News: Amerish Revamp V1 Now on PTS

[CrimsonTemplar]

With some bugfixes: https://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/...s-1-17.168412/

Originally Posted by SOE Luke

· Amp Stations
o Zurvan has been updated to a Freyr style Amp Station.
o Dahaka is a hybrid with elements from both the Freyr layout and the stock amp station.

· Amerish Revamp
o The following bases in Amerish are ready for testing:
§ Crux Headquarters
§ The Ascent
§ Stone Ridge Reserve
§ North Grove Post
§ Jagged Lance Mine
§ Genudine Physics Lab
§ Deepcore Geolab
§ Rockslide Outlook
§ Silver Valley Arsenal
o Biggest change is the implementation of the Lattice.
o We also separated the Facility Satellite Outposts into individual, standalone Outposts.
o Updated and polished each outpost with latest designs that
§ Isolate spawn rooms to reduce spawn camping
§ Prevent vehicles for directly firing on capture points
§ Provides “safe” spots for attackers to deploy Sunderers.
o All world based Performance upgrades from OMFG

· Bugs Fixes
o Ground/Air lock-on message no longer looks like a key prompt
o You should no longer be able to get stuck under the stairs at Scarred Mesa Skydock

o Fixed various minor geo and collision issues

Sooo...why are you still here? Have a look around.

[Timithos]

Yay! Arclegger is the savior of base design!

[ChipMHazard]

Originally Posted by Timithos

Yay! Arclegger is the savior of base design!

We'll see, we'll see

Edit: Generally I think it's a vast improvement over the previous designs. We have tunnels inside walls, Multi-story building, big open indoor areas for capture points, bases that look unique in their design. And most importantly we have a base that is completely indoors and under ground; capture point and spawn room.
At a glance the only thing I am dissapointed about is that they haven't changed their choice of spawn room placement on almost all of the bases. They are still outside and exposed.

I'm guessing that they want to test out having spawn rooms and infantry only areas underground before going with it on a regular basis. At least I hope that's the case.

All in all I actually have to give Clegg props for what he's done so far.




I don't get why the capture point is outside in the middle of this base since there's an area right underneath that could be made to house the capture point inside an infantry only environment.

[bpostal]

Originally Posted by ChipMHazard

...
Edit: Generally I think it's a vast improvement over the previous designs. We have tunnels inside walls, Multi-story building, big open indoor areas for capture points, bases that look unique in their design. And most importantly we have a base that is completely indoors and under ground; capture point and spawn room. ...

All in all I actually have to give Clegg props for what he's done so far.
...

I think we need to give the entire level design team props for their work. I know if I was a level designer and people posted the kinda shit that I (and others) have, my first reaction would be more 'Fuck you you fucking fucks!' and less 'We'll see what we can do'.

So props to the entire SOE team for being more grown up than I am!

[ringring]

Originally Posted by bpostal

I think we need to give the entire level design team props for their work. I know if I was a level designer and people posted the kinda shit that I (and others) have, my first reaction would be more 'Fuck you you fucking fucks!' and less 'We'll see what we can do'.

So props to the entire SOE team for being more grown up than I am!

Lol, yea.

I'm going to have another look today.

I found one base at least where the spawns could still be camped by vehicles (I think that was North Grove post, unsure but I put a bug report in about it).

Some of the bases I looked the spawns could still be camped by air. I think Rockslide Outlook was one of these and at Rockslide the cap point area *could* be vunerable to lolpod indirect fire, although this would be pretty difficult as the lolpodder would have to hover in a particular spot.

The best base I saw, remembering back, was Auraxicom Network Hub. Even there lolpodders or Libs *could* camp spawns although again it could be difficult. Theer are some quite nice underground flooded corridors that help people running from the spawns get to the cap point area.

[Azzzz]

I'm all for improvement.

I personally enjoy Amerish but it's just a shame no one else is usually on it

[ChipMHazard]

Originally Posted by ringring

Lol, yea.

I'm going to have another look today.

I found one base at least where the spawns could still be camped by vehicles (I think that was North Grove post, unsure but I put a bug report in about it).

Some of the bases I looked the spawns could still be camped by air. I think Rockslide Outlook was one of these and at Rockslide the cap point area *could* be vunerable to lolpod indirect fire, although this would be pretty difficult as the lolpodder would have to hover in a particular spot.

