Why play LA or Infiltrator when they are the least rewarding classes?

Discussion in 'Light Assault' started by Aegie, Apr 18, 2013.

  1. hostilechild

    LA and sniper(Infil) are probably the 2 most fun classes to play. Learn them and you can wtf own like others.
    Sniper(infil) has limited fighting locations as a lot of fighting is indoors/<50m and you will have to switch to smg and find a dark corner.
    But LA come on there is nothing more fun and you get C4 for those pesky tanks, not to mention using it on an ESF that tries to roadkill your maxes.
    Engineer is high simply because of vehicles, well and now AV turret.
    HA is simply high because of its versatility versus everything. (vehicle spam? = HA/Engie spam))

    I think its more subconsious why people choose HA, they think WOH SHIELD, but its only worth 1-2 hits and your an easy headshot when its up. But being able to OHK rocket to the face i am sure draw a few.

    *Its also easier/safer to rocket vehicles than to rush them as LA, stealth atv with c4 on it is becoming more popular.
  2. Aegie

    Okay, my suggestion at this point would be to change the sound effect back to the way it was (still leaving the LA outperformed by every class but infiltrator) and then add a tool, like a hologram, that may help actually get the LA in-line with the score/hour of the other classes.
  3. Koldorn

    [Suggestion]
    -Infiltrators now get spot bonus XP for all enemies killed within their motion detector dart's detection area.
    • Up x 1
  4. Aegie

    Averages, you do realize this includes noobs in all the classes right?
  5. SinerAthin

    Yeah, but then again to play an Infiltrator requires a form of out-of-the-box thinking that not every player has, and LAs are sometimes also picked for a situation that would favor the HA or CM kit more.

    LA are a situational class.
    • Up x 1
  6. Spoprockel

    Some people can have a lot of fun and be effective with tools other people might perceive faulty.
  7. Makwa

    I play LA for that moment that happens every night where I say to myself "Holy ****! I lived through that, flew behind them, and took two with me!"
  8. sustainedfire

    Good idea, though hologram might be better suited for an infiltrator.

    HoloNade - grenade that creates a temporary enemy target (similar to the VR units)

    Holo Projector - laid like a mine, creates temporary enemy target.
  9. lilleAllan

    yes, point still stands
    • Up x 1
  10. Hagestol


    How is having situational classes good for the game? Game will be really bland with just MAX, HA, Medic and Eng.



    As for averages - the MAX/HA/ENGI/MEDIC count includes noobs as well.
  11. Aegie

    No, actually it does not because your point seems to imply that it is inappropriate to compare the class average points per hour because it is including noobs. The fact these averages include noobs is irrelevant because they also include the people who are average and the people who are above average and hence this average represents the combined efforts of all players in the class regardless of skill level and does so for all of these classes- hence, these averages are meaningful to compare.

    The average is the moment in the data that is most commonly used in statistical inference precisely because of these mathematical properties.
    • Up x 2
  12. SinerAthin

    Just because they're situational doesn't mean that they aren't vital.


    Trying to take certain outposts without Light Assaults is a nightmare. There are times when even a smart HA would switch to LA.

    MAXes are also even more situational than LAs. Short of AA MAXes, you rarely see anyone pull a MAX suit outdoor.
    • Up x 1
  13. Hagestol

    MAXes aren't though, they are really useful at all bases where you face an equal or overwhelming force.

    And again, you don't need LA for operations outside of being vanguards. Noisy vanguards get shot. Thats about the gist of it. Everything else can be covered by the other classes and/or people in the sky.
  14. Minimum Force

    I guess I should not have said more than anything else. It's geared toward killing and filling the role it was given. You can't beat dropping in on people and unloading on them and then flying away. Now whether or not this will be different with GU07 we'll see once people get online. I still think that the LA is geared toward killing at least second to the HA simply because of the maneuverability and ability to drop on people.
  15. Hantak

    Heavies have more health, lots of ammo, and rockets to deal with virtually ANY target on the game without needing to cert into specific weapons/tools. Its a more new player friendly class.
    Engineers have the virtue of beign the ONLY class that can repair vehicles, that might explain why so many people use it, specially if you consider that on this game 2/3 of the options are vehicles (wheter air or ground) and the other one is to rol as infantry.

    Infiltrators kill mostly infantry, each infantry kill gives you about 100 points. Heavies and engineers can kill with ease armor, each armored kill grants you about 400+ points plus the player or players kills inside that said vehicles, the score for those kills can fluctuate between 100 points to 1200.
    Almost the same can apply to Light Assaults, but they can kill armor because they can cert into c4.

    LA needs no tool, we have c4.
    (still any kind of extra would be appreciatted)

    PAS shouldnt have been introduced in the way they where introduced.

    The reward of games are having fun.

    The most fun and exciting stuff ive done in game have been accomplished by my LA, infiltrator and engineer using a tank.
    Few things can compare to the rush of running around avoiding and killing enemies on a fully active base using a light assault and or an infiltrator, hacking turrets killing the guy inside, killing with an AI mine the guy that came to take you out of the turret, and using that turret to kill an enemy tank thats shooting at your allies, those things are priceless and cannot be accomplished with the other classes.

    Less rewarding is something debatable, and even taking in consideration the score you can get by using different classes its all very much up to how creative and good you can be using those classes.

    If any recertification option could be added i would probably cert pretty much the same, i wouldnt stop using my LA or Infiltrator because they are by far the most fun classes to play on this game.
  16. Aegie

    I would think less rewarding on average- in the sense of earning points/certs- is not debatable and would fall in the realm of statistical fact.

