August 7th 2019 - PS4 Game Update (A New Soldier)

PS4 servers will be taken offline on Wednesday August 7th, 2019 at 6:00AM PT (1300 UTC) for maintenance. Downtime is expected to last up to 3 hours.



Performance, performance, and stability

Thank you so much to the PS4 players that have been waiting patiently for us to bring over massive amount of work that recently went over into the PC version of PlanetSide 2 to the PS4 platform.

We have done everything we can to bring the recent graphical improvements over from the major DX11 PC update. This includes updating to the latest version of the forgelight engine PlanetSide 2 is built upon. Players should see framerates boosts that very from 5% to 30% depending on the conditions you are currently encountering. Overall framerates should be smoother (sudden drops and peaks will be much less noticeable.) The improvement we are most excited about is the vastly improved loading times. As much as 50% and sometimes even better improvements to loading times should be seen by all players. With this updated version of the forgelight engine we have much more powerful and robust tools available to us to debug the stability and performance of the game. With this patch stability issues with the game should be greatly improved allowing for much longer game sessions without running into any problems or bugs.

Ultimately these improvements bring the PS4 platform back into line with the PC version of the game and could potentially allow us to bring the two platforms into exact parity. PS4 players can expect to see our cadence of patches resume their normal tempo. We are excited to see what the future of PlanetSide 2 bring us on the PS4 platform.

PlayStation Plus Membership Benefits

If you are a PlayStation Plus member you will now notice you are granted an additional 50% of bonus XP. This is an addition to other XP boosts you may have equipped and the 50% of bonus XP you are awarded for having an active PlanetSide 2 Membership.




Nanite Systems Operatives have entered the battlefield
Built to function in the harshest weather conditions and most demanding combat roles, our new Nanite Systems Operatives are here to serve. Players now have the ability to create a robotic character on a new, fourth faction, the Nanite Systems Operatives (or NSO.) In light of this addition, we've also granted another free character slot to all players.

• NSO characters are available to players with active PlanetSide 2 memberships only.
• Each time an Operative moves to a new continent, they will be assigned to fight for whichever faction currently has the lowest population.
• This faction will not be re-assigned until the player travels to a new continent.
• Operative characters use Nanite Systems weaponry only, and have their own special Directive lines available for completion.
• NSO characters do not have equivalents for faction-specific items, so use caution when purchasing bundles that offer items for multiple factions.
• A MAX unit, main battle tank, and empire specific fighters are currently missing from the NSO arsenal, and we will be exploring their implementation at a later date.
• NSO characters can reside in outfits (even while contracted for opposing teams,) and can join and lead squads for whichever faction they're currently fighting for.
• If an NSO character leaves a continent and is contracted to fight for a new team, they will be removed from their active squad.
• For the time being, NSO characters will be unable to access Tutorial and Koltyr.
• Beyond that, NSO characters operate similarly to a character from any other empire.
• They have the same health pools, movement speeds, hitboxes and animations, and they die and respawn just like any other soldier.

The design of this system had a few targets.

• Firstly, we wanted a way to address population balance without having to rely on a faction queue, which (while effective) isn't a fun way for players to spend their evening if they want to play with their friends on a particular faction.
• Secondly, we wanted a way to celebrate and reward our players who have active memberships, and there is no more prominent way to flaunt your support of the game than piloting a combat-ready robotic soldier.
• Lastly, we wanted to invigorate some of the PlanetSide 2 lore. The release of NS Operatives is the true beginning of a larger story arc surrounding Nanite Systems, and some hero characters you may (or may not have) heard of just yet.

We hope you enjoy these new soldiers, and the havoc they will certainly wreak upon the battlefields of Auraxis.

The ANT comes to PS4
This heavy mining vehicle is now available to spawn from the vehicle terminal for 200 Nanites. Using its mining laser the driver can use to mine Cortium ... we know this vehicle is meant to power the construction system which is not quite ready for PS4 yet. For now, we hope you find the addition of the vehicle entertaining as it does add some unique new ways to participating in vehicle combat thanks to its Cortium Powered Turbo engine and weight characteristics. We will be running some more public construction tests after this patch to once again see if we can make construction (or construction light) work for the PS4 platform.

Ready to Re-enlist?
Welcome back soldiers! Double experience FOR ALL will be starting on August 7th and running through August 15th. Double experience FOR MEMBERS starting August 16 through the end of August 17th. Finally we will also be hosting a MEMBERS ONLY quadruple experience day on August 18th!

In celebration of this massive update, we've also have some new limited time availability bundles for the next four weeks.



