So, there's weather. What about VIOLENT weather?

onwee · 2012-04-25, 01:57 PM

Is weather just there to look pretty and give immersion, or should it affect gameplay?

Duststorms, snowwy whiteouts, hurricane winds, tornadoes, and other weather that can affect ongoing battles and force people to move to new objectives because of it.

They would be somewhat rare, and only occur on one continent at a time, and only affact 25-30% of that continent.

People can either completely avoid it, or spec into abilities that will let them fly better in high winds, see better in sandstorms or whiteouts--thus using storms to their advantage. It would be a great addition to special ops attacks. Using a snowstorm as cover for your team to drop in and take out the enemy, or it could completely catch your team offguard and force you to pull back. Just adds another level of dynamic content to battles.

Dust storm example:

Purple · 2012-04-25, 04:49 PM

i would add a great element to game play if we could get a good lightning storm now and then. air couldn't fly through it and people outside would have to be cautious.

Talek Krell · 2012-04-25, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by Purple

Air couldn't fly through it and people outside would have to be cautious.

Just make it so that flying through it is dangerous. More fun when you tempt people to take that stupid risk.

Neurotoxin · 2012-04-25, 06:16 PM

Meteor showers. And the meteor shower killspam.

AlienTwentyFour · 2012-04-25, 06:27 PM

I want lightning. Nothing cooler than getting you vannie hit by a lightning bolt.

Marine Six · 2012-04-25, 06:52 PM

great idea but i don't want stupid insane things like meteors and zombie apocalypses just thunder storms hurricanes and whiteout blizzards i think are the coolest ones

DDSHADE · 2012-04-25, 08:25 PM

I want to see all sorts of weather systems appear in the game. Things that affect visibility, run speed, driving conditions, flying conditions and the like. It would change up the tactics and gameplay if we could see weather systems moving in on the map.

onwee · 2012-04-25, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by DDSHADE

It would change up the tactics and gameplay if we could see weather systems moving in on the map.

EXACTLY my point, could you imagine having a tank battle going on in middle of the desert only to see a huge dust storm rolling in? You'd have to react not only to the enemy but both sides will have to take cover, run, or have special equipment that minimizes the effects of dust and wind.

Garem · 2012-04-26, 08:09 AM

This was argued a great deal a few months ago. I was a big proponent then, and I still am.

Inclement weather would be a great way to add another layer to the already dynamic battlefield.

Zekeen · 2012-04-26, 10:30 AM

Holy cow, good work calling attention to this! This is DEFINITELY something that would be fun.

On the minor side of things, imagine if they added a horrific wind, that made it difficult for aircraft to fly. It'd give the advantage to ground troops and almost ground all air traffic. Now imagine the brave and overly skilled pilots who try to give support in that, and the galaxies trying to land some troops or vehicles (cause maybe the wind causes issues with troop drops).

LOTS of interesting fun could be made with this and without much work (relatively).

onwee · 2012-04-26, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by IDukeNukeml

Again, I completely agree with this.. but We've yet to even see a body of water in PS2 so far.

Well Higby said there is weather in the alpha promo trailer so I'm going to dream, damnitt. 5 YEAR PLAN HIGBY, DO IT.

Noivad · 2012-04-26, 12:43 PM

PS 1 had Weather, but most people turned that and vegatation off for FPS. And higby did state that PS 2 will too. But Please Higby, don't let people turn it off. Have different types of rain, sleet and snow, Hurricanes, tornadoes that are random just every once in a while. Everything you get in real Life, but don't let people turn it off. keep the game realistic. If you can do it it would be really cool to see the steam come off the ground on a hot seasonal day as it evaroprates, or to see on a bush you hiding behind the water droplets on the leaves of the plant after a rain. Keep the game realistic. Don't let people turn off the effects for FPS like so many games do that gives them an advantage to those who perfer seeing the game in all its artistic wonder. Keep it realistic. Did I say that often enough. Keep it realistic please.

LONGFELLA KOJ · 2012-04-26, 01:06 PM

I like this! How about we go beyond just rain and snow and add in ROUSs!!!

Metalsheep · 2012-04-26, 01:10 PM

I am a fan of weather systems, but i don't feel that they should have any effect on game-play beyond limiting your vision. When you start add "random" elements like lightning strikes, gale force winds, or other effects. Players tend to get really angry because its unpredictable.

While i like the idea of weather effecting gameplay safety and vehicle handling, it is probably better that it only effect vision. Though there could still be lightning in the sky and thunder. Nothing is more awesome than having a firefight in a thunderstorm.

I also agree that weather should NOT be toggleable. It should be forced on for all players, if you let players turn it off. No-one will use it simply because it effects their vision, like in Planetside.

onwee · 2012-04-26, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Metalsheep

When you start add "random" elements like lightning strikes, gale force winds, or other effects. Players tend to get really angry because its unpredictable.

Lighting doesn't do anything to airplanes anyway. 1000's of planes are struck every year.

To the point though, I agree, random elements of weather should not be deadly (the example being running along and getting hit by lighting). All weather effects should be avoidable, and if you go into the weather you should know how it will affect your gameplay.

For example rain would be visual only, dust would affect visual and minor handling affects, tornado or hurricane winds should have a large affect on air (so if you are air, you would know to avoid them) and long range accuracy for weapons.

There could be lightning strikes but not the kind that kill players. Just a tree getting hit, for example (and if there is fire, catching it on fire). But just a basic lightning strike is great. In fact, having your airplane get hit by lighting would be a really cool visual affect, but just like airplanes now, you'd take no damage.

You should never just be trotting along and die. Weather implementation should affect a dynamic battlefield as a whole and not any single player.