Should the numbers be even for each class

[AirFell]

Originally Posted by Xyntech

Medics I think will be the least populated class, in high use among organized squads but extremely underused in more zerg minded groups.

^Always the case. Hell, if the occasion calls for it I've seen groups (in other games) use nothing but medics just for the revive (no need for respawn logistics) factor.

[gufftroad]

i highly doubt they would limit it a lot of their talking points in interviews is how the game is meant to be played how you want and how you feel comfortable hence all the customization why would they let you customize a class but limit how much you can play it

[Ratstomper]

Originally Posted by TAA

I think you are very very far off the mark. Yes good infiltrators will be in the action, but that is not the rule. Most people will be drawn to the infiltrator because of the sniper rifle. They will on top of a hill or tower so far away that even their best scopes barely let them see dots as their targets, and they will sit there trying to get headshots all day long doing nothing for the team. That is how almost every shooter goes. Unless a sniper is exceptionally good they are a waste of space, often defeated by something as simple as two medics running alongside each other.

I think you don't have enough faith in planetside players. Remember that about half of the community here are PS1 vets who have experience with the importance of teamwork. The rest MAY try this at first, but with all the utility infiltrators offer, you'll find them choosing between using that utility and having fun or being squadless.

[Otleaz]

Originally Posted by Ratstomper

I think you don't have enough faith in planetside players. Remember that about half of the community here are PS1 vets who have experience with the importance of teamwork. The rest MAY try this at first, but with all the utility infiltrators offer, you'll find them choosing between using that utility and having fun or being squadless.

The PS1 community will undoubtedly be less than 5% of the PS2 playerbase, and that is being generous. If I had to put money on it I would lean closer to 1%.

[BigBossMonkey]

Originally Posted by jabber

each team will have 300 infiltrators all sitting in a dark corner of the map.

Sweet rave party with laser attachments.

Noone can see the person wielding them, so just hundreds of lasers....


This would actually be really awesome.

[Canaris]

Originally Posted by jabber

each team will have 300 infiltrators all sitting in a dark corner of the map.

I tried emocide, just couldn't get into it, as for the OP question. No, how can you even think of having a class cap in a game like Planetside it makes no sense and wouldn't work. This is a mmofps, people will do and should play whichever class they please.

[infected]

i hope the medic can hold his own in infantry combat, rather than being forced into a more support role like in tf2 and the like. im quite fond of how bf3 infantry medic gameplay works.

also, i wouldn't be surprised if ps2 removed the ammo box from LA kit and gives it to HA, since LA gets the jump jet, adding endless ammo makes it too self-sufficient (one man army playing his own objectives instead of with the team).

[Xyntech]

Originally Posted by Canaris

I tried emocide, just couldn't get into it, as for the OP question. No, how can you even think of having a class cap in a game like Planetside it makes no sense and wouldn't work. This is a mmofps, people will do and should play whichever class they please.

He didn't mean to have a class cap, he was just asking if all classes being evenly balanced would also translate to them having even numbers on average.

I think medics could actually be overpowered and still see some heavy use, while engineers could be slightly underpowered and still get used a lot to drive or gun for vehicles.

MAXes will be very situational, so sometimes they will be way under represented and sometimes there will be an overabundance of them.

Infiltrators should probably ideally be underpopulated due to their niche skill sets, even if they are well balanced with the rest of the classes, but will probably be average or possibly even overpopulated if too many players choose them for the 1337 snoipah factor.

I think the class balance is just too complex of a thing for the devs to track it's balance based only on how much they get used. If one class, vehicle or weapon is getting seriously underused, I would like to see something done about it because I don't like the idea of useless equipment, but that doesn't necessarily mean it needs a buff or that other things need a nerf. But I think there is still a range of utilization where something can still be slightly over or underused compared to other things and it still be okay as well. There are a lot of factors beyond balance that determine how much a player will use a class, and sometimes there is nothing that can be done to bring the usage to an even level with the other classes. Usually there is no need for them to be even either.

They just need to make all of the classes be as fun and balanced as possible on their own merits, and let the usage numbers work themselves out. Looking at how much or little a class gets used should at most be a warning sign to investigate further if it's usage numbers seem to be way off.

