Anybody else delete their Vanu character after the new update? [Archive]

ravenoch

2013-04-06, 09:18 AM

LOLs at OP
lol at all the Vanu quiters whiners

You get no sympathy from anyone who played NC from the start.

If you were asking for better colors so more people would join your team then you would have a point. But just quitting for low population makes you pathetic.

wherever you went here you are etc

and right here you are on a video game forum using pretty harsh words

chill out bro. if you cant beat them join them, i guess most people who live this way are pathetic? lol

the developers might as well delete the vanu class entirely and enforce even sides. judging by the fact you said "lol at vanu quitterS" being plural i take it i am not the only one who deleted their vanu character. im really making this thread in hopes that developers will see this. i didnt even check stats or map control or anything like that. i am speaking from my own playing experience the past few days, i cant play for more than a hour because there is literally no point in capping something that will just get recapped in 2 mins.......... expecting NC and TR to make a VS character is more outrageous than suggesting i should come on the forum and ask for more teammates.

seriously.

that makes me feel better :)

BackzBanny

2013-04-06, 09:20 AM

@ghoest9:

how many times did you find YOURSELF with only 20-23% population on your server?

Ghoest9

2013-04-06, 09:30 AM

Thunderhawk

2013-04-06, 09:33 AM

The people that joined VS for the OP'ness of the Mag are welcome to f*ck off to other empires.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Assist

2013-04-06, 09:54 AM

"quitters, whiners, pathetic" - thats not harsh

On waterston it was not uncommon to be in the low 20s early on, because of the massive TR force we had.
But worse back then NC actually had seriously inferior equipment and the bad starting location - and we still kept populations even with the Vanu.

Yes, you still kept population with the Vanu then, which should be enough for you to understand the VS have been playing massively underpopulated for a ridiculous amount of time.

Doesn't matter what the cause is for it, the problem is just not being addressed. We hit 29% population on Waterson last night for the first time in over in a month. When I logged in we were at 23% and when I logged off we were at 24%!

It's probably because the Vanu are so overpowered(as the forums claim), and no one wants to play the overpowered faction. Deleting a character is dumb, unless it's an alt maybe. But I understand the point the OP is trying to get across.

KaskaMatej

2013-04-06, 10:09 AM

and no one wants to play the overpowered faction.

That never happens. Ever. At all. In any game.

Snoopy

2013-04-06, 10:13 AM

Maybe if we cry enough, like the NC did, we can get them nerfed into the ground?

PredatorFour

2013-04-06, 10:50 AM

Maybe if we cry enough, like the NC did, we can get them nerfed into the ground?

Thats how it works so yeh jog on .

Snoopy

2013-04-06, 11:09 AM

No way, really?

DeltaGun

2013-04-06, 11:32 AM

Maybe if we cry enough, like the NC did, we can get them nerfed into the ground?

We just have to invent some problem with the NC like they did with VS.

I've seen these lies a hundred times.

VS have no recoil
Magrider OP sniper cannon has no bullet drop
Easymode VS sniper rifles have no bullet drop

Ghoest9

2013-04-06, 11:56 AM

Yes, you still kept population with the Vanu then, which should be enough for you to understand the VS have been playing massively underpopulated for a ridiculous amount of time.

Doesn't matter what the cause is for it, the problem is just not being addressed. We hit 29% population on Waterson last night for the first time in over in a month. When I logged in we were at 23% and when I logged off we were at 24%!

It's probably because the Vanu are so overpowered(as the forums claim), and no one wants to play the overpowered faction. Deleting a character is dumb, unless it's an alt maybe. But I understand the point the OP is trying to get across.

But the remaining Vanu players would be mostly offended if the causes were addressed.

DeltaGun

2013-04-06, 11:58 AM

Doesn't matter what the cause is for it, the problem is just not being addressed. We hit 29% population on Waterson last night for the first time in over in a month. When I logged in we were at 23% and when I logged off we were at 24%!

Actually we hit 29% the night of GU6 - becauseNC MAX was nerfed. Lol.

Radec

2013-04-06, 12:20 PM

Assist

2013-04-06, 12:29 PM

It's funny because according to these numbers: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AmUavphHXmIxdFhHUzJfN1VYalRnWS0xMnBUdTJpM 1E&gid=22

The VS is being outnumbered by the opposing factions on 4 servers, while the TR is outnumbered by both NC and VS on 5 of them.

Taking the TR as the active average population with 40k characters, the VS sit barely 2k less characters under them; this equals a whole continent population.

The NC outnumbers that by three times, with the top number of 6k characters above the TR's average (again, 40k); this equals the population of an entire server..

deleted original post.

Wouldn't count on that data being close to accurate. It has Waterson as the most populated server, which I doubt. If you want to look at it as if TR is hurting, TR is the highest population on 4 servers and VS is highest on 1. There's an overall activity tab in that spreadsheet that is a lot better to use, as it illustrates the problem the VS has had since launch. Continually decreasing population since release.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AmUavphHXmIxdFhHUzJfN1VYalRnWS0xMnBUdTJpM 1E&gid=3

Ghoest9

2013-04-06, 12:36 PM

deleted post.

Wouldn't count on that data being close to accurate. It has Waterson as the most populated server, which I doubt.

I have been assuming for the last 3 weeks that Waterston now has the highest pop - at least of American server.

We have queues every night. Im guessing some of the 4rth empire that played Vanu migrated here.

Tenhi

2013-04-06, 12:36 PM

It's funny because according to these numbers: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AmUavphHXmIxdFhHUzJfN1VYalRnWS0xMnBUdTJpM 1E&gid=22

The VS is being outnumbered by the opposing factions on 4 servers, while the TR is outnumbered by both NC and VS on 5 of them.

