Reducing downtime

[Raymac]

Originally Posted by Bags

Interesting idea: More fighting in soi after hack = longer cap time? Up to a max of 15 mins, maybe a minimum of 3 - 5 mins?

If people show up and fight for the base, it has to be held longer. If no one shows up it's a quick cap.

Just an idea.

I like this idea alot. For me, it seems the biggest downtimes are when you are guarding a hack for 15 minutes. When it's being contested, sure it's good times, but when it's not....yeah we've all been there. However, you don't want to make the timer too short because defenders should have a chance to stop the hack. Shortening it to 10 mins is a good idea too, but this idea of it being more dynamic is very cool.

Using a system like this, if they could find a way to make it work, would do alot at cutting the downtime. The rest of the spawn stuff I don't really see as much of a problem, but then again, I'm aircav so I could be way off on that.

[DviddLeff]

Rather than make it a just "sense" when there are defenders in the area and thereby increase the hack timer, perhaps allow the defenders to set up some kind of vehicle or deployable in the SOI that can extend it and give them more time to resecure?

[Bags]

Originally Posted by DviddLeff

Rather than make it a just "sense" when there are defenders in the area and thereby increase the hack timer, perhaps allow the defenders to set up some kind of vehicle or deployable in the SOI that can extend it and give them more time to resecure?

Some sort of jammer vehicle?

[basti]

Originally Posted by DviddLeff

Rather than make it a just "sense" when there are defenders in the area and thereby increase the hack timer, perhaps allow the defenders to set up some kind of vehicle or deployable in the SOI that can extend it and give them more time to resecure?

A vehicle that, if deployed, can stop the hack for lets say five minutes? Now THATS an awesome idea. I like it alot, someone get a SOE guy over here!

[DviddLeff]

Tasty; added it as a feature of the amusingly named H-AMS in my Support Overhaul.

[Raymac]

ooooooooohhhhhhh, hell yeah! Let me just say, I LOVE where your heads are at, guys. This is a brilliant idea.

[CutterJohn]

I think hacking would be a better fit for this than an entire vehicle. A virus that resets the 5 minute countdown, perhaps, and can be uploaded from any terminal.

[Lartnev]

I was thinking along similar lines that the ratio of attackers to defenders could affect the rate at which a base was taken rather than increasing block amounts of time (an ETA on the hack would still be provided for convenience) so I at first liked that idea.

However I fear that it will lead to zergs steam-rolling continents before any defence could be put into place. 15 minutes is an excruciating wait on a personal level so I support its reduction to an average of 10 but if it ever got down to 3-5 minutes it just wouldn't give enough time to organise a continent's defence.

Originally Posted by CutterJohn

I think hacking would be a better fit for this than an entire vehicle. A virus that resets the 5 minute countdown, perhaps, and can be uploaded from any terminal.

I prefer this idea to that of an AMS jammer. Partly because I don't think it makes much sense (apart from as a game mechanic) and partly becaue AMSs already provide a means to help retake bases.

Also there are a number of reasons I really like the hack idea:

• Infiltrators can hide in the base and make nuisances of themselves without resorting to suicidal attempts on well defended areas of the base
• Attacking forces' first port of call could be to repair/secure a terminal to upload the virus
• The most effective solution would be to blow up all the terminals which I think adds a nice twist.

[CutterJohn]

You could make it take 15 minutes between base captures by your empire on a continent. That would prevent the steam rolling across. Since most base fights take considerably longer than 15 minutes, most other times this would be unnoticeable, like how the 5 minute vehicle timer is unnoticeable to a good tank crew.

[Vancha]

I started reading this wondering why the idea of a dynamic timer seemed to be escaping everyone, then bags came to the rescue.

When people talk about the boring times in Planetside, it's pretty likely they're remembering 15 minutes of defending a CC without any action going on.

Somewhere between 8-12 minutes by default seems good, with a defending hacker being able to extend it to 15-20 minutes, but also being able to undo that extension. I have no idea whether main terminals will exist in PSN, but something like mid-way between the spawns and CC seems like a good place for this to happen.

Here's a thought. How do you stop people defending the CC while fighting is still going on in another part of the base from getting bored? Maybe being able to "jack in" (Andromeda-style) to a CC? I don't know what you'd do there though, maybe control aspects of the base or do battle with enemy hackers...perhaps even meet the base AI itself (either to fight it, or solve some kind of puzzle)? Maybe being there would constantly deplete your health in the "real world", giving medics something to do while holding the CC too.

[Hamma]

Some very cool ideas in this thread!

I have nothing to add just wanted to mention there are some great ideas here.

[brinkdadrink]

What if there were two hacks in a base.

Hear me out. The first hack would be in the lobby say it runs for 8-10 minutes. Then when that hack is done you need to finish the hack at the CC which lasts say 5 minutes. I say this because once you reach the CC basicly the battle is over and the spawn tubes are killed. The 5 minutes would give time to regroup at another base for a drop. This also give 2 places to guard both the lobby and the CC. If the hack at the Lobby is undone it resets the timer to 5 minutes if re hacked. If the CC is taken then it undos both hacks and returns the base to normal.

[Lartnev]

Originally Posted by brinkdadrink

The first hack would be in the lobby say it runs for 8-10 minutes. Then when that hack is done you need to finish the hack at the CC which lasts say 5 minutes. I say this because once you reach the CC basicly the battle is over and the spawn tubes are killed. The 5 minutes would give time to regroup at another base for a drop. This also give 2 places to guard both the lobby and the CC. If the hack at the Lobby is undone it resets the timer to 5 minutes if re hacked. If the CC is taken then it undos both hacks and returns the base to normal.

I think this idea has merit. Needs work but I like the idea of getting some of the hack out of the way before it's game over for the defenders which lessens the time after it is. Good stuff

[brinkdadrink]

Ok let me try and refine my thoughts

2 hacking locations.
CC = main hacking terminal
Lobby = Secondary terminal

How it would work:
- If the lobby is hacked then the 15 min timer will start countdown with *
- If the CC is not hacked by the time the timer reaches 5 min then the timer stops at 5 min
- If the CC is hacked before the timer reaches the 5 min mark the * is removed and
continues as normal
- If the CC is hacked before the lobby then the timer will start at a 10min mark and count down fully until retaken
- If the CC is hacked before the timer reaches teh 10 min mark then it is set to th 10 min mark
- If either the Lobby or the CC is hacked but not both, the timer will count down but will not go under 5 minutes. If the timer reaches 5 minutes it will pause until further change

This means that if you lose one of the two terminals the hack does not reset but will just go back to 5 minutes or more (if there is more time remaining than 5 minutes)
This will greatly decrease down time because you can still be working yourself into the base while the timer is ticking. If your ghost hacking the time to take a base will only be 10 minutes not 15.

If anyone has any better suggestions im all ears

[Hamma]

I really like that idea also - I think it would be a great system that has the possibility of reducing hack time or making it longer depending on the combat.