Considering how 1-2 Ravens can decimate entire vehicle zergs (Hello Broken Arch!) they are OP against vehicles at range too. Especially the fact that they can hit vehicles while being out of render distance contributes to this.
I would have said rockets are the most important MAX counters myself. Is there a reason you value grenades over them?
The problem is that larger fights would be close to impossible to win then. When you reach a certain density of players in a base, regular infantry cannot do anything any more. It's just a meatgrinder so you need to have something to break through, Currently, that is the MAX crash. Removing that from the Sunderers, which is the only reliable point to offensively spawn one. The defenders would just blow up the outside terminals if that was the only way to get a decent amount of MAXs in. They are the tanks of the WW I trench warfare. Something that can actually be used to breach a building full of infantry. As it is, the MAX is a pretty niche class. They are instantly the target of all fire that can see them. You can not have bullet resistance and explosive resistance at the same time. The be effective, you need a pocket engi to repair you at all times. 1v1, the MAX will dominate infantry but when you are walking into a door guarded by more than a squad, you will not be able to take many steps before you are dead. Then there's the range. I don't know exactly how VS weapons work but neither TR nor NC have any reliable long range weapon. People talk about the mersies but they are useless at range. The COF is huge so they are a close range weapon. The AV weapons are better at range than the AI weapons and we are still talking medium range here. The mercies are too inaccurate to shoot at LAs who are hiding in the centre spire in a Biolab if you are standing outside the spawn. I would actually love to change my dual chainguns for a single T9 CARV or a single TAR. So the MAX can basically only be used effectively for clearing out a building or for close range AA. That's about it. TR MAX is not very effective against vehicles. The fracture has a good range but does very little damage. The pounder is good but even with the buffed range, you still have to bee too close to a tank for it to be useful. Unless you can hide behind a spawn shield. The Punders are mainly good for medium range AI duty since they are actually somewhat accurate. Guess they're the TR equivalent of the NC slugs.
They aren't OP. Any decent player can take these guys out. Sorry but getting the odds of getting TK'd are higher then getting ganked by a MAX. In fact the MAX deaths I have were only 2 out of the last 100 and I think at least one of those deaths I was in a MAX myself. To be totally honest. I don't like MAX crashes simply because you put a ton of people in an area that can't really do -much-. If its a gen being overrided they can't stop it. If its a capture point, they can't retake it. I've seen MAXes on points before and usually tell my squad to leave them for last. And the reason for it is even if they get us down. They will be sitting ducks on the next push. They'll be damaged, not repaired and any that die cannot be revived. MAXes are strong, but only if supported. On their own, they suck bad. They're too slow to push the initiative. They don't get to chose the fight. Does it suck to round the corner once in a while and a MAX smashes your face? Sure.. but that's part of the game. It wasn't a non-skill MAX user that got you the death. It was a lack of situational awareness. Other classes can do it too: LA can jump down behind you and one shot you with a shotgun. Infil can decloak behind you and gank you with a SMG Engy can be sitting behind a corner with a MANA turret. The list goes on. Point is, there's alot of things that kinda suck when you don't know they are there, but they are part of the game. And the better players know how to use them better than the players who aren't as good. Standing toe to toe at 10 paces and blazing away at each other isn't human nature and isn't something a game should be balanced around.
You're so deeply deluded I can't even argue with you. There is _no way_ a unit with infantry properties, but more firepower and 10 times the health pool can be fun to fight against. Line of reasoning "it sucks but it's the part of the game" is faulty. That's like putting dog poo in the cake. "Yeah, it tastes bad, but it's the recipe, what can you do. That's what makes it Dog Poo Cake". We all know here that MAXes are part of the game. But perhaps the game would be better if MAXes were tuned down? Lessen the amount of dog poo in the cake?
You forgot Half the mobility. Other than a 5s sprint every 45 seconds. And mobility is king in this game. Its why my default class in the smaller fights is a Infiltrator or Light Assault. As for fun to fight against, sometimes it can be annoying. Sometimes it can be fun. Sometimes it can be boring if the poor sod is out in the middle of a field. Its a strong class when it is entrenched. But its a simple matter of breaking the trenches (his medics and engies). Its no different then the suck that a group of LA's and Medics can bring (which is something my static squad likes to do). In fact I'd say that's worse, simply because they -can- choose the initiative and direction to attack from. I'll tell you the three things I use MAXes for: 1. Quick and Dirty AA 2. Tank Zerg Breaker 3. Morale buster (The sound of Ravens, just ticks people off, but I could get way more kills on infantry with a LMG or AR at the same range, but sometimes fear itself can be an ally)
That's actually not an accurate statement. Innately, a MAX has 80% small arms resistance, and Kinetic Armor raises that to 87.5%. Innately, a MAX has no splash damage resistance, but Flak Armor raises that to 50%. It doesn't "trade-off."