Taking the TR as the active average population with 40k characters, the VS sit barely 2k less characters under them; this equals a whole continent population.

The NC outnumbers that by three times, with the top number of 6k characters above the TR's average (again, 40k); this equals the population of an entire server..

Its a very server specific problem. Also the graph is outdated. Miller is 35-40% TR right now... NC is nowhere near the highest pop.

I have been assuming for the last 3 weeks that Waterston now has the highest pop - at least of American server.

We have queues every night. Im guessing some of the 4rth empire that played Vanu migrated here.

Is Waterson the "default" Server if you create a character? If it is maybe you just got all the EU player that went to an US server when our servers are down?^^ And they are down quite a lot...

Assist

2013-04-06, 12:43 PM

I have been assuming for the last 3 weeks that Waterston now has the highest pop - at least of American server.

We have queues every night. Im guessing some of the 4rth empire that played Vanu migrated here.

You have queues every night. The Vanu have never had queues to get on and I've never seen a queue on more than one continent at a time.

It has us having 25% more active users than Miller, which I doubt considering how everyone always says Miller is jam packed on all continents. I guess they could all be exaggerating, but that chart has us way above all other servers.

Badjuju

2013-04-06, 06:01 PM

deleted original post.

Wouldn't count on that data being close to accurate. It has Waterson as the most populated server, which I doubt. If you want to look at it as if TR is hurting, TR is the highest population on 4 servers and VS is highest on 1. There's an overall activity tab in that spreadsheet that is a lot better to use, as it illustrates the problem the VS has had since launch. Continually decreasing population since release.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AmUavphHXmIxdFhHUzJfN1VYalRnWS0xMnBUdTJpM 1E&gid=3

I am pretty sure waterson has been the highest pop US server since the merger. It is always the first to hit high pop, some nights the only high pop US server, and the last to drop back down to medium. Ive been watching just out of curiosity.

Illtempered

2013-04-06, 06:16 PM

Not me. I love being outnumbered, so VS is right up my alley. It's the whole reason I chose the purple guys on VS Markov ten years ago.

"We're surrounded? You mean we can attack in all directions!?"

p0intman

2013-04-06, 06:17 PM

if you switch empires based on perception of how powerful any of their specific weapons platforms are, you aren't needed.

Illtempered

2013-04-06, 06:17 PM

^

Doble post? Hrm don't remember clicking it twice.

Waterson Vanu foLIFE! =D

Snydenthur

2013-04-06, 06:37 PM

You have queues every night. The Vanu have never had queues to get on and I've never seen a queue on more than one continent at a time.

It has us having 25% more active users than Miller, which I doubt considering how everyone always says Miller is jam packed on all continents. I guess they could all be exaggerating, but that chart has us way above all other servers.

Well, miller was biggest server, but during my playtime, it has never been quite full. Indarside like all of them. At the moment woodman has a lot more players online all the time.

To OP: Why do you think vs population is bad. It's because of people like you.

Dougnifico

2013-04-06, 06:55 PM

What I want to know is what is with the sudden surge of NC players. NC and TR were always 1 to 1 and now all the VS are leaving to be NC? Why is the NC so appealing all of the sudden?

Saintlycow

2013-04-06, 07:03 PM

You get no sympathy from anyone who Stayed NC from the start.

Fixed

And that wasn't too many people. Lots of NC are 4th factioners

Aaron

2013-04-06, 07:13 PM

AThreatToYou

2013-04-06, 07:54 PM

Fixed

And that wasn't too many people. Lots of NC are 4th factioners

Hey, I'll be honest. I've been NC-only since launch! Not like that's relevant, though.

On the topic of Waterson, I am pretty sure it's the highest populated server in the entire game. TR and NC get pop locked on every continent regularly, locking people into the VR training zone.

On the topic of PS2 population, wow... it has been on an incredibly sharp decline. From what I calculated, the game is losing an average of six thousand active players per day. At this rate, it'll be dead before summer.

Palerion

2013-04-06, 11:51 PM

If I may, allow me to diagnose what at least I believe is the problem.

Most of that vanu population joined because the faction was pretty overpowered and had easy to use weapons. That's a given. This is not to say all the vanu population, as I know people such as Assist are vanu, through and through. But the power of the vanu is what used to attract people to the faction.

Now, it's not there. So, people are left with the aesthetics of the faction which, quite frankly, are awful. People generally don't want to be dressed in all-purple tights. If they want the Vanu population to return, they need to do some cosmetic overhauling; make the vanu look a bit more badass.

Forsaken One

2013-04-07, 02:04 AM

I laugh at every Muppet who says "Its cause of the Vanus colors"

No its not.

I was Vanu since release. I liked that the Vanu were the only ones to believe in freedom. (The NC just want to have everyone be slaved to $ like this world. and the TR just want to rule everything.) I also liked that the Vanus colors made them stealth like.

After the Mag nerf I said to myself. "Ok, they made our tank shit which was the only thing going for us, so for the heck of it I'll test drive the other factions."

Do you know what happened?

As both NC and TR with their guns I easily tripled my KDR. as Vanu I would lose over 75% of 1v1 firefights, both long range and CQC. As NC and TR I did decently Vs NC and Tr and just shat all over vanu players.

Now I don't jump on shit thats oped, but I'm sorry if I refuse to play a very gimped team

Vanus "mobility" tanks are pointless.
Vanus ESF Is much more a pain in the ass just to keep in the air let alone fly compered to the other two.
Vanus inf weapons are crap.
Vanus max is a joke. I wouldn't use a non burster Vanu max if it gave me certs just to pull and didn't cost resources to use.

