Will everyone have access to some AV/anti-MAX weaponry?

[FIREk]

Hopefully some of our friendly neighborhood Devs will notice and be able to answer this...

In PlanetSide, everyone could carry some sort of anti-armor weapon, be it empire-specific AV, a Decimator or Rocklet rifle. AP ammo was an option too. In PS2, I find it more and more likely that only the "Engineer" class will have access to a missile/rocket launcher.

Multiple ammo types will most likely not be available in PS2, as I think SOE wants to streamline gameplay, rather than keep it complicated.

If this is the case, one solution would be to make MAXes more susceptible to small arms fire. However, with all the disadvantages of using a MAX, I can't see why anyone would want to choose being slow, DPS-only and not really that much more resilient in a firefight.

I'm kind of hoping that all classes, except Infiltrator, MAX and Light Assault will be able to carry a secondary weapon, like a grenade or rocket launcher. Perhaps the Light Assault class will be able to have a secondary weapon too, at the expense of not being able to wear and use a jetpack.

The Engineer could have access to more potent AV weapons, but everyone should have access to something that lets them deal with armored threats, at the expense of having to swap weapons should any infantry pose a threat in the meantime.
I think not carrying what might be more useful at the time is downside enough and I hope the AV side of PS2 won't be one of the things inspired by the Battlefield series.

[Bags]

MCG + Decimator fo' life!

[WarChimp130]

I can't see them taking AV away from Infantry in favor of engineers. Doesn't really fit.

[Aractain]

Hopefully not. Role base teamwork. ROLE.

Also engineer seems more of a support role rather than a front combat role.

MAXs will be balanced some other way, trust in the Higby hair.

[Bags]

Originally Posted by Aractain

Hopefully not. Role base teamwork. ROLE.

Also engineer seems more of a support role rather than a front combat role.

MAXs will be balanced some other way, trust in the Higby hair.

I hate forcing teamwork via classes. I don't see why a heavy grunt can't carry his MCG and Deci.

[EASyEightyEight]

I imagine any true form of rocket launcher will be assault only. However, these heavy weapons guys will probably be completely reliant on medics and engineers for any real efficient healing/repairs. I'm sure there are med-kits, but those are really for emergencies, not for downtime healing.

Finally, I'm going to believe (if there is any) that SA will be fairly generic and be available to nearly every class. It's all still mostly anti-infantry weaponry, not as effective as close range HA, but won't be replacing an assault rifle either. Something akin to the rocklet rifle might be the proper counter against MAXes for none-heavy weapons guys.

I say heavy weaons guys because we don't know if heavy armor is actually restricted to all but one class. For all we know, medics and engineers can wear heavy armor too, just that the jump trooper can only wear light armor.

[Aractain]

Originally Posted by Bags

I hate forcing teamwork via classes. I don't see why a heavy grunt can't carry his MCG and Deci.

I think I prefer it without it for other reasons (mainly if you NEED all the classes like a trinity system in an MMO).

But the other way has proven to be... difficult to balance. A slight tweak ends up in entire loadout changes. Creating hard walls between certain capabilitys you a) improve the indaviduals who do that (because they know you can't stack it) and b) can make more granular changes without impacting so many other parts of the game.

Thats my hope anyway.

[Bags]

Originally Posted by Aractain

I think I prefer it without it for other reasons (mainly if you NEED all the classes like a trinity system in an MMO).

But the other way has proven to be... difficult to balance. A slight tweak ends up in entire loadout changes. Creating hard walls between certain capabilitys you a) improve the indaviduals who do that (because they know you can't stack it) and b) can make more granular changes without impacting so many other parts of the game.

Thats my hope anyway.

It was only hard to balance because they kept giving us more certs. I like everyone being able to do something to a degree, yet a bitchin medic is very desirable.

[LZachariah]

I doubt that Anti-Armor weaponry will be common-pool, the same way that I don't think Sniper rifles will be common-pool. Anti-Armor weapons (like Sniper rifles) serve a very specific and very POWERFUL role. I assume that Anti-Armor will be among the trees in Heavy Assault (in fact, Sniping might be, as well).

