Role of MAXs

[Metalsheep]

I dont agree with making ANY class in a first person SHOOTER melee oriented. I have always felt that Melee has little to no place in a FPS. A Melee attack or Melee weapon should be a last resort option when you have run out of ammo.

Though since Meleeing is in for Planetside 2, i would rather see a MAXs Melee be a knock back/backhand type of attack.

A MAX is just what it is. a Mechanized Assault Exosuit. It brings the heaviest armor and heaviest firepower to bear on the battlefield at the cost of speed and utility. I don't feel there was ever anything wrong with how MAXs were implimented in Planetside 1, it is the oversaturation of Cert Points that lead to TONS of people certing Uni-MAX, and in turn, Rexo players adapted by certing AV to counter the MAX units. MAX units used to die to Two Deci shots, it was bumped to 3 shots because MAXs became fodder to AV toting Rexos.

A MAX is meant to spearhead an attack, it heads the assault, it breaks stalemates and holds the line. A single, good MAX unit can turn the tide of a battle just be being present. But with all that raw fighting power, he is totally helpless without constant support from Medics, Engineers and now possible Light Assault to supply Ammo. They are exactly like Tanks, a single tank requires TONS of support, but its firepower and presence is invaluable.

They dont need to change much, i personally think they are rather Iconic for Planetside.

Though: for Planetside 2, i would like to see MAX units be unlockable in the HA tree perhaps to avoid oversaturation of MAXs. If Everyone and their mother has Access to MAX suits at all times, they will becomes hugely overpopulated i think. Though there would have to be some kind of second option for HA players to choose instead of MAX suits, so that it still sets the Rexos apart from the MAX, instead of having all Rexo soldiers eventually end up as a MAX suit. Though i have no ideas on what the second option could be for Rexos.

[Talek Krell]

Originally Posted by Metalsheep

Though i have no ideas on what the second option could be for Rexos.

Simply making the rexo itself a viable unit should suffice. The playstyle and purpose will be different enough, I think, that any given person will have a preference.

[Skitrel]

Give them chainswords and a burst sprint ability that knocks a small radius back 10m while hacking the people you hit to bits.. Or not.

[Warborn]

Originally Posted by Metalsheep

I dont agree with making ANY class in a first person SHOOTER melee oriented. I have always felt that Melee has little to no place in a FPS. A Melee attack or Melee weapon should be a last resort option when you have run out of ammo.

Don't get caught up in semantics. It's science fiction. Melee weapons are a very common part of science fiction warfare. Star Wars has guys with laser swords, Warhammer stuff has claws and big fists and whatever, etc etc.

The important question is whether it is good gameplay. The "should" of it in terms of realism or whatever is completely unimportant. Things shouldn't be so jarringly incongruous that they are jarring to behold, but if the average gamer played Planetside 2 and saw someone walking around in a huge suit of armor bashing guys in with a huge hammer or something, they'd not find it peculiar by any means.

[CutterJohn]

Originally Posted by Warborn

Don't get caught up in semantics. It's science fiction. Melee weapons are a very common part of science fiction warfare. Star Wars has guys with laser swords, Warhammer stuff has claws and big fists and whatever, etc etc.

The important question is whether it is good gameplay. The "should" of it in terms of realism or whatever is completely unimportant. Things shouldn't be so jarringly incongruous that they are jarring to behold, but if the average gamer played Planetside 2 and saw someone walking around in a huge suit of armor bashing guys in with a huge hammer or something, they'd not find it peculiar by any means.

I would, since guns are far more effective at killing. Not against a max melee, but melee died out as a primary form of warfare when the gun was invented.


If you really wanted a different role for MAXs, I'd prefer Mobile Infantry to indoor melee tank. Make em just like the book, heavily armed and armored shock troops, but vulnerable in close quarters since they've little room to maneuver.

[Warborn]

So how did guns and warfare change when advanced nano-tech alloys and personal shield units were invented? This is a very silly avenue to pursue in terms of debating gameplay stuff as, once again, melee weapons in sci-fi is incredibly well-established, and gameplay trumps strange assertions about how warfare on Auraxis works.

[Duddy]

Indeed talking about realism in that sense is probably pointless.

I would however worry about the melee vs ranged arms race that you see in WoW. They are forever having to readdress giving ranged away to keep out of melee character reach and giving melee characters a way to close the gap.

Ultimately I think it'd be a balance nightmare, either you can't get to melee range reliably enough and it's too weak or you might end up with being more than able to get in range and it ends up feeling way to stong.

[SkitzoSniper]

As i have read in a previous thread, sense there will be no AP ammo, MAX's will have to be able to be killed by regular ammo. Unless the only thing that is going to damage them is going to be AV, then only HA class can take them down(which would be stupid, btw). I am just really curious to see what they are going to look like in the final design.

[SKYeXile]

Originally Posted by SkitzoSniper

As i have read in a previous thread, sense there will be no AP ammo, MAX's will have to be able to be killed by regular ammo. Unless the only thing that is going to damage them is going to be AV, then only HA class can take them down(which would be stupid, btw). I am just really curious to see what they are going to look like in the final design.

if AV can only take them down, then i would hope their gun isn't the most effective thing out there unless its really close range... like so its exteame close range only, scat max primary fire sort of range.

[kaffis]

I don't think vehicle armor will be impervious to bullets; it will just be grossly ineffective. Shooting your pistol or rifle at the MBT is a waste of ammo, presumably doing the same against the MAX is less so, but still inefficient enough to require concentrated fire from a squad to pose a threat to the MAX in the absence of HA.

[CutterJohn]

Originally Posted by Warborn

So how did guns and warfare change when advanced nano-tech alloys and personal shield units were invented? This is a very silly avenue to pursue in terms of debating gameplay stuff as, once again, melee weapons in sci-fi is incredibly well-established, and gameplay trumps strange assertions about how warfare on Auraxis works.

Yes, but 1st person melee is bad gameplay as well. Never seen a single game do it worth a damn.

[Malorn]

MAX have vehicle-class armor, and that is extremely significant. I also expect the weaponry to be a bit better than HA. But no shields, slow turning and movement, and reliance on engineers for healing.

That's significantly different from the HA class.

[Malorn]

Also, melee is dumb. Last thing you want is a friendly dancing in the middle of hostiles forcing you to either friendly fire them or reduce fire. Limits grenade use among other things. It is a poor design.