More classes of infantry armor

[CutterJohn]

I think the game should look into additional classes of infantry armor. Rexo, agile, and cloaky were all fine and good, but theres a couple more armor styles I think could be included.


Mobile exosuit - A rig for the open road. This combat suit has thrusters that allow it to jump a reasonable distance for getting on top of walls or towers, or jump forwards a long distance quite quickly. It also has an speedrun mode, which makes the suit hover just above the ground and move at MAX run speed, useful for covering ground quickly and crossing bodies of water. Little inventory, low armor.

Assault exosuit - A high armor suit that sacrifices storage capacity and weapon slots for extra protection. Something of a middle ground between a max and a rexo. Has only 1 pistol and 1 rifle slot, and inventory is very narrow so it can only hold one weapon.

Fire support exosuit - A suit that has a massive carrying capacity and high armor, but the armor has very low absorption. This makes it a good outdoors armor, as it will survive longer against vehicles, and have plenty of extras of the large AV weapons.

Support exosuit - A small exosuit with advanced computers that greatly speed up repairing and healing actions, and has medium armor. Has only one medium weapon slot, but has 3 pistol slots.

Insertion exosuit - A cloaking suit with armor and a rifle slot. Firing interrupts the cloak, as does getting shot. Once the cloak is off, it takes several minutes to be able to reactivate. Designed to help you get behind enemy lines. Does not help getting back out.


I just think it would be good to spice up the armor selection, and make infantry combat more varied. Keep agile and rexo as they are, the jack of all trades armors.

[Grimster]

Interesting ideas, I really like them. Maybe not the cloaking armor because even if it turns off when firing I believe such a armor would make snipers a REAL pain in the ass. Maybe turn off the cloak when they have the weapon drawn. That way they can still benefit from the cloaking when moving into position but are still more possible to find when they are searching for targets.

[wolfkrone]

I think the game should look into additional classes of infantry armor. Rexo, agile, and cloaky were all fine and good, but theres a couple more armor styles I think could be included.


Mobile exosuit - A rig for the open road. This combat suit has thrusters that allow it to jump a reasonable distance for getting on top of walls or towers, or jump forwards a long distance quite quickly. It also has an speedrun mode, which makes the suit hover just above the ground and move at MAX run speed, useful for covering ground quickly and crossing bodies of water. Little inventory, low armor.

Assault exosuit - A high armor suit that sacrifices storage capacity and weapon slots for extra protection. Something of a middle ground between a max and a rexo. Has only 1 pistol and 1 rifle slot, and inventory is very narrow so it can only hold one weapon.

Fire support exosuit - A suit that has a massive carrying capacity and high armor, but the armor has very low absorption. This makes it a good outdoors armor, as it will survive longer against vehicles, and have plenty of extras of the large AV weapons.

Support exosuit - A small exosuit with advanced computers that greatly speed up repairing and healing actions, and has medium armor. Has only one medium weapon slot, but has 3 pistol slots.

Insertion exosuit - A cloaking suit with armor and a rifle slot. Firing interrupts the cloak, as does getting shot. Once the cloak is off, it takes several minutes to be able to reactivate. Designed to help you get behind enemy lines. Does not help getting back out.


I just think it would be good to spice up the armor selection, and make infantry combat more varied. Keep agile and rexo as they are, the jack of all trades armors.

Its not bad, but is it all really necessary?

[I SandRock]

Mobile exosuit would be VS only :p

[Tool]

A few do seem redundant to what's available currently. However I do like the idea of a support type armor.

Medic Armor: Reduced juice cost for healing and revives. Perhaps a small, slow acting, AOE heal only affecting players in the vicinity and not the medic himself; something like the current regeneration implant, etc.

Engineers could perhaps have something similar with it's own benefits.

Regarding cloaking, instead of armor perhaps there could be an implant. Something like the active camouflage in Halo, a short duration cloak that's canceled once an action is performed other than moving.

[CutterJohn]

Its not bad, but is it all really necessary?

The mobile and firesupport are intended as outdoor armors, to give infantry more range, and better viability against vehicles.

Assault is a non max crasher/shock troop. Not very self reliant, nor versatile.

Insertion is intended for spec ops groups to get behind enemy lines and cause chaos without a galdrop. Infiltrators are not very good at this, and have a rather different role.


Necessary? Of course not. Just tossing ideas out that I'd like to see tried out to vary infantry gameplay and shore up some of their weaknesses.

