Members E-Mail reveals the Valkyrie and Other Updates

[NewSith]

http://youtu.be/SgGL1jcHAPo

Hurrah, a helicopter! Finally! Although, I think 2 passengers is a bit too few. 4 is better. What I also hope is that Liberator will get a nerf, so the game isn't even more air-heavy, or at least the flares system gets reworked.

[Blynd]

cant wait for the summer :D

this looks like it could be alot of fun

[Oty]

It looks niice! :P

[ringring]

Nothing about the inter-continental lattice and without that ..........

nb I got the email and I'm not a member, maybe everyone got it?

[Khaed]

Nothing about the inter-continental lattice and without that ..........
They can't do the inter-continental lattice before Hossin goes live and working well. Let them put the 4th continent on live servers first, then we can expect some work on the lattices between all the maps.

[Belhade]

This is what I was looking for! Close enough to a Clone Wars dropship.

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091120174139/starwars/images/5/5f/TFURaxusPrimeShuttle01.jpg

[ringring]

They can't do the inter-continental lattice before Hossin goes live and working well. Let them put the 4th continent on live servers first, then we can expect some work on the lattices between all the maps.

I can't imagine that putting Hossin in before the lattice will work out well.

There have been many folk who didn't understand having not played in ps1 and thought an extra cont would mean the pop spreads out more thinly sand we've said 'no that's where the lattice comes in', but it seems the lattice won't come in for a while.

[Kirotan]

I wonder if MAX'es can sit in the rumble seats because that would be awesome and scary at the same time.

[bpostal]

Welp, I'm fucking excited to play with this new transport!

[Calista]

Looks alright but just something to be monetized. Where's the BEEF?!?!

[Chewy]

This BEST be a chopper type aircraft that is slow to get moving but has a ton of control. Every other aircraft in the game is a VTOL version of each other but with more or less heft to it that can't make use of a good hover based movement system.

Iv been wanting something that I can fly that fits my flying skills for so long now. Jets suck in my hands from me not being able to feel the aircraft. But put me in a chopper (ARMA, BF, ect) and the things can dance on wind.

[HereticusXZ]

I hope it has more cosmetic options then the Harasser did on launch.....

[Dougnifico]

I wish they would stop making everything NS and make some new vehicles ES. They don't even have to play differently, just look different.

[capiqu]

Good maybe now the Liberator can cost 750 and the Gal 950. The Valkyrie could be 400 and RSF's 300. Air is overpowering in this game as it should. Any airforce will easily devastate any ground force. My problem is that air is to easy to get.

[Mordelicius]

The Valkyrie sounds like Harassers Part 2: Air edition

They've already seen how devastating an overpowererd ground vehicle is. Funny thing is we've been telling them to nerf the harassers after testing it on the PTS (check our old posts on pre-release harassers and even the ZOE).

So, the speed and maneuverability of ESFs and the firepower and passenger capacity of a Liberators?:lol:

This vehicles has to have specific weaknesses/downsides. The rumble seat alone will cannibalize ESFs given that small arms can hurt it lol.

- And what about snipers? They are OP as it is atm, now they can hoversnipe too?
- Maxes? NC maxes are short ranged while VS are ridiculously long ranged. Allow maxes and provide range parity?
- Dual passenger Heavy Assault lock-on Rocket Launchers hover stacking on vehicles? I don't know about lock-ons but I always carry 8 rockets on my dumbfire. I'm sure players will take that extra-rockets suit loadout and use it with conjunction with the Valkyrie. Calling it now.

They have to formulate its weaknesses now before they even start thinking of releasing it.

Suggestions:
- It cannot be maneuverable. but only slighly faster than a Liberator.
- the armor has to be the weakest for any aircraft (otherwise it's just an ESF upgrade with passengers - yeah right).
- Engineer mid-air will be OP so that needs to be nerfed hard (assuming they allow that).
- It shouldn't be allowed powerful AV weapons. Or else it will be used as a dump/stack DPS-on-tanks/sundy aircraft that can easily escape. Right? Dive with 2 rumble seats + gunner focus fire on tank then escape. Just what harassers used to do.
- Consider a low flight ceiling weakness, so it has to be always on the move laterally and not just hoover up and down. Also to allow other aircrafts to have a height advantage over it.

[AThreatToYou]

Personally, if it requires more than 1 person to crew properly, it should be OP in a 1 for 1 basis.

[BlaxicanX]

So what should its strengths be?

[Khaed]

I can't imagine that putting Hossin in before the lattice will work out well.

There have been many folk who didn't understand having not played in ps1 and thought an extra cont would mean the pop spreads out more thinly sand we've said 'no that's where the lattice comes in', but it seems the lattice won't come in for a while.

