Came back after a year, same problem still exists, no small squad combat, please stop locking 2 cont

I love playing Planetside 2. I love Squad vs Squad or 2-3 Squads vs each other fighting over territory. I hate these zerg swarms that have now happened since all the merges and the lattice system. I quit for about a year and came back and to see what the game was like and it is still the same thing. I want to go with my group of 5-10 outfit members/friends and accomplish something, not just be part of a swarm where I die leaving the spawn room or feel like I'm not accomplishing anything at all.

I understand the desire to have these huge epic battles, and those are good. But please stop locking two continents at the same time. Since there is generally always an alert that means 1 continent is super populated and the other is still populated at all the lattice points. And any time you try to move the fight it gets swamped instantly with 50+ people. I can't help but look at the two locked continents and thinking "Man, I really would like to take my squad there for some smaller squad based action where we can actually work as a 12 man team instead of a just huge tank column or air squad. Both aspects of the games are great, but after being back and playing for a few days at different hours I have yet to get back to the squad vs squad, or 12-24 vs 12-24 action I love. Maybe for 5 minutes or so but then the zerg notices and just swarms down. Unlock one of those other continents and let the fight thin out! Let us at least try some form of tactics instead of swarming with the most vehicles possible.

I really hope someone takes this to heart. I've been playing this game since Beta and loved flying a lib but that got ruined, loved running small squads but that got ruined, and I personally don't enjoy the huge fights and have friends who don't as well. Our solution? Simply log off and go do something else after our 30 minutes of finding a small fight is done. I just don't understand why you would want to completely get rid of small squad combat (unless its 4am and the population is just tiny, fine, then lock two continents, but at 7pm in the evening?)

I resubscribed to try the game out and will be unsubscribing for this reason. I may come back every so often but won't be putting any money into the game because it doesn't provide enough enjoyment for me. Others may love it, but there are plenty who don't and would like to see the option of a third continent to go to instead of "Do we go to that 48-96+ enemy fight or that 96+ enemy fight or that 12-24 that is about to turn into a 96+ enemy fight?" Right now it really feels like a war, where one man/squad can't make a difference other than pile on with the rest of the zerg (who are just toxic in chat and make it even less fun).

If I'm wrong I'd love to hear responses from people so I can find the fights I love again. Constructive feedback is most welcome.

-Victoryrose, Vanu on Emerald
-BR 100
-Over 70 days played

With new redeploy mechanics it should be much easier to find small fights. Just take your squad up the opposite side of the map as the zerg. I have been finding a lot of 12v12 and 24v24 fights lately outside the main zerg path. You will get the lone wolfs dropping in to fight as they like those size fights also, but for the most part it stays a small fight.

I think you are wrong. There are plenty of small fights all over the place. You only need to look at the map. They may not stay that way, but they are there and you can easily take a small squad behind enemy lines and set up ambushes or even harass the enemy from behind.

You also have access to the Sunderer and the Galaxy, which are FANTASTIC platforms for a small units to operate. Because both of them work really well with as few as 3 players and if you have a few extra you can have them drop on targets or flip points etc. etc. while the vehicle provides over watch. Or you can manipulate, control or even start fights by using your small team to support your sunderer and support it, or even yet completely end a larger fight by taking out a key spawn asset.

You just need to be creative and make your own. but I think hoping that more fights are going to be a 5 vs 5 is unrealistic and counter to what this game promotes, not that those fights aren't out there, but fights sizes are constantly changing and expecting them consistently in a game that is promoting much larger fights is also unrealistic and as you said maybe this isn't the game for you.

We often run with only half a squad and you can be extremely effective even in very large fights. I know we often take captures in 48+ fights with as few as 3 players, It's about playing to your strengths and using the right tools and hitting the right targets.

This game isn't about persistent specific sized fights. That's what round based FPS games give you. PS2 is an open world persistent MMO that emphasizes large scale battles. You chose the wrong game I'm afraid.

You are aware the game is free to play correct?

What?! Man, I've been wasting money for years! Of course I realize this game is free to play, do you realize they still need money to operate it? Free to play, not free to run. If everyone plays it for free they can't support development. This game, like Clash of Clans, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and any other free to play game relies on "whales," people who spend a bunch of money on stupid things like cosmetics and premium memberships or else they die. Sadly, I'm a whale and in addition to the few hundreds in sub fees I've spent (embarrassing as it may be) hundreds in camos and decals. If you knew that concept, you'd know that I was trying to point out that I'm one of the people willing to pay to keep the game running and not just play for free. You missed my point entirely, but thanks for trying to insult me. I know what this game is, and it was the right game when I chose it but you are correct in that it may be the wrong game now.