Originally Posted by infected

i hope the medic can hold his own in infantry combat, rather than being forced into a more support role like in tf2 and the like. im quite fond of how bf3 infantry medic gameplay works.

also, i wouldn't be surprised if ps2 removed the ammo box from LA kit and gives it to HA, since LA gets the jump jet, adding endless ammo makes it too self-sufficient (one man army playing his own objectives instead of with the team).

The devs have mentioned in interviews that medics will have the options of customizing to either be more dedicated to purely a supportive role, or towards more of a combat centric role with the supportive skills being pushed off to the side.

Also, at the moment the ammo box has been given to the engineer.

[SniperSteve]

The most versitile classes will be the most used. MAXs and Infiltrators are very specilized, so they will not see use on some occasions, contributing to the lower number of these classes. (which is good... too many infiltrators or MAXs would be a pain.)

[infected]

Originally Posted by Xyntech

Also, at the moment the ammo box has been given to the engineer.

my advice to the devs... you're arguably giving the engy too many roles (responsibilities) and tools here. this could lead to engineer population that eclipses all other classes by far. see bf3 for example of this.

engy is already a popular support class with all vehicle operations, and MAX gameplay. why further its use by forcing more people to run engy to support all infantry (non-MAX) operations as well? thats the whole trinity right there!

i'd think the engy with ammo would cause problems (besides them being overrepresented). imagine you run out of ammo and you need to find an engy. engy now has so many possible roles. shouldn't that engy stick to what he is doing and you go find ammo from someone who isn't already preoccupied repairing stuff, or babysitting MAX's, or setting up defenses, etc? i mean give the guy a break. everyone is going to need ammo, but i don't see the engy as the guy who should be nominated to fill yet another role such as this.

as i see it, the HA seems the most logical choice for ammo box.

[Canaris]

Originally Posted by infected

as i see it, the HA seems the most logical choice for ammo box.

my feelings exactly, we'll have to see how beta pans out tho.

[RSphil]

no. let people play what they want. hate it when servers restrict stuff. thats why i dont play battlefield 3 anymore. too many rules spoil the game. i think people will play what is needed. spec if you are in an outfit ect.

the classes are so customizable that 100 infiltrators will be almost all different anyway. all depends on the players play style as mentioned.

[Xyntech]

I don't think you can really count the classes that are used a lot in vehicles as being overused just because of that. Engineers may get used more often in infantry combat due to the ammo resupply ability, but I still don't think that will make them be used that much more than some of the other classes.

MAXes can't be used in vehicles and medics will certainly not be ideal vehicle crew material. At the same time, there will be lots of vehicles running around. Just think of the vehicle as the class, and the engi or HA or LA driving it as a piece of support equipment.

Just worry about how much a class will be used purely in an infantry role. I'll admit that the engi still may be the most used class, but not by a huge percentage and there are worse classes that could be overused.

Giving HA an ammo pack just to artificially boost HA's usage is absurd. I'm betting HA will already get quite a bit of use, and I don't think it would be a good idea to let them resupply themselves with ammo. With their heavy firepower, I think that would make them just as lonewolfy as it would make LA, where as engi's with ammo resupplying will be no more or less lone wolf capable than engi's without it.

[Nemeses]

Everyone should be what they want, you force people to play roles they don't want, they tend not to stay idiotic thing to even try do.

[Canaris]

Originally Posted by Xyntech

Giving HA an ammo pack just to artificially boost HA's usage is absurd. I'm betting HA will already get quite a bit of use, and I don't think it would be a good idea to let them resupply themselves with ammo. With their heavy firepower, I think that would make them just as lonewolfy as it would make LA, where as engi's with ammo resupplying will be no more or less lone wolf capable than engi's without it.

Giving the HA the ammo pack isn't to artificially boost there usage, I reckon they'll been used in abundance no matter what, the real reason why they should get it is becuase the engineer already has a multiply roles assigned to him, saddling him with yet another like ammo pack is overkill which infected pointed out. I also don't think HA will be a lonewolf style, with there slower movement speed they'll be relying on their squad mates to be moved around the battle field. HA will be at the core of squad combat.