In Depth Preview Discussion

[Hamma]

http://www.planetside-universe.com/articles.php?articleId=24

Comments on my preview article. :D

[War Mongrel]

Well written article, Hamma. BTW, one small question:

About how long does it take to be familar with most of the gameplay aspects? example: using command map, buying weapons, etc.

[Madfish]

Well done Hamma, good work. Suitable pennance for getting to play PS :)

Thanks for sharing... but where's my Birthday TR MAX screen shot? :rolleyes:

[Mold]

i think youve answered every single question i could have hoped to ask...
:cool:

[Zatrais]

Hey hamma, where you talked about the 1shot kill for the sniper what armor were you refering to when you said light?

the armor you spawn whit or the agile armor? I've heard light used instead of agile at times...

could ya clearify? =)

[Hamma]

Well there is a spawn armor. That is one shot.. there is also a light armor. I am not sure on the agile exo - i dont have enough info to answer that :[

[xuur]

very cool, very well written article. its surely reflects the feeling I got watching the most recent gameplay movies. its kinda scary thinking you only had around 100 or so folks in this furball and we're looking at some battles (I'm sure) with a thousand particpants once things get really rolling.

I have a ton of questions concerning weapons ranges and effectiveness, ammo consumption, firing arcs for artillery, vehicles you probably didnt get to mess with too much...etc.etc.etc....

but you know? I think Im just gonna wait an see for myself. I want the same "Holy Sh!t" feel you had.

PS: I cant believe you were in San Diego and didnt stop by to say hi. ;)


wicked cool. first time in a long time I'm anxious about a game release.

[Zatrais]

now i'm confused on the numbers of armors...

theres a starter, light, Agile, reinforced, MAX and stealth?

either theres a new armor or we need to get the names of the armors straightened out hehe

[Cyber]

What did you when you said that MAX suits " "It can deliver some serious carnage to any target, depending how you outfit it."

Are you able to select different kinds of ammo for it like standard guns (armor piercing/etc) or can you swap weapons? :)

[powdahound]

Very nice article Hamma! I'm going to go read it again to make sure I didn't miss anything. :)

[half the sky]

Awsome article, Hamma. Now I'm anxiously awaiting the release of this game...even though there are no jet packs.

...as soon as my hubby gets around to my Birthday upgrade (remember my Birthday was in November). :|

[Hamma]

What a slacker :D

xuur i didnt know you were in San Diego :p

[Tobias]

That was a cool artical. Now we all know that sniper rifles have the power they deserve.

Sniper power.

[Vis Armata]

The game looks great...It looks like what Tribes should have been, had Sierra had some foresight.

One thing that led to the dissolution of my Tribes clan was there was no incentive for people to play as a team - which made bombing runs frustrating. So, from you enviable in-depth review Hamma, did you get a sense that PlanetSide would succeed where Tribes failed?

Vis

[BLuE_ZeRO]

Great article Hamma. Answered alot more questions of mine with it. Thanks :D

I'm glad there is a decent landing system. I suck at landing in BF1942. My landing consists of jumping out before my plane hits the ground.

I liked this part:

"I went outside the base in my mosquito and began scouting the area, there were several tanks and Vanu MAX inbound. I began to strafe them but started getting owned."

See what happens when you go up against the Vanu?

[BLuE_ZeRO]

Originally posted by Vis Armata
The game looks great...It looks like what Tribes should have been, had Sierra had some foresight.

One thing that led to the dissolution of my Tribes clan was there was no incentive for people to play as a team - which made bombing runs frustrating. So, from you enviable in-depth review Hamma, did you get a sense that PlanetSide would succeed where Tribes failed?

Vis

I think the biggest motivation for tribes was to win. If you wanted to win a match you needed to work as a team. Those teams that weren't very competative weren't very team oriented. I don't really think Tribes failed at all but this game will take what tribes was about to a whole new level.

[Tobias]

Yea, well what did he expect? but he killed some NC that we have proof of.

[�io]

Great article, now i REALLY REALLLY REALLY want to play PS. :(

Glad to see that (from what you saw/said) everything is well balanced, i was scared the MAXs would own anything less than tanks. :)


Oh and :wave: Half the sky, love your sig. :p

[BLuE_ZeRO]

He did take out one of the vanu but that vanu probably had no arms, legs and was in a wheelchair. So we won't count that.

Dio they do own everyone less than tanks lol. Takes an army to take them down.

