Esamir Changes on PTR

[Hamma]

Anyone had a chance to look around yet? People seem pretty happy overall. Here's a few threads and galleries.

http://imgur.com/a/AOT2g

https://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/index.php?threads/check-out-the-test-server-no-really-youll-want-to-see-esamir.141142/

Also a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa5CnvndXMs

Seems they have done some very interesting things on the continent.

[Mastachief]

Truely excellent changes... but only if the domes are coming too overwise it is a lolpodders wetdream.

[Sledgecrushr]

Its like having a brand new map.

[Eggy]

What sledge said ^^.

Lots of improvements, that ive been discusing with my outfit for weeks.

More ammo towers AND they are at sensible positions. Crossroads and junctions outside bases rather than in crouded courtyards or next to walls.

Lots more scenery items. Trees, purple spikes, rocks, mounds. All good for hiding vehicles and good for infantry to run from cover to cover.

Lots more "rpg" style base names and the structures match the names.

The biolabs broken up into >4 hexes making a biolab fight more fun.

There are still lots of areas where the awesome vehicle battles can occur, these areas have been made more awesome by the addition over multiple types of cover.

Clustered groups of trees, meaning you can hide a camo sunderer from the vultures.

Lots of different base types and base styles. One i looked at seemed to be a garage style base and another was an indar style high walled fortress.
There also seemed to be one that had 2 towers with pathways on multiple levels between them.

Bases with "secret" backdoor tunnels and passages.

I just hope it doesnt foobar the FPS too much.

[GeoGnome]

There are some bases that are atrocious... Octagon and Geological Survey Camp leap to mind as disappointing messes. I'd like to see catwalks along the tops of the walls so that you can actually use the walls for defense, and they aren't just elevated points that LAs can hop ontop of...

But by and far I am very happy with the Esamir changes as a whole.

[Slackermagee]

I'm seeing tons more auraxium crystals/purple crystal things... maybe a new resource system is incoming within a few months?

[Dragonskin]

Wow.... just WOW! Those changes actually look very good. Bases that look like actual military grade bases instead of just small villages meant for a peaceful area. It makes Esamir look so much more hostile than before and much more sci-fi. Definitely shows what they have been up to lately and why Hossin keeps getting pushed back. Looks like a completely different Esamir.

Really hope those base shields come in at the same time this rolls out. Bases kinda look like air vehicles would be shooting fish in a barrel.

Oh and I think my FPS will take a big hit. The one of the big things I liked about Esamir before was you could usually get the best FPS there out of all the maps.

[Canaris]

I'm seeing tons more auraxium crystals/purple crystal things... maybe a new resource system is incoming within a few months?

no those would be ancient petrified Vanu turds

liked the video flyby of new Esamir, looking forward to giving it a college try :)

[wasdie]

Bases look extremely awesome yet they kept a good amount of open terrain in between them. The dynamics on Indar are going to really change and it's going to feel much more like Planetside 1 in a good way. The flow is slowly creeping back into this game.

These changes as well as a lattice system and the respawn changes are going to be excellent additions to the game.

[Calista]

I'd have to agree with this also...

http://dk.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/1if516/the_test_server_doesnt_allow_for_easy_testing/

Need free resources or weapons/vehicles on test server to make it a more appealing place to test.

[ringring]

I think it's too early to say. In principle yep, they look good but how will they play out?

Example: Palos Array. This base has high walls all around it and 3 small entrances. One building containing one of the entrances has an accessible roof and is the only one that looks down on the courtyard.

So, attackers, it seems, simply need to zerg that building from outside, occupy the roof and they've effectively won in one fell swoop!

All I'm saying is that the fights may not play out as you expect.

My concern is where is the space for tanks. I'm happy enough that bases have to be infantry fights, but outside should be a tank zone.

The bases are too close together imho. Esamir was a great continent with the familiar base issues, but otherwise it was fine.

I've watched Itzmurdr's (sp) fly through. My comment is that Esamir is supposed to be the tank continent while Amerish is more geared for infantry. I don't like Amerish so I won't be particularly happy if Esamir turns out to be a snow-white Americh,,,,mates.

I'm repeating myself here. Base changes, good in principle but I'll wait to play them before deciding whether they're great or not.

[Qwan]

Bases lookin good. :thumbsup:

[Chaff]

.
Some of the bases seem pretty damn close to one another. Interesting to see battles play-out with really big Pop - especially if a classic three-way gets going with neighboring (close) bases.

....it's cool to see they are indeed willing to restructure base. That is an encouraging sign/affirmation.

This "new' Esamir layout really caused me to think about TTK. If they keep the TTK short, it could be more frustrating dynamics than enjoyable.

I'd like to see the PS2 Team increase TTK by 10% - but do it under-the-cover-of-darkness. Do not tell anyone. See if anyone notices. Reassess the TTK again, and try another covert 10% increase. I think they could do this at least two or three times before anyone would notice. They could do this between now and Thanksgiving. I suspect the reviews would be far more positive than negative. But, who knows.
.

