List of things PS2 is missing.

[DDSHADE]

First things first:
This will not be a "What the hell, PS1 had lettuce linked bases, inventories and more tactics" thread.

With that said, I have been thinking over the course of beta of certain things missing from PS2 that helped PS1 truly have the PlanetSide feeling.

I did get a good "This is SO PlanetSide" feeling when bringing a tank over a hill to see a huge war across a field on Amerish. I want more of that.

I want to make a list to keep track of things that made the first one feel the way it did. Here goes.

1. Cloaking needs to be able to REALLY specialize into recon work.
I know there will be a cloak device that doesn't deplete while stationary, but I want it to make you 100% invisible. Only Pistols for that class, and allow cloakers to hack and shoot while cloaked. OBVIOUSLY make them much more visible while doing so, but I don't want the cloak to deplete at all, maybe only when damaged from enemy fire. Make Thermal scopes to detect cloakers


2. In tune with #1 but different, Hacking of vehicles NEEDS to happen, maybe not now, but in the forseeable future.

3. LOOTABLE WEAPONS. Maybe because of classes, only allow LA/Engy loot Carbines, Medics loot their guns AND Carbines, and HA can loot all of the above.

4. Rivers going through maps, and more Lakes/Islands. I know I mostly play TR, but I still feel VS are missing out on their tactical advantage of crossing water in Magriders. Add the Deliverer. (or upgrade the sundy with waterwalking) I understand the challenges faced with adding lakes and rivers/islands.. Players will expect a AAA title to have decent swimming mechanics (nothing like PS1) so it will take some time, but I would like to see a lake or two on Amerish, and perhaps an Oasis on Indar.

5. CERT GAINS at new BATTLE RANKS. Even if it's as small as the number of rank they gain, (BR2=2 CP, BR17=17CP). Players don't really feel like they unlock anything or much from getting a higher BR. (Titles don't really cut it)

6. Commander visual upgrades. I really LOVED being able to see a commander's rank from their Shin guards/Gauntlets or backpack. Please make those with ANY CR stand out in the same way. And add the EMP/map drawing for CR3

7. Make the ACE more multi-function. Engineers should be able to pick 4 things their ACE can do for one loadout. Bring TRUE CE back. Tank mine/Ammo/Turret/Boomer etc.. Also, let cloakers have boomers again PLEASE!!

8. Armor Piercing ammo needs to be available to ANYONE. Maybe unlock it at BR5. Let players choose to switch 1 or 2 magazines worth of their ammo reserve for AP ammo. Effective against tanks and MAX units, balanced enough so they can't really kill a tank, but if they see one driving away with 5% health... Just have players pay Infantry Resources for it!

9. Better 3rd person driving: The ability to zoom a LITTLE bit farther out from your vehicle in 3rd person view. The sunderer driver can rotate the camera all the way around to see sneaking enemies in back, but tank drivers can't see friendly pedestrians running out (who don't look both ways before crossing the street) and turn them into pavement. More camera angles please.

10. Add a rearview camera for aircraft. This would both be really helpful to check your tail, AND it would allow PS2 film makers to get some cool shots.


11. Stats tracked for Repair and Healing, and especially for Assists. I mean assists to show as a K/D/A ratio. More stats to do with Assists (it's a big step up from PS1 that didn't even have assists) But you get the point. Stats for how many of each class you've killed of each faction, and each vehicle.

12. Weapon Progress unlockables. Certain secret unlockable weapon upgrades/attachments/camo or even a new FREE unlocked weapon from x number of kills with x weapon. Could work for Vehicles too. Think of how the Flying BFR variant was unlocked, only not impossible. Or the Vulture variant of the Liberator. Rewards based on specialized use of one particular weapon/vehicle.

13. Habitable bases. The bases look like they are ONLY for battle. I want to see a mess hall or two, captains quarters, maybe even a bathroom, etc... Places that make a base FEEL like a base. I know this is unnecessary or minor but it would be cool. Maybe even bunks or a table with holograpic looping tanks and aircraft! :P On a better note, SPAWN ROOMS IN THE BASEMENT! LOGICAL FORTIFICATIONS!

14. Ant runs!! I know.. some might be haters of this, but I felt it added tactics, when you're defending a base and send someone to get an ANT to power the facility or you lose it... the feeling of getting there just in time..thats an epic win.
EDIT: I'm aware that ANT runs would NOT be feasible right now in PS2, Gal's cannot carry vehicles yet (hopefully they will) And there is only one WG per cont so far that you have access to. Plus bases have no form of nanite depletion.

15. LLU Capture mechanics for some bases. It was a lot of fun, and mixed it up. I'm sure that the devs have something on the horizon for CTF style caps, but I had to mention it. We need to mix it up a bit. The new Tug of War system makes base caps take AGES even if there are no enemies around, and there is less incentive to defend.

16. SoI's!! The Sphere of Influence around a base made that area FEEL like yours. It had perks spread within it, and showed a much more clear view of who owned the base/tower. I'm not saying make a lattice system again (Though I DO prefer it to the hexes at the moment) I would just like the ability to make the hex colour more transparent, and to see colour coded circles around the bases. Introducing a slider for opacity of the Hex influence would be a good start! Or just highlighting the edges.

