Planetside 2

[kaid]

I came to the same conclusion. I posted my death breakdown a few pages back, but basically only 10% was from people I could actually see, rest was from fliers/snipers/grenades/friendly vehicles, sometimes while I was trying to repair them (). About the large scale mass combat aspect: eh, I logged into GW2 yesterday and had more fun in 2 hours doing their version of RVR (WvWvW) than I did in the entire weekend I was playing PS2. I see what the game is trying to do, but It Is Not For Me, and that's fine.

It did make me want to check out Global Agenda again (game's completely dead, btw).

Combat engineer lesson number 1 never stand in front of or behind a vehicle when repairing always stand on the sides. Otherwise you will get run over hard and often.

[kaid]

Just a tip, this was not clear to me from the cert screen - I actually bought the Nano Armor 3 before I realized I had to equip it on the Suit section of my load-out.  So spending certs on all 3 of the shield regen speed, the flak and the nano is a waste since you only get one at a time.

Other than that I'm having a blast.  I like the base capture on this more than on PS1, it's more fun to be in the base than out on a hill firing at a wall for hours on end.  I think that's why I always like the tower captures in PS1.  I like the Bio lab much better now that there are the jump pads out on the sides and not just the middle teleporters.  I don't understand how to assault the tech plant yet.  Is light assault basically the only people capable of getting into the shield room?

There are also certs that will let certain classes/vehicles to ignore shield barriers but yes until more cert those up its light infantry or pod/gal dropping.

[Mrbloodworth]

There are also certs that will let certain classes/vehicles to ignore shield barriers but yes until more cert those up its light infantry or pod/gal dropping.

Only the Sundy, and that's only for Vehicle Denying shields, not inf and vech shields. ( IE: Not Vehicle bay shields found under biolabs or at tech plants. )

Turns out everyone can compromise stuff, only Engi's can stabilize things

Not correct.  Everyone can compromise ( Start the overload ) and stabilize ( Stop the overload ) any shield or spawn generators. However, only Engineers can REPAIR them after they overload.

[Nebu]

Played for a bit yesterday and will do my best to gives this a serious go.  I managed to heal two people while being shot dead a bunch of times.  That's good, right?  

I have to say that I'm getting tired of being killed by people that I can't even see.  It was my biggest pet peeve about BF1942.

[Sky]

Don't remember if I mentioned it, but I certed my Bang Bus for AMS. I imagine EC already has a few folks that have it certed, but the more the merrier with cooldowns.

Right now I should probably work on learning the layouts of bases better. I get turned around pretty easy in a few of them. Insert minor rant about trying to find things by tiny icons.

Nebs, what kind of people? What situations are you getting in that unseen people are killing you? Are you being flanked? When I play Engy, I can stand behind the tank (well, to the side away from enemy fire, never stand behind) but for healing you should probably let people come to you. The medic is the most recognizable class (except the max of course)...which works both ways.

[WayAbvPar]

Played for a bit yesterday and will do my best to gives this a serious go.  I managed to heal two people while being shot dead a bunch of times.  That's good, right?  

I have to say that I'm getting tired of being killed by people that I can't even see.  It was my biggest pet peeve about BF1942.

Are you on Waterson? Get hooked up with the EC folks (and get on TS!) and you will learn a ton of shit. The interface is fucking garbage, but having people to bounce questions off of as they pop up in your head will make it a lot easier.

[Nebu]

You're right.  I know that Abagadro and Engles made WoT much more fun by helping me see the game more clearly. 

[snowwy]

Thanks for the tips, some interesting stuff there (especially how engineers can compromise stuff... otoh I haven't had too many good experiences healing maxes, they tend to get 3-shot no matter what. Need Better Friends.  )

OK, so people have been saying PS2 has purely horizontal progression. Yet the two classes I play (medic and engineer) have a straight-up "x% better" progression on their main skill, and many other straight-up upgrades all over the place (x% more health, carry y more grenades, take z% less damage from explosions). It is also very hard for me to land hits with the starter NC carbine - I imagine a scope or the anti-recoil upgrades would help a lot without any significant drawbacks.

(Global Agenda did progression better imo, but they also fell short - many of the lowest-end weapons were inferior to ones unlocked later)

Generally power progression is horizontal once you've maxed out one particular area. I.E. You can have 25% more health, but not 25% more health and 2 more grenades. The exceptions to this are generally the class tools, but none of those will help you kill anyone any faster.

