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.

[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.

[Aractain]

Originally Posted by Bags

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.

Well they way I understand it you will be able to easily have an AV class when you really need it but it wont be awesome at it.

What you can't do is add AV to all your other loadouts which imo is kewl (asuming they did it that way).

[Malorn]

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.

The reason is teamwork and balance. If everyone has AV it means vehicles and max are very strong and infantry are more or less forced to use them. If they are more limited vehicles and max can be weaker, as well as give those av classes more value. That said, they could still have AP ammo. In ps2 you might even have to use it and (omg!!) make a tradeoff decision.

[Krowe]

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.

This. The variety present in PS1 (except eveyone and their mother using their heavy assault weapons in slot 2) is actually what makes teamwork so viable. The fluidity that each member brings to the table is increased by the variation between them, and also allows for greater tactical abilities and overall cohesion.

Whew, big words.

[EASyEightyEight]

Originally Posted by FIREk

Hopefully MAXes won't be near-impervious to small arms fire. If they are, they would be the only infantry class that needs a direct counter, and that would just be wrong.

Y'see, this is the problem with people and MAXes (and most lighter vehicles actually they've ingrained into their heads that you either fight them with AV or die. Seriously, even if your whole squad is just packing MA loaded with standard ammo, shoot the ****ing thing, it goes down quick to 10 guys unloading on it. They have about as much life as a harasser or a mossy (which amounts to very little actually) Now, admittedly, a MAX crash will ruin your day, but even with everyone loaded with AV it can get messy. It's not like they keel over in one decimator rocket.

Hell, a full magazine of AP ammo from the Cycler is enough to completely destroy an unshielded mossy.

Originally Posted by Krowe

This. The variety present in PS1 (except eveyone and their mother using their heavy assault weapons in slot 2) is actually what makes teamwork so viable. The fluidity that each member brings to the table is increased by the variation between them, and also allows for greater tactical abilities and overall cohesion.

Whew, big words.

If by variation you mean which slots your med app and glue-gun go in and which slots your AV and HA go in, I agree. Except more often than not, I've seen if one is a foot soldier, they're often a rexo packing HA/AV/Med/Engi. If they're expecting longer range fights, they may trade either the AV or the HA (typically HA) for either an MA or a Bolt-driver. Either way, there is always 2 tools strapped to just about every soldier in the field: the med app and the glue gun. In my opinion classes are great because they fix this major factor of the one-man army/super soldiers we see today.

[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.

[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.