New letter

Navaron · 2003-07-21, 10:12 PM

Associate Producer's Letter - July 21, 2003
Several weeks ago, we announced our future plans for the game and started on PlanetSide's never-ending journey of continually added content and gameplay. The two new vehicles we added, the Liberator three-person bomber and the SkyGuard anti-aircraft buggy, have had a huge impact on battle conditions across Auraxis. Commanders are now able to rain destruction on their enemies through the Orbital Strike and EMP Blasts. Medics are now able to locate soldiers that need their help easier. I wanted to take a moment to shed some light on what's next for PlanetSide.

In a few weeks, we'll be shaking up the base capture process by bringing out of the SOI and back onto the terrain. In order to successfully capture a base, rather than waiting inside the base's SOI for the capture process to count down, players will need to capture a base's Lattice Logic Unit and deliver it to one of their nearest facilities. We'll describe this more fully in the coming days.

In the month of August, we will be finishing up the long-awaited Facility Link Benefits across the world. As described previously, these will include the following:

Bio Laboratory: Reduces all respawn penalties by 50%. Note that this only applies to linked facilities , not Towers or AMSs.
Technology Plant: Makes "advanced" vehicles available at any vehicle pad linked to a friendly Tech Plant.
Amp Station: Allows vehicles to recharge their shield capacitors in the courtyard of any linked facility. This shield strengthens the armor of the vehicle, but its strength dissipates as damage hits that shield. Vehicles recharge over time when in a linked courtyard. Vehicles' energy dissipates only when they're damaged. There is no way to recharge a shield capacitor "in the field."
Dropship Center: Allows access to Repair/Rearm Pads at linked facilities. Air vehicles can now land on the air vehicle pads, and ground vehicles can pull up to a wall station in the courtyards. Once at the Dropship Center, the vehicles can repair themselves over time; and they can access a terminal interface that's based in the Equipment Terminal allowing them to fill their trunk space without leaving the vehicle.
Interlink Facility: Greatly enhances the coverage area of a player's basic radar and makes Phalanx Wall Turrets much more effective.
In addition, we will be implementing the Base Ownership System. This will allow Outfits to stake their claim on a friendly base and claim certain benefits as long as it remains under their Empire's control. Outfits will be able to quickly recall to Outfit-owned bases, similar to recalling to Sanctuary. An Outfit-owned base will always be available as a respawn point to players on the same continent, regardless of their proximity to the base. Of course, controlling your own turf isn't half as cool if no one knows the base is yours. This will warn enemies of who they're about to attack upon entering an Outfit-owned SOI. The Outfit's logo will appear on the Empire hologram flag and be visible over the base SOI on the Continental Map.

To help those brave soldiers who choose to stay behind and defend their Empire's facility holdings, there will be an Enemy Density Warning. Soldiers in a friend SOI will be alerted when enemy forces begin to build up near the facility.

We continue our ongoing efforts to eliminate bugs and exploits. There have been a few stubborn issues that we hope to have addressed soon. We'll also implementing enhanced community features in the near future.

For Land. For Power. Forever. See you on Auraxis!

Danny "Blackbird" Han
Associate Producer

Navaron · 2003-07-21, 10:28 PM

Do any of you guys think that CTF is the cure for capping bases right now? I mean, this is totally out of character of the game, and really seems out of the blue. I'm kinda sensing desparation coming from these guys, and that's very unsettling.

starrider · 2003-07-21, 10:31 PM

yes unstettleing it is......tho base ownership is a big plus

Indecisive · 2003-07-21, 10:32 PM

WTF? now ps is mmo tribes without argument

BUGGER · 2003-07-21, 10:32 PM

the CTF thing is gona kill the game.

starrider · 2003-07-21, 10:34 PM

i hope not...mabye they will realize the error of their ways and just putin the benifits/ownership and think of a better way to make base fights more interesting

Navaron · 2003-07-21, 10:35 PM

...and everyone will join ELF

Indecisive · 2003-07-21, 10:36 PM

I can see it now:

Patch 5.00.10

1.You can now ski
2. you now have jetpacks

Valcron · 2003-07-21, 10:37 PM

What absolutely SLAYS me is the fact that this is the BEST they could come up with?

This is how supposedly the game will become dynamic?

Fuck that, I am not down with that shit. They can go ride someone else's MasterCard, not fucking mine.

starrider · 2003-07-21, 10:38 PM

what is ELH

Navaron · 2003-07-21, 10:39 PM

A spam clan

Sputty · 2003-07-21, 10:43 PM

Originally posted by {BOHICA}Navaron
Do any of you guys think that CTF is the cure for capping bases right now? I mean, this is totally out of character of the game, and really seems out of the blue. I'm kinda sensing desparation coming from these guys, and that's very unsettling.

Gah, this makes me feel sick. I might cancel my subscription over this. This is pathetic. They just try to be as many games as they can be and it just makes a crappy version of T2:1942. It's retarded. Use your heads. Don't just copy something. Fuck. dsfngfjbndasljnf

starrider · 2003-07-21, 10:44 PM

i concur

Hexen · 2003-07-21, 10:46 PM

I often wonder how people can be good enough at C++ to come together and make a game, but don't seem to have the brains to find inventive solutions to their game's problems.

I guess its just one of those mysteries of life.

Anyway, IMHO, this CTF thing sounds BAD. Lattice Logic Unit? wtf is that? Why would you have to take it to one of your base? It doesnt even make sense. Right now you take a base by force, AS YOU SHOULD, and have to HACK to gain control of it's facilities, as you should. Where is the sense in delivering a little crap to a friendly facility so an enemy one will become yours? I mean.. what? Its so stupid.

I mean even Tribes 2 has "Capture and Hold", Battlefield has Conquest. Both of these involve players attacking bases, and holding them, similar to how PlanetSide works NOW. It makes sense damnit, if you want to take over a base, you force your way in and sit there until its securely yours goddamnit.

I hope they don't implement this, so they can at least sit on their asses and figure out a more viable solution.

Indecisive · 2003-07-21, 10:46 PM

Originally posted by Sputty
Gah, this makes me feel sick. I might cancel my subscription over this. This is pathetic. They just try to be as many games as they can be and it just makes a crappy version of T2:1942. It's retarded. Use your heads. Don't just copy something. Fuck. dsfngfjbndasljnf

Indeed

Watch.

Its gonna be "wait 15 min, then play ctf"

Goddamit f*** this game