Give me defense

gonnagetyou · 2003-09-10, 03:25 PM

The one thing I want to see implemented most is better defensive structure to bases. I want to feel like I'm in a castle and the enemies going to have to use their brains to get in.

The bases in this game have no significant defensive elements. Assaulting forces have all the advantages and there simply isn't anything to balance that out. I can't remeber the last time I saw a major base assault fail.

Start by adding some form of protection to the gates. One idea is to put up a forcefield that only allows friendlies to pass through, similar to the warpgate fields. Give it a seperate generator located in the courtyard so it can be either equally defended or destroyed if not.

I realize this would make it extremely hard for someone going solo to get in, so my idea for a new cert would be a one use jump pack that costs 1 cert point and only allows someone in agile or standard armor to jump to the top of the wall. While jumping you can't shoot, because it takes both hands to control the jets.

Large base assaults would then feel more like a siege as enemy troops try to scale the walls and friendlies try to knock them back down. It'll probably never happen, but sounds fun.

The back door should only be accessible from the inside. Who in their right mind would make that thing available to everyone at anytime? This one has bugged me since Beta, but if I'm not mistaken they are going to make it perform this way in an upcoming patch, so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

The turrets are another weak area that could be improved. I like their firepower, but it's just too easy to destroy them. Perhaps they could be given a shield just like vehicles will be getting and as long as you control an AMP station they will automatically recharge. I don't know if this would really help, but it would be easier to implement than a complete redesign of the turrets look and function.

Spitefires should be allowed in doors the same way clampturrets are in Tribes. It doesn't take much to take them out, but it would help the defense slightly and force assaulting forces to take more care when penetrating the interior of the base.

These ideas are some of the easier ones I can see being implemented. Defending forces are typically smaller than their opponents and it would be nice to see them be given some tools to accomplish their job.

Happy lil Elf · 2003-09-10, 03:29 PM

Yeah, beses in PS are designed rather poorly from a defensive perspective. I don't know that this is something that will change though, although I definately wish it would.

UnoShot · 2003-09-10, 03:45 PM

I agree with you fully, those ideas would make the game 10x more interesting. Another thing they need to add is a sort of system that will give defenders exp. Maybe something like, the second battle starts within a base's SOI, a timer starts (SOE's choice of time) and if the base is not hacked within that time, then the defenders are awarded exp. Amount of exp would depend on the number of attackers, just like a normall cap but in reverse. As of now, nobody wants to defend a base (except for a tech plant now and then) because it is almost always a losing battle, and there is no exp bonus if you succeed. Empires are just on a giant merry-go-round with eachother, taking bases from one another over and over. It would be great to not have to be on the front line 24/7 to even hope to get some decent exp. We need exp for tactical moves, like blowing or defending generators. Would make infiltraitors fit their name much better. Right now they are just weak half-invisable guys running around in the crossfire hoping they don't get shot.

Drinky · 2003-09-10, 03:53 PM

Leave the back door open (and its not completly open, it has the IFF) and a forcefield on the gates would be perfect. Or the force field on the gate drains nanites and has an on/off switch somewhere, thats how the gates in medieval castles were generally used, only closed during a attack. I think the 2 wide open main gates are a much bigger liability than the back door, more than 10 people or so trying to get in that back door at once and that hallway turns into a death trap.

Another thread brough up the idea of AV turrents. I'm thinking rocket turrents would be cool. Although the real issue, I think, is that infantry overuns a base too quick.

STEALTHKILLER · 2003-09-10, 04:43 PM

now i didnt read the whole post*2 long* i think he mines should have the lock out radius of a boomer IF u could place them INDOORS. they would have the NORMAL lockout raidus when placed OUTDOORS

gonnagetyou · 2003-09-10, 06:13 PM

Originally posted by STEALTHKILLER
now i didnt read the whole post*2 long* i think he mines should have the lock out radius of a boomer IF u could place them INDOORS. they would have the NORMAL lockout raidus when placed OUTDOORS

Too long?

You're joking, right?

After trying to read and understand the rest of your post I think I understand why.

noxious · 2003-09-10, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by UnoShot
... Another thing they need to add is a sort of system that will give defenders exp. Maybe something like, the second battle starts within a base's SOI, a timer starts (SOE's choice of time) and if the base is not hacked within that time, then the defenders are awarded exp. Amount of exp would depend on the number of attackers, just like a normall cap but in reverse. ...

