UES Interview with Matt Higby

[Hamma]

http://www.planetside-universe.com/news-ues-interview-with-matt-higby-2943.htm

AGN PlanetSide 2 Instant Action: UES Interview with Matt Higby - YouTube

[DirtyBird]

VS get the jelly legs animation? we can only hope!
I'm sure teh TR and NC would vote highly for that.

Rendering, cant wait til they do something with that.
I think that and the flashing screen of eye aids are my biggest issues.

Those top reinforcement options for deployment will work better after some of those XP rules and defensive mods to towers etc are in after the patch.


Thanks for taking the time to do the interview Hamma & Higby.


(PS2 webdevs, Briggs needs API data pushed out to PSU thx!)

[ShadetheDruid]

VS get the jelly legs animation?

Next up on the list of complaints: "VS are OP because they get the crazy legs animation."

[ringring]

About the running animation, I wonder if he read my comment that the VS had to mince!

However...... I think the DEVS should seriously manage some expectations about the tunnels.

If people get what they are apparently going to get and that's it, they'll go ape.

People are expecting and hoping for an underground infantry area that can be fought in not a defending empire only passageway.

If that is simply a first pass before they're done properly then please say so before the mob gather their pitchforks and burning brands and match on SOE Towers!

Say, you're going to do right right with a later iteration. Please.


Second point. Matt talked about changing psychology of spawn camping by removing the xp award. This won't work, for one thing people are still rewarded by getting a kill that pads your stats. Even if you follow PS1's example and have 'qualifying kills' it still won't work because it didn't in ps1.

Which is not to say that dynamic XP is not a good idea, because it is and it's not to say that spawn camping is a bad idea because it isn't for gameplay reasons.

[Phantomdestiny]

About the running animation, I wonder if he read my comment that the VS had to mince!

However...... I think the DEVS should seriously manage some expectations about the tunnels.

If people get what they are apparently going to get and that's it, they'll go ape.

People are expecting and hoping for an underground infantry area that can be fought in not a defending empire only passageway.

If that is simply a first pass before they're done properly then please say so before the mob gather their pitchforks and burning brands and match on SOE Towers!

Say, you're going to do right right with a later iteration. Please.


Second point. Matt talked about changing psychology of spawn camping by removing the xp award. This won't work, for one thing people are still rewarded by getting a kill that pads your stats. Even if you follow PS1's example and have 'qualifying kills' it still won't work because it didn't in ps1.

Which is not to say that dynamic XP is not a good idea, because it is and it's not to say that spawn camping is a bad idea because it isn't for gameplay reasons.

from what i understood right now tunnels are here to help people defend the base by using them as fast travel/defending positions. However i also understood that if the concept goes well then maybe underground/tunnels areas for the attacker can be implemented : think the tunnels entries under the amp station in esamir but bigger .

[Rockit]

I am going to bite my tongue about these "fluff" animations but just barely. So vehicle entry/exit animations were considered unnecessary but empire specific run animations aren't?

[SturmovikDrakon]

I am going to bite my tongue about these "fluff" animations but just barely. So vehicle entry/exit animations were considered unnecessary but empire specific run animations aren't?

the former slows down gameplay. the latter would help with target identification.

I disagree with that though. Could have gone the Halo way, where you can already control the vehicle while you're getting in

[Hamma]

He said enter/exit animations. Get him!

[Rockit]

the former slows down gameplay. the latter would help with target identification.

I disagree with that though. Could have gone the Halo way, where you can already control the vehicle while you're getting in

Well I believe Matt's view was that these run animations add a level of immersion. Ah whatever, do what they want to do. My 16K SC ain't going anywhere anytime soon. :)

[Tatwi]

Needed more Adrienne and less Higby's hair, but otherwise a good video. That could be my weather worn scalp talk out of jealousy though. Who knows. Still would like to know if Infiltrators will ever get gear that is not a skin suit, but that's me, always focusing on the big picture, the serious issues.

Glad you and Jenny had fun.

[DirtyBird]

I am going to bite my tongue about these "fluff" animations but just barely. So vehicle entry/exit animations were considered unnecessary but empire specific run animations aren't?
haha this is true.
Seeing as the animators have time on their hands for some fluff, perhaps those vehicle entry/exit animations might get another look in.

Running animations wont do much until the rendering is fixed anyway.
If you cant see them from across the road it wont matter what animation they have :p

[Rockit]

He said enter/exit animations. Get him!

Yeah well you'll really love me when I say they might need to consider some form of 3rd person infantry. I never thought I would say it but I miss the hell out of that from PS1. It was reinforcing to see my char progression (and now you can throw in the run animations) as part of my personal immersion and ownership of my char.

[Higby]

Animations are only a part (and not even the hard part) of doing vehicle entrance/exit animations. We'd have to literally redo the art for all of the vehicle models, attachments and textures to support it, repacking and atlasing the texture sheets,etc. It would take a couple months of dedicated work from a few different people to do. The limitation is not really about animator time, run animations are 100% animator time.

[SturmovikDrakon]

Animations are only a part (and not even the hard part) of doing vehicle entrance/exit animations. We'd have to literally redo the art for all of the vehicle models, attachments and textures to support it, repacking and atlasing the texture sheets,etc. It would take a couple months of dedicated work from a few different people to do. The limitation is not really about animator time, run animations are 100% animator time.

Thanks for answering!

