n00b questions! :D

Moleculor · 2003-02-20, 11:36 PM

Yay! I'm a newbie.

Ok, first (set of) questions...

How does one get and use a drop pod (obviously the game isn't out yet, but maybe someone knows the basic mechanics). It's an orbital insertion thing, right? So you have to go into orbit first? Where? How do you get there? Is the thing that inserts ya a space station (something called HART)?

Was looking over a few of the screenshots... I saw a map (obviously alpha-ish) of a continent and it had the facilities spread out quite far. I sorta got the impression that these facilities would all be grouped at a base. Is that not the case? If so, what -is- at a base?

Inertial dampeners. In some threads people are saying they'll just -reduce- damage. The recent interview said they'll completely eliminate it. I'll trust the interview, so I'm believing that they'll eliminate damage from falling. Question is... is it a one time use thing, an everyone has one and it's permanent thing, an inventory thing where it's multi-use, but you actually have to get one thing? And do light tanks/buggys get 'em?

Can you hack enemy turrets 'n make 'em change sides (even temporarily)? Can you make that reaction a delayed one? (Hack, run, hit a switch remotely, and suddenly the turret is chewing up it's former friendlies.)

I read that night missions are something they're holding back to get the game out fast. Yet the game supposedly has full day/night cycles. What gives?

Purchasing weapons 'n stuff is free? Or costs BEP? Or something else?

Ok, vehicles explode. Does a full ANT go boom more than an empty one?

I've read in some places that vehicles always show up on radar, yet in others that you can avoid detection in things like aircraft by flying nap of the earth. Which is it?

Ok, I've seen screenshots of virtual training areas 'n such. Do they have virtual arenas, where you can train against human people? Even practice assaults and such?

Ok. I like twitch games. Love 'em. After a week or so of warmup, I become deadly (and I mean -deadly-) in Counter-Strike. But I love the concept of hacking 'n such. Any percieveable plans to combine the two (such as making hacking like Tron with bullets or something)? Or will hacking just be sorta like Counter-Strike bomb defusal (or medic revival in Planetside) where you just hold down a button, and a progress indicator floats on by (*cough*boring*cough)? Hey, if both ideas sound good, you could make either an option, with the Tron-hacking having an instantaneous hack rather than the 15 minute wait or something.... *hopes*

What's the max altitude?

Umm... That's all I can think of. For now.

Saint · 2003-02-20, 11:42 PM

I would love to answer these, but I gotta go get gas for my car. I am trying to have a "life" it is a hard thing to do and play games at the same time. By the time I get back if no one has answered these I will answer them.

Moleculor · 2003-02-20, 11:49 PM

Oh, and... stealing an enemy vehicle... Just needs hacking of some sort, right?

Nightmare · 2003-02-20, 11:51 PM

I'll answer what I can while Saint is gone.

1st Q - no clue

2nd Q - a base is another name for a facility. A base can be different types, such as a medical base, where you can get healed. There are also towers.

3rd Q - not sure.

4th Q - I think you can hack enemy turrets, but don't quote me on that. I'm not sure.

5th Q - There are no missions, you can join up with people and attack whenever you want. There will be a night though.

6th Q - free

7th Q - dunno, probably the same

8th Q - there is one vehicle that can go into stealth, but i'm not sure about others.

9th Q - There is training at the begining of the game. other than that, no.

10th Q - not sure

11th Q - again, not sure.

NeoTassadar · 2003-02-20, 11:58 PM

Drop pods are orbital insertion. There is a structure where you board a shuttle to go into orbit at scheduled times, like a train station. After that, you can drop in any neutral territory (outside spheres of influence).

Moleculor · 2003-02-21, 12:04 AM

2nd Q - a base is another name for a facility. A base can be different types, such as a medical base, where you can get healed. There are also towers.

So facilities -are- bases, and there are no bases that aren't facilities?

5th Q - There are no missions, you can join up with people and attack whenever you want. There will be a night though.

