Planetside MECHs Kind of Announced

[Slayerik]

http://psforums.station.sony.com/ps/board/message?board.id=psdiscussion&message.id=170915&no_redir=true

Confirmation: http://psforums.station.sony.com/ps/board/message?board.id=psdiscussion&message.id=171075

I for one, am excited. Mechs own. We'll see how long till they come out, but as a current subscriber it definetely sounds cool.

[Krakrok]

You didn't mention the three new islands.

Looks like you'll only be able to use them if you have Core Combat. Maybe this will be a reason for me to buy it now.

Still looking for more vehicles with rocketpods.

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Wait, where's the mech with the Voltron sword?

[geldonyetich]

Just when I think I'm out, they keep PULLING ME BACK IN!!

Well, I know we were talking about putting mechs in the game way back in beta.   I guess the developers agreed.    I'll probably hold off until resubscribing until they actually put them in, though.

Hopefully by then, they'll get a clue.

[Venkman]

This is really cool, particularly because the feature will likely come out right around the end of my PS hiatus, keeping the cycle alive. 1 month on, 3 months off. Should coincidentally be right around October, a month before JTL, and three months before I quit SWG again for whatever foozle didn't make the holiday sets, like WoW :)

I had to laugh at the "confirmation" image thought. How the CGW readers got it before SOE realized they'd get it is quite beyond me, considering the lead times in publishing.

[Alkiera]

I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who finds the idea of giant humanoid tanks ridiculous.  I wonder who first came up with this idea, bound to be some sci-fi author... Probably not hard sci-fi either, given the difficulties involved.  I mean, Honda has managed to produce a robot that can walk...  but have you seen it do so?  Teeny steps.  Also, the humanoid form is not exactly shaped for combat resiliance, given the number of long extensions from the body which can be removed by targetting where the limb attaches to the torso.  Contrary to the opinion of the Mechwarrior devs, a one-legged bi-pedal thing doesn't just stand there, it falls over.  They also tend to be designed insanely top-heavy, for an object with severe balance issues which expects to survive in a combat environment.

Note: In a combat environment, humans spend most of their time prone or kneeling/ducking, with brief periods of all-out running.  This is due to the nature of ranged combat.  I'd guess this is partly why so many mech shows/movies portray them as melee fighters, 'cause they look less stupid fighting that way.  The only advantage I can think of is the inherent 'fear of much-larger human' we all have from childhood.  And frankly, I doubt that really would balance out the technical and defensive disadvantages.

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Alkiera

[Azhrarn]

No bringing logic into this discussion!  BIG ROBOT GO SMASH!  BOOM! POW! RAT-AT-TAT-AT-TAT!

[Slayerik]

I agree, realism and logic suck.

I'm just glad they are adding more stuff for the Core Combat purchase.

[eldaec]

While the idea of dismissing large robots with very large guns on the grounds actual logic and physics is clearly insane. I'm not entirely sure what niche they are expected to fill PS?

The article suggests they will be one man light tanks with the odd distinction of being vulnerable to small arms fire when hit in the voonerables. I guess that could work, since noone used light tanks last time I was playing anyway; and they could well make decent tank killers if set up right; the I guess viability depends on just how big the voonerables are.

It's a million to one shot but it might just....

[Alluvian]

I always thought the role of 'mech' was already taken in PS by the MAX armors.   Personal one man mech?  That is pretty much what a MAX is.

[Krakrok]

MAXs usually fill the "walking coffin" role for me.

20 meters tall is about 10 times as tall as a MAX I'd guess.

@eldaec: Article claims it can take multiple Flail shots with the shields up which is quite a bit more than a light tank.

[eldaec]

light tank was more a reference to what I'd expect for firepower (given the impression that it's a one man deal).

I'm guess the thought process was....

1) Light tanks are currently pointless because their armour is too low.

2) Increase armour of a light tank to a higher level and noone would mess about with multi-person tanks.

3) OK, let's having something with heavy tank armour, but with a specific weakness.

4) Yeah, let's make it a weakness to the people who currently can't kill vehicles. ie. medium assault troops.

5) The light tank with new skin, hevay armour, and voonerable spot is born.

[Alluvian]

Sounds like they are abandoning max's and just sticking a new shiny in what probably should have been their role.

[Speedy Cerviche]

MAX's can go indoors.

[angry.bob]

light tank was more a reference to what I'd expect for firepower (given the impression that it's a one man deal).

