Ready for Testing - Implants

Discussion in 'Test Server: Announcements' started by Nak, Apr 23, 2014.

  1. Nak

    Implants

    Implants are now available on PTS for testing!

    We would love to see your feedback and are monitoring bug reports via both the in-game reporting tool and other communication channels.

    We have revamped the system a few times based on player feedback. Here is a quick recap of the resulting changes:
    • Implants are no longer timed, consumable items
      • Implants are permanent items
      • Implants are now powered by an implant power core (details below)
    • All players start out with a default implant
    • Players can earn implant rewards through gameplay in addition to buying them with Certification Points or Station Cash like a standard item
    • Implants can now be equipped in custom loadouts instead of only equipping them on the character
    Here is a summary of the system:
    • Implants are occasionally earned from experience rewards (this doesn't currently work on PTS due to some item delivery complications)
    • Implants are equipped in custom loadouts
    • Implants use implant power core energy only when they are actively equipped
    • Energy is acquired by chargers
    • Chargers are occasionally earned from experience rewards (this doesn't currently work on PTS due to some item delivery complications)
    • Unwanted implants can be constructed into new implants or chargers in the new construction interface
    • Implants can also be acquired in the Depot for either CP or SC via random implant packs
    • Stronger versions of some implants have a chance to drop or can be crafted
    Some implant features are still in progress:
    • Improving the drop messaging
    • Improving the random implant pack messaging
    • HUD indicator polish
    • Item creation polish
      • Greying out components as they're eliminated from possible construction plans instead of removing components from the list
      • Sorting implants by alphabetical order
      • Adding a shortcut to speed up the construction process animation
      • Adding a more robust user guide and help menu
    • Some effects are not quite complete – when they are not complete, they have Dev Notes in their descriptions that state the final intent of the implant effect
    • MAX implant rules
    Here is a list of known issues:
    • Getting a drop generates a claim message but does not actually deliver the item on PTS
    • Random implant pack items are not displayed in the purchase success screen
    • The default implant is not always automatically equipped on existing characters
    • There is no “No Energy” state on the HUD indicator
    • A drop earned on one character can be claimed on another character
    Thanks for your support and we look forward to seeing you in game!
    • Up x 9
  2. LLancaster

    Sounds awesome. Looking forward to some "Testing" ;)

    I will say that the only thing this reminds me of is TF2 and hat simulating with the drops and crafting suggested. Not saying that's a bad thing (There's a reason why TF2 is still running), just thought I'd comment on that if you're implementing a new system, emulating an existing one that is reasonably succesful is a good start.
    • Up x 2
  3. M2_Bradley

    1.This implants idea can actually work....
    2.I will trade you this hat if you give me that and that hat...
    • Up x 4
  4. Jeslis

    So.. list of implants? was awareness removed as requested? Need more information.
    • Up x 10
  5. Lemgar

    Not intuitive enough. Needs a lot of UI work before live.

    Very complicated, particularly the new player who apparently needs to be told where to find a fight.

    Existing rewards very focused to solo playstyle. Needs more team friendly options (eg, partial regen on nearby friendly shields when you're hit - or - provides small ae heal to friendlies when you are hit)
    • Up x 4
  6. SquattingPig

    :eek:
  7. Kulantan

    Nope. But the anti-conc and flash ones seem to be gone.
  8. Transformer1275

    I love the implants, was just on test trying them out, sure they're still not finished but they're looking great, can't wait till they go live
  9. Timbosss

    Sounds good. I've always been on the fence about implants, because you could make them a "Pay to win" system, or a combination of luck/skill to get good ones. I still haven't got my head around the whole system yet. Will have to sometime.

    Also, question for the devs - will there be a playtest for Implants over the coming weeks? Be good to have it announced over social networks.
    • Up x 1
  10. DeadliestMoon

    They arent gone, they've just been changed to not provide immunity. It just reduces the effects.
  11. Kulantan

    I got 30 x5 bundles and then constructed quite a few. I didn't see them.
  12. WyrdHarper

    I actually REALLY like this. Whoever designed the interface--nice work. It's a nice quasi-inventory system that is pretty fun to play with. Will need to see how effects play out in live in terms of balance, and how all the other added stuff comes along, but my first impression is really positive.
    • Up x 2
  13. Wargamer

    I don't care for the implant construction system. It feels like a frustrating waste of time, having to combine various implants, and not always getting exactly the one you are aiming for. What I am getting at is, I'd rather just be able to acquire the one I want rather than have to muck around with this system.
    The number of these 5 packs I have had to buy to get to some of the implants is pretty insane. Maybe there is much more to it than I currently understand, but it seems like a random gamble that you'll end up being frustrated on. Few are probably going to spend station cash to get a bunch of random implants, I know I won't. I am sure this is probably some fancy ploy to get people to spend more station cash than needed or a way to mask the true cost of an implant. I'd prefer a direct route.
    • Up x 14
  14. WyrdHarper


    Did you not read the OP? On live you'll receive implants just for fighting and getting experience. It takes some time to get the top-level ones, but I don't see it being an unpleasant grind, since you'll acquire implants just for doing the stuff you're already doing. If nothing else, these are pretty fun. My favorite by far is the "I can jump off of the top of a tech plant" implant. No sunderer is safe from my tank mines anymore.
    • Up x 4
  15. Plyte

    Not all implants are obtainable through buying packs. Some can only be found playing.

