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John Smedley on Future of PlanetSide 2

John Smedley took to Reddit yesterday to post an update on the current and future state of PlanetSide 2. In the post he touches on PC vs PS4, the Resource System, Staffing and more.

In the near term, we're adding more people to the Planetside 2 team (hopefully bringing some people back that were former team members) to help us get our development bandwidth to where we want it to be. However, we have plenty of horsepower to deliver on some amazing things this summer already.

The plan is simple - We are going to be taking Planetside 2 to where it needs to be and finally address the stuff should have already. The metagame. We will once and for all be getting the Meta to where it just has to be. That means a comprehensive change that will involve completely revamping resources, changing what territory control means and spending a lot of time giving you reasons to fight. All of this will be done in a fully transparent manner in which we actually put our internal design docs out there for your comment and feedback.

Check out the full post here. What are your thoughts on PlanetSide 2.0? Post up in the comments thread.

64 comments
2015-05-08 10:09 AM
Source: Reddit
Latest Comments
2015-09-28 05:51 PM
Crator
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

Originally Posted by Canaris View Post
Another gimmick that will fail along with all the other useless gimmicks of Planetside 2, if it's not an proper intercontinental warfare and another load of continents then it's the wrong thing to be working on.
This sounds promising but currently just hope.

New Victory Conditions PC/PS4

Capturing continents will use a new “Victory Points” system that represents a faction’s overall progress toward locking down a continent. Alert wins will no longer immediately lock a continent. Alerts, Territory Control, and new condition types (like linking one warp gate to another) will factor into a faction’s current Victory Points.
2015-09-28 06:12 PM
Calista
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

Originally Posted by Crator View Post
This sounds promising but currently just hope.
Are there enough players now for more than just one continent of decent fights?
2015-10-02 07:01 AM
OpolE
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

ITS OCTOBER! WHERES THE FEKKING UPDATE!

Broken promises throughout PS2 again deja vu
2015-10-05 06:15 AM
Mordelicius
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

Originally Posted by OpolE View Post
ITS OCTOBER! WHERES THE FEKKING UPDATE!

Broken promises throughout PS2 again deja vu
They cancelled Smedley's 2.0 mandate since he's no longer there. Unfortunate, b/c he's pretty much eschewed hubris and based much of the 2.0 outlined update on our feedback. That's right, he's essentially acknowledging players understand pvp dynamics more than the developers. And why not? The majority of the PS2 team are PvE-centric players.

Their new focus is on base-building, which again begs the question: what's the value of those buildings in the first place?

Batman, the Dark Knight, isn't going to camp a far-and-out empty warehouse in middle of the desert, fortify it with the latest defensive gears and gizmos while staking out the Joker to pounce.

At the same time the Joker isn't going to waste his biological gases and destructive bombs on empty building in the middle of the desert. The Joker's going to pick a high-value target in the city and it's up to Batman to interdict his movements there (not in the desert).

Is it still not clicking that the buildings/facilities need to have importance first?

But yeah, RIP 2.0

2015-10-12 03:07 PM
Calista
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

Took 'em 3 years but I hear sanctuaries are coming back.
2015-10-16 07:38 PM
p0intman
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

Originally Posted by Calista View Post
Took 'em 3 years but I hear sanctuaries are coming back.
not that it matters, but source or stfu
2015-10-20 02:44 AM
Mordelicius
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

Originally Posted by p0intman View Post
not that it matters, but source or stfu
https://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/...almost/cvu42cx

1) Short term goals is to address early retention, late game malaise, and revenue. The later might set off alarm bells, but, guys & gals, it is an amazing game that we are providing for free and we need to provide more compelling opportunities to spend money. This is simply a fact of life so the game gets the support it needs.
2) We are going to try a few things that I think will actually help a lot, though they are fairly straight forward. First, I want to surface achievements more. Make goals more clearly apparent to new players so the "Welcome to Planetside" effect does not deter them so quickly. Second, we're actually going to add a lobby to the game, so when you enter, it isn't disorienting and throwing you into the frying pan, causing you to go through all these load screens to get were you really wanted to go, etc. I can't wait to share more details on how we will be implementing that. I hope you like it. As a Planetside fan myself, I think it is super cool.
Ermahgerd Nerd!
3) Yates? hmmm. That should be self evident.
Now they say 'retention'. I've been saying this since launch. Dec. 2012
http://www.planetside-universe.com/s...0&postcount=29

Originally Posted by Mordelicius View Post
Faction balance first before promotions.

Gameplay balance first before promotions.