If you read the print of the article it says they'll have a changeable modular loadout, probably similar to Onmimechs from Battletech. One of the options is a Gunner's station. The article gives the example taking the gunner station out of the Vanu mech and replacing it with jump jets. The Article says there will be 5 pilot controlled weapons, 2 to 3 gunner controlled weapons (probably much heavier damage than the pilot controlled ones), and a "slew" of enhancement pods. 5 to 8 weapons and the 2 man crew makes it deals way more damage than even the heavy tanks.

To be honest, if they change the game to Mechs being the focus I'd be quite happy. I just hope you don't have to lock down the Terran model.

[Rodent]

MECHS!

I may have to pick this game up. Mechs make everything better.

[geldonyetich]

Personally, I chalked it up to a hoax.  However:
Real Confirmation Is Here

[Alluvian]

I wish they would give some kind of ballpark date.  What QUARTER it is planned for would be nice.  I don't even know if it is this year, next year, or what.

And I wonder if there will be any attempt to keep everyone from playing these things to the exclusion of all else, making it a 3 mech battletech game.  Not that I find that a really bad thing, but a battletech game needs more than 3 mechs.  I suspect for awhile after this thing goes live there will be TONS of mechs till the luster wears off.

[Krakrok]

I'll wager 4th quarter. It says more info in August but we all know how slow the Planetside team is.

The limiting factors on Mech spawning will probably be:
-Tied to the Core Combat vehicle module or its own module. You have to have the module installed on the continent to be able to spawn a mech. This is dependent on the cavern open/close junk.
-You can't spawn it again for 5 minutes after your first spawn of a mech.
-Have to have control of a tech plant to spawn one.
-Only spawnable from a drop ship center? or a new base type.

And I figure by the way they made it sound, a couple sniper shots in the face will kill the shield generator and then the mech is easy pickings for anti-vehicle weapons.

[geldonyetich]

I sure hope they jack of the potency of Anti-Vehicular infantry weapons.   Vanguards are bad enough - now you're throwing Omnimechs at us?!

[Slayerik]

I sure hope they jack of the potency of Anti-Vehicular infantry weapons.   Vanguards are bad enough - now you're throwing Omnimechs at us?!

I disagree. AV is very strong, especially when used in groups (every TR has a damn striker, every NC has a damn phoenix). I think handheld weapontry should not be very effective against armor. Allow armor vrs. armor battles to be more important than who can line up 10 strikers on a wall.

Vanguards are tough but not unstoppable by any stretch. MECHs should be feared and fairly rare. I'd hate to see 5 guys with phoenix's hiding behind a wall owning a MECH.

[geldonyetich]

AV is very strong, but only when used in groups

Fixxed that for you.

AV generally works if you pull this tactic:
1) Have somebody chuck ECM grenades at the Vanguard to stop it from blowing everyone up effortlessly with their giant multirole-AV/AI killing tank shells.

2) Have people hammer the Vanguard with you Phoenix/Strikers/Lancers/Decimators.

3) Hope the Vanguard driver doesn't drive away before you nail it the required 15-45 times (depending on weapon.  Decimators are the most effective but have no guidance).

However, if you're trying to defend an outpost as the only guy who has anti-vehicular weapons, and 2 asshats in a Vanguard come along and start blowing everything and everyone up, you're going to feel that your Anti-Vehicular weapon is not that great.

Of course, versus MAX is another story.  The poor MAX are little more than cannon fodder thanks to Decimators.

[Slayerik]

Just about everyone has AV. Our outfit runs 6-8 Magriders on a raid night and many times we cant get close to the front door of a base due to insane AV. Decimators are being nerfed, or MAXes are being fixed but it will just be 1 or 2 more decimators to kill maxes, so you will probably just see more people carrying them. I think Deci's should be 2 shots, and less splash. A MAX should be feared, not an easy kill for a handheld weapon.

[Alluvian]

I agree with slayerik.  I think if you are the only guy with AV at a base that base deserves to be pulverized into the ground.  A single grunt should NEVER be able to take out a 2 person tank IMO.  To take out a tank it should take another tank or a squad of AV.  Pretty much like it is now.  I like the fact that armor has a useful place on the battlefield.  Combined arms is the most fun and entire point of that game IMO.

