ANT Runs

[Hamma]

How many people do you think will sacrifice their time to make them?

Would you bother?

[Superman]

i dont thinki would.... how selfish of me :(

actually i f we really needed to i think i would if neccisary

[DarkDragon00]

Terran Elite Airborne Regiment

When it gets slow i will go. Other than that i really wont mind to help an AMS get there and back in a galaxy. I will only bother because i doesnt require a CERT! I will only really go when needed.

My custom PSU Sign... sooner or later

-Dark- CO [TEAR]

[vulcan]

of course not. :P

[Hamma]

I think you meant to hit reply. I merged it ;)

[Euroclydon]

I would do ANT runs.

I have fun helping others have fun, and I'm a team player! :)

[Toimu]

Originally posted by Euroclydon
I would do ANT runs.

I have fun helping others have fun, and I'm a team player! :) You sound like a manager.

I think it would be fun in heavy fire! Other than that, it might be fun looking out for heavy fire.

[Seer]

Sure, I might devote the odd day to topping off bases.

[mr_luc]

Will I take the time to do ANT runs? I want to say yes, because I'm the kind of player that got sucked into freaking TRADESKILLS in DAoC -- sometimes, especially late at night, boring stuff like that can be a good way to pass the time.

But realistically, it really comes down to what kind of rewards we get for doing them. I don't mean reward as a status symbol -- but I want it to show up in my stats, dammit! I want 'ANT Runs Completed' to be there along with Kills, for EVERYONE to see. As we've often mentioned, stats kept in Planetside will be one of the many ways that players will have (besides the relatively easy Certs) that will let them see how they stack up against other players on their servers.

Aside from just tracking, there should be just barely enough BEP reward to make it worth my while. And -- this is the big one -- the amount of BEP given should scale with the amount of energy that was delivered to the facility. Ie, what if the facility only needed a tiny bit?

I really do like the idea of ANT runs -- the way the PS dev team is tying the control of structures into battlefield advantages (like expanded SOI, better healing, better vehicles) will REALLY help to alleviate the problems that DAoC had with Keeps -- they weren't that important, except (eventually) as a way to unlock a stinking dungeon. Even then they were just a statistic.

PS makes facilities useful. The 'Hot Spot' idea (showing players where the action is) and the ability to drop down onto any location on the map not in an enemy SOI will help to minimize the problem in DAoC where Keeps would change hands trivially -- a certain number of high-levels would knock over 10 keeps in one night if they really felt like it, and the next night the enemy would do the same. It took so long to get out there, and PvP was so limited and irritating . . . it took 5 minutes, at the FASTEST SPEED, for someone to hear about an attack on a keep and get out there. It took way longer if they weren't already at the portal. :P Bear in mind that if you died without friends around it was another 5-minute trip (or longer, since you couldn't bind at the portal).

In PS, even the fastest attack (let's say one could take a facility in 3 minutes from the start of the attack to the finish if it was unpopulated) would sound an alarm, and at least some form of resistance would show up before the attack was over. Then there's the wait for the base to change hands. In that amount of time, even on a slow night, I can see some formidable resistance being mounted by alert players.

Man. I can't WAIT for PS.

So, yeah, I think that players will do ANT runs. In fact, depending on how well informed we are about the current fuel levels of our various outposts (can I check them in-game, or only on spawn, or what?), I think there might be a problem with multiple refuelers. I can see some poor guy driving his ANT all the way to an outpost, only to find that a Galaxy-dropped ANT got their first. I'm not in the beta, so I wouldn't know this stuff. :)

[Toimu]

The in-game map shows you how much fuel is at each station. I don't think it should show you how much fuel at an enemy station though.

One thing I really love about PS is the RPG build up, but you can change your mind. I quit playing so many RPG's, because after I leveled my character, I didn't want to play that way any more.

[OmnipotentKiwi]

Yes

[tmax]

mr luc...thanks for the essay...........

and im not going to do ant runs...ill just do ant hacking runs....so as the full ant comes out of the warpgate heading towards there gate ill just swoop down with some other stealtheres in my outfit and just take there....itll be alot more fun

[Jbaz]

Originally posted by tmax
...ill just do ant hacking runs....so as the full ant comes out of the warpgate heading towards there gate ill just swoop down with some other stealtheres in my outfit and just take there....itll be alot more fun

Man, I can just see it now... Invisible biker gangs hijacking poor defenseless ANTs, as they make there lowly trek across the continent... long live PS!

