Planetside 2 Removing my favorite aspect of PS1

Wakken · 2012-01-22, 06:05 PM

First of all, I hope im not beating the dead horse too much. I know there has been several topics on the matter, but as this is more of a question/feedback thread I thought I'd make a new one for it.

My favorite part of Planetside 1... being able to customize your character how you wanted, and play it as you wanted. Aka no "classes".

I loved playing as a cloaker and putting out a few mines/turrets where me and my outfit thought the invasion would take place. But seeing as Planetside 2 hammer this feature to the ground and adds classes instead, what good will that bring? Will it still be as fun as in Planetside 1? That to me, the cert system, is one of the unique things of planetside, that made it stand out of other shooters.

As I've understood it, they added the "class" system because of possible overpowered combinations. Like... jetpacking up to a hard accessible area and putting down turrets. But would that really be OP? Too me that feels more like tactical advantage. And he still have to trade points to be able to do that combination. He has to spend points to get a jetpack, he has to spend points to get the turrets right?

Or maybe, have a system that adds more like requirements. For example:

A cloaker/any soldier can put down basic mines and turrets, but to get the more heavier and meaty stuff, you have to be a engineer. Or... Maybe a standard soldier can have simple medic equipment. But specialized medic will have much more advanced equipment to heal faster.

I just hate to my favorite feature in planetside to be hammered down in planetside 2. That is the freedom of your character and the freedom of certs. To be able to customize my character to fit my play style. It worked perfectly fine in PS1, why change something that made Ps1 so special and different from other shooters. Feels like Planetside 2 is like Battlefield 3/CoD mix but a much larger scale. Not sure if I like that...

What good will come from "classes"?

NCLynx · 2012-01-22, 06:19 PM

You can still customize quite a bit. Before the battle ranks allowed you to have so many cert points that you could do w/e you wanted, you essentially chose a role (class) back then as well. Not that huge of a change.

HawkEye · 2012-01-22, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by NCLynx

You can still customize quite a bit. Before the battle ranks allowed you to have so many cert points that you could do w/e you wanted, you essentially chose a role (class) back then as well. Not that huge of a change.

This. Don't understand why people are complaining about what is planned for PS2 when they have not even played it yet.

CuddlyChud · 2012-01-22, 07:00 PM

You are beating a dead horse btw.

Personally, i'm fine with classes. Maybe its because I'm used to FPS's with classes. But I wasn't a huge fan of the cert system. I hated the fact that I had to constantly recert whenever I felt like doing something different. I think the class system is good in that it will let me do different roles during one play session. I guess the class system would suck if you had found the 1 perfect combination of certs that you played 100% of the time in PS1, but otherwise I'm glad for the change.

The cert system was ok for making me look forward to my next BR, and limiting what I could do at once, but a class system could do that as well.

And from a balance perspective I'm sure its much easier to balance items with classes. As a PVP game, balance is probably the most important thing above all else.

Wakken · 2012-01-22, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by CuddlyChud

You are beating a dead horse btw.

Figured as much, but I thought I'd give my feedback anyways

Figment · 2012-01-22, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by NCLynx

You can still customize quite a bit. Before the battle ranks allowed you to have so many cert points that you could do w/e you wanted, you essentially chose a role (class) back then as well. Not that huge of a change.

More or less, with the nuanciation that within the limitations of a PS1 suit, you were not restricted in defining what exactly this 'class' entails. PS2 defines the classes much more beyond your basic suit as it has already split up these suits (in comparison to PS1) to fit more specific roles. Basically you had five 'classes' in PS1, one of five suit types: standard/infil/agile/rexo/MAX. Within these classes you can fit in the inventory whatever weapons and tools you have access to and you can use inherent traits (for instance, advanced hacking) on each "class" as long as you carried the correct tool. In fact, aside from the MAX, the only limitation on what you could use was your slot, but this didn't prevent you from switching gear from inventory in order to use it. The new system sounds like it does do just that.

So I wouldn't say it's the same thing, in fact, it's a pretty big change.

In PS2, as I understand it now, there may be more suits/classes, but there are more rules to the suits as they exclude the use of certain tools, even if you have the certs and the inventory or holster space on your character.

So there is quite a significant difference: basically your character seems to be becoming more schizofrenic as one moment it can, the next it can't do certain stuff.

Whether that's a good thing depends on the rest of the gameplay context, but it's definitely more like BF/CoD and other generic shooters (and dare I say, RPGs) than it is traditional PlanetSide sandbox.