[�io]

Well the VS MAX yeah obvioulsy :lol: ;)

But according to Hamma's article if your prepared for one you have a chance. In other words i would assume 2 or 3 meds with AP rounds can manage to take one down. :)

[BLuE_ZeRO]

You have to prepare for one with a tank. ;)

[Airlift]

I am filled with envy from reading your article, hamma. Well done.

Tangent: I still haven't decided what Empire I'm going to join, but it definately will not be Vanu. There's just too many of the crazy abduction specialists around these parts for me.

[�io]

Guys quit it with the prejudice you racists sobs!! ;)

Tobias might be crazy and outspoken and but we aren't all like that. I'm pretty normal. :p

[BLuE_ZeRO]

ROFL :nazi:

[PrivateMonkey]

Sweet article, Hamma!!! I have a few questions:


1) I had been under the impression that the mission system was out, yet you refer to accepting a mission:

Our first mission was to defend a Tech Plant called Orisha on the continent of Cyssor from Vanu and New Conglomerate attackers.

Did you just decide on your own accord to go defend the Tech Plant? In general, how do you think missions will work?

2) In this picture we see a few interesting pieces of info regarding the interface:

http://www.planetside-universe.com/image.php?picid=20173&filetype=jpg

Are those names on the left your squad members, with thier respective health? Also, how exactly did you form a squad? Was there a menu screen at your sanctuary, or what?

3) I doubt you know, but I'll ask anyway: What happens when you walk into a warp-gate that leads to an opposing empires Sanctuary?

4) On this link, are those bridges connecting the surrounding islands?

http://www.planetside-universe.com/image.php?picid=20174&filetype=jpg

Also, on the right there is a reference to waypoints. Were those used at all, or do you think that is part of the "yet unimplemented" command system?

5) On that same last link, I caught mention of 5 different types of facilities: Tech Plant, Amp Station, Interlink Facility, Bio Lab, and Dropship Center. Could you describe each to the full extent of your ability?

6) Is it true that Dave wears a Terran Republic shirt?

7) Was Danny Han (aka BlackBird) anywhere to be seen? Did you check the basement? The closets?

[Incompetent]

i think i can answer one or two of those

1.) most likely, they were set up for the press event so people would actually see each other

3.) you probly stand there looking like an idiot and loose health constantly (to keep scouts from standing there and watching)

4.) if you look at the overhead of the continent, they quite clearly lead to islands.

[Marsman]

I think I can add to a couple of those also.

1: The tech lab creates vehicles. It is therefore a likely base to capture first. Notice how all the warp gates have a tech lab close to the gates?

4b: I believe Hamma said waypoints weren't implemented yet.

5: Tech labs make vehicles. Being in control of a bio lab allows all base's medical repair stations to also heal armors. AMP and Interlink functions are being asked about. Will let you know as soon as we do. The Dropship Facility contains the HART - an automated orbital ship the carries players to orbit and allows them to pick any point on the map to have their drop pod set down. (Enemy santuaries and within a base's sphere of influence excluded)

6: Yes. :)

[Hamma]

1) I had been under the impression that the mission system was out, yet you refer to accepting a mission

A.) Those were the missions we were assigned by the dev team for this preview. It was nothing in game ;)

Did you just decide on your own accord to go defend the Tech Plant? In general, how do you think missions will work?

A.) Yes, it was assigned by the dev team. Missions will often involved capturing a tech plant nearby a warpgate. Imo it will all be strategic.


2) In this picture we see a few interesting pieces of info regarding the interface: Are those names on the left your squad members, with thier respective health? Also, how exactly did you form a squad? Was there a menu screen at your sanctuary, or what?

A.) Names on the left are indeed our squad/health. Im not sure how the squad was created - but the leader simply did /invite name to whoever was not in the squad. (i suspect if you dont lead a squad doing /invite will make one)

3) I doubt you know, but I'll ask anyway: What happens when you walk into a warp-gate that leads to an opposing empires Sanctuary?

A.) beats me hehe

4) On this link, are those bridges connecting the surrounding islands?

A.) yes they connect between the small islands on this continent.

Also, on the right there is a reference to waypoints. Were those used at all, or do you think that is part of the "yet unimplemented" command system?

A.) Those were not used, waypoints didnt exist yet. However you can see the squad members on the map represented by numbers on the map

5) On that same last link, I caught mention of 5 different types of facilities: Tech Plant, Amp Station, Interlink Facility, Bio Lab, and Dropship Center. Could you describe each to the full extent of your ability?