[Slayerik]

Yeah, the game is really sweet when you have outfits working together in a huge alliance. Our has 3 divisions, air infantry and armor: We field 20-30 Infantry (Gal drops, gen resecures, ground pound)...2 squads (20 players) of assorted armor, mainly Magriders with a couple skyguards, I am the Magrider commander woot...and 10-15 Reavers/Mosquitos. That is just our outfit alone, we usually Pop-lock a cont when our Alliance shows.

We use Teamspeak so each outfit's channel commanders can communicate and we proceed to dominate everything that comes across our path :) It is really an awesome sight to behold (and even more stunning to lead, which I have once). Check out www.gotr.net and tell em ole Slay sent ya ...hehe.

[Alluvian]

I found a pretty fun outfit when I was playing on my last resub period as well.  Then I sort of stopped playing when CoH came out and dropped the sub for the moment.  I will surely be back, but maybe not with the same outfit.  They were pretty fun, but on the verge of burnout I could tell.  We would usually only field a full squad at any given time anyway.  Even just with that it was fun to coordinate though.

There is a very fine line between people fucking around and people taking the game too seriously for me though.  I get really annoyed when someone in the squad from outside our outfit would be goofoff, but am just as annoyed when the leader gets overly militant.  I guess my mood decides at any given time which one upsets me more.

I will almost surely resub when the mech patch goes in.  At least for a month.  When EQ2 comes out I am just going to go with the SOE gold pass I think.  Then I could still bop around eq1 if the urge strikes me.  Part of me still would like the epics one day.  I am just 1 raid away, and a pretty easy one at that, with a gaurunteed drop.

[Slayerik]

Ya I hear ya, I dont need a gestapo squad leader most the time. Our exceptions is Thursday night raids, which require a lot of coordination so we are strict about TS spam and setup whispers.

We have seperate channels...one is just the Lobby where it is pretty laid back, and there is tactical squad which is more strict. If you decide to resub gimme a holler and check the Ghosts of the Revolution out.

[Sky]

I want to spend some more time in Planetside, when I end up doing so, I'll get a hold of your outfit, Slay. I like organization, my old bf1942 clan was pretty strict about what was valid chatter on the line. Basically nothing other than tactical information. I tend to side more with the militant view of voice comms, though we also had a lobby type room (the mess hall) where grunts could chatter at will.

Having a regular raid night might be just what the doctor ordered ;) My Vanu character is in some zerg guild that was rarely worth spending time with vs pickup groups...(I also have low numbers because I mostly soloed and dicked around protecting flanks and other stuff that's fun for solo characters...and avoided the zerg...

[Slayerik]

Well, I for one believe that the stats in PS suck. You get no props for doing support roles (driving vehicles, repairing gens, running ants, etc). Support guys are the ones every outfit looks for, screw the uber killer guy. I want someone that will leave the zerg fight to resecure a ghost hack. The guy who will drive AMS's, lodestars, galaxies.

Our outfit is basically large enough to zerg, but the good part about it is that it has been around since day 2 of PS. Basically, we have learned many lessons and are really having fun by using our coordination and numbers effectively.

Anyways, feel free to swing by our site, I'm an admin on the boards so I can give member access if you decide to join. www.gotr.net

[Krakrok]

Dave Georgeson - Only general descriptions for now. They're roughly 15-20 meters high. They have customizable hardpoints (you decide which weapons go where). They come in either one- or two-player configurations. The single-player version can fly, whereas the two-player version can't fly...but carries some massive ordnance instead. More details than that will have to wait a bit.

I'd assume "fly" means jump jet, otherwise the chicken leg mech would be a Transformer. 15-20 meters is a lot shorter than 60 so I imagine it will probably be so the head and shoulders are above a base wall.

Dave Georgeson - At feature launch, players will only be able to modify weapon loadouts and trunk configurations. Dave Georgeson - They were designed as "heavy battle tanks",  

Dave Georgeson - There's a process of "attuning" that has to happen down in the caverns before a player can link with the semi-sentient AT core within the BFR itself. Players have to commit to the task of completing that "attunement" before they can certify in running BattleFrames. Once that's done, getting a 'frame is as easy as acquring a vehicle (although the vehicle acquisition timer is quite long on these...so try to keep it alive as long as you can).

A trick to get more people fighting in the caverns. In my single trip down there so far there were only a handful of people stealth hacking the cavern bases.

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On an additional note the Addative LOD they added in the most recent patch is really nice. I can run at the farthest clip plane now and it is pretty cool to see firefights off in the distance. Depending on your system and the setting you pick however it can cause players to pop in and out which isn't good (think WWIIOL).