Raw power progression maxes out, i think somewhere around 2x after all multipliers. I.E. you can get guns and equipment that are strictly superior and get more health, so if you have 25% more health and hit 25% harder you're about 1.56 times stronger than the average noob. If they can aim, they're still going to plunk you.
(snip)

Good to hear that the 3 grenade thing is exclusive with the +hp, I thought you could get them all at once (since they were parallel certs). I guess my main beef is that as a newbie medic/engie I'm a lot less useful to a team than someone who's level 20, no matter how well I play. Even in Global Agenda the level 1 medigun was as powerful as the higher level options (less versatile, perhaps).

I found this out the hard way the armor slot things are exclusive. Basically you can have one thing "Equiped" in the armor slot and all the options in the certs there are different items to slot there. I wound up wasting some certs so figure out what you want and focus on it pretty much.

As for engineers make sure you drop your ammo kits I found this out eventually that pretty much the ammo kits are your biggest source of constant XP rather than repairing things. Baring finding a good max to rid nursemaid on the ammo kits are hands down the biggest support xp for engineers atm. Find a group of heavies shooting rockets drop the ammo kit and watch the +12 xp's fly.

For even more extra XP, drop two packs!
1) Press 4. This is your standard ammo-pack. Drop it on the ground.
2) Press 5 to bring up the turret, then press "B". Viola, a second ammo-pack who not only stacks with your first one, but also lasts 4-four minutes!
3) Pray to St. Higby that your server ain't a douche and actually let's you do this thing of beuty

This will of course stop working the minute you cert into additional explosives, which uses slot 4.

[kildorn]

Someone was nice and letting me farm XP while capping a sector yesterday. I dropped my usual ammo pack near the cap point, and a dude just kept unloading his rifle into a wall to give me resupply xp from it while we waited.

[01101010]

Other than that I'm having a blast.  I like the base capture on this more than on PS1, it's more fun to be in the base than out on a hill firing at a wall for hours on end.  I think that's why I always like the tower captures in PS1.  I like the Bio lab much better now that there are the jump pads out on the sides and not just the middle teleporters.  I don't understand how to assault the tech plant yet.  Is light assault basically the only people capable of getting into the shield room?

Tech plants are the meat grinders as BW referred to them. Back door and jump jetting over the shields. That is the pinch-point, you shall not pass base. Once assault gets in the backdoor, I'd venture to say to get rid of the AMS parked in the bay first, then the gen... but that's just me.

And everyone with an AMS cert needs to get to a tech plant early in the fight and set up said AMS in the bay. Then, just climb in the cab and alt tab and go watch a movie. Come back and figure out what to do with your certs and shiny Battle Ranks.

[HaemishM]

Hey Evil Chicken folks- GET ON TS when you squad up! It makes things SO much easier, and a lot more fun too. I tried to post the TS server info in the message of the day, but apparently that is bugged. I have seen most of you on comms already, but for your holdouts- we promise to mock you. Not more than anyone else, at least  

PM me with the details. I downloaded TS3 but realized I didn't know what server to log in to.

[Mrbloodworth]

For even more extra XP, drop two packs!
1) Press 4. This is your standard ammo-pack. Drop it on the ground.
2) Press 5 to bring up the turret, then press "B". Viola, a second ammo-pack who not only stacks with your first one, but also lasts 4-four minutes!
3) Pray to St. Higby that your server ain't a douche and actually let's you do this thing of beuty

This will of course stop working the minute you cert into additional explosives, which uses slot 4.

Quite sure this is becouse you never, EVER loose the ability to drop ammo. No matter what you equip. "B" is the secondary mode key.

The defuilt sloted item, ammo pack, is a place holder, just like the "shield" you replace with nano armor. You do not loose your shield. Its a place holder.

[Sky]

Quite sure this is becouse you never, EVER loose the ability to drop ammo. No matter what you equip. "B" is the secondary mode key.

But if you have a gun, doesn't that change single to semi or whatever?

[Pennilenko]

So, is it necessary to purchase anything from the store with station cash? Or can this be played for free reasonably pain free?

[Falconeer]

I have to say that I'm getting tired of being killed by people that I can't even see.  It was my biggest pet peeve about BF1942.

