Some potential ideas for a LA update

Discussion in 'Light Assault' started by Skylight, Feb 11, 2014.

  1. Skylight

    For the longest time, I would play Heavy or Medic, but when I learned how to use the Trac-5 properly on my Light Assault, it quickly became one of my favorite classes. I can't think of another class that rewards flanking and creative positioning more than our jetpacking friends. So with the Infiltrator update scheduled sometime this month, it got me thinking that SOE might go down the list of classes for an update, just like they are planning with the infiltrator, and I wanted to share with the forums just a few nifty ideas I'd brainstormed. I'm not exactly the best at constructing posts in a cohesive formula though so bear with me as I try to organize it as best I can.

    Universal/Cross-faction ideas:
    -New Jumpjets! When trying to come up with a new toy for the Light Assault, naturally the first thing one would try to come up with is a type of jetpack. After all, it is the jump jets that truly define us as a unique class. Now we all know how the Icarus Jumpjets went along. They were fun, but on a whole felt a little bit too exploitable, if lacking in versatility.

    So we're left with one issue: What kind of jumpjet mechanic could we come up with that isn't nearly a carbon copy of existing jumpjets, while also making them tactically viable and useful in a different and unique way? I wracked my brain for a few hours before a bit of inspiration struck me. Imagine a jumpjet that would propel you in the direction you are aiming, at a decent speed, functionally making your infantry character maneuver like an ESF without so much of the hovering? Obviously the speed would be toned down, I'm thinking 30-40 KPH and the time you could spend in the air would be limited (But upgradable through certs) but, ladies and gentlemen, I have two words for you: INFANTRY DOGFIGHTING

    Just imagine 2 squads of light assaults, zipping about through the air in loops and sharp banked turns, trying to stay on an enemy's tail while also dodging shots from others, all the while pulling crazy maneuvers. It might be of limited use in smaller bases, but the thought of the air around tech plants and amp stations abuzz with skirmishing LA's sounds unique and absolutely exhilarating to me. Heck, it might even open the opportunity for the Light Assault to become a "strafing run" kind of infantry, though I'm not quite sure how useful this might be.

    -Paratrooper style weapons! Carbines are fantastic weapons, there's no doubt about that. However, it would just seem wrong to make a class update without adding new faction-specific, class specific weaponry with neat ideas (The upcoming infiltrator rifles sound like a blast!). Now what can we add for Light Assault? PDWs fall too much into the SMG category, giving LAs a full on rifle seems a little bit excessive given the class' fantastic maneuverability, the class already has access to SMGs and shotguns, which work fantastically for a CQC oriented class. Maybe the best option is to give them access to a unique type of carbine? A Nanite Systems carbine designed specifically to be used more effectively by a jumpjetting infantry is the common pool option, though of course there should be faction-specific weapons, but we'll cover that in a moment. I'm only asking for one thing, SOE: Let's get some bullpups!

    -New Tools/Utility/Suit slots! These are always a tricky thing to implement and balance. The added items and abilities need to be useful and functional and unique, while at the same time remaining true to the class' philosophy and playstyle. Adrenaline pump, for instance, makes sense for a Light Assault, as the class is (mostly) designed as a hit-and-run shock trooper, and speed is certainly a shock trooper's friend. So what can we add to the light assault to give them more functionality on the field, and also add new potential tactics while not deviating from their role too much?

    1: Satchel charges (Tool slot)
    When it comes to entering a base to cripple the shield generators and defenses, it really doesn't get any better than Light Assault. The generators are inside the base, which is usually surrounded by walls or other means to limit outside infantry getting access. But Light Assaults just don't give a crap. Walls? Hilarious! It's much easier for a few jetpackers to enter a base, and they're usually the first inside. Once they're inside, there's a plethora of priority targets to take out that will assist their team. The satchel charge is a saboteur's best friend. An absolutely and absurdly excessive amount of explosives set to one timer, and when it goes off, I guarantee you whatever it was attached to won't be any more than smoldering wreckage. As a limitation to prevent it from being used in an anti-infantry manner (Not the tool's intented purpose) I propose it can only be placed on specific objects (Vehicles, generators, turrets, base assets) You place it on whatever you want to explode (a 2-3 second process) After a 30 second (Just a shot in the dark estimate, would probably need tweaking) timer, KABOOM! Whatever it was strapped to is pretty much scrap. Now this would be absurdly useful against Sunderers and MBTs, so I propose a warning being given to the operator of a vehicle that they're being rigged with explosives, but ONLY if the vehicle is manned! The satchel charge is also capable of being defused (Perhaps the same mechanic as stabilizing a generator) which renders it inert, but will not return the resources the light assault spent to get one. This promotes a high risk/VERY high reward for an intrepid LA who finds him/herself in the position to sabotage a critical enemy asset, though the enemy has ample opportunity to protect against it just so long as they pay attention. And of course, the satchel charge is so heavy that you can never carry more than one.

