Biolab Test coming soon to PTS

Was posted on reddit a while ago, here you go:

A new construction facility concept we want to test on PTS sometime in the next couple weeks, this is Ikanam Biolab..

http://imgur.com/Z70NdsC

This is basically a polished white box or prototype; the plan is to push this single Biolab to PTS and see what people think. Our goal is to determine if this concept or a variant of it can be a viable option for Live.
Additional Info:

• The no build area has been removed and construction is possible on and around the central structure.
• Lattice link will remain, with a few alterations: http://imgur.com/WE6E5vV
• There are two exterior capture points, both of which can be captured by vehicles; there's one additional capture point in the facility for a total of three points.
• Here’s what it looks like underground. And yes, this is our first base that is truly underground: http://imgur.com/UoURnXi
• Five total entrances (not including the three central lifts); 1 near each exterior capture point and three around base of the central structure.
• Region default HIVE efficiency will be set to 100 or higher for opposing warpgate factions.
• Biolab facility benefits will remain
• There are currently no hard spawns, construction spawntube/sunderers will be required
• There are currently no Galaxy/MBT spawning and a number of other obvious oversights that can be addressed if we ever decide to go live with something like this. This is simply a test to introduce the concept, test flow, and get player feedback.
• This should actually improve performance in and around the Biolab

So what do you think? Could be pretty interesting, and I'll update this thread when it's actually on PTS.
The original Redditpost: https://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/50wn6j/biolab_test_coming_soon_to_pts/

I love this idea of a blank canvas for a facility, though not sure if the current constructs would allow it to be used to it's fullest potential, regardless I may check it out one day when I finally decide to reinstall the PTS server. The underground area looks incredible though, and since it's all one level it wouldn't be a massive maze like Subterranean Nanite Analysis(One of the worst bases to navigate and fight at for either side).

Hopefully testing goes smoothly on this concept, the underground definitely should remain, even if it is added onto current Biolabs(The Dome remains with 1 capture point, while the underground(Accessible from outside the major structure) has two).

I'm expecting to see some mana turrets up in hallways with maxes could be a very tough base to crack with everything covered. When will it be on PTS? and how to get to PTS?

I've avoided the Biolabs for years. so up for anything.

I remember the last time they changed Ikanam on Connery.

Almost two weeks of Amerish and Hossin (also, Indar was broken).

That said, I'm rather curious of how this is going to go over.

Well there are 2 points out-side, so you could starve them out over time.
You can download PTS here, but it is another full-client so if you have bad net/not alot of space on your pc it's probably not worth it: https://forums.daybreakgames.com/ps...st-test-server-policies-download-link.114038/

When it will be on PTS is unknown, they said in a few weeks so put it in the soon(tm) category.

I like a lot of this, I think it is really cool that they are finally making a base underground and giving more free reign over the base with the construction system. There are a few points I'm not too sure I like, though.

• There are two exterior capture points, both of which can be captured by vehicles; there's one additional capture point in the facility for a total of three points.

I think that at least two points should be inside of the underground section. Leaving two points outside makes it so that there is little reason to enter into the underground portion of the base at all. Just cap the two outer points and starve the defenders out.

• Five total entrances (not including the three central lifts); 1 near each exterior capture point and three around base of the central structure.

I find that Lifts are an especially BAD idea in underground bases, or most environments really. Take a look at something like SNA, while I love SNA, the First basement level is just shooting fish in a barrel as they slowly fall down the lifts, or get annihilated at the top of the lift by attackers. It creates a point that is camped by both sides and pretty much shuts down all movement between the two points. I feel the same way with Biolab airpads with the lifts below the pads. They just lead into a turkey shoot on the airpad.
No lifts, just add stair wells. They are a far more assailable option to both sides than gravity lifts.

• There are currently no hard spawns, construction spawntube/sunderers will be required

My only other gripe is this point. NO hard spawns? I feel that the defenders should have a spawn point beneath the ground in the underground section. The only reason I say this is because of Orbital Strikes. If/When these become a thing, the bare, flat area that is on top that presumably the base will rest on, will get absolutely annihilated by an Orbital Strike. Perhaps it is bigger than it looks in the picture, but from the videos shown about the Orbital Strike on PTS, a single OS will wipe out the base, defenders AND their spawn room. BOOM, 1 OS and the battle is over. Attackers roll in, and maybe take out whoever was still in the underground section.

Sure, it takes a bit of time to charge the OS if a generator is built, but there shouldn't be a sweeping, fight ending option like that. The orbital strike is supposed to level the playing field or create tactical openings or take out unassailable positions, not just end the fight.

Id prefer to see a Hard Spawn in the underground section, and maybe a SCU placed somewhere as well.

Other than those few points, I'm pretty pumped to see this added to PTS.

It's a great step forwards! I would have preferred this to happen to a small base but as a proof-of-concept it's OK for a biolab.