The best base I saw, remembering back, was Auraxicom Network Hub. Even there lolpodders or Libs *could* camp spawns although again it could be difficult. Theer are some quite nice underground flooded corridors that help people running from the spawns get to the cap point area.

Sadly I don't really see what they mean about having made the spawn rooms more isolated, for the most part.
Not counting the one base with an underground spawn room, and a few others where it's harder to do, they are still out in the open and every easy to camp. This is one area where they obviously haven't learned the lesson, or they haven't made the change yet.
Thankfully they've put more capture points inside infantry only areas, so that's most certainly an improvement.

[Mordelicius]

I checked out some Amerish bases on the PTS:

Amerish Arx Reserve - Unfortunately, the base is just too close to the warpgate. I hope it gets much action.
Positive(s):
- Multiple layers, flanks, pathways, angles make it an interesting base to assault.
- Vehicles are separated from the fight.
Negative(s):
- The Auxillary spawn room is too close to the main spawn room.
- The NE building off the main spawnroom will be used to spawn camp. Attackers will simply go around the lower building, go up the elevator then camp the spawn room using that building as a base. Then will choke of the other side which heavily favors the attacker. That build got to be removed.

Blackshard Tungsten Mine - Really, a middle-of-the-road, nondescript, elevated base. Nothing really stands out or to get excited of, except for the nasty spawn rooms.

Negative(s): This screams spawncamping. The narrow, closed passage coming from the auxillary spawn can be shutdown easily with an single AI Mana turret. Similarly the main spawn room door can be blasted from covered angles. This is plain bad and must be looked into immediately. This is the same thing that plagues the current Biolab spawn. Only this is even worse. I know there's a back exits connecting the two but, it makes no difference once the attackers have the defenders pushed back and hemmed-in.

Crux Headquarters - Has a raised circular design which reminds me of an old Esamir base (The Rink?). Only the entrance is porous at the base and the capture points are around the circle.

Positive(s):
- It is a relatively novel design that's a departure form the normal base.

Negative(s):
- Magriders will ride the surrounding hill and bomb the base to bits. Please note Magriders are back to their hillhumping ways. It has too much traction on steep inclines. Either tone down that Magrider ability or make the surrounding hills unscalable.

Auraxicom - Very little has changed. They've added a secondary spawn.

Positives(s): I have never seen that high wall art asset before. It looks great. Walking by it makes me feel Planetside is really futuristic! Finally, a structure that makes me feel like Auraxis has an entrenched civilisation.

Splitpeak Pass - I tried checking out this base because it is inseparable from Auraxicom. First thing I checked was if the safe area under the bridge is still there. It is! Next, I checked the new, blue shielded 'defender' vehicle spawn. I was able to enter but I can't exit through the shield (and because NC doesn't own it, I can't use the teleporter either). Needless to say I had to redeploy....

The Ascent - I've 'fought' here once. I can't remember anything else, rather getting stalked and bombed by defender tanks as I scramble up and down the steep slopes . Hence, I can't really remember much about this place.
Positive(s)
- Multiple jumpads looked to be a new approach. This will be interesting to see in 48+vs48+ fights
- I've never seen this before, but that supertall elevator is a nice touch.
Again, I'm not sure if it's new or not. I rarely visit Amerish.
- the little inlet at the NE face is a nice little touch for scouting, sniping and rocketing. Note, going down all the way is hard. I slipped and the accelerated landing killed me.

Negative(s):
-The layout is confusing. Some platforms have multiple landing pads and it will take awhile to get used to them.
- C capture point is isolated on a faraway cliff hut where you will find very little action. It's a perplexing spot
- The top elevator between A and B is broken. The the ascending player will be blocked by the tongue at the opening. It will take multiple tries to jump off at a different angle or else be stuck being pushed up against the opening.

Deepcore Geolab: This is the last one I've checked out. I'm conflicted by this. In terms of design, it is well thought out. The multiple layers, flanks, hiding spots, shooting angles will make this base an ubermeatgrinder fest. BUT, there is one thing that is just off: the capture point.