A thing that helps a lot against that is using the Heavy Assault. Your special ability pops up the shiled, and that shield makes you invulnerable for about 3 hits. As a result, it will take them about 10 hits to kill you instead of the usual 7, and those 3 additional hits, if you are quick enough to pop up the shield and haul ass running like crazy, will save your life a million of times. Just pop the shiled as soon as you are hit and RUN for cover. You don't want to turn around if you don't know where you are being shot from. You just want to run for cover AND THEN you will look for the enemy. By then you will know where you were being shot from thanks to all the red damage markers at the centre of the screen giving away your enemy's position.

You will still die a million times, but it helps to have that little trick that improves your survivability. It reduces frustration, and gives you a few more chances to learn the game and train your eyes-hand to react faster to fire. Worked for me.

Also, never EVER, not even for a second, stand still. Move like a twitchy idiot at all times, it prevents whoever has you in their crosshair to put all 7 bullets in your body in one shot, forcing them to aim well, be consistent and eventually make mistakes. And it's the only counter to sniper headshots from nowhere (the dreaded one-shot death).

[HaemishM]

How does one "Pop the shield" with heavy assault? I didn't even know it had a special ability.

[kildorn]

How does one "Pop the shield" with heavy assault? I didn't even know it had a special ability.

F is class ability by default (medic is an AE heal thing, heavy is a shield, infil is cloak)

Most of my "killed by something I can't see" is a sniper somewhere with a line on your sunderer. Or someone above you. People don't look up.

[croaker69]

F is the default.


I'm finding the interplay between how resources are accumulated and the 3 continent system is making for imbalanced pops on each continent.  There's is little incentive to go to the low pop continent for your team.  You'll be starved for air/mech resources while your opponent is not.  This seems to be stagnating with each realm grabbing a continent and holding it with 50% of the pop.  It's hard to get started on the low pop continents outside of an outfit organizing to push out of the warpgate.

[Falconeer]

F default key. If you have a mouse with more buttons, make sure to have it right close to any fire button. You will use it as much, but you will often need to access it faster.

[Trippy]

Is there anyway to turn off the fucking "ammo" icon above the Sunderer? I can't see shit in the front from the position 3 gun.

[shiznitz]

Hey Evil Chicken folks- GET ON TS when you squad up! It makes things SO much easier, and a lot more fun too. I tried to post the TS server info in the message of the day, but apparently that is bugged. I have seen most of you on comms already, but for your holdouts- we promise to mock you. Not more than anyone else, at least  

PM me with the details. I downloaded TS3 but realized I didn't know what server to log in to.

Are most outfits using TS over the in-game voice?

[Sky]

Yes, Light Assault are bitches from above. Also, if your fight is big enough to show up as a deployment for instant action, folks will pod to building tops.

I also like Falc's advice to always act like someone has you in their sights...because they often do. I get random damage all the time, but I also stay close to cover and duck behind it at the drop of a hat.

And the HA shield is a nice ohshit key, but be aware that it reduces your movement, you can't sprint. And it won't save you in most one-on-one battles, unless I just run into a lot of really good shots 1-on-1 (which may indeed be the case).

The F key works fine for me.

[Tale]

I'm with Nebu. Tried it. Felt like I got punched in the dick repeatedly on drop. Invisible dick punching, I might add.

Oh poor little precious.

[Mrbloodworth]

Quite sure this is becouse you never, EVER loose the ability to drop ammo. No matter what you equip. "B" is the secondary mode key.

But if you have a gun, doesn't that change single to semi or whatever?

Yes, its the secondary, or "ALT" fire mode key. The Alt of the turret is ammo pack, because you never loose that ability.

F is the default.


I'm finding the interplay between how resources are accumulated and the 3 continent system is making for imbalanced pops on each continent.  There's is little incentive to go to the low pop continent for your team.  You'll be starved for air/mech resources while your opponent is not.  This seems to be stagnating with each realm grabbing a continent and holding it with 50% of the pop.  It's hard to get started on the low pop continents outside of an outfit organizing to push out of the warpgate.

This is a side effect of to little conts, and no cont lock ability, and each empire having a foothold on each. Right now, picking a cont is in practice, choosing a server.

The original did not have this issue, hopefully PS2 will not with the plan on more conts and removing footholds and adding in cont locks. Then, its in effect, a player driven map rotation system.

