ReachCast Episode 28 CQ - Do u dig the new alert system?

[ReachCast]

So here is where you put your feedback for the show segment.

Question - Do u dig the new alert system ?

If you want to call or email here is that info.

Email: [email protected]
Voicemail: 415-787-3224

[bpostal]

I'm going to need to see it in more instances than an early (~0300?) Amerish Alert before I can fully weigh in.
Thus far though it seems to have both ups (can create fights on Esamir and Amerish) and downs. (If you want to win, ghost cap)

All in all I'd rather have it than not.

[maradine]

I'd rather an organic than a synthetic reason to visit Amerish; eg, I'd like to have to take it in order to get to somewhere. But, I guess this will do for now in absence of that. It was nice seeing new fights.

[Assist]

I'm going to need to see it in more instances than an early (~0300?) Amerish Alert before I can fully weigh in.
Thus far though it seems to have both ups (can create fights on Esamir and Amerish) and downs. (If you want to win, ghost cap)

All in all I'd rather have it than not.

I think it's all a good thing, I like the system. Other than one being on Indar(wtf?). I think the complaint about ghost capping is completely due to player mentality and that will change as the system is used more. Players will realize they need to spread out to not only take territory, but to defend territory they have. They finally have a reason to defend/attack every territory rather than just defending the few easy to defend bases.

Overall, after one day, I think it's a great improvement for the game. 8.5/10. Docking one point for my first one being on Indar and a half a point for not having things like this in at release!

[Hmr85]

I still have yet to see it. Hopefully later this afternoon when I get home there will be a alert.

[Kiten]

I experienced an Esamir Alert today as a Vanu player on Ceres.

What that surprised me is how most people from my empire seemed to be somewhere else until ~30 minutes before the end of the event, when the population finally evened across all empires. Before then, we were representing only about 20% of continental population (vs 40% TR and 40% NC).

Other than that, however, the Alert system seems to work in bringing people to continents other than Indar. Can't wait to play on Amerish!

[ringring]

In short no.

I've logged in today 3 times and there was an event running for each time. The second one didn't complete because the server was taken down for updates.

I can't say I didn't have fun but I can't help thinking those 20k XP I gained from 2 wins feel a bit cheap.

But, I have two problems with it.
1. Too often. I have 100% hit rate so far. When can I simply play normally?
2. The real Planetside game is a capture the world thing. I know we can't do that now but that is because of the lack of continents and that will come. These events will interfere with the wider game.

re: 1. You could say I am not forced to participate in the event, but I know that most of my empire wil do so so any other fights will be lessened by the drift of population to the event continent. The fight outside the event won't be the same, not to mention that the empire that is losing the event wil bail and make hay on the other continents.

re 2: It will interfere with the global conquest game (when we get it). We had events in old Planetside and the majority of people hated them because of the interference. The proper game is better than events. DanB used to be on the receiving end of lots of abuse from the cr5's.

To me events run counter to the spirit of Planetside. Planetside is where the players are the content and player create the strategies and not automated mechanical things like this. (I think of the mission system in the same way, except when it can be used to introduce new players)

Playing devil's advocate for a moment, we don't have the metagame yet so why not hold events? Ok, I can get that. I just hope this doesn't become the whole focus and doesn't displace.

[VaderShake]

It's a stop gap solution but it seemed to stir things up a bit so that's ok in my book. I won't be chasing the alert though, if I happen to be in the warpgate when it hits and I can't get to the continent in contest in one or two presses on the left side of my mouse I will head off to another fight. If I am already in a fight with my team/squad/friends I will not run giggling to the warpgate to jump to (insert alert continent here) as some will/did last night.

It's a good thing they disabled team killing in the warpgate, it would have been a blood bath for those trying to switch continents last night.

[Hamma]

Still haven't seen it yet :(

[Neutral Calypso]

I would recommend implementing a system wherein platoon leaders or something similar can trigger an alert on a particular continent rather than the apparently random way it works now.

