Memeotis
2013-08-23, 10:14 AM
I've given this question a great deal of thought, and here is what I have come up with. Needless to say, most of these vehicles are in the game, but some of them will have their roles altered and/or expanded upon.
The following proposal will include tweaks, overhauls, as well as the addition of entirely new vehicles. The descriptions of their roles (and effectiveness) was constructed with the idea that Planetside 2 is a game that should encourage teamwork, and therefore vehicles that require only a few people should either by weak, or fill very specific roles.
The vehicle types will also have different colors, here is what they mean:
White: No notable change
Yellow: Additions and alterations to existing vehicle
Green: New vehicle
- ATV: Flash
Primary role: This vehicle - as reflected by its cost and attributes - is one which serves primarily as a transport vehicle, designed to transport players over relatively short distances. It is designed to get people where they need to go either un-noticed , or simply because its driver is unlikely to be viewed as a threat in a large skirmish, and is therefore ignored.
Secondary role: Although it has a range of weapons, it is not designed to function as a killing machine, but rather serve as a slight nuisance, which can have tactical value as a decoy.
Note: I believe that Flash currently fits its role reasonably well, and though it may have access to some weapon and functionality (most notably Wraith cloak) which seems a little over-powered for a cheap, 1-man-to-operate vehicle, the fact that the driver is as exposed as he is, makes up for this.
- Buggy: Harasser
Primary role: Unlike the Flash, the Harasser's primary role is to distract. Its greater speed, armor, and weapon range makes it a vehicle that people are forced to deal with. However, similar to the Flash, it cannot be classified as a killing machine.
Secondary role: A very speed transport, able to break through fairly defend areas, in order to deploy small groups of players, whose role - due to their low numbers - is also to distract and harass.
Note: Currently the Harasser is what it shouldn't be: a killing machine. It it powerful against both infantry and vehicles. However, before nerfing it, I think that the addition of another vehicle called the Deliverer can help lessen the effectiveness of the Harasser, simply by introducing less things for it to run over and shred apart with AI weapons.
- Light tank: Lightning
Primary role: This tank's primary role is to specialize and respond to the need of the battlefield. It is designed to deal with a very specific type of threat, but at the cost of being vulnerable to everything else.
Note: I think the Lightning is in a good spot at the moment. It is designed as a one-man combat vehicle should be; effective in the right conditions, but often highly dependent upon teammates. This is crucial, because the vehicles that only require one person to operate effectively, are the ones that should force its driver to work with his teammates.
- Heavy tank: Main Battle Tank
Primary role:
The primary fire-power on the ground. It's designed to be the vehicle that forms the front of any vehicular ground-battle. It is relatively versatile due to its range of both primary and secondary armaments, thereby making it the backbone of large, open ground engagements.
Note: As a vehicle type, the MBT is also fairly balanced. It is versatile, yet it requires two people to truly optimize its potential.
- Light troop transport: Deliverer (6 seats; 1 driver seat, 1 gunner seat, 1 utility seat, 3 passenger seats)
Primary role: This vehicle is designed to deploy small groups of troops around the battlefield. Its combination of speed, armor, as well as its compact size makes it an ideal vehicle for actively relocating ground troops quickly and precisely. It provides great tactical value for platoon leaders, by giving them an inexpensive option for when they want to designate specific objectives for smaller groups of players.
Secondary role: This vehicle has a unique utility seat, in which the player who sits in that seat will have influence how the vehicle behaves, based on their class.
- Medic: Slowly heals friendlies within a small radius of the vehicle.
- Engineer: Provides infantry ammunition to people near the vehicle and repairs MAX units.
- Infiltrator: Can deploy their drone/MAV from the roof of the vehicle, with the only restriction of having to remain within a certain distance of the vehicle.
Note: Unlike the Sunderer, the Deliverer has both the attributes and the functionality to actively support the flow of infantry. It is a vehicle, which is expected to be constantly on the move, or at least providing some form of active support to nearby troops, be it cover against small arms, or repairing a group of MAX units.
- Heavy troop transport: Sunderer
Primary role: This vehicle is designed to serve a forward deploy station; acting as a spawn- and resupply-point for troops.
Secondary role: Unlike the Deliverer, the Sunderer is too large and cumbersome to be viable for active transportation of infantry. Instead, it is most useful at one-time bursts of deploying an entire squad of players, in the hopes of overwhelming the enemy with a quick wave of concentrated numbers.
