Drop pods, and the lack of SOI.

[MrBloodworth]

Edit:
I'm comfortable with the Explanation, and plan Matt Higby outlined in the recent AGN video.

See here:

http://youtu.be/rO9syubHTK0?hd=1&t=47m57s

Original post:
While watching the various videos come out, I noticed there is no restriction on where a drop pod can be landed.

If Planetside is to be a war game. This is a problem. In war games, Terrain ( Roads, valleys, bridges ETC.. ), defensive points ( Gun encampments, Infantry, base defenses, gates, ETC... ), and direction of forces is important. The current implementation bypasses all of that, and allows for a heavily armed unit to bypass any defenses in play, including terrain, walls or other immoveable features. Its also on a personal timer, unlike the HART, that's was a Reinforcement mechanic across empires.

This means that enemy movement is random, from all sides, with no fronts.

In another game ( Section 8 ), this was balanced with user placed Auto defense guns that would need to be removed by ground or air units to open this possibility. A good compromise.

This is drastically different then the circumventing of the above using things like the galaxy drop ships, as those methods require exposure up to the point of deployment.

EDIT:

*Drop pods ( not just higby ) all over a base, no SOI blocking the deployment of them. Weakens any form of assault or defense front. At 28:12 Higby drop pods RIGHT ON TO A CAPTURE POINT ROOF, walks in uncontested, and caps the points.

http://youtu.be/017I9ghLsYA?hd=1&t=28m12s

*Bases are not designed to be defended, apparently. They look like death match/arena areas.

*Lack of working doors.

*Watch here, to see drop pods fall like rain right onto a base, to the point where one slides off the center spire.

http://youtu.be/017I9ghLsYA?hd=1&t=25m34s

PLEASE PUT BACK SOI OVER ANY CAPTURE POINT OR BASE.

How it should be:


How it currently is:

[Stardouser]

Aren't some people concerned about light assault getting into hard to reach places? This means everyone else but MAXs will be able to do it too.

[Cuross]

It would be worth noting that those folks we saw hotdropping directly into the base were spawning on squad. Not sure how I feel about that new feature for precisely the reasons you mentioned, because if you happened to have been a forward infil team and died, you could always spawn and come back as a heavy assault, stripping off your cloak and lack of shields for a heavy AR and higher survivability.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by WildVS

What are these guys supposed to be dropping from?

HART Shuttle I guess.

[MercDT]

I watched the stream last night and they were in fact drop podding into the base.

I do recall someone from SOE stating that squad members will not be able to drop into bases...so maybe it hasn't been implemented yet? Much like the MAX units not being able to get into tanks.

edit: There is no HART. This is the squad spawning mechanic.

[CutterJohn]

I agree that the spawning into the middle of the base is a bit much, but remember that we don't know what the reuse timer on the squad spawn is. We know for a fact they intend it to be an occasional luxury rather than a reliable method of getting reinforcements on site. Section 8, while having a similar mechanic, had it as the only spawn method.


I'm thinking this really won't be much of an issue.

[Figment]

Originally Posted by WildVS

What are these guys supposed to be dropping from?

I didn't quite hear your question, but the answer is aliens.

[SpcFarlen]

Originally Posted by WildVS

What are these guys supposed to be dropping from?

Same place you get orbital strikes from. SPAAAAIIIICEEE!


Theres a cooldown on using the pod. It has to be on your squad leader. No you cant spawn on anyone. That was just in E3 Demo to show it off because of limited numbers.

[MrBloodworth]

Originally Posted by MercDT

I watched the stream last night and they were in fact drop podding into the base.

I do recall someone from SOE stating that squad members will not be able to drop into bases...so maybe it hasn't been implemented yet? Much like the MAX units not being able to get into tanks.

edit: There is no HART. This is the squad spawning mechanic.

Perhaps it is not implemented, or this is intended. But until it is, I'm going to comment. I feel its necessary to bring such things up. Its why we are here.

Originally Posted by Cuross

It would be worth noting that those folks we saw hotdropping directly into the base were spawning on squad. Not sure how I feel about that new feature for precisely the reasons you mentioned, because if you happened to have been a forward infil team and died, you could always spawn and come back as a heavy assault, stripping off your cloak and lack of shields for a heavy AR and higher survivability.

I too do not like this leapfrog ability. Its a logistics issue for me.

[ikon]

didnt they mention a few times that a lot of the features in game wont be there later on.

just to get good fights for the e3 viewing

[Xyntech]

I'm somewhat concerned with this, although in it's present form it has a long cooldown so it won't completely negate the Galaxy.

I wouldn't mind seeing it limited to being unable to drop within a small radius around a base. Explain it away as some sort of defensive gun that can only shoot down high altitude drop pods directly over the base or some such bullshit.

Also, we saw MAXes squad spawning in drop pads, so even MAXes would be able to get to some of these strange locations. I'm not concerned about that part though, as Galaxies will be able to get people in weird spots as well. The only part that concerns me is that it could infringe on the Galaxies role a little too much. I'd like to see the Galaxy still used as a transport, not only as a spawn point.

Originally Posted by ikon

didnt they mention a few times that a lot of the features in game wont be there later on.

just to get good fights for the e3 viewing

That's true. We don't really know which ones will or won't. I can certainly see the value in having them drop anywhere during E3, since the playable space isn't that much larger than the base itself.

But it is something to keep an eye on.

[Figment]

So who'd like to see infils take a base's "Orbital Defenses" offline so players can HART into a SOI/base area, which would otherwise have been prevented through some lore/gimmick/apple pie/doohicky/sentry gun/automated SAM missile site with built-in fax-modem and minibar?

[SpcFarlen]

Originally Posted by Xyntech

I'm somewhat concerned with this, although in it's present form it has a long cooldown so it won't completely negate the Galaxy.

I wouldn't mind seeing it limited to being unable to drop within a small radius around a base. Explain it away as some sort of defensive gun that can only shoot down high altitude drop pods directly over the base or some such bullshit.

Also, we saw MAXes squad spawning in drop pads, so even MAXes would be able to get to some of these strange locations. I'm not concerned about that part though, as Galaxies will be able to get people in weird spots as well. The only part that concerns me is that it could infringe on the Galaxies role a little too much. I'd like to see the Galaxy still used as a transport, not only as a spawn point.

The galaxy allows you to drop troops in an area without any. For the pods to work you need your Squad lead to get there. That is a big distinctions to make too.

[Canaris]

this can be ironed out in beta

[The Kush]

You should not be able to squad spawn inside a base, near a base, or dropped near or on a base (unless from a galaxy) DEVS PLEASE BRING BACK THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE SOLELY FOR RESPAWN REASONS