[Suggestion] Remove Hossin

You're back! Been a long time, man
Otherwise, I agree. Indar is my all-time favorite continent. Best battles in my opinion, best fight areas (the canyon regions of the northeast make for some epic standoffs), and just the way you can see the action going on is pretty neat, so naturally, I hate it when it's locked. The game does need a bigger playerbase, though, and Planetside 2 only needs more advertising. Technically, the game has never been better, and the only thing that may make a player even hesitate about trying it out is the semi-ridiculous cert prices. What this game doesn't have in renown, it definitely has in delivery, just increase that renown so that delivery is more widespread.

:')
I remember spamming that all the time back in the day. Good 'ole days.

For the sake of preserve diversity and unique continent strategy gameplay, DON'T DARE TO TOUCH INDAR IN ANY WAY! I don't want to be pessimistic, but in PS2 I have to admit that if they touch something, it frequently becomes worse than it was before the change.

Wanna example? I still miss the old Crown, it takes whole faction population to cooperate, it was something like a server alert but made just by players, and afterwards we were able to talk hours and hours about "cap/defend THE Crown" event, new strategies, tactical faults, awesome moments and so on. It was these feelings and memories which everyday takes me back to play Planetside 2 again and again. Dozens of articles over internet describing how an alliance of many outfits was able to conquer a Crown are the proof of how famous the old Crown was. The Crown map nerf was imho the worst decision in map changes in PS2, and that is just a tip of the iceberg. So please don't even think about touching Indar again.

Remove Hossin? Thanks for your suggestion, but no. We wait for 4th continent since betatest (and by the way the graphic design of Hossin is just brilliant and awesome, with an unique level design too, i.e. Gourney Dam, Nason's Defiance, Construction Site Alpha, Beta etc), and basically you are adressing the problem to wrong target. There was times with insane queues to Hossin, but at these times PS2 had much bigger playerbase. Downward tendency of game population is not a problem of players, it is a problem of lack of proper care about game from game publisher and it usually happens when game publisher don't listen to the playerbase community.

Don't get your panties in a bunch, Hosin is not going to be removed.

Also, what your saying doesn't make sense. Continental locking is preventing people from doing just that.

I have said it before and will say it again that continental locking is part of the Intercontinental latice where you have to capture/destroy the warpgate and not what they have shoved out that is now.

Its been probably more than a year now that I first remember camping a warpgate wondering why it doesn't go forward. Now imagine how many people must have been disappointed experiencing the same thing.

I agree Hossin is an absolutely horrid map and I avoid it like the plague, but let's be realistic, it's never going to be removed.

Like someone mentioned, it's just an air farmers dream, it's almost impossible to take down air support with ground based weapons, too much air cover extending into the canopy. Maybe if some pilot was unlucky enough to fly into a nest of skyguards or something, but lock on rockets are f-ing useless, most AA guns are blocked or in shltty locations.

And for infantry the bases are far too large and very poorly designed compared to the other maps. Non-base fighting is just a series of funnels between rocks that you can climb on unless you're LA. And idiotic placement or small rocks and trees make navigating in vehicles a P.I.T.A.

At the end of the day, it's just a hot mess that needs to be cleaned up and re-imagined in a way that lends itself to all sorts of play, not just 1 style or another. All of the other maps have balance and intelligence, Hossin is just the herpderp cousin that everyone hates.

I still post, I think I just post randomly and end up buried 4 pages back.

There is a massive post to the Sunderer Spawn Lock ability that I have been meaning to reply to. But my reply draft is already huge and I am not done on it (much of it simply being me having to up my conceptualizing to match the good feedback)

Yeah, Indar is a win on 2 fronts:
1) on a personal level it's my fav (for all that you list and more)
2) it is the most popular among the playerbase

As a Designer, #2 is a much more compelling reason to keep Indar playable more often that it is.

I agree PS2 need a bigger playerbase. Both to keep it funded, and also because the game's playability scales best with bigger player populations.

I also agree that in many ways, the game has never been better. But I also think it's at a bad point in more than just the recent Cert Pricing change (though I think that Change was really only a major hit on New Players/Uncerted Players).

In terms of Advertising (marketing, etc.), I think that's a tough topic. In part because there are so many areas to address:
1) marketing to former players vs. new players
2) marketing the game as it's been (and is) vs. making some big changes and riding those as a new enticement
3) making sure the game is optimized to make the most of a marketing push (think of the game like a filter that you are dumping water through, with the goal of the filter trapping and retaining as much water as possible.... and keeping it retained: what changes to the current filter are going to yield the best results)

For me, such a plan is simple. In my head, it just builds itself, guided by the simple mandate: what would make the game better for more people, what would make the game stand out or entice new/old people, and how does !/$ (bang for the buck) of your Dev Team and budget make that happen.

