Buffing Drifters

[Palerion]

I took the time to buy drifter jumpjets, and I have to agree with the common notion that they are undesirable.

Not terrible, but nothing extra really.

So, perhaps a slight buff in its mechanics could shake things up a bit.

Since it uses minimal thrust, as you have no upward movement when using them, how about allowing for accurate firing mid-flight?

A small suggestion to improve this jetpack, I think it would make drifters much more attractive.

[bpostal]

If you get higher than the things you want to hit, use your drifters and C4 to float over something like an enemy AMS...you can become a one man, tiny ass liberator.

[Palerion]

I'm not requesting tips on how to use it, I'm just saying a general consensus, from the information I have gathered, and my own experience, says it's not worth using over the normal jumpjets.

Since it lacks upward thrust, firing could be more accurate. Otherwise, drifters are widely considered to be entirely situational.

I think it seems logical that a jetpack that is simply letting you float down gradually instead of abruptly thrusting you into the air would allow for more stability.

[bpostal]

I agree that in most situations the normal jumpacks are preferable, but to automatically write off drifters as undesirable seems hasty. As you note, they're very situational, just like every other sidegrade available.
I just don't see the need for a buff.

[NUKABAZOOKA]

Or how about allow it to function as a super sprint mechanic (like Surge from PS1) while on the ground.

[Redshift]

i've actually noticed i can travel far further using my JJ 5 rather than my drifer 3's , surely even a leel 1 drifter should have more range than any JJ?

[Palerion]

I agree that in most situations the normal jumpacks are preferable, but to automatically write off drifters as undesirable seems hasty. As you note, they're very situational, just like every other sidegrade available.
I just don't see the need for a buff.

Yeah, I'm not writing them off, I've invested into them.

It just seems like they lack capability.

The suggestion for faster flight speed as you increase levels is also a good one.

Either way I find that it limits a light assault's capabilities to the small window where it is hovering down from an elevated position. Accurate fire while hovering would let you use it more effectively on the ground, since by the time a drifter LA has hit the ground, his jumpjets can't get him up to a building.

This would give him more power while flying, so he could hover shortly even on the ground and eliminate enemies, in exchange for his lost vertical movement.

i've actually noticed i can travel far further using my JJ 5 rather than my drifer 3's , surely even a leel 1 drifter should have more range than any JJ?

Yeah, levels 1 and 2 drifters won't show you much of their capabilities. After leveling past that you can find some use in slowly dropping from an aircraft or cliff, but it is utterly situational, and not providing any advantage whatsoever once you hit the ground.

[PredatorFour]

I've got jj maxed and only recently started speccin into drifter. I've only got lvl2 drifter but i like it. 1 v 1 you've got an edge by being able to drift strafe.

To me drifter is stable enough to kill, i use laser sight which to me is a must for LA. I think they're great as they are, looking at some drifter vids on youtube have made me want to get them maxed too.

[ickleflufybunny]

I agree that drifter jets are best use for very specific situations. I find new situations suited ideally for them all the time.
One thing I found very useful was:
Your faction holds the Crown but not TI Alloys.
A squad goes all level 4 drifter jets at least (1 less than maximum I think) and gets to the edge of the Crown on the TI Alloys side. Make sure you position yourself on the outjutting ledge, minimising the distance between the canyon tops. Drifter jets 4 will allow you to jet ALL the way across the canyon to the TI Alloys rocky overhang on the Crown side.
A squad outflanking the enemy like this by not using the main bridge can be very effective.
Firing underbarrel grenades while drifting is also a difficult but worthwhile skill to practice.
Using the flash grenade on enemies below you, before landing to wipe them out, also works very well, when you manage to avoid flashing yourself and your squad :)
The usefulness of drifter jets is limited only by your imagination.

[Palerion]

Also something extremely possible with default jumpjets, aside from the distance drifting part.

But if it's specifically for drifting long distances, I guess that's all it is. Again, situational, and not something worth investing into.

There is no point in upgrading a jetpack like that if it will rarely be of much use. I know how it can be used, that is not the point. It's the fact that those situations are few and far between. Drifters need an advantage in basic ground combat at least. Extra speed, extra stability, something. If drifters were on par with the other jumpjets, I think people would use them as much. If you play light assault enough, you realize how sub-par these things really are outside of their situational capabilities. Not only that but a drifter is one of the easiest sniper targets ever.

[Hamma]

Drifters are far to situational to be very useful imo, they take away LA's strengths for very little benefit.

[Varsam]

Just buff the horizontal flight speed. Slightly.

[Palerion]

Drifters are far to situational to be very useful imo, they take away LA's strengths for very little benefit.

My thoughts exactly.

Which is why, although the revamp date for Light Assault has been pushed back (I just learned that :(), I think the devs should consider giving the drifters more purpose in ground combat since the vertical lift is nonexistant.