This is a lot of what I've been asking for:

• A base you have to build up yourself with the construction system
• Vehicular controlpoints as a way to enhance vehicular play
• Extensive tunnel system to fight in that does not invalidate vehicles

Cool, but I would've preferred it to be like a unique feature for a new continent rather than for an existing one, that's probably not possible though =/

i dunno, i really don't like the boring player base stalemates,
an army of tanks shelling at several turrets which a handful of engies keep alive.

currently we can avoid player bases, sticking them in the lattice makes avoiding them a lot harder.

The exact reason they're doing this... Construction is a massive feature of the game, albeit still new and spreading it's wings, but massive nonetheless. It needs to have a larger impact on the game, if that means it can be used to defend static facilities then I'm all for it. Slight changes to layout can be made but an underground facility with an above-ground construct is a great step in the right direction. This is a feature that, by your own proclamation, can be avoided... that's what drives players away from using said feature.

if players are avoiding something then it shouldn't be forced upon them, instead the devs should to try to work out why we're avoiding it.
forcing players to do something which we don't want to do is never a good move for devs.

What drive a player away from construction bases is not because players can avoid them. It is because most of them are super boring to fight at. I don't want to shoot turrets, walls or construction modules, I want to shoot planetmans. If you think forcing players to a boring fight will make it work, think again, I for one had stop caring about the objective. If a base that is unfun to fight at falls, so be it, good riddance.

I like biolabs. One of the few sanctuaries where you can actually fight without having libs nuking everything, or tanks taking pot shots, one-hit killing you for cresting a hill.

Considering how packed these facilities are, I'm sure I'm not the only one.

it seem to me it's not a improvement
from what i can see you have to transport down like a underground base
don't know the name of that underground base on amerish, but you know the one i talk about
well i avoid it like the pest, it's even worse then a biolab

I'd disagree, an even fight at a construct base can be some of the most enjoyable fighting in the game... the issue is there are rarely even fights. Players get bored and move on from bases then a zerg rolls through and deals with it on the way, if 12-24 defended and 12-24 attacked it'd be very fun... that enjoyment increases as player numbers increase on both sides.

Adding a mix of construction and facility-layout and players will have so much to enjoy, plus it's an actual fighting location along the lattice... this makes it more likely to happen.

The Test server is updated again, with new bio-lab on it. It is a 1.3gb update though!!

BBurness added this to reddit: (original reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/520zij/ikanam_construction_test_facility_coming_to_pts/)
..or at least should be coming to PTS tonight..I'll be heading home before it publishes.
Here's a link to the original thread:https://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/50wn6j/biolab_test_coming_soon_to_pts/
Couple things to remember…

• This a prototype, it is not complete and changes based on feedback and discussions will be made going forward
• There is no eta nor any guarantee it will ever go live, although we would like to push it Live if what we end up with proves to be an improvement to the game.

I'm looking forward to future playtests and seeing everyone's constructive feedback, below is a list of things I've already been considering:

• Move one of the exterior points underground, or perhaps make it a 5 point base; 3 underground.
• Add hard spawn point and teleporter room
• Move the outer ring entrances so that the center column no longer has line of sight on them, or add 1 or 2 additional “backdoors” for this purpose.
• Increase cover density a bit

Certainly nobody will bother getting out of the vehicles and risking their KDR at all, if they can reliably rest control of the facility without properly bothering to enter it.

The killer aspect though is access points being farming zones. Which compound (reluctance to enter) the above. If its your typical 'lifts locked down by lasher, grenade, max, eng turret spam - its a killing field that's literally not worth breaching for most.

In essence you have to force people to engage in unattractive combat parameters with this design or they will be underused and avoided. And seldom do people like to be forced to do anything these days!

To create a somewhat used experience, in the realm of KDR. People must feel like both attack and defense are viable, attractive options with facility to make both fun for either side. Access points need to be viable two way fights.

Capture points outside, considering overpop techniques need to not be a haven for being surrounded by a ring of armor and air, with no real alternative outcome. Which is what exposed points usually are - Tank and Air farming fests.

Surely therefore external points should be limited and offer nothing more than a foothold, from which to commence attack. Not a method to starve people out like a medieval fort, defeating the point of defence in the first place?

Reason being that if you can adequately control the outside with your vehicle superiority - there is likely no fight within anyway (defenders point of view)

But if you cant and the attackers dominate the outside, you've basically commissioned a organised spawn camp scenario for the defenders. Which, on having no way to influence the fight short of grabbing vehicles and reinforcements, seems downright odd and not much different from traditional biolab spawn camping.

The only problem I could possibly see is 40 engies stacking heals on one blockade sundi to counter any dps thrown. Beyond that, seems good.

There are 3 grav lifts from the top area going down, and 5 entrances on the ground floor (3 around the circle, 2 near each out-side point) making a total of 8 possibl ways to get into the base. It's pretty easy to get into the place.