Another dev AMA on Reddit, Higby Answers!

[almalino]

Originally Posted by ringring

Wow

These all sound like buffs to me, I reckon there's a big danger that they are overdone.

https://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/...alance.176747/

[Snoopy]

We’re removing all jump penalties (both the post-jump speed penalties and removing the player from iron sights) when players enter the fall state unintentionally without jumping. This will prevent annoying situations like losing accuracy because you hit a small ledge in the terrain.

Hallelujah!

[bites]

Originally Posted by HereticusXZ

The Riot Shield is unique because it's just that, a Riot-Shield that is only directionally-protective over the generic vanguard or heavy shields.

Except those shields actually work .. and block damage ... the Riot shield bleeds explosive damage through to the user ... even if you clearly, put shield up prior to the explosion or rocket ... more often than not you're still damaged ... making you wonder "why the fuck am I using this thing outside of an organized play".

Originally Posted by HereticusXZ

It's flaw is that it can reload while the shield is active (unless it's been fixed yet?) and the fact that the occasional bullet or splash damage get by it so you become frustrated about chip-damage. Patch and fix that problem and we're good...

I have good news for you ... despite the commonly touted "you can reload while shielded" thats also not factually correct, here is a timeline:
Shield UP Button GO!!!
Shield going up ....
Shield UP!!
Push reload .... Nadda.
Try again?
Nope still don't work.

What people do however is this:
Reload Button --> Animation begins for reload
Shield UP Button GO!!!
Shield going up ....
Shield UP!!
Shield UP!! (added for slow ass reload time :B)
Reload completes

So to "Reload while shield is up" ... you would have to do the following:
Shield Button GO!!!
Shield going up ....
Shield UP!!
Shield UP!!
"OH SHIT I FORGOT TO RELOAD!!!"
Shield Button
Going Down ....
Going Down ....
Reload!
Shield Button GO!!!
Shield going up ....
Shield UP!!

If that is considered "Reloading while the shield is up" then in theory you can also reload while charging ... or most if not all other similar activated skill sets.

Originally Posted by HereticusXZ

I don't even think it should be a cert-line with a damage-limit considering you can just flank the thing.... Give them unlimited damage mitigation with the shield.

Agreed ... its even more frustrating when you add in the fact .. due to the previously mentioned items it makes the shield a very frustrating "I AM A MOVING BLOCK" ability only.... which is why I'm welcoming the new changes as a possible reason to use it more ... which I Want to do .. but it is constantly trumped by the plethora of anti-tank/max items available to nearly every class ... forces me not to.

Originally Posted by HereticusXZ

VS... Right out of the gate ZOE was OP, for quite a long time... so your going to have that mindset that it should always be as powerful as it once was... I don't want to say special-snowflake but maybe ZOE should be recalled back to R&D and come out with a brand new ability for VS MAX...

Word .. I lost a lot of my MAX and outfit (prior current) to the hordes of purple people eaters ... a lot of whom we're adamant that ZOE wasn't OP ... still makes me laugh, and I agree ... the jetpack ... at least imho would have been cool/useful and a lot less pain to balance while providing interesting (low altitude/speed Vanu steel rain would be epic... and bad .. well for me ...)

The shield .. all in all .. is very situational .. but definitely still useful if you have backup to assist you. Outside of that however .. the known and commonly used tactics to beat the slow moving brick is easy to defeat.