Meaningful Customization & Balance via Tradeoff Decisions

[CutterJohn]

Originally Posted by CutterJohn

If I cert a tank, and want to switch to infantry, I expect to go to the appropriate terminal for the gear and get it. Not make a side trip to a third terminal so I can change up what certs I'm accessing at the moment.

Originally Posted by Malorn

Definitely some mistunderstanding here - I'm not suggesting any change to the class system. If you are in the "tank driver role then you can drive a tank.

I'm suggesting another layer where you choose the power bonuses. Those power bonuses are significant and meaningful and because of the limited number and the decisions you must make, that will differentiate you from other players who will make different decisions.

Example, suppose you like assault rifles and choose to have an assault rifle damage bonus as one of your power augments. Whether you are a tank driver or a light assault infantry you get that bonus. If you occasional hop into a max suit or infiltrator then it won't be that useful to you, but if you do that with any regularity then you might have some differnet bonuses for those roles.

Its no different than if you were swapping implants. Some implants are more or less useful in certain roles. "Surge" for example is not a very useful implant for a MAX, but if you don't spend a lot of time in a max or while you are flying aircraft, but you may feel it is a worthwhile implant for the times you don't. Same deal.

Not seeing a misunderstanding.

Me: If I cert damage for an infantry weapon, I want to be able to put that on the weapon when I pull that weapon.

You: That damage bonus for an infantry weapon would be an implant like thing you must make a side trip for to change out

More importantly I'm concerned with how the game scales. Think release + 1 year and they have a content expansion. Many players have converged and have most of the same skillsets providing the same passive power bonuses. There is no longer differentiation between players. What will they do? Well they already started down the path of power over time so they'll very likely continue down that path and expand and add more power bonuses. Just like EVE started with "not that big of a difference" it becomes a big difference and discourages new players.

Just because eve did it does not mean PS will as well. People who stick around in a game for a couple years do not do so because of the leveling mechanics, but because they like the gameplay.

I propose one based on other games with similar systems (including PS1 and EVE - use their ship customization model instead of their skill gain model).

We don't even know if there will be a +5% damage cert or whatever. It could be a barrel attachment, that you fit in place of another barrel attachment that gives better accuracy or something. This is in fact what I'm assuming will happen. You cert upgrades, that you can purchase, and install on your armor/weapons. And if you install them, you can't install other things.