Planetside... Worth it?

Fitch · 2003-06-24, 08:24 AM

Well after a long time of reading the downs and ups of Planetside, I am now just going to ask the experienced players to fill me in on wether i should buy Planetside or not. If you have any down, or ups please tell me both...

SmilingBandit · 2003-06-24, 08:43 AM

Up: No bots to learn the programing of. (Your targets are never predictable.)

Down: The lag and bugs. Both of which have gotten tons better in the last month.

Overall, it's a really fun and challenging game with several different specializations that a person can choose depending on their game style.

teratravp · 2003-06-24, 10:28 AM

You'll be in love with it for a week - it will be at least a 90% game to you. but the entertainment value decreases rapidly and there are very few people who find the game anything but futile after a month. There's just nothing to do, there's essentially one type of building... a base... you attack that base, hack it to capture it. That's the game. Just very thin on the whole core gameplay aspect at this point. And that's not to mention anything about bugs, this is how many people come to feel just in terms of the gameplay. So I'd have to say paying $49.99 right now is really not a good idea. MAYBE in six months assuming they've added some signifigant depth, otherwise, still not worth it.

Agathon · 2003-06-24, 10:55 AM

Hello,

Well, it is a lot of the same stuff, but the meat of the game is mass combat. If you like games like Battlefield: 1942, then you will absolutely LOVE PlanetSide. It isn't designed to be a game like EverQuest. It is a first person shooter, and people who love those games will love PlanetSide. The large battles is what makes it worth the money for me. When you have so many people fighting together on a large battlefield, it really gets the adrenaline flowing! These games are all about FPS adrenaline. Either you like such games, or you get bored of them. It just depends on the person.

Personally, I love FPS'ers as long as cheating doesn't ruin them, and PS is working on the exploits and bugs quickly. There are a few bugs and exploits left, but over the next month or so they will be ironed out I suspect. It is SOE afterall, and they have the money, talent, and power to make this game work!

;-)

SmilingBandit · 2003-06-24, 10:55 AM

What kind of depth do you expect? A story line?

True, some new buildings could be nice. New vehicles are being added.

But this game, much like life, is what you make of it. I have alot of fun and enjoy the challenge of attacking a base and not knowing what's going to be there.

And as for people not enjoying it after a month, the only people who have played for more than a month, and most of them are still here.

You want depth, go build droids in another game. You want an increadable FPS, stick with PS.

Bottleneck · 2003-06-24, 11:11 AM

Really fun, fast paced. Dont listen to the bs just pop into vr, find a weapon or vehicle ya like, train it up and hit the instant action button

Civilian · 2003-06-24, 12:19 PM

The good: Hours of addictive battle.

The bad: Paying $12.95 for beta.

teratravp · 2003-06-24, 12:32 PM

Originally posted by Agathon
Hello,

Well, it is a lot of the same stuff, but the meat of the game is mass combat. If you like games like Battlefield: 1942, then you will absolutely LOVE PlanetSide. It isn't designed to be a game like EverQuest. It is a first person shooter, and people who love those games will love PlanetSide. The large battles is what makes it worth the money for me. When you have so many people fighting together on a large battlefield, it really gets the adrenaline flowing! These games are all about FPS adrenaline. Either you like such games, or you get bored of them. It just depends on the person.

Personally, I love FPS'ers as long as cheating doesn't ruin them, and PS is working on the exploits and bugs quickly. There are a few bugs and exploits left, but over the next month or so they will be ironed out I suspect. It is SOE afterall, and they have the money, talent, and power to make this game work!

;-)

Actually I am an FPS gamer and that's exactly the problem, PS is a bad FPS. At least in terms of the most rewarding part of an FPS which is an actual way to win. Fun spats occasionally erupt in PS, but the problem for many people is that it's all futile in the long run. There is no attainable goal in the game whatsoever. You won't really understand this till you've played a lot but the burn-out tends to set in hard after about a month.

