Dear Devs, Please make a Certs Calculator

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

I hope other people support me on this.

I don't care if the values are accurate.

I don't care if they are not all in there or complete

Please I beg you put up a list of certs that we can see per class and get an idea of what we can work towards to get an idea on what classes people want to play.

Anything like this pretty please with sugar on top.

Edit: with the ability to look at load-outs and such.

[GrayWave]

I want to agree with you. I really do. But part of me worries that putting one up even for beta would bring about creating cookie-cutter "everyone starts with this and this and this, why the hell didn't you take this, you can't just cert what you want" builds and mentalities around them.

[Bags]

Yeah, WoW has something like this for Talents, it's nice.

[TAA]

Isnt this something that will get created by fans within days anyway?

[zomg]

Isnt this something that will get created by fans within days anyway?

Sure but having a list is easier than having to manually write everything down from the game UI ;)

[Papscal]

Isnt this something that will get created by fans within days anyway?

Someone had to say it.

[GreatMazinkaise]

I too wouldn't mind seeing a huge info dump of this sort, but that'd require them telling us stuff that they don't feel like revealing at the moment.

PS2 has LOTS of moving parts at the character level compared to some of the games it's copying, which should be interesting.

[Dougnifico]

I second this. Perhaps to go along with the Android/iCrap app. That way you can do it on your computer or on the go. I would totally understand waiting for launch though.

Worst case scenario, I'm sure a third party will make one. I just think it would be great with the app.

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

Please bump this thread so can we demand to see the goodies!


http://i.imgur.com/oqJFE.jpg

[Vamoozi]

I would like it.

[Wayside]

I want to agree with you. I really do. But part of me worries that putting one up even for beta would bring about creating cookie-cutter "everyone starts with this and this and this, why the hell didn't you take this, you can't just cert what you want" builds and mentalities around them.

I think thats going to happen regardless. The lack of an official calculator is a trivial matter. I have no doubt that we'll see a day when an outfit is formed that only accepts members who conform to "approved" builds. How quickly and to what degree that reality sets in will depend on how well Higby and company design the certs and equipment in PS2.

Competitive gamers naturally gravitate towards Min/Maxing their builds in games like these. They want to be as effective as possible and that's understandable.

My 2c.

[Pillar of Armor]

Idk, coming from eve... there wasn't a single skill tree build that beat all others. Different corporations (equivalent of outfits) had their own requirements, but you just had to find the corp that fit your style. Same thing will probably happen in PS2...

I'm for the cert calc!

[Dougnifico]

I think thats going to happen regardless. The lack of an official calculator is a trivial matter. I have no doubt that we'll see a day when an outfit is formed that only accepts members who conform to "approved" builds. How quickly and to what degree that reality sets in will depend on how well Higby and company design the certs and equipment in PS2.

Competitive gamers naturally gravitate towards Min/Maxing their builds in games like these. They want to be as effective as possible and that's understandable.

My 2c.

Maybe that's why you're stuck with the certs you choose...

[Wayside]

Maybe that's why you're stuck with the certs you choose...

Are you? I've been wondering about that. Haven't yet seen or heard a solid answer from the devs.

But even if it's been spoken to already, I'd be surprised if there wasn't a respec function by the time this game goes live. Or shortly thereafter. Even if its on a heavy cool-down or available only through the micro-transaction system.

[GreatMazinkaise]

Are you? I've been wondering about that. Haven't yet seen or heard a solid answer from the devs.

But even if it's been spoken to already, I'd be surprised if there wasn't a respec function by the time this game goes live. Or shortly thereafter. Even if its on a heavy cool-down or available only through the micro-transaction system.

Higby has stated that he thinks the cert point acquisition time is such that buying a cert is no big deal. Want another one? Grind some more... grind... grind... grind...

[Wayside]

Higby has stated that he thinks the cert point acquisition time is such that buying a cert is no big deal. Want another one? Grind some more... grind... grind... grind...

Interesting.

Still, with regards to my assertion that min/maxing is inevitable to a certain extent, this would only change the requirements an outfit could place on their members. Rather than requiring players respec to join, they could place requirements on the skills they need to focus on developing until they've obtained the prereq's laid out by the outfit.

And to clarify, I don't think thats an inherently evil thing. Just a reality of competitive play that is going to present itself with or without the aid of an official cert calculator.

[Dougnifico]

Interesting.

Still, with regards to my assertion that min/maxing is inevitable to a certain extent, this would only change the requirements an outfit could place on their members. Rather than requiring players respec to join, they could place requirements on the skills they need to focus on developing until they've obtained the prereq's laid out by the outfit.

And to clarify, I don't think thats an inherently evil thing. Just a reality of competitive play that is going to present itself with or without the aid of an official cert calculator.

Agreed. There will always be people with requirements but there will always be outfits with open recruitment.

I just would love to have the calculator on my android so I can mess with it when I'm bored on jury duty or some crap. lol

[Wayside]

Agreed. There will always be people with requirements but there will always be outfits with open recruitment.

