What should I know?

[Semisel]

As a player new to Planetside who has researched the key features and mechanics of PS2, what should I know when I log in for my first match in Beta/PS2? This is less about holding a proper concept of the game in one's head as a newcomer, but more of a question about what to expect, how to prepare, etc.

Obviously, we haven't had hands-on experience with the game, so there's no guarantee that any answers to the question are valid for PS2; even still, it would be immensely helpful to get some tips and suggestions from the PS veterans for the virgin masses, learned not in the ways of endless, entire war.


What should I know?

[Purple]

We know very little besides it being the greatest game ever created. The best advice i can give you is to go NC and fight for freedom, not domination and power(TR), or because a crazy leader says he can talk to an alien who died 500 years ago(VS).

[Notser]

Try all 3 factions, play in a supportive role at the beginning, and don't get down when you see a kdr of like 0.1. Planetside is very complicated and you will find it challenging at first to fight players who've played the first Planetside.

[Coreldan]

Have you seen this?


It explains Planetside 1 pretty well, all while looking at the awesome Planetside 2 in the background

[Bags]

For one, it's persistent, there aren't matches

[Captain1nsaneo]

1: Join a good outfit.

2: Find what you like to do and do it.

3: Fall in love.

Seriously, that's all you need to know. The outfit/clan should supply the veterans who will teach you little tricks over time and give you some guidance. Outside of the game however, the outfit will also become your friends and family and will take the game from being pretty good to being addictive. They'll listen to and be a part of your war stories. Quick warning though, make sure it's a good outfit, there will be quite a few bad ones, but don't let that stop you from trying.

The game is large enough that it can take some time to find what you enjoy doing. You may find that you enjoy doing several totally different roles before you're done trying things out. I personally started as a grunt but found that I had much more fun as a cloaker and sniper before moving into leadership. But through trying everything out I got even better at my favorite roles by knowing my enemies. So try a bunch of things! And remember, it's not which role you play it's how you play that role. As a driver you can transport people with your bus or you run them over, the only limit is your creativity and the most base rules of the game.

If 1 and 2 fall into place, you will never be able to truly enjoy another game again as they will seem ephemeral by comparison.

[SKYeXile]

switch 1 and 2, you want to findout what you like to do, then join a good outfit that likes to do the same :P

but yea, i guess you have played some FPS's before, id look at the classes, see what appeals to you, look at the vehicles maybe try to synigise it with your class...eg a tank driver would probably want to be an engi. you can do anything in planetside 2, but atleast for the start you will probably be very limited in your specialisation. so id work on afew things you will probably like first. in the event you dont like your class or vehciles any extra unspent cert points can be spent freely where ever you like, so you're not tied into anything.(this is based of current[probably outdated] information)

[Tallon]

Originally Posted by Purple

...because a crazy leader says he can talk to an alien who died 500 years ago...

HE'S NOT CRAZY!!!! *pewpewpew*

personally im a pilot at heart, as well as a Vanu (though Ive never played planetside) and my friends who did play planetside were pilots and Vanu so its really a no brainer where im headed soon as i get my beta key:P

[NapalmEnima]

So you've got your head on straight, good. The kool aid is so delicious and moist... err... wait...

Anyway: You have a group of friends who've played, and know what role you want to play.

One of the biggest difference between Planetside and most FPSes is that solo, it's very difficult to see that you've had any impact on a given battle. A really good sniper might consistently manage a 10/1 KDR (or more), but that can mean surprisingly little.

As part of an outfit (or an organized pickup-squad) on the other hand, you can be part of something decisive.

Organization (aka "getting your shit together") is a Force Multiplier. A well organized group of soldiers can beat the tar out of twice their number (or more) All Day Long. I've heard stories of 10/1 and 20/1, but I suspect there's some exaggeration going on there. Or maybe not, I wasn't there.

[MgFalcon]

The best advice I can give you is that if you want to stay alive with a good k/d ratio than go VS - the TR and NC are going to be too busy being dead and all

But honestly group cohesion is needed - this isn't CoD where you can run around like a headless chicken and get a good amount of kills

[Purple]

ya, try to find a group of people you enjoy playing with. this may take a bit but the game will be better once you do.

[Fenrys]

+1 to finding a good outfit

[Squiffy]

+1 to finding a good outfit....this game comes alive when your fighting alongside like minded friends with a goal in mind. It's what made PS1 so awesome.

[Trolltaxi]

Best advice is to find a good outfit indeed...

But how do you recognize a good outfit? As a newcomer?

[Tcakes]

this is kind of a bass akwards way of going about it, but find a group of folks to play with well and are having a good time with. go slowly. casually. you dont have to be all aggressive everyone is at the party for the same thing. some ladies are freaks and usually that means the husbands are as well. you just have to go with it... whoa my bad. wrong forum. actually. the first bit for me was essential. in my opinion a good outfit isnt the one throwing out military orders and pissing and moaning when they are losing. good outfits are the ones with active people working with each other and having a good time while doing so. teamwork is so crazy vital in this game. ok, not that vital but you will get so much more accomplished and usually be kicking so much more ass working as a unit than lonewolfing it. however the beauty of this game is you play how you want.