reintroduce the ANT

moosepoop · 2013-06-21, 02:13 PM

I think the best way to balance player resources is making players actively collect them with the ANT like in ps1. protecting and attacking enemy ANT will add a real metagame.

mmorpg grinders will get something they like, which is a bonus.

with player driven ANT, players will literally fight over resources. right now its empty talk, just TDM.

ANT = metagame

Rbstr · 2013-06-21, 02:17 PM

"meta"
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Whiteagle · 2013-06-21, 02:17 PM

Well I don't think we should switch to ANTs alone, I DO think they'd be splendid with a Resource Pipeline and Resources being stored in Silos at each Base.

We could even have a "Nanite Aerial Transport" or NAT!

Timealude · 2013-06-21, 03:01 PM

Well from what clegg said about it on an FNO episode, it sounds like very daunting task for the Dev team to reintroduce it.

camycamera · 2013-06-21, 08:18 PM

in time, i bet we'll get it.

Ghoest9 · 2013-06-21, 09:35 PM

Many people in PS1 felt forced to drive ants and did not enjoy it.
A resentful player is not a long term player.

ANTS(at least as we knew them) wont be back.

A better option is my old suggestion of automated trains/trollies that people could attack and defend.

Hamma · 2013-06-21, 10:49 PM

I hope to see the ANT back again someday.

JumpJetter · 2013-06-22, 02:36 AM

I have never played PS1, but I would like the idea of logistics, more because I could pick on defenseless enemies and also gives me something to do when spraying down unsuspecting NC with my Alpha Squad carbine

.
I would like a modification of Ghoest9's suggestion, but instead of automated supply trains, it would be armored truck convoys, with gunner positions able to be filled by players. Or we could have heavily armed and armored supply trains with tank turrets, AA guns, etc.

Carbon Copied · 2013-06-22, 02:40 AM

Originally Posted by Ghoest9

Many people in PS1 felt forced to drive ants and did not enjoy it.
A resentful player is not a long term player.

ANTS(at least as we knew them) wont be back.

A better option is my old suggestion of automated trains/trollies that people could attack and defend.

The problems I see with anything automated are:

The increased number of entities/AI in the world - can it be handled considering they think simple doors are a massive hog?
Very little player investment.
Predictability - automated preset routes/lines will never be as unpredictable as a clued on player. How fast do fights get boring when they're predictable base to base (a big bug bear of many); I doubt added predictability will translate well to any sort of automated system.

So while I agree that feeling forced to drive ANTs is a bad thing, I don't think having the game take that "burden" away is the answer - more so requiring a different solution.

But we're just spit balling what if's here

wasdie · 2013-06-22, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by Timealude

Well from what clegg said about it on an FNO episode, it sounds like very daunting task for the Dev team to reintroduce it.

To the people here new game features should be easy to implement because they already did it in Planetside 1.

capiqu · 2013-06-22, 10:36 AM

When i first read this I said here we go again with all the things to fix and....
But a second later I'm you know maybe he's right. I log on today to find out prowlers are now 450.

Rather then having the devs keep switching cost I would prefer to have ants deliver resources.
Now I know many players in PS 1 were reluctant to drive ants but I think it could be different on PS2. First vehicles on PS2 are faster and they cover more territory a lot quicker. Second having ants not necessarily need to fill up at wg only. Having designated bases or outpost from which we can siphon resources from would encourage more people to make ant runs. There is nothing worse then sacrificing to get an ant only to find that someone beat you to it. A shorter run would ease that.

GeoGnome · 2013-06-22, 11:57 AM

The sensible thing is to make the Ant an upgrade for the sunderer and or the galaxy. That saves time, because you don't have to develop a new vehicle, and means an existing vehicle can have another really good use.

Nathaniak · 2013-06-22, 01:09 PM

I support two, parallel resource systems. One involves trucks driving resources from bases to the WG. The resources transferred are then distribute in every 5-minute interval.

The second involves trucks driving supplies from the WG to the bases. Without them, the base fails - shields/pain fields are dropped, turrets stop firing, ammo is not resupplied and terminals go offline. I see this as a siegebreaker mechanic - new, really defensible bases that run out of supplies after half an hour and go dark, allowing the attackers to overrun the place, unless the defenders can get a supply truck in to keep the base running.

These mechanics provide new gameplay options (convoy defence/attack, etc.) both for casual and dedicated players.

Carbon Copied · 2013-06-22, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by GeoGnome

The sensible thing is to make the Ant an upgrade for the sunderer and or the galaxy. That saves time, because you don't have to develop a new vehicle, and means an existing vehicle can have another really good use.

I'm not so sure about going with significantly quicker; but very lazy and boring are what spring to mind. Probably save a fraction of time as you still have to implement the mechanics and yet another Frankenstein bolt on for the sunderer *yawn* - only thing left (lamens) is a new vehicle chassis model and texture.

Transits to "silo outposts" could work though for more convenience - maybe if you decide to make the journey back to the warp gate you retain a higher yield on deposit as opposed to a "round the corner" silo.

Whiteagle · 2013-06-22, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Carbon Copied

The problems I see with anything automated are:

The increased number of entities/AI in the world - can it be handled considering they think simple doors are a massive hog?
Very little player investment.
Predictability - automated preset routes/lines will never be as unpredictable as a clued on player. How fast do fights get boring when they're predictable base to base (a big bug bear of many); I doubt added predictability will translate well to any sort of automated system.

So while I agree that feeling forced to drive ANTs is a bad thing, I don't think having the game take that "burden" away is the answer - more so requiring a different solution.

But we're just spit balling what if's here

That's why I keep suggesting Pipelines.

We can still have ANT's and Silos, but the Pipes are what passively moves things around and they don't even reqiure any new assets.

Originally Posted by GeoGnome

The sensible thing is to make the Ant an upgrade for the sunderer and or the galaxy. That saves time, because you don't have to develop a new vehicle, and means an existing vehicle can have another really good use.

I don't think new Vehicle Development is the real issue here, the ANT is a single Seat Vehicle with no Weapons and only one Special Ability based on Deployment, an Art team could have a Draft Model whipped out by the end of the day.