I just would love to have the calculator on my android so I can mess with it when I'm bored on jury duty or some crap. lol

Yeah I think its a tool worth having. If I recall correctly, Higby once spoke of a continually accruing system. He drew parallels to the way Eve Online allows you to unlock talents even when you're offline.

I don't know if thats now changed, but if its still the plan it would be GREAT to have a way to plan, monitor, and manage that system from your cellphone. :)

[Dougnifico]

Yeah I think its a tool worth having. If I recall correctly, Higby once spoke of a continually accruing system. He drew parallels to the way Eve Online allows you to unlock talents even when you're offline.

I don't know if thats now changed, but if its still the plan it would be GREAT to have a way to plan, monitor, and manage that system from your cellphone. :)

Ya, I heard him give a quote in a video where he said a point every 10 minutes whether you're on or offline. I remember him saying that wasn't absolute though. Cookie for anyone who can find it!!! :D

[Wayside]

Here's a quote from a PC Gamer article.

But upgrades don’t have to be earned with timeclock stamping: players who don’t check in every day will be able to climb the same ability ladders as their more diligent friends. Pick one of PlanetSide 2’s skills and it’ll be queued to learn. Log off, and you’ll continue studying how to attach longer range scopes to your Bolt-Driver sniper rifle, get better at hacking enemy vehicles, or another one of the game’s multitude of skills.

They weren't directly quoting Higby in this case, but its as close to it as I can find at the moment.

http://www.pcgamer.com/previews/planetside-2-preview-3/

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

The Current Certs system is very similar to World of Tanks experience for unlocking tanks if that's what you are asking.

[LZachariah]

I would use a Cert Calculator all day long until Beta came out. Feel free to plaster it with Sony advertisements, I don't care, that would be fine. Even if the costs aren't perfectly finished or completely accurate, I don't care.

Cert Calculator please!!!

~Zachariah

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

Also the idea of keeping your progress may scare some people with the certs system but keep in mind that you still get the starting out gear of the same level if you are trying out a new class so you aren't penalized for doing so.

[Toppopia]

I wonder if each class will have its own certs, like if i collect 20 cert points playing as engineer, would they carry over to the medic class. I guess they would because that would probably annoy people.

[GreatMazinkaise]

I wonder if each class will have its own certs, like if i collect 20 cert points playing as engineer, would they carry over to the medic class. I guess they would because that would probably annoy people.

Higby has also said that you can spend cert points on whatever you like, regardless of what class you're playing.

[Toppopia]

Higby has also said that you can spend cert points on whatever you like, regardless of what class you're playing.

Ok thats good.

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

My question is how long will it take to unlock one whole cert all the way, as well as unlocking everything on one class, I hope they will be able to keep up with how fast people unlocking things with patch updates so people aren't sitting around.

[Sephirex]

Ya, I heard him give a quote in a video where he said a point every 10 minutes whether you're on or offline. I remember him saying that wasn't absolute though. Cookie for anyone who can find it!!! :D

Planetside 2 - Dual Commentary Livestream with Matt Higby and TotalBiscuit - YouTube

It's at 1:50.

I believe when he said 10 minutes, he meant online play. Otherwise you'd have 144 cert points a day, every day.

[Sephirex]

My question is how long will it take to unlock one whole cert all the way, as well as unlocking everything on one class, I hope they will be able to keep up with how fast people unlocking things with patch updates so people aren't sitting around.

They said right now it would take 2 1/2 years of actively playing to unlock everything. And they also said they'll have content patches well before then.

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

Ok cool, so people will be busy : )

[Dougnifico]

Planetside 2 - Dual Commentary Livestream with Matt Higby and TotalBiscuit - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onvySU5NkFo)

It's at 1:50.

I believe when he said 10 minutes, he meant online play. Otherwise you'd have 144 cert points a day, every day.

BAM!!!
http://willscullypower.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cookie.jpg

He did say some would take hundreds of points... but ya, it'll probably be a bit slower.

[DarkChiron]

I wonder if each class will have its own certs, like if i collect 20 cert points playing as engineer, would they carry over to the medic class. I guess they would because that would probably annoy people.

I always assumed you spent cert points and then they were gone. So, if you earned a cert point and unlocked an engineer ability with it, then that's it. I don't think there's a 'common pool' of cert points that you get to spend differently for every class.

[AThreatToYou]

I hope everyone in this thread knows that every player can acquire every certification all at once if they have put themselves through enough grind. A cert calculator, thus, is quite useless because you don't lose anything but time for putting in a cert.

[Kran De Loy]

The opposite could also be said, if you don't have the time to get every cert, having a cert calculator could be invaluable since it would allow you to be sure to get all the ones you want.

Also having a VR room to test everything would also make the Cert system a lot easier by allowing player to really test each cert combination available to them from point to point so they can be better sure achieve the outcome they desired.

[Bags]

I hope everyone in this thread knows that every player can acquire every certification all at once if they have put themselves through enough grind. A cert calculator, thus, is quite useless because you don't lose anything but time for putting in a cert.

Time is money.

[Alderego]

They're working on an app that they call a library of the game, with all the info in it.
I'd be very surprised if a cert calculator wasn't in there. It might even have this little screen that adds up all the bonus % that you unlocked per thing, who knows?