Additionally, I don't think that Engineering will contain any Anti-Armor projectile weapons (such as Lancers, Decimators, etc). Combat Engineering is about tools and devices; it's only games like Battlefield that arbitrarily decided that engineers also wield gigantic bazookas. The Anti-Armor weapons that Combat Engineers will have will be anti-tank mines, explosives, etc.

[CutterJohn]

I would like one of the classes of grenade you can carry(or perhaps, and alternate fire mode for grenades) to be a sticky grenade that sticks to vehicles/maxs and does quite good damage but has little splash, and would be available to all.

There should also at the very least be a light AV weapon available to all infantry. Something like the RPG-7 or M-72.

But I also wouldn't mind a dedicated AV class of heavy soldier that gets proper AV and AA but a teeny gun.

[SKYeXile]

Originally Posted by LZachariah

I doubt that Anti-Armor weaponry will be common-pool, the same way that I don't think Sniper rifles will be common-pool. Anti-Armor weapons (like Sniper rifles) serve a very specific and very POWERFUL role. I assume that Anti-Armor will be among the trees in Heavy Assault (in fact, Sniping might be, as well).

Additionally, I don't think that Engineering will contain any Anti-Armor projectile weapons (such as Lancers, Decimators, etc). Combat Engineering is about tools and devices; it's only games like Battlefield that arbitrarily decided that engineers also wield gigantic bazookas. The Anti-Armor weapons that Combat Engineers will have will be anti-tank mines, explosives, etc.

I think you will find there is common pool snipers rifles and AV? i presume you mean though you will have to specilise in a role/class to get access to said weapons though? Im still confused by their system myself, i even talked to a developer and it boggles my mind still.

Yea typically in Planetside the egnieer has always been about deployables and repairs...I dont think that would change just because DICE in their infinite wisdom made enginners carry AV.

[CutterJohn]

Originally Posted by SKYeXile

Yea typically in Planetside the egnieer has always been about deployables and repairs...I dont think that would change just because DICE in their infinite wisdom made enginners carry AV.

Dice just wanted to get rid of a few of the more frivolous or lesser played classes. Being an engineer was not all that special in BF2. Unless you had a vehicle to repair, you had little to do.

[Goku]

I actually fond the engineer in BF2 fun at times. I enjoyed running around the urban maps shotgunning guys to death (<3 the JH) and placing mines in front of vehicles just before they hit that spot. I would hope the engis in PS2 will do more though of course. Otherwise they would be worthless for indoor combat.

[CutterJohn]

Yeah, JH was lovely.

Still, engy with noone to repair was largely useless. I didn't mind that the just shifted engy to one who deals with vehicles, both killing them and repairing them.

[LZachariah]

Originally Posted by SKYeXile

I think you will find there is common pool snipers rifles and AV? i presume you mean though you will have to specilise in a role/class to get access to said weapons though? Im still confused by their system myself, i even talked to a developer and it boggles my mind still.

Yea typically in Planetside the egnieer has always been about deployables and repairs...I dont think that would change just because DICE in their infinite wisdom made enginners carry AV.

Yes, of course you're right; I misused the phrase "common pool," and it came out sounding like there would only be Vanu/Terran/NC Sniper Rifles and Anti-Armor weapons. Right, there are Common Pool sniper rifles and Anti-Armor weapons insofar as all three factions can wield them. I guess what I had meant to say is that I doubt there will be any Sniper Rifles or Anti-Armor weapons that are available to all classes. An Advanced Medic won't be able to wield a sniper rifle, an Infiltrator won't be able to wield a Lancer. If you want to wield a sniper rifle, I think you'll need to choose the "Sniper" class, and if you want to wield an Anti-Armor projectile weapon, you'll need to perhaps choose the Heavy Assault class.

Thanks for the inquiry; you're definitely right about what I meant to say.

~Zachariah