Positives(s):
- Out of all the bases I've checked so far in this post, this one is the best (edging out Arx Reserve). This is an infantry playground with a lot of thought put into it. This is a very solid base.
- There are plenty of LA entry points up the front building. There are many places for infiltrator to hide and make chaos. There are places heavies to dump dps. The plenty of places to flank if one area is shutout. There are plenty of places to 'hold out'. There are even spots that you can squeeze and to and get another area.
Negative(s):
- The Cap Point A at the main floor is the only real negative here. It is wide open and can be shot from from so many angles. It is a senselessly odd spot. The upper levels are just empty and underutilised here. It feels like the capture point is separated from the interesting areas. This is bad because it is such a gorgeous base.

They either have to move the capture point to the 2nd floor (right off the ascending elevator, there is a triangle of crates; right in the middle of those is best spot to put the capture point). It is covered. It can be flanked in four different directions: side building, elevator, stairs, top building (five if you count the roof!) Please, move it!

Or they have to add more capture points. Either way, that spot is just terrible. It makes no sense that it is there. It is a very odd location.

[ringring]

I visited a few.

They look better although it's hard to say how they'd be in a fight with varying numbers of attackers/defenders especially with the short hack timers there are. Will the fights last longer than the length of a hack timer?

The Ascent doesn't look good though imho. The cap point has been moved from the tower to outside, what the point of a tower without a hack point?

I also didn't find the multi-level outpost that arclegger was making in his stream. I was pretty interested in seeing that.

[typhaon]

I really wish they wouldn't mess up Zurvan like that.

As you can guess, I'm not a fan of the new Freyr.

[Phantomdestiny]

subterranean nanite analysis is insanely amazing , 3 underground level with a 4 level which the defends spawn room. but in order to get to the underground base you have to destroy a shield gen on the ground level

[ringring]

I looked at a few more.

There's a base called SO 33 (or similar) that's intriguing with lots of raised walkways.

I still haven't found the base I watched Clegg create on twitch, so I'll have to hunt further.

The overall impressions are:
1. Lots of work and lots of analysis and thought have clearly gone into these and as such I'm hesitant to come to definitive conclusions. The only thing to do is to play them with various levels of populations.

2. They look complicated. I wonder how many times you have to play each before you discover their quirks and can fight the enemy rather than fight the base.
OTOH Wokuk Armoury, is seems like the router for attackers is more straight-forward and shorter to the cap point than the route from the spawns - maybe the mass of the base won't be fought over?

Ok Subterranean Nanite Analysis is the one I was thinking of. I think it's fantastic. It's unfinished at present (the grav lifts aren't quite right and the teleporter doesn't work). I can def. imagine epic fights taking place there.

There are several good attributes. It's simple and understandable even at first sight and there is progression, top to bottom and bottom to top depending on whether you are attacker or defender, without being too linear.

There is one query on it. Presently there seems to be one proper route down (via a grav lift), one route is too few. However you can get down also at the sides of the up grav lift without much problem. If that is intended and will remain, fine, otherwise I'd think one way down is too camp-able.

[Mordelicius]

Originally Posted by Phantomdestiny

subterranean nanite analysis is insanely amazing , 3 underground level with a 4 level which the defends spawn room. but in order to get to the underground base you have to destroy a shield gen on the ground level

Thinking about these new base styles give me chills. I'm not sure though if it's enough to eclipse Indarside. The biggest obstacle (lol) Amerish have are these pointy and pointless mountains. They don't add any functionality. It's just one roadblock after the other and very ruinous to base to base battle flow. Aesthetically they are ok, but in terms of strategic use, they fall flat. Unlike Indar, practically every moutain and cliff can be used and has a purpose.

Anyway, thanks for the heads up. That Subterranean Nanite Analysis has a massive combat potential! I hope they read our 'reviews' on how to improve it even more.

Subterranean Nanite Analysis - This base has 3 floors down with the very bottom a spawn room. This alone is worth downloading the PTS patch.

Positive(s)
- Fully indoor, subterranean base. What else to say?
- The shield wall panels at the capture point room is a nice touch. I tried to visualize the fight going on here.
- Balcony at the first floor down. Wow, that is indeed a fine touch. They ought to shorten the width and add a second balcony on the opposite side of the room.

Right between the wide wall support and the column, there is a narrow space where a thin strip of balcony can be added. That would be excellent for a cross balcony fight. I imagine the attackers dropping in and jumping up the second balcony while they try to secure the generators. The defenders will be at the opposite side balcony, under the room and behind the back passage.