[exLupo]

Dev provided talent calcs: Theoretically more accurate, faster updates and more stability. I'd prefer an in-house one as I know it'll always be there and never on sites with questionable ad banners.

Min/Max requirements: If EVE is any marker, there -will- be groups with requirements. However, it'll be a mix of basic competencies and specialist paths based on outfit specialization. They may want everyone to have 80% completion in some basic overall certs (if they exist) or, if you're joining for a specific role, then a percentage of completion in certs to support that role. Build requirements not only provide a statistical baseline, they also show a commitment to the game and/or specific roles.

Just as there will be specialist outfits with high bars (EVE wormhole corps have some crazy requirements but they're necessary, too) there will be low-req and no-req outfits as well. If someone wants to get into outfits with specific reqs, that's their business. There will be alternatives.

And have no doubt, there will be outfits that require specific gear packages for your standard loadouts as well. While I believe there are arguments to be made for mods that make gross alterations in functionality (What do you mean you can't slot AA turrets?), some will take it too far. Just the nature of players. There will be those that, like in WoW, for example, quibble over literal 1% variances but they won't be the majority. They'll probably have a lot of clout but people who are that anal usually put a ton of hours into games and are generally good so combine lots of public presence with high success rate. Still, minority.

[Shogun]

in other games i use cert or skill calculators to check how i have to level out my skills to get the maximum of the skills i need before the levelcap takes effect.

there is no levelcap like it was in ps1 (pre br40) or like there is in most other games.
everything can be unlocked, the cap is just on equipping the unlocked things together.

so a cert-calculator would only make sense, if its showing the time and ressources needed to build up some certconfigurations.

by the way, matt already said, that the phone-apps will include full wikis about everything in the game like weapons, vehicles and their modifications. so it is already confirmed that you will be able to take your icrap and check on some weaponconfigurations and their values outside of the game.

[AThreatToYou]

The opposite could also be said, if you don't have the time to get every cert, having a cert calculator could be invaluable since it would allow you to be sure to get all the ones you want.

desired.

This would be rendered mostly inert by a simple "Are you sure?" prompt before leaving the certifications screen after you have spent all points.

Besides, it's not like some simple addition is too much to ask from the player.

Now, a cert calculator released before I could play it would be fabulous because then I could read all the certs.

[GuyFawkes]

.

by the way, matt already said, that the phone-apps will include full wikis about everything in the game like weapons, vehicles and their modifications. so it is already confirmed that you will be able to take your icrap and check on some weaponconfigurations and their values outside of the game.

The official ps2 website will have the same functionality as the apps on ipads. All the 'certs' and whatever you can think of will most likely be on there. They know people like this sort of stuff, and cater for it or give you the tools to do one yourself.Don't panic.

[ThermalReaper]

They said right now it would take 2 1/2 years of actively playing to unlock everything. And they also said they'll have content patches well before then.

... I really hope that someone who doesn't have upgrades can still have a chance of beating someone with all upgrades. If not, that's an issue I like to call: "More gear less skill".

[LZachariah]

The Devs have assured us that, in the end, skill will be the most important thing.

~Zachariah

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

From what they said in the dual commentary video is that a "level 5 and level 50 will be on the same level but the level 50 will have more choices" being that he said level 5 there are some basic upgrades, but they are achievable very early on.

[BigBossMonkey]

... I really hope that someone who doesn't have upgrades can still have a chance of beating someone with all upgrades. If not, that's an issue I like to call: "More gear less skill".


You're still limited in how many upgrades you can have at once.

[Hamma]

I can't see them not doing this. :D

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

I can't see them not doing this. :D

Thanks Hamma, I hope your right.

[GhettoPrince]

I think it was in the totalbiscuit podcast that they said the average is like 5 certs an hour, but some of those trees from e3 look like they needed dozens and 100+ certs. The squad leader tree especially looked like something you have to grind like a bastard to finish, so, yeah, I think a calculator would be nice.

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

I would love to see how the certs branch out like trees.

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

Please devs if you are out there please read this.

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

Just really want to see this addressed.

[maddoggg]

I support your idea OP.

[Baneblade]

I hope everyone in this thread knows that every player can acquire every certification all at once if they have put themselves through enough grind. A cert calculator, thus, is quite useless because you don't lose anything but time for putting in a cert.

Well, EVE's 'cert' calculator is entirely to figure out how long a skill plan would take. So it isn't unprecedented.

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

Well, EVE's 'cert' calculator is entirely to figure out how long a skill plan would take. So it isn't unprecedented.

Agreed, sounds good to me

[Naz The Eternal]

Patience! Patience! We're all anxious for beta, it will come in due time!

[IMMentat]

agreed calculators can only help the short build planning. Once we have the copre stuff tis easier to sperad a few spare points around.

[UnDeAdKiTtY]

please

[Dacrim]

this would be pretty nice

[Drentz]

Would definitely love to see one.
Will help me pass even more time before I can actually play with the certs for real.
On a serious note, it would be nice to see what they are envisioning as speccing heavily into a certain cert tree. Like what skills/advancements/etc. are available way way way down the Engi tree, or the Leader cert tree and so on.