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.

[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.

[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.

[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?

[MercDT]

Originally Posted by MrBloodworth

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.

By all means, comment. This is why we need to give them feedback even though we're not in beta.

I think I also remember reading somewhere that you can only "spawn" on your squad leaders, not squad members...which is something that the squad leader has to cert him/her self into.

[SpcFarlen]

Originally Posted by MercDT

By all means, comment. This is why we need to give them feedback even though we're not in beta.

I think I also remember reading somewhere that you can only "spawn" on your squad leaders, not squad members...which is something that the squad leader has to cert him/her self into.

Ya for E3 they set it for everyone. Makes a better demo for those that hop on and play for a few minutes. They get into the action fast, get a feel, and all that jazz.

Its not going to be there at launch or beta.

[Meecrob]

I, for one, am really happy how squad spawn turned out. Not BF style where you just appear next to someone, but with the droppod. The cooldown of 120 sec seems perfect to me aswell. Good job devs!

[Boone]

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.

I remember hearing this as well. I didn't see the stream yet. I also thought when you spawn on squad it can take a while. The footage the other day had shown it was going to take a good minute or so before he could spawn.

[MrBloodworth]

Originally Posted by Boone

I remember hearing this as well. I didn't see the stream yet. I also thought when you spawn on squad it can take a while. The footage the other day had shown it was going to take a good minute or so before he could spawn.

I have no issue with timers on squad spawn. I have issue with lack of restrictions on dropping on a base, and the effect it has on siege/flow of attack on said base.

I even made Pictures!

[Goldeh]

Ya, I'd like some sort of restriction on Drop pods beyond a timer.

Would be kind of lame just to have people negate "the plan" by poding on the roof or something.

[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.

[ringring]

Originally Posted by 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.

However arclegger said he looked forward to a tactic of a cloaker in baswe and the entire squad spwning on him to cause mayhem:- this implies the timer os on the spawner and not the spawnee as I had assumed.

I'm not in favour of it tbh.

RE: SOI, I wonder how the calculate base capture/resecure xp? Without an SOI I presume it is a straight amout each time.

[ringring]

Originally Posted by 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.

Personally I am thinking it will be abused. A couple of your guys are killed, so you wait until there are a few more, and then you all drop together on the roof of a facility.

If a timer is going to stop abuse it will have to be long ... 20-30 minutes.

The other thing that seemed to happen is after the 'dropee' landed he was active immediately. There was no vunerable period.