Currently, that wide balcony is too entrenched. Shortening the width reduces the firing angles across the room (esp if they add a new balcony). And what's great about this room is the attackers has an option to ignore the balcony and run straight down to the bottom. it's up to the defenders to follow suit. Can you imagine the war of attrition whether to rush the capture point or secure the generator? Now, it's possible that Generator unlocks the capture point. That makes it even more essential to add a second balcony on the other side. It gives attackers a chance hold and defend that area keep the generator from being resecured or repaired.

Negative(s)
- Excessive number of elevators. There's probably more elevators than needed.
- Some upward elevators are still half-functional, not giving enough directional lift to the next floor.
- Middle room is too bare. They require more covers.

Kwahtee South Pass - This is another underground facility. It's far more circuitous than the Sub Nanite Analysis. While SNA has basically open rooms, this base have connected rooms with plenty of side entrance, back entrances and looping flanks.

Positive(s)
- Multiple entrances, giving both attackers, options on how to approach defending and attacking
- Unique layout with the spawn room on top of the hilly mound.

Negatives(s) - This base obviously have much thought put into it, but there need to be much more tweaks needed.

- Defender pathways can easily suppressed by attackers. Both the elevator/tunnel path and the shorter teleporter path has to go up 2 flight of stairs to get to the Capture point. These stairs will be blasted and bombed by the attackers. The only other option of the defender is to go over the hill and enter from the ramp or that bushy side entrance. These defender exit points have be at least one floor higher to eliminate the requirement to up 2 stairs only to be easily slaughtered.
- Attackers have much easy access if they use the side entrance from the far side. Suggested fix. Add a generator on the main to open up the capture point room. A good place would be 2 rooms ahead of the main ramp entrance. If not, much of these rooms will be underused and wasted.
- The bushy side entrance is fairly redundant because it is close the main ramp entrance. The bush side entrance should go one room deeper (same room I suggested where the generator can be laid down. That would provide for better flanking options for both sides.

Again these new bases are amazing. It's up to the designers to package them as a whole, as a complex rather than separate entities.

If one looks at these example lanes:
Crossroads - Xenotech - Regent Rock
Crossroads - Broken Arch - Tawrich Depot
Coramed - Indar Bay - Quartz Ridge
Tawrich - (Tawrich depot, Tawrich, Tower, Tawrich Recycling)
Andvari Barracks - Andvari Biolab - Andvari South Banks - Jaeger's Fist
The Palisade - Crimson Tower Bluff
Indar Comm Array - West Highland Check Point
Snake Ravine Lookout - Allatum Botany Wing - (TiAlloys/Allatum Biolab)

These bases feel related to each other. And it's not just because they are connected. The transitions are always smooth. And it's a very natural movement going from base to base. Also, these lanes have battles in between bases!. It's like, it makes sense to meet at the middle to see who will be the stronger force suited for attacking.


Amerish do not have the same feel. The bases are interspersed at a great distance often accompanied by a need for geographic clearance. You often lose momentum or anticipation when attacking or defending the base.The only base I can think that has that same rhyme is Splitpeak and Auraxicom.

I have only seen a handful of the new Amerish bases, I'm asuming more surprises on many of them .

[CrimsonTemplar]

Has anyone had a look around Kwahtee South Pass? Think less 'pass' and more base in the mountain, with two planetside 1-esque vehicle bays.

Overall I think KSP is the best out of them all so far.

[ringring]

Originally Posted by CrimsonTemplar

Has anyone had a look around Kwahtee South Pass? Think less 'pass' and more base in the mountain, with two planetside 1-esque vehicle bays.

Overall I think KSP is the best out of them all so far.

yea. the fact that's it's completely underground is good but it's a bit of a maze inside. You would need to have to fight in it a few times I think.

The other thing is, if attackers can get an ams just outside the vehicle entrance it is easy to camp the spawns and hence control the base as the spawns are at the bottom and there is only one exit and a teleporter leading to an outside teleporter room and with the short hack times the base would soon be lost.

Even if they intend to put shields over the vehicle entrance impenetrable to enemy inf. it wouldn't be that much harder for attackers to get to the same place.

As always, a hard attacker vs defender fight would be required to absolutely certain.