Well I'm a bit late to the party with in this thread but I 100% agree with the immersion factor and that the boarding animations added really atmosphere to the game.
This feature was very unique to Planetside and is one of those 'polish' items that added up to the whole package.
Yes, the sky wouldn't fall without them but it would be a major loss in terms of the finished product.
Like most have said, one of the critical factors here is the delay with entering/exiting the vehicle preventing a BC2 hop in/hop out to repair sort of situation.
However, I have a cunning plan....
Use a Core Combat Switchblade style 'warp in' and 'warp out' animation
If budget is the constraint, why not use a
generic core-combat switchblade 'warp in' and 'warp out' effect for all vehicles
By doing this, only a single animation needs to be used to and directed to the outer hull of the vehicle. No hatch animations or additional textures are required.
Sadly I couldn't find an image of the Switchblade animation anywhere to show what I mean but think of the Twins in Matrix Reloaded 'ghosting' into a moving car for an idea of what I mean.
This animation could then be timed depending on the boarding / alighting delay you wanted to have (for reference the alighting animation would be a reverse of the boarding animation, saving additional time).
Some supporting game lore
From: Chief Engineer Officer, Samuel Smith, Vanu Sovereignty
To: All vehicle divisions
Subject: Vanu warp technology for vehicle embarkation and dismounting
Date: 98.1481/c
Thought of the day: Technology equals might!
As you know, our beloved Vanu brethren have given us so much hope for the advancement of the human race through vastly superior technology to our own when we arrived on Auraxis.
Over the years we have created crude but effective replications of their hover technology such as the Magrider Main Battle Tank (see pattern 4x18c) and the Thresher Light Assault vehicle (see pattern 2x24b).
However, until recently, we have been using legacy hatches and entry ports on our vehicles which has seriously hampered the overall durability and hull strength of our vehicles over time.
A break-through has been made after examining pure, perfect ancient technology examples from the Vanu such as the Switchblade, Router and Flail (see data entry
here) and seeing how crystal technology allows the occupant to physically 'enter' and 'exit' the vehicle through a solid surface.
By implanting this crystal technology into our existing vehicles, this has allowed us to create incredibly rigid new designs. Examples include being able to forge a complete hull in a mold as one 'piece' without the need for any hatches, ports or other points of weakness.
Once within the proximity of crystal-equipped vehicles, soldiers can interface with the crystal inside using the built-in IFF identification and 'warp inside' the vehicle without the need to open any door or hatch. Exiting the vehicle is done using the reverse of the above process.
The downside is that this procedure takes several seconds to complete the and is not instant.
There have also been sporadic reports of soldiers feeling nauseous after the warping process is complete, however, I have been assured by our medics that this is temporary and will pass after a few minutes.
Prototype vehicles have already been deployed to the battlefield and initial tests have proven successful thus-far.
Unfortunately it is with bitter regret that I have to report the theft of at least one of these vehicles to the wretched Terran Republic and just last week a rumor that another was captured to an unknown source (survivors claim a massive impact came from a yellow/blue vehicle pointing towards New Conglomerate intervention).
It can only be assumed, therefore, that our enemies will now also wield the ability to use crystal-enhanced vehicles as well so we must be vigilant on the battlefield.
For further information regarding crystal-vehicle technology, please refer to codex 8/22457.
Good luck solider - may the power of the Vanu strengthen you always.
Samuel Smith
Chief Engineering Officer
Vanu Sovereignty
Re: Boarding and Exiting animations in Planetside 2
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