But it makes me wonder why the art team decided to go in this direction in the first place, not future proofing at least. It's just one of those immersion factors that is sadly missing.

I didn't see any noticeable hatch on the Prowler or the Magrider either, how do the drivers get in there anyway? :P

[Rockit]

Animations are only a part (and not even the hard part) of doing vehicle entrance/exit animations. We'd have to literally redo the art for all of the vehicle models, attachments and textures to support it, repacking and atlasing the texture sheets,etc. It would take a couple months of dedicated work from a few different people to do. The limitation is not really about animator time, run animations are 100% animator time.

I accept you have a budget to deal with but as a customer that isn't my problem. :)

P.S. I saw your tweet about the charity. Good job man!

[Rivenshield]

I didn't see any noticeable hatch on the Prowler or the Magrider either, how do the drivers get in there anyway? :P

They de-rez and re-rez inside the vehicle, obviously. Like they did when pulling vehicles from a pad in PS1. A short timer bar and a snazzy little de-rez animation would go a long ways towards aiding immersion.

(It would also prevent people from insta-bailing to cheat their enemies of XP, or instaswapping from one gun position to another to insta-murder whatever kind of targets they saw. It would vastly improve gameplay across the board, IMHO -- and wouldn't chew up lots of development man-hours).

[VaderShake]

One key take away from this interview is the insight into how they flesh out complaints or the wishes of the customer feedback on the game. Considering what is said and what is at the root of the issue rather than directly changing the game as specificaly requested.

[Hamma]

Thanks for clarifying Higby! :D

[Rockit]

One key take away from this interview is the insight into how they flehs out complaints or the wishes of the customer feedback on the game. Considering what is said rather than directly changing the game as specificaly requested.

I think so man. What they are looking for are vote-ups to fastpath the game to success. You can see how some things later in the sched were voted up higher and I hope they enact on them as such.

[Sirisian]

You didn't get to weather it sounded like. Was hoping Higby would talk about that.

[basti]

Thanks for answering!

But it makes me wonder why the art team decided to go in this direction in the first place, not future proofing at least. It's just one of those immersion factors that is sadly missing.

I didn't see any noticeable hatch on the Prowler or the Magrider either, how do the drivers get in there anyway? :P

That was answered ages ago: Because they didnt think it was a big deal.

They just didnt expect us to be mad about it.

[Pella]

Animations are only a part (and not even the hard part) of doing vehicle entrance/exit animations. We'd have to literally redo the art for all of the vehicle models, attachments and textures to support it, repacking and atlasing the texture sheets,etc. It would take a couple months of dedicated work from a few different people to do. The limitation is not really about animator time, run animations are 100% animator time.

Well get on with it?

[ChrisLand]

Good to see that Higby wants to move up resource revamp priority. I guess I understand why it would be difficult to do sooner...but I'm not happy about it taking that long.

Interesting that he said amp stations and tech plant tunnels will be defending empire only. That should be fun.

[Zulthus]

Animations are only a part (and not even the hard part) of doing vehicle entrance/exit animations. We'd have to literally redo the art for all of the vehicle models, attachments and textures to support it, repacking and atlasing the texture sheets,etc. It would take a couple months of dedicated work from a few different people to do. The limitation is not really about animator time, run animations are 100% animator time.

Thank you for clarifying that... although I hope the team reconsiders doing them in the future.

[DirtyBird]

New buggy in June is months away, who knows what might happen :cool:

[Sirisian]

Animations are only a part (and not even the hard part) of doing vehicle entrance/exit animations. We'd have to literally redo the art for all of the vehicle models, attachments and textures to support it, repacking and atlasing the texture sheets,etc. It would take a couple months of dedicated work from a few different people to do. The limitation is not really about animator time, run animations are 100% animator time.
Missed this post somehow. If/when you do redo vehicles can you please break them into components. If you have the windows animate for instance allow them to be destroyed and other parts. I was really hoping to see something like this in PS2 to make aiming certain weapons in certain places important. Not just aircraft, like the engines and windows, but a tank with sidegrades on the outside or weakpoints that can be individually targetted. Same for say a sunderer's ams sidegrade. I digress as this was all mentioned years ago.

[SixShooter]

How the hell did he know that I look like that when I run???
:cheers:

[ShadetheDruid]

New buggy in June is months away, who knows what might happen :cool:

Upside of that is we can call them.. wait for it.. June buggies. :cool:

...:(

[Hamma]

How the hell did he know that I look like that when I run???
:cheers:

:lol: Busted!

[Scan]

Well, there's still a few problems in the current game (meta-game, balance, render distances), that I'd say they'd better fix those first, before they start cooking up new ideas.

The game only just got here. It's and awesome game as it is, but far from polished and free of bugs and other "growing pains". ;)

I'd be happy to see it turned into a finished product, before even more half-done content is being added.

[Mox]

the former slows down gameplay. the latter would help with target identification.

I disagree with that though. Could have gone the Halo way, where you can already control the vehicle while you're getting in

What a bullshit.

[ChipMHazard]

Well get on with it?

Get on with it! - YouTube


To be fair, they do have quite a few other things that take priority over it, for the time being.

[Sifer2]

Seems like they could do it one vehicle at a time. Starting with something easy like the Flash. Then to tanks. Save the transports to last I guess as those would be hardest.

Anyway Empire specific runs will be nice I guess for target identification. But what would be even better is adding some more team color to some of these ridiculous camo's. I'm tired of seeing a harmless giraffe only to have it shoot me.