Gameplay: "We need a hacker!" - Give LA class the Rek

[The Degenatron]

With the ammo pack going to the engineers, I think it's time to look at bringing back the hacker.

Give Light Assaults a Rek as an alternate to their sidearm. Put hacking back into the game and make it so LAs are the class that do it.

There's a whole new cert tree for leveling up hacking ability right there.

The goal is to turn a player into a "living flag" that must be escorted to the terminal and protected.

This works out perfectly because the LAs are very squishy and require extra TLC to get them to the goal, but at the same time are very agile.

[Ratstomper]

Why would a hyper mobile class like LA wait around to be escorted? Besides that, I think infiltrators are the ones with the hacking certs.

[Femtobyte]

I agree with Ratstomper, although I am new to the game and not sure what "reks" are. I can never see myself wanting to be an LA, where I have this jetpack that makes me extremely agile, and having to be protected.

I do however think that LA's need a new ability now that their ammo-dropping ability has been taken, and given to the already ability-laden engineer.

[Ratstomper]

Originally Posted by Femtobyte

I agree with Ratstomper, although I am new to the game and not sure what "reks" are. I can never see myself wanting to be an LA, where I have this jetpack that makes me extremely agile, and having to be protected.

I do however think that LA's need a new ability now that their ammo-dropping ability has been taken, and given to the already ability-laden engineer.

REKs are tools from PS1 used for hacking. You couldn't hack anything without one. I personally think the jetpack is sufficient, BUT I would be ok with adding something for the sake of more stuff for them to do.

[The Degenatron]

Originally Posted by Ratstomper

Why would a hyper mobile class like LA wait around to be escorted? Besides that, I think infiltrators are the ones with the hacking certs.

While I agree on the surface that infiltrators make a better canidate for for being a hacker, the problem is that they can be invisible, they're snipers, and they're saboturs already.

From a Backstory / Lore perspective that is a completely different school of training than "computer hacker". You'd expect a guy who's a comuter geek to be small and light, but not "the killer elite" that infiltrators are. The LA falls into that stereotype perfectly.

And from a gameplay POV it works great as well: LAs need additonal skills to make them a more valuable class. Also, yes they are quick jet-packers which gives them parity to the reason why you want an infiltrator to be the hackers: they can sneak in. LAs can take multiple routes to the CPs - routes not easily accessible by other classes. Also, they may not need to be escorted per se, but they do need to be guarded while hacking.

If you stop the knee-jerk "infiltrators should be hackers" reaction, you might find LAs make good sense as hackers.

[Femtobyte]

Any unit besides a MAX can already "hack" capture points, Is it possible that any unit can hack other things like turrets, (besides MAX's ofc) if they cert into it?

[The Degenatron]

Originally Posted by Femtobyte

Any unit besides a MAX can already "hack" capture points, Is it possible that any unit can hack other things like turrets, (besides MAX's ofc) if they cert into it?

Yea, the point is to cut that back. One gripe a lot of people had in PS1 was that hacking was something any soldier could do, and that really doesn't make sense. You don't train every soldier on the field to be a computer hacker. That's a specialty - and it should be in PS2. It should ahve been in PS1.

Currently in PS2 there is no hacking of enemy equipment.

[Ratstomper]

Originally Posted by The Degenatron

While I agree on the surface that infiltrators make a better canidate for for being a hacker, the problem is that they can be invisible, they're snipers, and they're saboturs already.

From a Backstory / Lore perspective that is a completely different school of training than "computer hacker". You'd expect a guy who's a comuter geek to be small and light, but not "the killer elite" that infiltrators are. The LA falls into that stereotype perfectly.

And from a gameplay POV it works great as well: LAs need additonal skills to make them a more valuable class. Also, yes they are quick jet-packers which gives them parity to the reason why you want an infiltrator to be the hackers: they can sneak in. LAs can take multiple routes to the CPs - routes not easily accessible by other classes. Also, they may not need to be escorted per se, but they do need to be guarded while hacking.

If you stop the knee-jerk "infiltrators should be hackers" reaction, you might find LAs make good sense as hackers.

LAs, from a design standpoint, are more like shock troops and guerrilla fighters than hackers. From what I understand, the're outfitted with assault weapons and explosives; a combat class designed for flanking enemies and softening hardpoints. They should be hopping walls, flanking forces, killing vehicles with placed explosives and hitting targets of opportunity where they're weak, not in CPs hacking or any other kind of saboteur work. As you said, that's infiltrators job. The truth is that LAs are already one of the more versatile classes in the game.

Originally Posted by Femtobyte

Any unit besides a MAX can already "hack" capture points, Is it possible that any unit can hack other things like turrets, (besides MAX's ofc) if they cert into it?

I think only infiltrators can hack turrets and other saboteur targets currently. I wouldn't mind seeing all infantry be able to cert to hack faster, though.

[Geist]

Why does everyone want the LA to have some kind of special ability to replace them dropping ammo? They have a jump pack and if I understand it right, they are also the only class that has access to C4 Charges, that's more than enough for one class.

[The Degenatron]

Originally Posted by Geist

Why does everyone want the LA to have some kind of special ability to replace them dropping ammo? They have a jump pack and if I understand it right, they are also the only class that has access to C4 Charges, that's more than enough for one class.

When did they give the C4 to the LAs? I thought the Infs had that.

[Ratstomper]

Originally Posted by The Degenatron

When did they give the C4 to the LAs? I thought the Infs had that.

Nah, I think infiltrators have gadgety type stuff, not explosives.

[Femtobyte]

I'm not saying that they should have access to it all at once, or that they should be able to do everything in the game. I actually don't even know that they DO need another ability, I haven't been able to play with the class at all -- no one has. But given the fact that the devs did give that ability to LAs makes me think that of all the classes LAs must have been one of the lighter classes ability-wise. And I personally am all for flexibility when it is an option.

[Ratstomper]

Originally Posted by Femtobyte

I'm not saying that they should have access to it all at once, or that they should be able to do everything in the game. I actually don't even know that they DO need another ability, I haven't been able to play with the class at all -- no one has. But given the fact that the devs did give that ability to LAs makes me think that of all the classes LAs must have been one of the lighter classes ability-wise. And I personally am all for flexibility when it is an option.

I agree and maybe there should be something else given to the LA. I just don't think it should be hacking. I don't know what it is, but not hacking.

EDIT: what about giving them the ability to paint targets for bombers, artillery, etc? give them a laze pointer like in PS1. I honestly think it would work better for LAs than infiltrators. Although, it could work for both...

[Zolan]

>give LA the REK

Infiltrator? Sure

Light Assault? Hell nah

[Femtobyte]

I tend to agree, and to be honest this is a moot point. We don't actually know that hacking is class-limited. (except to MAX's)