Everyone else who provided constructive feedback, thank you. I'll continue looking, logging on right now in fact. I don't want 5v5 fights specifically, I just remember fighting over 1 base between one or two squads on each side. And I find the smaller fights but it just seems like as soon as I arrive and that map population goes up it grows into a big fight. I understand that is what this game is about though, big fights. My point is I don't see why you have to lock two continents to force EVERY fight to turn into a large scale battle. Kudos to letting my computer now run it though, runs so much better these days.

I utilize the Sunderer and Galaxy a lot for mobile squads and it seems that is what I'll have to keep doing, kind of a stick and move thing. It's different than what we used to do but might still be fun. I think this is what you were talking about Axiom, kind of starting the fight and staying to support it to finish or if it gets large enough move on to see the next weak point.

The whole point of this post was really concerning continent locking/lattice funneling and the reasoning behind removing half the world to play in. I still think only one continent should be locked at a time. I understand yes it is supposed to be large scale warfare, but it is also a great game when it's not 96+.

Hostilechild, what you said is interesting. Can you elaborate on the new redeploy mechanics? I've been out of touch for some time and I'm not quite sure what you mean but what you are describing sounds very nice.

1) Small squad combat is still very active.

2) The games not about small fights.

3) Judging by your post, I can tell that your not that mature.

1) I hope so

2) I am aware it's not the focal point

3) Thanks for your observation, misguided as it may be.

I mostly agree with the OP and with some of the comments as well. I prefer smaller squad engagements even though PS2 is based around larger, more epic battles. I might have no problem with zergs if resources stage 2 ever appeared.

Not sure what server you're on but Emerald usually has a few smaller size fights going on. I find Hossin tends to have fewer zergs. Maybe because of the tougher terrain.

I'm not a grammar **** but criticizing the maturity of posts by others just opens you up to it.

Thank you for revitalizing my faith in forums Tamon =) I'm on Emerald, if you're Vanu send me a friend request, I'm trying to run squads again.

If I do it before prime time or after prime time I get some good fights. It's still a fun game, I just don't understand why they lock two continents instead of just one for any reason other than to force fights to be large.

Some players prefer "ghost capping" for certs and different reasons (fear of having to fight ?). Population is lower than by the past.
If we had 3 maps unlocked at the same time, perhaps would it be hard to find any fight. People may prefer to simply escape in order to make free certs.
Lattice and continent lock have been added because of players crying about the lack of a clear frontline.

As a lone wolf myself, I confirm that you are right when you say I enjoy smaller fights. IMO, smaller fights allow for one's strategy and wits to truly shine. Your actions matter. You are not just a part of the huge zerg with anchored Prowlers, farming Libs etc. There is less randomness, there is more planning.

I enjoy everything from 1-12 to 24-48 battles.

Unfortunately, they quickly escalate to 96+. Literally in a matter of minutes.

I understand that three continents would probably lead to some ghost capping at off hours but who cares? The certs are significantly less than if you actually fight so there's no real downside to people doing it. You get the same xp or more from like 2 kills that you do for standing at a base waiting 5 minutes for it to cap. Plus, it just provides other opportunities for fights to spring up. That is one thing the lattice system could actually help with, ghost caps would turn into potential fights since the cappers can't just move on without redeploying and re-pulling vehicles from probably the warp-gate. Just another opportunity for small fights to spring up that don't. Right now looks like something I'd like to see more of, but it's 3am EST and the servers were down all day. Fights of all sizes all over. It is just a shame to have to wait until 3 in the morning for that opportunity when I really feel like unlocking one of the two locked continents would provide much of the same thing. It's just the ratio of people compared to places to fight. It seems like a win-win for everyone, if you like big fights or small (especially with the alerts, these huge fights aren't going anywhere), unless possibly each continent is on a different server and it has some sort of back-end server-side benefit I don't know about. Despite the one or two irrelevant to constructive conversation responses earlier I haven't heard a reason as to why not, and even those weren't reasons as to why not.

There are bases up for grab which are not part of the zerg. If the fight isn't there when you start, you can guarantee, especially during an alert, that you will have people show up to fight you. Along with that, you'll be aiding your side by pulling people away from the other factions fighting in other parts of the continent to stop your attempt to take a base.

Due to the changes in deployment there is a lot more room for small squads and shock troop tactics. Takes longer for the enemy to respond, and once you start an attack, the cavalry usually follows. If you want to keep it at a small scale, keep pushing for the next base, harass the enemy as they try to reach the main battle lines. Set up traps and ambushes, and explore how to incorporate the Valkyrie in switch redeployment.

