I made a Light Assault Suggestions page and compiled several suggestions from the LA Revamp roadmap thread. I added a few ideas of my own (not many) and seeing as how i'm not a professional LA or anything, looking for some LA oriented discussion. Unfortunately, most of the LA revamp thread is complaining that Infiltrators need it more. http://planetside.wikia.com/wiki/Community_Light_Assault_Suggestions
Eh... what? How...? How can anyone think for even a second the infiltrator needs it more? Infiltrator: Has one useless grenade (decoy) and one grenade that counts easy as one of the most powerful (disables radar, disrupts vision, removes shield and ability energy, instant explosion on contact). Has hacking ability for turrets and terminals, which can be incredibly powerful Has stealth Has sniper weapons Has Flash Cloak did I miss something? LA: Has a Jetpack Has one grenade that is now available for every other class, only the version available to all classes is free and can be resupplied at ammo packs. Has one "good" grenade in the Flash grenade, only the Concussion and EMP outperform it by having less vision impairment but gaining a ton of hampering and damaging abilities as compensation. Has the least amount of weapons available of all classes, has no unique weapons available Has synergy with shotgun and C4 due to Jetpacks.
Well, that was an old thread, and infiltrators used to need a revamp a lot more than LAs. Then they got a revamp, and now they still have some annoying problems but are much better off in general.
What ITG said, this was before motion sensors and stalker cloak (the infil update). The LA update got pushed to the back burner on the road map and never came to fruition and almost all of the ideas so far in it are just "add icarus jumpjets!" which we now have...lol.
The Icarus... we can pick a new version of a Jumpjet, but what we don't have is new functionality. Tools, Utilities, abilities to make the class more unique. I like some of the idea's posted in the link, I got similar idea's in another thread on here in a remake.
It's a wiki. Anyone can add to it. The idea is that everyone would post their ideas to revamp LA so it becomes a community curated revamp/shopping list of changes for the LA. If you don't know how to edit i can hep you or just edit it for you.
I don't want to mess with editing the wiki, but I was thinking for a while about a tool for LA, reeding through some old ideas and such. Problem with LA is, that it's a highly mobile class, which works out of reach of their squad mates, flanks and harasses the enemy. LA is similar to infiltrator, who also can flank and disrupt enemy. Ideas for disruption tools like radar scrambler falls too much into what infiltrator should have and things based on mobility, like grapling hooks or deployable jump pads, seems odd for LA and also hard to implement. But LA is also known for delivery of explosives. Unfortunately for him, he has the same slot for C4 and for medkits when he would really need both - for greater survivability in enemy territory and for eliminating important / dangerous targets. So I would suggest to keep it simple and give LA timed explosives for a tool. Just a simple, weaker than C4 explosive, which can be dropped like C4, doesn't stick to anything, maybe could be even removed by repair tool like mines and explodes in a few seconds (5 to 10 ? ) after it has been thrown. Upgrading would increase capacity and you could resupply from ammo packs. This way you could pick up medkits and still kill a max / tank, or you could get C4 on top for more destruction in one life (not to mention C4 sticks, so tanks can't just drive away from it like they could from timed explosives).
I used to agree with that statement whole heartedly, then flash grenades got "fixed" into uselessness as their radius is tiny, they don't go through walls, and they don't go through cover, and they still have a full length delay... Then conc got nerfed so that EMP grenades are clamored for, between that and motion spotters (most people even on a hold are moving, plus most successful pushes turn into holds where you want them anyway) an SMG infiltrator is more welcome on an assault squad than a Light Assault, LA simply brings nothing useful to the table, hell I would rather have a SECOND infil (to decrease the chance that timed out/destroyed motion spotters will go unrefreshed, and for more EMPs) than an LA. I've supported allies with fire from an unexpected location before (although when I die I am just as unreachable and am potentially a net loss to the team if I don't do enough damage beforehand due to this, plus I can jump all over rocks and walls as any class the jetpack is largely just a convenience/speed item not necessarily positioning) and I've saved the day from a well placed prowler before and a max crash using C4 before, but most max crashes don't mean I am necessarily in a position, or that there is a position available, to get a mass hit with a brick, and a well placed MBT is rarely the problem that costs our assault/hold, and even when there is one there, it is not always something even an LA can do anything about. Is being selfish wrong, when I put my money and my time into my account and computer for this game? Not necessarily/not at all, but it is undeniable that the vast majority of the time I am making the selfish decision of putting my personal enjoyment above the success (and through that enjoyment) of the team, in a team game, because the team would be served better with another class... sniping was the former class role, now it's just a perk that allows for something specialized, but most of the time there are more useful things you could be doing with the team. "I play this game for fun!" -Said by losers and Light Assaults I propose a few changes for LA, based on LA's only (unofficial) role as sapper/physical sabotage Nanite Disruptor Grenade: (NDG) A 2.5 second fused grenade (goes off one second after impact like an emp though so you cant saturate a room with them by bouncing from safety) that instantly creates a clear dome (as rapidly as a shield generator, about as big as a maxed shield generator) and from the center launches disruptive nanites which disrupt shields within x radius for 7 seconds, the shield disruption effect inflicts 1 (out of 500, people) damage every .5 seconds to enemy shields (not HP), this creates a flicker effect (if the target has shields), like all damage, so HSNV