They may lure in alot of new players but all these imbalances will simply enfuriate them.

Faction balance - Overpowered Vanu camps Esamir so they can spam overpowered Magriders. NC and TR leaves for Indar. whoever is losing that fight goes to Amerish. So you got a 3 different faction concentrated on 3 different continents. Then, all 3 factions will switch continents for easy capping on empty bases, rinse and repeat.

Gameplay balance - Air units need to be nerfed or be more expensive. I've never used air units before because I prefer infantry, but these units get too much kills and advantage.

Small/Medium base spawn rooms needs retooling to allow infantry to get out and not get farmed by air or mechanized units as soon as they step out. Give them 3 double-width doors. Open up the roof with shields so players shoot the hoovering aircraft right above the room while their nose is pointing just outside the door.

They can grab all the players they can with these promos but they will simply leave once they realise the game balance is out of whack.

Planetside 2 is 3 barrels leaking water (players). Instead of patching the holes, they focused on pouring in more on the top with their errant promos.

Also, told them that the new measures aren't nearly enough to tide attrition.
http://www.planetside-universe.com/s...702#post960702
http://www.planetside-universe.com/s...687#post960687

They don't like PvP and they don't listen to PvPers.
Their attitude is We-are-the-developers-therefore-we-got-this.
Developers (who mainly play PvE games) attempting a 100% PvP MMOFPS game while blatantly ignoring PvPers.
The last time I played on PTS, the Devs were testing out the game demo for the PS4 crowd. They parked the offensive spawn Sunderer in the worst possible spots in the tech plant. So, that's a dead giveaway these guys never assaulted a tech plant before. If I hadn't put a correct spawn, the fight would have gone nowhere b/c they are simply getting picked off piecemeal as soon as they spawn.
2015-10-23 04:06 AM
Mordelicius
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

https://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/...coming_to_pts/

Amp Station Benefit
Amp station will give facility turrets the ability to fire three times as long before overheating; it also gives facility turrets the ability to auto repair at a rate of 0 to full in three minutes.
Bio Lab Benefit
Biolab benefit will act just like Implant Regen 2 while in friendly territory (huge heal buff) and will over ride implant regen 1 & 2 while active (no stacking). Implant 3 & 4 effects will over ride the Bio Lab benefit at all times. MAX's are not healed by Biolab benefit.
Hossin Benefit
MAX cost reduction has been removed, Hossin will now provide vehicle/aircraft repairs at friendly ammo towers/pads.
Note;
We are still on the fence about whether or not these changes will make in to Live in next week’s planned victory condition update
Interesting start (many say this reflects PS1?) especially with the new Victory Conditions. Hopefully (eventually) they can put forth a more robust system of interrelated facility benefits. I suggested: http://www.planetside-universe.com/s...702#post960702

Instead they can implement something that can help the overall longevity of faction warfare

Example: last year I've suggested Stolen Tech Cert lines ( I can't seem to find the post...)

A player can use an enemy faction's gear so long as they are certed in that particular branch AND your faction is holding the appropriate facilities

Requirement: NC controls 3 Indar Biolabs + 1 Tech Plant + NC player has certed into VS Max Stolen Tech Cert tree
Temporary Benefit: NC Player in Indar can pull VS Maxes (with NC color scheme) as long as the requirements are met.

Requirement: NC in Indar controls 3 Tech plant + 1 Amp station + NC player certed into TR MBT Stolen Tech tree
Temporary Benefit : NC player in Indar can pull NC colored Prowlers as long as the requirements are met.

Many base combinations can be tied to a specific Empire-Specific Stolen Tech lines. (If the Devs wish, they can use a more complex system of allowing blueprints/components carried/installed to and from facilities).

What's the value of the Stolen Tech Tree?
- High level Cert sink (totally separate from owning other Empire characters)
- Giving bases meaning and benefits.
- Players will queue to beneficial continent so they can pull a stolen tech gear. PS2 Devs like continental queue since it gives priority to premium members.
- Rewards faction loyalist. Before, all players are encouraged to use all 3 factions so SOE (DBG) can sell their gear 3x. But what about a one-empire-only players (such as myself). We can invest on the Stolen Tech cert lines.

An NC loyalist can fully cert towards any Vanu or TR Stolen Tech Cert trees. This is a much better alternative to just destroying any semblance of faction identity and any faction-based warfare derived from it.