NCLynx · 2012-01-22, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by Figment

More or less, with the nuanciation that within the limitations of a PS1 suit, you were not restricted in defining what exactly this 'class' entails. PS2 defines the classes much more beyond your basic suit as it has already split up these suits (in comparison to PS1) to fit more specific roles. Basically you had five 'classes' in PS1, one of five suit types: standard/infil/agile/rexo/MAX. Within these classes you can fit in the inventory whatever weapons and tools you have access to and you can use inherent traits (for instance, advanced hacking) on each "class" as long as you carried the correct tool. In fact, aside from the MAX, the only limitation on what you could use was your slot, but this didn't prevent you from switching gear from inventory in order to use it. The new system sounds like it does do just that.

But that's wrong.

The "classes" weren't defined by the armor you wore, they were also defined by the limitations they brought with them. I'll be excluding Standard because I hardly ever saw anyone use that seriously anyway.

Using agile freed up at least 3 cert points for not using rexo. You could get more of what you wanted be it vehicles maybe more weapons but you couldn't use anymore than the 1 weapon (MAYBE 1 deci if you really wanted, but 1 deci could hardly be considered an anti-veh class). You could have more points to have for support.

Rexo didn't allow you to use many vehicles (maybe 1 or 2 tops). So why would you even get them in the first place? Get weapons OR support or a slight mix of both. Can't go to far into both though (During the days of BR20).

MAX/Cloaker: Points used for a very specific armor, MAXes couldn't do anything but walk n shoot (maybe get a ride here n there too) so you were very limited but very hard hitting. Cloaker, well you get the idea.

If you had MAX/Cloaker chances are you did NOT have rexo, and possibly had either limited vehicles in agile or more support. Whatever other role you chose to throw those points into.

The "classes" were hardly just what armor you wore.

PS2 "classes" are fine.

NCLynx · 2012-01-23, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by NCLynx

You can still customize quite a bit. Before the battle ranks allowed you to have so many cert points that you could do w/e you wanted, you essentially chose a role (class) back then as well. Not that huge of a change.

Just sayin.

EASyEightyEight · 2012-01-23, 10:09 AM

People really still don't get it? Geez.

On the topic of CE, we don't know what the maximum deployment limit for each individual is. Could be 3 or 4 tops before the first item is deconstructed on placement of a fifth. The fact that inventories aren't in in their classical form means SOE can default an engineer to carry 12. It's just an integer they can adjust on the fly in the name of balance (and practicality.)

Like Duke said, Planetside 2 is NOT Planetside 1, and I personally doubt 1 is in the state it's in solely because of the BFR's everyone likes to attribute its downfall to. At some point for many people, the game just wasn't better nor worth the money over what's on the market, and that says something.

Zhane · 2012-01-22, 06:27 PM

I don't mind things being a little more specialized. Every veteran player being able to do everything and do it well just ended up making things very generic.

Personally I'm looking to fill a support role - not medic, but the driver/scout/supply guy. That'll probably mean engineer so I can place deployables once I've delivered my troops, I'm guessing.

SKYeXile · 2012-01-22, 06:56 PM

They having classes most likely because things are easier to balance. with each classes having its own pool of weapons and possible armour and certs, its easy to buff of nerf that than to change a single weapon, then have it spiral out of control depending on what armour they were wearing with what implants.

For example can you imagine if a scout in TF2 could use a minigun?...hrm yea.

VioletZero · 2012-01-22, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by SKYeXile

They having classes most likely because things are easier to balance. with each classes having its own pool of weapons and possible armour and certs, its easy to buff of nerf that than to change a single weapon, then have it spiral out of control depending on what armour they were wearing with what implants.

For example can you imagine if a scout in TF2 could use a minigun?...hrm yea.

If a scout had a minigun, he'd suck. Because you're slowed to a crawl every time he needed to fire.

Now, a Scout with a mine launcher or an invisibility watch...*shiver*

Figment · 2012-01-22, 07:03 PM

Ehr... I'm not sure if it is easier to balance say... (random number) 8 classes while people can set their own different shield generation recharge speed vs max shield strength AND each class having access or being limited to different/certain set of weapons, opposed to four set infantry suits and MAXes, with the same weapons. >.>

To me it sounds more complex to manage a balance. Doesn't mean it can't be done, but if it was so easy, you honestly think there'd be whining in WoW about classes?

CuddlyChud · 2012-01-22, 07:05 PM

Well I mean, the Lasher 2.0 might not have been as big a deal if only 1 class could equip it. If everyone went HA class, you'd have no medics/support.

Figment · 2012-01-22, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by CuddlyChud

Well I mean, the Lasher 2.0 might not have been as big a deal if only 1 class could equip it. If everyone went HA class, you'd have no medics/support.

The Lasher 2.0 or any other version wouldn't have been an issue had it been properly field tested before implemented.

For instance, a test focused around indoor combat, rather than ES tanks... *looks at Voidrage*