So how exactly will the new game mode not negatively affect the already dwindling playerbase?

It just seems like they want to test some popular player ideas, like macro-lattice and redeploy removal. But don't want to commit fully or are afraid of players freaking out and put it into a side-game mode.

I predicted a ha, infiltrator and Max game mode.

And here we are. The thing that really doesn't look good is the plans for changes etc later on. That's dev time spent on a fing side mode.

This actually doesn't represent alot of Dev time; the longest part of this was likely merging lattice and hex. Everything else is just a metric change in copy-pasted code and some UI work.

Different continent? Copy paste VR, Esamir, Hossin or Amerishes generation.
Perpetual alert? Just tweak the alert priority metric to perpetually trigger for this new continent.
Reduced resources? Copy paste VR no-cost code, change numbers.
Points for actions? Copy paste code into Alert from World Domination event.
Instant Action and Redeploy? May have required the introduction of new paramaters to the continent or alert. Though it is more likely it was already in place for "e-sports" stuff and VR; since you can't instant action into VR.
Warpgate rotation? Already built into alerts.
Rewards? Already built into alerts.

It obviously is a smidge more involved than that, but certainly not something a professional couldn't do over a week as a break from infuriating bug fixes.

Sounds like it will be instanced, which I agree could be a problem. What I don't get is why they would make it instanced.

It's essentially just a new alert type, certainly more complex and different from current alerts, but it actually sounds like a lot of fun and could be interesting with the removal of redeploy/instant action. Plus the removal of minor outposts from lattice is something many people have been suggesting since lattice was introduced.

Why can't this be introduced simply as a new alert on indar? Could be when the continent is unlocked to avoid problems with switching between the two different lattices. To me seems like not only are they splitting the playerbase but they're doing it completely unnecessarily.

Sounds good. I'll take that lol.

My guess is that Indar was chosen for this rough draft test because it is popular with the playerbase and the dev team is very familiar with it. It was, afterall, the only continent for a very long time and has been revisited several times.

Most likely this "mode" would launch and use the 'baby continents' designed for fast gameplay. This could be where >15 BR players can experience Koltyr, Nexus, and where city maps, Ascension, Desolation, ect are introduced.

Just my guess.

Players will freak out anyway. Read this thread any? People are already convinced something will go wrong are jumping at every opportunity to say things are going wrong, and won't listen to any hint of reason, won't stop to consider they could be wrong because... well this is the internet. God forbid they be wrong (I mean, I'll totally hold it over their head for the rest of their days, but geez.)

As always - they will make a change that no one wants, will raise the prices even more, introduce about a dozen new bugs and call it the best patch ever! One thing with SOE that's consistent - is their consistency.

I read somewhere recently that Smed said their design philosophy going forward was to target 45 minute play sessions in all DBG games. So I am guessing they figure this conquest will take around that amount of time and would provide a sense of accomplishment i.e. clear win condition. I suppose it's too much to ask of the modern gaming generation to appreciate persistence. It may be a better way to do Planetside today but I am not saying I would find it enjoyable.

http://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/37mz5j/new_game_mode_conquest_is_up_on_pts_post_your/

I wasn't being sarcastic when I posed a question as the title of the thread. I was hoping somebody could convince me that this won't be bad for population.

The answer I got was "It might not be instanced." You can see how that does not alleviate my fears. I am hoping I am wrong. I never said "This will ruin the game!"

I did say "How will an instanced mode not affect the health of the game?"

So you know for sure it won't be instanced? And if it is instanced, explain how that won't be harmful to non-primetime populations, that already have difficulty maintaining good fights.

Hopefully it will be an automated system that shuts down the mode when pop's are not larger enough..
As this mode is designed for 600 people I'm not sure what they are going to class as " to low "

Since PS2 is built around a persistent world, with factions fighting each other in one world, I fail to see how instanced maps could ever be a good thing.

IT will just destroy the community.

It would only be harmful to prime time populations if the numbers were split because people had different preferences, and then we get the "people fight on Indar because people are fighting on Indar" cycle.

