Planetside 2

[Tmon]

I gave in and downloaded it today, so far I'm just cannon fodder.  I did manage to man a turret and shoot down some planes which was fun.  It would be nice if there was a tutorial to play through, I suppose it would be easier if I'd ever played an actual first person shooter before.

[Trippy]

I suppose it would be easier if I'd ever played an actual first person shooter before.

Uh, yeah. Though fortunately you can still contribute and gain XP even if you can't kill anybody.

[Surlyboi]

Not saying I don't like it. I'm still playing it (When I'm not playing TSW). But Lib spam is still bullshit.

[Kageru]

In a combined arms game, there will always be some group of players on the map who are ill-equipped to handle a situation the confronts them. 

Which is why air is really weak to..... oh, never mind.

In a combined arms games there needs to be some reason why air-power is not dominant. Limited numbers of air-craft works (but the PS2 resource model doesn't), vital area's that need extended infantry fights (which PS2 bases generally don't).

I look forward to seeing where they take the game in 6-12 months. Whether they can add depth before they player-base gets bored.

[Gets]

I'm playing, but I'm getting tired of the regular day to day bullshit. Gameplay wise I'm fine with taking a beating if once in a blue moon I get to experience some awesome moments, like fending off a combined assault on a base from both factions, but all of my sessions end with the mass crash or the texture flickering bug that's like some twisted way of adding variety in the form of an induced epileptic seizure. Once either of those happen I really don't feel like relogging to just beat my head against BZC's band of merry sycophants some more.

Fix the bugs, fix the rendering and let me use the items I bought on all the servers. These are the only real cockstab issues I get cockstabbed in every time I play.

[shiznitz]

It was really hard to save up 100 certs.  Then I spent it on getting a mine for my engy and I learn that mines and ammo packs use the same slot.  Fuck.  And I am still stuck with the lame ass turret.

[Viin]

You can turn the turret into an ammo pack. Equip it and hit B. It will look like you are holding it still, but the image on the ground will be for an ammo pack. I only carry mines and the turret now.

[croaker69]

As annoying as they could be I kind of miss spitfires.

[Mrbloodworth]

Every engineer does.

[kaid]

Every engineer does.

The current turret is just not well thought out at almost every design point it choses the worst of two options. That said I doubt it will stay like this long term and engineers are pretty well off otherwise that the gimpyness of the turret does not kill the class.

[croaker69]

Every engineer does.

I'm not even an engi unless I'm driving.  I just think they are a cool mechanic.

[shiznitz]

You can turn the turret into an ammo pack. Equip it and hit B. It will look like you are holding it still, but the image on the ground will be for an ammo pack. I only carry mines and the turret now.

Thank you!

I also agree that the turret's problems are no big deal.  My engineer with the Gauss grenade launcher is a solid 50% of my game time.  Then 25% MAX and then 25% between HA and a tank of some sort.

[01101010]

Engi turret is completely useless. Too easy to get headshot, big annoying translucent screen that does fuck all for said headshots, heat mechanic is ok, but it is a camping only tool and not really used for anything useful other than blocking doorways. If I could, I'd get rid of it completely and just have the ammo pack plus AP or AT mines. Or they could replace the manned turret with say, a spitfire type turret. 

[Nija]

It's very situational. I've killed a ton of people with it.

Two good uses:

Top of stairs inside a building with people covering your back. I've killed so many people as they come up the stairs, because everyone is usually sprinting and they are dead before they even bring up their iron sights. They can't hipshot accurately enough to headshot you behind the shield.

Sniping. Seriously. It has absolutely zero bullet drop up to 200 meters. You can have fun with this when you've got an ammo pack down on a tower landing pad and there are a bunch of bursters up there with you. You're just an ammo bitch in this situation, so mess around with the turret as needed.

[Surlyboi]

Thing I miss most about spitfires? Shooting them with the sniper rifle and blowing them up just as a squad or vehicle goes  by and collecting the points for the kills. That said, yeah the Mana turret by comparison, even for engy usage sucks.

