Creativity and Game Balance

[Rayder]

Each empire DOES have a short, medium, and long range effective weapon.

Short: Heavy Assault
Medium: Medium Assault
Long: Bolt Driver

How about some more?

Short: Thumper
Medium: Rocklet
Long: Bolt Driver

No empire has thebest long range weapon. Thats a common pool thing.

[Veteran]

Then I guess I'm a better player. I hopped into one and got lots of kills. But then, after using a Quasar, DC is a breeze.

We're talking about PlanetSide still, right? Also, you're not typing in your sleep are you? Any alcohol involved in that statement?

[BadAsh]

Originally Posted by Rayder

Each empire DOES have a short, medium, and long range effective weapon.

Short: Heavy Assault
Medium: Medium Assault
Long: Bolt Driver

How about some more?

Short: Thumper
Medium: Rocklet
Long: Bolt Driver

No empire has thebest long range weapon. Thats a common pool thing.

Ok, here is my focus point... Is there a differance between the HA weapons of each empire? Yes? Then each has strengths and weaknesses that can be capitalized on by smart players... and THIS is what I'm talking about... Your empire dictates the "style" of weapon you must choose... so if you want the rapid fire you have to play TR. If you want the ultra short range mega punch weapon you have to play NC. If you want to use the splash damage weapon with effective suppression fire capabilities you have to play VS.

Sooooo, feel like changing styles? It's not really an option huh? Nothing to tactical or thought out about it either... you CAN'T do what you CAN'T. However, if each had a set of 3 heavy weapons similar to the above 3... now picking equipment for a particular mission/tactic come into play... otherwise it's the same old thing every time... players using the tactics their empire dictates.

The same holds true for a Tank battle... Vanguards fight completely different than Magriders... So the NC will always fight a certain way and the VS will always fight in a certain way to be effective... deviate from the effective technique and get owned...

Soooo, want heavy tank that can just go slug it out? Want a faster tank to harrass enemy troop lines? Then pick an Empire. What to change that up a bit? Not really an option unless you are willing to leave and go to another server or delete and start over at BR1... not too appealing especially if you have an outfit you like and a good group of frineds to play with...

Anyway, that's what my post was about... more options and more tactics... and more unique empire looks/feel.

Finally Rayder, if you disagree with me, that's fine. But please refrain from flaming. Thx.

BadAsh

[Hexen]

I'd rather have what we have now than the ultra vanilla with vanilla topping w/ vanilla essence what we'll have once every weapon and vehicle is changed to be statistically identical to their rivalling counterparts.

It isn't enough for the sides just LOOK different.

That negates your original argument as far as I'm concerned. You could simply add a whole heap of brand new weapons, where each empire has their own variants and each set exist to achieve certain end goals, but thats what we already have. All three heavy assault weapons exist mainly to kill infantry, but they all do it in different ways.

If we were to get heaps of new weapons that didn't have end goals, but more defined stats like firing rate, reload rate, ammo capacity etc. we'd eventually just have the same vanilla situation. Weapons in different empires with the same stats, but different appearance.

Theres no solution to gain the ultimate balance you want, but to cause all the weapons to be statistically identical, and I definitely don't want that.

[Rayder]

Ash, thats what the whole concept of being able to raid your enemies corpse is all about. Once you've killed an enemy, your able to take their weapons and use them.

The common pool weapons are there for a reason. They're there so you CAN change your tactics. JH not doing good for those long range encounters? Grab a Guass, Rocklet or Bolt Driver. Lasher not able to hit those guys behind that wall? A Thumper is what you need. MCG not cutting the AV? Grab a Deci.

Giving all three empires the other empires weapons is making this game into every other FPS. Your able to choose the same thing as everyone else at spawn. That is not what PS is about, its an MMOFPS, which in it, each empire has specific styles of play, and if you want another empires style, go steal their weapons.

I do think that there needs to be more empire specific stuff. Maybe some support weapons.

[BadAsh]

Hexen, Rayder... fair enough, good points.

I would like to see the 45 of the 55 items/vehicles that each Empire has be at least artistically reworked to look/sound different. Way too much common pool identical gear out there... Too much has the exact look, sound, and feel.

One thing I love about the 10 unique items/vehicles that each empire has is I can pretty much know when I hear them that then enemy is near and what empire the enemy is from. All this commom pool stuff takes away from that.... Hear a Reaver firing nearby? It means nothing intil you go investigate...

And I still like my "morphing base" idea

BadAsh

[Hexen]

Yeah well, I'd like to see less common pool stuff too. I just dont see the devs axing any common pool weapons, or simply changing them to look different for each empire. That pretty much brings back the vanilla scenario. If we just changed all the common pool weaps to look different for each empire, then you've got a whole heap of statistically identical weapons that look different.

Considering that all empires came from the TR, you could say all common pool weapons are TR equipment. That sucks IMO, but it makes sense (since we're all ex-Tezz). We might as well leave them as they are neway, if the devs start workin on new models and sounds they might as well be used to add new empire specific vehicles and guns, not just to assimilate common pool ones.

I still like morphing too though.

[Flammey]

Originally Posted by Veteran

We're talking about PlanetSide still, right? Also, you're not typing in your sleep are you? Any alcohol involved in that statement?

No Veteran. I am serious. I played my Tr Konried character this morning, and she has DC, and I did extremely well with it. It started doing bad whenI gave it up for Prowler. I shouldn't have done that. I went from getting 10 kills to 1 death to 1-1 or worse. A MCG grunt just can't take on vehicles too well alone. Although, without adv target, I really don't know what kind of damage I was doing.

[Veteran]

No doubt you do well with the DC, it's just that Quasar and DC seem to me like apples and oranges.

[Flammey]

That's true. they are. DC is Anti-Vehicle, and Quasar is Anti Infantry. Yet if you learn the intricancy of the DC and where to aim, and how much damage you do per hit, you can figure out instinctively when you should be locked down, and when you should be able to move quicker. You eventually learn to know when that trooper your going up against DOESN'T carry a decimator. Those are usually the times when you move in closer for the kill. to stay on his tail as he runs, and keep shooting him, at least with one side of your gun. Quasar is different in the way it is handled. Limited flight is a extremely great advantage, especially against MAX's. Plus Armor piercing has it's own advantages. None of the other MAX's have armor piercing cababilities. So you are right. They are like Apples and Oranges. Yet they are both a direct fire weapon. And, once you learn how to hardly ever miss with the Quasar's single cannon, it's easier not to miss with the DC's dual cannons. THAT is what I meant by, "
After using a Quasar, DC is a breeze."

[Jagd]

Quasar also provides some excellent suppressive fire capabilities, and with armor piercing mode on you can kill an enemy MAX without reloading. Of course, every time you use AP you eat almost two full boxes of ammo.

[Veteran]

DC's primary use is Anti-MAX. Quasar gets unparalleled AI power and anti-MAX power that rivals the DC. I hope you guys are grateful.

[Flammey]

However, TR have the best AA MAX. If that Burster is locked down, and that flak starts hitting you, you really don't stand a chance.