MBTs - 3-man or 2-man - Discuss!

**Malorn** · 2012-03-17, 01:19 AM

Several awesome tweets resulted from the prowler thread.

Per Hamma:

Via Twitter right now it is a two man tank. Higby and team have toyed around with making all empires 3 man to have a dedicated drive but it's nothing final.

https://twitter.com/#!/BrewkoPS/stat...36207570333696

@CDLHamma @mhigby The Prowler is a 2-man tank in #PlanetSide2.
Quote:
@CDLHamma We're still determining if we'll have a 3rd slot on the MBTs, it's a possibility at this point.

I asked:

@BrewkoPS @mhigby thanks brewko I'd assume what Matt mentioned would go for all tanks if it happened

The response:

@CDLHamma @BrewkoPS probably. It's something @kevmo0 and I discussed POSSIBLY adding as a way to spec tanks out to have a dedicated driver

So it is not in stone but it is something they have thought of.

Possibly new thread worthy?

Definitely new thread worthy!

Since 1-man tanks have been one of the biggest discussion points I thought it would be worthwhile to give our developer overlords our thoughts on the matter.

So please, discuss away! Dedicated driver or no?

Skitrel · 2012-03-17, 01:23 AM

On topic: 2 man, it works perfectly fine in BF3. They're devastating and any skilled driver doesn't run into stuff. Don't really see a need for a dedicated driver, that just takes 1 man away from being in other stuff and making the fight bigger/cooler.

EDIT: That's gasoline to you yanks.

Grognard · 2012-03-17, 01:39 AM

Im ok with 2 man tanks in any encarnation, but three man tanks... That seems like an excessive waste of available manpower that could be doing other things. I could probably live with it, but I dont like locking three players into one tank.

The devils advocate in me tells me that it might then be in-line with a liberator, which strikes me as a "sky-tank" in its new configuration...

I would have to be convinced that 3-manning is a good idea, so at this point, I prefer 2.

noxious · 2012-03-17, 01:46 AM

Sweet. I hope this means we'll get configurations with dedicated drivers. It's hard to imagine how they'll balance these with the one-man versions, but I'm sure they can figure something out.

Zulthus · 2012-03-17, 01:49 AM

Nothing wrong with three man tanks, IMO. One dedicated driver, one main cannon gunner, and the chain gunner. Tanks should be the Liberators on the ground.

Dedicated drivers w/dedicated gunners > One man army drivers, in all cases.

Do it guys.

Skitrel · 2012-03-17, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by Zulthus

Nothing wrong with three man tanks, IMO. One dedicated driver, one main cannon gunner, and the chain gunner. Tanks should be the Liberators on the ground.

Dedicated drivers w/dedicated gunners > One man army drivers, in all cases.

Do it guys.

You must have missed the prowler thread, there's lots of things wrong with 3 man tanks. The prowler in PS1 proved that.

Zulthus · 2012-03-17, 01:52 AM

Originally Posted by Skitrel

You must have missed the prowler thread, there's lots of things wrong with 3 man tanks. The prowler in PS1 proved that.

Just because they had a shitty chaingun doesn't mean they can't make them good in PS2. They already said they were making the secondary guns very powerful. Try again.

Bags · 2012-03-17, 01:53 AM

I'd be fine with it as an option.

It takes more players, but you get the added bonus of better control and m ain gun accuracy.

Zulthus · 2012-03-17, 01:55 AM

Originally Posted by Bags

I'd be fine with it as an option.

It takes more players, but you get the added bonus of better control and m ain gun accuracy.

Exactly... give everyone what they want. One man tanks for the killwhores and multiple seat tanks for the teamwork oriented players. I'm fine with both as teamwork will always win.

ArcIyte · 2012-03-17, 01:57 AM

Praise be unto Higbyjesus. May his light show us the path from ignorance into enlightenment (and beta), lest we become lost and be consumed by flames and prowler threads.

Fortress · 2012-03-17, 02:09 AM

I don't see how making the prowler only require 2 people will do anything other than make that stupid blob even more of a chore to drive, but if it makes you TR folk happy...

And before you all rage, I'm making no comment on its PS1 effectiveness. I just feel obese driving it.

Sirisian · 2012-03-17, 02:20 AM

Seems simple enough. I explained this forever ago.
1 person - Controls main gun, can't swap to gunner.
2 people - Driver controls main gun. Can right click to release main gun to second person. Second gunner can then a radio button show up and can right click to take over main gun
3 people - Driver would right click to release main gun. Third gunner would then get control. Second gunner wouldn't see an option to switch to it.

The problem:
VS doesn't have a tank. Uh oh. I tweeted TRay a fix:

Originally Posted by Sirisian

@PS_TRay Before it's too late. http://sirisian.com/pictures/psvstank.png Plasma shell, 2 tracks, rotating turret, still hovers, no pebble design. Think about it.

He replied with:

Originally Posted by PS_TRay

@Sirisian2 y does it have tracks if it still hovers?

I replied with:

Originally Posted by Sirisian

@PS_TRay Oh I should have explained that. Tracks as in purple hover jets. IceyCold linked this in IRC as an example http://vxmarcusxv.files.wordpress.co...hovertank2.jpg

Originally Posted by Sirisian

@PS_TRay Basically the tracks just keep it in line with the TR and NC look. So the VS are still human, but showing their technical prowess.

This idea fits with the VS theme without going overboard and gets rid of the fixed turret and balancing problems of using a laser and switching to a plasma shell more in line with NC and TR as explained in the image allowing all of tanks to be balanced more easily with 1, 2, or 3 people.

Bigger Fix:
I think the best system would be rolling it also into the resource system. This allows a driver in a squad for instance to pull a tank with added armor or an upgraded cannon or gear system and have squadmates pick up the difference. Simple concept that allows 3 man powerful tanks to be cheaper than pulling multiple tanks and balances the whole system for users that prefer 3 people without hurting anyone that prefers 1 or 2 people. Important distinction that few systems address.

Warhound · 2012-03-17, 02:24 AM

Originally Posted by Zulthus

Exactly... give everyone what they want. One man tanks for the killwhores and multiple seat tanks for the teamwork oriented players. I'm fine with both as teamwork will always win.

Umm cant you still have teamwork with the one man vehicles? Ya know kinda like coordinating your efforts with people in other vehicles? I dont see how one man tanks take away any teamwork aspect at all, instead of coordinating within a vehicle(You still would if you had someone manning the secondary) you're just working with multiple vehicles.

Besides it would seem that if this was implemented wouldn't the multicrewed tanks run the the strong risk of being vastly outnumbered in an armored engagement? I mean sure you can spend the time and get people to multicrew some tanks but I mean for the price of one fully crewed tank you could have three one man tanks. Quantity always seems to trump quality.

Skitrel · 2012-03-17, 02:25 AM

What? Why do Vanu need a new tank? There's absolutely nothing wrong with the Magrider.

Sirisian · 2012-03-17, 02:31 AM

Originally Posted by Skitrel

What? Why do Vanu need a new tank? There's absolutely nothing wrong with the Magrider.

I lacked statistics a long time ago to make a conclusion. I got the impression VS leaned toward a swivel turret (10 vs 7), but the NC and TR liked the VS having a fixed turret (7 vs 5).

Would you like if the TR's prowler switched to a fixed turret? That's what they did to the VS tank. Or do you only like it for the VS?