Note: The secondary role is definitely under-utilized, however, I think that the introduction of a Deliverer will get people to realize that deploying troops, rather than the Sunderer itself is a viable tactic
- Light transport aircraft: Intruder (6 seats; 1 pilot seat, 1 utility seat, 4 passenger seats)
Primary role: This aircraft's focus is similar to that of the Deliverer. It focuses on both deployment and extraction. It is designed to weave itself into advantageous locations for infantry, as well as being an option for quick extraction. It is great for giving troops a good vantage point, and deploying a small group of troops in unexpected areas.
Secondary role: This vehicle has a small range of non-lethal weapons that can be accessed through the utility seat. The utilities include smoke, concussion, and flash grenades that shoot from a cannon and detonate on impact, enabling it to be a viable support in larger engagement
Note: This vehicle is very similar to the Phantasm from PS1, except without the ability to cloak.
- Heavy transport aircraft: Galaxy
Primary role: Like the Sunderer, the Galaxy is designed to deploy a high concentration of troops on a small area; using shock tactics to overwhelm the enemy.
Secondary role: Has access to AMS functionality, however; to keep it from being a vehicle that lessens the importance of having a strong front-line on the ground, the AMS has some restrictions.
- Can only be accessed by the squad who owns it.
- Has a wave-timer, as opposed to a timer for each individual.
- Has a limited amount of biological nanites available for respawns, meaning that it has to return to re-arm once in a while.
Note: The wave-timer keeps the Galaxy from being a continuous threat, and instead makes it vulnerable for long periods at a time. And in conjuction with the limited respawns, the G-AMS becomes a very pilot-intensive role.
- Close air support: Empire specific hovercraft
Primary role: This vehicle's primary role is to hover at low altitude, engaging in close teamwork with the ground troops below. It is fairly susceptible to most types of ground fire, except for small-arms fire, but due to its slow speed, high-velocity tank shells are especially dangerous. This aircraft is therefore highly dependent on working together both with its own secondary gunner, as well as other troops on the ground to keep AA at a minimum. It is extremely lethal against both enemy armor and infantry, if it manages to catch them off guard. Unlike the current ESF, this aircraft cannot rely on speed, and therefore has to use it maneuverability to utilize the terrain in its favor.
Secondary role: Rather than being actively offensive, it can also act as source of longevity with the ground troops it cooperates with. Since it has access to both an A2G and A2A arsenal, combined with a great vantage point over the entire battle, this vehicle can create a "sphere of safety" for all friendlies in its vicinity.
Note: What is key to the balance of this vehicle, is the fact that you don't need AA weapons to pose a threat to it. Because it is a relatively slow, low-altitude vehicle, it is relatively easy target to hit with dumb-fire weapons. Its speed is also a factor as to whether or not you can find cover before it reaches you.
- Air superiority fighter: Empire specific fighter
Primary role: This vehicle is no longer the same hyper-versatile aircraft. Instead its effectiveness is now more in line with the fact of it being a one-seat aircraft. It is the equivalent of the Lightning; forced to specialize. That said, this vehicle is primarily designed to keep the skies clear. Its speed gives it a high survivability against AA, but now that its hover-ability has been greatly weakened, it is much less lethal to ground troops
Secondary role: In cooperation with ground troops, or the other types of aircraft, it can become a viable A2G vehicle; able to come in for strafing runs. This could potentially make room for a type of laser designator, which could help overcome issues of render-distance and render-speed
Note: The vehicle is essentially the same, however it has had two aspects nerfed: Vertical thrust + transition time between hover- and jet-mode.
- Bomber: Liberator
Primary role: This aircraft is designed to be a vehicle that benefits greatly from being escorted, and if this requirement is met, either by jets for high-altitude bombing, or by ground troops for low-altitude bombing - this vehicle quickly becomes one of the most lethal in the game.
Secondary role: Not quite as lethal, this vehicle can also rely entirely on its own arsenal to stay alive, but it will most likely have to resort to strafing runs
Note: The Liberator should not be entirely dependent upon other aircraft to stay alive, however, cooperation with other aircraft ought to have a very powerful multiplier effect.