A.) Im not sure what each one does. The tech plant will allow you to spawn airvehicles, the bio lab gives all med stations in capped bases the ability to heal armor as well as health. The dropship center is the only place outside of a sanctuary you can purchase a galaxy. The rest im not sure.

6) Is it true that Dave wears a Terran Republic shirt?

A.) Yes it was indeed true, so did i ;)

7) Was Danny Han (aka BlackBird) anywhere to be seen? Did you check the basement? The closets?

A.) Yes he played TR for a bit, and i talked to him for a while on the first night ;)

[Jinxmasta]

SWEET PREVIEW HAMMA! It seems like the Vanu owned you which I had already expected. I can't wait to see some Vanu MAXes jet over the walls and storm the base with guns ablaze! Ahh, I can see it now... too bad I'll have to wait till release or maybe beta ;) Anyways, here is the questing you haven't given a real direct answer to:

1.) What are ALL the armors? I was under the impression it was starting out armor, agile, reinforced, stealth, and MAX. However, I hear you said something about a light and you said you weren't referring to an Agile or Starting armor. So can you please tell us ALL of the armors?

[Hamma]

I would, If i had a photographic memory ;)

I know there is the standard armor you start with, agile-exosuit, medium, re-inforced, and MAX

[Jinxmasta]

Wait, now you're changing it to having a medium and a reinforced? Woah woah woah! Are you sure about that? Wait, lemme look at the armor shots on the official website:
Umm all I found was a light (agile), medium (reinforced), stealth, MAX, and the armor you start out with...

[�io]

Btw you say in your article landing isn't done by the player. Anyway to disable that? I was hoping of pratricing and pulling off some cool landings and whatnot but if you have to stop and hover then press a button seems kinda simplistic to me. :(

[Hamma]

Im not sure if it can be disabled.. didnt ask :x

[BLuE_ZeRO]

I like having it done for me. I'd probably screw it up and blow up my whole squad if I tried it myself. "Oops sorry guys I promise I'll get better at it one of these days."

[Jinxmasta]

I like doing it myself because I can think of some real weird but tactical places to land.

[BLuE_ZeRO]

I can think of some good tactical places to crash. :huh:

[Jinxmasta]

Just like Hamma's little water driving stunt :lol:

[BLuE_ZeRO]

:rofl: no no no he did that to throw the enemy off.

[FireFrenzy]

Good read hamma, but MAN did you have a bunch of grammer errors :o.

[Jinxmasta]

I don't care about the grammar because if he took the time to fix it, we would have had to wait longer to read it. We wouldn't want that now would we?

[Hamma]

It was worse when i started.

I was waiting for the english teacher army to drop by, what took you so long? ;)

Doesent matter, as long as people can read it. I am happy :D

[BLuE_ZeRO]

:lol: @ english teacher army

[Jinxmasta]

Hopefully it isn't the classic typical old English teacher type of army because that would just scare me really bad :eek:

[�io]

Originally posted by BLuE_ZeRO
I like having it done for me. I'd probably screw it up and blow up my whole squad if I tried it myself. "Oops sorry guys I promise I'll get better at it one of these days."

That's what the VR training is for. :)

And i would love it if like i said you could disable it IF you want. Would allow for quick and/or tricky landings. Imagine landing right outside an enemy base, picking up your squad and taking off again in a big 6-7 secs. :p

[Lexington_Steele]

Originally posted by Airlift
I am filled with envy from reading your article, hamma. Well done.

Tangent: I still haven't decided what Empire I'm going to join, but it definately will not be Vanu. There's just too many of the crazy abduction specialists around these parts for me.

Hey, not all of us are abduction specialists. The problem is that the most vocal 2 or 3 Vanu members come equiped with tin foil hats.

You will join the Vanu! Succumb to the power of advanced technology.

:father:

[�io]

Who is 2 or 3 ?

Tobias is #1 for sure. :p

There are a few who are sometimes Tobias-like but nothing as bad and scary as him. :D

[BLuE_ZeRO]

Originally posted by Dio
That's what the VR training is for. :)

And i would love it if like i said you could disable it IF you want. Would allow for quick and/or tricky landings. Imagine landing right outside an enemy base, picking up your squad and taking off again in a big 6-7 secs. :p

Would it prevent say... making an unexpected water landing? *cough* Hamma

[m0rphiu5]

:stupid:
ROFL :rofl:

great article, even abit on stealth, yay!!!!!