At start, the inter-continental lattices were supposed to be with Hossin at a central position, and with the Battle Islands between the 3 actual continents.
Except if they change the whole design, the inter-continental lattice can't come without Hossin and Battle Islands.

[Edfishy]

I wish they would stop making everything NS and make some new vehicles ES. They don't even have to play differently, just look different.

They're on a skeleton crew, so they've got to make do until the PS4 brings in some new dollahs. Then really I'd like to see an ESF version of most every vehicle if possible. (Vanu with Convenant-style alien looking Galaxies? Heck yeah!)

Consider a low flight ceiling weakness, so it has to be always on the move laterally and not just hoover up and down. Also to allow other aircrafts to have a height advantage over it.

Oh, I like this idea! I'd prefer if it was a matter of the engines not having enough "oomph" then a hard cap though.

Unfortunately the only proper way to code in a lowered flight ceiling for them would be to have it dependent on the ground below the vehicle, which probably is too much work for the staff to code in. Otherwise their hacks of lowering the sea level to get bigger cliffs will cause awkward situations where the Valkryie can't climb what appears to be a "small hill".

The Valkyrie sounds like Harassers Part 2: Air edition

They've already seen how devastating an overpowererd ground vehicle is. Funny thing is we've been telling them to nerf the harassers after testing it on the PTS (check our old posts on pre-release harassers and even the ZOE).

For me atleast, the Harasser was a great way to get friends to play the game (the Liberator was similar before they butchered its pixel-perfect accuracy). Buddies who can't play well love the idea of working together in the buggy and felt like they could make an impact.

This vehicles has to have specific weaknesses/downsides. The rumble seat alone will cannibalize ESFs given that small arms can hurt it lol.

You know what this game really needs? Compartmentalized vehicle destruction. It'd be nice if there was more to balance than just hitpoints and speed. Maybe have the Valkyrie's engines easy to cripple (not completely destroy, but cripple), or weak armor on its cannon to make a target of opportunity.

I'd like for the Valkyrie to be an "air Harasser" because it'd be fun for me and my mates (who don't play PS2 often), and I'd like for it to be a little nimble than the hot air balloon that is the Liberator. Just wish there were better ways they could balance the game without stripping away the fun parts. >.>

[NewSith]

The Valkyrie sounds like Harassers Part 2: Air edition

Harasser itself was never a problem... I would like to see you driving/gunning a Kobalt Harasser and than telling how OP it is. Problem was and still is - its weapons. But since SOE likes to walk into the same waters all the time, I guess, they'll release a weapon that's too OP, and since removing it is not going to be an option (SC excuse), they'll nerf the body of a vehicle, since completely redesigning a weapon is equal to removing it.

So, the speed and manoeuvrability of ESFs and the firepower and passenger capacity of a Liberators?:lol:

That's a nice assumption in there, but something tells me "nose gun" and "Zephyr Cannon" are of different planes. But, keeping the aforementioned reply in mind, I would be careful with wishful thinking.

- And what about snipers? They are OP as it is atm, now they can hoversnipe too?

So 1 guy has to hold the altitude pretty much doing nothing, so two can snipe... A fair exchange, don't you think?

- Maxes? NC maxes are short ranged while VS are ridiculously long ranged. Allow maxes and provide range parity?

More wishful thinking here, but I think they don't intend to allow maxes onto the Valkyrie. You have to be blind to the fact that 2 double-burster in the air is waaaay too OP. On the other hand it will be the first ever hard counter to air, so...

- Dual passenger Heavy Assault lock-on Rocket Launchers hover stacking on vehicles? I don't know about lock-ons but I always carry 8 rockets on my dumbfire. I'm sure players will take that extra-rockets suit loadout and use it with conjunction with the Valkyrie. Calling it now.

Well, this fear is ridiculous. Apart from AA missiles being completely ineffective in groups less than 4 (cough, cough, 2-man rumble seat), there're two obvious things:
A) Solely by looking at its design, you can tell that rumble seats oppose each other, so no stacking.
B) Rumble seats are open to all winds. One rocketpod pass will make short work of these rocket launchers.

They have to formulate its weaknesses now before they even start thinking of releasing it.

Suggestions:
- It cannot be maneuverable. but only slighly faster than a Liberator.

No please. I want a manoeuvrable gunship, rather than a castrated bomber that Liberator currently is, was, and apparently will be.

- the armor has to be the weakest for any aircraft (otherwise it's just an ESF upgrade with passengers - yeah right).

I'd much rather have Liberators with least armor of all air vehicles. And moreover - IT IS a teamplay ESF version. Something this game severely lacks. An air vehicle that doesn't instantly become a target for everything that moves in the air and on the ground, the one which doesn't survive due to its inderstructible armor, but rather due to it's increased mobility.

- Engineer mid-air will be OP so that needs to be nerfed hard (assuming they allow that).

