DEV reddit AMA- "ANT will most likely be the Sunderer with an ANT module" says WHO?

[Malorn]

Says me!

I had a good discussion with Kevmo about it a few months ago, we agreed that the ANT made sense as a Sunderer mod and not a standalone vehicle. The reasons are:

1) It adds more value to the Sundy, so all the players who certed one up and have weapons and cosmetics will get more mileage out of their investments. It's essentially a support vehicle, so giving the support vehicle more value made more sense than creating a new support vehicle.

2) The ANT as a standalone vehicle wasn't compelling enough to warrant a new vehicle. If we're going to make it, it needs to be more interesting than just a power transport vehicle, and that feature-creeps it a lot more than is reasonable.

3) We have already created the Sundy as a utility vehicle by putting the AMS module, the repair module, and the rearm module. It makes sense to add to that for other support utility functionality.

And yes, I would like to see some significant cosmetic differences so you can easily differentiate an ANT sundy from an AMS sundy, as well as the difference between a full ANT and an empty ANT. Don't know how far it'll get, but that's the goal.

[Carbon Copied]

Originally Posted by Malorn

-snip-

I honestly don't see the problem of the Sunderer being used if your plan is to make it look aesthetically different i.e increasingly more distinct from variant to variant. However:

• Why does using the Sunderer to do everything give it more value? It costs the same resources and cool down as if you were to pull AMS/Repair/Ammo variants - no dynamic costing based on loadouts used which makes this point of adding value pretty much void when you can pull it anytime and where.

• Seats 12 no matter what utility you put on it - wheres the logistic management, deeper customization and risk/reward of that? If I chose to AMS/ANT my sunderer (as example), shouldn't there be sacrifices to accommodate this and create the "you pull an S-AMS and I'll pull the escort Sunderer?" decision/thinking - the fact it can defend itself and essentially not rely on third party support I believe is what makes it considerably more boring in the first place.

You also should think about bringing the Sunderer design wise back into context of the game - why is it bigger than an MBT and have all the futuristic look, feel and handling of a Renault E-Space? (this by the way isn't a good thing)

Overall you can sugar coat the changes and decisions all you please but it doesn't change the fact its largely boring, soul-less and lacking any depth. Although that's a tune the masses have come to dance to quite well by now.

[Baneblade]

Originally Posted by Malorn

Says me!

I had a good discussion with Kevmo about it a few months ago, we agreed that the ANT made sense as a Sunderer mod and not a standalone vehicle. The reasons are:

1) It adds more value to the Sundy, so all the players who certed one up and have weapons and cosmetics will get more mileage out of their investments. It's essentially a support vehicle, so giving the support vehicle more value made more sense than creating a new support vehicle.

2) The ANT as a standalone vehicle wasn't compelling enough to warrant a new vehicle. If we're going to make it, it needs to be more interesting than just a power transport vehicle, and that feature-creeps it a lot more than is reasonable.

3) We have already created the Sundy as a utility vehicle by putting the AMS module, the repair module, and the rearm module. It makes sense to add to that for other support utility functionality.

And yes, I would like to see some significant cosmetic differences so you can easily differentiate an ANT sundy from an AMS sundy, as well as the difference between a full ANT and an empty ANT. Don't know how far it'll get, but that's the goal.

It would also be nice if AMS/ANT Sunderers and such were not fully combat capable transports with full armaments.

[Calisai]

Originally Posted by Malorn

Says me!

I had a good discussion with Kevmo about it a few months ago, we agreed that the ANT made sense as a Sunderer mod and not a standalone vehicle.

3) We have already created the Sundy as a utility vehicle by putting the AMS module, the repair module, and the rearm module. It makes sense to add to that for other support utility functionality.

And yes, I would like to see some significant cosmetic differences so you can easily differentiate an ANT sundy from an AMS sundy, as well as the difference between a full ANT and an empty ANT. Don't know how far it'll get, but that's the goal.

Please consider making a smaller ANT module for the Harasser (that takes the place of the Rumble seat & possibly gunner as well). Even if it's a smaller capacity... the Harasser is just plain fun to drive... making ANT runs be much more enjoyable.

I think a High-capacity, higher damage soaking, slower moving Sundy ANT, combined with a small-capacity, low damage soaking, but very fast Harasser ANT may make for some interesting play.

[Rivenshield]

Originally Posted by Malorn

The ANT as a standalone vehicle wasn't compelling enough to warrant a new vehicle. If we're going to make it, it needs to be more interesting than just a power transport vehicle, and that feature-creeps it a lot more than is reasonable.

/mulls it over

/shrugs

Okay. I'll take your word for it. Yours and yours alone, maestro.

I still have a bad feeling about driving that slow, ungainly, slipping-sliding underpowered parade float of a vehicle from the warp gate to... well, to anywhere. It'll make the ANT runs of yesteryear look like happy fun time. The old ANT was demonstrably faster than a Sundie and the continents were smaller. It was also air-portable. I just can't see how this is going to work.

So I'll take it on faith. Multiple nanite-nodes scattered across the continent, perhaps...?

[Baneblade]

Originally Posted by Rivenshield

The old ANT was demonstrably faster than a Sundie and the continents were smaller.

Actually... the old ANT was as slow as a running MAX. The new ANT was faster than a Sundie. The PS2 Sundie is plenty fast, it just lacks decent ability to negotiate any kind of terrain.

A slow ANT is for the best in any case, so long as the rewards for running ANTs are sufficient compensation for the trouble.

As someone who actually drives the slowest vehicle in the game across continents all the time, it won't be much trouble to drive a Sunderer from the warpgate to fill up bases, I'd be more concerned about capacity. The PS1 ANT could fill up 2.5 bases before needing to refill.