Do you want enter/exit vehicle animations?

[Madcut]

I agree that first-person animations would look awesome (and possibly take less time to develop?). Imagine looking first person getting into a Galaxy with your squad mates sitting next to you? This would be more immersive and would also give PS2 it's own little unique take on vehicle animation.

[Malorn]

This horse was dead nine months ago. The poll is meaningless. It's like asking people if they would like a cookie. There's no downside to having a cookie, and there's no downside to having vehicle animations - except for the cost of implementing them, which isn't a concern to the poll voter.

It's a resource cost issue. They can put in delays on entering/exiting vehicle and have the same gameplay effect as an animation and allow their artists to work on other more important things.

It's on their list, there's just a lot more important stuff in front of it. Relax, they'll get to it in due time.

[RNFB]

Originally Posted by Malorn

It's on their list, there's just a lot more important stuff in front of it. Relax, they'll get to it in due time.

The problem is that if they leave it for too long, they're going to add more vehicles without support for E/E animations and make it even more troublesome...

The way I see it... it's either their first graphical and vehicle focus after launch, or it will never happen, and I don't see the big deal if it's only "3 to 4 months" of work after launch. Perfect timing for the first content patch, no?

[Baneblade]

The dev response to this seems lackluster at best... as if SOE doesn't like them at all, but doesn't want to actually say it lest they have a riot to deal with.

I for one do not see this as optional, it is part of PlanetSide and some things you can't change for the sake of changing something. The fact that they were excluded out of hand shows how far off the devs really are from being on the same page as the community.

I only hope they remedy this posthaste. But SOE has a history of only half listening to their community and then mutating the change into something the community leaves in droves over. Maybe I'll be surprised, maybe not.

[demonicale]

If i'm honest, while nice to have and to look at, i would rather them spend time developing new content and improving what we have with they're time than waste it on something like this.

[Flaropri]

Aesthetically, those animations can be awesome. However they can very much interrupt the flow of the game. This isn't so much of an issue when everyone is mounting up initially, but this game encourages the continued use of vehicles, to get back into a vehicle after it's repaired or after you finished providing support on foot for whatever reason... (such as with a Medic or Engineer) or when you need to pull out of a base and retreat/relocate.

It also means that there is "forced" and "predictable" movement, which, with the addition of snipers and one-shot-one-kill potential, can be problematic unless granted invulnerability... which would potentially be even more problematic. Likewise, waiting for people to get in your vehicle can be problematic in some more contested areas. The more time you spend stationary the more likely you are to get hit with AV, whether entering or exiting.

Finally, you can't pull off that awesome stunt that was done in the latter half of E3's stream in Day 2. I know some might prefer it not be done (bailing and then re-entering your air-craft mid-fall), but it's a really cool thing to have happen.

Of course, the counter argument could be mobile vehicle entry animations... but that is very hard to do properly, and won't enhance immersion from my point of view... it'll just look weird.

For the sake of balance (based on PS2's current state, and likely evolution during beta), for the sake of pulling off really cool stunts, and for the sake of making getting into (and out of) vehicles less of a burden, I'm willing to sacrifice animations.


Also for the sake of an earlier release. I do NOT believe that vehicle entry animations should be added post launch, as it changes things significantly enough that it could potentially be problematic for the playerbase who are, by then, used to not having them.

[RNFB]

Originally Posted by Flaropri

It also means that there is "forced" and "predictable" movement, which, with the addition of snipers and one-shot-one-kill potential, can be problematic unless granted invulnerability

Pretty sure you were invulnerable during the animations in PS1

Likewise, waiting for people to get in your vehicle can be problematic in some more contested areas. The more time you spend stationary the more likely you are to get hit with AV, whether entering or exiting.

Don't repair in a contested area... pull back into a safe spot like you would in PS1?

Finally, you can't pull off that awesome stunt that was done in the latter half of E3's stream in Day 2. I know some might prefer it not be done (bailing and then re-entering your air-craft mid-fall), but it's a really cool thing to have happen.

Wouldn't it be more awesome WITH these animations? Climb back in while falling instead of just warp back in?

Also for the sake of an earlier release. I do NOT believe that vehicle entry animations should be added post launch, as it changes things significantly enough that it could potentially be problematic for the playerbase who are, by then, used to not having them.

MMOs constantly change and evolve, even a lot of frequently updated non-MMOs. It's not a big deal.

[Crazyduckling]

Just give me a startup timer.

I want to hear my Vanguard startup with a thunderous roar before I move out.

I want to hear my Reavers' engine scream on before I fly away.

I don't care about vehicle animations, but I do think there needs to be a pause before I can start moving.

[Reborn]

Its been settled no animations time to bury this post

[Kran De Loy]

Being able to jump out of the cockpit of a moving aircraft then climb back in again from the engine exhaust is not cool, it is a goofy Action Hero move that is more the result of cutting corners on game design than it is something intentional.

I absolutely DESPISE seeing people just blip in and out of vehicles, it's not just aesthetics but a lot to do with gameplay. Seeing a target climb into a vehicle mid fight is a pain in the ass. When it happens immediately with no delay from the back end of the vehicle while it's in motion is not good game design.

You're worried about snipers hitting you while they wait for you to get into the vehicle? Really? So you're saying they wouldn't already be shooting at you for just doing anything else, they're just going to camp and wait for you stop moving for long enough, predictable enough to actually get that shot? Wait, isn't that the EXACT PURPOSE of a sniper? They're going to be doing that no matter what, if they wait for you to stop anywhere not just at a vehicle delay timers or not.