Ok, so the reference to 'night missions' was in fact a reference to the now non-existent pre-programmed mission generator, and didn't actually apply to special night-based alterations to gameplay (other than reduced visibility). Got it.

8th Q - there is one vehicle that can go into stealth, but i'm not sure about others.

Yeah. Knew about the Wraith. I have done -some- research... But I'm talking more about flying under the radar or something. Or some way of a Galaxy actually flying high enough to drop undetected or something... Any possibilities there?

And is this game -seriously- supposedly coming out next month some time?! Seems a bit soon to me. (Or is it march of -next- year?)

Oh. And... I know a Galaxy can carry a light tank or buggy, but what about cycles?

And is stamina like mana or EP or MP in other games, where it regenerates over time? Do you have to sit like in EQ (ew), or just walk/stand still like in other games?

HRR Raven · 2003-02-21, 12:29 AM

Galaxies cannot carry basilisks or wraiths.

Moleculor · 2003-02-21, 12:31 AM

That would have been a cool sight. Two or four Basilisks being driven out of the back of an airborne Galaxy... Or the same number of Wraiths, going invisible when they hit the ground.

Saint · 2003-02-21, 12:32 AM

Here I am, the n00b question mastah!

Q1: You take a HART into the drop station in orbit and pick your landing site, cannot be in the SOI of any base. (SOI is sphere of influence)

Q2: Hmmm you might wanna check the Dev question thing, but I think all bases have a vehichle pad, spawn points and equipment terminals, possibly medical terminals as well as lockers.

Q3: All armors have kinetic dampeners and depending on the altitude of the drop they might absorb all or just some of the damage. No one knows about buggys and tanks.

Q4: I am not sure if you can hack them individually, but if you hack the whole base they will become yours. SJ said that everything that you can interface with is destroyable, so I am assuiming everything you can interface with you can hack so I am guessing yes you can hack turrets, but that could alter gameplay quite a bit. The devs prolly won't let you, but I say yes, I am a positive thinker.

Q5: The Planet of auraxis has a highly charged ionosphere filled with hefadioxine, it allows light to reflect across the surface as though there was a star there and thats also the reason that at night time its never really dark , So you wont see the star itself cause its always slightly off the horizon due to the planest abnormal orbit. So it will never get completly dark, but with cover of storm and at night you might be very well hidden and by the time they realize it is too late.

Q6: You have to purchase weapons meaning that you have to go to a terminal and get them every time you die, either that or loot someone or get in yur locker. You don't need money, you only need the certification to use that gun, so in an essence certs are money kinda.

Q7: No one knows much about the ANT, but I watched someone blow up an ATV and that thing went KABLOOOIE! I can't imagine a galaxy or surrender blowing up, just pray you are no where near it. Depending on the size on the ANT I don't know the blast raduis. I don't think more nanite will make it blow up bigger, but that is something they could impliment.

Q8: Wraiths, AMS and Mosquitos all have radar jammers that make them invisable, all other vehicles can be seen on radar I think. If your teamate is piloting a jammed vehicle you can see it on your radar tho, but that is the only case.

Q9: Sort of, in VR you can advance to battle rank 5 I think without ever fighting another human player. I don't think it is a place to practice assults, it is a place that lets you use all weapons, armors and vehicles in the game without having the certification.

Q10: As of right now and the version at release it goes like this
Normal: Hack bar fills up slowly
Hacking cert: Hack bar fills up fast
Advanced hacking cert: Hack bar fills up very very fast
I also believe to hack a base you have to have a hacking cert, not just anyone can do it. They said something like a puzzle could be implimented in a patch but as of right now, it is not player skilled hacking.

Q11: No word on MAX altitude, but usually it doesn't matter because you don't need to go that high, you can hide in clouds. If I get any word on this I will post it ASAP.

Hope I gacve you all the information you needed.

Have fun!!!

