strikes?

You have to spend a large chunk of time to make each account viable for drone strikes and unless the account is actually be used the cooldown on the drone strikes increases steadily.

Also have the back end systems track accounts that are used too exclusively for drone strikes?

[Nasher]

My one concern is that the 2000 player pop will be getting filled up with people piloting drones on their phone. If this is in addition to the 2000 pop, cool, if not, then I'd really rather have full players taking those spots.

This. They should give priority to people actually logging in to the game on their PC, even if it means kicking out people flying drones around on their phone.

[MrKWalmsley]

Couldn't have said it better Doc, pointing out the main problems with it besides its empowerment to richer people, essentially making the game P2W but the money you are giving away is to other companies.

[Asp]

Couldn't have said it better Doc, pointing out the main problems with it besides its empowerment to richer people, essentially making the game P2W but the money you are giving away is to other companies.

Where does the idea that this is going to give money to other companies come from? When it's an SOE app to begin with (so worst case, you're giving money to SOE from buying it), and best case the app will most likely be free, especially if they want the social parts of the app to have widespread use..

This will likely be an ability you cert for in the game anyway, so being there vs android remote would be largely semantic; particularly if, as previously suggested: It has a cooldown, costs resources (maybe a great deal of them), and takes a good deal of your cert points in some command tree to gain in the first place.. Certs you'd normally use to upgrade your weapons and vehicles..

It's no more spam worthy than a guy making 12 orbital strike sleeper alts (no ipad required!), and it's hardly likely to cause the blue blooded, money fueled, power grab takeover of PS2 by a bunch of talentless rich guys with a room full of gold plated ipads..

I get the discussion on the pros and cons of it, but some of this stuff is somewhat needlessly alarmist..

[MrKWalmsley]

Where does the idea that this is going to give money to other companies come from? When it's an SOE app to begin with (so worst case, you're giving money to SOE from buying it), and best case the app will most likely be free, especially if they want the social parts of the app to have widespread use..


Well if SOE does charge, which is unlikely, then it would be P2W. BUT only as I have said before, if drone strikes are IPad/Android exclusives and are unavailable in-game. And when I say pay to win, I do not always mean that the person is directly paying the game company for an exclusive ability, I mean that it is possible for someone to shell out cash to get a game-mechanic exclusive to what you buy. The actual money transfer may not be P2W, but the end result would be the same; poorer people not being able to access a specific gameplay element despite having the game.

So to sum it up, I have absolutely no problem with this mechanic, but only if it is not exclusive to IPad or Android users, and is actually accessible in-game with the same mechanics. As likely as it is or is not, having a system for calling in drones seems more like something that would have been announced as a gameplay feature first, before it was announced as also available on other devices, which leads me to believe that at this current time, it is an exclusive to those devices, although that is only speculation, and I would be relieved to be proved wrong.

[Raka Maru]

Well if SOE does charge, which is unlikely, then it would be P2W. BUT only as I have said before, if drone strikes are IPad/Android exclusives and are unavailable in-game. And when I say pay to win, I do not always mean that the person is directly paying the game company for an exclusive ability, I mean that it is possible for someone to shell out cash to get a game-mechanic exclusive to what you buy. The actual money transfer may not be P2W, but the end result would be the same; poorer people not being able to access a specific gameplay element despite having the game.

So to sum it up, I have absolutely no problem with this mechanic, but only if it is not exclusive to IPad or Android users, and is actually accessible in-game with the same mechanics. As likely as it is or is not, having a system for calling in drones seems more like something that would have been announced as a gameplay feature first, before it was announced as also available on other devices, which leads me to believe that at this current time, it is an exclusive to those devices, although that is only speculation, and I would be relieved to be proved wrong.

Why would you need to fly a drone when you are already on your computer in your real ES aircraft? I'm thinking the gameplay will be significantly different than really being on the PC. What they are trying to do IMO is be inclusive to the mobile users rather than excluding those without iPads/iPhones/Android devices.

I see where you're coming from, because the people with these devices can continue playing when they leave their PC's at home. But think about this, I can still play when on the road because my laptop will have PS2 installed on it. This is also hardware that everyone does not have. Some have shelled out mega bucks for graphic cards. I cannot use these on my laptop, so does this give them the advantage?

I still think SOE is trying to be inclusive with these mobile apps and this is a good thing.

[The Kush]

This drone thing is stupid. I would rather not have it in game.

[Mango]

Agreed. I do not want to be killed in PC game by someone playing a game on a cell phone.

[Hermes]

If you can shoot it down or combat it in game then I'm all for it. Sounds exciting and adds further to the idea of a persistent game world - which I love :)

Carefully done, this could be superb.