MAX Voices & Map Icons

[Gatekeeper]

So recently I've been MAXing, and finding it pretty enjoyable. Putting aside discussions about balance, etc. I like the feel of the VS MAX, the way it moves, the way charge works and, especially, all the little servo noises and random clanks it makes as it moves about.

But there is one serious flaw with MAX aesthetics - and that's their voice. When I see a MAX, I see a stalwart ally or a deadly threat - but when I hear them I hear the same whiny voice as the flesh-bags milling pointlessly around me (Engineer flesh-bags excepted, for you are worthy).

So what I propose is applying some kind of filter to the default voices when a MAX is talking - not whole new voices, but just increase the volume a bit and add some distortion and echo to make it sound like the voice is being projected by a powerful loud-speaker. This would have tactical as well as aesthetic value - helping players to tell when there are friendly or enemy MAXs nearby.

Which brings me to my second point - the mini-map icons. Showing the same little arrows for both MAXs and flesh-bags is foolish. If someone has spotted an enemy MAX then I want to know that it's a MAX, not go round a corner expecting something squishy - only to get my armour chewed off by a pair of hacksaws instead. Likewise, I'd like loyal Vanu engineers to know where I am right away.

All we need for this is a slightly different arrow icon for MAXs on the mini-map, just make it a little bigger and a slightly different shape.

tl;dr - make MAXs stand out from infantry on the battlefield by adding a distortion/echo filter to their voice and giving them a distinctive mini-map icon.

[Rasui]

Agreed, especially on the mini-map icon. If for no other reason than to let engies and medics find you more easily.

[EvilNinjadude]

Fukken agreed. Having a MAX squeal at you feels kinda off. And while I tend to stay away from any fight a MAX could be in, I feel that this would help infantry fighting MAXes.
Engineers looking for MAXes to help will not notice a difference, because most of the time there's wrench and ammo signs floating above your head. Yes, your head.

Also, Medics are worthy too! I've rez'd 15 MAX suits in my day... more if they'd wait for me to arrive.

[Gatekeeper]

Also, Medics are worthy too! I've rez'd 15 MAX suits in my day... more if they'd wait for me to arrive.

Very well, I acknowledge the worth of flesh-bags who revive MAXs as well as those that repair and rearm them. Those flesh-bags with the rocket launchers though, they're right out...

[CraazyCanuck]

A different icon variation would be welcome indeed. I just wish they would improve the hud information for allies pertinent to your class. If your an engineer and a max calls out for repairs, or another ally for ammo, they could put a wrench or ammo icon on your compass or HUD that helps point you in the direction of the closest call for support. Or just have the icon float with arrows guiding you to the closest call. Arrows may be better given a possible difference in elevation between yourself and the person calling for aid.

Same idea works for medics. I also wish they had a call for recon support. To get your allied infiltrators putting out darts when called for or when an infiltrator has been spotted. Sometimes it feels those playing infiltrator just forget about those darts. And they're not just for helping flush out infiltrators but for information gathering in general. The incoming xp for them will improve things but a little friendly reminder never hurts.

I also wish they added more voice calls for broader output. Multiple squads incomnig...Incoming Gal drop!..Armor convoy spotted...etc

[Canaris]

something like this maybe?
more robotic synthesised

StarCraft 2 - Goliath Quotes - YouTube

[Snipefrag]

Awesome idea, shouldn't be that hard to do and adds depth and immersion to the game.

[Nur]

Yes I like the idea of all the MAXes to talk metallized.

[almalino]

Comon, keep the voice like it is now. Enemy thinks there is a normal soldier around the corner, attack and bam, MAX exosuit :) Instant death. Profit.

[Gatekeeper]

Comon, keep the voice like it is now. Enemy thinks there is a normal soldier around the corner, attack and bam, MAX exosuit :) Instant death. Profit.

What you say holds a certain appeal, but you should remember: hiding is for squishies. When an enemy meat-bag hears my voice around a corner I want them to feel fear, knowing that their death is approaching.

[Kail]

something like this maybe?
more robotic synthesised

Maybe for the TR or NC. VS should totally get Immortals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3EU0mi8eoEI

[Canaris]

Maybe for the TR or NC. VS should totally get Immortals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3EU0mi8eoEI

heh that's Vanu style alright :D

[EvilNinjadude]

Maybe for the TR or NC. VS should totally get Immortals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3EU0mi8eoEIOh heck yes.
"I serve the will of Vanu."

