EDIT: Sorry for the misleading title, there are no major LA changes in this update. Link to the changelog Knife Mechanics 1) Can now wield the knife for faster swings. 2) Knife swings now can be headshots. 3) New knives can be "activated" when wielded which will make them do more damage. Unclear if (2) or (3) can OHK. I don't think it's all that interesting for us unless it's an OHK. Occasionally, there may be an advantage in pre-equpping the knife and utilizing faster swings for a quick stealthy kill. Aiming for the head sounds interesting, especially in direct firefights, where you just run up to your enemy while firing and swing at his throat. This should make the knife a more reliable finisher against HA's overshields, even if the knife headshot doesn't OHK by itself. Spitfire Turrets Considering they will be usually placed only where Engineer can go by himself, and have range of only 50 meters, they shouldn't be a problem for "roof runner" LA. But, they are likely to be used to protect flanks and rear. I haven't played on PTS, so I'll have to see for myself how much of an issue they are. New Implant Ranks Sensor Shield 2 Allows player to remain hidden from sensors while sprinting, unless they are within 20 meters of the sensor. This actually makes this implant viable for us, assuming this makes you undetectable while flying on the Jet Pack as well. I consider Motion Spotters a direct counter to Light Assault, since our main advantage is surprise. This could very well make Sensor Shield a go-to implant for LA, but the competition with incredibly convenient Regeneration, which also got a new, more effective rank, will be fierce. Clear Vision 4 Reduce effects of Flash and Concussion grenades by 90% Meh. Unless Flash Grenade gets fixed / buffed, it's still gonna be pointless. Safe Landing 4Fall damage resist 50% Now bad LAs can be even badder! Battle Hardened 4 Flinch Reduction: 80% Camera Shake Reduction: 50% This makes Battle Hardened even more interesting for "hit or die" weapons, like precision carbines and slug shotguns. Miscellaneous Red Dot Reflex Sights for NS revolvers Much needed, commish has awful iron sights for such a magnificent weapon. Banshee nerfs, Vulcan changes, more stupid hats, blah di blah. Importantly, finally a nerf to VS camo, and a buff for base walls. Hopefully no more invisible VS soldiers now. Bug Fixes Shifted VX6-7 red dot optics so they rest on the rail properly (PS-301) VS Infiltrator Hard Light Armor on female models should have shoulder pads now Pump action shotguns should no longer cause a quick ADS between shots Not sure if I didn't notice this, or just attributed this to slipped finger. Shield Regen Device effect on players should now be more visible on TR See, TR are getting visibility nerfs too! No need to rally the tear train, VS! Auraxium Infused Plating should now display the appropriate look What, it really won't look so god awful anymore? Hot Keys to select class/vehicle and character loadout can now be used on all screens instead of just on terminal screens (PS-189) Vehicle explosions will now correctly damage players again I had no idea but still
I hope these wieldable knives aren't ******** like in Call of Duty. This game has even worse hit detection and longer TTK, super quick knife users would be a pain and I'd actually start using shotguns.
New knives when wielded and activated OHK on the body hit. Normally, they do the same 500 damage as standard knives, but swing longer, especially when quick-knifed. So it appears they do double damage when activated. Too bad they didn't listen and still used that horrible "B" hotkey instead of perfectly accessible and free Right Mouse Button. NC get a vibroknife, TR get a chaiblade with sound FX of internal combustion engine , VS get something weird and futuristic. Normal knives do not OHK on a headshot, the knife headshot multiplier is 1.5x. With new iron sights, there is no more question, if there was any doubt at all - NS revolvers are best sidearms in the game, if you intend to ADS at all, and don't need a suppressed weapon.
I find myself torn. On the one hand, I like to roll about in my prowler and being able to go anchor mode and throw a spit fire to cover my *** opens up more places for me. Pro tip kids, if you want to be a good tanker in PS2, be a good LA. You know where the bad places to park are since you use them as a LA. I also want the spitfire since I NEVER use my actual turret since I can't stand the thought of holding still in a shooter unless I'm going Metal Gear infiltrator. But the reason I don't want it is because I also like to fly about as a LA, and I feel the skies are going to be more hazardous to stray sentries. Also Zoran did a vid on this http://tinyurl.com/kud3ymd
Just had my first wielded knife kill, when in the heat of battle I ran out of both primary and secondary weapons' magazines. I actually like that now you have an option to switch to your knife instead of awkwardly trying to reload your current weapon while swinging the knife.