It's already nerfed to shit on the Harasser. Have you even tried it? More sense to have auto-repair installed, rather than an engineer in the back.

- It shouldn't be allowed powerful AV weapons. Or else it will be used as a dump/stack DPS-on-tanks/sundy aircraft that can easily escape. Right? Dive with 2 rumble seats + gunner focus fire on tank then escape. Just what harassers used to do.

What it needs is weapons that are ineffective past 150-200 meter range.

- Consider a low flight ceiling weakness, so it has to be always on the move laterally and not just hoover up and down. Also to allow other aircrafts to have a height advantage over it.[/QUOTE]

Eeeehm... In a game where ESFs can just hover while looking 90 degrees down, do you really think it's gonna work as well as it works in battlefield? And I'm not even mentioning the Libs (again)

[bites]

For me atleast, the Harasser was a great way to get friends to play the game (the Liberator was similar before they butchered its pixel-perfect accuracy). Buddies who can't play well love the idea of working together in the buggy and felt like they could make an impact.
Yeah this is one of the things I do to tie people into the game ... give him 20 minutes gunning my certed to the balls lib and let them go at it .... most if not all of them .. are still hooked and loving it.
Admittedly ... wanting me to fly for them .. but hey ... more bodies right :>

You know what this game really needs? Compartmentalized vehicle destruction. It'd be nice if there was more to balance than just hitpoints and speed. Maybe have the Valkyrie's engines easy to cripple (not completely destroy, but cripple), or weak armor on its cannon to make a target of opportunity.
Would love this along with Tank track (or hover device for our scientology friends) destruction impacting performance would be epic.... so epic.

[Edfishy]

You know what this game really needs? Compartmentalized vehicle destruction. It'd be nice if there was more to balance than just hitpoints and speed. Maybe have the Valkyrie's engines easy to cripple (not completely destroy, but cripple), or weak armor on its cannon to make a target of opportunity.Would love this along with Tank track (or hover device for our scientology friends) destruction impacting performance would be epic.... so epic.

Well, let's debug the stuffing's out of Beta 2 to make the PS4 launch worthy of another $25 million dollar influx by Sony. Only way we're getting it. =\

[Grizzo]

I reckon an ESF wolf pack pecking away at it similar to Libs will bring these down. There looks to be a blind spot in the design at the rear, slightly above. AA lock ons there perhaps. I guess it will depend on how far out the passengers can lean to get a shot off. 180 degrees left /right up /down? Also how agile and how well armoured will they be? There will be a steep learning curve in dealing with these when they arrive.

As for how best to use them. I can see some creative ideas emerging. If they do allow MAX's in those - especially AA, then yes, those things will be Flying Fortresses!

[Edfishy]

If they do allow MAX's in those - especially AA, then yes, those things will be Flying Fortresses!

They might be able to balance Maxes by giving them a limited firing window. Though, considering it's going to be moving and you lose two maxes when the Valkyrie's taken out, I'm not sure if it'll really be that OP... >.>

[mrmrmrj]

Two AI MAXes would make this a pretty good mobile AA platform, although I really don't see how the Val isn't going to just get blasted out of the sky.

[Trudeus]

It needs six seats. One driver, one gunner, two rumble, two passenger. So it's useful to a squad.

[CraazyCanuck]

Agreed, it would be better having a 6-man capacity. The nose gunner should have limited weapons capability. It needs to be in between the esf and liberator both on maneuverability and armor. Give it a fatter profile to allow the addition of two passengers or the length adjusted to allow two rear bucket seats. The rear design allows room for the seats without dramatically changing the overall appearance.

But who knows what SOE will do. They've pooched their air design from the start.

[Timealude]

As I have said before, this thing needs a cloak otherwise its going to be completely worthless and get targeted by every person in the game.

[BlaxicanX]

No, it doesn't. And no, it won't.

Why would it be "targeted by every person in the game" in a game where you as a player are constantly being shot at by hundreds of enemy infantry and dozens of enemy ESF's and Liberators?

[PredatorFour]

Give it a squad spawn function and it might actually be useful.

[Edfishy]

Give it a squad spawn function and it might actually be useful.

Personally I think Libs should have the same thing, just maybe with a heftier 2-minute cooldown timer.

[Timealude]

No, it doesn't. And no, it won't.

Why would it be "targeted by every person in the game" in a game where you as a player are constantly being shot at by hundreds of enemy infantry and dozens of enemy ESF's and Liberators?

if there is a squadron of ESFs and they spot something that can net them multiple exp, i bet you they would be all over that. same goes with ground lock ons or bursters. if you see a lib or galaxy you instantly go right for them do not?

but i could just be completely wrong and this thing could have the armor of a lib with the speed of an ESF for all we know.