[TG_NightHawk]

So....have they named the bodies of water yet? I say "Hamma's Lake" or maybe instead of the Mosquito...the Hammador!:rofl:

[afex]

question:
During this time our hacker was attempting to infiltrate the base, any type of takeover is going to require a tremendous amount of teamwork and coordination. While your hacking a base (advanced hacking cert required) you are very vulnerable to attack. So its good to have a force in the room with you keeping it secure. It takes a while to hack a base. Once you do, it takes 15 minutes before it becomes property of your empire, during that time nothing is operational inside for anyone. And the empire you hacked from has the ability to retrieve it. This particular mission went back and forth between all empires.

here you state that you need an advanced hacking cert to hack into a base.

i doubt that new characters will have enough starting cert points to get up to advanced hacking without fighting for and capturing bases.

chicken and the egg syndrome?

please point out my logic error here.

[Commander Cain]

great review,
very well written. I want to play Planetside more then ever now.

[Jinxmasta]

Seeing as you can get Battle Rank 5 without leaving the VR Training, it shouldn't be too hard to get Advanced Hacking. This is what I plan to do, get Infiltration Suit, then Hacking, then Advanced Hacking, and then all the other good stuff. This means all I'll have to use is 3 certs and I already have what I need to be a good infiltrator. We also know that at Battle Rank 5 we will AT LEAST have 5 certs or more so I'll probably have room for a Wraith.

[Lexington_Steele]

Originally posted by afex
question:


here you state that you need an advanced hacking cert to hack into a base.

i doubt that new characters will have enough starting cert points to get up to advanced hacking without fighting for and capturing bases.

chicken and the egg syndrome?

please point out my logic error here.

Good point but I think it is only a minor problem.

If you get BEPs from doing things like visiting continents for the first time, VR training, and battling in general then you have a steady source of BEPs without actually taking a base.

I think the period of time when hacking certs are not common will be very short, (maybe a week of release). In the grand scheme of planetside that is be a very short period.

[Jinxmasta]

Originally posted by Jinxmasta
Seeing as you can get Battle Rank 5 without leaving the VR Training, it shouldn't be too hard to get Advanced Hacking. This is what I plan to do, get Infiltration Suit, then Hacking, then Advanced Hacking, and then all the other good stuff. This means all I'll have to use is 3 certs and I already have what I need to be a good infiltrator. We also know that at Battle Rank 5 we will AT LEAST have 5 certs or more so I'll probably have room for a Wraith.
Read ^
In other words, people will have advanced hacking probably in the first day of release if they are willing to devote their certs to being an infiltrator. I know I will be and I can bet you by the end of the first day I play (if I get a lot of time, sometimes I only get like 30 minutes because I usually buy the game right before the mall closes for some reason) I will have an advanced hacking cert.

[Hamma]

Good points, I am not sure how many cert points you start with. But dont forget you can earn battle ranks in the VR area.

[m0rphiu5]

Originally posted by Jinxmasta
Seeing as you can get Battle Rank 5 without leaving the VR Training, it shouldn't be too hard to get Advanced Hacking. This is what I plan to do, get Infiltration Suit, then Hacking, then Advanced Hacking, and then all the other good stuff. This means all I'll have to use is 3 certs and I already have what I need to be a good infiltrator. We also know that at Battle Rank 5 we will AT LEAST have 5 certs or more so I'll probably have room for a Wraith.

actually that was my plan aswell, accept ill probably go more of an "attack stealth" to start with, specialising in whatever weapons a stealth can use...

ohh btw hamma can stealths use supressors?

[Incompetent]

no

[Hamma]

I dont think they have inventory space for larger weapons like supressors. But I am not entirly sure.

[Camping Carl]

Last I heard, all they've got room for is pistols and knives.

[Mold]

And i would love it if like i said you could disable it IF you want. Would allow for quick and/or tricky landings. Imagine landing right outside an enemy base, picking up your squad and taking off again in a big 6-7 secs.

I imagine you could do that if landing/takeoff where hotkeys.

*edit* if the animations are too slow then maybe they shoulda came up with some quick land that causes a little crash damage but halves the animation time. Perhaps if you zip in real close to the ground before ya hit the button the animation would be shorter. *shrug* i dont see whats gonna stop ya from just landing it yourself...it would kinda be dumb if you are already on the ground and you have to hit the button to make the animation land from the air just so ppl could get in.

Oh ya and, succumb to the technology! Do not deny the advancement of our race! We must continue our research to survive and we will not let you take away the only hope for a beter way of life.
VANU FOREVER

[BLuE_ZeRO]

We should be able to do fly by pickups. Just fly close to the ground and someone can jump in like in BF1942.

