March - Max Balance [TR Getting Shafted]

[MrBloodworth]

Originally Posted by Chowley

Give it a bloody huge riot shield

That would be cool.

[bpostal]

Originally Posted by MrBloodworth

I would enjoy choices in factional special abilities, yes. Again, this won't be the only options. You can always not pick it up. That's the best part of choice.

Exactly, the charge ability is useful for crossing danger zones quickly as well as removing a burster from the line of fire of a lib or Reaver. In other situations it's about worthless.
I agree, situational abilities lend themselves to the 'sidegrade' philosophy rather than being viewed as a straight upgrade.
Sometimes I take anchor mode for my Prowler, other times I take IR smoke. Same thing with lockdown for the MAX.

[MrBloodworth]

How about we make a list of abilities that would be cool situational stuff?

Instead of making threads calling the developers stupid.

[Pella]

Originally Posted by bpostal

Uh huh. Do you want to debate a specific point exactly or are we just going to stand here all day throwing insults at each other getting exactly fuck all accomplished?
Now which part of my statement do you want me to clarify?

Let me explain this for you.

Engineer AI turret. Massive DPS and High RoF. Comparable to a TR Max. Now if we used your proposed scenario of.

x2 Engineers / 1 Fireing 1 Repairing
x1 Medic
x1 Hero LA.

How come we don't see this set up in planetside 2? In bases, Or towers?

Because its straight up useless. What ever way you look at it. Or what ever scenario you put it in.

[Dodgy Commando]

Provided its a sidegrade, why not?

Lockdown is situational, but by no means was it useless in PS1.

I do share your fears in PS2's gameplay though, but I still believe it could prove handy. It'll just be a lot more situational than before.

As an optional ability, at least you can have it handy for when you know you are likely to benefit from it.

-e-
We don't know how the actual implementation of Lockdown would turn out. Maybe it can add a small buff to resistance to compensate for the low TTK combined to being immobile for example.

[Graywolves]

If Lockdown gives my Mercy anywhere close to 4k dps then I might use it occasionally.

Charge has saved me too many times to stop using it all together though. And MAXs are just too slow without it.


-edit- But for the love of everything don't give the instant kill machines a shield....

[bpostal]

Originally Posted by Pella

Let me explain this for you.

Engineer AI turret. Massive DPS and High RoF. Comparable to a TR Max. Now if we used your proposed scenario of.

x2 Engineers / 1 Firing 1 Repairing
x1 Medic
x1 Hero LA.

How come we don't see this set up in planetside 2? In bases, Or towers?

Because its straight up useless.

Because an engineer who puts up an AI turret without some kind of support is just begging to get sniped in the face.
As to my proposed setup, is it perfect? No. Could you suggest a better one? Without a doubt, if you were of the mind to.
My point with that scenario being that you need at least one engy for rep, one medic for the inevitable death or two and at least one or two highly mobile harassing units to ensure the locked down MAX isn't picked off by a corner humping HA.

Can you honestly not see a scenario or think of any terrain where lockdown would be beneficial? Top level of the tech plant where the SCU shield gen used to be, middle floor of a tower guarding the entrance from the vbay, side of a hill with dual bursters, SCU room of an Amp station, Vertical/Horizontal Shield Gen rooms, the all important lynchpin of biolabs: The SCU Shield gen building. Use the imagination and knowledge of tactics that I KNOW you have and apply it.
I've already conceded that lockdown isn't as universally viable as an overshield with dual hacksaws but to say it's worthless is quite a leap.

[ChipMHazard]

Originally Posted by Dodgy Commando

I do share your fears in PS2's gameplay though, but I still believe it could prove handy. It'll just be a lot more situational than before.

As an optional ability, at least you can have it handy for when you know you are likely to benefit from it.

Aye it most certainly could. So far my view on lockdown abilities in PS2 is that they are there to make use of a certain situation like the Prowler being able to decimate enemies as long as it's not in any pressing danger. I can certainly see TR MAXs' being able to defend an area far more effectively than before, as long as there are enough units there to support them.
But that's when I think, well how much different is that really from what you would be able to do withouth the lockdown ability. An MBT would be able to bombard an area effectively as long as there aren't any threats to it and MAXs' would be able to defend an area effectively as long as there are engineers there to support them.
Personally I see the lockdown abilities as being designed to take advantage of a preexisting situation and not to actually create a new situation, if that makes any sense

[Pella]

Originally Posted by bpostal

Because an engineer who puts up an AI turret without some kind of support is just begging to get sniped in the face.
As to my proposed setup, is it perfect? No. Could you suggest a better one? Without a doubt, if you were of the mind to.
My point with that scenario being that you need at least one engy for rep, one medic for the inevitable death or two and at least one or two highly mobile harassing units to ensure the locked down MAX isn't picked off by a corner humping HA.

Can you honestly not see a scenario or think of any terrain where lockdown would be beneficial? Top level of the tech plant where the SCU shield gen used to be, middle floor of a tower guarding the entrance from the vbay, side of a hill with dual bursters, SCU room of an Amp station, Vertical/Horizontal Shield Gen rooms. Use the imagination and knowledge of tactics that I KNOW you have and apply it.
I've already conceded that lockdown isn't as universally viable as an overshield with dual hacksaws but to say it's worthless is quite a leap.