Second: the mode is CLEARLY based on being an alert. The PTS follows the same rules as the live servers - winners of the alert cap the continent, locking it out. This includes Indar. This is why it is largely necessary for 24/7 alert Indar to be it's own thing. Perhaps if they demoed it on Nexus it would be a bit more obvious it's just another continent with a new ruleset approach to territorial conquest? What you see is not always exactly what you get.

Third: Are you fishing for a reason to quit, or just can't be bothered to think about the what's and why's of the PTS' approach to testing this new game mode? Why are you arguing with me? Like trying to convince me it's going to be instanced will change jack. I'm trying to tell people they're not thinking straight (or at all.) They continue to act like my alternative isn't a possibility in the slightest.

I'm gonna stick with logic and reason. Y'all can keep freaking out until it hits the live servers only to justify that your panic attacks are why it's not instanced on the live servers to save face, not because DGC never intended to instance the mode in the first place (what about it NEEDS to be instanced?)

Here's another nugget of thought - Smedley never mentioned a new game mode being instanced, he merely mentioned there was work on a new game mode. Fear mongerer's spread that rumor and fools took to it like dry wood to a wild fire. Now they're looking for every reason to derail threads with their "facts" that can not be proven nor disproven because DGC never specified $#!%.

I'm sorry the answer I provided isn't 100% "yes" or "no." It probably didn't occur to DGC they needed to clarify, and I doubt they're in any rush to either. Take that as you will. I'm guessing you'll assume the worst case scenario if recent history is any indication.

Not sure why they would have set it up to be able to disable it if pop levels are to low, if it was just going to be another alert type and not instanced.
Current alerts do not disable based on pop level so a LIVE non-instanced version of this wouldn't need to either.

It will be super funny if they release it and it's as "popular" as Hosin. And all that time and money was wasted on content no one appreciates vs spending both on fixing bugs.

Look like this mode is a test for a complete revamp of PS2. I really believe if the "beta" has more players than "live", devs will know it work and implement to all maps.

Because, just look to the rules and features: it is what PS2 should have since day 1.

I get the impression that you view myself and others as quaking, sweating, and screaming into our keyboards that the sky is falling. I am not "freaking out." I've seen first hand how splitting a population (in PS1) harmed the game. Harmed it so bad it never recovered. So, there is a reason to be worried. Being worried does not mean "freaking out."

In fact, I appreciate your responses. I am not arguing with you. You have shown ways in which this mode could be implemented that won't split the population. If you are right (and I really, really hope you are), then it could even be good for the game. Heck, best case scenario, everyone loves the new "mode" and it REPLACES our current mode! That would be great!

So far, though, every hint from what I can see is: mode is a whole separate instance that we have to queue up for (evidence: it's called a mode, not an alert, and it has its own continent on PTS). The devs have stated the reduced pop cap for this mode, so I'm not sure how that could be mixed into the regular game without temporarily reducing the pop cap on indar.... which would be achieved how? By booting off players above that cap? Not sure how players would find that enjoyable.

I guess my viewpoint comes across as convinced it's instanced because a Dev has not chimed in saying it's not instanced. Which is kind of what I was hoping for in this thread.

One of the devs said this has been worked on completely on some of the devs' personal time. If so, then no money or man hours were "lost".

I can't make an accurate assessment regarding lowered pop caps. All things considered, the whole thing on PTS is a conglomeration of experiments rolled into one neat package. The Lattice/hex hybrid. The "new game mode" for alerts (alerts once upon a time DID have multiple rule sets, one picked at random, and most of them sucked.) To be fair, the current rules for alerts favor the side that starts with the most territory. Halved nanite costs (I'm... not entirely sure that was ever asked for?) No redeploy - aka, logistics are now a thing. Lowered pop caps might be an attempt to move more towards all continents being open... or just attempts at better server stability.

Yeah, this is an experiment in overhauling how PS2 works to some degree. Mostly towards resembling PS1.