Still have yet to use the knife in equip mode, but did manage to get a quick knife kill on a back capping stalker that I managed to corner. And I have Uppercut a few NC jerkoff LA who think they can go cod vs a pump action.
If you have a gaming mouse with a side button a good idea is to set one of them to B so you can easily toggle through all your weapon fire modes with ease.
It's also a good idea to switch between T and Tab for the scoreboard and knife. Tab is easier to press then T, and you don't need the board on demand like you need the knife.
I have a very, very dirty idea. The one that makes me giggle menacingly. As you all know, LA can do anything while flying on the Jet Pack, thus being faster than everyone else. We can be fast while throwing grenades, using medkits, dropping C4 and doing melee swings. Other infantry is forced to walk during all that. If you have new activatable knife, do the following: 1) Equip drifter jets 2) Equip and activate the new knife 3) Find a large clump of enemy infantry and drift along the ground through them, all the while slicing away with OHK body hits. I'd try to do that myself, but I'm short on certs, and I'll be damned if I start spending money on PS2 again.
Should be entirely possible since you can still jet at full speed with the Spiker charging/charged while every other class is forced to walk.
Some knife stats that I have measured for my guide: Standard knives and cosmetic versions: Swing delay (time between pressing melee attack button and actual damage being done to the enemy): 0.133 seconds, regardless if the knife is wielded or not. Time between quick-knife swings: 1 second Time between wielded swings: ~0.667 seconds Equip time: 0.5 seconds Special knives: Swing delay: 0.266 seconds Time between quick knife swings: ~1.46 seconds Time between wielded swings: ~0.73 seconds Equip time: ~0.76 seconds
Based on using the Spitfire turret myself, it seems to be a pain for LAs (haven't run into them myself much as LA yet). It tracks jumpers really well, and when you notice your turret looking up, well, that's an indication to look up, yourself. They're probably not too big a threat to smart LAs, but a disproportionate number of my Spitfire kills have been lights assaults.
I'm sure it's from LA jumping through a window or coming in at a odd angle to either blitz the flank, or they are trying to get away from something else and they just stumble on it. HA can take the hits from a spit fire, infiltrators have their cloak, and everyone else is (or should be) behind the HA and the rest of the main force. I am glad the turret can't look very high or low. Means you can still out maneuver it if it's in a bad position/you're clever.
Over the last few days I've been playing I have barely noticed their existence, and I do a lot of hanging around high ground. I'm not sure what you call "monkeying", but turrets should, in theory, help discover people who infiltrate an enemy-ridden tower and run in circles shooting people in the backs with shotguns. I wouldn't know, since usually I'm the one who hunts such players.
I farm people and if you're anywhere in ~40m or so radius they beep and start shooting at you, it's pretty irritating when you're jumping around the tower with a carbine. It might have less effect with SMGs and Shotguns since you're basically hugging everyone but I'm usually chilling at ranges. Even the dumbest of players seem to realize when the turret starts shooting upwards. Obviously you can kill them but they still take 10-15 or so rounds. The comment was kind of in jest, but it has gotten me killed couple times when suddenly 3 guys turn around and start firing at you.
The turrets give people a false feel of security. It is relatively easy to go behind enemy lines, drop one or two enemies and go back into cover before the turret starts shooting, while your prey be like "Why didn't my turret shoot at that guy".
On the other hand the spitfire is very yappy, when you're somewhere people shouldn't be and it starts to chirp you know something is up. Tower defenses, the top of techplants and other locations that are a joy to sneak about can get funny quick when everyone hears the telltale beep boop. I know when I have been somewhere other people shouldn't be having a turret acting as a quasi sensor dart has let me know that something is fishy often enough to get the better of someone I otherwise wouldn't have known was there. So it's a nice backup for areas that are light on infiltrators but heavy on engineers.
I've noticed the VS nerf, but where's my shining streak of teal? Camo still looks boring and barely distinguishable from how it used to look.