scopes aren't mandatory to see enemies who stay within the dome, HSNV scopes will allow enemies to see out however. It also resets personal shield regeneration timer until you get out, like all damage. If a nanite healing or revive grenade goes off within range of this dome the effects of both grenades are neutralized, this allows for some cool counter play without counter oversaturation (healing grenades are rare and using a revive grenade early to get rid of it is a hard call to make) while also incrementally increasing the significance of the nano armor cloaking buff (no flicker) friendlies will see yellow smoke inside the dome, enemies will see red, this way you can clearly discern enemy and friendly grenades. Replaces smoke. EMP wipes the grenade out, not that enemies will want to EMP themselves, but this prevents the synergy because I am not looking to compete for spots on the assault here, that's not a sapper's job... Electrical Charge Grenade: (ECG) A contact detonation grenade that creates arcs electricity, dealing 250 damage to enemies within a (x) radius (stickies have max damage at 2.5 so I'm thinking 3.0 for this, not meant for AI spam, not enough to kill even with full bando and cant be bounced for room clearing by multiple guys) and destroying deployables. No damage at all after that the electricity either is strong enough to make a jump through air or doesn't arc. It has a heavy modifier against max and vehicle units, pretty weak for pushing into a room, too slow to throw them all for countering a max/infantry crash before they spread out in the room, but certainly better than the current flash grenade. most notably an anti-max tool where you can track the targets movement and get them two or more times. It can also be used to surprise vehicles but it has directional damage much like an AV grenade where direction is based on where you are when you throw it not where the grenade hits meaning you have to get behind the vehicle for max damage not just hover over it, so not as easy as C4, especially since you cant throw a bunch and detonate for instagib you have to hit one at a time. Would (unfortunately) need it's own damage type, otherwise due to flack armor it would have to hit maxes like a deci since the trade off in the end is the loss of C-4 Tool; Tactical Remote Electronics Kit: (T-REK) (OG planetside inspired name only) Requests from field commanders for improved espionage capabilities from the largely outdated Remote Electronics Kit have prompted Nanite Systems to redesign the device with tactical usages in mind. Throw an T-REK using the same animation as an engineer ammo pack, same trajectory too. This is a tool you switch to like a rocket or radar, not an automatic throw like the engineer ammo pack. it'd be awful hard to air bomb one onto a terminal as it doesn't have a radius, it needs contact. The T-REK uses a wider effecting algorithm that is not as strong as an infiltrator's REK and the device also cannot be handled hands free like the wrist mounted REK, it will not boot occupants from vehicles/turrets. It will not change control of empty turrets, just lock them down permanently until it is either counter hacked by a REK or T-REK It will change control of terminals. The color will change to neutral gray to denote a hacked turret. While the hack is in progress the T-REK can be destroyed. Fully upgraded causes it to hack as fast as a fully upgraded infil hack, and you get 3 of them. As for tactical advantages: You can put this on the target and relocate, rather than having to stay in close range and defenseless. When the hack is complete, or rather after the amount of time post landing it takes to hack based on rank +.5 seconds to make sure it goes through, the T-REK deconstructs and the nanites make their way back to you where it reconstructs like a boomerang effect (this is invisible, you really just regenerate T-REKs at the rate they hack) you can hack multiple things at once, 3 at max rank Vehicle hacking, I personally don't want vehicles changing factions, that creates new and unaccounted for synergies that are going to destabilize game balance, additionally I don't think infiltrators should get vehicle hacking at all, as that will pretty much only happen to prowlers... kinda unfair even if I'm NC... anyway, Vehicles will not change control, For Lightnings and MBTs the same thing will happen to your controls that happened to air (turret traverse and elevation will have a throw to it, making precision aiming cumbersome, additionally you will be stuck in first gear, all effects are purged after 10 seconds) For Harassers and Flash you lose your ability access for 10 seconds and are stuck in first gear (turbo, cloak, fire suppression or gate diffuser, whatever you have) For sunderers you lose ability access for 10 seconds and are undeployed, after 10 seconds the sunderer automatically redeploys if the owner doesn't get in and take care of that sooner. Aircraft get throttle loss and weapon lock for 10 seconds (ofc you probably cant land one on an ESF, the only one you could reliably get would be a gal if you pulled an esf but then you have to worry about the gun on top killing you or destroying the T-REK if not positioned properly, gives reason to use a drake on top over a walker maybe) note they still drift down as slowly as normal if you just point your nose straight. C4 removed from class, this is the highly cumbersome but powerful item that keeps us from getting any love, too strong when we can use it to justify having anything when we cant... this will give us sapper/physical sabotage as well as a way to rapidly hack defenses, rapidly enough that they don't get counter hacked as fast as we can hack them, even if we cant turn their turret against them, this will make us useful for advancing the team in tower fights, tech plant fights, and in bases where there are perimeter towers like an amp station, we can also cause disorder in enemy troop movements by temporarily shutting down a spawn and relocating the respawners who just spam click the closest available only to wind up at a different sunderer cut off from their allies. Tanks get a better shot at fending off attacks, although the battle wont be easy if you mess up their turret controls, but you have to land behind them with grenade bando for rear damage and they can turn their tank pretty quick with rival chassis, so they have a good chance of not dying as long as they aren't dumb.