    2: Fuel Injectors (Utility slot)
    We've all had it happen before. We're flying up to a lucrative position, and our jetpack fuel doesn't QUITE make it. OR we had to bail/jump from a huge height, and you don't have enough fuel left to soften your landing enough to avoid the splat. Maybe some Light Assaults on Auraxis are worried about this, and elect to carry a small spare tank of fuel that can be injected into their packs in an emergency to give them JUST a little bit more juice to get the job done. In-game, this could be implemented by adding 15% of the max fuel to the current tank (Upgradable through certs, 20, 25, 30%, and so on) but after doing so you might be subject to a 30 second (Perhaps longer) cooldown before you can use the fuel injector again. Or, as an alternative to getting a little extra time in the air, have it work like a mini afterburner, adding those same values listed above to the maneuverability and ease of use of the jetpack.

    3: Inertial Dampeners (Suit Slot)
    Of all the classes in game, Light Assaults are probably the ones dealing with fall damage the most often, for obvious reasons. This suit slot is relatively straightforward, and works by reducing fall damage by certain values per rank. Now, if you jump from a liberator at 800m and don't use your jetpack, no amount of inertial dampening is going to save you, so perhaps the suit slot can only function for distances of say... 50m (Might need tweaking)

    4: "Gecko" Maglock (Suit slot)
    Of all the ideas I'd had, this one feels the weakest to me if only because it has the most potential for exploitation, but how about an option for Light Assaults to "stick" to walls? Or, if sticking in place is too much, then reduce the speed at which they slide down a wall. I feel like this can add a lot to the class, further rewarding a player for creative use of the environment. If you think outside the box, especially in a heavy combat scenario where creative thinking might be a little difficult, you should be rewarded, am I right? To prevent a Light Assault from just sticking to one place on the wall indefinitely, it might slowly drain the jetpack fuel, or only limit the LA to hipfire (As one hand would have to be occupied stuck to the wall so they can stay up there) But the ability to stick yourself up in a very clandestine place and wait for someone to pass over you so you can drop down opens the door for so many ambush opportunities, and I feel that ambushing and lightning quick guerilla attacks fits the playstyle of the Light Assault

    Faction Specific ideas:
    Guns guns guns!
    Terran Republic: What embodies the mighty Republic more than having a lot of bullets available and being able to dump them in record time? The weapon for the glorious Terrans that I propose is a triple-barreled, almost Metal Storm style weapon. Can switch between full auto/burst fire (3 barrels + burst fire = fun!), would have a big chunky drum magazine behind the grip (Bullpups SOE! They're awesome, give us some!) Absolutely absurd fire rate, but given the need to use a special type of ammo with the different mechanism, bullet damage has to take a hit as well as reload speed, seeing as how a Metal Storm type weapon has an... interesting reload. This is just a proposal, and there are many people who have a better understanding of balanced game mechanics and integer values for weapons, but I was thinking 1000 RPM, 100 damage per round. The TTK is .6 seconds, well within par for most weapons in the game (Heck, even a little slower than some). Now naturally such a bullet hose isn't what you'd want for long range engagements, and even burstfire might be barely effective past 60m, but c'mon. You're playing Light Assault, you wanna get close.

    New Conglomerate: We all know the proud warriors of the NC love their guns to hit like a freight train full of depleted uranium, and kick like that too. We could simply make a carbine that's got a high bullet damage, low ROF, and all that, but that is just beyond boring and unoriginal. How about a burst-fire carbine with decent damage that is technically only burstfire by definition. Think AN-94. Two bullets fired in sync with each other so as to hit nearly the same spot. And knowing the NC, they're gonna be big bullets. This one would require more deliberate aim than other carbines, but think about 2 167 damage bullets hitting the head at the same time. OUCH. Of course, to bring such raw beastly power in line, the cycling of new rounds to fire would take longer than most burstfire weapons, so while it's technically burstfire, it would probably feel more like a semi-automatic battle rifle than anything. And heck, how cool would it be for the weapon two have two magazines, one for each barrel! This is a weapon with a higher skill cap, but one that would reward skilled players who know how to aim in the heat of battle, which I feel covers the NC combat philosophy very well.

