News: Higby talks Continental Lattice eSports and More

[basti]

http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=32672

[basti]

This is pretty much what he seems to be talking about (thanks to calder87 on reddit for that image that i just stole, try to sue me! )


I did not expect that. Figment, myself and many others who were suggesting a continental lattice always went with a Warpgate to Warpgate approach, never accounting the possibility that one warpgate may connect to several other warpgates.

While we dont have any details on how capturing a warpgate works, and what exactly that entails (if i capture the TR warpgate on Hossin, do i automaticly own ALL connected warpgates?), there is one thing that is safe to say:


This doesnt work.

One home continent is not enough. Some servers like Connery or Miller are rather full. What happens if two enemy factions decide to push against the common enemy, and mange to push them all the way back to their home continent? Suddenly 2/3 of that factions pop has no where to go, as a continent can only handle so many players.
Sanctuarys dont help here, as people would just be stuck there, instead of in the VR or in a que.

I assume that we dont know a very important detail that makes this setup work, or that this is still WIP.

[raw]

Originally Posted by basti

This is pretty much what he seems to be talking about

This is exactly what I suggested!

[capiqu]

Clearly we will need more continents and battle islands to make this work. Can't we put Nexus in now with 2 timed/rotating warpgates until a full intercontinental lattice system is in place that includes more conts and Islands?

[basti]

Creating a Battle Island takes about a month, at least thats how i understood what was said at MLG Anaheim. Hossin takes so long because it apperently got redesigned at least once (lattice), and has a CRAPTON of new art, like trees, buildings, even a new base type (interlink facility).

I do belive that stuff will increase in speed in the future. Once they have the biomes fleshed out and enough assets for each of them, as well as a good mix of different building assets, then theres far less mandatory artwork nessesary for a new continent.

Assuming of course they stick with the known biomes of Jungle (hossin), forest (Amerish), Desert (indar), Snow (Esamir) and Lava (Searhus).

If they go and add a new one like whatever, crystal or something (imagine, those crystals you see on Amerish here and there being the dominant thing on a continent), then of course it takes longer. But there are only so many biomes.

[capiqu]

Originally Posted by basti

Creating a Battle Island takes about a month. Hossin takes so long because it apperently got redesigned at least once (lattice), and has a CRAPTON of new art, like trees, buildings, even a new base type (interlink facility).

I do belive that stuff will increase in speed in the future. Once they have the biomes fleshed out and enough assets for each of them, as well as a good mix of different building assets, then theres far less mandatory artwork nessesary for a new continent.

Assuming of course they stick with the known biomes of Jungle (hossin), forest (Amerish), Desert (indar), Snow (Esamir) and Lava (Searhus).

If they go and add a new one like whatever, crystal or something (imagine, those crystals you see on Amerish here and there being the dominant thing on a continent), then of course it takes longer. But there are only so many biomes.

I understand what your saying. But still, I want NEXUS now.

[camycamera]

Originally Posted by basti

this is amazing news! we dont have much details, but these battle islands are much more important than we first had thought; these are the
first steps for continental domination.

[Hamma]

Posted as news:

http://www.planetside-universe.com/n...ttice-3044.htm

Thanks Basti!

[basti]

Been a long time since i had the yellow NEWS: on one of my topics. Aww, good ol days.

[Carbon Copied]

I've just never seen how home continents would realistically play out; on paper it's sound but the fact that the continent can be capped out population wise (territory aside) just doesn't bode well in my books (if this model interpretation is the end vision).

You'd almost be better off forgetting about Hossin, lock the adjoined battle islands and just increase the populations on the other home continents until people can't spawn (or even log in) there, then just "back cap" the rest as needed. Okay not that simple and to the point in actuality but with populations potentially favoring the 4th faction and general imbalances anyway I think this scenario could have a strong possibility of happening.

Would a link of battle island to Hossin (4th warp gate?) alleviate it? Who knows.

[basti]

Originally Posted by Carbon Copied

I've just never seen how home continents would realistically play out; on paper it's sound but the fact that the continent can be capped out population wise (territory aside) just doesn't bode well in my books (if this model interpretation is the end vision).

You'd almost be better off forgetting about Hossin, lock the adjoined battle islands and just increase the populations on the other home continents until people can't spawn (or even log in) there, then just "back cap" the rest as needed. Okay not that simple and to the point in actuality but with populations potentially favoring the 4th faction and general imbalances anyway I think this scenario could have a strong possibility of happening.

Would a link of battle island to Hossin (4th warp gate?) alleviate it? Who knows.

Dont think thats possible.

First of all, you would need to have a link, means capping all the way from your home warpgate on your home continent through a BI or Hossin to the enemy home continent, and then actually get over there and secure a position.

The problem really is the population cap tho. Lets assume TR got kicked out of Hossin, and VS + NC are pushing to the TR home continent via the BIs + whatever faction has a link to the TR home continent via Hossin is using that.

Means TR can only be on their home continent and the BIs. If crap happens, and they loose the BIs, they can only be on their home continent.

Thats why i think the setup as it is right now doesnt work.

[Rivenshield]

Originally Posted by basti

Thats why i think the setup as it is right now doesnt work.

I agree. We need freaking sanctuaries with at least one fixed and one rotating freaking warpgate. Why is this tough? Hell, they could lift the VR area wholesale and make a little island out of it, add the two WG's, sprinkle with faction-specific posters and graffitti, and CALL it the sanctuary. Why not?

[Hamma]

He also talks pretty extensively about eSports.. great article overall. Need to digest it..

Pretty slow today, Independence Day in the US

[SternLX]

Well... if that drawing is how it will be at first I'm not too sure. There are still 3 more Battle Islands to build in addition to Nexus for a total of 4 and not to forget Searhus is in the pipeline. So 5 Conts Plus 4 BI's.
Either I completely misheard Higby in an interview during MLG or he did say something about Nexus will initially(meaning just for starters) go in between Hossin and Esamir with their own warp gates on those continents to be captured. Meaning Esamir and Hossin would get an additional capturable Warpgate to get to Nexus. Wish I could remember who's stream it was I saw the interview. And I only watched it once.

[ShadoViper]

Well, I'm not sure what to make of all this. But it's at the very least a step in a good direction for the game continental warfare wise.

I'm still unsure how I feel about the battle islands, but I suppose they might be able to do something along the lines of urban warfare maps with greater detail and complex buildings. Which would be really cool and a nice change of pace.

I stay optimistic mostly because Higby seems to have the right idea towards the islands, and keeping them non-instanced.