News: Several New Weapons Available

[DirtyBird]

imo

The new NC Razor GD-23 is exactly the same as the AC-X11, in looks and stats.

And I'd take the NC LA80 over the new Longshot as well.
Faster reload and greater accuracy vs a wee bit of damage increase which you wont notice if you snipe anyway.
(tbh nothing really wrong with the NC14 Bolt Driver)


Nice to see new stuff being added though.

[Juryrig]

Originally Posted by moosepoop

people like cool looking armor, people like cool looking guns.

Yup, and are willing to pay for them. Certainly I'd be more likely to spend a little more on SC if I was getting something that looked noticeably different. Someone should prod their art department and point out that, despite the fact that it's a future/sci fi setting and hence they have artistic free rein they've come up with less visual variety than you'd get in the window of a contemporary gun store*

Originally Posted by MrBloodworth

Well, don't forget Camos and such work on guns too.

True. And, yes, I have spent money on that too

*disclaimer we really don't have gun stores in the UK, and those we do have don't keep their merchandise in the window. But you see the point, I'm sure.

*edit to add* always happy to see new stuff added, though especially so soon after launch. Hopefully it'll keep coming in a consistent steady trickle.

[Miffy]

They all look the same to me.

[artifice]

Originally Posted by moosepoop

why cant they make the guns look different? WHY?????????!!

The more models there are, the more data that needs to be transferred from client to server. It's also the more models that have to be rendered by a client.

[Strube]

Perhaps they could implement something along the lines of the Steam Workshop? It would go something like this:

- Submit weapon model.
- People vote for their favorites.
- Devs take best ones, probably modify the model a little, decide on stats.
- Put it in game.
- The player who submitted it would get a small fraction of the SC that people spend on that weapon (Say 1 SC per purchase).

This would give Devs a theoretically limitless supply of content to add and give players imput on what they want the game to look like! This program seems to work well enough for TF2, which runs on a similar business model!

More info: http://www.teamfortress.com/workshop/

[SturmovikDrakon]

Originally Posted by Strube

Perhaps they could implement something along the lines of the Steam Workshop? It would go something like this:

- Submit weapon model.
- People vote for their favorites.
- Devs take best ones, probably modify the model a little, decide on stats.
- Put it in game.
- The player who submitted it would get a small fraction of the SC that people spend on that weapon (Say 1 SC per purchase).

This would give Devs a theoretically limitless supply of content to add and give players imput on what they want the game to look like! This program seems to work well enough for TF2, which runs on a similar business model!

More info: http://www.teamfortress.com/workshop/

They do have something like this. It's called Player Studio and they already have it with EQ2, but it could be months(unlikely) or years until it's implemented

[artifice]

Originally Posted by SturmovikDrakon

They do have something like this. It's called Player Studio and they already have it with EQ2, but it could be months(unlikely) or years until it's implemented

It will never be implemented because the number of models and textures is a limitation that must be accepted when dealing with this many players fighting in the same area at once.

[MrBloodworth]

Originally Posted by artifice

The more models there are, the more data that needs to be transferred from client to server. It's also the more models that have to be rendered by a client.

Not...quite. Models and textures ( in PS2's case, heavy shader use ) are on the client.

Textures take way more memory than models do on modern hardware. Also, most objects in game are using tiny, tiny images in the shader pipeline, hence all the repetitive patterns on players and objects ( Easy to do in a sifi theme ). Even tanks are using tiny images ( like 32 x 32 ) in most cases with a normal map layer underneath. Camo is the same way, they just change the color/diffuse image and the rest, the grit, grime and normal lighting data is all still intact.

In the case of the current guns. Its all modular, the but, barrel, clips, textures are all preexist meaning that the overhead is Nill. Its already been loaded. Shaders can then provide the variance with no change to the geometry.

If you look close, the scratches and "grit" are reused across guns, vehicles and environment. They did this with Everquest 2 many years ago, this is clearly a refinement of that.

Front loading all assets was a problem in PS1, and is what lead to no room for additions. Look at the Flame thrower from PS1, its all repurposed textures...so was the Place-able shield. I believe that was part of a generator.

[artifice]

Originally Posted by MrBloodworth

Not...quite. Models and textures ( in PS2's case, heavy shader use ) are on the client.

Textures take way more memory than models do on modern hardware. Also, most objects in game are using tiny, tiny images in the shader pipeline, hence all the repetitive patterns on players and objects ( Easy to do in a sifi theme ). Even tanks are using tiny images ( like 32 x 32 ) in most cases with a normal map layer underneath. Camo is the same way, they just change the color/diffuse image and the rest, the grit, grime and normal lighting data is all still intact.

In the case of the current guns. Its all modular, the but, barrel, clips, textures are all preexist meaning that the overhead is Nill. Its already been loaded. Shaders can then provide the variance with no change to the geometry.

