News: Higby Outlines this Months Patch - Page 6

ringring · 2013-01-09, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Assist

Yay server transfers, base redesign, air changes, HE nerfs, performance increases, and new weapons!

Great update for the game, you can tell they actually did listen to feedback and are trying to do what they think is best (while not going overboard)

edit: After reading this thread, I've come to the conclusion that half of the posters on PSU have reading difficulties.

Why?

And re: base redesign. Some cynicism is warranted, we've had so many base redesigns and tweaks that haven't solved the problem. So, bases have improved somewhat but one type at least took a step backward in the last patch. I'm talking about the tech plant.

In the case of base changes the proof of the pudding etc.

NewSith · 2013-01-09, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by ringring

What about
- get revived
- happen to be facing the right way
- press g
- win

I myself treat that as normal, since it's luck, and "chance of luck" is the most balanced factor there is.

EDIT: Doesn't mean I like the change, I'm just indifferent, since it doesn't affect gameplay that much, BF3 spawn protection Mk2 proved that to me.

Rat · 2013-01-09, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by Sabrak

"Tunnels under bases", as in "big ass tunnel layouts with rooms and important capturable/destroyable objectives where everyone will have to focus on infantry CQC, with a lot of Planetside 1 base-layout inspiration", or as in "long and boring tunnel to go from point A to point B, and useful only to walk around the enemy's blocus on your spawnroom" ?

I hope the first option will be used, but I fear it'll be the second.

I am sure it will be the second...I think the intent here is just to give us more ways to get out of the spawn room to shoot rockets up the asses of MBTs....this should allow for better defence, atleast for awhile, at some point a facility is still lost.

Kerrec · 2013-01-09, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by Bobby Shaftoe

So... after 6 months of testing and 2 months of release, they'll have 'fixed' spawn camping by reducing the xp from it, that'll work, right? It's not like people spawn camped in PS1 when you only got 1xp per kill...

A list of non 'changes' and tweaks that'll distract the masses for another couple months whilst they try and brainstorm up their 6 month plan, which you'd have thought they'd have ready for the release of the game.

Wow, how ignorant. Ever hear the quote, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray?"

They probably had a very detailed "plan". However, the information, metrics and feedback they are receiving is probably causing major shifts in the priority of that plan. A Metagame is probably a huge development investment, where fixing a spawn room is a "relatively" much smaller investment.

Fixing a spawn room will probably also give huge return on investment. The combination of adding several exits and underground tunnels to the main facility forces the attackers to spread out, giving the defenders a chance to focus on one exit and succeed. Also, if the "protected balconies" allow fire outwards but not inwards, then a focused defensive force at the spawn room can potentially enforce a no man's land around the spawn building, once again giving defenders a chance. If those "protected balconies" allow fire outwards at the sky, then spawn camping Air can be stopped dead in it's tracks.

Not only that, but by giving measly rewards for killing someone that just spawned and exited a spawn room, the major motivation for the XP farmers just went away. It will still be a viable tactic to CAPTURE a base, but given human nature, without the reward, there will be alot fewer people doing it.

With dynamic XP granting more XP for people that have done more killing, ESF's will now have a motivator to go after a Lib or an A2G ESF instead of ignoring enemy air to keep his own nose pointed downward.

Dynamic XP should also motivate players to use Libs as tank column busters instead of a relatively safe infantry farming platform. Tanks will probably always be worth 100xp per kill + the crew kill xp, where farming infantry that are being insta killed by a zerg and keep respawning will give nothing worthwile. So Dynamic XP alone will probably motivate the zergs to simply spread out and look for a fairer (and more rewarding) fight.

There are a ton of "minor" changes in these proposed changes, but their impact can be HUGE. This is a GOOD step in the right direction. Small incremental changes, then evaluate. After these changes go in, they will hopefully not touch anything related to them and focus on something completely different, like a metagame and/or giving significance to resources. Once they have had enough time to really digest how the incremental changes has affected the game, THEN they can decide to do a bit more or back off a little bit.

Bocheezu · 2013-01-09, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by gunshooter

Really dumb that they bended to the will of Buzzcutpsycho in just flat nerfing kill EXP for everyone, even infantry players.

It's not a flat nerf to kill XP. It's a nerf to kill XP for people that just recently spawned and a buff to kill XP for people that have been alive and killing for a while. If you kill a guy that's been on a rampage, you might get 400 XP or something.

In PS1, when you finally killed that mossie killwhore that was 50/1, you got like 700 XP

Emperor Newt · 2013-01-09, 09:18 AM

Looks good for a start. The only thing I would like to see is reduced damage of HE weapons to vehicles and AV-splash weapons to infantry.
Also I hope the rework of population imbalance xp also means a buff to the xp gained by it. The current bonus is just not enough to make people fight.

In the long run I hope base layout gets some more love.

FergGref · 2013-01-09, 09:20 AM

Very interested to see how these anti-camping changes affect the gameplay and flow of battles. I'm also very excited that defending will finally be worth something.