I like this idea. I thought of base defence exp, but my idea was simply to award 50% extra exp for kills within a friendly SOI (number would have to be tweaked, that may be too high), the timer idea seems like a much more sound implementation. I like it

))

Searo · 2003-09-10, 09:37 PM

I suggested a x2 multi to all kills, and then the kills went into a pool which was awarded when the defender stepped out of the SOI.
I two turrets per base should become Guardian Turrets.
The Guardian has the normal Phalanx system, and 4 rocket tubes packing Firebird rockets. With 4 tubes over the Reaver's 2, it would be able to effectively launch salvos to do more damage.

These missiles are unguided, same firepower as a Reaver, only autofires on Air Units and Heavy Vehicles, and can only fire 8 before the tubes need to reload, which takes a couple seconds.
They have a limited supply, which inches towards a max of 250, and when that limit is reached they stop increasing. 1 missile every thirty seconds would be good.

It takes 6-7 seconds to switch between Phalanx and Guardian modes, in which the turret takes 1.5 extra damage due to core components being exposed.

Also, turrets need a higher fire angle. Reavers can just stay out of range and blast your puny turret to smithereens.

Phaden · 2003-09-10, 09:45 PM

I love the better angle idea. I think the missle turrets might need a lock on missle. No one right now seems to repsect turrets. Im not saying pimp them out Hardcore, but just a guided anti air missle that has maybe a 10-20 sec reload rate? I dont want to debate exact specs, im just throwing out an idea.

WritheNC · 2003-09-10, 10:04 PM

I think if you are defending, you should get exp in squads like you did in late beta.

If you killed a max solo(provided the max was alive for a certain amount of time), you got 300 exp.

If you killed a max in a 10 person squad in beta, you got 300 exp.

Exp shouldn't be divided at all for every kill a squad makes while in the SOI of a base they control, and as long as the base isn't hacked and has a working generator.

As for the backdoor, it should only be able to be opened from the inside. That would make another reasonable objective for invaders aside from spawn tubes and gens. Even if you don't have advanced hacking, it only takes 5 seconds.

noxious · 2003-09-10, 10:24 PM

WritheNC's idea is pretty good.

I don't like the idea of boosting the turrets. I think the game is about player to player combat, not player versus automated turret combat. As it is now I don't mind the turrets too much, they only force enemy vehicles to be careful, but if automated turrets could effectively destroy vehicles, then I would be unhappy.

Phaden · 2003-09-10, 10:35 PM

Im suggesting the turrets would only get the buff when a player is inside. I dont know about you, but i actually enjoy manning a turret, quite a bit. An angle increase would be great and missles would even the battle against a reaver wuite a bit.

Flammey · 2003-09-10, 11:33 PM

This is kinda off subject, but one thing I'd like to see implimented is the ability for the player carrying the LLU to be able to pass it off to another player, without first dying. I say this sort of in ignorance, because I am pretty sure you can't pass the LLU now. My reasoning is, if your the only player in the SOI that can drive, and you want to be able to drive your LLU to the Latice base, you should be able to pass it off and then you can drive that person. You get the same exp for the LLU weither you carry it or not. The LLU is really all about teamwork. Of course, my idea might turn PS into a, kind of, futuristic Football game. Only the defenders and attackers have guns, not their own bodies to block with.

As for the defensive ideas, they show promise. I too want to see at least the turrets get some tweaking to make them better. They are too weak against soldiers, or they seem to be. As for backdoors, I don't know what to think. When I go solo, I'm usually in reinforced. Sometimes I go the BD, sometimes I use the catwalks, and sometimes I take the FD. It just depends on what weapons I am toting.

Drinky · 2003-09-11, 11:00 AM

This is kinda off subject, but one thing I'd like to see implimented is the ability for the player carrying the LLU to be able to pass it off to another player, without first dying.

I think I saw a key mapping for a "drop LLU" key in the options. I think its unmapped by default. I'm very unsure of this.

Someone may have put somthing in my crack.

Indecisive · 2003-09-11, 12:15 PM

This is kinda off subject, but one thing I'd like to see implimented is the ability for the player carrying the LLU to be able to pass it off to another player, without first dying. I say this sort of in ignorance, because I am pretty sure you can't pass the LLU now. My reasoning is, if your the only player in the SOI that can drive, and you want to be able to drive your LLU to the Latice base, you should be able to pass it off and then you can drive that person. You get the same exp for the LLU weither you carry it or not. The LLU is really all about teamwork. Of course, my idea might turn PS into a, kind of, futuristic Football game. Only the defenders and attackers have guns, not their own bodies to block with.

yup its in and defaults as not being maped. Its the last entry, but i forget which tab. maybe soilder?

btw mine is mapped as l