[Teleku]

Been playing this game quite a bit.  I went from not really liking it for the first 5 hours of play because I was dying constantly without being able to scratch anybody, and usually camped inside the spawn by 15 tanks.  Then I went to loving it for the next 10 hours of game play as I got the hang of things a bit better, upgraded myself, and had some great combined arms battles/invasions.  Now in the final 5 hours of gameplay, I'm back to thinking this game is totally worthless unless they nerf the ever loving shit out of air.  All I see now are massive air swarms.  Nobody bothers with tanks or anything.  Its impossible to deal with.  Nothing can take down an air swarm except another air swarm  (my side built up an entire armada of anti air tanks and Max's to roll out against the swarm.  Upon leaving the base and engaging the swarm, the entire attack was wiped out within 30 seconds).  One lib hovering over a base is all that's needed to defeat 15-20 players trying to defend it against a couple of enemies.

Make air only useful for transporting people and shooting down other air.  Worthless for ground attack.  They can adjust from there.

[Kageru]

Tanks are very powerful (at least the Vanu one is) but they depend on, and thus amplify, air superiority.

Apparently the NC Reaver is considered terrible which helps explain why NC are mostly infantry / getting farmed / clinging to the crown because the pilots favor the other factions. Certainly having tried to shoot at a mosquito they seem the most agile / erratic in their flight path.

It is going to be fascinating to see how they handle it since this outcome seems to be designed in. And where their activity numbers plateau at. Some on the forum think they'll push the "e-sport" aspect but I don't even understand how that is a possible viewpoint. E-sports is going to need a limited, balanced, focused and tactically interesting map (plus game design) and I don't see PS2 having any strengths there.

As for the game it's uninstalled. It looks epic, kept me entertained for hours, but it lacks meaning, balance and a strong role for infantry so it just devolved into cert farming at whatever the hotspot de-jure is (generally crown or surrounds). I'll re-install it when there's a strategic layer and better balance.

[shiznitz]

If you want to farm, buy the High Explosive option for your Lightning.  It was half price this weekend but after buying it, full price ($7) is worth it.   I had a 23 K/D ratio in my first hour with it.  A guy in my outfit killed 17 TR in 3 shots with his.  He came in behind a platoon camped on a hill firing down at a base.  I used the certs from this to make some nice upgrades to my infantry builds.  The limitations are 1 single shot versus 6 before reloading and only 24 rounds which means one needs a reliable re-arming location.  And finally, do NOT try an engage enemy armor. The shells do shit to vehicles.  Took about a dozen shots (with a 2 second reload after each one) on an abandoned Sunderer to blow it up. 

[01101010]

If you want to farm, buy the High Explosive option for your Lightning.  It was half price this weekend but after buying it, full price ($7) is worth it.   I had a 23 K/D ratio in my first hour with it.  A guy in my outfit killed 17 TR in 3 shots with his.  He came in behind a platoon camped on a hill firing down at a base.  I used the certs from this to make some nice upgrades to my infantry builds.  The limitations are 1 single shot versus 6 before reloading and only 24 rounds which means one needs a reliable re-arming location.  And finally, do NOT try an engage enemy armor. The shells do shit to vehicles.  Took about a dozen shots (with a 2 second reload after each one) on an abandoned Sunderer to blow it up. 

If you play TR, skip it and just pull a default Prowler. That said, I have all but the AP turret for my lightning and yes, HE shells make farming infantry almost silly. However, you are fucked if enemy armor or air show up with killing you in their mind. bonus: find a hill to shell a tower your faction is sieging. 

[Viin]

I got a ton of kills last time I was able to use an HE Lightning at a Biolab. If you can get a good position to send shells up and into the entrance from a landing pad you can take out 2-3 folks each shot. I ran out of ammo a couple of times doing that. You also can see the folks who walk along the outside of the biodome (from one pad to another) and they are easy meat for the HE. Caught a few MAXs that way.

[Teleku]

Yep, another whole evening ruined by air.  Nothing but swarms of those Vanu fighters hovering perfectly still over a fight and blowing up anything that moves.  Every fight, everywhere we went.  Entire side incapable of stopping it, and we got steam rolled where ever the swarm went.

