Isn't it pretty alarming that the playerbase doesn't even know what the VS trait is supposed to be?

It would be nice to have them at full strength first and foremost. Perhaps some buffs are in order to their trait specific weapons to encourage new participation in their faction or migrate some players over from their mains to give the Purple some new population.

I can't believe I'm actually recruiting for the Vanu. But, they need some help. I might actually pull on some purple(Do you guys have the spandex in size 48 ). Maybe I'll get lucky and get an invite from DasAnfall or The Vindicators. You never know. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

If fighting on the stairs I would actually jump off to the vehicle pad after the first kill and not wait around for the other 2 to get firing. Well, that's about how I played with the VS starter carbine, pick off a target and shift my *** to a completely different position.

But to be realistic, I would only be using this kind of weapon on alight assault, and I would just jumppack over to the second floor and avoid stairs as well as any other chokepoint entirely. Getting stuck in is not my playstyle, I hit and run, which is why I would prefer fast reloads over high DPM.

And to be completely honest, I would not touch any TR carbine with a yard long stick except the T5 AMC, I love that one. Maybe the Lynx too, got to try it at some point.

Well see it's one thing to say "shift your playstyle to fit the weapon", but it's another if you then suggest to plink away 1 kill at a time when another empire's carbine could clear the room of 3 opponents. That hints at exactly the disadvantage I've been talking about!

I mean I'm not trying to overexaggerate the issue, since I think my overall performance with VS carbines probably isn't that much different than the other empires. I would actually be surprised if the stats were noticeably worse across the board (even though my dislike of the small magazines is across the board with all VS carbines.) Maybe I'll crunch my stats on it if I get some free time.

Well, my point really was, that even if I was using a carbine that could clear a room of 3 guys, I would not play it that way, therefore it's about as much as an advantage to me as the polish on the gun model - none. Does not fit my playstyle.

I didn't even mention RoF, only mag size. But now you bring that up. TR didnt even have that until recently, being outstripped by both NC and VS on carbines. And TR only got what was supposedly a faction trait, at the expense of DPS/TTK and a damage tier. Plus removing a large portion of damage per mag (TR's other supposed faction trait by having bigger mags). Trading one supposed faction trait for another.

But a faction trait is something that is exclusive to a faction that no other has. And RoF isn't exclusive to TR. Not like no bullet drop and 200 damage tier weapons are.

They are now afraid because forumside whine on just about everything.

also hovering and dunking in platforms

What is the VS faction trait? What is their faction downsides?

HOVER POWAH!!!! that is our trait.

Then again water is useless in this game and a magrider dies in the few spots you can actually hover over water....

:-( sad face

The Tr have always had high RoF. The Carbine was just an exception that the TR overplayed to a ridiculous degree.

The TR have the fastest firing Sidearm, SMG, ESF, MBT, ESAV, ASAI, ESHW etc.

Infantry wise, VS has 1 faction trait:

No bullet drop on most of their weapons, either sacrificing some damage, or bullet velocity.

NC has 1 faction trait:

A sniper rifle that uses rail based tech, and so gains a high velocity and damage round, at the cost of a minor firing delay, refire delay, and smaller magazine sizes (the same tech almost all of their weapons are supposed to use, much like how the VS has lasers).

TR has 1 faction trait:

Higher rate of fire, or larger magazine sizes, at the cost of either damage per round, or reloading speed.

VS is the only faction that has largely stuck to their faction trait, so I really don't know what you're complaining about there.

Generally, TR weapons are more forgiving (rewards agressive run and gun playstyle), VS weapons are easier to control (rewards bullet hosing/reflex suppression), and NC weapons are more precise (rewards tactical positioning and accuracy).

That's it, all of it. yes I realise that it's a bit gimmicky, and that any player from any one of the three factions can still play with any of those playstyles, but it means that people with certain types of play styles will naturally gravitate towards and prefer one faction over another.

Avalon and Esper helmets.

Even the description from PS1 is a bit vague on VS.
Compiled the last paragraph for each faction from PS1 below, "trying" to describe them. If anyone is interested.




Again, looks like its clear what the TR and NC does, VS is just "adaptability, energy weapons, and hover vehicles". Aka, the "miscellaneous" faction

Bollocks.

All this talk about rate of fire, damage, bullet drop... meh

The main VS trait is that they like to dress up in girly clothes.

VS's faction trait is their insufferable averageness. They are just at the sweet spot with average damage, with average fire-rates and average recoil and reloads.

This all adds up to very good weapons that are controllable and have decent kick to them. TR seems to be heading more for the "low damage" area where you NEED that fast rate of fire to drop an enemy faster then it can drop you. And those extra 10 bullets in a mag basically end up being equal to other weapons simply because you already need 1-3 more bullets to kill someone.
Yes the extra ammo thing is a benefit on faster fire rate weapons with 143 damage. But if the fire rate drops to around 650 it becomes too weak to drop someone fast enough.

My point is, VS's "speciality" if you will is having some of the most rounded infantry weapons in the game. Vehicles are just gimmicky but they seem to serve the VS well.

vanu trait is spandex, now and forever

If you look at all the category item you listed, they take on their "faction traits". Except for SMGs, but they are all bullet hoses anyways so you can't tell the difference.

More Dakka / High Alpha/ No Drop (or something unique for vehicles)
ESF: Mossy, Reaver, Scythe
MBT: Prowler, Vanguard, Maggie
ESAV: Vulcan, Enforcer, Saron
ESAI: Marauder, Canister, PPA
ESHW: MCG, Jackhammer, Lasher

The problem is forumside whiners who can't accept they chose the wrong faction to fit their play style and complain about "balance". SOE then releases weapons that dilute faction traits to appease whineside.

all of the VS supposed traits are complete trash.

You cannot make your weapon do 200 damage per shot with player skill
You cannot make your weapon do higher RoF or have a higher mag size with player skill
You cannot make your weapon have less random side to side super dance with player skill

You CAN account for bullet drop with minimal player skill.



I insist the VS faction trait(s) be revamped into something feasible.

I suggest the same as I did at release... multiple times.
The VS main faction trait should be *Highest bullet velocity*. Just give VS bullet drop and have every faction's weapons have succumb to equal gravitational effect. With highest bullet velocity it will be as if VS has *less* bullet drop then NC and TR weapons, but it won't be by that much, even if they gave most VS weapons +100 m/s it wouldn't be an overpowering difference, especially not with the rest of their weapon's stats. The VS weapons are not lasers, they are more like plasma pellets/orbs/projectiles and therefore would still adhere to the laws of gravity.

Were you listening to this while writing your response ?

Not that one player's opinion truly matters in the grand scheme of game design; but I am absolutely onboard for this.