[Moleculor]

I wanna do an ANT run NOW! :D

[mr_luc]

If all I could do was ANT runs, I would do it if they would let me into the beta. Even if all they did was spawn me into an ANT and I couldn't walk around. :(

:(

[Venom]

Will I do ANT runs? Sort of.

I wont be driving the ANT but i will definately be guarding it.

[FraBaktos]

I would do ant runs. I would drive the ant, and I would escort them too.

[AztecWarrior]

To be honest, probably not.

[Headrattle]

I am all over ANT runs.
I am actually thinking about creating some sort of squad devoted to Ant convoys and drops.
Mainly upon bases that are under attack and low. A few for bases here and there that are at peice. But I don't want the lazy bastards in the empire to rely on my squad to do it all. Mainly in cases where it is needed on a continent that has conflict on it.

The way I see it is this.
I log on, look at all of the hot spots and check to see if any of the bases under attack them are a little low. Figure out a way to get a squad together for an ANT run and help them out.
Once there we will fight for the base that is under seige.
When I die, or the battle is ended, I'll go where else I am needed.

But that is just me.

I hope that the Sanctuary has some sort of continent wide communication so we can organise ANT squads and so on.
I understand if you can't do continent wide on all of the other continents. I just think that it should be easy to get a squad together from the sanctuary.

[Venom]

not sure if this has been asked before but will the Sanctuaries require ANT runs as well?

[RCB_Ghost]

Yea, I will. As ppl have said, it'll be good to pass the time. Plus there's something statisfying about completing a mission the doesn't involve blowing something up (but hey, isn't that what it's all about? :cool:.)
As I see it, barreling down a road, going top speed, while shells blow up around you, sounds pretty sweet.
Plus the fuel is the life blood of a station.

Just remember, in a way, Mad Max was an ANT driver :cool:.

[Headrattle]

Originally posted by Venom
not sure if this has been asked before but will the Sanctuaries require ANT runs as well?


Seriously doubt it.

I HOPE locked continents don't require them either.

[NeoTassadar]

As in many things (Kamikaze Galaxy or ANT, etc.), if no one else or too few will, what hell? Sure. I would prefer to air transit it, though.

[WNxUndeadFenix]

I think ANT runs would be very usefull. squads could participate in ANT runs to gain defensive skill and i guess you could also do it if you were just really really bored :D

[Euroclydon]

Originally posted by Toimu
You sound like a manager.
Heh, not exactly. Actually I thought it sounded like a nicer way of putting it than saying I always get sucked into the tradeskilling in games.

I do like the resource management stuff though, and this can have a direct effect on the game environment (unlike other games I've played where your efforts are meaningless except for a few experience points).

[NeoTassadar]

Little off-topic, but you would like Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, Euro.

[Yetskii]

I would do any runs. I like running people over, since I cannot shoot them, the noise they make is cool... :thumbsup:

[slytiger]

What exactly are the ANTs for? I would definitly transport them in my galaxy with escorts. It all depends on what rewards i get from it and how it helps.

[Mauser101]

Man, you're talking to the guy who spends about half his game time in Tribes 2 with a repair pack.

You better bet I'll be doing ANT runs when they're needed. Obviously, I'd prefer an a Galaxy for the fast move, but any type of protection would be nice.

I really don't think ANT runs are going to be a problem during peak hours, it's mostly the off hours and protection of the ANTs on the way to and from the warpgate that are an issue.

Here's something I'm unclear on. The Warpgate acts as a shield so you cannot fire into one, taking out an ANT. What about inside the gate? Is it a weapons lock area? If so, what's the likelyhood of having an ANT from all three empires charging up in a single warpgate at any given time? I may have missed something in the FAQ, will go back and reread.

EDIT: Hey Hey Hey! Got my avatar up! Yep, that's me.

[Streamline]

Prolly only if its a neccessity in order for me to continue another mission.

[XeeN]

Galaxy Ant runs...

I'll be focusing my initial Certs on being a pilot, and I think that the Galaxy will be a great mode of transportation for quick ANT runs to help out a base in trouble.