Edit: Also wasn't it discussed that the only possible OSK sniper shots would be those versus other infiltrators and possibly LA.

[SixShooter]

Originally Posted by Reborn

Its been settled no animations time to bury this post

Agreed^^^

It's time to move on past the denial phase into acceptance and move on.

[Kran De Loy]

Was gonna edit this into the last post but felt that would make it too long.

Originally Posted by Malorn

This horse was dead nine months ago. The poll is meaningless. It's like asking people if they would like a cookie. There's no downside to having a cookie, and there's no downside to having vehicle animations - except for the cost of implementing them, which isn't a concern to the poll voter.

It's a resource cost issue. They can put in delays on entering/exiting vehicle and have the same gameplay effect as an animation and allow their artists to work on other more important things.

It's on their list, there's just a lot more important stuff in front of it. Relax, they'll get to it in due time.

The pure cost of doing it only reenforces the idea that it must be a priority otherwise it will not be done. And I honestly believe that is must be done. Not just because the original Planetside did it and moving backwards in game design makes my skin crawl, but also because the success of Planetside 2 will be greatly enhanced should it be implemented.

That is not to say that the game will fail with out it, PS2 will be built on by more blocks than just E/E animations, but those animations in PS1 have had just a huge impact on many people's memories that refusing to implement them for cost reasons is just short sighted.

[Xyntech]

I like enter and exit animations, but I have to say that I sort of unconsciously ignored them yesterday when I loaded Planetside up. They are nice to have, but that's it.

It's better to have them than not, but it's a very small issue IMO. The game will be totally fine either way.

If you want to talk game balance, there are ways of achieving the same goal without actually having animations. The animations are really just to look nice.

Fuck immersion.

[Crator]

Originally Posted by Xyntech

Fuck immersion.

Really?

[Flaropri]

Originally Posted by RNFB

Pretty sure you were invulnerable during the animations in PS1

Sure, but like I said, that has it's own problems, and you're still "wasting" time not moving in said vehicle. Granted, if TTK for vehicles and such is changed to be balanced around it, that's fine I suppose. This isn't an insurmountable problem.

However I still feel it interrupts gameflow, and doesn't add enough for what it can take away.

Don't repair in a contested area... pull back into a safe spot like you would in PS1?

Not always the best option, and I like the tactical decision of trying to find a nearby hiding place to repair, rather than always having to make a full retreat. Tactical options are a good thing, and I prefer game-play over aesthetics.

Wouldn't it be more awesome WITH these animations? Climb back in while falling instead of just warp back in?

Yes and no. Visually awesome, but generally animations take time, that's the point, so it would be much less likely to be successful.

MMOs constantly change and evolve, even a lot of frequently updated non-MMOs. It's not a big deal.

True, but I still think it shouldn't be done unless the majority of the Live community at the time it can be considered is into it. And I don't mean just PSU forumites. I think that significant changes post-launch should be avoided.

For what it matters, I think this should include large-scale Weather as well, though from SOE statements I wouldn't get my way on that. I suppose with Weather it could be phased in though. Small enhancements slowly growing into larger weather systems for example, would be less binary and get people accustomed to them better than going from no-clipping into a drivers seat to having a 3rd person animation.

Originally Posted by Kran De Loy

Being able to jump out of the cockpit of a moving aircraft then climb back in again from the engine exhaust is not cool, it is a goofy Action Hero move that is more the result of cutting corners on game design than it is something intentional.

That's your opinion, mine is that goofy Action Hero moves are fun. I also think that something being unintentional is not by itself enough reason to get rid of it.

I absolutely DESPISE seeing people just blip in and out of vehicles, it's not just aesthetics but a lot to do with gameplay. Seeing a target climb into a vehicle mid fight is a pain in the ass. When it happens immediately with no delay from the back end of the vehicle while it's in motion is not good game design.

Would you feel better if they were just given Immunity frames as was in PS1? My guess is no based on your subsequent statements.

You're worried about snipers hitting you while they wait for you to get into the vehicle? Really? So you're saying they wouldn't already be shooting at you for just doing anything else, they're just going to camp and wait for you stop moving for long enough, predictable enough to actually get that shot? Wait, isn't that the EXACT PURPOSE of a sniper? They're going to be doing that no matter what, if they wait for you to stop anywhere not just at a vehicle delay timers or not.

Difference is forced movement vs. "chosen" movement. How I move around a corner is up to me, I can jump, run, move slowly, fake it, etc. how I get into a vehicle isn't with animations. Even if my rounding a corner ends up being relatively predictable, it isn't a set animation with set timing. It's not good especially if the vehicle stops or needs to be stopped to begin with (which also opens it up to other fire). Being able to easily hop onto a Sunderer and make your retreat (possibly forward) while under fire is fun.

Edit: Also wasn't it discussed that the only possible OSK sniper shots would be those versus other infiltrators and possibly LA.

Not to my knowledge. From what I've heard OSK does depend on the rifle, range, hit location, and target certainly, but I've never heard of it being restricted to only 2 classes. I think it may have been stated that HAs aren't likely to get OSK'd and of course not MAX but that's all I've heard. And the HA thing might require their ability to be active (probably depends on the rifle again) *shrug* I'm not clear on that. If you have more info that would be awesome.