KodanBlack

2013-04-07, 11:05 AM

Play the game how you want to play it. Personally, I like playing the underdog faction at this time. Heroic last stands, and desperate assaults are fun to play. As long as you don't mind your KD going down, the fights are epic and a hell of a lot of fun!

WSNeo

2013-04-07, 12:06 PM

After the Mag nerf I said to myself. "Ok, they made our tank shit which was the only thing going for us, so for the heck of it I'll test drive the other factions."

Do you know what happened?

As both NC and TR with their guns I easily tripled my KDR. as Vanu I would lose over 75% of 1v1 firefights, both long range and CQC. As NC and TR I did decently Vs NC and Tr and just shat all over vanu players.

I regularly hear this from Vanu players especially when trying the NC. The NC's weapon motif have always been more damage per shot so VS players are surprised at the speed that they take down targets with NC weapons, compared to VS weapons.

Also VS cosmetics are fine, and if you let colors affect your faction decision over the unique playstyle that each empire adopts then then you are playing the game wrong from the get-go.

Whiteagle

2013-04-07, 12:59 PM

So, people are left with the aesthetics of the faction which, quite frankly, are awful. People generally don't want to be dressed in all-purple tights. If they want the Vanu population to return, they need to do some cosmetic overhauling; make the vanu look a bit more badass.
I'll keep saying it man, SOE needs to start a Vanu Schism!

Assist

2013-04-07, 04:09 PM

Not me. I love being outnumbered, so VS is right up my alley. It's the whole reason I chose the purple guys on VS Markov ten years ago.

"We're surrounded? You mean we can attack in all directions!?"

There's a difference between being outnumbered and getting crapped on night after night. I get that you don't see it that way, but a lot of VS do. I think it shows in the numbers of people leaving the Vanu week after week on Waterson.
Waterson VS had it nice and easy when we owned Indar, it worked out only because NC was the same population. Now NC is much higher, if not the highest, and the VS are still low. We're completely irrelevent, despite what some believe. We get continents during off-peak hours and just get pushed around during prime time playing hours.

For those of us not in large outfits, we're screwed. We have to go where to big vanu zerg is, because there's only one vanu zerg on Waterson. We don't get to choose where we want to fight, if we go to a continent that the large outfits are not fighting on, we get outnumbered 10:1. If we go where the large outfits are we're just another number of the zerg. Basically all options are removed for us that are not a huge coordinated platoon. While fine for some, it blows for the rest of us. It really blows for those of us who are attempting to accomplish the goals of the game (remove enemy continent locks, gain locks for your faction). This has more to do with the large outfits on Waterson being completely incompetent than game design though.

To give an example, right now on Waterson VS we have 33% Indar pop(duh), we have 6% Amerish pop, and 22% Esamir population. We're being warpgated on both sides by the NC and TR on Esamir and TR has the lock. (Northpoint and Stillwater are owned by TR, NC own Grey Heron and Nott). So, while we have some population there the VS are so incompetent that it doesn't look remotely fun to fight against platoons. There's no organization and no larger outfits on Esamir, so nothing is going to be accomplished. So basically the only chance of having a fun fight, with a chance of winning a few zones, is going to Indar. Which we all know is a futile effort in terms of goals of the game.

This has nothing to do with being the underdog and fighting all directions. There's a huge difference between being the underdog and being the losing side day after day and having no chance to change that. I enjoy playing arena shooters as much as the next guy, but I didn't decide to put time into PS2 for a regular arena shooter. But that's all this is currently for the VS on Waterson. Our goals stretch as far as winning a single base, which when you boil it down is no different than winning a CTF match in a CoD type game.

Neutral Calypso

2013-04-07, 05:05 PM

Vanu took Indar on Connery. Your argument is invalid.

Ghoest9

2013-04-07, 06:26 PM

Actually Vanu won an Indar event Sat on Indar when i was on too.

Their population is a but low because of purplr and aliens - but mostly this is a just a fake whine because they want to be over powered again.

FaxManiac

2013-04-07, 08:40 PM

Their population is a but low because of purplr and aliens - but mostly this is a just a fake whine because they want to be over powered again.

Seriously... ?

What Assist said is exactly what is happening on Ceres too, us VS have about the same population as the ones on Waterson and it is indeed getting tiresome...

Falcon_br

2013-04-08, 02:33 AM

There's a difference between being outnumbered and getting crapped on night after night. I get that you don't see it that way, but a lot of VS do. I think it shows in the numbers of people leaving the Vanu week after week on Waterson.
Waterson VS had it nice and easy when we owned Indar, it worked out only because NC was the same population. Now NC is much higher, if not the highest, and the VS are still low. We're completely irrelevent, despite what some believe. We get continents during off-peak hours and just get pushed around during prime time playing hours.

For those of us not in large outfits, we're screwed. We have to go where to big vanu zerg is, because there's only one vanu zerg on Waterson. We don't get to choose where we want to fight, if we go to a continent that the large outfits are not fighting on, we get outnumbered 10:1. If we go where the large outfits are we're just another number of the zerg. Basically all options are removed for us that are not a huge coordinated platoon. While fine for some, it blows for the rest of us. It really blows for those of us who are attempting to accomplish the goals of the game (remove enemy continent locks, gain locks for your faction). This has more to do with the large outfits on Waterson being completely incompetent than game design though.

To give an example, right now on Waterson VS we have 33% Indar pop(duh), we have 6% Amerish pop, and 22% Esamir population. We're being warpgated on both sides by the NC and TR on Esamir and TR has the lock. (Northpoint and Stillwater are owned by TR, NC own Grey Heron and Nott). So, while we have some population there the VS are so incompetent that it doesn't look remotely fun to fight against platoons. There's no organization and no larger outfits on Esamir, so nothing is going to be accomplished. So basically the only chance of having a fun fight, with a chance of winning a few zones, is going to Indar. Which we all know is a futile effort in terms of goals of the game.