[NewSith]

Well, you guys shouldn't forget that voicepacks are otw, and I'm well damn sure that MAXes are going to get their voices tuned. On a sidenote, if you tear apart the game files, the actual voices are there and they are several hours long, meaning that the voicepacks are in already, they are just being fine tuned. At least that's what I heard from a reliable source.

[RANDOMpercent]

I agree wholeheartedly

[Sledgecrushr]

Absolutely brilliant idea!!!

[RedKestrel]

New voices would be amazing. Especially when the call for repairs is so whiny across all factions (except NC male: "I think I broke it!" Silly max. Thats the last time they let you into one of those things).

I think I heard somewhere that the MAX update is spread over three game updates. Which is good because I would like to see just a couple more things added so the max can be even more interesting and awesome.

MAX Lumifiber. This would be amazing. And for those who complain about being to easy to see at night: a) you are a MAX. b) hiding is for squishies. c) you are a MAX.

MAX heavy weapons. I would like to see an new weapon selection in which the max sheds his bracelet guns and wields a massive two-handed underslung weapon. TR could get a giant minigun (like the picture we all saw back in beta that caused a lot of people to be disappointed when the actual MCG was introduced). VS could get a plasma grenade launcher, a beam cannon, or a modified PPA cannon. And NC could get a portable Railgun (TR and VS complain NC gets shotgun-cannons, NC complain they don't get long range weapons). These weapons would grant the MAX incredible firepower at the cost of mobility.

MAX melee weapons. If the devs are introducing the NC shield, why not giant power swords, hammers, chain weapons, beam swords, power fists, etc.? Despite incorporating archaic weapons into a futuristic setting, I think everyone could agree that this would just be awesome. (I think I may have seen pictures somewhere, so these might actually make it!)

I like the new armors and helmets. More cosmetic variety is always a good thing.

[SixShooter]

Kind of weird to think that wearing different armor would change your voice. You're still the same person with the same whiney voice :p.
:cheers:

[Falcon_br]

Kind of weird to think that wearing different armor would change your voice. You're still the same person with the same whiney voice :p.
:cheers:

Yeah, but the Max have a pressurization on its armor, it means the voice doesn´t come from the person, it comes from a speaker on it!

[MaxDamage]

The TR and NC MAX clank around like nobody's business, but I agree, a return to PS1 style MAX icons for spotted MAXes makes sense. Aren't icons for HAs already slightly larger? We had that hard bracket symbol in PS1. Worked. [

Also like the voice idea, but it's hard to make that goofy female NC voice "I think I broke it!" sound badass.

[Chaff]

.
Yes to this thread. Unique icons, and more imposing voice for the Max.

.....it made me think more about voices. I like a game with a good & somewhat twisted sense of humor. Maybe the more succesive times you hit "Q" to spot an enemy ..... the higher your voice gets. It's annoying when some enemy keeps calling out that they see you, yet they never (or rarely) come to engage you ...... if they're gonna be a weasel .... they should "sound" more like the whiny liitle B*atch that they are. Regardless which side you're on, it'd be funny to hear spotters get progressively higher voices.
.

[Whiteagle]

MAX heavy weapons. I would like to see an new weapon selection in which the max sheds his bracelet guns and wields a massive two-handed underslung weapon. TR could get a giant minigun (like the picture we all saw back in beta that caused a lot of people to be disappointed when the actual MCG was introduced). VS could get a plasma grenade launcher, a beam cannon, or a modified PPA cannon. And NC could get a portable Railgun (TR and VS complain NC gets shotgun-cannons, NC complain they don't get long range weapons). These weapons would grant the MAX incredible firepower at the cost of mobility.
Had this very idea all the way back in Beta!
The way I imagined it the Big Gun actually takes up one arm slot, but the other is automatically filled with a Power Brace that includes an Optical Function.

MAX melee weapons. If the devs are introducing the NC shield, why not giant power swords, hammers, chain weapons, beam swords, power fists, etc.? Despite incorporating archaic weapons into a futuristic setting, I think everyone could agree that this would just be awesome. (I think I may have seen pictures somewhere, so these might actually make it!)
Yeah, I think the only reason this got pushed back was that they gave the TR lame Knuckle Dusters...
VS get a Sword, the NC a Hammer, and all we get are brass knuckles?

Hopefully they'll take our advice and give the TR Wrist Claws instead.

[Chaff]

.

.....okay ..... go ahead .... give the VS MAX giant lime green (plastic ?) HULK Fists.

.

[Canaris]

.

