Game Introduction

Discussion in 'PlanetSide 2 Gameplay Discussion' started by Spartan101, Oct 9, 2013.

  1. Spartan101

    Planetside 2 will forever remain in my memory for one reason, how i was introduced into the game upon logging in.

    For those of you who join recently, back in January when i joined, there was no friendly tutorial. No advice given. No VR. You weren't even spawned in the Warpgate, No. When i joined i got the new recruit message and i then found myself in a drop pod, falling into a +48 vs +48 siege of an Amp Station, dropping directly into the middle of the station's courtyard. Of course i lasted all of 3 seconds but that entrance amazed me.

    Unfortunately now i don't believe this is the case, and i'd like to change this.
    I propose reintroducing the "Drop pod into the biggest fight i can find" after the Tutorial and to make this more realistic, revamp the tutorial to be on a ship in orbit of Auraxis with a view of the planet surface, and ending with you physically walking into the drop pod where a short clip is played where you are fired into the atmosphere at Auraxis.

    Discuss:
    Those of you who joined in early, did you like the drop pod directly into the fray?
    To all: Is this something you'd like to see?
    • Up x 5
  2. MFP_TK_01

    I liked the drop pod shock trooper method as well, except that I too was the trooper who was shocked. I got dropped right in between The Crown and Crossroads and I had roughly enough time to slightly pan before I was killed. Spent the next hour just trying to figure what exactly was going on.
    So on one hand dropping a newcomer right into a big battle can immediately give them a feel for the intensity that PS2 bring to the FPS genre. But the tutorial before the drop would be very nice. At the very least the user should get a chance to choose his class before getting fired to his doom which was a downside for many of us. The details of how it plays out is up for grabs, I'm not too picky about that.
    • Up x 1
  3. HLM

    The whole "dropping you right into the fight" thing was kind of cool, but the problem was not only did it not explain a single thing to you, but it didn't even give you a chance to change your settings, check your keybindings and so on. you didn't even know what class you were spawning as.
    Some people liked the madness, but I wonder how many players it turned away?

    I kind of like the idea of starting in an orbital space station. The only people who would ever be on it would be those who have just made a character for the first time, so it wouldn't have to be very big or elaborate. A simple staging area where you can get your bearings with the controls, make whatever changes you need to, and a terminal to pick your class.

    You could start in a room and have two doors (well, shields since doors haven't been invented yet on Auraxis). After spawning you're given a message, "Would you like to take the tutorial?" and depending on your answer, one of the shields would go down. One leads to the training area. The other puts you in a drop pod.
    • Up x 4
  4. Blarg20011

    Honestly I think it should be before the tutorial, just have the tutorial begin after your first death. It would still be memorable but hopefully cut down on the rage a bit. Hell, give it a "A few hours earlier..." message if you must.
    • Up x 1
  5. Lazaruz

    Trial by fire was fun, but I can see why people didn't like it back then. You didn't even get a chance to change your key binds.

    Still think the current tutorial is a little slow paced. I've watched streams and let's plays, and usually people tend to get bored at some point. Although, these people are a very small slice of the new players coming to the game, I think it still says something.

    If I were to add one thing to the current tutorial, it would be the commanding officer NPC that would kill you with a comissioner repeatedly. To teach new players that they are going to (and expected to) die a lot :D
  6. Pikachu

    Ah old times with cr*ptastuc tutorials and introduction. How do I capture points? Do triangles over enemies pop up at a certain distance? Do players speak automatically or is it done by player? How do I heal these robot suits? Why dont my newly bought AA missile launcher lock on? Does carrying mines mean I cant give ammo? Why dont my gun have this scope thing I just bought? Why is there no tank terminal at this icon that looks like a tank with a box next to it? Wait a minute, these small airplanes can hover? Why cant I deploy my sunderer? What are all these strange icons on the map? What is an SCU? What do henerators do? What coule possibly c4 be useful for?
    • Up x 1
  7. Iridar51

