Let NPC's Drive the ANTS?

MrVicchio · 2003-02-19, 06:13 AM

pulse625
Station Member
Registered: May 2002 posted 02-18-2003 04:04 PM user search report post
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It sounds like a pain to have to bring trucks back and forth warpgates to silos to supply energy and I think most people will enjoy fighting the opposing empires more(duh). I think it would be a better idea if NPCs would just drive ants. That would also make them a suitable target for enemy empires so you could be the ones escorting them maybe.
Another problem with manually driving the ants is you could make BEP from it so then some.. or even most, would just drive ants back and forth for xp because its easier. I think it would be a good idea if NPCs would drive the ANTs

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SporkfirePS
Station Admin
Registered: Jan 2003 posted 02-18-2003 04:52 PM user search report post
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That's the point of introducing a resource system in the first place: to give the enemy something else to target. It's another front for fighting the war.
Driving the ANT may not always be the most exciting part of the day, but it can be. A base under siege that is running out of resources has an extra factor to consider. The attack force has another opportunity to weaken the enemy's resources. I wouldn't want AI driving the ANT under those conditions.

Also, let's not assume that the facility is going to suck up enough to power to keep ANTS constantly on the road. The Devs are still working with that to make sure that it's not such a budensome chore.

Victor Wachter
Community Relations Representative
Many questions can be answered by reading the PlanetSide Game Info and FAQ

http://boards.station.sony.com/ubb/p...ML/002916.html

SilentCacophony · 2003-02-20, 10:24 PM

Driving the harvesters in C&C wouldn't be my preffered job, but someone has to do it. If you certify yourself in a Galaxy, then you might as well certify yourself in ANT as well (if you have to). Then when your taking a break from battling, you can pick one of each, load the ANT on the Galaxy, fly off and pick up some energy, then fly it back.

Besides, if it gives you XP, go for it if you got nothing better to do.

Ghostling · 2003-02-21, 12:38 AM

Correct me if i'm wrong but I believe u do not need to certify yourself to drive an ANT. And i'm not really sure about this but i don't think u can loadone on to a galaxy. The ANT was meant to give ppl something to do without having to go fight. Kinda like crafting in Daoc if u where tired of PvE or RvR u crafted, if u where a crafter of coursed. THis allows it so everyone can drive the ANT and gives them a reward for doing it.

Moleculor · 2003-02-21, 12:55 AM

Think of ANT driving as PvE for Planetside. A necessary evil, but from what I've heard, ANT driving isn't going to be needed too terribly often. (And it just might be a nice easy way of racking up BEP.)

Sputty · 2003-02-21, 01:09 AM

Most likely all ANTs will be air dropped into the facilities. Galaxies, will be VERY important

�io · 2003-02-21, 01:34 AM

Why can't people just trust the dev team sometimes. People seem to think a base will require constant flow of NTUs and that it's gonna take 40mins to fill up a silo.

Moleculor · 2003-02-21, 01:50 AM

From what I've read... (I'm a newbie, so this may be wrong...)

ANT runs will be needed perhaps once or twice daily in a normal operating base. Purchases and such (like weapons, vehicles, whatever) probably cost NTUs. However, the cost for a weapon is probably minimal compared to a fully loaded ANT. Like... miniscule.

However, when a base comes under attack, NTU usage increases dramatically (turret usage and increased purchasing, perhaps). So NTUs would be needed more in this type of situation. And it's precisely in this sort of situation where ANT runs become hard.

OmnipotentKiwi · 2003-02-21, 01:53 AM

Originally posted by Moleculor
From what I've read... (I'm a newbie, so this may be wrong...)

ANT runs will be needed perhaps once or twice daily in a normal operating base. Purchases and such (like weapons, vehicles, whatever) probably cost NTUs. However, the cost for a weapon is probably minimal compared to a fully loaded ANT. Like... miniscule.

However, when a base comes under attack, NTU usage increases dramatically (turret usage and increased purchasing, perhaps). So NTUs would be needed more in this type of situation. And it's precisely in this sort of situation where ANT runs become hard.

A base uses 0 NTUs when there is no activity in the area as well.

Marsman · 2003-02-21, 09:21 AM

Originally posted by OmnipotentKiwi
A base uses 0 NTUs when there is no activity in the area as well.

Well not exactly 0 but said to be quite low. The reason for this is to prevent bases from being owned forever without interaction. If a base is captured and then left alone with no activity, eventually it will deplete it's energy and become neutral again.

Reverend · 2003-02-21, 11:56 AM

ok, quick low-down on the ants that I know of so far.

1. Ants do NOT require a cert to drive.

2. They are slow

3. They are not very well armored

4. They CAN be carried in a galaxy so that if a WG is far away, they can get a quick lift to it without driving an hour to get there.

This information was taken from the planetside main site when they finally got around to posting info on it.

�io · 2003-02-21, 02:24 PM

Not so sure about that slow part though, it would be rather unrealistic and dumb to have a small lightly armored vehicle that is slower than a 5 ton tank.

mistled · 2003-02-21, 03:50 PM

Dave did say slow though. Of course, slow is relative and he didn't tell us slow compared to what. :/

�io · 2003-02-21, 04:15 PM

Ok so we have a vital, lightly armored, small and slow vehicle.....ok now people can complain about the system.

As least it would be as fast and agile as quad than it would have been fun, it if is a sitting duck without 2 squads escorting than it's gonna suck ass big time. I was dreaming of running from my warpgate full of NTUs trying to dodge the incoming fire, guess now i'll stick with escorting.

Saint · 2003-02-21, 04:28 PM

I think it will be funny to be a ghost engineer and setting up a boomer right in the path of the convoy and blast it right as the ANT passes over, HAHAHAHA

, tho smart people will fill 2 ANTS at a time and separate them so in case one gets picked off you still hve the other.