[Robert089]

I've always thought there was room for my armour, a few of yours may be a bit excessive or hard to balance but I like the concept.

I've always liked the idea of a pilot suit, similar to agile armour but unable to carry heavy assault weapons. This would probably be unpopular with the mossie / HA hot drop guys but that's something I think the game could do without personally.

I liked your support suit idea, though perhaps to make it more specialised it could be some sort of medic armour that you unlock when certing medic / adv medic. Giving you the extra pistol slots so you can carry your healing aparatus and friendlies near by know not to tap out when they can visually see an ADV medic.

[Wrath]

Necessary? Of course not. Just tossing ideas out that I'd like to see tried out to vary infantry gameplay and shore up some of their weaknesses.

I just dont see your point varity of game play for infantry was never an issue in PS, seriously they are 100 different ways you play and kit out an infantry soldier.

seriously the abilty to jump over ways isnt needed thats what galaxys and hot drops are for.

having cloaky armor with rifles would be way to overpowered you'd end up with roaming preditor style death squads nuking everything

the whole point is having suck glaring weaknesss in each armor type is to create totally different play styles and mean squads have to bring a little of everything to win, you need the max armor to smash through enemy defences. you need to galaxy pilots to drop the troops on the room to create another line of attack.

its all about working as a team with people you dont even know thats why PS feels so epic your armor solutions look more at creating means and ways for people to go and rambo everything.

[I SandRock]

I just dont see your point varity of game play for infantry was never an issue in PS, seriously they are 100 different ways you play and kit out an infantry soldier.

seriously the abilty to jump over ways isnt needed thats what galaxys and hot drops are for.

having cloaky armor with rifles would be way to overpowered you'd end up with roaming preditor style death squads nuking everything

the whole point is having suck glaring weaknesss in each armor type is to create totally different play styles and mean squads have to bring a little of everything to win, you need the max armor to smash through enemy defences. you need to galaxy pilots to drop the troops on the room to create another line of attack.

its all about working as a team with people you dont even know thats why PS feels so epic your armor solutions look more at creating means and ways for people to go and rambo everything.

Agreed. If there has to be different armor it would have to be it's own unique specialization that opens up a new type of gameplay. For instance agile armor being actually agile, allowing you to run at greater speeds, perhaps even run and gun, but only allows you to use light guns. A proper SMG would be nice to have in the game opposed to that pistol/smg thingy.

I do feel the infiltrator suit could use some more equip slots. Rather than have to open your bag and switch it into your equip slot, they could do with perhaps 2-3 slots in which you press button 1-3 to equip those slots. I felt the 1 equip slot was just bad game design and didn't really add much in terms of gameplay. It was a chore to open your inventory, swap to CE, put your hack tool back etc.

[CutterJohn]

I just dont see your point varity of game play for infantry was never an issue in PS, seriously they are 100 different ways you play and kit out an infantry soldier.

And I'm proposing more ways. So? Its not like there were all that many viable ways to play infantry anyway. Inside you used the supersoldier. Outside you used MA/AV. There were few major archtypes after years of refinement, and 100 minor variations on those archtypes, with the same general role.

seriously the abilty to jump over ways isnt needed thats what galaxys and hot drops are for.

The ability to kill vehicles isn't needed, thats what tanks and reavers are for. Guess infantry doesn't need AV, since vehicles perform that role.

having cloaky armor with rifles would be way to overpowered you'd end up with roaming preditor style death squads nuking everything

No, you'd end up with people showing up at the backlines. The cloak has a long recharge and shuts off when firing or being shot. Once you commit to the fight you are exposed, and in weak armor, for several minutes. It lets you ambush people, yes, but its not a cloaky suit, you can't shoot while invisible then run off while still invisible.


its all about working as a team with people you dont even know thats why PS feels so epic your armor solutions look more at creating means and ways for people to go and rambo everything.

So large drawbacks for a specific role = rambo?

[I SandRock]

John remember that everyone has their own opinions on things and though you may disagree with their arguments you don't always need to convince everyone of yours. Discussions don't need to come a unanimous conclusion.

Just saying because you seem to be taking it a bit personal :P


Basically Wrath is saying you don't need a specific suit for every imaginable role. It's good to have niche roles, with drawbacks.

You obviously disagree with that and think the more options the better.