    I can see where you are coming from and some other people have made a similar point- you play LA and Infiltrator because it is fun. However, I fail to see how having fun playing a class should mean that you are less rewarded by the game mechanics. Not only would it seem strange to say "well, this class is so much fun to play we have to make it less rewarding in other ways" but it also assumes that HA, Engineers and Medics do not have fun and that is why the game mechanics are structured in a way that results in these classes being more highly rewarded.
    • Up x 1
  17. Funch

    I don't really get this thread in some way's(Atleast the case of the LA). LA is a mainly ASSAULT type class which is based around attacking objectives in unconventional warfare. Indirect combat tactics or flanking tactics. And their almost solely used for ATTACKING bases. What does that mean? The Engineer's, Heavy Assaults, and Medics on Defense, get to shoot them a lot easier. And MAX's. And their is less chance for racking up kills unless you have C4, blind side a group of enemies, or what have you.

    Most LA's are madmen with a cause (Think suicider kinda cause). Which attributes to them being even more...lacking in the point gathering department. Though they fill a niche role which is really, really important on the attack. Sure, they are lack luster for Cert gain by the average player, especially on Defense. (Unless your running C4 for sneaky bombing the clustered up attackers behind cover)

    Their not meant for direct-up-in-your-face-bullet-sucker style of the HA.

    Their not meant to take and hold a position like a nester, like the Engi.

    Their not meant to revive people and shore up the derplines, like the Medi.

    BUT, they are the best at sneaking around, getting to places others can't, and sneak attacks from weird omni-directional angles. Especially in urban warfare.

    It may not get very much in the means of Cert's if the player is on D, or what-have-you. But they are certainly capable of doing some immense dissatisfaction to the OPFOR in their sights.

    You can change back and forth on classes, and don't need to only use one 100% of the time. Even I (Who use Medi 90% of the time), will use HA and LA to support my comrades when they need more linemen, or flanker's. And we get most of the useful tools early on, the only ones we don't get that the LA really needs to shine is...the C4.

    C4 makes the world go round.

    LA could use some love, but their not as terrible as people make them out to be. Maybe a specialty tool could make the class more...flexible in its usage. But it's already the most flexible for mobility, and giving it something in the traditional SoE manner, may make it the new OP-go-to-class-for-everything-under-PlanetSunSide2.
  18. Aegie

    Yet, LA is the second least played class with HA and Engineers both being used by 2x the number of people. Ergo, there are alread two classes that are the "OP-go-to-class-for-everything-under-PlanetSunSide2" the HA and the Engineer. With good reason too- your average HA outscores your average LA by 1,000 points an hour (about 15% greater cert gain), your average Engineer outscores your average LA by 2,000 points per hour (about 25% greater cert gain). These values are from before the sound change. Assuming the sound change has the intended effect of making the LA more obvious, we can only expect these disparities to increase.
  19. Hantak

    The points/certs earning rate is extremelly related to player skill, class played taking consideration the enviroment and if you are suscribed/using boosts or not.

    I play almost all classes, as a matter of fact my most played class is engineer (34% since i consider myself a tanker), followed by Heavy (20%), then LA and infiltrator (18%), medic (9%) and max (1%).
    If there was some kind of incentive to use other class than engineers while driving vehicles i might as well had another most played class, but currently i role as engie because i can repair.

    I dont play classes "just for fun", i change between classes depending on the situation.
    If i see lots of heavies raining rockets on our tanks i role as either infiltrator or light assault.
    If i see enemy armor i role as heavy.
    If im assaulting a biolab i role as medic/light assault
    If im assaulting a tech plant or amp station i role as light assault, infiltrator or medic.

    And i can assure you i can do as much harm to the enemies using a Light Assault or infiltrator than using a heavy, its all situational.
  20. Funch

    I am not arguing against the fact that HA/Engis are the most used classes, and LA is the second most underused one. I'm arguing against the fact that so many people complain about it, and blind themselves from their potential (On purpose) in order to support their claim.

    They do need support, they do need some changes. Doesn't mean it is as drastic as people tend to make it out to be.

    Hopefully they revert the sound changes, I think it's kinda derpy to have them make loud blasting noises when they are meant to blindeside people. And figure a better way to support the LA population of players more. I don't want that class to go under, and it's not even the one I love most.


    Maybe give them access to a specialty type of passive ability they can choose from:

    Bullet penetration of obstacles at decreased damage on the other side (This also includes other players, doesn't work though with shotgun buckshot. So the pump-guns don't get abused even moreso from on the otherside of a wall.)

    Incendiery Ammunition. (Burns targets who have lost their shields.)

    Smart rounds. (Drasticly reduces range on weapons, but will arc bullets left or right, up or down to hit a target within a certain distance of the LA, and it would be a small radius around the LA. So it would make their CQC effectiveness sky-rocket you could say.)

    Maybe even the ability to increase their shield damage capacity!

    These would need some HEAVY balancing...I MEAN HEAVY BALANCING to work.

    Now you could go the other route, giving them a unique device!

    Like a portable deployable field-shield. I know that kinda messes with the Engi's territory, but this one would not only stop bullet's/shots, it would hurt anyone coming through the shield. (And their would be a radius where someone else couldn't put down their shield, so they can't stack them and keep people from entering a room indefinitely.) And it could only take so much damage until it finally breaks. And it can't be repaired by Engi's.

    Or maybe something along the lines of a spike-trap that can be thrown down. Which slows down and damages infantry units. And a version which is mainly a explosive stick, to roll across a road or anywhere, for infantry and vehicles?

    There is a lot of things they could do! But adding something may cause more issues, or fix the inherent issues at hand!