Equipment visible on Character?

captainkapautz · 2012-06-08, 05:45 PM

Just realised that I can't remember seeing any equipment on any of the characters.

Has that been mentioned anywhere?

Is it gone? Just not implemented yet? Did I just miss it?

I kinda like the fact that I can see what my squad/my enemy is using.

Like Heavy Assault for example, is he AV with the LMG or is he packing a Jackhammer/Lasher.

Tried the search, but it didn't turn up anything and am currently at work so can check the videos.

Bags · 2012-06-08, 05:52 PM

This was noted/announced about 11 months ago.

Zulthus · 2012-06-08, 05:53 PM

No, it was said they're trading visible equipment for player count/better soldier textures. I'd personally have lower quality model skins and have the guns on the back. We won't be paying attention to the threads on the shirts of the soldiers tbh.

Nasher · 2012-06-08, 06:28 PM

Same here. I'd rather see holstered weapons as well.

I hate it when games have characters pull weapons out of thin air. Why is it PS1 had this AND high-rez textures but PS2 does not? :/

captainkapautz · 2012-06-08, 06:33 PM

It would be quite nice to have that back.

Wouldn't even need to be to elaborate, just like in PS1 have the equipment pretty much welded to the dude, it's not like it needs physics or anything.

Blackwolf · 2012-06-08, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by Nasher

Same here. I'd rather see holstered weapons as well.

I hate it when games have characters pull weapons out of thin air. Why is it PS1 had this AND high-rez textures but PS2 does not? :/

PS1 was limited to 133 players per side per continent while PS2 is limited to 666 or so players per side per continent?

I'd rather have more people to shoot at. I can figure out what they are capable of by noting their armor just fine.

And it's not about physics. It's about graphics and art. Drawing the extra guns on every individual requires more processing time, not to mention identifying every weapon and tool an individual has on their person. All this is just needless time for the server to keep track of.

Ailos · 2012-06-08, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by captainkapautz

It would be quite nice to have that back.

Wouldn't even need to be to elaborate, just like in PS1 have the equipment pretty much welded to the dude, it's not like it needs physics or anything.

Double check their weapons models. They're quite detailed. It would be pretty hard for them to meet the "playable on 5-year old hardware" mark if they did that.

But I would like to think that this could be added to the growing list of future possibilities for things they could add post-launch.

Nasher · 2012-06-08, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Blackwolf

PS1 was limited to 133 players per side per continent while PS2 is limited to 666 or so players per side per continent?

I'd rather have more people to shoot at. I can figure out what they are capable of by noting their armor just fine.

And it's not about physics. It's about graphics and art. Drawing the extra guns on every individual requires more processing time, not to mention identifying every weapon and tool an individual has on their person. All this is just needless time for the server to keep track of.

The server has to process what equipment everyone has anyway. Showing weapons on the players is client side.

xcel · 2012-06-08, 06:54 PM

I too would like to see its return. Its not unlikely that it can be added later though, in fact, it could easily be added after the game is released with a standard MMO update....I would think anyway.

Immigrant · 2012-06-08, 07:25 PM

I'd like very much to see holstered weapons on the back of the soldiers too however I understand and respect the reasons behind not making it so.

edit: maybe they could make special holsters in shape of weapons which would allow teammates to know what kind of equipment (weapon class, not exact weapon model) others are packing simply by glancing at them. that would not require the use of high rez textures which are found on unsheated/bare weapons with different camos and whatnots.

Knightwyvern · 2012-06-08, 10:04 PM

Maybe they will be able to add this in the future, but as it stands the lack of it will most likely allow for a larger scale; I'm cool with that. Though, there is something to be said of the tactical aspect of being able to see if that guy you're sniping at has a bolt action of his own.

megamold · 2012-06-10, 09:55 AM

i remember hearing something about giving switching weapons a visual to make it look like the gun is being constructed by nanites instead of just appearing out of nowhere.

Rhapsody · 2012-06-12, 10:59 PM

The reason i remember seeing for the no weapons on peoples back had to do with the Physics engion in the game now, NOT the textures, or player counts. They have ragdoll-like physics in PS2 that were not in PS1.. and the new Physics would cause problems with weapons that are now treated as solid objects instead of simple non-solid textures on the screen.

RedKnights · 2012-06-14, 02:16 AM

The reason stated for doing this is because of the sheer amount of customization that can be done to each weapon, so it's not a matter of drawing the same weapon over and over again, it's a matter of drawing potentially thousands of weapons that each have millions of possible customization options.

Mr DeCastellac · 2012-06-14, 03:37 AM

Haha, back when I was a Planetside noob (You can tell, because I was playing TR at the time), I remember always carrying 2 MCGs. Partly because I could easily switch between AP and AI rounds, but mostly just because they looked like wings.

It's quite a disappointment to hear that weapons won't be visible on your character. Like it has been said, I would rather have lower quality skins if that's what it takes to get visible equipment.

However, considering that all the art and rendering has been done for the skins already, and since beta is coming in a couple weeks, I doubt they would be willing to make the switch.

Hopefully they will make visible weapons in time. Hopefully.

Edit:

Originally Posted by megamold

i remember hearing something about giving switching weapons a visual to make it look like the gun is being constructed by nanites instead of just appearing out of nowhere.

It would be sweet if they animated the weapon decon/construction like Vanquish does. See video below.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WEQc7p3X4HM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>