[bpostal]

...I think the complaint about ghost capping is completely due to player mentality and that will change as the system is used more. Players will realize they need to spread out to not only take territory, but to defend territory they have. They finally have a reason to defend/attack every territory rather than just defending the few easy to defend bases...

Just had my first prime time (well, prime time-ish) alert and I have to agree with you now. The combat was intense and all over the god damn map. Players from all three factions were throwing themselves headlong at each other and I'm not sure I can call 'enemy squads detected' a ghost cap (it's that or enemy platoon(s)). There was actually a sort of strategic front line, although on a tactical level it was a Nascar level circle (incredibly fluid) of doom.
It's given me a warm and fuzzy about this system. It's not perfect but it's a damn good start from what I've seen. Some zerging on all sides but overall there's been some very coordinated gameplay. :groovy:

Except biolabs. Come on guys, just get the hell out of there.

Also...COOONNNNNNNNZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!

[Vetto]

It's great if your able to get in as the alert goes off.. but with out a membership enjoy watching Que 80-100 jump up and down for an hour.

[Coldnl]

I like it but..somehow I wonder why did they take out point for defending?
Only wondering tho but the alert system is "ok".:)

[Gonefshn]

Impossible to judge it until they implement more events. For now though no one can argue with more XP and more reason to fight on other continents

[KodanBlack]

I really like the new Alert System. It has gotten me some darn good fights on other continents that I've been missing. I love the Amerish fights as well. It really forces you to concentrate on using combined arms and terrain in a battle. Besides that, Esamir and Amerish look amazing!

I'm definitely not an anti-Indar guy. That continent is great, but it was getting boring to fight there day in and day out. This has pushed combat into areas that I haven't seen real fighting in for a long time.

[camycamera]

i like it. we had a reasonable fight on Amerish, one we haven't fought on for a long time, thanks to the alert. same on Esamir. good job, but that lattice system will completely fix this entirely! :D

[Timealude]

I like it but..somehow I wonder why did they take out point for defending?
Only wondering tho but the alert system is "ok".:)

I think they took out points for defending because it was possible to trade back and forth the same bases and there for you could farm xp with two forces, or maybe just a few people.

Anyways, I really like this system. My outfit had a nice OPs tonight where we drew most of the NC to quartz ridge and caused them to give TR a chance at first place while the NC ended up in third because of them pushing on VS. It adds alot of tension as well as excitement to the game as if there was some endgame to fighting. Also helps make smaller outfits a bit more significant with the ghost capping they do and defending territory from attacking forces.

[firestrike]

The alert system is a good start but when you play on mattherson it's great but they need to have different type of alert and a different alert for small to mid size outfit but i guess it will be solve when mission is put in

[FinnSimmons]

The question I am asking myself is if the alerts are predictable in terms of which continent it is going to be on or if they are at "random". If they can be predicted that would be a problem in my understanding.
Apart from that the Alerts are a nice placeholder for a better system of spreading the players over the different continents. As soon as we have more continents and home continents alerts should be switched out for something more suitable. Be it an extended version of player generated missions or a completely different mechanic.

[Babyfark McGeez]

On the alert system:

PROS:

A very good tool to distribute players, using the single-most important motivation this game offers: XP

CONS:

Disconnected from the actual gameplay situation (holding/breaking locks for example), and feels like an artificial "bonus round" type of mechanic

IDEAS:

- Connect the alerts to the current situations, like "break indars lock in X hrs" when indar has been owned by an empire for a certain amount of time

- A reason for the alert: Currently all three empires apparently decided to get together to announce a prime target at...some random time. Why is there an alert? Who is alerting me? Remember folks, this is not a lobby shooter

- Specializing alerts: This can go in any way, but basically means two things: 1) not global 2) not for everyone. This may as well be better used for the mission system though.

EXAMPLES:

Example (simple, as of now, but making sense) alert:

"Message from TR/VS/NC Headquarters: In two hours we are reporting our war status of Indar. I want to report only good news, so in order for my head to be kept on my shoulders you need to conquer as much territory as possible. Go for TR/VS/NC! Make our leaders proud!"


