gal drops/ transport gameplay?

[Frostedawg]

Ok so not sure if anyone has mentioned anything on if they are changing how galaxy's work and what not. I know id rather have gal drops function more like an actuall airborne drops... like instead of hopping in a seat and seeing the gal from 3rd person for a 2-10 min flight depending on where your going maybe having an interior to the gal with either side doors or a back door that the pilot can open and close. so you can walk onto the gal and see everyone inside... and a few things to go along with that maybe having an ams style inventory station inside the gal so that troops can re-arm and get weapons gear on the way to a drop... oh and parachutes that can be opened by the player so you can jump and pull or maybe freefall and open closer to the ground... I dont know i was just thinking if they are making over the flight mechanics maybe they could overhaul gal function...

[robocpf1]

and a few things to go along with that maybe having an ams style inventory station inside the gal so that troops can re-arm and get weapons gear on the way to a drop...

I believe they've mentioned the ability to spawn inside Galaxies, so even if there isn't a physical representation of what you can see inside the plane, I'm fairly certain they'll have an equipment interface for you to change gear before the drop.

Spawning inside Galaxies...man. Interesting.

[Manitou]

There was nothing more exciting than the hot drops we used to do. Three full Gals screaming in on a "low and fast", nosing up at the last minute to get some slight altitude and crossing the LZ. Then watching my troops drop in a tight ball over the selected target.

Beautiful...I hope this is still in the game.

[Hamma]

Indeed!

There will be galaxy drops in, I don't remember who said it at the event but they said it wouldn't be PlanetSide without Galaxy Drops :D

[CutterJohn]

I hope that landing is cooler though. I want to be dropped in a pod, with retros firing, it lands, and the pod blows apart.

Also, a bit of control over where you land would be nice. Enough steering to change where you land by 20m or so.

[Grimster]

Yepp, some of my best memories from Planetside and my time with my old outfit involved Galaxy drops.

I hope they work in similar way because anything else would be a dissapointment. I want to feel the same adrenaline rush when I drop through the sky with the rest of my squad mates and land on a hot enemy territory were utter chais starts and gun fire and explosions everywhere. :)

[Sirisian]

Would be cool if there was a skill upgrade to cloak the Galaxy when it's in AMS mode on the ground.

[Coreldan]

Would be cool if there was a skill upgrade to cloak the Galaxy when it's in AMS mode on the ground.

I was actually thinking about the same. Extremely specialized Gal pilots should be able to cloak the vehicle (much like you would do in real life by throwing some camo stuff on tanks etc when they arnt in use) while in ground. Naturally only while still and on ground, no invisible flying Galaxies, please :D

I don't think it necessarily has to work as AMS on the ground (maybe only in air, but i guess why not on ground too, but maybe op)

talking about invisible galaxies, wonder if Phantasm will return?

[Peacemaker]

Spawning in the galaxy was something I wrote into a fanfic story a while back, I don't know if they used that as the basis (I wish) but I always thought the idea was cool. Should be a big cool down to do it, but reinforcing the squad of a BD drop would be great. Replacing the casualties. A flying deployable AMS would be a little much I think.

[Coreldan]

Spawning in the galaxy was something I wrote into a fanfic story a while back, I don't know if they used that as the basis (I wish) but I always thought the idea was cool. Should be a big cool down to do it, but reinforcing the squad of a BD drop would be great. Replacing the casualties. A flying deployable AMS would be a little much I think.

I don't think it's really too much, if the amount of AA stays anywhere near the same.

[Soothsayer]

talking about invisible galaxies, wonder if Phantasm will return?

I think spawning in Phantasms could work if they were to give the nod to the Galaxy as the main air spawn point. Give the Galaxy a really kickass spawn timer bonus and dial the numbers back a bit for the Phantasm spawn timer. Phantasm could have a spawn timer that increases to a reasonable maximum based on how many people have been spawning in the last 2 (example) minutes.

[Bags]

I hope that landing is cooler though. I want to be dropped in a pod, with retros firing, it lands, and the pod blows apart.
.

***x202a;Armored Core 2 Playstation 2***x202c;‏ - YouTube

[Death2All]

I really hope to see some bugs with Galaxy spawning in the beta.


It would be epic to see a 100 person person gal drop.

[Bags]

It's rainin' men...

[Snow]

Gal drops were what made PS1 for me, it's one of the few aspects that I feel requires little to no change.
I'm not sure of being able to spawn in a galaxy is a great feature, I have this image of galaxy's circling overhead dropping an endless supply of troops.
Maybe galaxy's should only be spawn points when on the ground so that they can land behind the front line to fill up, fly over enemy positions to drop their load, then return to friendly territory to fill up again.

