Malorn's Planetside Manifesto. Anyone Have it? - Page 3

HollowX · 2013-01-03, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by Electrofreak

Just remember you guys at SOE, your players are smarter than you are. That's NOT a dig at your intelligence; remember I called the playerbase geniuses. They will find a way to cleverly turn your work against you by finding the game mechanics they can exploit in extremely clever ways, and spreading that knowledge until everyone is doing it, destroying the balance and entertainment value you've worked so hard to achieve.

I'd have to agree. My hope is that within 12 months *fingers crossed* the game will be polished due to all the feedback from the playerbase being addressed. Even if some of the players quit in that time, there's still nothing like Planetside out there and they'll come back wanting more, for sure.

The fact that the devs HAVE listened to the community as a whole so far, I think they'll continue that trend and even more so in the future. Long live Planetside! And the continuing Love/Hate relationship we have with SOE!

Archonzero · 2013-01-04, 02:35 AM

Nice read Malorn.

SGTalon · 2013-01-04, 07:30 AM

I definitely like the updates you added Malorn. Obviously some of it is outdated, some for the better some for the worse.

I think the best parts are when you discuss the hard stuff. The part that is not easy for someone to step back and look at it from an Objective View.

Unfortunately i doubt many people will take the time to read this. It is very long and to some people it is just too much. My thread over on the Official forums talking about Attitudes in the game gets a lot of trolling because people don't even bother to read what is in it. They even come right out and say, "I didn't bother to read it but you are an idiot."

Unfortunately too many of those people are PS1 vets. I think a lot of them have a very skewed view of what PS1 was. They remember all the things they loved and forget the stuff that was actually much worse than it is in PS2.

Thanks for posting up the update either way. I definitely enjoyed reading it with your new perspectives in it.

Hamma · 2013-01-04, 08:38 AM

Thanks for posting that Malorn! And excellent post as well Electro.

MrBloodworth · 2013-01-04, 09:27 AM

I have your original somewhere. Pre-PS2 announcement.

RykerStruvian · 2013-01-04, 06:06 PM

I'm confused, there was a thread up on PS2's official forums regarding this document and RadarX closed it twice (someone created it in the off-topic section and it was considered too off-topic).

Is it really off-topic? Isn't the document all about Planetside? And if it is not specifically about Planetside 2, how is it something too off-topic for off-topic discussion?

**Malorn** · 2013-01-04, 06:27 PM

It's not really on-topic for current PS2. Most of it is years old, and the newer stuff is significantly outdated (pre-beta). It's good if you're curious and want to have a good philosophical discussion, but it could be misleading, especially to folks who didn't the big red important details I put on it. I was a bit hesitant on putting it up because I didn't want people to mistake it for a PS2 design doc. It's a fan doc, from a fan who happens to be a dev currently. It's easy to misinterpret that, so I can see why it was locked down to prevent confusion and misinformation.

Electrofreak · 2013-01-04, 08:58 PM

Eh, let's be honest; it's too easy for the doc, which is a great read and has some excellent points, to be cited out of context or used to say, "but you said this!" Again, dat playerbase.

RykerStruvian · 2013-01-04, 10:03 PM

That was the only reason I could think of as to why it would be locked out. And no matter how much you tell people its purely a matter of personal perspective, people might just take it the wrong way I suppose. Even so I do like it because for what it is, a really interesting take on a subject even if it cant necessarily be considered 100% relevant.

Lachx · 2013-01-05, 11:07 AM

I was in a guild with a soe dev. in vanguard when it first came out. He posted lots of good ideas/info when that game had its many many problems... lots of promises ect (great guy) to keep the community filled with hope.

He is no longer with soe and at a different game company. The thing is, even if ps2 tanked today soe made their money. We have great great devs but money talks in these soe games.

Prove me wrong SOE (not talking to devs here...)

Babyfark McGeez · 2013-01-05, 11:26 AM

I don't think soe allready "made their money" as you put it Lachx. It's not even been two months after PS2 went live and the decline in (also paying) population is allready going for several weeks.

But that's actually a good thing imo, because if they don't want PS2 to become a loss-making business they have to improve, and thus, listen to the community (because those/we are the people that play and pay their game).
If soe would really allready make a profit from PS2 i'd be way more worried about its future.

Archonzero · 2013-01-06, 08:05 PM

Malorn,

Is there any conversation about bringing back the Command Experience system? I feel a lot of mindless zerging would shape up more if there was some incentive system to reward players that want to command. Global chat command in PS1 was used more often by high ranking commanders, who actively commanded, received useful tactical benefits for commanding well, had logistical resources to make decisions an inform the faction with direction, goals and overall faction patriotism. Versus the current I spent 100 certs to talk in global an troll the shit out of the faction with their eThug/adolescent mentalities.

CrazEpharmacist · 2013-01-06, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by Archonzero

Malorn,

Is there any conversation about bringing back the Command Experience system? I feel a lot of mindless zerging would shape up more if there was some incentive system to reward players that want to command. Global chat command in PS1 was used more often by high ranking commanders, who actively commanded, received useful tactical benefits for commanding well, had logistical resources to make decisions an inform the faction with direction, goals and overall faction patriotism. Versus the current I spent 100 certs to talk in global an troll the shit out of the faction with their eThug/adolescent mentalities.

Furthermore, will the lattice system be coming back? I realize it's not up to you but you guys have to realize how bad the hex system is, right?

SGTalon · 2013-01-07, 01:10 AM

Originally Posted by CrazEpharmacist

Furthermore, will the lattice system be coming back? I realize it's not up to you but you guys have to realize how bad the hex system is, right?

How is the Hex system so much different than the Lattice System? They accomplish the same thing but add the ability to spread the front line out to more than just the few main bases. It also gives the small towers and outposts more importance in the flow of the battle.

In PS1 there was no real benefit to taking towers except to deny the enemy a spawn point. Now they have real value from a resource, base capture, vehicle, and spawn standpoint.

Just because it isn't the same as PS1 doesn't mean it sucks.

CrazEpharmacist · 2013-01-07, 01:57 AM

Originally Posted by SGTalon

How is the Hex system so much different than the Lattice System? They accomplish the same thing but add the ability to spread the front line out to more than just the few main bases. It also gives the small towers and outposts more importance in the flow of the battle.

In PS1 there was no real benefit to taking towers except to deny the enemy a spawn point. Now they have real value from a resource, base capture, vehicle, and spawn standpoint.

Just because it isn't the same as PS1 doesn't mean it sucks.

It gave direction. There are no front-lines in PS2. Everything is too spread out. With the lattice system you knew exactly where you could attack, what to defend, where the enemy would likely be coming from, etc. With the hex system, it is too chaotic for there to be a front-line. No one knows where to go. It is human nature to take the path of least resistance. That is why we are seeing so much ghost capping and zergs completely avoiding each other. With the lattice, it forced armies into conflict.

Towers offered a strategic benefit in PS1. Yes, it offered a spawn point that was likely in close proximity to a main base. That is a huge benefit in and of itself, but it also offered a location to set up defenses and plan your next course of action. It also allowed you to scout enemies from a larger distance than just being on the ground. My point is that yes towers may not have had a clear purpose but they were used as the player saw fit.