February Road Map Discussion - PlanetSide Universe

Today is the first day of February and while we haven't seen the January patch quite yet we wanted to strike up a discussion on what's coming in February! We have broken down the roadmap a bit for direct discussion about what's on tap. Currently they are ranked in order of votes, with only the last one receiving a Zero (Spectator Mode).

Account Level Unlocks - We would like items purchased with Station Cash to be unlocked across all characters on the account that can utilize them. This change would be retroactive to prior purchases.
VR Training Area - Learning how to play the game under live fire conditions can be pretty daunting. To help address this, we’re planning on adding in a VR Training zone that will be a safe haven for players to try out weapons, practice piloting vehicles, and get comfortable with basic game mechanics.
Community Grief Reporting - We're investigating ways to improve the reporting tools available to the PlanetSide 2 community at large to help identify and call out hackers and other griefers.
Improved Item Preview - We want to add the ability to preview an item on the player’s current Loadout for their class/vehicle so everyone can get a better idea of what it's really going to look like in context. This would apply to Camo (tint), decals, wearables, and vehicle attachments.
Empire Specific Rocket Launchers - We'd like to add Empire-specific rocket launchers, including things like player guided rockets, multiple lock-on swarm missiles, and a charge fire mode into the mix.
Loadout Screen Revamp - We want to take a pass at cleaning up and enhancing the Loadout screen. Specifics are still pending, but the goal is to make common actions more convenient. For example: Changing tints on your weapons, vehicles, and uniform should be easier than it is currently.

Click here for the rest of the list and and discuss your thoughts on the February RoadMap! And remember to check out the full roadmap here.

60 comments

2013-02-01 10:10 AM

Latest Comments

2013-02-05 04:08 AM

Pella

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Originally Posted by Scourge

The roadmap and Higby failed to mention some of the uses of spectator mode. Spectating is the single most reliable way in a FPS game to catch cheaters. It takes out all of the guesswork and speculation. Using spectator mode even allows you to catch players using subtle cheats such as ESP/wallhacks, if the spectator knows what to watch for.

Yip such a good idea. Record = profit.

2013-02-05 04:29 AM

PredatorFour

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Originally Posted by Thunderhawk

Edit: and in these sorts of games, there will always be classes that gain XP/min faster than others, you can't really balance that out but it's head and shoulders above teh K/D ratio stat as a definer of "skill" in Planetside 2

Yeh but what if you go afk alot during the game ( like me

...
lol everyone has an argument on this and i guess everyone is right in a way, but they gotta put some stat up lol.

I wonder when the feb update will be ? since the jan update was in feb does that mean it'll be march ?

2013-02-05 07:26 AM

Mox

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Everything fine except 7) regional priority system. That sounds like some kind of Anti-lattice. The fight is already too much spread out. There is no need of enhance the spreading.

2013-02-05 09:23 AM

Rolfski

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Account Level Unlocks: No brainer
VR Training Area: yay
Community Grief Reporting: Much needed
Improved Item Preview: No brainer
Empire Specific Rocket Launchers: Empire specific arsenal is always much welcomed although I personally would rather have seen additional ES primaries (carbines/LMG's/AR's, etc.)
Loadout Screen Revamp: Haven't they changed this already or was this just a first step?
Regional Empire Priority System: Interesting, would like to know more details.
Vehicle Update: Flash - We want to add new abilities and weapons to the Flash: Drastically improve default handling first before adding any new features. These vehicles should be fun to drive, not an exercise in frustration.
Increase the number of vehicle cosmetic slots: The recent direction of this game into Clownside 2 has made me weary of this. Devs should really get their act together when it comes to cosmetics and personalization.
Separate Score from Experience: Ok I guess, I never check scoreboards or leader boards.
Daily Medals/Achievements: Maybe good for lone wolves but potentionally devastating for team play, more intelligence must be put into this.
Pump Action Shotguns: Uninspiring and redundant, improve look & feel of my current TR carbines first.
Spectator Mode: Nice but only if it doesn't allow for spying.

2013-02-05 01:14 PM

Hamma

Re: February Road Map Discussion

The Loadout Screen changes in this past patch were the beginning

2013-02-05 01:30 PM

Assist

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Originally Posted by Rolfski

Vehicle Update: Flash - We want to add new abilities and weapons to the Flash: Drastically improve default handling first before adding any new features. These vehicles should be fun to drive, not an exercise in frustration.

Agreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed
The flash and sunderer make no sense to me. It's like they made a 4-wheel drive without suspension to support it. If you're going to make a badass 4-wheeler that can get climb through mountains, then they probably should be able to absorb the impact of going down the hill without spinning out and flipping over into a fiery mess.

To be honest the only real thing I'm looking forward to in the February patch is the flash update. The rest is meh

Account Level Unlocks: Should of been in since release - +1
VR Training Area: Meh, won't use.
Community Grief Reporting: Meh, griefing is part of online gaming.
Improved Item Preview: Meh, won't use.
Empire Specific Rocket Launchers: TBH the last thing this game needs is more BR1's running around shooting their rocket launchers like they're a pistol.
Loadout Screen Revamp: Meh, unless it adds some new functions w/e
Regional Empire Priority System: Designating where/when to fight is already done through orders/leader.
Vehicle Update: Flash - We want to add new abilities and weapons to the Flash: Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy +1
Increase the number of vehicle cosmetic slots: Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy +1
Separate Score from Experience: This is part of the plan? wut? shouldn't this be like a minor quick patch? Doesn't change anything - meh.
Daily Medals/Achievements: Daily not so exciting, weekly, outfit oriented, i do like. +1
Pump Action Shotguns: I don't see the reason, though I'm excited. All this makes me realize is TTK needs to be lowered across the board for these style of guns to be worth while. +1
Spectator Mode: meh, don't matter to me as a player

2013-02-05 02:22 PM

Assist

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Also, isn't the Roadmap like a 6-month plan thing? So, we should have new entries going up for July right?!