If a max is OP for clearing a room, the medic is OP for instantly reviving everyone in that room with 1 grenade.
The same can be said for Comets as well. At least with Ravens you have to maintain your sight, Comets is just fire, forget, jump back into cover. I have characters with every faction, the Ravens are not as easy to use as people make them out to be.
Without having read the other guy's post, I feel I should respond to your point. Given that I also have the ability to pull a max if I please, I do occasionally enjoy going up against units with more firepower and 10 times the health. The chance i'll get the jump on them with a pump shotgun, C4, or 4 sticky grenades which shall shortly be applied to it's buttocks... I find such encounters fun. If he blows me away, well... I'll be returning with double blueshifts to return the favor. When not spammed to excess, maxes are fun to play, and fun to face* Personally, I believe the largest issue with Maxes is the ease / frequency at which they are acquired. Being served dog poop cake is a bit more palatable when you have the ability to launch it right back in the server's face. *Yes, I am crazy.
But two hits of a Rocket launcher and Max is gone. Also everyone can carry C4 (excluding Infiltrators) and all those Grenades. Max is a Problem of Players which don´t know to fight a Max.
For casual play I think they are fine. In competitive matches when battle islands come out I think they should be left out, same with all vehicles except sundies.
Actually no since I was talking about distance. And Comets travel way too slow to use them at range. If you want to compare them then compare them to the Vortex, which is equally overperforming at range.
The issue with Ravens that people have, is really the sound they make when they miss. Not the actual hits. But every faction has a distinct sound that sounds like the world of suck. The sound of MCG's and Vulcans on the TR, and the Laser Cannons on the VS. But that makes PS2 what it is. The sound of the other factions' Bullcrap on the other side of a building or hill and knowing its a crap sandwich that you have to take a bite out of. As Stormsinger said.. throw it back.
MAXs are doing what they are meant to do. Kill, and absorb damage. They are meant to be an indoor Tank. They have massive firepower and durability, but falter quickly without proper infantry support and maintenance. MAXs cannot Repair, Drive, Heal, or have great mobility and are very vulnerable on their own. and most of all, MAXs cannot flip points. Which is what Planetside is about. Capturing territory for your empire. Kills are secondary, a mean by which a capture can be made possible, but not the "goal" of the game. Thats great that a MAX can wipe a group of infantry, but he still cant capture a base on his own.
The question should rather be if all this wanna be MLGL33Tskillz1vs1360 players that want to be able to 1 vs 1 everything no matter the loadout/class are good for the game. hurrrr durrrr i facerolled into a Max/Heavy with my LA and i died.... and my KDR dropped by 0.000001 !!!11 huurrr NERRRFFF duurrr. All the players complaining about Maxes, the Heavys shield and the Medic heal should do PS2 and themself a favor and play arena shooters. But i guess then they realise they are not as L33TMLG360 as they thought they are.
I'm going to be brutally honest: if you think MAXes are imbalanced or OP, you're an idiot. HAs, AV nades, rocket pods, tanks, mines, and C4 all excel at killing MAXes. Even moreso when you force a MAX to fight on your terms. There's plenty of rock, paper, scissors here. The issue isn't base design, lattices, or MAXes being broken, it's poor coordination. Don't fight the enemy where he is strong, don't stop moving, and don't fight fair; you should never fight fair or seek out a fair fight. Fighting fair is stupid. Sure, a MAX crash can give your enemy the initiative but it's not impossible to beat or come back from. I don't understand why people think that this is somehow broken. I've been focusing a great deal on MAXes lately and I gotta say, staying alive isn't easy, especially when you don't have engineers to help you (which is painfully common). You are public enemy number one when you don a MAX suit - that is a double edged sword, of course, but that's how power armor should be viewed by the regular infantry. Sure, if you and your buddies all ignore the MAX he's going to make you pay, dearly, but if you focus fire and coordinate, MAXes are just power armored speed bumps.