    Vanu Sovereignty: The enigmatic Vanu have a lot of tricks up their sleeves, there's no doubt about that. When you start working with alien tech, things start to get a little wacky in terms of application of weaponry. We've had a lot of new Vanu weapons added to the game since it launched, and I feel like far too many of them use a charge mechanic. Don't get me wrong, charging up a weapon to unleash one crazy big f***-you blast is fun, but when every new weapon the faction gets uses that same idea, things start to get a little stale. And what better way to break stale then by going over the top and absurd! Let's give the Vanu a carbine that, while it may not be as effective at outright killing an enemy in the normal "shoot at them until they stop moving" fashion, this carbine will sow utter confusion and chaos in the enemy ranks, and when the enemy is in disarray it's that much easier for a shock trooper to kill them. BOUNCING LASERS. Yes, yes. You shoot it at a person, you shoot it at the ground, but the laser keeps going, and in all kind of wacky directions. Now, this might not sound very practical, but bear with me. You know those generator rooms on a lot of amp stations? The super small ones that have only two doors and is about the size of a toddler's closet? The ones that get camped so that you can't get in to stabilize the generator? Fill it with lasers. Literally fill it. And they bounce on the walls. Think that might clear a few people out? Now, of course the lasers shouldn't be allowed to bounce indefinitely, so I think a maximum of 3-4 bounces, and it loses damage per bounce, but even just 2 Light Assaults peppering a small room with this kind of weapon would be both terrifying and amazing to behold. C'mon, the Vanu are the "disco lightshow" faction, bouncing lasers totally fits!

    Okay that's all I can think of for everything. Now bear in mind, these are just some of my ideas. I'd really appreciate some feedback, but I don't expect any of these to be actually implemented.
    • Up x 1
  2. BioPhysics

    I like the satchel charge idea.
    • Up x 1
  3. Iridar51

    Wow, this beats the tradition to post an old idea once a week. You posted all the old ideas in one post! Multi-kill!

    There is a hard cap to weapons' rate of fire, and I think Armistice with 896 borders it.

    Bouncing lasers sound like fun, and they bear a distant resemblance to heavy's Lasher, which is good.

    Fall damage suit slot - just weak. If bad players that can't ration their fuel supply MUST have some sort of crutch, then it's gotta come in form of the passive ability.
  4. Skylight

    Is there really a hardcap? I had no idea, I just assumed SOE decided the highest ROF would be around 900 by choice.

    Also, in retrospect, what you said about the fall damage is pretty true, so I guess scratch that.
  5. RogueVindicare

    I'm not understanding how Satchel charges are significantly different from C4.

    So you can't throw them at all, but in exchange they're even stronger?
  6. Skylight

    In my mind, the satchel charge would pretty much instagib anything it touches, hence the big difficulty in successfully using it. However, C4 can't destroy shield generators or SCUs, whereas I'm thinking the satchel charge can. This way you won't NEED a light assault with a satchel to destroy a shield/SCU, anyone can still do it, but the Light Assault with the satchel is better equipped to do it, takes less time.

    They're just ideas, so I understand if only 1 or 2 of them are even remotely viable. Just wanted to share them and get some feedback.
  7. sodopro

    Meh, the NC specific gun is the Gauss Burst isn't it?
  8. Skylight

    I suppose you're right. I didn't wanna make it just another shotgun though, even you guys have to get sick of shotguns shotguns shotguns all day long? To be fair its burst mechanic is a decent bit different then just a 3-round burst weapon. Though I will admit it's not the best and most entertaining idea for a weapon in the world...

    Maybe... Some kind of infantry portable "autocannon"? Small enough to carry around and fly, good damage, slow ROF, and can penetrate through multiple targets? Maybe the one behind your initial target? Hitting 3 people with one round via penetration seems a little excessive to me, though it could possibly deal some extra damage to light vehicles. What would you suggest for a LA NC specific weapon?
  9. Feench

    I like the satchel idea. Sadly it will never happen. SOE doesn't like "new." They prefer to just reuse the same mechanics over and over.
  10. Takoita

    'Sticky movement all alien-like on walls and stuff' sounds more up infiltrator's alley, IMHO.
  11. repairtool6

    Hmm dozen upon dosen 'idea' treads so instead of starting a new, i take liberty to one add one idea myself.