Week 1 - August 12 through August 18
Re-enlistment Bundle Alpha - 499 DBC cost - 3693 DBC value

• MGR-S1 Gladius (NC SMG)
• MG-S1 Jackal (TR SMG)
• VE-S Canis (VS SMG)
• Angular Camo (NC/TR/VS Camo)
• Squad Experience Boost 7-Day

Week 2 - August 19 through August 25
Re-enlistment Bundle Bravo - 999 DBC cost - 5389 DBC value

• Pillager (TR Flash Weapon)
• Starfall (VS Flash Weapon)
• Buzzard (NC Flash Weapon)
• NS-50 Gorgon (Left and Right hand MAX machine guns, for VS/NC/TR)
• M202 Wyrm (Wing-mounted Heavy Machine Gun for Reaver, Mosquito, and Scythe)
• Interference Profile Banner (VS/NC/TR/NSO)
• Squad Experience Boost 7-Day

Week 3 - August 26 through September 1
Re-enlistment Bundle Charlie - 1999 DBC cost - 9985 DBC value

• MGR-L1 Promise (NC LMG)
• MG-L1 Watchman (TR LMG)
• VE-H Maw (VS LMG)
• Saron HRB (VS Magrider/Harasser)
• Enforcer (NC Vanguard/Harasser)
• Vulcan (TR Prowler/Harasser)
• Darkstar MAX armor (VS)
• Havoc MAX armor (TR)
• Sigma MAX armor (NC)
• Scanline Ambush Camo
• Gridsmoke Profile Banner
• Squad Experience Boost 7-Day

Week 4 - September 2 through September 8
Re-enlistment Bundle Delta - 3999 DBC cost - 36264 DBC value

• Centuri Armor Set (VS infantry armor, all classes)
• Crimson Armor Set (TR infantry armor, all classes)
• Lambda Armor Set (NC infantry armor, all classes)
• Halberd-H SE (Harasser)
• Halberd SE (Magrider/Vanguard/Prowler)
• Astral Camo (VS/NC/TR/NSO)
• Anomaly Background
• 9x Deluxe Implant Packs
• 1x One-Month Heroic Boost

Summer Event
From August 6 through August 31, the war on Auraxis heats up as a new Summer Event goes live!

• Soldier Soaker returns – All players now have access to a water-filled event sidearm that deals high damage, douses burning targets, and also counts toward event directive completion.
• Water Balloons return – All players also gain access to water balloons that detonate in a big splash on contact, dousing targets who are on fire, and counting toward event completion.

Summer Directive
The Summer Directive returns with some new challenges and rewards! You'll have through August to complete the following challenges.

• Beat the Heat: Score kills with a Summer Holiday Weapon.
• Beachhead: Kill enemy vehicles while in a vehicle yourself.
• King of the Castle: Earn experience by capturing or defending a control point.
• Summer Support Ribbons: Earn summer support ribbons by resupplying or repairing friendly vehicles while in a vehicle yourself.
• Crashing Waves: Earn kills against MAX units during the Maximum Pressure event.
• Tour Guide: While piloting a vehicle, earn gunner kills on enemies defending an Aerial Anomaly.

Tier 1 Reward: 100 Certs, 1-Day Experience Boost
Tier 2 Reward: 100 ISO-4, Basic Implant Pack
Tier 3 Reward: Cloud Cover Weapon Camo
Tier 4 Reward: Indar Shoreline Banner, Title: Surfer




Alert Rotation Changes

• Gaining Ground has been removed from the alert rotation

Maximum Pressure – Continent Event

• Maximum Pressure is a new alert type that requires players to get as many kills as possible, and provides free MAX units for the duration of the event.

Refine and Refuel - Continent Event

• The Refine and Refuel event has been added to the pool for all continents.
• At the start of the event, two Refineries will spawn toward the center of the map, and there will always be two available on the map at all times.
• Players are tasked with harvesting Cortium and depositing it into one of the refineries.
• When a Refinery is full, it will blast off into orbit, and a new one will spawn at another location.
• The faction who has refined the most Cortium will earn a 20% nanite discount on Sunderer and ANT spawns at the end of the event.

Unstable Warpgates

• Unstable Warpgates no longer use the alert system to stabilize itself, it instead happens immediately once the triggers are met.
• When a new continent opens, it will remain in an unstable state, checking the population every 2 minutes.
• Stability states now have three tiers: unstable single-lane (as it was prior to this update,) unstable double lane (new to this update,) and fully stabilized.
• These changes should ensure continents with adequate populations are quickly stabilized to help move players around the map, along with the Spawn System Revamp below, and Join Combat changes coming at a later date.

Spawn System Revamp
We have made large revisions to the spawn system that will help filter players into more enjoyable fights, discourage overpopulation as it moves from base to base, as well as allow for more freedom to move around the map.
Prior to this update, the spawn system was too restrictive, and didn't point players in any particular direction. Veteran players would often resort to hopping from spawn point to spawn point in order to reach fights they wanted to participate in. At the same time, players were discouraged from leaving their current lane, which contributed heavily to the formation of "zergs" that then move down an abandoned lattice lane unopposed. This experience was detrimental to new players and veterans alike.
The revised spawn rules now work on a priority system, with ideal spawn locations appearing first, and additional spawn locations appearing after a longer wait period, effectively throttling how quickly players can redeploy around the map, while still giving them the option to do so.

Priority 1 Spawn Locations - Default spawn timer

• Warpgate
• Last spawnpoint you used.
• Spawn Beacons.
• Squad-spawnable vehicles.
• Other spawn points within your current region if that region is not overpopulated.
• Allied regions adjacent to an enemy region with less than 12 players at it.

Priority 2 Spawn Locations- 15 second wait time.

