PSU Q&A With Higby

[Hamma]

We have an official Face to Face Q&A Lined up with Matt on Friday at PAX East. MgFalcon (follow him on Twitter @MgFalcon) will be sitting down with him for the interview.

As a result we want to gather questions from the community! It's a fairly short interview so we want to be brief and well thought out in our questions. I will be closing this thread on Wednesday Night @ 8PM CDT so we have time to organize the questions for Friday!

Please post One Question you would like to be asked. Please do not post multiple questions or multipart questions. If it has already been asked we will not ask it (we will pick questions to the best of our ability.).

This thread will be heavily moderated to remove anything that is not a question so please do not use this thread for discussion. If you wish to discuss something from this topic please create another thread.

Fire away!

* For those going to PAX east, you can see Matt in the Future Of Online Games Panel. You can also see this thread to find fellow PlanetSide Players.

* Don't forget to tune into the Auraxis Global Network on Saturday @ 7PM CDT as we talk PlanetSide 2, PAX East and more!

[MgFalcon]

Don't forget to follow me on twitter! @MgFalcon

I will be covering the entire event (Future of Online Games Panel) as it happens! (and more PAX East stuff!)

[waldizzo]

In the GDC video, it appeared that a bunch of people hanging out in the spawn room captures the base. Can you please explain the process of a successful base capture?

[Sentrosi]

Thoughts on Heavy Lift Vehicles (HLV). Specifically if you see a role for a Lodestar type of vehicle within Planetside 2. Could you see a modification of the Galaxy to fill the role of a HLV?

[ItsTheSheppy]

Much has been made on PS2's similarities to already-existing properties; EVE's skill system, Battlefield's FPS mechanics, and PS1's open-world persistent battle. What are PS2's innovations? What is it offering that is brand-new, that cannot be found elsewhere?

[Raymac]

What is your biggest challenge in creating Planetside 2?

[CutterJohn]

Aside from Engineers, what other options for healing will MAX units have? Can they get repairs at a terminal, or from the sunderers repair aura?

[ringring]

Can you provide some more granularity on the in-game VIOP?

From the gdc video it appeared (from one screen) that the only option was on or off.

But for instance, will there be different channels that can be subscribed to? e.g squad channel, platoon channel, channel for commanders, channel for squad leaders (with invite or permission to join capability) .. etc

[TheDrone]

What are the differences in roles/functions on the battlefield between Heavy Assault and MAXes?


(I'd appreciate a PM if this question has already been answered)

[oosik]

Hamma,

Will the Aegis shield currently in PS1 also be in PS2?

[Stardouser]

I am a Battlefield 3 refugee who is not happy with the casualized focus of BF3 in terms of 3D spotting, audiospotting, and killcam, and other things of that nature which take skill out of the equation. Half the BF community wants these things and half does not; which side will Planetside 2 be aiming at?

Additional context if needed: While I understand the need to modernize Planetside's gameplay, it is my belief that the part of the Battlefield community which wants these casualizations will NOT be interested in Planetside anyway because they will not be able to tolerate an ongoing war that doesn't end after 30 minutes and give you a gold star for getting the most kills.

[Vancha]

What persistent progression do you have in mind for empires, the environment, the storyline and anything else that isn't purely character-based?

[ATeddyBear]

I have always been a fan of being a support centric player in PS1. The ability to carry each of the repair tools (GlueGun, Medic and Repair) made me very versatile to support my squad in the field at the sacrifice of having two main weapons. I noticed in PS2 that these abilities are now split between Medic and Engineer. Is there any plans, or anything in place, currently that allows for this kind of support centric game play or am I stuck choosing between Medic and Engineer?

[Halon]

Will you need to be a current subscriber to PS1 to receive planned veteran perks/rewards in PS2? Or will these be available to people who no longer have an active sub?

[Arby]

We know each vehicle has sidegrades, is there a plan (or already implemented) to make one of the sidegrades possible to shift the driver's main gun to the gunner's control, allowing for a dedicated driver and a dedicated gunner?