That would hopefully cut down on the amount of time you spend sitting in a half empty Gal waiting for more people to make it worth doing a Gal drop.

[Soothsayer]

Gal drops were what made PS1 for me, it's one of the few aspects that I feel requires little to no change.
I'm not sure of being able to spawn in a galaxy is a great feature, I have this image of galaxy's circling overhead dropping an endless supply of troops.
Maybe galaxy's should only be spawn points when on the ground so that they can land behind the front line to fill up, fly over enemy positions to drop their load, then return to friendly territory to fill up again.

That would hopefully cut down on the amount of time you spend sitting in a half empty Gal waiting for more people to make it worth doing a Gal drop.

I don't see the need for having a galaxy landed so everybody can spawn... If its circling the base you have the risk of getting shot down that is balanced with the reward of an awesome spawn point, if you decide to wait for a full load to spawn into the galaxy and drop all at once, you've got the safety of being away from the fight and the positive aspects of dropping a squad all at the same time.

[Coreldan]

Not to mention soon after the enemy realizes that the Gal in question is a highly specialized one, you are guaranteed to have a few Mossies and Reavers up your tail even if you would try to fly further away to give your squad members a chance to spawn into a full team before a new drop.

Naturally this is a thin line and while it can be overpowered, on paper it seems mostly fine due to how vulnerable a Galaxy is without help. I would at least test something along these lines in beta to see if it can work.

[Baneblade]

I believe they've mentioned the ability to spawn inside Galaxies, so even if there isn't a physical representation of what you can see inside the plane, I'm fairly certain they'll have an equipment interface for you to change gear before the drop.

Spawning inside Galaxies...man. Interesting.

I know there are more than a few Reaver pilots salivating at the idea of downing a flying AMS.

[Talek Krell]

I don't see a huge issue with allowing spawning in a gal while it's airborne. We already have AMSes for ground based spawning, and an air vehicle over hostile territory in Planetside is taking a pretty sizeable risk.

I'm curious whether they'll allow spawning in other ground/air transport vehicles, assuming they're in the game.

[Sirisian]

I don't see a huge issue with allowing spawning in a gal while it's airborne. We already have AMSes for ground based spawning, and an air vehicle over hostile territory in Planetside is taking a pretty sizeable risk.
Wait did they say we'll have AMS in the game? I don't remember them saying that. I could definitely see a galaxy taking over the roll. Spawning in a galaxy while it's flying seems odd really. I'd expect it to land and turn on an AMS mode with terminals. So players could spawn at it and jump inside if they wanted.

If we could spawn in the air it would need to be over friendly skies I'd think. Imagine hovering or flying in a circle over a base just dropping soldiers. That totally messes up the combat system we're used to I'd imagine.

[Death2All]

I hope that gal spawning is limited to squads/platoons because empire wide spawning in a gal would be for lack of a better word.....retarded.

[Bags]

I hope that gal spawning is limited to squads/platoons because empire wide spawning in a gal would be for lack of a better word.....retarded.

I don't think it will be anything more than that.

[Talek Krell]

Wait did they say we'll have AMS in the game?
They did. Or it's listed here at least: http://www.planetside-universe.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36527

I don't see spawning in an airborne gal over a base as significantly different from spawning in an AMS at a base. If you don't want people in your courtyard, kill the spawnpoint. If you can't kill the spawnpoint, then you've lost the courtyard.

It would also make sense to have this be a highly specialized role for the gal though, as someone else already mentioned. Like a module that would be interchangeable with heavier armor, or more cargo, or a proper weapons loadout. It should be more defensible than an AMS, but far more obvious.

[Snow]

The reason I would prefer Gals can not spawn over key enemy points is more to do with fun than balancing issues.
Gal drops are only really effective when it's a full drop and my fear is that by allowing players to spawn in air over enemy territory they will start to drop solo rather than as a team.
Even limiting it to just squad/platoon would not necessarily stop people from wanting to get back in the action so badly that they will drop solo without any though for teamplay.

In PS1 Gal drops were most successful when there was a plan, you all dropped together and everyone knew what they had to do and where they had to go when they landed. These were the times when I most felt part of a team and when it comes to game mechanics I will always judge it by "does this promote teamplay".

[Trolltaxi]

Current galaxy is a single pull one way air transport veichle. You pull it in the sanc, fly for some minutes then ditch it. Or it was a ferry from the tower to the base.

A gal as spawnpoint would have to circle around the battlefield to drop reinforcements on critical locations. PS-2 focuses more on open territory fights so it won't be just circling around a base till the enemy raises some mossies that scare you away. The battlefield will be far from your enemy too, you can spend more time in the air.