This has nothing to do with being the underdog and fighting all directions. There's a huge difference between being the underdog and being the losing side day after day and having no chance to change that. I enjoy playing arena shooters as much as the next guy, but I didn't decide to put time into PS2 for a regular arena shooter. But that's all this is currently for the VS on Waterson. Our goals stretch as far as winning a single base, which when you boil it down is no different than winning a CTF match in a CoD type game.

The truth it is that the Waterson VS is very dumb.
TR high command on Esamir got a standard tactics, go get Mani Biolab, go get Andavari Biolab, go get Eisa.
You guys are trouble makers, we have no quarrel to see you trying to take Eisa, it is vital to everyone, the principal problem is that you are dumb and like to hit a bee nest!
Ever time we are pushing the NC warp gate near jaeger crossing and jaeger fist, you guys capture haven outpost, north weigh station, and Freyr, it is really stupid!
Why don't you take advantage we are gating the NC and take all the west portion of the map? Why you guys don't attack Eisa? Why you must keep gating us with lost and lots of anti tank mana turrets, anti air maxes and full squads of lancers? I don't know how many time my prowler of liberator blowed up the moment I leaved the warp gate because of a full attack of no warning instant hit anti tank weapons.
So the truth is the Vanu is not full of scientist is full of people with the will of dying, because everytime we got gated by the VS I join forces with ODAM and Legion XIII just to make sure you guys will understand why you shouldn't attack who wasn't attacking you.
Also on Indar, it is common to leave the warp gate with a full galaxie, just to be under attack from VS idiot squads, full of anti air and anti tanks from over a canon, without any VS territory near them. When this happens I just change my platoon waypoint from the point we was going, to go rape the nearest VS territory, to make them pay in blood for that!
This same tactics is used on tawrich, we are getting tanks, and before we can control them, they blow up from engi rockets and lancer shots from over the canon, we were going to attack the NC on crossroads, now we are going to rape some VS on Indar because of that!
Yesterday on Eisa, the NC was near taking control of the base, and the VS repaired the SCU 20 seconds before the base flip, it ruined the TR attack on it and was the dumbest thing I ever saw!
After 30 minutes attacking it, a VS platoon arrived on site, one other side of Eisa was under attack by the VS, the other side under attack by TR, we got the base shield generator down, but we could not go in because the VS keep attacking us instead of blowing the base horizontal shield generator! The NC wasn't defending the base because there was no need of it, the VS was doing it for them!
So my conclusion is, or the VS is full of griefers and trolls, or they are really dumb and hate the TR on Waterson.

Also on Jaeger server in the first 3 month of the game they ruled the population count, even with that, the TR with the lowest population of the server, managed to control all the 3 continents, every weekend. It is not about numbers, it is about making it happen.

Snoopy

2013-04-08, 02:57 AM

^Not enough dumb in this post.

Whiteagle

2013-04-08, 03:00 AM

Falcon does have point, for all your organization you Waterson Vanu have a bad habit of pissing off the TR to your own detriment...

For instance, Saturday Night my Outfit had our Bi-weekly Op and when we started the Squad lead believed we were stuck on Indar.
As such, we decided to push towards the NC Warpgate and take their Continental Bonus from them...

...Might have worked, but at least a squad of Indar Vanu decided that then would be the PERFECT time to push to OUR Warpgate and cut us off, pissing off the Zerg and redirecting their focus Northwards...

We were dug in at ARC Bioengineering man, if they had pushed NC instead we could have jointly neutralize the Continent!

Snoopy

2013-04-08, 03:14 AM

Whiteagle

2013-04-08, 03:28 AM

There's always a faction that does that, though... generally the least populated. The TR (smallest faction on Briggs) would do it to the VS every time we hit Mao Tech when we had the death valley warp gate.

Now that we have the northern wg, we just get ganged, while the two other factions ignore each other.

Fun times...
Hey we were sticking to the fucking ridge this time man, it was that asshole Vanu Squad that crossed that line and screwed it up for everyone but the NC...

...My more paranoid side would claim that this was probably the work of NC Vanu alts, but it's only a somewhat likely possibility...

Sonny

2013-04-08, 03:31 AM

There's a difference between being outnumbered and getting crapped on night after night. I get that you don't see it that way, but a lot of VS do. I think it shows in the numbers of people leaving the Vanu week after week on Waterson.

So why do you think this is happening? Why do the VS have a consistently lower population than the other two factions? Do you think it is purely a vehicle/weapon balancing issue, something to do with the aesthetics or the background lore of the Vanu or something else completely?

We need practical ways to address this issue before it gets out of hand and VS players start disappearing from the game permanently.

Sonny

Whiteagle

2013-04-08, 03:47 AM

So why do you think this is happening? Why do the VS have a consistently lower population than the other two factions? Do you think it is purely a vehicle/weapon balancing issue, something to do with the aesthetics or the background lore of the Vanu or something else completely?

We need practical ways to address this issue before it gets out of hand and VS players start disappearing from the game permanently.

Sonny
Personally I think it was poor representation in the Empire Showdown...

First you got stuck with an Internet Celebrity who knew nothing about the game and who presented your Faction's fanaticism as a comedic psychotic mania, then you got what's-his-name who was probably a much better leader in-game but lacked the force of personality to attract NEW gamers to the Purpleside.

This is why I think the best solution would be for SOE to engineer an artificial Schism within the Vanu between a new charismatic leader toting a badass Vanew look and the Tobuscites flaunting a flanderized Purple Spandex Dino-saucer Bug armor.

Yes, this will promote infighting within the Vanu as a whole, but it will also boost their numbers while garnering attention for the game as a whole.

