- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [GENERAL GROUND VEHICLE CHANGES:] • Darklight Headlights - A new ground vehicle option for Planetside 2. All ground vehicles can now have either Normal Headlights or Darklight Headlights. This will allow ground vehicles the ability to detect stealthed vehicles and even Infiltrators who across in front of them. However, with Darklight Headlights they will have reduced light-projection distance compared to normal headlights. Additionally, each faction will have their Darklight Headlights cast their respective empire color. This will also encourage players to use it sparingly, as not to blatently give away their position or make it obvious that they are the enemy. • Normal Headlights - Have a maximum range of 70 meters (estimated) and will remain a traditional white color. • Darklight Headlights - Have a maximum range of 35 meters and are color-coded respective to their faction. NC is Blue, TR is Red, VS is Purple. • Speedometer - A small detail, but one that's been grossly overlooked for years. When a vehicle is traveling forward it is a positive value, and when a vehicle is traveling in reverse it becomes a negative value. For example, 25 KPH is forward and -25 KPH is backwards. A simple detail that's been overlooked for far too long. If instruments exist they should be providing correct information. • Handbrake - The handbrake will now work differently for MBT's, Lightnings and Sunderers, rather than what is experienced in the Harasser. Using the handbrake for heavy vehicles will not cause the vehicle to "drift" but can now instead be used to reliably bring the vehicle to a full stop. For those that use Skyguards will likely find this most helpful - allowing you to completely stop to fire when your attention is otherwise looking skywards and you are uncertain if you are going 10 KPH forward or 10 KPH backward. Using the handbrake will now bring MBT's, Lightnings and Sunderers to a complete stop and prevent continued rolling, especially on steep inclines. The handbrake is a complete override and will fully ignore forward or reverse input until released. [SPECIFIC GROUND VEHICLE CHANGES:] • Harasser - Vehicle weight and handling needs to be improved. The harasser is damaged by small arms, whereas a Lightning is impervious. A Harasser should not be able to challenge a Lightning tank while ramming, which could cause the Lightning tank to flip. Also, it is understood that there are a great number of players upset that the harasser can no longer be repaired from the rumble seat. However, a compromise will be made. Thus, the harasser will be given improved traction and handling to minimize unintentional spin-outs and more positive control to the driver. Additionally, the harasser should be given inherent "daredevil" handling as a passive performance trait for when doing jumps. This so drivers can now have a more enjoyable experience with improved handling in many other categories - leveraging the essence of what a nimble and fast attack buggy should be. [GROUND VEHICLE UTLITY SLOT CHANGES:] • Infantry Radar - Formerly named "Proximity Radar". It will now automatically spot all enemy infantry and MAX units within 50 meters of the vehicle. Broadcasting their location to friendlies. Infantry with Stealth capabilities reduce the effective detection range. When a target is spotted, there is no audible announcement. The moment the enemy unit exits the radius, the spot is instantly dropped. • Ground Radar - A new radar. It will now automatically spot all enemy ground vehicles within a 100 meter radius of the vehicle. Broadcasting their location to friendlies. Ground Vehicles with Vehicle Stealth reduces effective detection range. When a target is spotted, there is no audible announcement. The moment the enemy unit exits the radius, the spot is instantly dropped. • Aerial Radar (Skyguard) - Formerly named "Engagement Radar". It will now automatically spot all enemy aircraft within a 500 meter radius of the vehicle. Broadcasting their location to friendlies. Aircraft with Vehicle Stealth reduces effective detection range. When a target is spotted, there is no audible announcement. The moment the enemy unit exits the radius, the spot is instantly dropped. [CLOAKED GROUND VEHICLE CHANGES:] • Cloaking Mechanics - All vehicles with the capability of cloaking, being the ANT, Sunderer and Flash ATV has been completely redesigned. When a player is close to the vehicle, being 20 meters or less, the vehicle will easily be seen as it will inherit a modestly transparent but opaque appearance. This is very similar to how vehicle cloak mechanics worked for Planetside 1 where the vehicle had a foggy white appearance. Additionally, any vehicle that has stealth will have its weaponry permanently disabled, except for Sunderers as they must be deployed and stationary in order to inherit stealth. Players will be able to easily spot the vehicle if it is near. However the vehicle will have excellent stealth capability beyond 20 meters. This will essentially help eliminate the exploitation of stealth in order to run over players who are practically unable to see the vehicle. Once again, any vehicle with a stealth feature will have its weaponry completely disabled, no different than how Infiltrators with Stalker suits cannot use their primary weapon. Due to the ANT using resources in order to achieve its stealth, it is advisable that an extended duration of stealth should be granted as it is no longer able to fire its weapon and the overall effectiveness of stealth has been reduced. [GENERAL GROUND VEHICLE WEAPON CHANGES:] • Weapon Muzzle Climb Removal - All ground vehicle weapons no longer have muzzle climb, except for Main Battle Tank and Lightning cannons. The Lightning Skyguard Anti-Aircraft turret is an exception to this and will no longer have muzzle climb, as it already suffers from a lack of accuracy. If a weapon must have deviation, accuracy will be reduced slighty and accordingly instead. • Gravitational Sight Reticule - Improving upon the operation of weapon sighting systems, all ground vehicle weapon reticules will now swing and pivot at the center of the players screen to orientate the gunner reticule so that it remains aligned with the ballistic drop of fired projectiles due to gravity. For example, if a gunner is using a tank cannon, grenade launcher or mortar, the reticule will now swing and orientate itself in the direction of gravity along the ballistic trajectory of the shot. This will help gunners adjust their fire more accurately as vehicle angle and orientation changes due to their positioning on slopes and hills. Vehicles with circular reticules will also adhere to this new sighting system feature, by having a single line detailed into the inside circle of the reticule that outstretches downwards in the direction of gravity. Additionally, there will be an included Game Option to enable/disable this feature according to player preference. [SPECIFIC GROUND VEHICLE WEAPON CHANGES:] • Lightning AP-30 Shredder - The AP-30 has now been mounted on the Lightning tank and intended for use as an alternative to the Skyguard anti-aircraft turret. The AP-30 Shredder possesses no flak capabilities and only fires armor-piercing ammunition. The benefit to using the AP-30 Shredder over the Skyguard is its accuracy over range. The Lightning AP-30 Shredder will be afforded the same operational envelope as the Skyguard turret such as elevation, depression, rotation, maximum projectile range, etc. However, such accuracy comes at a cost... In order to use this weapon proficiently, the Lightning will greatly be obligated to remain in a stationary position to a greater extent than even the Skyguard. As armor-piercing ammunition will be far less forgiving than the easy-to-use proximity detonation flak shells. Just as other ground vehicles can have the G30 Walker and G40-F Ranger turrets, so should the Lightning have a AP-30 Shredder and Skyguard turret.