[LeilaniRock]

Just did a flyby and I am really excited for the new Esamir \0/
Can't wait for it to go live.

[Wargrim]

This is looking extremely promising. :)

[Carbon Copied]

On paper without play testing they look a huge improvement - on a separate note they need to be careful they don't let all the exterior hard work go to complete waste by stupid and/or unnecessary placing of the space umbrellas.
If the balance of space umbrellas to revamped interiors works (without reliance on one or the other) then as a mere player I can roll with both for compromise.

[CraazyCanuck]

Gal drop frequency will increase. Did the changes in base defense also included multiple layers of batteries for the larger bases?

[Mastachief]

Sadly without the domes and working resources a proper play test is impossible

[ringring]

I just noticed on pts.

At Freya the gate shield gens are not there. Error or intentional temporary omission or by design?

[Raymondo]

Surprise surprise the moaning has started on the official forums

Apparently adding walls and making actual defensible bases has wrecked it for the ''tankers'' :rolleyes:

Even people moaning about trees :rolleyes:

[Crator]

Apparently adding walls and making actual defensible bases has wrecked it for the ''tankers'' :rolleyes:

They must adapt or perish! :blowup:

[NewSith]

This looks very awesome so far, but... We still don't know how it's gonna play out when it hits live.

But so far:
Trees
Walls
Small Objects
Unique Outpost Designs
...Higher level of detail in general

I like. Esamir finally starts to resemble a BF2142 map, something it was announced to be at the start of the development in the first place. Although I predict lots of whine coming from Pro-HEX after the patch. Afterall Esamir was (is for now) the avatar of the hex system.

[Canaris]

Surprise surprise the moaning has started on the official forums

Apparently adding walls and making actual defensible bases has wrecked it for the ''tankers'' :rolleyes:

I took the T away and replaced it with a W ;)

[ChipMHazard]

I took the T away and replaced it with a W ;)

*Snicker*
Heh, well they should at least be glad that said walls cannot be manned, besides the turret towers. Not only do the walls shield the base from shelling but they also help shield incoming vehicles from AT weapons from inside the base.

[Boomzor]

*Snicker*
Not only do the walls shield the base from shelling but they also help shield incoming vehicles from AT weapons from inside the base.

To some extent yes, but all it takes is elevated terrain nearby and you can rain shells with impunity again.
Lets just hope there are strategically placed pines to stop the most obvious offenders.

[GeoGnome]

So I ran into Higby on the PTS last night, and he asked me what I thought of the changes. I told him basically what I said uptop, but said that the walls being more partitions than actual Walls was kind of annoying. He said that they are looking into ways to let more people use the walls as actual walls.

Something good to know.

[Canaris]

So I ran into Higby on the PTS last night, and he asked me what I thought of the changes. I told him basically what I said uptop, but said that the walls being more partitions than actual Walls was kind of annoying. He said that they are looking into ways to let more people use the walls as actual walls.

Something good to know.

maybe it's our fault for always saying we want walls around the base, guess we should have been asking for ramparts :)

[PredatorFour]

Gal drop frequency will increase. Did the changes in base defense also included multiple layers of batteries for the larger bases?

Us Vanu probably need batteries the most in larger bases out of all factions.

[ChipMHazard]

maybe it's our fault for always saying we want walls around the base, guess we should have been asking for ramparts :)

Heh, aye. I'm still pondering whether or not an actual curtain wall would be make the defense of a base too hard to beat when we also factor in dome shields.

[camycamera]

yes it does look MUCH more better than any other of the bases.... i just hope these bases are implemented on indar etc.


but i am concerned about the spawn rooms, do you think the battles will still end in spawn camping, or will these bases provide better defence to stop that, and are the spawns elsewhere? i am interested about that, as it is the killer here.

however i espesially like this picture

http://i.imgur.com/rvgrt2rh.jpg

[ringring]

maybe it's our fault for always saying we want walls around the base, guess we should have been asking for ramparts :)

With crenellations.

In ps1 the walls had these so that defenders could duck behind them.

However, we also mustn't forget balance and make the bases too difficult.

[Shamrock]

Some excellent changes, really looking forward to it.

[CraazyCanuck]

So I ran into Higby on the PTS last night, and he asked me what I thought of the changes. I told him basically what I said uptop, but said that the walls being more partitions than actual Walls was kind of annoying. He said that they are looking into ways to let more people use the walls as actual walls.

Something good to know.

Without the ability to man those walls, all they are creating are multiple twoway chokepoints which will favor the attacker given numbers are normally on their side and they will be able to bumrush those chokepoints with the defenders inability to cover all approaches. Its not a difficult solution. All they need to add are catwalks running the length of the walls tied in with either stairs up from the courtyard or more catwalks from buildings etc from the interior. While they are at it, they need to add crenelations or murder holes along the walls as well, preferably murder holes.