I think you need to deal with the Bugs in the game. Old bugs get targeted and removed, New bugs get a timer to be taken care of. It's pure Broken Windows Theory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_windows_theory), and it says that PS2 having tons of old and neglected bugs erodes the atmosphere of order and health for the game. As long as old bugs (broken windows) remain rampant, the game will continue to project itself as neglected, understaffed, dying, old, etc. Fix the old Bugs, and the game looks "maintained", which projects are much larger sense of confidence into the game.

I also think you need to fix the New Player experience:
1) give new players enough starting Certs to Cert out 1 Class and/or 1 Vehicle to be fully competent in one role. Many Classes/Vehicles have a bottleneck Certline that is Essential for that Class/Vehicle/Role, but is Cert priced too high: like Mag Size on Noseguns for ESFs, or Infil not starting with a Bolt Action and 1 CQC Weapon. Identify those Bottlenecks and get rid of them (reduce the Cert prices for them). The idea is to make sure starting players can build 1 viable Class/Vehicle to play with.
2) Decklists. Games like Magic only work at the competitive level for the masses because they publish top Decklists on what the top players are using. Why? Cause it's too expensive for players to tinker on their own and figure it out. PS2 is in the same boat: it needs "Best Loadouts" for the masses to easily access, in order for them to build a functioning character cause nobody can afford to tinker. (being able to inspect/show gear is standard in MMOs, PS2 is not exception in needing to do this)
3) PS2 Devs need to become experts at the New Player Experience. Not just copying or "trying" some stuff, but really getting into it and making it their mission to be the best at this area. Not just "have one", but be regarded as having the best in the Industry: changes + testing + feedback. Need more people on Test Server? Make Test Server (1) easy to access, (2) rewarding, (3) fun and exciting to be a part of (when you need it).

And thirdly, I think SOE/DBG needs to rebuild their Communication:
1) more early communication on upcoming changes (don't ambush players with major changes)
2) more presence on the forums (even if just a weekly update post on the roadmap)
3) more exposure of SOE/DBG playing or involved with their game. Nobody on staff is playing? Then get some existing veteran players/posters/youtubers in the field as "DBG Reps" and have them do coverage (while also having some staff keeping in touch with them).

Bugs, New Player Experience, Communication. Get those running well, and new and returning players will respond much better.

There should be open brainstorming/file at DBG where they think inside and outside the box on what to improve and how. On what feedback has spotlighted that lingers, etc. They don't have to act on them or have answers, but know their situation and what things are on the table.

I also mentioned "making some big changes and riding those as a new enticement". If you wanna do a big re-launch, then spice it up with some event. Look at other games for ideas. Maybe something like "October 1st, the Invasion is coming to PS2. Get ready and be there, because nothing will be the same again: October 1st is PlanetFall". And have a section on the website with a countdown timer and PS2: PlanetFall logo. Let buzz get people talking and checking it out. Then October 1st, unleash madness. One of the following:
1) parallel universe: each Server is at war with their timezone neighbors, gates allow leaping through and engaging.
2) Vanu finally show up and Invade; Vanu + NPC vs. TR + NC
3) NS follow-up expedition Forces arrive from Earth
4) etc.
Whatever the event, have it as a series of special stuff in game, followed by a permanent thematic/mechanic new change afterward.
1) the new instances now support minor battles/wars between groups from different servers; winners can then spill out into the other Server and cause havoc for big XP and rewards and infamy until quashed, or can get special infiltration/target objectives on that enemy Server, etc.
2) opens up new tech trickling into the world: changes to some bases and items permanently
3) players can opt to play as "NS Mercs" duiring alets. Making an NS Character that can log on to underpop Faction sides to bolster those forces. They have Brown/Grey color uniforms, with giant marking sections that can switch to reflect the Faction they sign on to fight for in each session.

A lot of this is figuring out how to do it on a shoestring budget. And a lot of it is very doable if they plan it out right.

Zaspacer, I first wanted to thank you for your thought-provoking comments!

First, I was wondering if the consoles would be able to play on the PC servers? If this is the case then this would solve the player-deficiency problem. What would also cure this is the implementation of NPCs. I think this was done in Titanfall so it should be able to work in Planetside, right? I know it would be difficult, but it would give the population this game needs.

Finally, I love your idea of big changes. It would be a lot of fun to have a reason to fight, such as defeat TR and NC once and for all. It would also be cool to get the NS character you were talking about. When I am fighting at a base and my faction comes over and starts zerging it, I want to kill them so they don't ruin a good fight. I think this is at which you are getting?

Anyway, nice to see you on the thread.

