Trailer's Drop Pod Beacon

[QuantumMechanic]

I think having to deploy a spawn beacon in order for squad spawn to work rather than just being able to drop on your squad leader would be a great addition.

Funny thing is that BF3 has this in that deployable beacon that the recon class has, so I'm kinda surprised this didn't inspire a counterpart in PS2.

[Blackwolf]

Originally Posted by Deadeye

The official thread is too crowded with people going back and forth so I thought I'd create a new thread since noone has mentioned it:

What is that? A Drop Pod Beacon that lets dozens or maybe hundreds drop on one point? Is that OP or what?

What do you guys think about having some kind of beacon like that in the game? Would it be too powerful for a single man to deploy?

Personally, I think it would be an awesome thing to have at the end of the command certification tree to encourage people to go into it but I wonder if it would be too OP. Maybe if there was a timer on it or something per soldier (which would explain why they're all hanging out in the HART Dropship waiting for it to deploy). Could it be a hint of a possible ingame item? What do you think about it?

What that is, is a trailer with an obvious disclaimer at the bottom of the screen in big grey letters that says "NOT ACTUAL GAMEPLAY".

[RageMasterUK]

Good thread...

I feel that you should have to fork out resources with squad spawning, so that even the larger outfits have to encourage their players to 'save up' there resources. It must have a direct cost to the player.

If hotdropping on point is the best strategy to attack/reinforce/win bases, uber-outfits will be squadspawning every available opportunity, so if its just on a timer of 15 minutes then such outfits will develop the '15 minute hotdrop' strat and use it almost exclusively.

The base SOI's will sort that out to some extent, but things like beacons and other items to 'aid' squadspawning would be welcome in my eyes. More strategic options the better. Sounds like the beacon could be used to interrupt the bases SOI, and with that sky-pointing visual beacon it would be easy for enemies to spot it as a point of attack so there would be a tradeoff. Gives the same effect as the Router does in PS1 in an abstract way. Its like the teleport pad with no vehicle to drive.

Players with a higher level command beacon could allow hotdropping players to pay less for their entry. This would help top commanders incentivse a larger empire response.

I just dont want to see it turn into HotdropSide is all. I am sure they will not let that happen when they balance it in beta!

-RageMasterUK

[PoisonTaco]

Not sure if many people have played/heard of it but there's a shooter called Section 8 that you can get for like $15. It's fun and has some really cool ideas but it uses GFWL and well you know how multiplayer games work on GFWL (they don't).

The primary method of spawning in Section 8 is that you drop down from a ship high in the sky. You can spawn down anywhere on the map. What prevents you from actually being able to drop anywhere is that the bases have AA turrets and when captured will shoot down any enemies dropping down within their radius.

So what if facilities had guns that shot down pods if they try dropping in too close? What if there were possible deployables that people could use out in the field? That could add another layer of depth to squad spawning.

[Ranik Ortega]

Taco the current issues with drop pods are

A) you have no idea when one is coming down on your head

B)You cannot prevent them from coming down on your head.(unless they are VERY easy to shoot down which makes it crappy to be the guy dropping)

The beacon would address A and B insofar as a beacon is noticeable and you can destroy the beacon.

The flak idea would also work if they added some trail lights to drop pods but gives you less prior warning.

However if done right the deployable beacon and your flak deploy-able concept may actually add to the gameplay. The execution is the most important part though as always

[PoisonTaco]

What if when a drop pod hits an aircraft or tank on its way down it also blows up? Sure you could get a hilarious kill but then you die and it burns your cooldown. That way you've got a reason to avoid vehicles on your way down.

[Ranik Ortega]

Originally Posted by PoisonTaco

What if when a drop pod hits an aircraft or tank on its way down it also blows up? Sure you could get a hilarious kill but then you die and it burns your cooldown. That way you've got a reason to avoid vehicles on your way down.

I'll assume you aren't informed rather than trolling That already happens. Which is why people actually want prior warning to a drop pod landing on them. Because at the moment you would basically have to move non stop to prevent it from happening if you are close to enemies.

[PoisonTaco]

I have no idea. It was never an issue in 2142. I know there aren't nearly as many people in a game of Battlefield.

I don't think it'll be that big of a deal in all honesty.

[Ranik Ortega]

Originally Posted by PoisonTaco

I have no idea. It was never an issue in 2142. I know there aren't nearly as many people in a game of Battlefield.

I don't think it'll be that big of a deal in all honesty.

With 2000 people it may very well. Look at the perspective thread

[Yenni]

I'm actually a little dissapointed I've never thought of this squad beacon before. I thought sqaud-spawning itself was a great trick.

But with the ability to simply have 9 extra players in apear in a general location and in such an epic fashion. ..

I've seen other game mechanics that allow you to drop in some where. But it never really gave me that cinematic feel of a high-risk high-reward halo drop that you see in so many set pieces.

I personally hope the negatives still allow for semi-frequent use of these, with the required certs of course.

[Sephirex]

Originally Posted by Ranik Ortega

I'll assume you aren't informed rather than trolling That already happens. Which is why people actually want prior warning to a drop pod landing on them. Because at the moment you would basically have to move non stop to prevent it from happening if you are close to enemies.

He meant that the guy in the pod should die as well.

[Mythoclast]

Originally Posted by JoeDragon

I find it funny how Devs always underestimate the shear ferocity in which Players will devour content and streak through levels. Plus I specifically remember Higby saying "It will take years to unlock everything and by then we will have added more." Or something along those lines.

To that I say, Challenge Accepted. (give me a couple months lol.)


As for the Drop Pod beacons/Squad spawning... If they limit it to your squad alone and not the entire platoon (which I've heard could be like a hundred people) then it wouldn't be any different than a Gal Drop.

Fact is, if a Large Organized Guild wants to drop in 100 people on one location, it's going to happen. Mobilization on a massive scale is what Planetside is all about.

Reminds me of Skyrim. They have the "three classes" with various trees belonging to different class groups. They expect you to choose one and dip a little into others. Of course if you play enough there is no distinction.

Random Friend: "Hey, what class are you?"

Me: "All of them?"

Random Friend: "OK but which one is highest?"

Me: "All of them?"

[Ranik Ortega]

Originally Posted by Mythoclast

Reminds me of Skyrim. They have the "three classes" with various trees belonging to different class groups. They expect you to choose one and dip a little into others. Of course if you play enough there is no distinction.

Random Friend: "Hey, what class are you?"

Me: "All of them?"

Random Friend: "OK but which one is highest?"

Me: "All of them?"

If you do not have hard limits to character development then you will have uber characters. Look up the history of darkfall for an example of how NOT to do MMO character development.

[Sephirex]

Originally Posted by JoeDragon

I find it funny how Devs always underestimate the shear ferocity in which Players will devour content and streak through levels. Plus I specifically remember Higby saying "It will take years to unlock everything and by then we will have added more." Or something along those lines.

To that I say, Challenge Accepted. (give me a couple months lol.)

I think cert points are on a timer and not tied to exp or in game feats of skill...
Source: That NDA breaker on youtube had 15% of a cert point done after just creating his character and then tooling around his base tking and not doing anything productive.

Also, most F2P games give you unlock points based off time played, not in-game skill other then a win/lose bonus (LOL, BlackLight, Tribes Ascend). This keeps people from getting too far ahead of the pack in unlocks as they get better bonuses.

[codylee]

HeHe think of this, Ten fully stealthed infiltrator squad leaders with full squads on standby get as close as possible to a base as they can then DEPLOY THE BEACONS. i think we can simulate the trailer. Tactics for the win!