I got a ton of kills last time I was able to use an HE Lightning at a Biolab. If you can get a good position to send shells up and into the entrance from a landing pad you can take out 2-3 folks each shot. I ran out of ammo a couple of times doing that. You also can see the folks who walk along the outside of the biodome (from one pad to another) and they are easy meat for the HE. Caught a few MAXs that way.

I actually got that on sale as well, though I've been unable to do this.  I roll it out, but every time I get near any sort of fight, a Vanu fighter dive bombs me and takes me from full life to dead in 4 seconds.  I bought the anti aircraft version of the lighting as well, which I've found the reverse doesn't work.  I cannot solo any of those god damned fighters with it.  At least not before they fly off or just calmly turn around and blow me up instantly even as I'm laying into them.

Think I'm done with this one.  Blech.

[01101010]

Dual burster MAX > skyguard. Which is wrong on so many levels. Till SOE actually gets back to working on the game, IF they ever do, then we are stuck with what we got.

[Trippy]

They could just roll back to alpha when the major bases had dome shields

[Trippy]

TR hackers are out in force right now on Connery. And it's always the TR for some reason, never the Vanu.

[Kageru]

Perceived as being the strongest faction I suspect...

[Nebu]

TR hackers are out in force right now on Connery. And it's always the TR for some reason, never the Vanu.

What do you mean by "hackers"?  Aimbots? 

[Trippy]

There were three last night. Two TR were under spawn rooms (fallen through the world) shooting up and killing us (NC) in them. There was a 3rd TR apparently who was using an aimbot killing people from extreme ranges with an LMG. I didn't get killed by that person myself (I don't think) but people were "yelling" about him in chat.

[Surlyboi]

26-character long name that makes it hard to report him? Sniping with an LMG with iron sights?

Nah, that was all skill.

[Miasma]

Oh, and they made a post about /report.  Essentially it doesn't do anything other than a bit of logging and they said don't bother.  So any report you sent was never read.  You have to go through the convoluted process of making an actual customer support ticket to report anyone.

SOE

[Surlyboi]

LOLSOE

[Mrbloodworth]

Oh, and they made a post about /report.  Essentially it doesn't do anything other than a bit of logging and they said don't bother.  So any report you sent was never read.  You have to go through the convoluted process of making an actual customer support ticket to report anyone.

SOE

link?

[Miasma]

http://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/index.php?threads/hackers-are-ruining-this-game.72493/page-3#post-961517

/report doesn't bonk anyone over the head to say Oh a report just came in.

Tickets are higher priority. What reports are traditionally used for is when someone calls you a name that makes you cry you /report nastyperson which captures what they said in a state that cannot be altered by you or them and sends it to us. You then follow up in a ticket and say to us, "Hey, that nastyperson called me a name that made me cry, but fear not Mrs. (Yes, there are female GM's) GM, I did a /report to back up my claim!" The GM reads your ticket, pulls the /report nods her head while smiling at your profficiency and then smacks around nastyperson with a trout.

Only tickets give you a peace of mind knowing we are looking into your issue as we let you know we are, and we don't with /reports.

Let me know if that's not clear :)
P.S. I hope you have a sense of humour!

http://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/index.php?threads/hackers-are-ruining-this-game.72493/page-3#post-961517

We are extremely active behind the scenes 24/7/365 on those breaking the rules. We take it very seriously. Please can I ask you though not to /report these folks, but rather to send in a ticket with their name and a good description of what's up to the CS team.

To do this from inside the game do the following:-
Press Escape
Click Support at bottom left of screen
Then Ask for Help
After the browser loads in the dead center of the screen it has an "Open a Support Ticket" link.
Then you will be required to log in.
Select Category as In-game Issues - Community Standards (If you do not select this your ticket may be delayed)
Please make the subject Suspected Rule Breaker or something as obvious
Please make sure you include as much detail as possible in the Incident section
Character Name is YOUR character name not the person you're reporting.
Make sure to press Continue or Submit and if you have done it successfully you will be given a reference number.
You will always get a response to your ticket this way. Doing a /report you will not.

http://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/index.php?threads/hackers-are-ruining-this-game.72493/page-3#post-961667

You're absolutely right and we're working on that as well. But, for right now, we ask that you send in a ticket. As soon as we have /report working where we want it to be I'll let everyone know. I'll send along your specific feedback and ideas to the clever folks too.

