Are the population % indicators ruining PS?

Jaged · 2004-08-02, 05:53 AM

the pop percent indicators are ruining planetside. Before they were added it seemed more possible to come back from loosing a few bases on a continent. After they were implinented, people realized that if you had 40% and they had 50% you were going to loose. Now as soon as this happens people recall and you drop to 30%. Then its just a jurkey shoot for the other team. I dont know if I have put my finger on why exactly it happens, but I do know that after these damn things came into the game, battles became more lop sided. There is no longer any mystery if you are going to win or loose. Its either we have more pop and are going to win eventualy, or they will win eventualy.

Meursault00 · 2004-08-02, 06:08 AM

Yes, I agree that it does to damage to soldier morale.

But I guess it's supposed to alow commanders and squad leaders the ability to direct their forces more ably. Perhaps this feature should only be made available to CR1s or something.

Jaged · 2004-08-02, 06:28 AM

Only to cr1's? Practicly everyone is cr1 or above. How would that help? Even if only cr5's could get it they would probably broadcast the percentages so everyone knew. Its all or none here.

Sploogey · 2004-08-02, 07:17 AM

i agree ive been in a few random squads and they r constantly looking at the percentages and if they r like 5% less they start talkin about recalling even if we are making progress

Incompetent · 2004-08-02, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by Jaged

Only to cr1's? Practicly everyone is cr1 or above. How would that help? Even if only cr5's could get it they would probably broadcast the percentages so everyone knew. Its all or none here.

I'll take all then, informed decisions > uninformed guesses.

Madcow · 2004-08-02, 10:56 AM

I recalled the other night for the first time based on the percentages. We were defending Searhus, and we were slightly lower populated but it wasn't a large concern. The VS had one base and a hack on another base, we had cavern benefits and the fight seemed pretty even. Then the CR5's in all their wisdom ordered people to 'ghost' Searhus (an easy defend) and leave it to the VS so that we could concentrate our forces on trying to take 2 other conts. I stuck on Searhus because leaving to try to take another cont was just bad strategy. 15 minutes later I was having no fun. I realized that as soon as I dropped back to a new base I had maybe 1 respawn before spawn was camped and I was screwed. I checked the populations and it was 80%+ VS. Screw that, I was gone. It's one thing to work against the odds, it's another thing to try to pad your kill stats on a hopeless cont.

Actually, I ended up logging on a VS character and heading to one of the conts that the NC were pushing onto hoping to have a chance to kill one of the 3 CR5's who had given the dumbass order.

Lartnev · 2004-08-02, 12:10 PM

The CR5s on TR Werner were doing that long before the pop indicators.

_-Gunslinger-_ · 2004-08-02, 02:51 PM

With the new incentives i NEVER fight with the zerg. Fuck that! A cloaker with ams can support himself on a cont with +96%xp and +98 health indefinatly. And when boomering the happless troop gives you 1000 bep and maxes 1600+ who nees base cap bep

Can even imagin reaver kill

KIAsan · 2004-08-03, 01:00 AM

Only problem I have with the population indicators, is it gives away a small team who is trying for a base drain hack. Even though we are careful to not drop the gen or all the spawn tubes (low NTUs being the only indicator that something is amiss), we are still "outed" by these population indicators, that show an enemy is on the continent. Before the indicators, it would be a long while before someone finally took notice, and even then, you would only be discovered by some noob trying for easy ANT xp. By the time someone finally did notice, it was too late and we had a toe hold.

Now, I constantly look at the map and check enemy populations. If I see enemy on a continent, first thing I do is check the status of bases to see if a drain is happening. I also check to see if we have enough forces on the continent to counter it. If we don't then it's just a matter of coordinating to counter the enemy.

Makes for good defensive, but kills offense.

Jaged · 2004-08-04, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by Incompetent

I'll take all then, informed decisions > uninformed guesses.

Well in a way yes. I dont like beine agle to look at 2 numbers and be able to predict the outcome of a battle with probably 99% accuracy. It removes the fog of war, the uncertanty that makes battles exciting. So yes, having to make a guess whether or not you are going to win is better then knowing right off the bat by looking at the pop %'s.

NinjaBob · 2004-08-04, 01:34 PM

actually i dont think its the % indicator i think its the ****** CR5s who broadcast that we dont have a chance and change the primary continent..then half will stay and half will go screwin it up even more. i really dont think the % matters my nc has been 10% below another empire and still beaten them back. i think its the CR5s who broadcast this crap - if it was up to me get rid of global chat and replace it with sumthin else.

Madcow · 2004-08-04, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by NinjaBob

actually i dont think its the % indicator i think its the ****** CR5s who broadcast that we dont have a chance and change the primary continent..then half will stay and half will go screwin it up even more. i really dont think the % matters my nc has been 10% below another empire and still beaten them back. i think its the CR5s who broadcast this crap - if it was up to me get rid of global chat and replace it with sumthin else.

You must be Emerald NC. I sit there completely dumbfounded at those guys most of the time.