Consoles and PCs will rarely, if ever, be mixed. Morons will tell you any person using a keyboard and mouse, regardless of who, will own anyone using a controller, regardless of who. They're basically saying you put an 11 year old far from puberty or grandma behind a keyboard and mouse, and either one will smoke a paid MLG champ in Call of Duty or any other game simply because of keyboard and mouse. But actually, there's real reasons why it can't be done. For instance, the PS3 was so old, it could only have 24 players in BF3 vs 64 on PC. MAG is irrelevant since that game was only on PS3 and would have looked much better on PC.

Moore's law. People need to get with the times. Hossin is the future! People that try to play this game with hardware bottle necks and bare minimum systems should not be allowed to complain and make forum threads about deleting my favorite continent.

Imagine this:
You are playing Call of Duty on your PC and can play all the maps that came with the game without a hitch. Given that it's Call of Duty, there is going to be DLC involved. You purchase the DLC and, to your surprise, your framerate is significantly lower than on the regular maps.

This is like Planetside 2 in the way that people have bought items, such as Hossin camos, and are ready to play on Hossin. When they cannot play on Hossin but can play on the other continents, where do you think they will be playing? Hossin is arguably the best looking continent but is it the most practical?

From a game designer's standpoint, forcing people to not play a certain map they want to play is not good thinking. This is continent locking. Either Hossin should be deleted, allowing for the majority of players to play on the continent they want all the time; or continent locking should be deleted, allowing for everyone to play on the continent they want.

I know this would have pop issues, but this could be resolved if NPCs are introduced or consoles are allowed to play with PC

It's unrealistic to expect the playerbase to upgrade their PCs to make parts of this game playable for them.

I am not advocating deleting Hossin from the game. I am advocating restraint with regards to locking the more popular Servers.

I am not against McDonald's offering, and you loving, a Shrimp Milkshake. But I would advocate that if they do so, that they not discontinue offering the other flavor Milkshakes during the time the Shrimpshake is available. They may really be proud of their Shrimpshake, and you may really like it and be tired of people ordering Chocolate or Vanilla Shakes, but it just doesn't make sense for McD's to make Shrimpshakes the only Shake on the menu.

Thanks for starting the thread

From what I've read a long time ago, Planetside 2 will not feature cross-platform play. I know there was talk of letting Planetside 2 players transfer their character between the PlayStation 4 and PC versions.

I don't know almost anything about Titanfall. Perhaps you can educate me and others.

The use of NPCs has always been a contested issue for PS2. It seems you can use NPCs in one of 2 camps:
1) competent enemies (for things like compensating for Population Imbalance)
2) flavor and theme

I am personally a huge fan of #2. I'd love to see Tech Plants spawn whitecoat technicians, empty bases spawn a very small number of weak Security staff (on the level of Spitfire Auto-Turrets), and higher rank NPCs spawn at bases to hand out missions or to get pulped once a base is taken. None of them being competent enemies, but all providing theme and atmosphere, and speedbumps on things like special deep insertion Mission Quests (take out an NPC leader, steal tech/codes from a specific base, etc.). But it might just not work in PS2 for any number of reasons, so it'd just be something to check/test out.

As for competent NPCs to offset Population Imbalance. I'm torn. Maybe not during Alerts, but if the Pop on a Continent is just extremely bad. I personally don't think there is enough Rewards (or Rewards that are tuned high enough) in game to get more balanced Population: when one side has 41% Pop and another has 33% Pop, and the 33% only gets +8% bonus XP, it's not gonna really motivate anyone to even out that massacre. Any battle decent sized 2-Faction battle with one side having ~53% Population is already bad. Also, there should be Pop bonuses set for each battle, not just Continent: drawing people to a Continent won't matter if they still just attack the empty bases or whoever is still Underpop.

Yeah, the idea with the "big changes" is just to get people excited about different things happening. They are a combination of (1) short term gameplay variations, (2) some theme related long term change to the game, and (3) them tied together and presented in a slick, kicka** theme that makes them dazzle.

We already have PS2 Devs doing both (Holiday events = short term gameplay variation; new content = long term change to game), this just bundles it into a compelling, exciting, and slick package that makes the experience engaging and fun for players.

I'd love to ID each Special Event as a "War", with players getting medals/recognition for fighting in that war. With multiple related events combined into referenced Conflicts referred to as "The <insert Theme name> Wars". Veterans will chalk up a history of having taken part in these major conflicts, and would get tagged as have been in "The Planetfall Wars", etc. ("You fought in the Clone Wars?", "Yes. I was once a Jedi knight, the same as your father.") Maybe have XP/stats tracked during each War such that players will get Rankings for that War, and afterward are noted as being Commander/Sergeant/etc. in the <insert Theme name> war.