.....okay ..... go ahead .... give the VS MAX giant lime green (plastic ?) HULK Fists.

.

Purple Hulk, the angry it gets the bitchier it sounds :lol:

[Chaff]

^
Canaris...
That one messed me up .... glad to see someone else has sick/twisted sense of humor .... woulda blown milk outta my nose had I been drinking any. Too funny. BTW, you already perfect (superior ?) cuz you TR.

[TheSaltySeagull]

The voice thing I don't really care about but I do agree max units should have a different mini-map icon. Its annoying when you see a blip on the map and go to head it off only to find yourself face to face with a scattermax. We have different icons for vehicles and aircraft so why not for max units.

[Carbon Copied]

..Its annoying when you see a blip on the map and go to head it off only to find yourself face to face with a scattermax...

So when you see an unknown blip you want to know exactly what it is?

Friendly maxes should maybe show up yes but the spotting and enemy blips - seriously how hard is it to listen out for "enemy max spotted" or the tell tale max audio effects? I don't think people need the game playing any more than it already is for them :rolleyes:

[Shogun]

wow, another thing that worked well in ps1 and is missing in ps2...

seems to be the case for 90% of all requests lately.

no, ps1 didn´t have a special voice filter for maxes, but a distinctive icon on the minimap.

and ANYTHING that can add a little bit of battleawareness to ps2 is good.

a voicefilter (should be easy to apply a little realtime effect to the existing voicemacro)
wouldn´t add a lot of gameplay value, but would add flair with little to no costs, so do it! flair ind immersion is something ps2 could use any tiny bit of, as well.

[TheSaltySeagull]

So when you see an unknown blip you want to know exactly what it is?

Friendly maxes should maybe show up yes but the spotting and enemy blips - seriously how hard is it to listen out for "enemy max spotted" or the tell tale max audio effects? I don't think people need the game playing any more than it already is for them :rolleyes:

Why not? We already have this functionality with vehicles and aircraft so why not infantry? When you spot a player your character verbally calls out the type of unit that it is so it makes sense that the mini-map would reflect this just as it does for non infantry units. Designing the UI so that it accurately and intelligently displays relevant information is not "the game playing itself for them" by any stretch. Its the UI actually doing what a UI is meant to do. There is no rational argument as to why MAX units should not have a distinct icon as they did in planetside one.

[TheAadvark]

max lumifiber. This would be amazing. And for those who complain about being to easy to see at night: A) you are a max. B) hiding is for squishies. C) you are a max.

Max heavy weapons. I would like to see an new weapon selection in which the max sheds his bracelet guns and wields a massive two-handed underslung weapon. Tr could get a giant minigun (like the picture we all saw back in beta that caused a lot of people to be disappointed when the actual mcg was introduced). Vs could get a plasma grenade launcher, a beam cannon, or a modified ppa cannon. And nc could get a portable railgun (tr and vs complain nc gets shotgun-cannons, nc complain they don't get long range weapons). these weapons would grant the max incredible firepower at the cost of mobility.


omfg yeeeeeessssss ,

[Carbon Copied]

Why not? We already have this functionality with vehicles and aircraft so why not infantry? When you spot a player your character verbally calls out the type of unit that it is so it makes sense that the mini-map would reflect this just as it does for non infantry units. Designing the UI so that it accurately and intelligently displays relevant information is not "the game playing itself for them" by any stretch. Its the UI actually doing what a UI is meant to do. There is no rational argument as to why MAX units should not have a distinct icon as they did in planetside one.

Valid point. Maybe it's more to do with not 100% liking the current implementation of the spotting mechanic and how it's presented on the HUD/mini map more than anything else - but that's another subject entirely.

[SturmovikDrakon]

Yes to MAX specific voices! (or filters, it's been suggested so many times already)

I have a perfect example for the TR MAX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mZsmjZaQhQ

[OCNSethy]

The Senate of The Republic concurs with these suggestions. Make it so!

[Ruffdog]

So what I propose is applying some kind of filter to the default voices when a MAX is talking - not whole new voices, but just increase the volume a bit and add some distortion and echo to make it sound like the voice is being projected by a powerful loud-speaker. This would have tactical as well as aesthetic value - helping players to tell when there are friendly or enemy MAXs nearby.




+1
A bit of Bane from Batman The Dark Knight Rises perhaps?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DImh0ac-jdQ

[Canaris]

+1
a bit of bane from batman the dark knight rises perhaps?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dimh0ac-jdq

imposhible!