How would you add to each Empire's uniqueness?

[OcO]

First off, I am not in the beta nor did I play PS1.

I've watched most if not all of the beta streams before the lifting of the NDA and have been following the game now for quite some time. I saw someone post in a thread how the game should be more like Starcraft with more diversity between each Empire/faction and I definitely agree. Atm all 3 Empires seem way to similar to me. Simple gun mechanic variations do not do enough IMO to differentiate between the 3 and make each Empire stand out.

I feel there should be more pronounced game play mechanics variation between the 3 Empires. So I'm starting this thread in an effort to have the community try to brainstorm ideas for how to make each Empire more unique while we are still in early beta and the devs have time to try to add these variations to each Empire.

For me the types of differences I'd like to see would be much broader in scope than simple gun handling. I'll outline an idea below to give an example, however please note this is just an example and may not be a valid balanced mechanic.

There is a long thread about the current "galaxy as spawn" debate. So I'm going to use the galaxy as an example of one way we could add more differentiation to the Empires. Like I said this is a basic example and may not be 100% balanced but IMO we should see more of these kinds of Empire specific mechanics and not have your Empire merely determine what color your character is.

What if the galaxy had separate abilities for each empire. Move the spawn ability over to the Sunderer first as a common pool mobile spawn. Also remove the default ability to change classes at the galaxy.

For Vanu if certed a galaxy pilot could unlock the ability to deploy and have the current spawn ability that is in the game for all 3 factions atm. Purely off the top of my head it seems the Vanu will be the smallest Empire overall so giving them a more mobile spawn point ability would allow them to make use of smaller numbers more effectively when fighting the other 2 factions.

The NC are the masters of re-using or refurbishing old tech and weapons. I'd give them a cert ability to add the class changing station to the galaxy when deployed.

For the TR I'm not 100% sure but I was thinking maybe being the "powerhouse" it is that they've incorporated a better Empire wide logistics system so there could be a cert that allows them to spawn ground vehicles from a deployed galaxy. If you died you couldn't spawn at the galaxy like the Vanu would be able to, but TR players could run up to a deployed galaxy and spawn a vehicle from it much like the current class change terminal works atm.

Even if you don't like or don't think the above ideas are balanced you can at least see the type of things I'm thinking of when I say each Empire should be more unique in how it plays. So with that in mind how would you change up each Empire to make playing it a different experience from playing each of the others?

[Stormhall]

It's cool but the devs really want to balance this game out so I don't think they are going to use that.

[OcO]

Originally Posted by Stormhall

It's cool but the devs really want to balance this game out so I don't think they are going to use that.

Starcraft specifically is a good example that 3 Empires can be balanced but not the same. To me the Empire differences are way to little and meaningless atm.

Even if you don't use the exact example above the idea is that the Empires should really play differently and not be as superficial as they seem to be to me atm.

[MaxDamage]

Terran Republic should have more skulls on their armour.
New Conglomerate should have more golden eagles.
Vanu should have more nothing.

[TheBladeRoden]

More ES weapons on the common pool vehicles

[PoisonTaco]

I wouldn't mind having structures in the warpgate look like they belong to each faction. You know the main barracks and other buildings at the warpgate? Apply the same design philosophy that is used on the faction armor and vehicles. Have it so that your home spawn area feels more like home.

[Ghost Runner]

Well from what I have seen the 3 empire are very diverse in this game

TR is light armored and fast moving with low damage high ROF weapons which would be devastating when used with good teamwork.

VS seem to be the get in close for optimum damage and fry them with you lasers also very maneuverable and well shielded with the right commander lethally effective in Close quarters combat.

NC They use slow but hard hitting weapons and wear heavy armor and move slower then the other two empires they use hit hard and don't look back style game play. but with a good commander could be hard to beat.

Just my observations no I don't have beta access yet this is based mostly on Hamma's streams if my observations are off please feel free to enlighten me

[Salad Snake]

Originally Posted by TheBladeRoden

More ES weapons on the common pool vehicles

Originally Posted by PoisonTaco

I wouldn't mind having structures in the warpgate look like they belong to each faction. You know the main barracks and other buildings at the warpgate? Apply the same design philosophy that is used on the faction armor and vehicles. Have it so that your home spawn area feels more like home.

I like these ideas, I would think ES architecture is already planned.

[Cronoc]

Say the Sunderer is made into a common pool spawn vehicle. Each faction's vehicle would behave differently. Using a little bit of Planetside 1 balance:

TR- an extra machine gun turret (which the game will hopefully have the population to be manned) for a total of 3.

NC- heavier armor, slower firing cannons (not machine guns), or alternatively, 1 cannon, 1 machine gun.

VS- standard weapons or something energy based, cloaks when deployed like the old AMS did. (The VS is still the "stealth" faction in the mind of someone on the team, as illustrated in the CG trailer for PS2, yet they are no stealthier than any other faction. Stealth can come with the cost of less notable offense/defense than the other two factions.)

Focusing on TR's speed and rate of fire, NC's heavy, hard hitting feel, and VS's mobility/stealth would do a lot of good for diversity's sake. Mobility doesn't mean speed, by the way. It can be the way vehicles control, or even teleportation (ala Unreal Tournament), while speed is simply speed and perhaps agility regarding things like vehicle/aircraft turn radius.

This can be reflected in their war strategies also. The TR run a blitzkreig, NC do a slow but steady rollout, VS catches the other factions by surprise or from unexpected angles/paths of attack.

Just throwing out ideas... some of these would be difficult to put into the existing framework, but as it stands the factions are far too similar, and something will eventually have to be done to move it at least a few steps towards the Starcraft model of balance if the devs are really interested in well differentiated/asymmetrical factions.

[Raka Maru]

Chronic, I agree with your above statements in general except for the VS only having the cloaks. I would say let the VS have amphibious versions rather than cloaking. Since the sundered will possibly be getting spawn capabilities.

The stealthier gameplay in the CGI was depicting the class of infiltraitor rather than the empire.

[Pvt Badger]

Originally Posted by MaxDamage

Terran Republic should have more skulls on their armour.
New Conglomerate should have more golden eagles.
Vanu should have more nothing.

TR should be mobile piles of skulls (With guns sticking out of the eye sockets).
NC should glow in the dark from their gold armor.
VS should be invisible.