• Spawn locations in your current region if your region is overpopulated.
• Allied regions with adjacent enemy territory with less than 96 players, and aren't cut off from the lattice.
• Outfit-owned regions that are not overpopulated, and aren't cut off from the lattice.

Priority 3 Spawn Locations - 30 second wait time.

• Allied regions without enemy adjacency and aren't cut off from the lattice.

These changes give players the ability to jump to low populated regions to start moving down lanes with less occupancy; prohibits players from redeploying directly into overpopulated regions from outside them; and slows down the respawn time in overpopulated regions when your last-used spawn point is destroyed.
We have a lot of flexibility with this system to either loosen up or clamp down harder on the ruleset, and will undoubtedly make adjustments as it continues to shake out.




Infantry

NS-03 Thumper
Do you hear that? The distant bellow of localized explosions.
Do you smell that? The occasional waft of burning flesh.
Do you see that? Too late.
New from Nanite Systems, the NS-03 Thumper grenade launcher.
The Thumper comes with a six round magazine, backlit ammo display, and side-mounted Comfort-Control Handle for ease of use.
This weapon is equipped with Fragmentation rounds by default, perfect for inflicting mortal wounds on soft targets.
We also offer two alternate ammunition types for versatility in combat situations.
Disruptor Ammunition depletes energy, destroys small electronics, and inflicts high damage to shields.
Incendiary Ammunition sets infantry targets aflame, perfect for an outdoor barbecue.
Nanite Systems, reliability delivered.

NSX Amaterasu (NS Melee)

• Quick melee and wielded melee damage from 350 to 450
• Wielded ranged damage from 200@1m - 143@50m to 450@2m - 143@50m
• Wielded ranged damage resistance type from small arms to melee
• Wielded scope sway has been removed, and minor per-shot recoil has been added
• Amaterasu will now always fire its blade while wielded

Dev Note: We've made this weapon more competitive with other knife options, and reduced some of the annoyances related to its use.

NSX Naginata (NS LMG)

• Vertical recoil min from 0.6 to 0.4
• Vertical recoil max from 0.8 to 0.6

Dev Note: The adjustment to vertical recoil here increases accuracy of both first shot and sustained fire, and makes the recoil easier to compensate for.

NSX Tengu (NS SMG)

• Hybrid Laser attachment's hipfire pellet spread and cone of fire buff from 20% to 33%.
• Magazine size from 20 to 22
• Ammunition capacity from 140 to 176

Dev Note: These changes aim to make the Tengu more useable out of the box, and bring the Hybrid Laser attachment into more a more competitive position versus Extended Magazines.

VE-C Horizon (VS Carbine)

• Max damage per pellet from 50 to 56
• Max damage with capsulate ammunition from 75 to 84
• No longer earns the wrong kill ribbons.

Dev Note: Horizon has enough drawbacks that we don't feel we need to keep it on the lower, more reserved damage tier.

MG-C1 Kindred (TR Carbine)

• No longer earns the wrong kill ribbons.

Hardlight Barrier (Engineer deployable)

• This item has received a new look.

MG-HBR1 Dragoon (Terran Republic Battle Rifle)

• Refire rate from 325ms to 300ms

Dev Note: This change increases the Dragoon's rate of fire by a small amount, and makes it more distinct in comparison to other weapons in the arsenal, as well as the other heavy battle rifles across factions.

MGR-C1 Charger (New Conglomerate Carbine)

• Number of charged shots per mag from 5 to 7.

Dev Note: Increasing the charged shot count allows players in the top end of their magazine to secure a six-round bodyshot kill against unmodified health pools, as well as some room for leniency with the seventh round.

New Conglomerate MAX Weapons
The last bump to NC MAX weapons pushed them a bit closer to where we wanted them to be in relation to the VS and TR MAX units, but it still needs some nudging.

NCM1 Scattercannon

• Magazine size from 8 to 9
• Ammunition capacity from 72 to 81

AF-34 Mattock

• Magazine size from 10 to 12
• Ammunition capacity from 80 to 96
• Pellet spread from 1.75 to 1.5

AF-41 Hacksaw

• Magazine size from 8 to 9
• Ammunition capacity from 72 to 81
• Pellet spread from 3 to 2.5

AF-23 Grinder

• Magazine size from 16 to 18
• Ammunition capacity from 96 to 126

Player Studio
New items, created by your fellow community members, are now available for purchase in the Depot.


Black Ops infantry armor sets and helmets by Doku are now available in the Depot. These armor sets come bundled together with each faction sold separately. The helmets are common pool available to all empires, and come in two styles.


Misc. Fixes, Changes, and Additions

• Loading screens will now feature a lot more variety.
• Auxiliary Shield 3d representation changed in the loadout screen.
• NC semi-auto and automatic shotguns no longer inherit the player's armor camo on the loadout screen UI.
• Players in a loading screen should no longer appear until their loading screen is dropped.
• T7-P Mini-Chaingun should no longer unequip itself.
• VE-H Maw's reload coolant particle effects should no longer appear randomly for remote clients.
• 1.75x scope on the LB00 can now be purchased with certs.
• Fixed a skinning issue on Light Stripe tires.