[Zatrais]

ANT runs are not something i plan on doing alott, but if its needed i'll do it, nothing i think i want to do tho hehe

[Diego]

Being the Commander of The Select Few, I really think it would help a lot with we did ANT runs.

Many people may think its a useless feature, some may not, but I'm game for using them, and we will as an Outfit.

So to answer your question for all those people who can't read, Yes.

-Diego

[Hamma]

When you are inside the warp gate weapons are locked at all times, so you cannot be attacked while inside. Also you (and your squad) gain bep's for refueling a base.

[NeoTassadar]

Would the commander of the squad get CEP?

[Hamma]

I don't believe so.

Not certain on this however.

[PlasticGEAR]

id still do some transporting of ANTs even if it didnt have the bonus of BEPs. i mean if it helps your team, do it. i might go drive an ANT when i first start playing just to get the BEPs and the experience because im sure absoultly no one else will be driving ANTs. you could drive ANTs all day and possibly get more BEPs then someone in the field fighting right? whatever, im driving them.

[DarkDragon00]

Terran Elite Airborne Regiment

I think they should since the fact is that the commander gave his time (valueable or not) to command a transport escort that could have been attacked at any moment, and ANT go boom really big! that deserves CEP i believe!

-Dark- CO [TEAR]

[Hamma]

Originally posted by PlasticGEAR
id still do some transporting of ANTs even if it didnt have the bonus of BEPs. i mean if it helps your team, do it. i might go drive an ANT when i first start playing just to get the BEPs and the experience because im sure absoultly no one else will be driving ANTs. you could drive ANTs all day and possibly get more BEPs then someone in the field fighting right? whatever, im driving them.
eh, i dont think you would make the same amount of BEP's as you would if you were in an active squad

[Euroclydon]

Originally posted by NeoTassadar
Little off-topic, but you would like Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, Euro.

I've actually tried the demo of that game. It's a little too slow for my tastes. I prefer Starcraft kind of pace, where you get about as much fighting action as you do resource management, and the game is fast paced too.

ANT runs and resource management certainly isn't what intrigued me about PS though. It was the idea of a FPS game of this magnitude. I'll be one on the front lines in the middle of the battle (and probably the crossfire of all shots, friendly and foe ;) ), just I enjoy doing the resource gathering as well.

[NapalmEnima]

I'm with Mauser. In T2, I did whatever needed doing... usually repairing stuff, turret or sensor farming... HoF. whatever. In PS, I'll be doing the same: Whatever Needs Doing.

And since ANT runs are likely to be viewed as "dull", I'll be doing them.

A reasonably good Galaxy-based ANT run only needs 4 guys. 1 Galaxy pilot, and three gunners, one of which brings the ANT. Only that might not work. You probably have to stay in the vehicle, so that's 5 people, not 4.

If you make it a full squad, you can bring along quite a bit of air cover... or an additional ANT-loaded Galaxy. Overlapping fields of fire... <homer>mmmm... forbidden...</homer>

[Euroclydon]

I think it'd be cool to have a huge ground convoy with 5 or 6 ANTs guarded by several tanks and buggies and maybe some air support. Then you can just "store up" charged ANTs near a base so you don't have to make a big run to a warpgate in the middle of a battle.

[Hamma]

I think keeping a fully charged ANT (or 2 or 3) in a heavily contested base would be more of a chore than actually driving to the warp gate haha

[Euroclydon]

Ah, oh well.

Maybe the empire that owns the base can have access to a garage or two then! That'd be pretty cool... just don't ask me to back one into the garage without scratching any paint. :)

[NapalmEnima]

Having a Galaxy with a charged ANT on standby at a nearby warp bubble would be quite handy, but dull as hell for those who were just waiting around to be needed. They could be ready to respond to any number of bases, but I still can't imagine them making runs more than once every fifteen minutes.

:zzz:

They could act as warp-scouts in the mean time... but I can't imagine that would be a popular job. No BEP, no CEP... not much action, at least not until you were called upon. Then you'd be pretty dang busy, but only until you completed your run or were shot down in the process.

I'd imagine that wouldn't be a valid tactic, save for the big outfits who's new members had to "prove themselves" by performing various tasks that were looked down on.