And I hope that specializing in the gal tree you will be able to add improved defensive or even offensive weaponry to your flying coffin. I'd love to see those 15 mils on the wingtips changed to AA-flak... :)

[Soothsayer]

The reason I would prefer Gals can not spawn over key enemy points is more to do with fun than balancing issues.
Gal drops are only really effective when it's a full drop and my fear is that by allowing players to spawn in air over enemy territory they will start to drop solo rather than as a team.
Even limiting it to just squad/platoon would not necessarily stop people from wanting to get back in the action so badly that they will drop solo without any though for teamplay.

In PS1 Gal drops were most successful when there was a plan, you all dropped together and everyone knew what they had to do and where they had to go when they landed. These were the times when I most felt part of a team and when it comes to game mechanics I will always judge it by "does this promote teamplay".

Yes it will encourage team play, you don't have to drop immediately. If you have an outfit that likes telling people exactly how to play, its up to the member to follow that playstyle. If you've already breached, you can treat it like a CY AMS and drop when you spawn.

Its options. Maybe the new gal will hold more people too, no real reason for it not to, especially with no entry/exit animations.

[Kietharr]

Gal drops were what made PS1 for me, it's one of the few aspects that I feel requires little to no change.
I'm not sure of being able to spawn in a galaxy is a great feature, I have this image of galaxy's circling overhead dropping an endless supply of troops.
Maybe galaxy's should only be spawn points when on the ground so that they can land behind the front line to fill up, fly over enemy positions to drop their load, then return to friendly territory to fill up again.

That would hopefully cut down on the amount of time you spend sitting in a half empty Gal waiting for more people to make it worth doing a Gal drop.


Even if it lets them spawn in the air it's not a big deal, nothing screams EVERYBODY SHOOT ME more than a gigantic aircraft circling an enemy base dropping enemy soldiers, it's not relatively small or invisible like an AMS.

If you can't kill it with aircraft you've lost air control, if you can't down it with AA maxes you've lost CY control, if you've lost both then you've lost the base anyways.

[Snow]

In PS1 people flew Gals because they were integral in getting troops to the front lines but as someone just mentioned in PS1 people generally flew them over a base for a drop and then discarded the Gal.

If you can spawn in a gal mid flight you're implying that someone would want to spend their time flying a gal in circles while everyone else spawned, dropped and got into the fight.

Convincing people to run regular AMS's to the front line was hard enough in PS1, now imagine that not only did that person have to spend time getting an AMS but if they exited the AMS it couldn't be used as a spawn point.

What would have to be done to make piloting a flying AMS enjoyable and rewarding for the pilot?

[Coreldan]

In PS1 people flew Gals because they were integral in getting troops to the front lines but as someone just mentioned in PS1 people generally flew them over a base for a drop and then discarded the Gal.

If you can spawn in a gal mid flight you're implying that someone would want to spend their time flying a gal in circles while everyone else spawned, dropped and got into the fight.

Convincing people to run regular AMS's to the front line was hard enough in PS1, now imagine that not only did that person have to spend time getting an AMS but if they exited the AMS it couldn't be used as a spawn point.

What would have to be done to make piloting a flying AMS enjoyable and rewarding for the pilot?

It can be sort of a more on-demand thing than an AMS. A skilled Gal pilot could for example land the gal and cloak it (with or without the AMS function, depends if it would be too good) and join the fight himself, until there's further use for the Galaxy.

It's not quite an easy thing to hide, which probably accounted for it's "use and discard" nature.

[Snow]

A skilled Gal pilot could for example land the gal and cloak it (with or without the AMS function, depends if it would be too good) and join the fight himself, until there's further use for the Galaxy.

Okay, that make sense to me, I can see how that would work and why an organises group would want to use it.

I would like to see benefits for those who have chosen to spec for a Gal over combat vehicles.
For example getting xp for each person you drop within a specific radius of a mission target.
Or something along that line.

[Coreldan]

Okay, that make sense to me, I can see how that would work and why an organises group would want to use it.

I would like to see benefits for those who have chosen to spec for a Gal over combat vehicles.
For example getting xp for each person you drop within a specific radius of a mission target.
Or something along that line.

Most certainly, I'd expect at least assists for each player (much like AMS?) you spawn and drop, naturally could be made more complicated if possible (such as dropping them in the right place like you mentioned)

[Talek Krell]

If they've chosen to spawn in your gal, then you're probably in the right spot, or at least closer than anything else. Something akin to the support XP in Planetside one should do the trick.

