Any substitute for PS ?

MiP · 2003-05-20, 03:05 PM

There are a lot of things I don't like about PlanetSide, but now that the beta has ended, I find myself going into withdrawl. Does anybody have any suggestions for an alternative game to play?

Some aspects of PS that I liked:
first person shooter/multiplayer
building characters; picking certifications
emphasis on teamplay (even in pickup squads)

Myths about PS:
lag free servers - remember the 5 fps tower battles?
1000's of players - in reality usually less than 60 in a single battle

Reason for not buying PlanetSide:
Cost. During open beta (when it was free to download & free to play) there weren't enough players during off-peak times to make it really enjoyable. Priced as high as it is now, even with the reduction in servers, I think it will only be worse. So even though I can afford this game, it's price tag is a big negative because I believe it will limit the total number of players.

Please don't respond just to contradict my opinions or to defend Sony's pricing scheme. If the price drops or I see positive feedback on the number of active players during the next couple of months, I will still buy Planetside. The statements above were simply to provide information on what I consider positive and negative aspects of PS so ppl can tailor their suggestions appropriately.

TIA for any positive suggestions you may have.

kerosene31 · 2003-05-20, 03:09 PM

Tribes 2 is a cool game and can be found in the bargain bins of most stores. Although T2 is a quite different game than PS. There really is nothing like PS out there right now. Problem is hardly anyone plays tribes2 anymore.

MilitantB0B · 2003-05-20, 03:11 PM

1000's of players - in reality usually less than 60 in a single battle

That was just a single battle, and it was beta. I predict many more people awhile after retail.

Some aspects of PS that I liked:
first person shooter/multiplayer
building characters; picking certifications
emphasis on teamplay (even in pickup squads)

Sorry, but that building character thing is not in any other FPS shooters that I know of. Your hooked, pawn your things and buy an account.

MiP · 2003-05-20, 03:57 PM

Originally posted by MilitantB0B
That was just a single battle, and it was beta. I predict many more people awhile after retail.

By single battle I meant in any battle over a single objective. In other words, I've never seen a thousand people fighting over the same base. Under the old xp system I'm sure I've witnessed more than a hundred people camping a base *after* the battle, but during the battle I'm not sure total unique players ever reached a hundred. There were what, 40,000 beta testers spread over four servers when it was free? With the current pricing, how long will it take to get half that many subscribers? I'm still hoping Sony will either lower the purchase price or the subcription price to appeal to a wider audience.

Sorry, but that building character thing is not in any other FPS shooters that I know of. Your hooked, pawn your things and buy an account.

Yeah I am hooked. I haven't seen the character building thing in a FPS before either. I also like how levelling up just opens your options and doesn't necessarily make you more dangerous than a noob.

I would gladly buy an account if I knew it was going to be good times again. Unfortunately I play at weird hours so I just need to convince thousands of others to pawn their things and buy an account first.

tok1m · 2003-05-20, 04:04 PM

Battlefield 1942 is somewhat like PS, just not as complicated... it realy fun though... As you can tell from the title its based in WWII. You should really check it out... and its free

Kaltagesta · 2003-05-20, 04:13 PM

Deus Ex has character building, although only on the single player - the multiplayer was a bit shite. But the single player is possibly the best game i have every played, sheer brilliance.

makal · 2003-05-20, 04:23 PM

I was in battles with well over a hundred people. You usually only get those when another empire get's pushed back to their sanctuary warp gate, however, I have seen a few where all three empires were trying to capture a single base in the middle of a continent. But when you push an enemy back to their sanctuary warpgate, you get a ton of enemies coming at you from the warp gate and they usually are able to capture the tower right next to it and hold that as their respawning point. Mix in the fact that they can bring AMS's through their warp gate and camp them around the closest base and it makes for a pretty big battlefield with enemies coming at you from all different directions and you franticly trying to hold on to the base you just cap'd.

Moloch · 2003-05-20, 04:26 PM

whaddya mean bf1942 is free? I thought if you got it off kazaa it didn't work!

MilitantB0B · 2003-05-20, 04:27 PM

Free= No monthly fee

MiP · 2003-05-20, 04:49 PM

Thanks all for the suggestions.

I've never actually played Tribes2 (gasp) so maybe now is a good time to give it a go. If nothing else, it might keep me from whoring this forum for awhile!

I have played BF 1942 before (with and without the Desert Combat mod) and it was fun until I got bitten by the PS bug. Dusted it off and gave it a spin yesterday, but I just couldn't get back into it.

Deus Ex. Never heard of it before. Looks like they have a new version (Invisible War) coming out. Definately going to take a closer look at this title - almost sounds like a single player version of PS.

MilitantB0B · 2003-05-20, 04:53 PM

Originally posted by MiP
I have played BF 1942 before (with and without the Desert Combat mod) and it was fun until I got bitten by the PS bug. Dusted it off and gave it a spin yesterday, but I just couldn't get back into it.

I had the same problem with CS. Used to play it alot, got beta, had fun, beta ended, and nopw CS just doesn't cut it. I mean, I don't even get to drive a tank!?!?! I have been playing a little, just until I get retail. Everyonce and awhile I look around De_dust for incoming MAXs.

I am addicted! I need planetside! Going... into... Withdrawlls!!!!

mistled · 2003-05-20, 04:55 PM

Deus Ex is amazing.

Soldier of Fortune II wasted a lot of my time prior to PS beta.

I've been told that Freelancer is awesome as well, though I know very little about it.

and there's always GTA: Vice City if you just want mindlessness.

MilitantB0B · 2003-05-20, 04:59 PM

Originally posted by {BOHICA}mistled
I've been told that Freelancer is awesome as well, though I know very little about it.

It is great. I used to absolutley LOVE the old Privateer games, but they where made for DOS and as I upgraded my computer, it worked less and less. Finnaly it didn't work at all. This game is almost a carbon copy (beter graphics of course

).
Of course, GTA: Vice City keeps me occupied for hours on end, just driving around on the motocycles, disturbing the peace and dodging the police.

tok1m · 2003-05-20, 04:59 PM

i think battlefiel 1942 / desert combat is the closest thing u can get to PS (multiplayer wise)... Its simple, and fun to play... plus alot easier on the PC

Pay to play has its obvious drawbacks... and its becomgin more and more accepted... for people like me that don't even have a job, (im 15, dont get the wrong idea) its kinda a nuinsance asking your parents for money.... any1 know is SOE is making pay-to-play cards? like eq...

Destroyeron · 2003-05-20, 05:01 PM

Originally posted by MiP
There are a lot of things I don't like about PlanetSide, but now that the beta has ended, I find myself going into withdrawl. Does anybody have any suggestions for an alternative game to play?

Some aspects of PS that I liked:
first person shooter/multiplayer
building characters; picking certifications
emphasis on teamplay (even in pickup squads)

Myths about PS:
lag free servers - remember the 5 fps tower battles?
1000's of players - in reality usually less than 60 in a single battle

Reason for not buying PlanetSide:
Cost. During open beta (when it was free to download & free to play) there weren't enough players during off-peak times to make it really enjoyable. Priced as high as it is now, even with the reduction in servers, I think it will only be worse. So even though I can afford this game, it's price tag is a big negative because I believe it will limit the total number of players.

Please don't respond just to contradict my opinions or to defend Sony's pricing scheme. If the price drops or I see positive feedback on the number of active players during the next couple of months, I will still buy Planetside. The statements above were simply to provide information on what I consider positive and negative aspects of PS so ppl can tailor their suggestions appropriately.

TIA for any positive suggestions you may have.

Remember that it was beta. Not everyone could download it.