It's all sitting there like low hanging fruit on an already built up game. Just put some story and events in place, and make things compelling and meaningful. Get someone like John Hegner (was on PS1 for a while) who is absolutely great at coming up with rich and compelling storylines, he'd be great a this. Or get interested parties from the PS2 Team, DBG employees, or interested people in the Community. I use to write Quest Content for Vanguard (I made the Varlon Majar Quest: http://www.journeyswithjaye.com/?p=580), I'd be happy to help out.

Yup.

NS Merc Characters would be Faction colors Brown/Grey, and have all the same standard Inafntry Classes Available. But they would be geared up with NS Weapons. They could also acquire Faction Weapons or use Empire Specific Vehicles, but only use them while fighting for that side. The "big changes" thematic event to kick it off is an NS Follow-Up Expedition Force show in system, with their Capital Starships claerly visible in the skies above each Continent. The NS Force aren't ready for the chaos they find with the PS2 Eternal War. At first they land as their own group (which players can spawn as), but then the NS Force Leaders split and join different Faction sides. With it ending with the NS Capital Ships obliterated and the NS Forces forming into the Mercs that shuffle between the factions.

Nothing overly crazy. Not even much more than the PS2 Devs are doing piecemeal already anyway. But tied together, and orchestrated in a manner that makes the experience stand out, be memorable, be a blast to partake in, and worth doing.

I can't use my tank,, waaah. I can't use my aircraft,, waaah.

That's the whole point of Hossin! It's suppose to make us have to use different tactics and force different game play than we experience on the other three continents.

What do you people want? Four continents of nothing but Indar or Amerish type terrains? Boooooring! I know a lot of players who don't like Esamir either. Should we remove Esamir as well?

Game concept: A planet at war with three different factions and four different continents where each land mass has different climates and terrains. Once a continent is conquered, it's temporarily off limits to all. Get it? Get over it!

Meeting adjourned.

Thank you, thats the entire point. To attempt different tactics, to do something DIFFERENT. I know god forbid you have to stop farming infantry in your fighter for an hour or so, and actually try something your not quite as leet at. I swear sometimes I wonder how people are confused why this game is dying. If I got such mixed signals from the playerbase I would be confused too. Everyone keeps saying the same old stuff is boring, but as soon as they give you something new, they complain they can't do the same crap they always do, and want them to change it.

This is the reason that Hossin, or the continent locking system, should be removed.

Why restrict people from doing something they like? Even if it is Indar,"The worst continent ever"'; if the masses are appealed to it, Devs should keep them happy so they will keep playing.

Hossin DOESN'T need to be removed, but the continent locking system does.

Screw you, Hossin is awesome.

I wish it was more popular... big fights on Hossin are amazing.

I'm STILL flabergasted people still WILLINGLY play on Indar.

Remove hossin? Lolwat

They would wise up and unnerf camo long before they did anything about hossin.........

I love Hossin.
It's only tanks addicted who hate it, because it's very vehicle unfriendly. But hey, you know, it's a swamp...

I'd like to like Hossin, but the map just makes me feel on edge the entire time.

You can be shot from literally any direction, high or low. You can run into 10 people around a corner and have no way of knowing. There's no way to have an eagle-eye view of what's going on.

Other maps, you generally have a good idea what's going on, where you're getting shot from, etc. Not on Hossin. It feels like you're a sitting duck no matter what you do.
Let's not forget the bloody shallow water tank mines: "Oh I'll jump into this sundy with all these others peo.. *BOOM*".

Hossin should not be removed, even though it sucks to be a pilot or driver or even a long distance sniper at times. It's the bottlenecks and pathetic farming stations ( Bio Labs ) that should be removed. The amount of times you see alerts running and maps congested at each Bio Lab because they simply cannot be breached unless 60/40 or greater. Esamir is a good continent. The rest are very poorly designed. The game itself is becoming very predictable and boring, and I long for the next game to come along and put this one firmly in its place. I look forward to saying goodbye to this game once and for all, but for now will just have to put up with lags, boots, maintanence, cheats and boring predictable zergs that usually turn all maps purple.

Everybody says that, but I hardly ever see any air power being used on Hossin (Connery server). If I had to pick a word, I'd use "occasionally", as in, "I ocassionally see air support being used on Hossin". Sometimes it's used, but sparsely, and other times it's not used at all. So I dunno. It's the Hossin meme tho, that's for sure. I read this complaint all the time, and just don't see it.

What I dislike about Hossin is that it just feels so claustrophobic. On all the other continents, you get long-range vistas, but on Hossin, the farthest object you can see is usually only 100 meters away - everything past that point is cloaked in jungle/swamp stuff.