If you look close, the scratches and "grit" are reused across guns, vehicles and environment. They did this with Everquest 2 many years ago, this is clearly a refinement of that.

Front loading all assets was a problem in PS1, and is what lead to no room for additions. Look at the Flame thrower from PS1, its all repurposed textures...so was the Place-able shield. I believe that was part of a generator.

Actually, yes, quite. When a model comes into view, there is information being sent from the server to the client, and back to the server to inform the client and verify to the server that the model and texture are both being used. Textures and models are client side in every MMO, with server side checks to verify the model and texture has not been modified. This is a lot of information being handled as information needs to be sent and verified for every texture and model to every single client in view of it.

Each new model has a new texture, they are a package deal, and while a single model and texture takes up a small amount of memory, the more there are, the more it has to store. Which means the more crippling it is for weaker systems to handle.

[Juryrig]

Originally Posted by Juryrig

I'm actually MORE relieved that they are minor variations on existing themes rather than flat out 'buy these to be better' additions, although I can see people seeing the VS option as a genuine upgrade.

Having just trialled the new Vanu Carbine, the Serpent, I may have to reconsider my position on whether or not it is a genuine upgrade.

It's an absolute beast. Mad ROF, very low recoil. Longer reload time, so it's a bit all or nothing - if you haven't killed them with one clip then they're probably going to kill you. But.....well, lets just say the Solstice feels pretty lame to go back to.

[AThreatToYou]

Originally Posted by artifice

Actually, yes, quite. When a model comes into view, there is information being sent from the server to the client, and back to the server to inform the client and verify to the server that the model and texture are both being used. Textures and models are client side in every MMO, with server side checks to verify the model and texture has not been modified. This is a lot of information being handled as information needs to be sent and verified for every texture and model to every single client in view of it.

Each new model has a new texture, they are a package deal, and while a single model and texture takes up a small amount of memory, the more there are, the more it has to store. Which means the more crippling it is for weaker systems to handle.

I don't think you are completely understanding the process. The process you describe would be very secure, but it would be very inefficient. Too inefficient for PlanetSide 2.

The game has to check a model only once, not every time its loaded and nor does it have to check who can see who by model. Players are loaded as point-text as far as communicated between client and server; models are then attached by the client. The server needs to check them only once, no questions asked, because as long as everything is put together correctly, nothing will happen when it's not supposed to happen. I can already evidence that models and visibility are not cross-checked because I have been regularly hit in my Lightning by infantry attacks that I cannot see.

About the only issue with adding more models is the memory footprint, because the game is not 64-bit, it actually has a hard-cap.

[Palerion]

Lol I don't think I'll be buying any guns... Still the same old models, same old bullets, same old everything except for a few stats. Nothing original really. I'd love to see SOE step up and make some weapons that actually seem unique.

[artifice]

Originally Posted by AThreatToYou

I don't think you are completely understanding the process. The process you describe would be very secure, but it would be very inefficient. Too inefficient for PlanetSide 2.

The game has to check a model only once, not every time its loaded and nor does it have to check who can see who by model. Players are loaded as point-text as far as communicated between client and server; models are then attached by the client. The server needs to check them only once, no questions asked, because as long as everything is put together correctly, nothing will happen when it's not supposed to happen. I can already evidence that models and visibility are not cross-checked because I have been regularly hit in my Lightning by infantry attacks that I cannot see.

About the only issue with adding more models is the memory footprint, because the game is not 64-bit, it actually has a hard-cap.

There's absolutely no way they aren't checking each individual model and texture as it comes into range. It would allow for model hacks and it needs to tell client B that client A is coming into range with model and texture A and vice-versa. Otherwise client B would never know client A was around. The only other option is to tell all clients on the server that client A is using a specific weapon at the point of loading into the map and every time a new person logged into the server, that would be beyond inefficient for the client and server.

You being hit by people you cannot see is part of the limitation. They prioritize which models and textures are loaded because there is such heavy limitations. This is a case where client A was informed about client B, but not vice-versa because client B was not notified of what models and textures client A had. The more models they add, the more limitations they will need to set on what is loaded.

[MonthOLDpickle]

Holy that VS carbine..just tested it out.

[MrBloodworth]

Originally Posted by artifice

There's absolutely no way they aren't checking each individual model and texture as it comes into range. It would allow for model hacks and it needs to tell client B that client A is coming into range with model and texture A and vice-versa. Otherwise client B would never know client A was around. The only other option is to tell all clients on the server that client A is using a specific weapon at the point of loading into the map and every time a new person logged into the server, that would be beyond inefficient for the client and server.

You being hit by people you cannot see is part of the limitation. They prioritize which models and textures are loaded because there is such heavy limitations. This is a case where client A was informed about client B, but not vice-versa because client B was not notified of what models and textures client A had. The more models they add, the more limitations they will need to set on what is loaded.

No. just no.