Emperor Newt

2013-04-08, 05:54 AM

I doubt that the Empire Showdown still has to do with dropping Vanu numbers. That seems a bit far fetched.
That might have been an reason early on (that VS didn't get the pop "buff" like the others did) but I don't see how that effects the current trend of VS pop going way more downwards then the other factions.

VS seems to do pretty well with new characters, but they do not seem to stick with it (active characters). Why that is, I don't know. But it might have to do with lacking faction identity. I doubt that another glorious (failure) pr leader will change that because new players aren't the VS problem. For some reason they don't stick with playing VS and SOE should go and find out why that is.

Qwan

2013-04-08, 07:43 AM

I don’t think I will ever delete my Vanu character, I do have a TR and a NC character, both BR 1, I just made those, since they put up the Virtual training area, for checking weapons. I will admit, I don’t like the tank design, with the fixed gun, I don’t like the max weapons either (compared to the NC and TR one or two shot maxes). But I make do with what I got and we still win battles. If you’re a VS and you come to this forums to brag about deleting your VS character then you never were VS. So please don’t bother calling yourself a VS, it’s an insult to those of us that are VS. We win fights, and loose them; we lock continents and sometimes get locked in. At the end of the day it’s not the most powerful weapon that wins the battle, it’s the coordinated attacks and defenses put together by the outfits that make it happen. I’ve defended positions from NC and TR Zergs and won, and fought against some very good outfits and won. So if you come to this web site and post about deleting your VS character cause you think there nerfed then maybe you should go back to BF3 or CoD were you KD rate really matters, and your 64 player maps with time limits make you feel like you’re more in control. Leave the large scale battles up to the real men.

ThatGoatGuy

2013-04-08, 08:57 AM

The VS that are complaining about pop problems, once they introduce server transfers, haul ass over to Miller. We currently have the indar bonus and we wg-ed each faction again last night. It's great. Also, if you think about it, with more TR and NC, it means more certs to gain with a Zephyr lol.

BTW, libs are wicked OP still TEEHEE.

CraazyCanuck

2013-04-08, 10:25 AM

I've have my VS characters and also a character for TR/NC as well. IMO I think its the infantry weapons. Both NC and TR's infantry weapons feel more effective then the default VS. I'm only into the teens with my TR/NC characters but I already prefer their default weapons over the VS.

And I don't think the showdown or aesthetics has anything to do with it. Most people will gravitate to the side that has the best chance of winning and in turn a better return of certs for their time invested. NC and TR outnumber us the majority of time on the two servers I play on. For a new VS player, being outnumbered the majority of the time would no doubt get frustrating and I bet many are saying fuck it. I'm going to go to where the grass is greener.

I like having more guys to shoot at, but it can get tiresome when it starts becoming too lopsided.

Mietz

2013-04-08, 10:51 AM

I switched to TR after the first month of VS from launch for two reasons:

1. I was VS in beta for many months so I sort of got tired of it
2. The Prowler, pre-buff

What can I say? I love the prowler more than the Mag and I do love the Mag to bits.
A prowler with the right driver is an absolutely devastating killing machine, especially countering Mags themselves (mostly because I know how people play Mags and how to read them).

almalino

2013-04-08, 10:56 AM

I always was NC even before all the buffs, never was Vanu and I do not understand why people leave Vanu if at all?

On Miller Vanu is pretty strong and kick our NC ass some times pretty effectively.

Rothnang

2013-04-08, 01:05 PM

I think the Vanu faction is pretty unappealing at that point.

They have the worst overall aesthetic in the game, since their gear looks more like a flight of fancy than functional alien technology, and two thirds of their stuff is common pool which gives them no unified look at all.

They also have no game mechanics that really stand out or make you feel like you're on the high tech faction. Their guns have no drop and high accuracy, but their cone of fire bloom is higher than the other factions and their recoil is the same or worse, so the weapons really aren't any better at hitting things. With the NC you genuinely feel like the weapons have a lot of power, and with the TR you genuinely feel like the weapons shoot more bullets, but with Vanu you don't really feel anything different in the weapons.

The Vanu MAX sucks, and again, the common pool weapons look stupid on it, while looking great on the other MAXes.

The Scythe is second best to the Mosquito and doesn't really stand out in any major way. It's weapons are a bit worse than the other fighters.

The Magrider used to be pretty feared, but now it's just a paper tiger, and it's further hamstrung that the only top gun on it that looks good is the Saron, which is simply inferior to a Halberd in a lot of ways.

Whiteagle

2013-04-08, 03:26 PM

Their guns have no drop and high accuracy, but their cone of fire bloom is higher than the other factions and their recoil is the same or worse, so the weapons really aren't any better at hitting things.
Actually your guns are suppose to be the middle ground bloom wise, with the TR blooming slower but having greater initial recoil while the NC are the reverse...

Chaff

2013-04-08, 04:27 PM

.
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It's a lot of factors. Snowball effect is one. Once Pop starts to drop, the reality is a lot of guys are front-runners & quitters. The POP is so low on most servers, it seems like the snowball efffect is something Sony has to work harder to counter.

Low Pop Empire should get a more disproportionate percentage of XP. Sony needs to incentivise XP% as Pop flows to steer Pops into closer numbers. SOE, at least try to get the Servers more equal. Cont % should be driven by players & Empire Strategy, not SOE.

Also, I hope no one wants 33% vs 33% vs 33%. Being the low Pop is fine, unless it has deevolved to occuring 75%+ of times you log on to play.

I do think VS "look" like a cross between Cirque-de-Soleil & Alien Trailer Park Trash. After getting 3 Extra Character slots, I made two VS & one NC. I am a long-time TR. Their current "look" is not anywhere near enough to stop me from playing VS.