If you want small squads I'd stop thinking in terms of capping bases and more on achieving personal goals in order for your faction to reach those ends. Since you're already BR100 I doubt you care much for effectively earning experience as well, so you and your friends could easly embrace meneuver warfare.

I enjoy the smaller fights, so I know what you mean, but I tend to focus on disruption rather than expecting to cap bases.

@OP, completely agree. Been an issue for me as well.

I always loved the more intimate 3v3, 6v6, 12,v12 'ish battles. I like to mix it up in some large battles as well, but used to, I could always go to one of the larger bases (amp stations, bio labs, tech plants, etc) for a large fight.

Now, with all the changes, you can hardly find those small battles any more. The implementation of the lattice to all continents, and continent locking doesn't leave anyone much choice. Only two continents to choose from, where the lattice herds everyone to the zerging, spawn camped fronts. Made worse by the merging of servers, which magnified the 4th faction issue and funneled even more players into the zergs.

How is it better taking player's choices away? I know there's plenty of players out there that like the zergs, like to spawn camp, or just like big battles in general. It certainly feels that DB/SOE wants everyone to play that way. But those of us who like the smaller, more intimate fights shouldn't be written off as it seems we have been. Just one among other reasons P2 is hemorrhaging players.

The resource revamp adds to the problem in that, without timers, every player in the zerg can pull sunderer after sunderer, drawing out the fights/spawn camp, making it harder to break a seige. Players can also pull rocket pod ESFs, libs, MBTs, etc, one right after another. Overly drawn out battles at on base gets stale to me. I like a moving front, the advance and retreat, the back and forth. Most the time now, it seems the only time fights move is when one side zergs and the other side it spawn camped.

I quit subbing after the changes, and play a lot less now. And then find myself needing breaks for the game whenever I do play consistently for any amount of time. A lot of times, I'll log on, then right back off when I look at the maps of the two continents I have to choose from and cant find any small fights. Because I'm sick to the zergs. Whenever I do find a small fight, it doesn't last for long. Eventually, it turns into a zerg after enough players see something going on there or one of the corp clans/zerg outfits spots it on the map and drops/redeploys in.

I am not sure why I feel compelled to respond to this post, but I do. It almost feels like a joke post like requesting CS:GO add in 100 man servers for the stock maps. You are literally asking for the opposite of what PS2 advertises itself as which in itself is fine if you happen to do that naturally.

My issue is you are asking the devs to directly harm what the game advertises in order to enhance your game experience. Opening another continent would fragment the already dwindling playerbase, at hours like it is currently I cannot find even 10 enemies to fight in one base (Emerald) and you are asking for them to shrink that number even further. You are essentially requesting a decreased player experience for their "target demographic" because you prefer playing the game in the complete opposite way it was advertised as.

Do not get me wrong, I do not care if you play the game in whatever way. 99% of the playerbase, likely even more would disapprove of how I play the game because I play nothing but HA, I never get into vehicles, aircraft nor MAXs (besides AA). That said I do not make posts asking for the removal of them because that would be selfish, if I want a game without them or where they have less of an impact I should look elsewhere. You are welcome to play the game however you want, I do not care; however when you begin to ask them to change the game in a negative way for the masses to cater to the niche playstyle you prefer that crosses a line.

My issue here is you are asking for the devs to hinder the targeted demographic's experience with large battles in order to cater to your whims. Where are you from? Will your next post be a request to relocate Emerald to your town so you get a better ping?

i'm curious, what exactly do you think is ruined about the Lib? it isn't what it used to be, the list of nerfs is long, but i feel like the core of the small squad play element is still there, and while it's not really making a big impact in competitive play i think it really works well in live play still. it's a viable playstyle that still has a small following. and you can use it as a platform to deal alpha damage/AV and then drop 3 infantry, so it can be pretty creative as far as squad composition too if you want it to be.

remember there's been a lot of changes with lattice, and one of the main ones is that vehicles are easy to chain pull in teams.

im sorry but 12v12 and even 24v24 doesn't really count as a "battle" to me, more like a tiny skirmish. If you want to play an FPS with small amounts of people in it there are plenty to choose from. this is a large scale combined arms FPS, not an arena call of duty game.

Just use instant action to launch CoD or BF and you will be just fine.

Such selfish, pointless, stupid responses. The guy made a valid point. A mix of everything is just about the right amount, not only zergs (which I hate) or smaller battles.