---------------------------------------------
Most of these vehicles are the same as they are now, but I felt like I had to describe their roles, in order to justify adding new vehicles and altering some existing ones. Do you guys think this game would improve if it had this vehicle line-up?
The following proposal will include tweaks, overhauls, as well as the addition of entirely new vehicles. The descriptions of their roles (and effectiveness) was constructed with the idea that Planetside 2 is a game that should encourage teamwork, and therefore vehicles that require only a few people should either by weak, or fill very specific roles.
The vehicle types will also have different colors, here is what they mean:
White: No notable change
Yellow: Additions and alterations to existing vehicle
Green: New vehicle
- ATV: Flash
Primary role: This vehicle - as reflected by its cost and attributes - is one which serves primarily as a transport vehicle, designed to transport players over relatively short distances. It is designed to get people where they need to go either un-noticed , or simply because its driver is unlikely to be viewed as a threat in a large skirmish, and is therefore ignored.
Secondary role: Although it has a range of weapons, it is not designed to function as a killing machine, but rather serve as a slight nuisance, which can have tactical value as a decoy.
Note: I believe that Flash currently fits its role reasonably well, and though it may have access to some weapon and functionality (most notably Wraith cloak) which seems a little over-powered for a cheap, 1-man-to-operate vehicle, the fact that the driver is as exposed as he is, makes up for this.
- Buggy: Harasser
Primary role: Unlike the Flash, the Harasser's primary role is to distract. Its greater speed, armor, and weapon range makes it a vehicle that people are forced to deal with. However, similar to the Flash, it cannot be classified as a killing machine.
Secondary role: A very speed transport, able to break through fairly defend areas, in order to deploy small groups of players, whose role - due to their low numbers - is also to distract and harass.
Note: Currently the Harasser is what it shouldn't be: a killing machine. It it powerful against both infantry and vehicles. However, before nerfing it, I think that the addition of another vehicle called the Deliverer can help lessen the effectiveness of the Harasser, simply by introducing less things for it to run over and shred apart with AI weapons.
- Light tank: Lightning
Primary role: This tank's primary role is to specialize and respond to the need of the battlefield. It is designed to deal with a very specific type of threat, but at the cost of being vulnerable to everything else.
Note: I think the Lightning is in a good spot at the moment. It is designed as a one-man combat vehicle should be; effective in the right conditions, but often highly dependent upon teammates. This is crucial, because the vehicles that only require one person to operate effectively, are the ones that should force its driver to work with his teammates.
- Heavy tank: Main Battle Tank
Primary role:
The primary fire-power on the ground. It's designed to be the vehicle that forms the front of any vehicular ground-battle. It is relatively versatile due to its range of both primary and secondary armaments, thereby making it the backbone of large, open ground engagements.
Note: As a vehicle type, the MBT is also fairly balanced. It is versatile, yet it requires two people to truly optimize its potential.
- Light troop transport: Deliverer (6 seats; 1 driver seat, 1 gunner seat, 1 utility seat, 3 passenger seats)
Primary role: This vehicle is designed to deploy small groups of troops around the battlefield. Its combination of speed, armor, as well as its compact size makes it an ideal vehicle for actively relocating ground troops quickly and precisely. It provides great tactical value for platoon leaders, by giving them an inexpensive option for when they want to designate specific objectives for smaller groups of players.
Secondary role: This vehicle has a unique utility seat, in which the player who sits in that seat will have influence how the vehicle behaves, based on their class.
- Medic: Slowly heals friendlies within a small radius of the vehicle.
- Engineer: Provides infantry ammunition to people near the vehicle and repairs MAX units.
- Infiltrator: Can deploy their drone/MAV from the roof of the vehicle, with the only restriction of having to remain within a certain distance of the vehicle.
Note: Unlike the Sunderer, the Deliverer has both the attributes and the functionality to actively support the flow of infantry. It is a vehicle, which is expected to be constantly on the move, or at least providing some form of active support to nearby troops, be it cover against small arms, or repairing a group of MAX units.
- Heavy troop transport: Sunderer
Primary role: This vehicle is designed to serve a forward deploy station; acting as a spawn- and resupply-point for troops.
Secondary role: Unlike the Deliverer, the Sunderer is too large and cumbersome to be viable for active transportation of infantry. Instead, it is most useful at one-time bursts of deploying an entire squad of players, in the hopes of overwhelming the enemy with a quick wave of concentrated numbers.