However,
The VS Max looks like he has teal house slippers that only Andy Dick would readily choose to wear. They don't look very "cool" to me. There is some design work to be done with VS. T-Ray is talented. He needs to get his team together & try some more dangerous looks for VS. Try. Experiment more. Go back to the drawing board. Can't hurt. Pops seem to be saying aesthetics are wanting more for VS than other two.

I had fun playing the "other Empires". Odd thing, I found VS the easiest. Nothing seemed horribly better or worse than the other Empire. My biggest surprise is what a SLOW turtle shell the Mag is. I don't remember that from playing all Empires in PS1. Mag needs all three of the Speed performance boosts.

I like the underdog aspect of the VS. The thing I liked best was the guys I happend to link up with in the VS were noticably more fun to play with. (lot's of bitching with the NC guys when a battle was not in their favor). I assumed all three empires would have the same personality profiles. I definitely clicked better with VS players. Maybe being career underdogs has humbled them more. They seemed happier to have a good fight. No one likes to lose, but VS had better attitudes - which is surprising given their Pop.

I can imagine it has to be old for them at this point. If Pop shifted to where either TR or NC were always in the low 20% range.....there'd be hella crying, or Empire jumping.

My initial first few days as VS & NC will lead me to continue to play both. I'm more interested in playing VS due to the fact I found "the guys" on VS more level-headed & more fun to spend time with. (except the ONE VS guy who sounded like he was 6 years old - he ANNOYED me to no end).
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.
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DviddLeff

2013-04-08, 04:28 PM

I fight for the VS because I always have.

And always will.

If we are the underdogs good! It makes victory all the sweeter.

maradine

2013-04-08, 04:46 PM

Snydenthur

2013-04-08, 05:39 PM

I've have my VS characters and also a character for TR/NC as well. IMO I think its the infantry weapons. Both NC and TR's infantry weapons feel more effective then the default VS. I'm only into the teens with my TR/NC characters but I already prefer their default weapons over the VS.

True. I got tired of hearing this "vs weapons are so easy to use" thing. I made nc character to test this. I didn't really see much difference. And my weapon was default without any attachments. Shooting was as easy as with vs weapons. Only thing different was the damage (and sound of course). So it is true that on paper, vs weapons are the easiest, but in the game, weapons are the same with different damage and rof. So, vs actually has the worst weapons. Not by much and normal player wouldn't even see this. But nc weapon was a little bit more effective. Tr weapons I haven't tried yet, but they have 40 ammo per clip, so they are more effective that way. And I'm talking about carbines only, since engineer is the only class I play. But because the difference is very very small, I don't think weapons are the reason for any population difference.

Thunderhawk

2013-04-09, 03:25 AM

I don't mind being under-popped, though my outfit has more mixed opinions on the topic.

I really think this can be mitigated by increasing the experience modifiers by a factor of 10. Make playing in 20% circumstances like a double XP weekend and I think you'll see the problem sort itself out very quickly.

This is it, problem solved.

You need to dramatically increase the modifiers so that low pops get much much larger XP bonuses, soon you'll have people with high pops relogging to low pops just to get that free XP....

BlaxicanX

2013-04-09, 04:21 AM

The Vanu aesthetic is just ass. Their guns all look and sound like nerf guns, and their outfits, both for infantry and for MAX's, looks like some reject from Halo's Covenant. The whole "purple spandex" thing with their "pewpew" lasers is just whack. Even their announcer is boring; some old "intellectual" white guy...

Instead of going for the cheesy Twilight Zone look, they should have gone for something more obviously "futuristic" and militarized. Like the Tau from 40K, almost:

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110827031911/warhammer40k/images/f/ff/TauCommander.jpg

I'd play the shit out of a MAX that looked like that ^

http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs22/f/2007/351/c/d/Tau_pathfinder_team_by_slipgatecentral.jpg

Same with their infantry.

Emperor Newt

2013-04-09, 06:30 AM

True. I got tired of hearing this "vs weapons are so easy to use" thing.
I think this is a common misconception because people misunderstand "easy to use" with "good" or even "better".
VS weapons are definitely more "noob friendly" but the thing is that NC and TR weapons have a higher "skill cap". With VS weapons there is little to improve with. But if you get good with TR and NC weapons you can siginifcantly improve your kill ratio. There is a place to learn and master the weapons. And doing that is actually rewarded. And at this point they start outperforming VS guns.
With VS weapons there is little room to get good with them. They are decent and they stay decent. There is little to no room for individual improvement except aiming for the head, which applies to all factions.
But I also think that the strength of the guns is not the problem, design and sound surely is more of a factor. TR and NC guns just look and feel right. VS guns on the other hand simply don't feel like you would expect a gun to sound/feel. Not even a pewpew-laz0r gun. As strange as it might sound but most VS guns are simply not fun/satisfying to use.

Because of that I have turned over to mostly playing HA with the Lasher and/or NS weapons and shotguns. The Lasher even is not a very good gun in many situations one will encounter and you are getting friendly fire warnings like all the time but it actually feels unique and satisfying to shoot with.

Also pop bonuses are and most likely will always be a problem in this game. I have been beating this drum for like forever. It's already the case with continent balance because nobody wants to fight for 12% bonus xp when you are outnumbered 2-3 to 1. Maybe one magical day SOE comes to the same conclusion. We'll see.

KesTro

2013-04-09, 07:04 AM

Maybe if we cry enough, like the NC did, we can get them nerfed into the ground?

Preposterous, we all know TR whine the loudest.

Forsaken One

2013-04-09, 07:11 AM

To the ones above me talking about the vanus guns you are forgetting something.

The Vanu guns have the severe disadvantage of massive damage drop off at even a little range.