Moleculor · 2003-02-21, 12:42 AM

Yup. Definitely answered them... (YOU CAN HIDE IN CLOUDS?! OMFG!!!

)

How about this set?

----------------

Is this game -seriously- supposedly coming out next month some time?! Seems a bit soon to me. (Or is it march of -next- year?)

And is stamina like mana or EP or MP in other games, where it regenerates over time? Do you have to sit like in EQ (ew), or just walk/stand still like in other games?

Saint · 2003-02-21, 12:46 AM

Q12: Have faith this game will go gold by March 31st, 2003 I promise you.

Q13: It recharges at a steady pace given that you are not running too fast, have implants activated or jumping.

About clouds, yes you can hide in them, but one problem is you are flying blind too because if they can't see you, you can't see them. There will be a map with weather patterns on it for commanders and rouges to use to plan attacks under cover of storm clouds or fog.

Does that work for ya? Any more brain bustuhz?

Moleculor · 2003-02-21, 01:02 AM

Yeah, knew about the weather thing. Been waiting for a game with -real- weather patterns in it for about 5 or so years. I'm -very- excited about this game. Just had no clue that the weather came with something more than textured clouds on a dome shaped skybrush.

Can tanks and other heavy weaponry blow through walls? (I vaguely remember reading about this one, so I'm kicking myself for asking it here.)

Can mines be set up to go off by remote? (Like, stealth into a base, mine the turrets, then set them off all at once.)

I read about 'jumping' things with cycles. Is it -really- possible? What about buggies or other craft?

How about concussion blast waves from explosives? (i.e. being thrown by the blast of a grenade, or the explosion of a craft.... or, as I read in one of the Triumvirate things, being -carried along- by the blast in a semi-controlled fashion)

Deformable-terrain? Even if it's just the trees getting knocked down or scorched or anything? Or are we going to be seeing craters 'n such? Or is a Galaxy running head first into a forest not going to leave a noticeable scratch?

Saint · 2003-02-21, 01:13 AM

Q14: I do not think this game has that like in Red Faction 2 where walls blow up, I think there is just scorch marks where a tank hits a wall.

Q15: Mines can be set to go of on contact or you can make remote detonated "boomers". Read here under ACE for more info.

Q16: From what I observered ground vehicles enjoy repelling gravity. I saw a buggy flip like the Warthog does in HALO so yes, I would say you could jump vehicles.

Q17: I am not exactly sure, I just hope it is not like BF1942 where you are unrealisticly thrown from a grenade. Ummm from what I observed grenades have a little bit of a shockwave, but it isn't mch bigger than the blast radius.

Q18: Ummm I think for gameplay sakes no terrain will be destroyable. Because if you could blow up the ground a clan would prollly make a deep trench around every base and then set up AA MAXs everywhere and that would be messed up. Trees also stay up when rammed, I know they scorch, but I am pretty sure they don't fall over. They are pretty deep rooted trees from what I observed.

Moleculor · 2003-02-21, 01:21 AM

Q15: Mines can be set to go of on contact or you can make remote detonated "boomers". Read here under ACE for more info.

Argh! I even checked that before asking. Missed the 'remote-detonated' part. Oh this is going to be a FUN game.

Last two questions for tonight...

Can you bail out of a moving vehicle? Any vehicle, or just some of them?

And I saw the... 'requirements'... 512MB of RAM?! Sheesh. I thought 384 was more than enough for games.... Is 384 going to hurt me terribly? Or will no one know till the game comes out?

Saint · 2003-02-21, 01:25 AM

Q19: You can bail out of a moving vehichle yes, ground vehicles roll to a halt unless they strike something and air vehicles glide until they strike something or reach the ground where the hover a few feet above.

Q20: 384 -was- enough RAM before MMOFPS were made. They are working hard to lower that, but I would highly suggest getting a boost up to 512MB or more if you can afford it. I promise you, you will need it in the long run, plus it is always good to have more RAM.

Have a good night. I am out too I think, got homework. Later.