17. Make cloak suits shimmer like in PS1! It looked so cool for graphics back then, and it's not even in PS2

18. Let the Flash turn into the Wraith, and give it trunk space

Just the things keeping me awake thinking at night...

Anyway, that sums the list up for tonight. I'm sure I have an idea or two in my head floating around somewhere, but it's 4am for me and I need sleep.
I really can't wait for Tuesday, and will love this game no matter what (and already do) But I can't help but think these things are missing.


Feel free to add to my list, comment on certain list items, or give feedback!
I'm open to logical criticism!

Night,
Shade

[ringring]

Also, worthwhile CE. Bring back the Combat Engineer role.


Apart from being in the think of it the two/three things I miss are:- Combat engineering, Ant runs and command chat.

[WarbirdTD]

I like almost all of these points, with the exception of the Ant runs. I do understand what you mean about the feeling of pushing out of a base into a courtyard to clear it just enough for your Galaxy to come screaming in, drop an ANT, and refuel the base just in time. However, I'm not sold on that being a valid mechanic for PS2. Even now, I think some of the capture mechanics (in which 6 people have to sit on a point for nearly 10 minutes doing absolutely nothing) are too boring. How will people view ANT runs in a game this fast-paced? And remember, Galaxies can't carry vehicles yet, so you'll be driving all over the continent from the warpgate, thru fighter-infested skies. At this point, I just don't think it would fit well with the game.

On points 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, and 12, I'm 100% with you. I absolutely love the idea of getting cert points at battle ranks, since I got to BR13 in beta, but I couldn't care less. BR13 didn't give me any color changes on my armor or any additional cert points... just a title that I was totally uninterested in.

As far as my own feedback, get rid of the MBT "special abilities". Talk about not making any sense. The TR are the fastest tank, so their special ability is to lock down and become immobile? Bad idea. The slowest tank gets a 100kph afterburner? What?
I'd also like some sort of command channel, with some consideration for continent-all's for organization purposes. Far too many times that the TR have lost Indar because all the lemmings are at The Crown. Right now, there's just way too much zerging around.
Lastly, points for defending. Those need to be put back in. At least something... like 250 or 500 for defending a 1000-point facility. Otherwise, you get this terrible feeling that you were wasting your time, even if it had been fun.

[bpostal]

All of these would be awesome to have...SPAWN ROOMS IN THE BASEMENT! LOGICAL FORTIFICATIONS! is the necessary one that it must have.

[Knocky]

Infiltrators

[ChipMHazard]

I agree with all your points except for nr. 1, 17 and 14. I'm personally fine with how infiltrators' cloak works... Then again I don't play as one and I enjoy killing them. Bases don't really have power so unless you want it to serve as a backup shield generator I don't see it working.

Something to add. An actual mission system. I know they have one in the works, but darn it we do so need one that works properly.

[Srixun]

Lettuce linked bases... lol.

[Rivenshield]

Originally Posted by ringring

Also, worthwhile CE. Bring back the Combat Engineer role.

Wait, WAIT a freaking minute. They got rid of the Combat Engineer as a class?

/been on hotel wifi for past two months

[Shogun]

i totally agree on everything regarding cloakers, hackers and engineers!

those were my favorite playstyles and they worked very well in ps1 and are totally missing from ps2! those classes are just a shadow of what they once were!
please bring them back to life!

[Shogun]

Originally Posted by Rivenshield

Wait, WAIT a freaking minute. They got rid of the Combat Engineer as a class?

/been on hotel wifi for past two months

the class is there, but compared to what it could do in ps1, it is totally castrated.no diversity on the field at all.

[Rivenshield]

Originally Posted by Shogun

the class is there, but compared to what it could do in ps1, it is totally castrated.no diversity on the field at all.

/breathes easier

They still don't let us carry more than two freaking AT mines, huh?

[IceJudge]

Voice Macros. The classic V-V-V system was much more intuitive and allowed for greater communication on the fly.

[Buggsy]

Originally Posted by ringring

Also, worthwhile CE. Bring back the Combat Engineer role.


Apart from being in the think of it the two/three things I miss are:- Combat engineering, Ant runs and command chat.

If SONY wants anyone to defend, they need to bring back CE from PS1, plus the cloak on the AMS. These 2 are absolutely necessary for defense.

Or we can just roll around with the zerg capturing one undefended base after another *yawn*

[Buggsy]

Originally Posted by Rivenshield

Wait, WAIT a freaking minute. They got rid of the Combat Engineer as a class?

/been on hotel wifi for past two months

Mines/Claymores are totally useless on defense except for lolz (putting claymores inside spawn room after losing base).

There are no spitfires, there are no motion detectors, and the Mines/Claymores don't work if you are traveling fast over them, they will detonate behind you doing little or no damage if you are traveling fast.

[Tamas]

100% invisible and shooting while cloaked with infinite cloak - perfect example why some players should never ever touch balancing.