    Class specific infantry stuff : No new ideas. New guns bla bla bla.....utility pouch so i can carry maximum 4 C4 etc. etc.

    But what i really actually wish for is to get something LA-specific for the Flash.
    Actually as the smallest, coolest and most handsome vehicle in the game the FLASH could be even more awsome if each and every class got a special module (like the infiltrator have).

    So, what would you like to see on the "Light Assault Flash"?

    Important note : No module should be in the same slot as the turbo. The flash needs the turbo. Its boring and pointless and not handsome without the turbo. You must NOT have to select between turbo or the module, you must get both

    JETPACKs?
    Why not?
    Let me Flash around and make INSANE BIG JUMPS with the turbo, but THEN, let me drift or jet around a bit extra. Maybe even hover. Mini ESF ha ha =) This is how the LA could potenially bring a friend up to cliff-tops etc. (i dont like the 'pick up a friend' ideas)

    EXPLOSIVE RAM
    This module installs a explosive ram on the tip of the flash. Turbo full speed maniac at your target, JET OFF in the last minute and the flash will detonate on impact. Killing tanks or anything really. (Yeah yeah, sort of *****-flash only more stylish and you get to keep your C4).

    What else?


    TL;DR
    DEVs give the FLASH more love. Make it so every class can tune up their small race-car in a usefull way, to flesh out their class
  12. Pat22

    I've got a few ideas of my own. Mostly, I believe we don't need new toys that take slots we already use, but toys that take the slots we don't use.
    Passivew, tools, deployables.
    In addition, the Light Assault's focus is mobility, but it is also confusing the enemy and "shaping the battlefield", and even possibly limiting enemy mobility.

    I had thought of a weapon that would be not so useful in face-to-face combat but would become very effective when flanking or attacking from unexpected angles. That weapon was introduced into the game as the Crossbow. Its very slow rate of fire but high damage mean that face-to-face, you'll die to pretty much anyone using any other weapon, but when you're attacking from a target that isn't aware of you, it is very useful.
    Light Assaults could get a primary weapon weapon such as that one.
    Think Needler from Halo. If you give the enemy time to stack up needle after needle you turn into a bomb. A similar weapon would fit the LA quite well. Sneaking up behind enemy lines, you'd have time to line up a bunch of shots before you're spotted and unleash chaos.
    The weapon needs to have a lower TTK than pretty much every other weapon to truly designate it as a flanking weapon and not a direct combat weapon. Low TTK, but big payoff at the end.


    There are many ways one can go about crippling the enemy.
    One such way could take our tool slot:
    Imagine some sort of stake launcher, more like the recon tool than the crossbow in that it's not a weapon. The stakes it link with each other ( up to, say, a limit of 10 meters, and 2 stakes, which increases with levels ) and create a "tripwire". Enemies passing in this tripwire would receive an electric shock, which would drain their shields at a moderate rate for as long as they stay within the stake's range, and also cut their movement speed by a certain % while they are in range, and the effect wears off a few seconds after exiting the range of the tripwire.
    It's a trap tool that helps create kill zones by weakening enemies and making them easier targets.
    The stakes have a limited lifetime, they can be destroyed, and your supply of them is limited. Also works on vehicles - makes it easier to C4 things!

    In addition, we could have a deployable "trap" wall. When enemies get near the deployable's location, it would create an energy barrier that would block physical movement ( people and bullets / projectiles ). The Emitter would have a limited lifetime, and would be destructible, and the wall itself could also only take a certain amount of damage before shattering. The balance would have to be done right. Either it dies easily but the deployable has a very long lifetime, or it is very hard to destroy but has a very limited duration. Also - when the enemy move out of range of the emitter, the wall would dissipate, so in order for it to materialize, they have to stay near it.
    Allies, however, do not trigger the emitter, so they can advance and retreat through it without problems.