It is so bad that there is a reason why you hardly see any Vanu snipers. Its because their bolt actions tend to hit like most other empires semi sniper guns.

so attach that to every vanu gun.

Also what are we monkeys? I hate when dexterity/hand eye is rewarded with better stats and stuff. dexterity/hand eye based stuff should never = more power in a fps or moba. This is what leaves everything else as crap.

true balanced game = everything has fair stats and is equally useable, there are those who like to challenge themselves and they will use harder and more "skilled" stuff. you shouldn't force people to play with that stuff because its stats wise better.
Like in CS:S the only things people use is the D. Eagle and the snipers... they have power because they "take the most skill" making any of the other guns semi-fully useless. lol

If you balance stuff by skill you just may as well delete everything that's not top skill, if anything you will at least not be a ass tricking people into thinking that the other guns are worth useing.

Qwan

2013-04-09, 07:14 AM

[QUOTE=BlaxicanX;910382]The Vanu aesthetic is just ass. Their guns all look and sound like nerf guns, and their outfits, both for infantry and for MAX's, looks like some reject from Halo's Covenant. The whole "purple spandex" thing with their "pewpew" lasers is just whack. Even their announcer is boring; some old "intellectual" white guy...QUOTE]

LMAO yea he does sound like some Old intellectual white guy.

You will know the will of the VANU.

almalino

2013-04-09, 08:25 AM

It is so bad that there is a reason why you hardly see any Vanu snipers. Its because their bolt actions tend to hit like most other empires semi sniper guns.

But, but, Vanu snipers still have 1 hit kill headshots on bolt action rifles. Actually, I am killed most by Vanu snipers then TR snipers. I was even start suspecting that it is very easy to kill with Vanu sniper.

CraazyCanuck

2013-04-09, 08:46 AM

But, but, Vanu snipers still have 1 hit kill headshots on bolt action rifles. Actually, I am killed most by Vanu snipers then TR snipers. I was even start suspecting that it is very easy to kill with Vanu sniper.

Do you know what range you were taken out at each time you were headshotted? Do you fight VS more then TR?

Lucecarentes

2013-04-09, 08:59 AM

I'm starting to play VS less and less each day, the low damage on the guns, the worthless ESF and low population are starting to get to much for me.

Only thing thats keeping me on VS side are the people iv'e met, alot of them are now my good friends so leaving them would make me feel terrible. I only hop onto my VS if alot of my outfit friends are online and playing, if theres almost no one online or if our population is like 20% than i just go to my NC and have fun instantly killing everything with my Mercenary carbine.

The only good things the VS have atm are:
The music
The ideology
The announcer ( i really like the VS announcer)

CraazyCanuck

2013-04-09, 09:09 AM

The announcer ( i really like the VS announcer)

Reminds of Donald Sutherland.

hashish

2013-04-09, 10:09 AM

hey guys, just had a read through this thread and im glad someone brough this up..

Now just to let you know, ive been playing VS since ps1 and ps2 beta.. havnt even bothered to play the others because i played many years of ps1 as Vanu and will stay loyal..

However it is very very very unfortunate that the lead creative designers ended up making Vanu in Ps2 look like a bunch of NOOBS :( let me extrapolate further;

- The only things that are actually good are aspects that do not effect gameplay such as: The music
The ideology
The announcer

- All the other elements unfortunatly really lack the design and overall "coolness" that has gone into the other factions. The again the "coolness" factor is something subjective based on opinions. So in that case whoever was in charge for designing the Vanu as a whole in PS2 is a complete retard.

- The weapons are pretty bad compared to others due to the high level of damage degredation. Although it has made us VS players much more skilled. The weapons do not share any level of creativity AT ALL. Essentially the look like crap and the saddest part is that almost EVERY SINGLE WEAPON looks the same EVEN THE LASHHER !?

- The Max's. Ohhhh dont even get me started on how GAY the MAX's look. Its so sad how SOE claim to react to the playerbase and use the feedback constructivley, and for the most part they probably do. The game is lookin better and better.. However the Vanu Max's seem to be getting shittier and shittier.. They look like some kid has watched alot of space movies and decided to draw up the GAYEST looking exoskeleton that doesnt look intimidating AT ALL !! WTF SOE!?!? I mean think about it all u Vanu players, when u run into a room with a NC or TR max in there, you would shit ur pants and run out before u get killed, even looking at them is quite intimidating. With the Vanu max people rush in and start laughing as they rinse up the VS MAX. I mean its a joke literally, even though im not a huge max player, i used to love the PS1 VS MAX, had a lot of fun, now i dont even consider it as there is absolutley 0 tactical advantage with those crappy inaccurate weapons that dont do damage to anything at a distance :(

- Infantry design and the stupid Cone Head helmets that i have no clue which asshole suggested it but now its in the game :( Here is an example:

This is what the VS used to look like:

http://d22r54gnmuhwmk.cloudfront.net/photos/4/yd/ec/GqydEcEUWBHbMJf-556x313-noPad.jpg

http://img.gameshadow.com/images/planetside/images/planetside_s1.jpg

http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/232772

Now, notice the battle-ready hardened look that is present and also the fact that they actually look like they have scale armour as well as on the legs.

Here is the PS2 representation:

http://images.fpsguru.com/articles/images/4000/3130/PlanetSide%202%20Factions.jpg

http://wiki.planetside-universe.com/ps/images/thumb/d/d4/Class_Heavyassault.png/350px-Class_Heavyassault.png

Notice that the new ones do not look cool anymore.. They look so bad it puts me off Vanu. Even the sillioute of the VS heavy just doesnt match at all, its so angular and weird with a big stupid cone on the head WTF.

