Vehicle Crew vs. Functionality Discussion - Page 2

opticalshadow · 2011-07-25, 09:41 PM

edit: double post.

Sirisian · 2011-07-26, 04:01 PM

Okay, I was talking with some other people in IRC I got them to switch over or not be against a single person vehicle strategy. So maybe I can get others to agree.

Currently tanks are two person vehicles where the driver is separated from the gunner. Now the driver is the person pulling the vehicle and putting all the upgrades into it for better cannons and other bonuses. Now what if instead having the gunner control the main cannon the driver is given that responsibility. The gunner would then be given a secondary weapon like a anti-infantry chain gun or AA flak, or AV gun/rockets. (I'm not sure I'd want a three person tank honestly since it might make a single vehicle too powerful). The idea being though that the main cannon would be slower and more of a heavy hitter (imagine a real tank how the turning isn't instant). If they got caught off guard they'd be more vulnerable so the secondary gunner would help them.

The idea being that every role in the game should be epic by itself. I know what you're thinking that the driver/gunner separation is to support teamwork. However it makes the driver position dull especially when they're putting their certs into the tank and the gunner ends up using it.

When you see a tank I want each shot to be powerful. Like push the tank back a bit with dust particles and such. I think it would definitely make them more cool.

The lightning would in turn be a weak tank with the dual cannon and machine gun making it lack the weakness of the bigger tanks but it's obviously less armored.

Quovatis · 2011-07-26, 04:06 PM

All combat vehicles should have some kind of weak gun for the drive to have fun with. I really don't want to see the common practice in games of allowing the driver to instantly switch to any gunner position. I like that the current PS requires some teamwork. Of course I've always driven a mag for most of my PS days, so driving has always been a little more fun for me. The prowler/vanguard should have a fixed forward 20mm gun or something so they aren't so eager to try to run someone over and blow up in a mine field trying.

Headrattle · 2011-07-26, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Sirisian

Currently tanks are two person vehicles where the driver is separated from the gunner. Now the driver is the person pulling the vehicle and putting all the upgrades into it for better cannons and other bonuses. Now what if instead having the gunner control the main cannon the driver is given that responsibility. The gunner would then be given a secondary weapon like a anti-infantry chain gun or AA flak, or AV gun/rockets. (I'm not sure I'd want a three person tank honestly since it might make a single vehicle too powerful). The idea being though that the main cannon would be slower and more of a heavy hitter (imagine a real tank how the turning isn't instant). If they got caught off guard they'd be more vulnerable so the secondary gunner would help them.

The idea being that every role in the game should be epic by itself. I know what you're thinking that the driver/gunner separation is to support teamwork. However it makes the driver position dull especially when they're putting their certs into the tank and the gunner ends up using it.

The lightning would in turn be a weak tank with the dual cannon and machine gun making it lack the weakness of the bigger tanks but it's obviously less armored.

No, No, God no!

The Driver position is not "dull" to us drivers. We like it. We assist in kills, and we are doing something that is in many ways more challenging then just shooting a gun. We are keeping the tank alive, and we are trying to get the gunner more kills. It is challenging, fun, and though you don't get many kills, you do get plenty of assists and exp.

What you are asking for is a single player with a large powerful gun in a lot of armor. How is that balanced? Giving the driver a big main gun will kill the game for many players. Why drive anything else, when you can drive around a big gun on treads... alone... with lots of armor. In order to make it balanced, you would have to get rid of the power involved with that tank.

Bad idea.

I am not opposed to having a small gun in front. Fine. But the big guns should be crewed by a dedicated gunner while the driver drives. If you think that isn't fun, don't do it. The lightning is right there. Sure it doesn't have as much power, but it shouldn't.

When you see a tank I want each shot to be powerful. Like push the tank back a bit with dust particles and such. I think it would definitely make them more cool.

This is the only good idea. That would be cool.

Raymac · 2011-07-26, 05:06 PM

Good discussion here, and I don't want to sidetrack it, but I gotta stick up for my Reaver. Yes, the Reaver is a powerful vehicle, but if you don't like dying to them, I have a pro tip for you....just have 1 AA unit. Just 1. Skyguard, AA Max, hell even a single person with a Striker can be enough to chase them away. Reavers melt pretty damn quick to AA, which means if you don't start running when you see the 'Lock On', then you probably arn't going to be flying much longer. I know this isn't really about the reaver balance, but I just had to give my 2 cents.

As for the actual topic, multi-crew vehicles are part of what make Planetside what it is. I really like Quovatis' idea of letting the driver have a weak forward facing gun, just to give them something. You rarely see a Mag with just a driver, and when you do, you drool over the easy target, so I like the idea alot. The way vehicles are crewed in PS1 is just fine, and I see no reason to change that.

Headrattle · 2011-07-26, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Raymac

Good discussion here, and I don't want to sidetrack it, but I gotta stick up for my Reaver. Yes, the Reaver is a powerful vehicle, but if you don't like dying to them, I have a pro tip for you....just have 1 AA unit. Just 1. Skyguard, AA Max, hell even a single person with a Striker can be enough to chase them away. Reavers melt pretty damn quick to AA, which means if you don't start running when you see the 'Lock On', then you probably arn't going to be flying much longer. I know this isn't really about the reaver balance, but I just had to give my 2 cents.

I agree. I never hated Reavers as much as a lot of people. I think it is because I have gotten in one AA max and cleared the skies. They are powerful, have one crewman, but very fragile and the counters to them usually lock on, and when they don't they fill the skies with black clouds of doom.

So I never had a complaint with any of them. Even as a tank driver when Reavers are the main threat other then other tanks.

Talek Krell · 2011-07-26, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by Raymac

I gotta stick up for my Reaver.

I confess that I mostly loved the two man reaver because I was looking forward to flying one with a friend. I don't have any particular problem with the reaver's current implementation. I'm hoping that if it remains one man, they'll add a module to the lib that replaces the bomb bay with a turreted gun.

Originally Posted by Sirisian

I know what you're thinking that the driver/gunner separation is to support teamwork. However it makes the driver position dull especially when they're putting their certs into the tank and the gunner ends up using it.

I am thinking that I have had years of good fun driving a mag, and that both I and my gunner are waiting for its new incarnation with bated breath. And I don't want people that think like you going and cocking it up with this Battlefield drivel.

I'm amused by the support for more driver guns. I don't mind, but I can't help but think that the most important thing I learned about driving a mag is to never waste time trying to shoot things.

Headrattle · 2011-07-26, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by Talek Krell

I'm amused by the support for more driver guns. I don't mind, but I can't help but think that the most important thing I learned about driving a mag is to never waste time trying to shoot things.

That is a good point. I wouldn't use it either, as a driver I am too busy driving. Stopping to shoot stuff is bad in a tank battle, but I can see the usefulness when killing infantry. However, with the big guns, it seems superfluous.