Gameplay: Base Security System

[Geist]

As anyone who ever played Planetside 1 knows, there was a form of automated security for bases, the turrets, but they only ever affected vehicles and running Maxes, and generally, they weren't really that strong, and easily bypassed.

Well, I would like that to be fixed come PS2, with my idea being tiered and upgradable automated base security. As we all should know, there is a resource based system in Planetside 2, where each area of a continent has some sort of resource value attached. Once a faction\Outfit\Player gets enough of a certain resource, they can then go to the base console and purchase an upgraded security system, tiered as follows:

Tier 1: Simple Turrets, like PS1, that only track vehicles and running maxes, as well as short range.

Tier 2: Turrets, longer range, possibly faster RoF. Alarm sensors at all doors, bypassable with a high enough hacking skill or infiltration suit.

Tier 3: Turrets can now track soft targets, bypassable only with infiltration suit or suitable implant(Sensor shield). Alarms at all doors and additional sensors at courtyard entrances. There are now turrets on the ceiling in specific places within the base.

Tier 4: Turrets now have access to anti-tank functionality, and can switch between anti-tank and machinegun based on target. Alarms are same as Tier 3, and there are more ceiling turrets within the base.

Now, this makes infiltrators and sensor shield much more necessary, as within the base, there will be a security room, which if sabotaged, will shut down the base security, except perhaps basic functionality turrets. Thus, a base that is barely defended, but has Tier 4 defenses, isn't impossible to take down, but requires some fancy infiltrating skills. But a base that is heavily defended makes the base security an excellent advantage to have.

Another thing is that it takes a while for the base to upgrade to whatever tier defenses, so a base that is about to come under attack can't just quickly upgrade to Tier 4 right away. It can also be somewhat expensive, so that only bases that have an obvious tactical value should be reinforced in such a way.

Anyway, I just sort of came up with this pretty suddenly, so tell me what you think.

[Xyntech]

I'd like to remove the ability to just fly a skeeter into a base and waltz in with agile armor and feel like I own the supposedly hostile enemy base. PvE elements are one thing, but I think better automated defenses are something else entirely. If a team wants to ghost hack a continent, make them at least require a little effort with an infiltrator or three running point.

It would also give defenders that many more options. A lone defender could hold a well upgraded base a lot better if all he had to worry about were a couple of infiltrators, not a bunch of agiles and rexos and MAXes.

I'd like to see every base come with a few light defenses that can protect them from non infiltrator infantry, but be somewhat easily dispatched by a small squad of soldiers with enough armor and firepower, even without an infiltrator.

I'd like to see a fully upgraded base, with a lot of hard to get, hard to install and hard to maintain defenses be able to hold out against an entire squad of infantry unless those infantry disable the defenses with infiltrators. Obviously a few squads should be able to just force their way in and destroy even the best automated defenses, but a handful of defenders should be able to hold a well upgraded base against a couple squads.

Once the battle starts ramping up and gets into the more appropriate, large scale Planetside type numbers of combatants, base defenses should start counting for relatively little compared to the waves of attackers and defenders crashing against each other, but on small scales I think that defenders should be given the advantage on holding on to territory.

Ghost hacking should still be possible, but a few defenders should have the edge in stopping, or at least slowing down the push. It would give a chance for more attackers and more defenders to come in and turn it into the kind of giant battle that Planetside is all about. Don't destroy the small scale battles, just encourage reinforcements and foster large scale battles.

I am personally for this idea, as long as it doesn't turn into PvE 'fight against the base' mechanics. A lone infiltrator should still be able to take an undefended base without a moments hesitation, but a lone defender should be given a huge edge. At that point it wouldn't be PvE, it would just be something along the lines of a 3 vs 1 battle with the odds stacked in favor of the 1.

[SuperMorto]

Player controlled system, not sure how I will get back to you on this, but try and get near a base with full auto!

[Xyntech]

Automated defenses don't have to equal an unstoppable barrage of bullets. There are dozens of factors to balance it appropriately.

Spitfires in PS1 were automated and they weren't generally much of a problem.