Note: The secondary role is definitely under-utilized, however, I think that the introduction of a Deliverer will get people to realize that deploying troops, rather than the Sunderer itself is a viable tactic
- Light transport aircraft: Intruder (6 seats; 1 pilot seat, 1 utility seat, 4 passenger seats)
Primary role: This aircraft's focus is similar to that of the Deliverer. It focuses on both deployment and extraction. It is designed to weave itself into advantageous locations for infantry, as well as being an option for quick extraction. It is great for giving troops a good vantage point, and deploying a small group of troops in unexpected areas.
Secondary role: This vehicle has a small range of non-lethal weapons that can be accessed through the utility seat. The utilities include smoke, concussion, and flash grenades that shoot from a cannon and detonate on impact, enabling it to be a viable support in larger engagement
Note: This vehicle is very similar to the Phantasm from PS1, except without the ability to cloak.
- Heavy transport aircraft: Galaxy
Primary role: Like the Sunderer, the Galaxy is designed to deploy a high concentration of troops on a small area; using shock tactics to overwhelm the enemy.
Secondary role: Has access to AMS functionality, however; to keep it from being a vehicle that lessens the importance of having a strong front-line on the ground, the AMS has some restrictions.
- Can only be accessed by the squad who owns it.
- Has a wave-timer, as opposed to a timer for each individual.
- Has a limited amount of biological nanites available for respawns, meaning that it has to return to re-arm once in a while.
Note: The wave-timer keeps the Galaxy from being a continuous threat, and instead makes it vulnerable for long periods at a time. And in conjuction with the limited respawns, the G-AMS becomes a very pilot-intensive role.
- Close air support: Empire specific hovercraft
Primary role: This vehicle's primary role is to hover at low altitude, engaging in close teamwork with the ground troops below. It is fairly susceptible to most types of ground fire, except for small-arms fire, but due to its slow speed, high-velocity tank shells are especially dangerous. This aircraft is therefore highly dependent on working together both with its own secondary gunner, as well as other troops on the ground to keep AA at a minimum. It is extremely lethal against both enemy armor and infantry, if it manages to catch them off guard. Unlike the current ESF, this aircraft cannot rely on speed, and therefore has to use it maneuverability to utilize the terrain in its favor.
Secondary role: Rather than being actively offensive, it can also act as source of longevity with the ground troops it cooperates with. Since it has access to both an A2G and A2A arsenal, combined with a great vantage point over the entire battle, this vehicle can create a "sphere of safety" for all friendlies in its vicinity.
Note: What is key to the balance of this vehicle, is the fact that you don't need AA weapons to pose a threat to it. Because it is a relatively slow, low-altitude vehicle, it is relatively easy target to hit with dumb-fire weapons. Its speed is also a factor as to whether or not you can find cover before it reaches you.
- Air superiority fighter: Empire specific fighter
Primary role: This vehicle is no longer the same hyper-versatile aircraft. Instead its effectiveness is now more in line with the fact of it being a one-seat aircraft. It is the equivalent of the Lightning; forced to specialize. That said, this vehicle is primarily designed to keep the skies clear. Its speed gives it a high survivability against AA, but now that its hover-ability has been greatly weakened, it is much less lethal to ground troops
Secondary role: In cooperation with ground troops, or the other types of aircraft, it can become a viable A2G vehicle; able to come in for strafing runs. This could potentially make room for a type of laser designator, which could help overcome issues of render-distance and render-speed
Note: The vehicle is essentially the same, however it has had two aspects nerfed: Vertical thrust + transition time between hover- and jet-mode.
- Bomber: Liberator
Primary role: This aircraft is designed to be a vehicle that benefits greatly from being escorted, and if this requirement is met, either by jets for high-altitude bombing, or by ground troops for low-altitude bombing - this vehicle quickly becomes one of the most lethal in the game.
Secondary role: Not quite as lethal, this vehicle can also rely entirely on its own arsenal to stay alive, but it will most likely have to resort to strafing runs
Note: The Liberator should not be entirely dependent upon other aircraft to stay alive, however, cooperation with other aircraft ought to have a very powerful multiplier effect.
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Most of these vehicles are the same as they are now, but I felt like I had to describe their roles, in order to justify adding new vehicles and altering some existing ones. Do you guys think this game would improve if it had this vehicle line-up?