[Wrath]

And I'm proposing more ways. So? Its not like there were all that many viable ways to play infantry anyway. Inside you used the supersoldier. Outside you used MA/AV. There were few major archtypes after years of refinement, and 100 minor variations on those archtypes, with the same general role.


there are plently of viable ways to play infantry or there was when I last played a few years ago. the gear you take is definded by the situation, you pushing towards a base you take long range weapons and AV gear, when you've got the the base you switch to closer range weaons , maybe pack a few more grenades. the fact is the armour is just the template on which you set out your loadout which defines your role.


The ability to kill vehicles isn't needed, thats what tanks and reavers are for. Guess infantry doesn't need AV, since vehicles perform that role.


no your twisting it now. what i'm saying is your idea of allowing infantry the abilty to storm over walls takes away one of the key ways teams come together to work together on an assault.


No, you'd end up with people showing up at the backlines. The cloak has a long recharge and shuts off when firing or being shot. Once you commit to the fight you are exposed, and in weak armor, for several minutes. It lets you ambush people, yes, but its not a cloaky suit, you can't shoot while invisible then run off while still invisible.


but people already show up at the back lines, they sneak into generator rooms and blow them up lay traps inside bases thats what an infiltrator should be about disrupting the enemies lines forcing them to move forces to defend there assets inside a base rather then repelling attacks from the outside.


So large drawbacks for a specific role = rambo?

its not the drawbacks thats the issue for me its the fact that all the armour you have suggested seemed to be designed around the fact that you can do anything solo dont need to work as team. dont need galaxys to get over walls. dont need a squad to get in a base just take a cloaking suit with a rifle. planetside works best when people work together so creating armour that will take away from that in my opinion is a bad idea.

[Bags]

I honestly don't see the need for these. I probably wouldn't mind them if they were put in, but that's developer time lost from more important things.

[Raymac]

After reading the title, I was ready to jump in here and say it's not needed. The status quo of the current armor is fine.

However, after reading the OP, it is actually a really cool idea. Each idea fills a completely different role and they have some major downsides built in so they won't be overpowered.

Frankly, this is something I wouldn't want to see at launch, but I'd definitely like to see it in a patch down the line.

[Dorest0rm]

hu hu insertion.

Great idea's tho!

[Hamma]

Very interesting thoughts!

[Sirisian]

You mentioned a cloaking suit with bigger weapons. I've always imagined that should be an implant not a separate type of armor. That is a minute delay for the activation and then 40 stamina to activate with a constant drain.

I don't see the advantages of any of the extra armors that were described. If anything BFRs were the faction specific upgrade of the MAX. ;)


Mobile exosuit - A rig for the open road. This combat suit has thrusters that allow it to jump a reasonable distance for getting on top of walls or towers, or jump forwards a long distance quite quickly. It also has an speedrun mode, which makes the suit hover just above the ground and move at MAX run speed, useful for covering ground quickly and crossing bodies of water. Little inventory, low armor.
All of this can be done with implants. A strength implant was mentioned a long time ago to allow bigger jumps for the cost of stamina. Not if a wall jump should be allowed. That's kind of a VS specialty.

[CutterJohn]

Not really a fan of implants, since you have to visit sanc or a bio lab to alter them. Plus.. Umm.. a jet pack makes a hell of a lot more sense than an implant that somehow makes you jump higher. Just sayin.

Tbh, I never cared much for the implementation of implants as it is, and would not be sad to see them go in exchange for equipment slots on your armor that do those things.

And if you don't see the advantage of any of the armors, you don't have to use them. You'd still have agile/rexo/etc. :)

[I SandRock]

And if you don't see the advantage of any of the armors, you don't have to use them. You'd still have agile/rexo/etc. :)

By that definition I could want potato skin headgear and wings to fly, if you don't see the advantages then you don't have to use them.

They can still imbalance the game, force me to fight them, and waste valuable developer time that could have been spend on more important things.
And sometimes having a choice given to you forces you to make that choice because otherwise you are put at a disadvantage, but it doesn't mean it's more fun because of it.

[Sifer2]

Reminds me too much of what Halo Reach did with armor powers. How come you forgot to add Bubble Shield exosuit? lol


Like others are saying I don't think its necessary when you can already carry a variety of equipment to perform different roles in Planetside as it is. These armors actually sound like they offer less variety in a way. Since each one is pigeon holed into doing something specific. I'm pretty sure a lot of this stuff was done through Implants in the original. Or could be done through Implants in next.

[CutterJohn]

These armors actually sound like they offer less variety in a way. Since each one is pigeon holed into doing something specific.