In summary: Want access to enemy faction empire specific gears? Cert into Stolen Tech trees and capture pertinent bases.
2015-10-31 06:10 PM
Calista
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

I think what they need to do for the future they are already doing. Slender down PS2 and put more into the future game which was mentioned in a Reddit post. Pretty sure I know what it is and if so then yea good call.
2015-11-02 01:54 PM
OpolE
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

Whens this fekking september ANT ready? Sept 2016? TOSSERS
2015-11-07 08:15 PM
Calista
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

DBG I implore and expect better of you in this next game. You know the limitations in engine technology, please do not push it and expect micro-transactions to fund it further. We would much rather pay monthly for a game that is truly inspiring albeit limiting, though thought invoking. Challenge us and we will respond with dollars!
2015-11-09 08:26 PM
SArais
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

Sanctuaries huh? Better keep going and overhaul the entire system.

Let's make planetside 2 like planetside 1. Because what we had/have is the wrong direction.
2015-11-13 11:18 AM
Xaine
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

As has been mentioned in this thread several times, make it more like Planetside 1.

I'm not quite sure how the design for Planetside 2 got into a place where it needs a 'complete' overhaul, but then again, the development and general design direction if Planetside 2 has always been a complete and utter fucking clown car - so no shocks there I suppose.

It's always blown my mind how SoE/Daybreak could take such a fantastic game, years ahead of it's time - and then with more money, better technology and larger dev team, somehow turn it's sequel into such an unmitigated disaster.

The engine is fine, the moment to moment gameplay is great, the art is great - the game design is some of the worst I've ever seen.

Amazing how a game that people can play for free, with such high development cost and time invested - can have so few people playing it.
2015-12-31 08:25 PM
Mordelicius
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

Originally Posted by OpolE View Post
Whens this fekking september ANT ready? Sept 2016? TOSSERS
The ANT is out on PTS. In its current iteration, it's nothing but Harasser fodder. The classic cert pinata (that's not to mention aircraft vultures).

Tanks are slow but it's sturdy and hits hard.
Sunderers are slow too with medium weapons, but are bulky enough to survive.

ANTs however won't be able to exist for long in the battlefield. I noticed resources spawn behind the frontlines. Even so these things will be hunted down easily. Even with escorts, how do you prevent harassers/tanks from hitting these things? Heck, stealth Flash should be able to ambush them).

It has to be:
1) the sturdiest of all ground vehicles (barring deployed/shielded Sundy)
2) the weakest-hitting of all vehicles (including the Flash)
3) given 3 sidegrade options:
- extra Armor
- Turbo (5 second speed boost)
- Radar
It's up to the players whether they want avoidance (radar), escape (turbo), or survivability (extra armor).

I doubt they will give this thing stealth. It would me it consequently overpowered.

One thing they have to prevent is the advent of Battle ANTs. Hence, it shouldn't be able to scratch anything more than light armor.

They didn't heed my warning against Battle Sundies. I suggested, weapon damage should be halved/disabled when deployed and armor/shield doubled and allowed to be repairable. That's why I prompted it. Being an exclusive Sundy driver/spawner, I knew the exact weakness and strength of these things.

I remember fighting the old NUC when the Harassers got nerfed. They tried the Battle Sundy spam immediately that same day. I just sniped and broke apart their formation with a Spear Turret from a tower. I waited until they are separated, before I shouted "NUC Sundies incoming N NE NW". And I believe this was before the series of Sundy buffs. They just hunted them down and tore them up. Still believe to this day that NUC broke up b/c of the Harassers and TR Max nerfs.

SOE/DBG ignored our warnings about ZOE and Harassers, both disastrous to game balance and population. They finally listened with the Valkyrie release (was it that bad? They buffed it incrementally).

The ANT has to fit in the battlefied (I don't mean combat-wise but survivability-wise). I used to roll Scout Radar Flash. I run in straight to the enemy lines and hide behind the rocks. Every enemy within 100m radius is lighted up. I just say "clear" and the rest will follow suit because enemies are hightlighted.

When they released the Harassers, Scout Radar Flash lost its niche. All that is left for Flashes are the Stealth Ambushers. One has to pick Stealth or Radar. If I pick stealth so I don't get fodderized by the Harassers, its moot because there's no radar. ANTs, I dont' see how it will survive long enough.
2016-01-01 05:18 AM
ringring
Re: Smedley - "Planetside 2 2.0 in September"

Do you think a relatively weak ant will force cooperation and by that I mean troop of 1 ant plus protection in the form a harrassers and/or battle sundies?

I suspect it will depend on the reward at the end of it. If the base that can be built at the end of all all this is powerful and not easily knocked-out then maybe outfits will think the end result is worth the effort.
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