[Warborn]

I'd do an ANT run if I had a Galaxy to carry me. I imagine driving a Galaxy across some of the more rugged continents would be a pretty big pain...

[Duffman]

I think the best way to get people to do any runs is by the squad doing the ant run will get xp for delivery otherwise there wont be much fun in doing this. I dont know if I would even do this then but i think that a commanders should also get xp for this so there can be an easier way to get CEP's without having to be in real combat for the most part.

[Seer]

I think the idea for CEP is that only people who lead squads successfully in combat will get them. This way, more legitimacy is conferred on your command abilities, like assigning waypoints.

Personally, I'm not going to take marching orders from a commander if there is a chance he got his rank by pumping nanites.

[NeoTassadar]

Yes, I would not want D-Day to be commanded by Earl the trucker.

[XeeN]

lol...

Seriously though, since Hamma confirmed we get BEPs divided amongst the group members that delivered an ANT, then you can get a really great reward going if you get a couple Galaxies and fly over some ANTs.

BTW -

What exactly do ANTs do?? They give energy to a base, and the energy is used to crank out vehicles? Or is used to crank out vehicles AND heal nearby units?

[Hamma]

Its used to "power" a bases operations, buying vehicles etc depleate it

[XeeN]

Ok. As a team (VS, TR, NC) spreads out from its main base it has to do more and more ANT runs, then? There is no way to power them from remote power bases or anything?

If you take an ANT from one base (depleting some power) and deposit it in another base is it trading literally X amount of power from one to the other?

[NeoTassadar]

Asked before but then people stopped looking at that thread and it was kicked down the list. Is there a restriction on AMS respawn/equipment. Suck if there isn't.

[XeeN]

Originally posted by NeoTassadar
Asked before but then people stopped looking at that thread and it was kicked down the list. Is there a restriction on AMS respawn/equipment. Suck if there isn't.

From what Hamma said, yes there is a limit, and that limit is the energy the base has.

A force could run out of energy while defending/attacking from a base, and without enough ANT runs it would be quickly overrun.

[mr_luc]

That is cool, makes sense, and it great for gameplay. I love it.

If the attackers can keep up enough pressure, it's not enough for a defense to simply mow them down. They also have to refuel the base.

The coolest thing about that is that, in a way, you can still have a siege. :) Sure, it's unlikely to be anywhere near as effective as the old Roman sieges were, since it's tough to impose as strict limits, but still -- with enough AA, the attackers could take out incoming Galaxies before the ANT's get there. So in an extremely intense battle, with several spawns per second . . .

One thing, though.

Do the AMS spawns count against any energy pool?

If not, what's to keep defenders from deploying an AMS in their base and spawning there instead,

If so, which energy pool does it count against? Any particular base, the base it spawned from, what? Or can you not deploy AMS' inside your own base . . .

[slytiger]

Are warpgates owned by an empire or are they shared. It would be awful to walk wiht ur enemys and not be able to shoot them.

[mr_luc]

seconded, wondering the same thing. (I == relative PS newb; relative because aside from an elite few, we're all neewbs in a way)

[EarlyDawn]

Can't deploy AMS inside a SOI, if I'm not mistaken.

Warp Gates are initally neutral. Any force can use them for transport/ANT recharges. However, whenever an empire captures an entire continent (Controls every base, towers don't count), they lock the gates and only their empire can use them. (However, you are never stuck on the continent. You can leave the continent if it is locked when you are on it.) The only way to get to a locked continent is by Drop pod. (HART drops).

Locking a continent also yeilds benefits that aid all other allied facillities on other continents. These benefits have not yet been revealed, but are acknoledged to exist.

[BUGGER]

I wouldn't care bout driving a routine truck stop.....for if i'm lagging thats the only thing I would do since only thing I must do is drive......

But then also a run should be done with the galaxy and 2-3 other troops.


Hmm, how many ANT's can there be out on the field?

[EarlyDawn]

Vehicles are never limited by empire, only personally. You are limited to what you can spawn based on certs. Also, losing a vehicle to damage or theft starts a counter that must run down before you can spawn that vehicle again. This counter is a resonable ammount of time (30 minutes estimated for the Galaxy and vehicles with Pre-Req certs). It is unknown if this timer occurs if you leave the driver's position open to all members of your empire and someone on your empire takes it.