[�io]

Originally posted by Mold
I imagine you could do that if landing/takeoff where hotkeys.

Well not the way Hamma described it, he said you have to stop and hover first then press the land button so you can't land full speed you have to stop first. :(

Oh and i'm pretty sure hacking a base can be done with basic hacking it just takes more time. I'll try to find where i saw it said.

[Airlift]

I thought you could take a base without hacking by raping the generators and waitng for the base to reset?

[�io]

You can destroy the gens but (again i read somewhere but dunno where :lol:) it was said it's pretty hard, gens are tough and i'm not sure if destroying the gens will capture the base, it will disable it obviously but dunno about capping.

[Hamma]

Gens dont capture bases, they are very hard to take out - and only disable the bases. Making it useless for the team who owns it.

Teams will need to have defense throughout the base in order to keep the gens up, and all their defenses active (stations, vehicle pads, etc etc)

[�io]

:thumbsup:

[Jinxmasta]

Originally posted by BLuE_ZeRO
We should be able to do fly by pickups. Just fly close to the ground and someone can jump in like in BF1942.
:lol: One time some guy tried to do that and first he ran over the guy he was trying it on and then he crashed right into a tree. Pretty sad if you ask me...

[Doobz]

i remember a time when a jeep came running at me trying to suicide me (i was in a tank) and i shot it up and fired a round into it. the thing exploded and its burning hulk sailed through the air until it came and smacked into my copula MGer. it was funny has hell, the MGer, of course died, from impact with a high-speed, heavy object:)

[Jinxmasta]

That has happened to me too except it just skimmed my MGers head and it landed on the other side. About 30 seconds later, another jeep came but it hit a bump and it looked like it was going to go right over me so I pointed the cannon way up and shot it right as it passed over and boy did that thing get some air!

[Doobz]

jeeps are awsome in BF

[BLuE_ZeRO]

If you drive a jeep straight into a turret or something sometimes you can get to just shoot up into the air. Satchel jumping them is funny as hell to. Shot it across the river on... shit don't remember the map... one with the bridge.

[Doobz]

ARNHEM? thats like a 200 meter jump! ppl on the stunt forums DREAM about that stunt!

me, im a pilot man, so im gonna fly my trusty mustang strait throught the bridge between the trusses on the top :cool:

[BLuE_ZeRO]

ahh it was on marketgarden. Just played some bf1942 today and was playing that map. :rock:

[RG_Vortex]

Hamma I have a question for you.

The Galaxy, how is it loaded? Are the three gunner positions manned by passengers or are they part of the Galaxy crew together with the pilot? Last I heard there was room for a maximum of 11 passengers, with the pilot that's 12 total. If the passengers doesn't man the guns it would require another 3 to make it fully operational. 12 or 15 ppl in a Galaxy, which is it???


Edit: Another Q

The Reaver gunship, is it part of a vehicle class with Empire specific vehicles? If so, which Empire does the Reaver belong to and what are the names of the other Empires gunships? Or is it just a single common pool vehicle like the Mosquito?

[Zatrais]

The gunners are not a needed part of the galaxy grew for it to fly.... Gunners can be a pasrt of the crew or the gunner positions can just be considered as passenger seats whit a gun =P

as for the number of people:
2 MAX suits
3 Gunners
1 Pilot
6 Passenger seats (up to Reinforced armor i assume)
1 Light tank (only 1 light tank isn't there, that means 1 person i think) OR a 3 man buggy

that means the total is either
a.) whit a light tank in the cargo hold, 13
b.) whit a 3 man buggy, 15

As for the Reaver, the Reaver is a common pool vehicle meaning that all empiers has access to it and it has it's own certification.

[Hamma]

Yep, gunner spot = passenger seat.

:D

[Camping Carl]

The Reaver gunship, is it part of a vehicle class with Empire specific vehicles? If so, which Empire does the Reaver belong to and what are the names of the other Empires gunships? Or is it just a single common pool vehicle like the Mosquito?

It's common pool. Every empire has two vehicles, a tank, and a buggy. The reaver is the only gunship in the game.
:sniper:

[�io]

As far as we know.

[m0rphiu5]

:stupid:

for all we know there are artillerary, empire gunships and more vehicles than we could dream of.... i doubt it, Hamma has played, but it could change.

[�io]

Yeah but Hamma and other media peeps played what the devs wanted them to play. They only played on one continent if i remember correctly but that doesn't mean the full game will only have the map they played.

[Hamma]

When I saw the game, there were no surprise vehicles.

But who knows what the future holds hehe