That was actually the point of them. Give up stuff in exchange for improving capability at a distinct role.

Its kind of funny, since the consensus in the thread about vehicle hardpoints was people wouldn't want vehicles to be too jack of all trades, which is rather a polar opposite of this thread, where people don't want infantry to be too specific.

[Sirisian]

Reminds me too much of what Halo Reach did with armor powers. How come you forgot to add Bubble Shield exosuit? lol

I guess personal shield doesn't count. :lol:


Tbh, I never cared much for the implementation of implants as it is, and would not be sad to see them go in exchange for equipment slots on your armor that do those things.

Yeah I'd be all for that. Never really saw much of a point to have it based on battle rank.

[DviddLeff]

In my infantry armour overhaul I make the following major changes:


Standard suit is required to pilot any vehicle (aside from buggies and ATVs).
Agile armour has jump jets (about half the height/distance of the VS MAX).
Agile and standard have their main weapon holster changed to only allow 3x6 weapons (eg MA rifles, suppressor, SA weapons, etc). Rexo has one of its slots changed to this sized holster.


See more details, and what I plan to do with MAX armour through the link:

https://sites.google.com/site/planetsideupgradeproject/phase-2/infantry-armour-overhaul

[Sirisian]

In my infantry armour overhaul I make the following major changes:


Standard suit is required to pilot any vehicle (aside from buggies and ATVs).
Agile armour has jump jets (about half the height/distance of the VS MAX).
Agile and standard have their main weapon holster changed to only allow 3x6 weapons (eg MA rifles, suppressor, SA weapons, etc). Rexo has one of its slots changed to this sized holster.


See more details, and what I plan to do with MAX armour through the link:

https://sites.google.com/site/planetsideupgradeproject/phase-2/infantry-armour-overhaul
Your changes make it hard to switch to between a rifle and a decimator which is critical in a base fight for taking down max units. Opening your inventory in the middle of battle has always been one of my greatest annoyances. The same situation happens when using any secondary AV weapon with HA or sniper.

(Though I imagine most of us are rather fast with switching weapons from when you could hot swap decimators. :lol: )

I'm not sure I like the idea of players flying around the map. My first reaction was "ooh tree sniping" but your change doesn't allow a sniper rifle. I guess I don't see the real gameplay advantage except I'm imagining people flying around randomly. Could AA lock onto them? ;)

My changes would probably be:

1) BANK doesn't take a slot. Built into the suit.
2) Medical Applicator doesn't take a slot. Built into the suit.

This frees up spots for pistols and grenades.

I'm almost thinking that the current inventory based on a dimension packing problem might be better off as another system. Not sure what though. It can't be strictly weight because you want to show weapons on a player's back and sides. hmm

[DviddLeff]

Rocklet could be used for av purposes in a 3x6 slot in agile or standard. Redo is free for all in my scheme so that can be used for defence. Agiles role is fast assault, able to jump onto base walls and cover distances faster outdoors.

[Valverde]

As long as they add a Female body Armor that has nipple gun ports with crotch rockets then I am game.

[Raymac]

As long as they add a Female body Armor that has nipple gun ports with crotch rockets then I am game.

You just have to always make sure you select women with the right caliber.

Get it, caliber? You see....oh nevermind.

[Valverde]

You just have to always make sure you select women with the right caliber.

Get it, caliber? You see....oh nevermind.

LMAO

[DviddLeff]

http://gadgetsteria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/facepalm.jpg

[Hamma]

:lol:

That went downhill.

[Sifer2]

That was actually the point of them. Give up stuff in exchange for improving capability at a distinct role.

Its kind of funny, since the consensus in the thread about vehicle hardpoints was people wouldn't want vehicles to be too jack of all trades, which is rather a polar opposite of this thread, where people don't want infantry to be too specific.


Well I mentioned this before in another thread. But I believe Infantry should be flexible. Where as MAX/Vehicle should be specific. Because MAX/Vehicle were at least when I played the strongest in the game at their role an harder to kill. When I played the price you payed for flexibility as Infantry was dying really easily an not packing the punch of MAX/Vehicle.

And I think that works well. Especially since Infantry is something you can always spawn as. But MAX/Vehicle might not be available. So you need Infantry to at least have a chance against anything if equipped for it.

All that said yeah if they decide to get rid of the Implant concept then this idea of different armor types or armor mods could work as a decent replacement.