Mordelicius · 2013-01-09, 09:33 AM

It seems like a good set of fixes (much better than the first one) with one major oversight that can render all the positives moot: no faction balance

Faction imbalance is the cause of the continental/server imbalances and migration. If one factors in the new server transfer token/service, then how long will it take before the servers are stacked 60-20-20? And how long before they can undo this server damage?

I also like changes they are making to the spawnroom exits and roofs since they are on my wishlish in the forum debates

. That will definitely alleviate much of the spawnroom camping that's taking away the normal back-and-forth battles should be the norm in any balanced fights.

Lastly, the resuscitation invulnerability - as many has already pointed out in the official forum - will be a source of gamely exploitations. Imo, they should limit the invulnerability to fresh respawns. Or at the very least, only allow weapon/mines/grenades/c4 use 3-5s after invulnerability wears off because if not, i'd expect multiple or coordinated, rez and suicide bombing if this goes through.

Aaron · 2013-01-09, 09:34 AM

Excited to see how the modified spawn building and XP will play out. I like the changes, good job SOE.

Now, the next thing on your list should be redesigning the bases for defensive multipliers. That's a big one.

CraazyCanuck · 2013-01-09, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Kerrec

Wow, how ignorant. Ever hear the quote, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray?"

They probably had a very detailed "plan". However, the information, metrics and feedback they are receiving is probably causing major shifts in the priority of that plan. A Metagame is probably a huge development investment, where fixing a spawn room is a "relatively" much smaller investment.

Fixing a spawn room will probably also give huge return on investment. The combination of adding several exits and underground tunnels to the main facility forces the attackers to spread out, giving the defenders a chance to focus on one exit and succeed. Also, if the "protected balconies" allow fire outwards but not inwards, then a focused defensive force at the spawn room can potentially enforce a no man's land around the spawn building, once again giving defenders a chance. If those "protected balconies" allow fire outwards at the sky, then spawn camping Air can be stopped dead in it's tracks.

Not only that, but by giving measly rewards for killing someone that just spawned and exited a spawn room, the major motivation for the XP farmers just went away. It will still be a viable tactic to CAPTURE a base, but given human nature, without the reward, there will be alot fewer people doing it.

With dynamic XP granting more XP for people that have done more killing, ESF's will now have a motivator to go after a Lib or an A2G ESF instead of ignoring enemy air to keep his own nose pointed downward.

Dynamic XP should also motivate players to use Libs as tank column busters instead of a relatively safe infantry farming platform. Tanks will probably always be worth 100xp per kill + the crew kill xp, where farming infantry that are being insta killed by a zerg and keep respawning will give nothing worthwile. So Dynamic XP alone will probably motivate the zergs to simply spread out and look for a fairer (and more rewarding) fight.

There are a ton of "minor" changes in these proposed changes, but their impact can be HUGE. This is a GOOD step in the right direction. Small incremental changes, then evaluate. After these changes go in, they will hopefully not touch anything related to them and focus on something completely different, like a metagame and/or giving significance to resources. Once they have had enough time to really digest how the incremental changes has affected the game, THEN they can decide to do a bit more or back off a little bit.

This +1. Kerrec just nailed it. People really need to pull their heads out of their ass and start thinking more on what is being asked for and how significant the time involved will be to make some of those changes, especially those that alternate major game mechanics. The devs then need to spend more time to ensure they didn't break something else in implementing those same fixes.

I hope they take the time they need to fix things properly. Providing a solution blindly is sometimes worse then the original problem. Something the devs for Mech Warrior Online hopefully have learned by now as their track record for doing just that is horrendous.

All and all, a good first step for 2013. I for one am optimistic. Keep up the good work SOE.

Artorius · 2013-01-09, 09:56 AM

Short period of invulnerability will be added to freshly spawned / revived players - breaks upon game actions such as entering a vehicle or using a weapon.

Omg, no!!!

Crator · 2013-01-09, 10:29 AM

All excellent changes! I'm exited to jump back in to see how it affects the game play! Thanks for listening to community concerns devs!

Hamma · 2013-01-09, 10:31 AM

I've had some additional time to think about this and overall I'm happy with what they have noted.

The XP Changes are nice but I believe it is to late for that - it should have been in from the start. We already have people at BR100 so it makes no real difference unless you are a new player.

I'm curious if the "Tunnels" they speak of will be only open to the owners of the base or all players. And the spawn room changes sound to me like adding more doors and windows for air and ground vehicles to camp

Originally Posted by gunshooter

Really dumb that they bended to the will of Buzzcutpsycho in just flat nerfing kill EXP for everyone, even infantry players

Buzzcut did not think of this its been a discussion going on numerous places since well before beta started.

Figment · 2013-01-09, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Hamma

And the spawn room changes sound to me like adding more doors and windows for air and ground vehicles to camp

Which means you need more campers, if the building is larger.

Stanis · 2013-01-09, 10:44 AM

I'm concerned about the period of invulnerability.

The tunnels I'm thinking through.
Right now I'm wondering if they are going to be the start of underground base complexes.
I think I'd rather have teleporters and jump pads used sensible to aid the defenders.

If the defenders still have to run to multiple objectives spread out across such a huge area - even being able to run 'safely' in a tunnel doesn't get them there any quicker.

We'll see how it works out.