Planetside 2..Free to play..and looking awesome so far!

[12andy]

Yes, SoE's true intention was to develop a F2P game that wasn't Pay-to-Win.

One can argue that subscribers are technically "paying to win" due to the XP-boosts, but that's another can of worms altogether. One is essentially trading cash for time, and not for superior items - a reasonable middle-ground, IMO.

Personally, aside from a few sidegrades here and there (optics for medium-long range rifles, for example), I could care-less about cert-upgrades. The fun factor of having to deal with weapon recoil/ iron-sighting a long-distance shot is a perk in itself.

As far as multiplayer games go, the "upgrades" system needs to go, IMO. People are playing strictly to level up their character, rather than level up themselves through discipline and dedication.

Competition should be based on various skill levels, on an equal playing ground - NOT the other way around.

 

[AHamick]

To reiterate what others have said, MOST weapons are not upgrades (rocket pods/auto-lock missiles for Heavy assault could be considered upgrades) the infantry weapons all have different stats making them better/worse in specific situations.

For example, the NC Heavy Assault SAW is a slow firing heavy hitting weapon. I also have the EM6 from alpha squad which is a faster firing lower damage variant. Neither is better than the other overall, but when I ge indoors I prefer to throw as much rounds downrage as possible so I prefer the EM6.

Weapons can be unlocked with station cash or certs. Class upgrades to improve armor/shields or weapon accessories can only be unlocked with certs. Cosmetic items (camo patterns, helmets, vehicle lights, hood ornaments) can only be unlocked through station cash.

Unlocks are exclusive to that specific character and do not transfer across characters OR servers.

You cannot change factions, you CAN create a different character for a different faction. Your character can change classes at respawn OR at an equipment terminal while alive

 

[CottonRabbit]

As far as multiplayer games go, the "upgrades" system needs to go, IMO. People are playing strictly to level up their character, rather than level up themselves through discipline and dedication.

Eh, it's a game. I couldn't care less what other people's motivations are for playing. Even a lone wolf racking up kills at some random outpost will help his team because that's a distraction for the enemy.

 

[SunnyD]

As far as multiplayer games go, the "upgrades" system needs to go, IMO. People are playing strictly to level up their character, rather than level up themselves through discipline and dedication.

Competition should be based on various skill levels, on an equal playing ground - NOT the other way around.

wut? I'm playing to have fun. Most everyone else I know are too. The only thing I'm actively spending my cert points on right now are the medtool, given I have fun playing as a medic. So yeah, it's a pretty substantial upgrade being able to heal/rez people faster and at longer range, but it also makes me more effective on the field too.

But mostly, I'm logging in to have fun.

 

[Genx87]

Heh on Jaeger our enemy had about 30 aircraft decimating us. It was actually pretty cool to watch even though we were getting owned. I finally asked if we had an airforce. Felt like the Germans at Normandy. Not a single aircraft of ours was in the air.

 

[SunnyD]

Heh on Jaeger our enemy had about 30 aircraft decimating us. It was actually pretty cool to watch even though we were getting owned. I finally asked if we had an airforce. Felt like the Germans at Normandy. Not a single aircraft of ours was in the air.

Yeah, you see that a lot. You get a push, usually fairly small scale relatively speaking, and start taking some territory and you incur the full wrath of whatever faction outfits happen to be online and they come bearing down on you with either a huge tank platoon or a couple dozen aircraft including a half dozen liberators which for whatever odd reason your faction seems to have absolutely no counter to at that given time.

Right now, I've run into the problem where we have idiots parking AMS Sundies in the stupidest places, constantly. Need to take a Biolab? Let's park the AMS about 200 meters away from the jump pads and the teleport control points, in the middle of plain view or behind a rock that might be big enough to hide an ATV.

This happens constantly.

 

[12andy]

It's simply a trend I've been noticing as of late (as have others, as well).

During the beta, people got all pent up whenever there would be a character wipe/ reset, because 'all of their hard work went to waste', in a sense.

Granted, people like us acknowledge the fun that can be had by simply playing, and that's fine. What I have a problem with are people putting so much focus on what it 'costs' to upgrade things, rather than enjoying the game itself. These are the individuals that toss all kinds of disrespect towards SoE, dubbing the game a grind-fest and so on.

I don't know - I guess my mind is stuck in the olden days where everyone had a level playing field, regardless of time invested into the game. There were no "ranks", upgrades and/ or perks: just your skill vs your opponents'. This is the one thing that drives me up the wall with COD-like games; I'm just glad that most of the certs are sidegrade-based, though.

 

[imaheadcase]

Upgrades or not, you kill people no matter what weapon you have. You can spend $50 on this game and still not help you. My biggest problem in this game is running out of ammo. I went 30-0 yesterday as a sniper. lol Trying to find a terminal when out of ammo for pistol and rifle is a race to the death.

 

[SunnyD]

I can't hit jack squat with sniper rifles now.

Though I make a wonderful backstabbing sniper. I've been roaming around the countryside coming up behind people and jacking them with my pistol. I probably had a couple dozen pistol ganks last night while playing infiltrator, and maybe TWO rifle kills while I was putzing around with the class.

 

[Acanthus]

This game is far far better than the original.

I have been happily playing for hours on end.

There are a few weird bugs, but you expect that with a game of this scale just after launch.

1. The grenade physics are really strange and unrealistic.
2. Spontaneous explosion of ground vehicles when they strike small objects at very low speeds.
3. Needs a stronger team kill punish system. (I watched a guy toss a grenade at a control point and kill 21 players seconds before the cap, making them all miss the points).