If they want a lighter on the server solution, have teleporters from the interior of the base that pop you out on those catwalks instead of more polygons for stairs etc, though I would enjoy the fights over those catwalks.

[mrmrmrj]

We need a new vehicle (or sunderer attachment) that would let us breach walls. Something like a staircase with wheels.

[CraazyCanuck]

We need a new vehicle (or sunderer attachment) that would let us breach walls. Something like a staircase with wheels.

how bout a firetruck :) You get the ladder attachment plus can upgrade your turrets for high powered watercannons to use as suppression weapons.

The other option would be to have a jump pad option on a sunderer.

[Eggy]

how bout a firetruck :) You get the ladder attachment plus can upgrade your turrets for high powered watercannons to use as suppression weapons.

The other option would be to have a jump pad option on a sunderer.

Or a deliverer sized vehicle. One driver, 2 gunners, 2 enclosed rumbles.
With the option to swap out 1 gunner slot for a soldier cannon.
When the vehilce is "deployed" people getting into the special seat, wait 5 seconds and then are ejected up and out by a small amount.

i also like the sunderer firetruck idea though. flame cannons are more PS2 like.
You can allready drop people with a galaxy as well. Maybe this will see them getting more use.

[ringring]

how bout a firetruck :) You get the ladder attachment plus can upgrade your turrets for high powered watercannons to use as suppression weapons.

The other option would be to have a jump pad option on a sunderer.

You mean breaking a siege with an escalade http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escalade

coolio

[Canaris]

So that explains the latest innovation vehicle from Nanite Systems

The get over wall thingy!
http://www.opensceneryx.com/objects/airport/vehicles/stairs/1/screenshot.jpg

[Rolfski]

Overall, Esamir looks a lot more varied now. Some cool base designs, like Esamir Munitions Corp's twin tower, as well.

Some bases being closer together plus the added terrain cover should make foot zergs more viable, which is good.

We still have to see how it's playing out of course. My only worry is that the changes might cater the LA class a bit too much. All these new walls and terrain elevation that are accessible with jump jets only might give players not enough incentive to play other classes.

[mrmrmrj]

I would love more LA. They are so much fun to shoot out of the sky with my Gauss SAW.

[Palerion]

My only worry is that the changes might cater the LA class a bit too much. All these new walls and terrain elevation that are accessible with jump jets only might give players not enough incentive to play other classes.

Really? I don't think more terrain and cover where there used to be kind of barren land is a bad thing. It just makes the light assault less situational in outdoor combat and in-between facilities.

[Rolfski]

Really? I don't think more terrain and cover where there used to be kind of barren land is a bad thing. It just makes the light assault less situational in outdoor combat and in-between facilities.

I agree that it's a good thing that LA now becomes less situational but there's a balance to that so we'll have to see. For some of the bases I can foresee a situation of tons of LA raining down explosives (I've upgraded my bandolier suit already), making it impossible for normal infantry to move at all.

So while the high walls are good for keeping the tank/harasser infantry farms out, they also potentially act as a fish in a barrel mechanic. The worst base in the game, a toilet called the Pit (http://www.planetside-universe.com/showthread.php?t=55521) was shafted for a reason.

[Climhazzard]

I don't think anyone's mentioned this, and I should probably submit a bug report, but... I can't actually get the facility connections to display on the map. The Facility Connections map filter is checked, but it's disabled, so I can't change it myself.

[Shogun]

looks better than before, but why are there no catwalks on the outer walls?

hello? mcfly? *knock*

is it really so hard, to take a look at what worked in ps1?
the concept of the perimeter walls in ps1 provided nice gameplay and cover for both sides.

this simple flat walls don´t help too much with defense. they only help the attackers because they can fly in unharmed and undetected with their LAs and kill the entranched gate defenders from behind.

but i guess i gonna take a look at the new base designs to check if the spawncamp situation is changed...

[findus]

The new Esamir is really NEW!

Much more obstacles, Trees, rocks, seems to be in no way tank friendly anymore (i'm no tanker btw).

I took a closer look at some smaller outpost in the southern part. Small seems to be the wrong word. The walls seem to only reachable for LA or a precision drop. Many spawn rooms have now a teleporter, which brings you to a shielded room someplace else in the facility (and back, doesn't work sometimes). And the spawn rooms seem to be allways surrounded by walls and/or high rocks. If other than LAs can get there, we will see.

It also seems seems very hard to impossible to get tanks inside. The facilities don't have AA turrets (other than on towers).

There are allways ways around the walls through inlets or through ways between rocks and wall, where there is a gap. To guard all these, watching for LAs jumping the fence, incoming droppods, Galaxy drops and infils sneeking in...much to do...

Sometimes you pull the tanks from an area inside the wall and it materializes outside, so you can get tanks out of the facility, but not in, which rules skyguards inside out.

Some stations have completly new, interesting designs...

From an optical standpoint, i like it very much, for fighting, we'll see...