    As far as being able to randomly craft these implants, I dunno. My guess is no, I crafted quite a few myself.
  16. MrJengles

    The crafting is mind numbingly tedious. This doesn't add any value whatsoever, it's just clickty-click and wait a few seconds... over and over.

    I'm also not a fan of the entire buy randomly with SC or certs system. Random only means that the majority of the time you don't get what you want, so you buy multiple times. It's much fairer and more open to simply increase the price and let people get exactly what they want. In either case it's pointless to buy a pack that -AFAIK- can't contain tier 3, then convert (craft) it randomly into a tier 3, rather than simply buying a single tier 3 in the first place.

    Why must implants be subject to RNG, where weapons and certs are not? It just opens the door to complaints about "pay-to-win", whether or not this is actually true.



    Health regeneration (when not taking damage, at 4%, 5% and 6% per second depending on tier) is silly. Assuming it's the default implant, It's not going to counterbalance anything because there's so many healing options in-game already. If it does have an affect it's only to reduce reliance on Medics and a utility slot with self heal options. This dilutes gameplay any way you slice it.


    Universally useful default implant:

    First weaken all players:

    -Increase shield recharge delay from 10 seconds to 12 seconds.
    -Decrease shield recharge rate by 50%.

    Shield power (Default Implant):

    -Shield recharge delay reduced by 2 seconds.
    -Shield recharge rate doubled.

    This cancels out so as to leave all players where we are now, preventing power creep. If players want to take an implant to become more powerful in a specific area they lose this general bonus.


    Awareness:

    As it is now:

    -Auto-spots enemies who damage or kill you without using a silencer.

    Why punish people for good positioning? We went through this with the death screen and exact locations were dialed back to general direction. We already have hit markers, so we don't need auto-spot. If you still can't find someone, use teamwork and tools like Sensor Darts.

    What it should be:

    -Alerts the player when they have been spotted by an enemy.
    -Decreases duration player is spotted for by 50%.


    Safe Fall:

    This is going to be highly situational and rarely used, which means the distances have been made way too extreme (with tier 3 you can survive up to 150m) and would create very silly gameplay. More could be done, such as replacing it with:

    Endurance?:

    -Reduced fall damage (like, 3x further than currently).
    -12% faster sprint for limited period, using "overheat" mechanic. Rough numbers: lasts up to 4 seconds, takes 8 to fully cool down.
    • Up x 15
  17. icon

    I want the old "silent run" from planetside 1. Not the 'nerfed' "Sensor Shield" that they eventually changed it to.
    • Up x 1
  18. Paperlamp

    Keeping these as a cert/SC sink is just bad design and P2W, albeit only a very slight kind.

    It's also going to be a PITA managing them with this funky acquisition/upgrade system. Having them run out and having to constantly mess around with loadouts will not be fun, just tedious extra inventory management.

    I also think there are problems with the individual implants:


    The game has too goddamned many automatic methods of locating targets already and stealth classes/playstyles do not deserve this nonsense on top of it.

    Making C4 traps and mines useless against MAXes/tanks who will obviously choose this, is again kind of dumb way of countering smart play via automated crap.

    I know I said I dislike automatic spotting tools, but making infil tools completely unreliable is bad. These implants should not be directly countering important class tools. When you use a sensor to check if the area is clear of enemies that is important information to be able to rely on. Infils are the one slight exception due to cloak, as they should be considering their purpose, but other classes really shouldn't have access to this.
    • Up x 22
  19. Wobberjockey

    honestly we should keep randomness out of the game as much as possible.
    if i want to worship RNGesus, i'm going to go play path of exile. i play planetside because i have ultimate control over the outcome.

    i would not be opposed to changing the crafting recipes though
    so as an example
    any 3 implants of rank x = random implant of rank X+1
    three implants of the same type and same rank = same implant with rank x+1
    three implants of the same type but not of the same rank. = implant type of highest rank plus 1 (this could be kept as the charger recipe)

    i realize these are somewhat similar to what we have now... but i would like a way to craft EXACTLY what i want. even if it is more expensive than going through the RNG

    if you are going to let me buy stuff, let the random packks be a lower cost option, but let me buy exactly what i want for a higher price
    examples
    random T1 implant pack: 4 implants for 100 certs
    Random t1 implant 30 certs
    specific t1 implant, 100 certs.

    that means that yes, i could buy a t5 implant... but that would require about 24,300 certs in order to craft a t5 implant from nothing but stuff that i bought, which i would say is reasonably cost prohibitive.

    i'll have more comments on the implants as soon as this patch is done though

    p.s. this is assuming that we have t5 implants and not just t3 ones at max rank.
    • Up x 4
  20. Clapeyron


    feels sooo nice! I agree with eevery word you wrote, that is so rare on this forum.

    The problem is that this system is super imposed on the game... they (try to) make a balanced game, and THEN they squish in implants over all other abillities/qualities, making some redundant.

    It's really weird turning class specific features into novelty acts, let me explain: I hate snipers, but every other sniper plays as an Infiltrator and lays down motion detectors, and it's like 70% of this class' contribution to this game and now that is unreliable.

    I get it, SOE wants a money sink, something that isn't a weapon you buy once and never again... problem is, that I'm never gonna like a system that functions in a way that if it were in real life - I would never buy anything.

    If I have bought a car, and then had to pay every other time I used the climate control system, I wouldn't use it.
    In the same fashion I won't spend one cent on these implants, almost out of principal
    • Up x 6