[Hamma]

Warp gates arent owned by anyone.

[EarlyDawn]

Well, you know what I mean. Techincally, with the exception of the sanctuaries, no bases are "owned" by a side, they are siezed, garrisoned, and controlled.

Similar concept, but I guess technically you are right. :p

[BUGGER]

So if theft then only you cant use that vehicle right? So if your vehicle gets stolen your whole team wont feel the burn, right?

And the gates can be locked, but only from the outside, as said you can drop pod from the HARTs into hell....but you cant take vehicles... or did i miss somting?.....oh well......

[Toimu]

Can you hijack stuff in a warpgate? I think it would be cool to take some other factions ANT.

[NeoTassadar]

Originally posted by XeeN
From what Hamma said, yes there is a limit, and that limit is the energy the base has.
No, no, no. AMS, not the base's spawn tubes. AMS is the vehicle that respawns/equips people.

[Hamma]

Originally posted by Toimu
Can you hijack stuff in a warpgate? I think it would be cool to take some other factions ANT. I would have to doubt that, its a weapons free zone.

[Revulsion]

During off peak hours I would probably do some ant runs.

[mr_luc]

Lol, I had the same question . . . if it's a weapons free zone, couldn't you still take an empty vehicle? I guess maybe not. I can see a lot of fun stuff happening in the Warp Gate areas, though. And also, I think it would be funny to wait around in the weapons free zone in MAX and just follow people around with speed-walk. "Where you going?" "No where". "Ok, don't mind me." I mean, they have to leave eventually . . .

:( I want to play this game sooo bad . . .

[EarlyDawn]

Originally posted by mr_luc
Lol, I had the same question . . . if it's a weapons free zone, couldn't you still take an empty vehicle? I guess maybe not. I can see a lot of fun stuff happening in the Warp Gate areas, though. And also, I think it would be funny to wait around in the weapons free zone in MAX and just follow people around with speed-walk. "Where you going?" "No where". "Ok, don't mind me." I mean, they have to leave eventually . . .

:( I want to play this game sooo bad . . .

I would think that an empty vehicle could be taken in a warpgate, assuming that it didn't deconstruct and the driver's seat was set to all on empire.

[Chanfan]

Originally posted by Hamma , in response to BEP's for doing an ANT run vs. combat
eh, i dont think you would make the same amount of BEP's as you would if you were in an active squad

I would think not. The real question is, how would a squad of ANT drivers fare against an active combat squad?

Assuming, of course, there's enough work for a squad of ANT drivers to do at any given time�

They do need to make it enough to be worthwhile - so you aren't getting penalized for supporting your side, by running ANTs vs. just going into combat.


As for the comment on not wanting D-day planned by a truck driver - well, if I had to choose, I'd rather have someone who understands the value that supplying your side has in charge, thank you very much. The unit commanders can worry about combat specifics, and tell the over all commander what they need to win.

But for things like Operation Overlord, it's all about logistics and supply. Getting there, landing, and keeping in supply - in an organized fashion - is the tricky part.

[mr_luc]

I agree.

I don't want a truck driver commanding D-Day.

But I would definitely prefer an ANT driver as a commander in PS than any of these wannabe 'generals' that I see popping up every now and then on the Station boards. A reliable ANT driver with a good record of service probably understands the mechanics of the game just as well as those pipsqueak heroes, and obviously isn't a glory hog.

Honestly, aside from Outfit commanders that really put a lot of time into their outfit and earn a measure of respectability that way, I wouldn't follow anyone that was trying to organize these elaborate maneuvers, playing Napoleon etc. I wouldn't necessarily go Lone Wolf -- but I'd pick some relatively quiet player that has more experience in the game, and follow him instead.

Fortunately, with stat tracking and such there will be enough info for us to make informed decisions about who we're following (which wouldn't be possible in an ordinary FPS because even with the best stat tracking there's no context to those numbers -- with PS, we know what's going on in the 'world' and what the numbers signify).

[NeoTassadar]

Obey General Earl!

You should probably just follow anyone with CR 5. Not many wannabes will make it that far, unless they show up last minute during a siege to leech the base-capture CEP from the work of other officers. But yes, if they do get CEP from ANT runs, and he's Rank 5 from that, you can bet he knows about being under fire, combat situations, terrain and such.