    Another way to cripple the enemy would be to have an ability similar to the infiltrator's hacking, but more oriented towards attrition rather than outright "this computer is mine now".
    Sabotaging could be used on pretty much everything hacking can be used on.
    On turrets - sabotaged turrets are rigged to explode when fired. Add a distinctive visual effect to the turret so enemy players have some way of knowing whether it's a death trap or not.
    On vehicle terminals - vehicle costs are increased, or the terminal displays faulty data, denying certain vehicles, or spawning vehicles at random, rather than the one that was selected.
    On infantry terminals - similar to vehicle terminals, resource costs would be increased, loadouts could be selected at random.

    Additionally, Sabotage would work on SCUs and Generators ( kind of like the satchel charge idea, but imo less clunky ), reducing the overload time by a certain amount, depending on the level of the ability.

    This would make Light Assaults useful both on the offensive, but also to go behind enemy lines and sabotage bases from which they pull their assets. The resource cost increase would affect battles in the long run, making tank / air zergs more costly, and take longer to rebuild. It gives control over vehicle spam.


    The fall damage reduction suggested in the OP, while bad for a suit slot, could be fitted in as a passive ability. At first I wanted Adrenaline Pump to be made passive but now that infils have it, I think that's off the table.
    Additionally, if Sabotage is not a good idea as an ability, then the overload timer reduction could also be put as a passive cert.


    How about a new grenade? Flashbangs are just underpowered conc grenades, and smoke grenades are meh since there's the underbarrel smoke launcher that does the job better and is available to the class that has infinite ammo.

    Kinetic Grenade - Upon detonation, this grenade emits a powerful blast that does not harm opponents ( much ) but rather knocks them outwards from the center of the blast. This can be used to shatter enemy defensive lines, push them out of cover, push them into a killzone, or simply to keep them away to buy time for your team.
    If enemies that were pushed out impact with hard surfaces, they do take collision damage ( so tossing it in a small room packed with people would result in lots of kills and the walls being painted red )

    In fact, if you were to use the three items I've listed above; the deployable wall, the tripwire tool, and the force grenade, you could single-handedly set up some pretty awesome traps by slowing enemies to make them a better target for the grenades you threw to knock them into the wall you set up.
    Synergy! Yay!

    Alternatively, you could always just have something boring like Molotov cocktails that would create area denial through long-lasting fire and deadly Damage-over-Time. But fire just doesn't seem to fit Light Assaults.
  13. Iridar51

    Those thingamabobs would be more fitting for the engineer class =\
  14. Xien

    Honestly your class can be removed entirely from the game and it won't affect things much.
  15. Megaman3300

    Personally, all I want is for LAs to be able to use Battle Rifles :oops:
  16. Pat22

    In a way yes, but also no. The Engineer, most of the time, is behind friendly lines. It's very rare that one will venture forth on his own.,

    The Light Assault, on the other hand, often finds himself behind enemy lines where he can make better use of those abilities, and it fits with his class trait - mobility and disruption.

    But above all else, these are things that would give us a team utility, that would make us wanted in a squad. As fun as fuel injectors, new guns, a new jetpack and sticking to walls is, these are not things that will make people want to have light assaults in their squads, it`ll only make it a bit funner to play LA, but still just as unrewarding and unimportant.


    Basically:
    - Engineers: Defense and team support
    - Light Assaults: Mobility and Disruption
  17. Iridar51

    I guess you and I see Light Assault a bit differently. I want Light Assault to be what Heavy Assault is - a killer, but slightly different:
    - speed and mobility instead of toughness, dodge bullets for example
    - mostly anti infantry, and with lighter weapons, that are more mobile, basically what we already have.

    But SOE has made every effort to make Jet Packs completely ineffective in actual combat, and in actual combat we're basically nerfed engineers. So we have to rely on stealth and evasion to stay alive.

    This makes only two playstyles viable:
    1) brain-frozen, balls-to-the-wall, bold and impudent shotguns
    2) kill-X-guys-and-escape-on-jets disruption skirmisher

    That's what LA is, and that's where you're coming from, what you're basing your ideas on.

    Personally - I don't like this direction of development.
  18. Pat22

    But we can already do that, save for being able to ADS while flying. We don't need a whole new set of abilities and tools for something we can already do.
  19. Iridar51

    Can do what? Use Jump Jets to dodge bullets? Don't tell me you're serious.
  20. Pat22

    I am. Don't tell me you're expecting it to be like the matrix where you're virtually impossible to hit?