Hi. This is just an observation. I recently returned to Planetside 2 after a long break. I hadn't played since the January/February period. As a dedicated MAX player I have noticed a lot of changes in the way people are playing. For one, enemy infantry are far more strategic when trying to take me out. I used to be able to enter a room and most players would either shoot at me with their guns or run entirely. Either way it was an easy win for me. But now when I enter a room I am regularly greeted with a barrage of grenades, rockets, and C4 to the face. So players have finally learned how to kill a MAX fast. Second thing I've noticed is that it seems a lot more players are pulling MAX. I remember almost always being one of the only MAXes defending a bio lab but now I'm seeing 10+ in every battle. Has anyone else noticed this shift? It's much more noticeable to me because I wasn't playing for a while.
I think the C4 thing is down to time played. I got my medic heal gun up to full and heal aura up to next-to-top rank, then got a few other things on it before I unlocked C4. All this while I was spending on other things I considered more important on other classes and vehicles. Now, plenty of infantry out there will be carrying at least one C4 brick and will not hesitate to use it on a MAX.
The player shift in tactics was noticable for me. You just have to adpat your own tactics to deal with it. Also, now adays a pocket engineer is almost needed to be a real MAX.
MAX weapons are all 1k certs and the default AI/AV configuration is bad at both, so I think it probably just took players a bit longer to start unlocking things for them. I mean either you buy them with SC, make the certs on something else, or have to actually suffer playing a stock MAX for ages.
I'm fine with this, in fact I'd rather play against tougher opponents. Like they say " The only way to get smarter is by playing a smarter opponent " . You don't get better playing against newbies , you don't improve if your always winning . Adapt , grow and evolve , its part of the game's process . What might have worked in the beginning might not have worked now , and that's fine because that means the game AND PLAYERS are getting better/ changing . The best of the best didn't get there in just one leap overnight, you've got to learn; change your tactics .
I guess one part of it is also that people are sick of being one shot by pump actions. I certainly draw a MAX more often these days when I'm sick of running into a PA behind every corner. I'd probably have quit by now if it weren't for the MAX suit.
This right here is why I wish SOE'd quitit with the Nerfs and Buffs and everything. Once a weapon or item or vehicle is released, leave it as-is unless there's some sort of bug involved making it unplayable. Just later add in weapons or vehicles or whatever that fill the missing bits. And make them do it differently between factions. Let the Players evolve their game strategies to counter imballances.
I noticed maxes got smarter. They dont chase me to a door, and get C-4 'd when they walk through. Now they dash through a door.
