To solve any Light Assault "underpowered" complaints and introduce fun mechanics

[Razicator]

Inspired by the trailer: why not make the jetpack of the light assault function less like a "extend your jump range" ability and more like an aircraft, like the NC guy in the trailer jetpacking with extreme agility?

Think about it. Currently, you hit space to jump a bit, then hit the ability button to move up or hover. There's no option to jet-strafe sideways, or to accelerate forward in the air, or hell even jet backwards or bank left or right. It's just a straight up and down, with a slight forward momentum.

Instead, why not have the ability button turn on the jet pack as a toggle, and then the light assault controls turn into aircraft with MORE agility? Space bar would increase jet pack thrust and thus cause you to rise, keep pressing W to accelerate forward, bank left and right like a Mosquito, etc. It won't be overpowered because first of all, light assault have what, carbines, pistols, and maybe a few grenades at most? Not like a flying Max. Hell, let's let the Light Assault be able to jet backwards too while shooting forwards, make it even MORE maneuravable than aircraft. They cannot carry antiaircraft weapons or antivehicle weapons, so it doesn't really make that much of a difference.

This will make the Light Assault class extremely fun. Think of it like how the MAX bridges the gap between infantry and vehicles. The Light Assault can bridge the gap between infantry and aircraft, instead of currently bridging the gap between infantry and Mario.

Imagine 100 v 100 outfit light assault only duels in the sky between a tower and the main base. Holy. Crap. That. Would. Be. Amazing. It'll be like Unreal Tournament 2003 on Low Grav, I KNOW you guys played that mode way back!

[Warborn]

You really don't think being able to fly would make much of a difference? Flying is a cheat code in every other game. I have a hunch it actually might be a pretty huge change and not something minor like you're imagining.

[Razicator]

Originally Posted by Warborn

You really don't think being able to fly would make much of a difference? Flying is a cheat code in every other game. I have a hunch it actually might be a pretty huge change and not something minor like you're imagining.

Hell no not in this game. Flying is advantageous in other games as hacking because a) only one person is hacking, b) you cannot hit them, c) the flying guy can kill everyone because either they have rockets for vehicles or all the players are infantry anyways.

A is false in PS2 because everyone has access to Light Assault. B is false because jet packs will obviously be going slower than vehicles, easy pickings for any machine gun. C is false because again Light Assault only is lightly armored and lightly equiped. He cannot do much in the air anyways except take pot shots, and plus when he is maneuvering around you cannot hit anything with a gun anyways.

Everything else stays the same. Light Assault can still jump to the top of bases and towers. They are still equally vulnerable on the ground. They still do not have the firepower to take on any other class 1v1 on equal ground.

It's just to introduce some fun and chaos into the skies.

[Pepsi]

I'm not too sure about LA being more maneuverable in the air by being able to change their direction mid-flight, but why not a sort of "glider" jetpack as a side-grade? There wouldn't be enough thrust to make you go higher, but the jetpack could keep you in the air for a long period of time, which makes it advantageous to jump off a cliff and glide to a base below.

edit: v Sweet!

[NumbaOneStunna]

Originally Posted by Pepsi

I'm not too sure about LA being more maneuverable in the air by being able to change their direction mid-flight, but why not a sort of "glider" jetpack as a side-grade? There wouldn't be enough thrust to make you go higher, but the jetpack could keep you in the air for a long period of time, which makes it advantageous to jump off a cliff and glide to a base below.

They already have that based on the screenshots.

I think Icarus is the cert that makes you glide further.

[RovingDeath]

Originally Posted by NumbaOneStunna

They already have that based on the screenshots.

I think Icarus is the cert that makes you glide further.

Sounds too much like Deus Ex: HR, though I understand the concepts are completely different.

[QuantumMechanic]

Wait... who's complaining that Light Assault is under powered? Everything that I've heard about Light Assault from E3 and SOE community day is that it's fun as hell and can handle MAXes if you know how to jump.

I think it's probably fine as is.

Edit: give them even more flying ability and it'll probably start feeling a lot like Tribes, which I hope doesn't happen. But that may be just me.

[SpcFarlen]

I dont think we can even judge ANY class yet. We arent even in beta. Wait and see. Then post.

[vVRedOctoberVv]

The idea with the LA at present is their jump jets let them reach awkward locations. Increased maneuverability. Not substitutes for fighter jets. Besides, what works fine in a movie, where you have the script on your side, does not work so good in practice. If you were ACTUALLY that fast and twitchy in the air, you'd be uncontrollable or nearly so...


On a side note:
It's also terribly gay. Kind of like the over long galaxy-hop-skip scene in the trailer.

[JawsOfLife]

Inb4 Tribes: Ascend 2.0

[Sifer2]

The trailer is just for hype. I don't think most people want dudes flat out flying around. It's already powerful that it lets you survive a fall or jump onto rooftops.

[disky]

Originally Posted by Sifer2

The trailer is just for hype. I don't think most people want dudes flat out flying around. It's already powerful that it lets you survive a fall or jump onto rooftops.

That, and come on, the options you have for unusual placement are a huge advantage.

[bmfof]

It would be too powerful, LAs would be next to impossible to kill once they figure out how to play it safe, whereas other classes lack such "oh shit" mechanics - even the HA's shield. This would lead to everyone and their mom playing LA as their infantry role of choice and you know where that goes from there.

To keep in line with the absurd moves in the trailer, maybe a not-so-overpowered compromise would be to allow small bursts in the direction you double-tap to - say you double-tap A to strafe left and you traverse a small distance to the left quicker than usual, at the expense of more jet power. This would allow for a quick safe move, but has the potential to leave you in the cold if you happen to miscalculate your path and end up with no energy next to an enemy.

[MorioMortis]

Originally Posted by JawsOfLife

Inb4 Tribes: Ascend 2.0

Oh god, I just imagined 50 VS MAX with jetpacks skying down hills, chasing tiny LA from other factions...

But really, physics don't agree with what is in the movie; if you want to have horizontal movement with a jetpack, you would need some form of wings, and serious speed to maintain lift. You can't have controllable semi-over while going fast in another axis with a propulsion system that is always nearly parallel to the primary axis of flight.

What you could do is use the jetpack to increase you lateral movement speed while falling, thereby increasing your glide distance, and you flight time, proportionately to the angle of thrust. However, we would need a thrust angle toggle on the jetpack (you could have it based on vision, but that makes it impossible to aim and to see where you want to go), and major changes to the codding (the current version is probably something simple, like move at x speed in the y axis, or accelerate at x in the y axis).

[Coreldan]

Give LA rifle instead of Carbine while you're at it. It seems only medic uses the rifle and that sounds very odd.