New Max Updates on Test Server

[hashish]

As usual VS get the worst weapon, and no special ability.. Really unfair on Vanu, always get the worst

[Kail]

[DirtyBird]

Looks like old footage compared to what I saw today.

[Quard]

Originally Posted by Kail

http://twitter.com/mhigby/status/327857443906416641

What's the point of public test then? To tease us?

[Higby]

Originally Posted by Quard

What's the point of public test then? To tease us?

No, not at all. Public Test sits in a sequence of servers that features and content go through before going to live. It's not the first stop, though. In fact, it's about 3 environments behind the latest data that the team is working on day to day, and as things are ready they're promoted up the chain to eventually go live, and ideally go through a finer and finer tooth comb along the way, scraping away all the bugs and problems as they do. Often, due to the way that data promotion works, problems still get on test server, but it's a lot more stable and error free than the dev working branches, which with dozens of people making hundreds and sometimes thousands of changes to a day, can be quite chaotic.

Our goal with test is of course to keep it as up-to-date with the latest and greatest, so we have more time to integrate feedback and tune based on real world usage, but we can't keep it on the bleeding edge and ever have something that can be counted on to be remotely stable.

[EvilNinjadude]

You can still tell us what you have planned/implemented RIGHT NOW, and tell us what you have NOT done yet, with each set of patch notes.

For example: We've put in the weapon, and it works and is animated, BUT we have not done full balancing yet in this build/The hit detection of this weapon isn't complete (see Flamethrowers). Putting this on each set of PTS patch notes would help the community know what to expect and what not to expect.

[ChipMHazard]

Originally Posted by hashish

As usual VS get the worst weapon, and no special ability.. Really unfair on Vanu, always get the worst

What's the point of this comment? You know that the VS are going to be getting their special "overdrive" ability, so why complain about it not being in the test server at present time?
Don't take what you see on the test server as being a complete represenative of the final piece of content.

[camycamera]

yeah, the flamethrower is clegged up atm. it is weak, and hit detection is terrible. but its there for a reason

and i like the new lockdown ability, and that new grenade launcher gun that fills the screen full of grenade icons.

[hashish]

Originally Posted by ChipMHazard

What's the point of this comment? You know that the VS are going to be getting their special "overdrive" ability, so why complain about it not being in the test server at present time?
Don't take what you see on the test server as being a complete represenative of the final piece of content.

Yea but i just feel it is very unfair that we get the worst out of all the factions powers. For example -

Overdrive ability seems absolutley rediculous and will make the Vanu maxes even more easy to kill for u guys ! We get 20% vulnerability and 40% damage increase with a small boost to speed Now how does that help us if our max weapons are the WORST and they 90% dont even hit the target because of such bad accuracy :/ (everyone will agree to this point that VS maxes are not threatening in combat and are easy to kill)

If i see a NC or TR max i will run away fasst. When i jump on my NC char i jus go in and terrorize those helpless VS max's, they dont stand a chance...

Also by looking at the new empire specific max weapons they are releasing, its just rediculous how bad the VS dual lancers are ! They are soooooo inaccurate that its just useless to use it as you get spotted and die very fast

NC and TR empire specific max weapons look so much more effective.. I just think that they need to re-think how they want to upgrade the VS max's..

Or two things need to be balanced properly to make them useful. Either reduce or eliminate the 20% vulnerability, or make the weapons more accurate to increase survivability..

[Emperor Newt]

Originally Posted by hashish

As usual VS get the worst weapon, and no special ability.. Really unfair on Vanu, always get the worst

Originally Posted by camycamera

yeah, the flamethrower is clegged up atm. it is weak, and hit detection is terrible. but its there for a reason

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=v2QxTsGy2as

(min 1.00+)

Zealot burster maxes.... oh I can already see the OP threads. It will be glorious.
(The numbers might be bugged here but still, 40% damage for bursters? Yes please. And with that skyguards will finally be completely useless)

And on a sidenote, yes the current VS max lancers really don't seem to be that useful. A max doesn't have the agility, mobility or health to go head on with a tank. Which the lancers seem to require.

*EDIT*
Oh, its only 25% damage boost. Still good. But 40% speed boost seems a bit... odd. I would not not what do do with it much.

[Assist]

Originally Posted by Higby

No, not at all. Public Test sits in a sequence of servers that features and content go through before going to live. It's not the first stop, though. In fact, it's about 3 environments behind the latest data that the team is working on day to day, and as things are ready they're promoted up the chain to eventually go live, and ideally go through a finer and finer tooth comb along the way, scraping away all the bugs and problems as they do. Often, due to the way that data promotion works, problems still get on test server, but it's a lot more stable and error free than the dev working branches, which with dozens of people making hundreds and sometimes thousands of changes to a day, can be quite chaotic.

Our goal with test is of course to keep it as up-to-date with the latest and greatest, so we have more time to integrate feedback and tune based on real world usage, but we can't keep it on the bleeding edge and ever have something that can be counted on to be remotely stable.

You missed the important part of the OP. Why are you giving that Vanu the "jack of all trades" ability? It's not exciting or interesting. Most players when given the choice are going to choose the offensive or defensive ability, not the one that's 50% of each.

[Shamrock]

Im not particularly overjoyed at the additional damage ability for vulnerability trade off. I know they said jump jets were OP, but id even take a limited weak jump jet with a long charge up time over an additional damage/vulnerability trade off. MAX's are shock troops for breaching heavily defended areas, you have to be a bullet soak, so having an ability that will make me more vulnerable isn't going to appeal to me.

[Bags]

Lockdown was terrible in PS1, and now that you die 3x as fast in PS2 it will only be worse.

[moosepoop]

Originally Posted by Higby

No, not at all. Public Test sits in a sequence of servers that features and content go through before going to live. It's not the first stop, though. In fact, it's about 3 environments behind the latest data that the team is working on day to day, and as things are ready they're promoted up the chain to eventually go live, and ideally go through a finer and finer tooth comb along the way, scraping away all the bugs and problems as they do. Often, due to the way that data promotion works, problems still get on test server, but it's a lot more stable and error free than the dev working branches, which with dozens of people making hundreds and sometimes thousands of changes to a day, can be quite chaotic.

Our goal with test is of course to keep it as up-to-date with the latest and greatest, so we have more time to integrate feedback and tune based on real world usage, but we can't keep it on the bleeding edge and ever have something that can be counted on to be remotely stable.

thank you for telling us, this is really great information,

[Kail]

Originally Posted by EvilNinjadude

You can still tell us what you have planned/implemented RIGHT NOW, and tell us what you have NOT done yet, with each set of patch notes.

For example: We've put in the weapon, and it works and is animated, BUT we have not done full balancing yet in this build/The hit detection of this weapon isn't complete (see Flamethrowers). Putting this on each set of PTS patch notes would help the community know what to expect and what not to expect.

But they have, though - when the PTS first went up, it was for Hex change testing. A few days ago they got the Harrasser up for people to start giving feedback, and just last night they got all the MAX abilities and weapons officially up with a first pass. Extra stuff sneaks on to the PTS all the time (Hossin warp button, tutorial, etc). Sometimes it's just not worth it to patch the PTS to remove it, like the MAX weapons for the last few days.

I don't mean to come across like I'm jumping on you or anything, I'm just super annoyed at the video for being unable to tell that maybe, just maybe, being able to kill a tank in a few seconds or being able to 1-salvo another max MIGHT mean the weapon hasn't been actually tuned yet.

"VS get ... nothing"