    I don't remember having negative or positive emotions about the drop podding without tutorial, I just accepted the game for what it was at the time. It took me a while to figure out how generators and cap points worked, but I didn't mind the challenge.
    I do, however, remember being very positive about dropping in a drop pod, and having a jump jet on my back, like a real soldier of the future. Jump jets from CGI trailer brought me to the game, and to me it was natural that LA would be my main character, and my expectations were fulfilled.
  8. Spartan101

    I though about this as i was creating the thread, this would be cool to but im worried that there'll be a glitch where after redeploying and dying, you are taken to the tutorial and that's something id rather avoid. I think having a the tutorial first, and in a space station gives the new recruit a sense of the controls and game style without "being in the game" yet if you know what i mean. The space station itself would give a "suspended animation" feeling that you wouldn't get playing in the current tutorial on the surface so that when you do drop in, you retain that "coming in for the first time" feeling.
  9. Deronok

    Could add a small 'VR' for optional vehicle practice in the tutorial, and then get launched. Or the option of launching or spawning.
  10. Xasapis

    Maybe a small scene where you are strapped into a galaxy pod, just before getting deployed. That would resolve the issue of fixing ingame preferences.

    Perhaps we've gone from one extreme to the next. At launch, you were thrown at basically a suicide location. Now, you spawn at the safest location possible on the continent. Perhaps a middle ground would be more appropriate, or even a choice between the two.
  11. Takoita

    If I could access the essential options (like mouse sensitivity, keyboard mappings, etc) before logging in, then yeah, that was awesome.
  12. Spartan101

    Yer, an area for driving around vehicles inside a space station doesn't seem reasonable so some sort of small "VR" within the station seems like the way to go. An option of launching or spawning? no, being launched in a drop pod is the only way to get to the planet surface.

    Each faction's station could have its own feel to it as-well.
    TR being all shiny and ordered, people standing to attention in the halls, people behind desks, everything tidy and organized. I functioning war room in the background with highly dressed officials.

    NC with boxes and spare parts lying around, and NC logos spray painted over the TR logos. Sounds of heavy construction echoing through the ship, and leaders wearing clothing in likeness to the stuff the red faction wear (As in the game "Red Faction")

    VS would have a very alien feel to it. Think covenant from Halo. many of the offices would be replaced with labs, testing new equipment.

    The firing range could be next to the R&D department that could have clues to new upcoming weapons such as people working on constructing the ESRL (example for before they were released). This same this could be used in the Vehicle area except with vehicles in mind.
    Thoughts?
  13. faykid

    i wonder if any players ever tried to set a record of how long you can live once you drop on the ground as BR1 with stock weapons and no additional gear? when i made an alt recently to try it myself, i still died on arrival. this is a challenge some players probably considered and actually tried. any links?
  14. Prudentia

    i remember my first ever droppod... hit a 12/12 galaxy... BR3 before i reached the ground :D
    • Up x 1
  15. TacticalButterknife

    My first drop was a NC character. Go hot-dropped into a massive fight at Zurvan Amp, and damn was it chaotic...
  16. Spartan101

    lol, that's awesome.
    No one else have any ideas to present? Anything in the tutorial you think could be improved?
    This is also a chance to add depth into the game aswell by making the stations faction specific so feel free to spam ideas.
  17. Prudentia

    How about showing what spawn beacons are in the tutorial, so many people run around the beacons of an enemy and have no clue that they are hostile
  18. Xasapis

    haha, the two things most new people don't know are:
    • As engineer, even if you place mines or explosives where your ammo box is, you still carry ammo box. Hit your turret key, press B before putting down turret, drop ammo. Also, only engineers can repair MAXes.
    • As a medic, you are the only one who can rezz MAXes, though you can't heal it. Rezz grenades don't work on MAXes.
    Also VS specific:
    • Trying to repair a magrider while sitting at any place besides the top or the bottom of it (when terrain allows it) is suicidal. Do it at your own risk.
  19. VSDerp

    it was fun getting drop podded in the fight. it was also pretty funny seeing new people get dropped and look so confused than BOOM tank blew them up lol
  20. Nocturnal7x

    Putting new players in some random squad and dropping them into a battle was the worst thing any online game has ever done to a new player. The tutorial still needs work, hell, after the tutorial there needs to be better UI guidance for new players. After all that is done, dropping them into a fight would be less atrocious.