The godawful spawncamping issue

Babyfark McGeez · 2012-11-12, 10:54 AM

Seriously, this has to go.
Many people have been complaining about this since the beginning of the beta and it has not become any better. As soon as a group reaches an enemy base tanks start to spawncamp, rendering any defense (from the actual base) impossible. If you're lucky they don't have tanks so you have a slight chance of getting out of the spawn-hut. If not, re-spawn elsewhere and just ditch the base. That really blows.

Why on earth are spawnrooms isolated little huts with a maximum of two doors at the edge of the base? Why not an underground spawn room below the complex? Or atleast some tunnels from the "spawn-hut" leading to other buildings? Why is this spawncamping such an integral part of the play experience?

Honestly, i may be raging a bit here after being spawncamped at 6(!!) different bases trying to defend them (note: all six bases still had alot of time to flip), but this is bullcrap.

Edit: The only positive example here is the biolab, where the spawn is inside the actual base. In amp stations and tech plants there is usually an ams-sunderer in the main area, for a reason; Because that is where the spawnroom should be...

Necronile · 2012-11-12, 11:47 AM

I agree
alot of times I found myself getting shredded because I left the spawn room,
they need to be relocated in a way that the defenders have a chance to get out and fight back.

Sturmhardt · 2012-11-12, 12:05 PM

Yup, spawncamping really sucks about ps2.

Ghoest9 · 2012-11-12, 12:16 PM

Or you could ----- SPAWN SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!

Its not like an old MMO where you bound to a spawn point.
If someone is farming you at a spawn that means you are too dumb to regroup at a position that hasnt been over run.

Babyfark McGeez · 2012-11-12, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Ghoest9

Or you could ----- SPAWN SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!

Its not like an old MMO where you bound to a spawn point.
If someone is farming you at a spawn that means you are too dumb to regroup at a position that hasnt been over run.

That is a bandaid-fix for a problem caused by stupid map design.
If a base is overrun a clever game mechanic would be to prevent the defenders from spawning there anymore, or at least, give the defenders any indication that you most likely will get spawnkilled at that base ("platoon detected" is not enough).

And since you worded your post like you didn't even read my OP; I SPAWNED AT FIVE DIFFERENT BASES WHICH WERE ALL BEING SPAWNCAMPED (one of them didn't even had the cap point contested).

PredatorFour · 2012-11-12, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by Ghoest9

Or you could ----- SPAWN SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!

Id say this is a real potential game breaker. If everyones getting annoyed by what is some crazy design idea, just think of the newbies and casuals they are trying to attract and how they will see this.(how many of these will simply follow the above comment? Why should we have to spawn AWAY from our base to try and defend it?)

They seriously have to look into this, all we can do is be constructive and offer alternatives. Having them underground or in the base sounds essential so that defenders can get out and actually mount a serious defense instead of getting rolled over by tanks.

Tiberius · 2012-11-12, 12:49 PM

The tank camping will happen regardless. The only thing they can do is put more tunnels between you and the shells.

I agree though, it feels way too open. I liked having everything underground because you weren't tank fodder while running to resecure/fix something.

psijaka · 2012-11-12, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by Ghoest9

Or you could ----- SPAWN SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!

Missing the point completely - The onus should be on the attackers to defend 'A', not for the defenders to break out of a camped spawn room.

I often do spawn elsewhere once I realise that we are being heavily camped, but I shouldn't have to; poor game design if spawn camping is the deciding factor in takeovers.

And nothing is more likely to turn off a new player than being repeatedly slaughtered as soon as they step through the shield.

Spawn rooms should be designed so that they have multiple exits and are difficult to camp, especially by tanks. Teleports and jump pads should even be considered.

It is possible to turn the tables on the attackers to a certain extent by popping in and out of the shields and taking potshots with the Bolt Driver, especially from the upstairs balcony windows of the larger spawn rooms, but that is hardly going to recap the point and save the day.

PoisonTaco · 2012-11-12, 01:56 PM

Respawn at closest tower or facility with vehicle/air terminals. Get your crew and roll out to go and retake the facility before it flips and rout the attackers?

If you've lost a base, stop respawning into the meatgrinder. Regroup and make a counter assault.

Sledgecrushr · 2012-11-12, 02:00 PM

I think that if you cant keep the enemy armor and infantry out of your base then you have pretty much lost. Save yourself some further humiliation and stop spawning back into your defeated base.

Sledgecrushr · 2012-11-12, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by psijaka

Missing the point completely - The onus should be on the attackers to defend 'A', not for the defenders to break out of a camped spawn room.

I often do spawn elsewhere once I realise that we are being heavily camped, but I shouldn't have to; poor game design if spawn camping is the deciding factor in takeovers.

The deciding moment in this hypothetical battle happened when you were unable to defend the base and were conquered. The issue you seem to have is in reconciling with that fact.

Cosmical · 2012-11-12, 02:08 PM

Don't know what the answer is for this. Yes i admit its hardly compelling sitting there camping a shield, infact i have a Magrider setup with VPC specifically for this. Certs are Certs.

But to solve it i dont know? You can shoot out of the force field and assess the situation safely to realize you're outgunned, which is more than you would get in any actual war. And i have seen situations where people in the spawn rooms have held out by taking pot shots, and then pushed out together and have retaken the base, although this is rare.

But then again i think every base should have an easily defendable wall with turret defenses, not those Targets on sticks we have at the moment.

I dont think people realise how much elevation is a deciding factor in planetside 2 fights. Seriously play for a night and watch every fight you get into, and take not of whether you either win or lose. Its usually decided by who has the high ground.

Bases that are surrounded by hills and sunken down are a none defender. Your just fish in a barrel, with ducks sitting on them.

Fear The Amish · 2012-11-12, 02:15 PM

i agree with sledge if you are being spawn camped you lost that base move on and either settup defense at next base or gather a fighting tail and try and retake it.

Figment · 2012-11-12, 02:31 PM

Of course you lost that base, under the current status quo due to base design not providing you with options.

What is incomprehensible is people thinking that's how it SHOULD be.

What's the point of designing a combat game and a fight over a control point, if you actively discourage fighting over the control point?

Might as well just make it instant flip then. But I guess that's kinda lost on the people with a pragmatic defeatist attitude towards a status quo design. :/ A siege is excellent, a camp is not.

Babyfark McGeez · 2012-11-12, 02:37 PM

I see several of you made their peace with the crappy map design.
That is fine, but please refrain from telling me/others to "SPAWN ELSEWHERE".

Because that is not the problem here.
The problem here is it will be an issue for new players (you know, all these new players they are making this game for and then leaving them alone in the dark when they actually start it), and especially it is an issue that could be solved by some common sense mapping.

People writing "Spawn elsewhere" are completely missing the point.