I can see where your coming from now. Yes i agree to a certain degree. But its simply not worth the cert points. Compared to a shield which can be a life saver, And even further cause damage.

[Assist]

Originally Posted by Hamma

I honestly see no need for max special abilities at all. If they do have them they should be the same across the board.

If they're going to add them may as well make them unique IMO. I don't see a need for new MAX abilities though. They're good enough, very situational, and there's more pressing needs that those developers should work on.
No idea what they should do for the VS. I think the NC Max should get the warden bubble from DAoC, negates 1 hit - 10s cooldown. Don't give it the same boring HA shield. If you're going to put time and effort into revamping a class may as well make it interesting.

TR - Berserk mode! 50% more dmg done, 75% more dmg taken.
NC - 'Blade'turn - Passive, Ignores 1 damaging hit, 10s cooldown.
VS - Reflect - 50% of damage taken dealt to attacker. 8s duration, 40s cooldown (or not, no idea!)

Probably not fair, probably unbalanced - whatever, it's all I got! Like I said, I'd prefer they use their development team to work on other things.

[bpostal]

Originally Posted by Pella

I can see where your coming from now. Yes i agree to a certain degree. But its simply not worth the cert points. Compared to a shield which can be a life saver, And even further cause damage.

In that sense, yes. Biolabs will be a right pain in the ass and there WILL be people complaining about that (the hypocrite that I am, I'll probably be one of them). We all know a ScatMax push with those shields means only one thing: Lay CE and run like hell before you get instagibbed and yes, in that sense we ARE getting shafted.
Personally I'd love to see your suggestion with higher ROF and larger magazines implemented alongside lockdown. Perhaps with a movement/explosive resistance buff for a few seconds after activation.

[Pella]

Originally Posted by bpostal

In that sense, yes. Biolabs will be a right pain in the ass and there WILL be people complaining about that (the hypocrite that I am, I'll probably be one of them). We all know a ScatMax push with those shields means only one thing: Lay CE and run like hell before you get instagibbed and yes, in that sense we ARE getting shafted.
Personally I'd love to see your suggestion with higher ROF and larger magazines implemented alongside lockdown. Perhaps with a movement/explosive resistance buff for a few seconds after activation.

If they are going to add a lock down ability. It needs a +Explosion Resist. Small arms fire is fine. But the sheer amount of grenades, and AV rockets coming at you will be uncontrollable.

I would prefer. +Clip size 50% while active with a faster reload. RoF can stay the same.

Last for 10 Seconds. And what ever cooldown. But this will enable you to still be mobile. And keep down fire to suppress the enemy. Or lead the charge without dieing because your reloading.

Something along those lines.

[Ghodere]

Originally Posted by Pella

Let me explain this for you.

Engineer AI turret. Massive DPS and High RoF. Comparable to a TR Max. Now if we used your proposed scenario of.

x2 Engineers / 1 Fireing 1 Repairing
x1 Medic
x1 Hero LA.

How come we don't see this set up in planetside 2? In bases, Or towers?

Because its straight up useless. What ever way you look at it. Or what ever scenario you put it in.

Engineer AI turret does not have massive DPS. If it were a Kobalt, we'd probably see a lot more use out of it; it's useless because of the combination of not being a more capable gun than a carbine and making you a sitting duck. There are ways to provide enough benefit to outweigh the downsides.

[JesNC]

How about adding lockdown as a common pool ability while changing the TR specific ability to overdrive?

[HereticusXZ]

Never played PS1 but I honestly don't care about PS1, this is PS2 so different mechanics apply. The Prowler tank has been just fine with Lock-Down (Anchor Mode), never mind if it can't move its DPS carries it in a fight just fine, a competent tanker knows how to un-deploy and move if he's in danger.

I don't see it being any different with a MAX, in a Bio-Lab fight it's a pain in the rear to get into that SCU Shield Generator room when the enemy is entrenched at the top of the stairs with turrets, same with Tower fights trying to fight through the stairs. Turrets weakness is that you can shoot the gunner off the turret, can't shoot the MAX guy out of his MAX.

For your average MAX player it may be a hindrance without Kinetic or Flak armor to make him more tanky when hes locked-down but that's what we have Engineers and Medics for "Oh no, we're being flanked!" takes just a second to un-deploy and move yourself. If you're lone wolfing as a MAX without support then yeah, your going to die, MAX ability or not you will die when your unsupported as a MAX, that's part of the game.

My entire point is that No, Lock-Down will not be bad or a hindrance for the Terran Republic, more MAX abilities or faction specific abilities will not be bad for any faction, even shielded hacksaw MAX as annoying as that may be, will not be a bad thing, makes the battlefield a little more dynamic.

I say let MAX have more options in abilities or weapons, more options isn't bad, No one is holding a gun to your head and saying "USE THIS ABILITY ONLY!" Don't want to use Lock-Down? That's fine cert into Charge if that caters to your play style. I for one look forward to maxing out my kinetic armor, extended magazines on my Mercies and lock-down at a infantry bottleneck and farming some easy kills off the pubs, or Lock-down with the pounders on some high ground to rip into some tanks, or Lock-down on a landing platform with some bursters keeping the ESF ace's away from my territory with my outfit to back me up as engineers or medics if need be.

Worst thing that can happen is a Light Assault flanks me with some C4, it happens, welcome to Planetside2 where everything can be countered.