Right now its weakness is that it has no vertical lift. Which means, it should be more of a combat jetpack, that is fast and allows for accurate fire, not a glorified parachute. The player should not be descending unless he lets off the gas, and should stay suspended at a certain level in the air or even lift a bit otherwise.

[Palerion]

Just buff the horizontal flight speed. Slightly.

I don't think a slight buff will quite cut it. The whole concept of drifters is a bad idea.

They need to contribute to the killing power of light assaults, not the obscure canyon crossing power.

They honestly need a name change and a purpose change.

[Varsam]

I don't think a slight buff will quite cut it. The whole concept of drifters is a bad idea.

They need to contribute to the killing power of light assaults, not the obscure canyon crossing power.

They honestly need a name change and a purpose change.

Well think of faster flight speed this way - turn it into a faster method of traversing long distances, thereby exposing the LA to less risk than simply running across. Standard JJs allow LAs to maneuver themselves over obstacles to flank enemies from unexpected directions, so make drifters enable them to traverse open no-man's-lands in relative safety to flank that way. Make it so there is little to no drop in altitude during flight so that LAs don't get caught on small inclines, and then make the flight time 2.5x-3x normal sprint speed. I think being able to zip from cover to cover would be a nice tradeoff for being able to scale objects. Then simply restrict lateral movement while in flight so people can't just bum rush hard points with drifters.

[Palerion]

Well think of faster flight speed this way - turn it into a faster method of traversing long distances, thereby exposing the LA to less risk than simply running across. Standard JJs allow LAs to maneuver themselves over obstacles to flank enemies from unexpected directions, so make drifters enable them to traverse open no-man's-lands in relative safety to flank that way. Make it so there is little to no drop in altitude during flight so that LAs don't get caught on small inclines, and then make the flight time 2.5x-3x normal sprint speed. I think being able to zip from cover to cover would be a nice tradeoff for being able to scale objects. Then simply restrict lateral movement while in flight so people can't just bum rush hard points with drifters.

Quite different than your original idea xD I can agree with it going 2.5x-3x normal sprint speed and having no altitude drop. That's kind of one of the two ideas I am presenting.

Either do what you say and make the drifters really fast so you can strafe people quick and move across open ground fast, or let them allow for accurate fire.

The only thing that would concern me about your idea is it would seem odd for people to go too fast. I would personally rather strafing mid-air at about sprint speed and accurate fire, as 2.5-3x sprint speed might cause some crying by non-LAs.

[Varsam]

Quite different than your original idea xD I can agree with it going 2.5x-3x normal sprint speed and having no altitude drop. That's kind of one of the two ideas I am presenting.

Either do what you say and make the drifters really fast so you can strafe people quick and move across open ground fast, or let them allow for accurate fire.

The only thing that would concern me about your idea is it would seem odd for people to go too fast. I would personally rather strafing mid-air at about sprint speed and accurate fire, as 2.5-3x sprint speed might cause some crying by non-LAs.

lol. This is planetside, people will cry regardless.

[SGOniell]

lol. This is planetside, people will cry regardless.

True. I would support a slight increase in speed, along with an accurate firing platform.

[Palerion]

Honestly I think one reason the accurate firing while flying absolutely must be implemented (aside from it being a no-brainer for a jetpack class in the first place) is because it was shown off so much in the trailer.

A good deal of people aspiring to be light assault troops probably want to be something like that guy. That awesome frontline soldier that flew through the air laying waste to his enemies as he blasted past them. I know I did.

So they should definitely add jumpjets that give us an accurate firing platform. It could be the drifters, or the drifters could be fast and long-lasting and the jumpjets with the accurate firing capability could be another jetpack entirely, with its own drawbacks, and perks (firing in mid-air, obviously).

Regardless, drifters do need a buff and an across the board redesign.

[Helwyr]

I had Drifters maxed in beta, and like most others are saying their very situational and rarely worth losing the regular Jump Jets to use.

Just brain storming here, but what if Drifter Jets no longer required fuel, and the extra levels simply reduced the involuntary loss of altitude over time? Would that potentially make them better without being OPed?

[Palerion]

I still wouldn't trade them for normal jumpjets.

It needs to be something as useful as normal jumpjets.

The very idea of simply drifting from a high point without vertical lift is not attractive or useful, especially in comparison to normal jumpjets.

On the other hand, jumpjets that allow you to move at a very fast pace and/or allow you to be accurate mid-flight bring something new to the table that opens up more possibilities and playstyle options.

Again, my personal opinion is that drifters, in their entirety, need to be scrapped.

Their function is nothing spectacular, nothing interesting, and nothing overly useful or game-changing.

They should be replaced with a new jumpjet type that caters to a more aggressive, ground-based playstyle. Hovering is a great mechanic if it can be used to gain a significant edge in direct combat, but right now it's just for the situational and rare event that you feel the urge to cross a kilometer-long canyon.