Complexity of the Game

[Shogun]

ps1 was in fact a pain in the ass to learn as a noob.
but it was incredible fun after the learning phase.

for what we know about ps2, it will make the noob-phase extremely easy as you can play like any other shooter out there and get easy to understand mission objectives smashed into your face.

what i would like to see is the full scale of complexibility that will count as "endgame content". like you can play the fungame right from the beginning, and when you are familiar with the basics, you can start to experiment with the deeper features of the game.

in ps1 you were screwed if you didn´t know anything about gendrop mechanics, the lattice, the hack-mechanics and so on. you could actually harm your empire by doing the wrong thing like dropping a gen after the spawns were already taken out and secured.
bad things like that will not happen in ps2 because of the mission system. it helps noobs and is still very useful for veterans.
so if you use the mission system, you are clear to play the game and have fun. but give us deeper tactical complexibility on top of that. noobs don´t have to cope with that, the pure fighting will be enough fun to get hooked up. but when the time comes where the fighting alone isn´t enough anymore, they can check the complex stuff and have more influence on the meta game.

i want a really deep certificationtree for engineers as an example.
with really useful stuff on the deep end of the tree. if placing whole towers makes it into the game, it should be an expensive cert at the end of the cert tree, so noobs will have enough time to see how it´s done right before they start doing it.

some lattice system would also be nice. just the guys setting up the missions would have to understand it, others can just take the missions and do what they are ordered.

[Kitsune]

Generally, I think that if the game at launch is too simple with kinda faceroll tactics and equipment, then later patches and updates will add more toys and more interesting strategies like electronic warfare.

[Shogun]

ps1 also got new stuff and options later after launch.

so we are comparing a game with years of evolution to a fresh stock game.

ps2 hopefully has years to evolve into something more complex as well.

[BattsTR]

I have the feeling that people in PS2 will care alot less about territory and "homeland" than they did in PS1. I think for the most part its gonna be a log, kill, log off game.

[LtHolmes]

There are a couple things that I would love to add to this forum topic after reading many responses. First I am a long time vet of PS1 from the launch. I love the game. There is no question about that and I have the highest hopes and think PS2 will do great.

First, we need to stop making broad stroke statements. I am also a BF3 fan and love playing that with a few of my friends. We are very strategic and love to plan our classes and the way we hold the line and cover strategic positions etc. So even BF3 can be a semi strategic short term game. No, it does not have as high as a ceiling as PS, not even close. But it ultimately rests on the people to make the game complex and fun. If I go into PS2 with this idea its not good or can't live up before giving it a fair chance than I will find things to not like based off my broad unwarranted negative attitude.

PS2 has some of the most intimate producer/developer relationship with its fan base that I have seen in a long time. In addition to them being up front and communicating with us they are also extremely passionate and in this to make a great game that will last. Put those two things together and this whole thread becomes a little more of a mute subject. We can trust that they are doing whatever possible to make this game both stick close to roots while making it succeed. PS1 was great but none of my friends would give it a long term chance.

I guess that is the main two points. I definitely think being observant and insightful are great but let's be careful to not be overly critical and make broad strokes about something we have little idea about. Plus these BF3/COD statements are getting old. Some of us gamers have a love for many games and come from different gaming backgrounds. It does not mean we are less of a gamer. We have a great community with PS, lets help it stay that way.