Is there anyway to turn off the fucking "ammo" icon above the Sunderer? I can't see shit in the front from the position 3 gun.

Yes, remove that mod! But no, sadly, I have had this complained since they added it.

[Sky]

Yes, its the secondary, or "ALT" fire mode key. The Alt of the turret is ammo pack, because you never loose that ability.

Unless you have a gun equipped, yeah? Or does that move ammo packs to the tertiary fire key?

[Mrbloodworth]

Yes, its the secondary, or "ALT" fire mode key. The Alt of the turret is ammo pack, because you never loose that ability.

Unless you have a gun equipped, yeah? Or does that move ammo packs to the tertiary fire key?

I really think the Engi is the exception to the rule. But yes, IF your gun has another fire mode, "B" is the key to switch. But the gun has to have a secondary. Burst, single, full ETC...

Engi is really the only class i can think of that "B" switches to another innate ability, and that is only when you have the turret selected. For everyone else its a fire mode switch.

[Engels]

Are most outfits using TS over the in-game voice?

I've been unable to make invoice coms work, and from what I can tell, neither has anyone else in our outfit. The mic test and record/playback function work, but neither proximity or squad chat work at all for me thusfar, even though I from time to time hear someone in proximity chat say something. Hence EC's strong advocacy for TS3 atm.

[croaker69]

F is the default.


I'm finding the interplay between how resources are accumulated and the 3 continent system is making for imbalanced pops on each continent.  There's is little incentive to go to the low pop continent for your team.  You'll be starved for air/mech resources while your opponent is not.  This seems to be stagnating with each realm grabbing a continent and holding it with 50% of the pop.  It's hard to get started on the low pop continents outside of an outfit organizing to push out of the warpgate.

This is a side effect of to little conts, and no cont lock ability, and each empire having a foothold on each. Right now, picking a cont is in practice, choosing a server.

The original did not have this issue, hopefully PS2 will not with the plan on more conts and removing footholds and adding in cont locks. Then, its in effect, a player driven map rotation system.

I was thinking that it was exacerbated by having the same number of continents as sides.  Having 2 or 4+ should disrupt this effect.

[Mrbloodworth]

In game coms really took a dive at launch. Has to be a saturation issue. Its hit and miss. Also... People. Invest in a headset please!

[WayAbvPar]

Are most outfits using TS over the in-game voice?

I've been unable to make invoice coms work, and from what I can tell, neither has anyone else in our outfit. The mic test and record/playback function work, but neither proximity or squad chat work at all for me thusfar, even though I from time to time hear someone in proximity chat say something. Hence EC's strong advocacy for TS3 atm.

Yeah- I have tinkered with the settings, and all the tests work, but I don't hear anything, and don't seem to be heard when I try to talk.

As for the engineer dropping ammo alternate key- does that work when carrying other items like tank mines? I have to choose between ammo packs and mines in the loadout. If I can somehow carry both, I would be overjoyed.

[Mrbloodworth]

As for the engineer dropping ammo alternate key- does that work when carrying other items like tank mines? I have to choose between ammo packs and mines in the loadout. If I can somehow carry both, I would be overjoyed.

I'm not 100%. In my experience it only works with the turret selected. The use is, you never loose the ability to drop ammo. I found this out because a friend of mine thought the same thing. He was over joyed he did not have to give that ability up.

Off the top of my head, I suspect its that slot, regardless of whats equipped in it. Feels like a GUI template limitation. And IIRCC, The turret is not replaced by mines...is it?

I need to spend more time as an Engi it seems.

[WayAbvPar]

No, the turret is default 5- ammo and mines are on 4.

[Mrbloodworth]

I didn't think the turret was replaceable at this time. It was in beta with the flavors of turrets. But i think there is only one right now. So, on 5 you have the turret and ammo ( b ). On 4 you have ammo or mines. Net effect, you have what you want, I think.

Yes, its jacked, and they should just mod the GUI to have another slot.

[WayAbvPar]

I haven't unlocked everything yet, so I am not sure, but I suspect you are right.

[Mrbloodworth]

http://wiki.planetside-universe.com/ps/Engineer

Try that.

EDIT: That explains it. Ammo drop is part of the ACE. ( Advanced Construction Engine ) You may or may not recall the ACE was the tool in PS1 that could be set to deploy quite a number of things, like spitfires and whatnot.