As for getting people to actually fly the gal, I don't think it would be an issue. Some people will do it because they enjoy it, some will do it because it's necessary, and most will probably just land it in the CY once they feel an area is under control. You could let it deploy and cloak, but that seems a bit OP if it can also fly and spawn troops while moving. Plus, I don't want to obsolete the AMS if that's also going to be in.

[Sentrosi]

As a pilot on many Galaxy drops I'm hoping that in order to spawn in the Galaxy, you need to be within a friendly SOI. I loved the planning for a Galaxy operation; getting the squad to matrix to a friendly base, getting everyone into the Galaxy within 20 seconds and taking off before the inevitable OS came raining down from space. Then the anticipation of getting to the target, seeing all my Dragonwolf passengers drop in a tight spread at the backdoor, then turn n burn out of the hot zone to rendezvous with my squad back at the matrixed base.

That's what made Planetside for me. Devs, please don't dumb down the Galaxy drops. And I know you are reading this. Because you know what is cool and what needs to be fixed with PS2. The Galaxy does not need to be fixed.

[Bags]

That's what made Planetside for me. Devs, please don't dumb down the Galaxy drops. And I know you are reading this. Because you know what is cool and what needs to be fixed with PS2. The Galaxy does not need to be fixed.

Are you implying it took skill to walk up to a galaxy and hit G?

Seems like a huge time saver without removing any depth.

[exLupo]

Are you implying it took skill to walk up to a galaxy and hit G?

"in order to spawn in the Galaxy, you need to be within a friendly SOI"

It's not about getting in the boat. It's about not being able to fly in a holding pattern over a suppressed base and literally rain down drop pods as soldiers spawn into it. However, with on-squad drop spawning, this is apparently going to happen without a galaxy, sundy or AMS even being present.

My corp had a guy who was a dedicated Gal pilot and being able to organize, load up, fly to destination, drop, escape and get ready for another run was important. Instant board or no.

[Talek Krell]

I was a gal pilot in my outfit. Orders were always to ditch the thing and join the squad, since it was generally faster to just respawn with the group and pull a new one. One of the reasons I like the idea of being able to mission fit a gal as a spawn point is that it provides motivation to keep it in the air instead of trying to ditch it onto an AA max, which seemed to be the general strategy when I played.

If customizing the gal to act as a spawn point required sacrificing, say, speed and firepower to support the troops you drop then maybe you'd see people using both methods depending on the situation?

[Bags]

"in order to spawn in the Galaxy, you need to be within a friendly SOI"

It's not about getting in the boat. It's about not being able to fly in a holding pattern over a suppressed base and literally rain down drop pods as soldiers spawn into it. However, with on-squad drop spawning, this is apparently going to happen without a galaxy, sundy or AMS even being present.

My corp had a guy who was a dedicated Gal pilot and being able to organize, load up, fly to destination, drop, escape and get ready for another run was important. Instant board or no.

Why is nobody shooting it down?

[Baneblade]

They have to know there is a gal to shoot down first.

[Bags]

So if you're raining drop pods why is no one aware there's a galaxy?

[Coreldan]

Which reminds me, they mentioned about lifting the flight ceiling up, how does this go with AA? At least as NC AA Max, at times Liberators/Galaxies can fly high enough to be unable to lock on to them?

I'm aware of the lock on-hate going on in many threads and personally I like using flak weaponry more, but supposing that there will be some stuff that can lock on, it also requires that the draw distance is equally much (which can kill performance for many). Getting killed by things you can't even see is lame (although I don't mind the flail too much for other reasons)

[Lunarchild]

So if you're raining drop pods why is no one aware there's a galaxy?

They're all inside? In that case they may as well have a CY AMS, but that's besides the point... I think. That, or they're blind, AFK, don't know how to look up, or something along those lines...

[Baneblade]

So if you're raining drop pods why is no one aware there's a galaxy?

There are a lot of ways to do a galaxy insertion that don't automatically tell the enemy it is happening until it is too late. And I'm sure PS2 will expand on that.

[Snow]

I imagine that a spawning Gal would fly over enemy positions, drop their load, then fly back to a safer point rather than circling overhead while they wait for people to respawn, then fly back over the enemy position to drop their load again. Rinse and repeat.

[Talek Krell]

There are a lot of ways to do a galaxy insertion that don't automatically tell the enemy it is happening until it is too late. And I'm sure PS2 will expand on that.

Yes, but none of them involve circling a base raining troops from the sky.

[Baneblade]

Yes, but none of them involve circling a base raining troops from the sky.

Indeed, but I thank the players in advance who will be doing that. They provide cover for myself.