The sentry guns in Team Fortress 2 are extremely formidable, but if they are left unattended by their engineer, they die quickly to all sorts of things, most notably spy's, who can waltz right up to them and disable them shortly before destroying them completely.

I think that a lone infiltrator should be able to completely take a base that has no human defenders, but I rather like the idea that some bases could give attackers some stiff opposition without needing a very large human presence to assist.

Skilled infiltrators would still be able to coordinate well enough to kill one or two enemies trying to single handedly defend such a base, so it's not like it would guarantee the defenders success, just give them the upper hand, especially of those defenders were themselves quite skilled.

[SuperMorto]

Originally Posted by Xyntech

I think that a lone infiltrator should be able to completely take a base that has no human defenders, but I rather like the idea that some bases could give attackers some stiff opposition without needing a very large human presence to assist.

I like that paragraph, hits a few nails on the head in the ideas forum. Not to say I dont like the others, but a good Inf, should be able to take a base. But a good engineer, should make able to make significant changes to a base. Or hacker for that matter.

[Xyntech]

Hacker comes in, puts a virus into the defense network, suddenly the base is attacking everyone, friend and foe alike

[Geist]

Originally Posted by Xyntech

I think that a lone infiltrator should be able to completely take a base that has no human defenders, but I rather like the idea that some bases could give attackers some stiff opposition without needing a very large human presence to assist.

Skilled infiltrators would still be able to coordinate well enough to kill one or two enemies trying to single handedly defend such a base, so it's not like it would guarantee the defenders success, just give them the upper hand, especially of those defenders were themselves quite skilled.

This is basically what I was thinking when suggested my idea. Sure, a infiltrator or someone with sensor shield would be able to take a base, but a small amount of defenders still has a chance against a much larger force. And it's not like we were lacking when it came to automated turrets, a good jammer grenade and some AV can easily destroy the stuff I'm talking about.

Also, Aliens is one of the best Sci-Fi movies ever!!! Hopefully those AI events smed was talking about is sort of like Aliens, with creatures attacking everybody.

[akiadan]

I think maybe cameras and a camera room or something would be kinda fun but unnecessary. As an infiltrator I find it that when working on a base eventually you attract attention in one way or another and soon get retaliation. I think it is fine how it is and in my personal opinion a lot of these automated base defense ideas are just to make it so you have to check on ghost hacks and fix a base up less. I find that it should be fairly easy to at least wreck a base so it cant do anything unless repaired is a good way to take a few or sometimes even a full platoon for at least 10 minutes or more to go investigate and maybe fix it all up which would take more time.

Now I could say sure add some indoor defenses but isn't it already hard enough to push an interlink or dropship center? Since the TTK is going to be faster I think we should wait to see how it works out. If it is indeed way to easy to walts into a base and take everything down in 5-6 minutes then by all means add automated or manable turrets indoors.

It also has been said that the bases will be bigger, so perhaps turrets or alarm systems could be a great balancing point if bases are to easily captured. At this point I am not for them but can be easily swayed at how it all goes in game. Great idea though it could ad an interesting part in my line of work.

[Big J Money]

I'm not down with AI if the game isn't going to have PvE (which PS doesn't).

But I do like the idea of "security systems". In my mind this means special items engineers can make that are appropriate to indoor settings.

Some ideas:

-- Invisible tripwire sensors that tag players on radar (even if they're wearing radar blocking equipment). Basically a more resilient indoor radar. The tripwires can be seen with the darkvision implant from PS1, and then must be removed by a friendly hacker. This would REALLY slow down stealthy teams, but if they're equipped right, they can still get around it (slowly).

-- Deployable stealth bubble. Like the one on the.... god I forgot the name of the mobile spawn vehicle! Anyway, an engineer deploys this and you can ambush enemies attacking an area. Not so useful on offense I don't think, unless you use it to counter-ambush along with some kind of ruse.

-- Electric hallway barriers that can only be disabled by a hacker. But they don't block teammates, and they don't block invisible enemies. Also, you can only set up so many. They wouldn't be to stop people from coming in, but rather filter them into a killzone unless they hack it down.

-- Electric shielding that can only be disabled by a hacker. They block all weapons fire, but not any players. They don't have HP, you have to disable them.