[Miasma]

Higby also posted about the January update.

Hey all!

Happy New Year, I hope you all had a great 2012 and are having an amazing start to 2013. On the Planetside 2 we had a pretty **** fantastic 2012, but we're looking forward to even bigger and better things in 2013! I've said before that while 2012 was the year that Planetside 2 launched, 2013 is the year when we're opening up the afterburners and aiming for the stars. After a well earned rest the team is energized and ready to get back to "kicking *** and fixing bugs. And we're all ou--" er, oh yeah, okay, we've still got some bugs to fix.

While we were out we were still paying attention to the forums as well as twitter, reddit, facebook and all the other places you guys interact with us; we've heard a lot of your excellent feedback, ideas, concerns and consternation. One of the biggest goals of our team has been and continues to be listening to our community and following YOUR direction for what this game needs to become. We're going to be talking a lot more about this philosophy in the coming weeks and how community involvement is going to directly impact our development schedule & priorities as we reveal "our" plan for the next 6 months. For now, we wanted to address some of the biggest issues we're seeing come up over and over again, so that's what we're focused on for January's update.

Game development can be messy and there is always the possibility that something from this list may slip or not pass QA, and more details will be released on the specifics of all of these items as we get closer to the patch date, but I wanted to get this info out to all of you as soon as possible, so with that in mind, here are some highlights from what the team is working on finishing up for LU02 which will be released on 1/30/13.

    General performance increases, particularly for lower end GPUs
    Experience (XP) system enhancements:
        Dynamic XP system for player kills, players who have more kills on their current life are worth more XP. Freshly spawned players will be worth a fraction of the current kill reward.
        Partial damage XP for dealing damage to vehicles that you don't end up killing
        Population XP / Resource bonus moved over to continent population instead of global
        Better display of XP sources for things like defensive bonuses & population bonuses
        Rebalancing of XP rewards to help support tasks
    Server transfer token available in Depot
    UI changes to emphasize score per minute as a primary metric of player comparison
    Sortable columns on outfit management & addition of "last online" column
    New weapon type for all empires: SMG
    Short period of invulnerability will be added to freshly spawned / revived players - breaks upon game actions such as entering a vehicle or using a weapon.
    Dynamic / player configurable colors for minimap & overhead indicators for enemies, friendlies, and squads within a platoon
    New Hot Spot system that displays where active fights are occurring on the map
    New spawn buildings with more exits, protected balconies and easy roof access to make them less campable.
    Tunnel systems for amp and tech facilities to give access from spawn rooms to interior of bases and base walls without having to go above ground.
    Making MAXes render more reliably at long distances for players in vehicles
    AA improvements, notably flak changes for turrets and skyguards, giving them some better ability to aim, although not drastically impacting their DPS.
    Fixes to missiles so that they more reliably detonate and actually blow stuff up
    Air vehicle weapon tweaks
    Increases to reload speed for certain HE ground vehicle weapons
    And of course... lots of bug fixes

Whew, it's going to be a busy month! We know this doesn't address every issue that's been brought up recently but we hope it knocks out some of the big ones. Hopefully you will see from this update (and the feature plan for the next 6 months, when that is revealed) that we're taking your feedback and concerns for the game very seriously. We're here, we're listening and we're committed to continue to work with our community to build the best online game the world has ever seen.
As always, your feedback is very welcomed, here, on reddit, on twitter and everywhere else you may find us.
Cya on Auraxis!
-
Matthew Higby
Creative Director - Planetside 2
@mhigby

[Mrbloodworth]

That's some good stuff.  Dynamic XP system for player kills, who was it that said "Its as if they are slowly realizing some things in PS1 were a certain way for a reason?"

[apocrypha]

So not only are you being punished by having been killed by a hacker/cheater, but you have to spend 5 minutes of your time pissing about making a ticket. And you can't /report someone with names deliberately designed to be nearly impossible to type accurately.

Yeah, not missing this game at all...