My idea to fix LA: Put C4 in our tool slot instead of our utility. Almost every LA uses C4 already, this simply opens up our utility for medkit usage. bam done. LA is the lone wolf, chaos causing, skirmishing badass hes supposed to be. Battle Rifles would also be cool.
I'm aware that LA is usually not that useful to the team as other classes, yet there are still things which only LA can do. Every time there is a multifloor building, only LA can attack it without giving enemy height advantage. This is more observable on tower bases, where LA is practically only one who can move there freely. Every other class has to move through stairs (with exception of well placed beacon, usually placed by LA). Together with infiltrator, LA can also easily flank enemy and harass them with hit and run tactics. But that's about it. Still I don't think LA needs complete overhaul of it's equipment. It just needs buff to special grenades to make them viable. In theory flash grenade should be awsome, but it isn't because of the mechanics which makes blinding effect less strong the farther you are from it. In my opinion it should be complete white on any distance and duration would decrease instead. Smoke grenade is unfortunately a victim of graphics settings. I remember when I played on low, underbarrel smoke didn't even work on greater distance than about 15 meters. And smoke made by others was very easy to see through. Anyway, LA could just use some tool. I already suggested timed explosives as a tool, but to make LA a more lucrative class to take in squad I have another, opposite suggestion. I've seen suggestions about ability for LA, which would boost player's reflexes for short amount of time (faster movement, reload speed, weapon switch speed etc.). So instead of an ability, LA would get a tool similiar to restoration kits, lets call it a stimpack for now. On usage player would get a health restoration effect (a bit weaker than restoration kit) and a bonus to movement speed, reload speed, weapon switch speed, knife speed and grenade throw speed (or as many of them as possible in current game engine). Now the catch is, that you could apply it to yourself but also to other players (not maxes of course). And it can be resupplied from ammo packs. Multiple applies only resets duration (doesn't stack). Class change at the terminal removes the effect. So, LA would have a tool, which: allows him to stay alive for longer time can be used to heal hurted players when outside of medic's reach can be used to buff your squadmates before a push into room Yet, it won't substitute for medics and with a well chosen duration and resupply speed it won't be practical to have just one LA drug dealer for whole squad.
In my mind, LA always should have been the guy to just get in the fight, perform a direct assault of an objective via shortest route and beat the snot out of the enemy in a close and personal fight. LA is the kind of guy that takes the fight directly to the enemy, exactly where needed, without wasting time on movement. However, overabundance of HAs superior in direct combat and feeling of self-preservation (K/D padding) forced LAs role to shift to flanking and mind gaming and stealthy, careful (cowardly) play. It's not that LA was intended to be a smart flanker. It's just how it evolved due to ineffectiveness of other playstyles. It's not that LA is bad. Other classes are too good.
Yes, LA has an advantage of getting into frontline as fast as possible, which is also his disadvantage. LA leaves behind his teammates, so even if he was as strong as HA, he dies before others make it there and can finish the job. Practically you attack with only a part of your force. It would soften up the enemy for second wave, but medics can revive and heal really quickly so it doesn't work here. The ability of fast response is better used in other places than in assault on main enemy force which moves predictably or stays on one place. When LA intercepts enemy and goes through the fastest route, he doesn't use roads and paths like other classes, so when he gets to his target, he is usually not expected. Flanking just go naturally with the greater freedom of movement. So, in different perspective is LA too good. Too good in moving for his own good.
All of these would make Light Assault VERY attractive for me. The ability to counterplay classes without oversaturation of said counterplay would be very awesome. And the ability to hack vehicles to disable them for some time, and the ability to hack terminals and Phalanx Turrets would open an entire new world of Squad strategies to use LA's to their advantage!
LA is fine as it is now just the one thing it needs is a role in the battlefield. just give them a placeable like the shield regen device that distrupts the minimap of enemies, making them blurred or make their friendly dots become hostile dots (on the minimap only). but thats just a idea, LA is fine and it does not need anything else but a purpose.
I love the suggestions LA definitely needs a revamp and LA specific weapons. An idea for an LA specific weapon to outline mobility would be a gun that would be a close range SMG-type weapon with slower fire rate and overall a worse SMG with reflex sight, laser, SPA. When you press F the weapon would turn into a little bit weaker Warden-like battle rifle with a 3.4x zoom, HVA, etc. This would outline the LA's mobility and allow LA to be viable at all ranges. Pretty easy animation as you can just have the gun switch as if you were switching guns at a terminal.