SmilingBandit · 2003-06-24, 12:39 PM

Maybe if we had flags.

Slab · 2003-06-24, 12:39 PM

When I was offered a closed and open beta slot, I jumped at the chance.

At first glance, it was an amazing game. I had been stuck in EQ type MMORPGs and was dying for a good FPS game to come out. Thing is, after the beta and the first month of the release, the excitement of Planetside has dropped to about zero.

Once you take away the MMORPG aspect of the game, Planetside is a really mediocre FPS. Several of the issues that I have with the game is that:

1.) Lag

2.) Bugs

3.) Mass zerg which makes #1 even worse.

4.) Replay value.

5.) Taking a base with a squad and getting overrun by a massive hoard. (Not a problem since it was made for battles like this but refer to #1)

6.) Not getting any exp if you do damage to an enemy. Only if you or your squad kills said enemy.

7.) Lots of physics issues that get annoying after awhile. A vanguard shouldn't flip over a wall if it gets hit by a harasser at a certain angle.

That's the only examples I can think off the top of my head. I would recommend you try it out since the first month is free but my friends are going through the same thing as I did.

They're still playing it because they weren't in the beta like me but the replay value is dying out for them.

Planetside is like all MMORPGs in that it needs time to mature. I think I will renew my account about 4-5 months from now. Maybe even 6-7 months.

SmilingBandit · 2003-06-24, 12:44 PM

Given the odds that you're just as likely that the guy next to you is going to "steal" your kill as you are to final round into the target he's softened up, the points are even in the end.

gonnagetyou · 2003-06-24, 12:51 PM

There is no difference in goals between Planetside and say Tribes or Counterstrike.

You take over bases, continents and kill people. What's the difference between that and say a game of capture the flag? The only real difference is that in Planetside the clock doesn't stop and the map doesn't reset. I'm really starting to wonder whither some of you have ever really played an FPS.

Planetside is a great FPS and you can jump into it whenever you want. You get big or small battles. There are a butt load of things to do tactically if you use your brain and there's this huge element of team work that can be taken advantage of if people try. Want to go solo? Fine you can do that to. Planetside already has plenty to do and lots of potential for the future.

Like any game on the market, some people will like it and others won't. So don't listen to me or any other idiot on these boards. Just get the game, try it and either stay or go away.

Now where's my coffee!

Slab · 2003-06-24, 01:24 PM

SmilingBandit,

Not if he's randomly throwing grenades all over the place.

I tend not to do that because of hitting friendlies.

Tryndamere · 2003-06-24, 01:25 PM

Gonnagetyou = correct.

The game rocks, try it.

teratravp · 2003-06-24, 01:31 PM

Originally posted by gonnagetyou
There is no difference in goals between Planetside and say Tribes or Counterstrike.

You take over bases, continents and kill people. What's the difference between that and say a game of capture the flag? The only real difference is that in Planetside the clock doesn't stop and the map doesn't reset. I'm really starting to wonder whither some of you have ever really played an FPS.

Planetside is a great FPS and you can jump into it whenever you want. You get big or small battles. There are a butt load of things to do tactically if you use your brain and there's this huge element of team work that can be taken advantage of if people try. Want to go solo? Fine you can do that to. Planetside already has plenty to do and lots of potential for the future.

Like any game on the market, some people will like it and others won't. So don't listen to me or any other idiot on these boards. Just get the game, try it and either stay or go away.

Now where's my coffee!

I know what you're saying, but I just don't agree. Yes, they are all capture the flag/deathmatch type gameplay experiences... but the fact that PS doesn't culminate in ANYTHING at all is the problem. There's no reason for PS to be persistant, there's no features to the persistance, and yet the persistance kills the normal game win/lose goal. I'm saying that's a pretty big gameplay issue, because I'll often go back to other FPS cause at least there's something to do -- win or lose the match... I have no reason to ever play PS again unless they add something that can keep you playing like that even after you've mastered it.