I was quite excited when I heard the lattice system would be implemented to PS2, but I got to say it just doesn't work in it's current form. The problem is that the lattice links are connected to the outposts, not the bases. This makes the game play quite tedious, because most of the time the game is about capturing half empty base/outpost and then capturing the next meaningless base/outpost, which is just around the corner. There's no real freedom of choice - you just follow the links. Basically you walk to the next base/outpost and wait for a few minutes while the capturing process takes place and then rinse and repeat until you face the enemy zerg. It's super annoying. It takes out any tactics from the game. It just doesn't work! So the fix is to make the lattice links directly from one base to another one like in PS1. In other words, ignore the outposts. Players should be allowed to choose how they approach the next base. That's how the tactics come in place. Now we are forced to follow short links, which leaves no room for imagination. Ofcourse there are other important changes required for this to work. More about them below the picture. So, what if you simply draw the links between the big bases like this? (Ignore the zones and the colors). The other important changes. The most important is that one can't capture the outposts anymore. They will remain neutral all the time. The resource benefits will be sent to the closest base automatically. No spawns in the outposts. If you die and no one is there to rez you then you'd have to spawn to the nearest friendly base or Sunderer. No vehicle spawns in the outposts. If you lose your vehicle then head back to the base for a new one. Now, this is just a not-so-well-thought-out idea. If an empire captures the tech plant next to a warp gate then the warp gate would shut down for, say, 3 hours. This would allow 3 way combat to become 2 way for awhile. There should also be a reason why one should hold to their bases. One of the most obvious in PS1 was to not lose the tech plant or the tech plant generator, because you would then lose the ability to spawn MBT and number of other important vehicles. I could see this area as something which has plenty of room for development and new ideas. BTW, are the maps a LOT smaller in PS2 than in PS1? I seem to recall that there were a lot more bases in each continent in PS1..
I don't quite see why that would happen. The outposts would become part of the landscape that could be used by any passing empire. If the battlefront happens to form around an outpost then certainly the empire who's near it would use it for their advantage. The point is that when the battle is over then there is no need to stay there and wait for any capture to finish. You'd move on towards the real target, which is the base.