Even before ps2 was released, the images the produced of Vanu looked completely different and much better. They were acceptable. But i dont know which retard SOE hired to change that and make them look GAY !

Here is an image from before ps2 was released:

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120928214121/planetside2/images/7/70/VC_541.jpeg

Anyways i was planning to write more on the MAX's and also the fact that the Vanu should have special empire specific armour that looks cool and should not be affected by the lashers lashes or infact we dont even have the lasher lashing ppl in ps2, it just explodes with area of effect damage :( such a dissapointment.. hope they got some devs reading this thread.. Vanu people used to be proud of being vanu, now everyone is leaving because of this shitty weapons and overall design of this faction.. I got class now so cant continue lol..

Snydenthur

2013-04-09, 11:02 AM

http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/232772

I don't usually care about how the game model looks, but that would be nice. It's like fabulous master chief.

Thunderhawk

2013-04-09, 12:06 PM

T-RAY and his team put a whole lot of work and effort to create these chars for you, I find it rude and shortsighted to label him and them all as "retards".

I like the way the VS look, as you say, its a matter of opinion not a fact its just a shame that what seems like today's players seem to think looking manly and rugged is apparantly meant to make you better.....how so ?

How can you distinguish an empire that has its whole philosophy based on technology and alien tech if they all actually looked like normal soldiers, like the NC and TR do ?

There is a reason for the skin tight spandex looking armour, its a design philosophy that's seems to be disliked by many in this thread, but I certainly don't think it was due to the "retardedness" of the design team.

People don't like it, some do, that's fine, its a free world but not worthy of bashing a team because of it

The reason for the pop discrepancies in my book is purely the weaponry, and the very BAD damage degradation decision given to VS weapons, but even that is not the main factor, its the perceived lack of power of them due to the amount of whiners on the forums rather than the actual truth, which is that VS weapons are ok, for short to medium engagements, and let's face it, how often do you have long range rifle fights anyways.....

My 2 cents

zirakaji

2013-04-09, 12:13 PM

2 Hashish, you sir earn 1000 certs with that post.

As a graphic designer myself, i can say that if a designer is a retard, doesnt matter what he did, he's still a retard.

Vanu used to have that cool techie look, now its more like a gay parade.

Yeah, i play vanu since PS1.

SolLeks

2013-04-09, 12:13 PM

Fixed

And that wasn't too many people. Lots of NC are 4th factioners

NC since 05 here, My Vanu and TR Alts are BR 3 / 4 respectively.

Chaff

2013-04-09, 12:36 PM

.
Like I already said, I had a Blast playing VS last weekend.......1st time playing VS since PS1. The VS "look' is not important enough to turn me off, keep me away, or decide NOT to play VS. That being said, it seems like a significant percentage of players are turned-off somewhat by VS aesthetics.

I think there are design tweaks that every Empire would benefit from here-and-there. What should NOT be ignored by PS2 staff is the simple truth that the VS "look" gets the most negative feedback in this regard. It must be some immeasurable factor in their Pop. I liked playing VS a lot. NC was fun also. A change of scenery was good for me. I did like the Big-Punch NC weapons have. When your aim is true, it's a quick kill indeed.

Perhaps VS need some love with their weapons. I personally was happy to not feel any significant advantage or disadvantage between the three Empires. Stupid me....I even found gettinf kills with the VS Max to be every bit as easy as with my TR Max. POUNDER AV arms on my TR are very close to Worthless in my book. I did like have high success with my brief time with different NC Max loadouts.

I think there's much ado about small things. However, why not start making some samll changes to the VS "look" ? I need to play more VS. But, I was semi-shocked how much faster I raised BR as VS or NC ..... vs TR. I'm not complaining about TR at all. Perhaps my style nets its WORST results with TR weapon philosophy. Perhaps I AM THE PROBLEM. My life in a nutshell ?

Anyway, I want to vote for calmer heads with more tact and decorum towards the Devs. Constructive criticism, even when given with the best intent, can really hurt. I don't want us to cause any devs to get all butt-hurt cuz we're brutally critical. That isn't our right.

Heads up. These guys are tryin' hard to improve the game. Their feelings matter. We need to be more considerate while still being open & bluntly honest with our feedback.

Aaron

2013-04-09, 01:01 PM

- The Max's. Ohhhh dont even get me started on how GAY the MAX's look. Its so sad how SOE claim to react to the playerbase and use the feedback constructivley, and for the most part they probably do. The game is lookin better and better.. However the Vanu Max's seem to be getting shittier and shittier.. They look like some kid has watched alot of space movies and decided to draw up the GAYEST looking exoskeleton that doesnt look intimidating AT ALL !! WTF SOE!?!? I mean think about it all u Vanu players, when u run into a room with a NC or TR max in there, you would shit ur pants and run out before u get killed, even looking at them is quite intimidating. With the Vanu max people rush in and start laughing as they rinse up the VS MAX. I mean its a joke literally, even though im not a huge max player, i used to love the PS1 VS MAX, had a lot of fun, now i dont even consider it as there is absolutley 0 tactical advantage with those crappy inaccurate weapons that dont do damage to anything at a distance :(

Lol I almost think it is true that my opponents don't run away from my MAX. You rack up so many kills when they try to take you head on! xD

But really, I've found the VS MAX to be quite good. You can use the duel AV comets to snipe vehicles, too. I have lvl 5 nano-repair and sometimes I can keep going, and going, and going. Replace one arm with a Cosmos and you're pretty good AI wise. Just get dem headshots.

Also, Tramell Isaac Ray is the father of the Vanu empire and design. He's pretty cool, so I wouldn't call him a retard. Not a fan of the spandex though, I would like more of the emerald/amethyst solid armor around the legs and mid body. I got the extra cosmetic armor, but there's still a lot of spandex.