Examples (of a more situational) alert:

"Message from TR/VS/NC Headquarters: All troops are ordered to assault Indar. The grip of TR/VS/NC's hand on its resources must be stopped now! We can no longer tolerate their occupation! We will free Indar within the next two hours, join the fight soldier."
(Enemy empire owning Indar)

"Message from TR/VS/NC Headquarters: All troops are ordered to secure Indar. Reports indicate a heavy enemy presence while we are losing base after base. We cannot afford to lose the resources in this war, defend Indar at all costs soldier!"
(Your empire owning Indar with few hexes left)


And my personal favorite, the super-situational sneak-alert. I think this one would be quite cool to provoke concentrated warfare :

"Message from TR/VS/NC Headquarters: Reports indicate our situation is dire. We are not holding any continent at this time. Therefore the headquarter has ordered a coordinated assault in full force. All troops are ordered to Indar to participate in the attack. With our arms combined we will conquer Indar in a swift move within the next two hours. Praise your empire and pray for success soldier!"
(Only happens when your faction doesn't own any continent, and only happens for your faction - hence the sneak factor that could provoke interesting dynamic situations)

And as a last note, the whole alert system should be reconsidered once we have more continents and global warfare in place.
So basically this:
...
Apart from that the Alerts are a nice placeholder for a better system of spreading the players over the different continents. As soon as we have more continents and home continents alerts should be switched out for something more suitable. Be it an extended version of player generated missions or a completely different mechanic.

[Rolfski]

I'm not too fond of it in its current state, tbh. While it does get people over to other continents, the game play it results in is just a blunt ghost cap race.

Because ghost/speed capping is the name of the game if you want to win the Alert challenge. Typically, you want to avoid fights as much as possible and go for low activity areas. Being outnumbered and bogged down will loose you the game so don't bother defending too much. Just make sure you cap faster and more then your opponent which all makes for some pretty hasty but not so much fun game play with relatively few and short battles.

[bpostal]

I'm not too fond of it in its current state, tbh. While it does get people over to other continents, the game play it results in is just a blunt ghost cap race.

Because ghost/speed capping is the name of the game if you want to win the Alert challenge. Typically, you want to avoid fights as much as possible and go for low activity areas. Being outnumbered and bogged down will loose you the game so don't bother defending too much. Just make sure you cap faster and more then your opponent which all makes for some pretty hasty but not so much fun game play with relatively few and short battles.

However if the opposing faction is trying to ghost cap poorly, a squad in a gal can shut their whole thing down. It allows smaller forces to strong point larger units, bogging them down in suboptimal bases.
It's especially good for starting a fight during non-prime time. If one faction tries to ghost cap everything, all it takes is a small group to say 'no' and bam! Fight.

[Rolfski]

It allows smaller forces to strong point larger units, bogging them down in suboptimal bases.
It's especially good for starting a fight during non-prime time. If one faction tries to ghost cap everything, all it takes is a small group to say 'no' and bam! Fight.

Well this is another gripe I have with this system currently: It heavily favours larger outfits. Small squads can counter ghost caps somewhat but the rather indefensible status of the current base design means they need to get out of there quickly when larger forces start pouring in as they cannot hope to bog them down effectively. Running with a larger outfit means you can ghost cap multiple bases simultaneously AND/OR form up and overwhelm resistance quickly if necessary.

It's not all bad though as this system forces outfits, especially the smaller ones to coordinate more with each other. We're already seeing reports from Helios (http://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/1bvz9k/alerts_have_caused_an_enormous_change_in/) were outfits coordinate more as a faction as a result of the Alert mini game.

So in the end there is promise with this Alert system but it also magnifies the need for more defensible bases and outfit/faction coordination tools.

[bpostal]

...
So in the end there is promise with this Alert system but it also magnifies the need for more defensible bases and outfit/faction coordination tools.

Now there's a statement I think we can all get behind.