2013-02-05 03:08 PM

Rolfski

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Originally Posted by Assist

Also, isn't the Roadmap like a 6-month plan thing? So, we should have new entries going up for July right?!

I'm afraid it doesn't work that way. Expect the next road map to be presented end of June

2013-02-06 04:57 AM

Gatekeeper

Re: February Road Map Discussion

The big problem with XP/min is actually pretty obvious when you think about it - various things both in and out of the game give you an XP boost, which doesn't always mean you're playing any better, you're just getting more XP for it.

I guess that's why they want to move to score/min instead - since it's potentially a lot fairer. Presumably XP bonuses for defending, faction population, etc. would still modify your score - but XP boosts from membership, double XP weekends, etc. wouldn't.

Also, it might be nice to exclude time and score in safe areas like the warp gates or VR training from the calculations for score/min.

2013-02-06 11:49 AM

MittrackRobama

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Originally Posted by Bags

Not sure why you'd want to use a pump action over auto in a game like this.

@Phantom did you not read? They said "live" viewing in the description, lol

The Nova already is the best option. What we're seeing is a less of a damage drop off after this new patch, and yet you still have to be brutal close to kill an enemy (without slugs). Honestly, pump action shot guns seem redundant. If the range is just as low as the Nova or other shotguns then you're getting virtually the same utility.

Also, anyone ever use the under barrel shot gun for the Solstice SF? It's pretty much a "pump action" 1 shot withing 5M insta kill for anything but a max. Parody does not do this game justice.

2013-02-06 03:34 PM

Riekopo

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Adding a metagame should be their #1 priority...

2013-02-06 04:41 PM

Vashyo

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Account Level Unlocks - Do want
VR Training - Good for newbs, but I do not care
Community Grief Reporting - Allways useful
Improved Item Preview - Needed
Empire Specific Rocket Launchers - There's enough of rocket-launchers allready, I'd rather this be pushed back in the schedule. Even though I do like ES-stuff, to add some difference between the factions.
Loadout Screen Revamp - Useful
Regional Empire Priority System - I support this, you have to guide the players to play the game strategically with XP, otherwise large portion of players will just farm XP at the best spot creating only one massive worthwhile battle on the field.seeing battle elsewhere but Crown is also a big plus. it could alleviate zerging and render issues too. I do hope u dont have to SEARCH for action though, if it spreads population too thin. Also I hope this will slow down the games pace to be more strategic/tactical.
Vehicle Update: Flash - meh, I don't care about this particular vehicle
Separate Score from Experience - don't care, I don't even follow my score/xp
Daily Medals/Achievements - This might make people play stupid in hopes of XP/certs. I do like the idea though, but I think it's gonna ruin the game. It's gonna be like the guys on BF who try to get a medal for knife kills and end up having 4/25 stats in each base battle, just playing stupid. Even I will propably end up playing like an idiot when I want more certs and ruin it for the people who do play seriously
Pump Action shotguns - nope, we have enough shotguns for now. Especially if they look very similar to the ones we allready have.
Spectator mode - might be good for anti-cheat, but can also be used for cheating possibly. I don't care either way, I never watch gameplay. I prefer to play myself.
Increase the number of vehicle cosmetic slots - sounds good

2013-02-06 06:01 PM

thegreekboy

Re: February Road Map Discussion

A VR training area where outfits can practice would be really nice

2013-02-08 12:49 AM

Wahooo

Re: February Road Map Discussion

Do we know how many or which items will make it into the game? This is kind of a lot of stuff really thinking about what a Dev team needs to do to get it all into the game.

Account Level Unlocks:
VR Training Area: Slowly but surely the things that WE said were very important and needed to be in the game... oh... 10 months ago, and they didn't see the need, they are getting it. Slowly but surely they are getting it. Sanctuaries by Summer?
Community Grief Reporting: Wanted for a while, the generic "report" seemed to me to be too much of a pain for the GM's. We really need to be able to say WHY we are /reporting people. I hate griefers.
Improved Item Preview: Not sure how this wasn't in at release anyway. Cash shop without a proper preview?
Empire Specific Rocket Launchers: I hate the Peenix... but the more ES stuff the better. Doesn't even have to have different properties just design and graphics would be enough for me, but I personally Love ES weapons.
Loadout Screen Revamp: Really something I want to test and give feedback for rather than just log in and have it changed. Small changes can be really good or confusing. Not game breaking but one of the little things that affects every game play session.
Regional Empire Priority System: Baby steps... we'll see.
Vehicle Update: Flash - We want to add new abilities and weapons to the Flash: I WANT MY WRAITH
Increase the number of vehicle cosmetic slots: Do want. Stupid how decked out my Sundy will be, especially since I probably won't put anything on any other vehicle.
Separate Score from Experience: Some people are good and like to wave their ePeen. Some people are bad and want to hide it. Most people are in the middle and really just like to see progress. I could care less.
Daily Medals/Achievements: really? Rewarding those that need instant gratification or be spoon-fed things to do in game? This is a step toward PVE in my book and doesn't belong.
Pump Action Shotguns: I dunno... would be way down on my list of things I'd get. Not sure Shotties are the weapons that need love.
Spectator Mode: Too many variables on the implementation to make any kind of comment. Generally spectator mode is good and fun.

2013-02-08 09:13 AM

Hamma

Re: February Road Map Discussion

We haven't heard that any of it won't make it yet.