 

[Zargon]

anyone know if the timed XP bonus boosters are in game time or actual time?

 

[brandonb]

If its like Everquest, then its actual time. I believe they used to be 4 hours potions in everquest that was like a buff for your character and persisted through death, etc, and gave you a bonus exp until the buff wore off.

 

[Markbnj]

I guarantee that you won't be looking at the scenery when things get busy!

That's for sure. Finally got into some action last night and got to see some of the game's scope and depth. Pretty amazing. I didn't play the first, so can't compare, but initially I thought it was another take on Tribes. Much more to it than that. Also the graphics aren't bad at all, really. That one snowy map that was the first I logged into struck me as a little meh, but overall everything else I've seen looks really good.

The game does still have some whacky bugs though. I had to restart my system last night because some combination of keys I hit alt-tabbed me out to Windows, and when I alt-tabbed back in the W and D keys would always pop me back out. Wierder, once back into windows the 1 key opened media player, and the P key opened the monitor control bar.

Maybe it was the acid.

 

[Clemenza]

I thinks its a great game so far. I've played a ton the past few days. Most of the time I'm on my Light Assault (I have a problem playing anything else now) circling bases just killing droves of snipers that ring every base on the map. It's funny to jet down behind one, kill him, look a little ways down and see his buddy. Jet over to him, kill him and keep moving. I guess most don't have their camper defenses yet.

 

[KaOTiK]

The game is a lot of fun. Was playing yesterday and we had a group of like 20 tanks all huddled on one side of an enemies base we were going for. We had the mobile spawn point up behind a hill and around 30 people on said hill and then a few large groups all assaulting the base from a couple of directions. In total there was around 120 of us alone lol

 

[njdevilsfan87]

I thinks its a great game so far. I've played a ton the past few days. Most of the time I'm on my Light Assault (I have a problem playing anything else now) circling bases just killing droves of snipers that ring every base on the map. It's funny to jet down behind one, kill him, look a little ways down and see his buddy. Jet over to him, kill him and keep moving. I guess most don't have their camper defenses yet.

I try to do that yet someone ALWAYS spots me. I still need to figure out the continents.

 

[Clemenza]

I try to do that yet someone ALWAYS spots me. I still need to figure out the continents.

Yeah, it can be difficult sometimes. I've found that I have to take a real roundabout way to work in behind them. Once there, it's easy to rack up kills. I've also found that a lot of times, after I kill them they come right back to the same spot. So I just do laps and keep killing them.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I went back in tonight and happened to log in right as a large tank convoy was getting ready to leave to take a base. I hopped in a gun and off we went. Was fun shooting things out of the sky etc. We took the base, then moved on to the next....ran out of ammo so got out on foot and killed a few people, but then I ran out of ammo..and couldn't figure out where to get more. Then I died and had no idea where to spawn. I picked a place and had to foot it (couldn't get into any vehicles) managed to keep from getting killed by overhead jets etc, but then just got blasted by a squad near the base. Right back again....that is the part I don't like.

I've just decided these large "warmap" FPS just aren't for me..I don't want to travel 300 miles just to get one shot.

 

[scooterlibby]

So are you only able to play one character per server? Once you create a character you seemed to be wedded to that server, or I am just confused.

 

[Visaoni]

I've just decided these large "warmap" FPS just aren't for me..I don't want to travel 300 miles just to get one shot.

With a little knowledge, you will find you rarely end up having to travel very far before you can start fighting. As you get more used the map, you'll be able to either pick spots to spawn in the action, or at least spawn near a vehicle station so you can cut down that travel time. ATVs work well for that, although you can also use the basic air fighter as fast transport.

Working with a squad will help a lot with this. Either they will be sure to get spawn points up near their objective, or regrouping and heading out in vehicles.

So are you only able to play one character per server? Once you create a character you seemed to be wedded to that server, or I am just confused.

One character per server, three characters max. So far no ability to transfer characters between servers (and I imagine if it ever comes it will be for a fee).

 

[Clemenza]

Also, keep in mind if you spend station cash for an unlock, it's on that character only. If you delete or go somewhere else, you lose it.

 

[imaheadcase]

Fighting on the jump pads at bases is super fun. THey should make a capture point just on top of a HUGE tower.

One thing they improved on since beta is headshot mechanics, its a lot easier now to one shot kill people. Besides maxes and heavy assault with shield up.

 

[SunnyD]

Lol... I guess I should have RTFM. So I learned last night that as a sniper if you hold the shift key down while scoped, you "hold your breath" and reduce sway down to almost zero.

Well hello! I am now a MUCH more effective infiltrator overall!

I had a nice run yesterday too, TR had The Crown. We had an AMS underneath it under some cover. They had snipers littering the overlook just picking our guys off. Somehow, I found a nice bit of cover behind a big old off to the side where they weren't looking. After the first try when random physics somehow sent me flying off the cliff, the second time I had a nice view from the crotch of the tree at about a dozen stationary snipers. Finally after getting my bearings (before I learned the shift trick), I think I took out about 10 of them and made all of them think twice about sniping off the ledge anymore.

 

[crownjules]

Haha, I didn't know that either!

And holding and defending the Crown is an XP trove! We had it at one point yesterday and were defending against both TR and NC and I managed to rack up about 50CP in 45 minutes or so.

 

[imaheadcase]

I wish you could remove weapons so you don't have to carry. I HATE switching to the tracker pistol as INF. I can tell its annoying to other INF as well because sometimes they switch to it and start shooting me with it. lol