Yeah except that maybe 10% of pilots know how to do it (from watching a youtube tutorial no doubt) because it isn't very intuitive, one of the many ways new players get **** on in planetside 2.
I gotta disagree. The reverse maneuver (to my knowledge) was never intended to happen when they coded the game in the first place. It happened and they haven't removed it yet because pilots use it and the devs don't mind it being there. Personally, I could care less if the reverse was in the game or not, because either way I'm still gonna try to get guns on target and air will continue (for me) to be a very skill-based area to play in the game. Especially with the new weapons coming out. That fact that, to win a dogfight against better pilots, you almost *have* to learn/use the reverse, is annoying. The reason it's annoying is because it's not even supposed to be a thing in-game. That may just be my opinion, but whateva. I dont think it's elitist of you to want the reverse in-game though. But I think it's a good thing that they're reducing it's insane effectiveness (especially with racer frame on). The devs are making an effort to keep it from being SUCH a game-changing maneuver; and I think it's a good thing. The reverse maneuver still works in-game, and it's still a pretty effective way to turn around on an enemy and get shots on target. Like you said, noobs will still not be able to do it, and they'll still likely die....so what's it matter to you if they nerf the reverse a bit? You're still gonna be an ace pilot, and prey upon the noobs and other pilots as well. I gotta admit, I'm an ESF pilot who flies almost exclusively. In no way to I claim to be "the best pilot everrr" or anything, but I've gotten a hold on flying and use the reverse and other maneuvers regularly. I think this is (for now) a good change to make, and I certainly don't hate the idea of reducing the reverse maneuver's effectiveness just a bit. Like I said, the maneuver definitely works on the PTS right now, but you do notice that it's a bit less effective. I think I like the change. TL;DR - Coming from a veteran pilot, I don't mind the change and I think it will be a good thing overall. Just my opinion.
After deliberating, mumbling, and extensive frowning at the screen, I have decided to support SOE in this Reverse Thrust nerf. The reverse thrust has made ESFs a SKILL BASED tool that can be wielded with devastating efficiency by good pilots with decent FPS. That is, one ESF could do a tremendous amount of damage by itself. Even just TWO ESFs working together is total domination. This *nerf* will lessen the need for skilled pilots and focus ESFs more towards numbers - sorry ThundaHawk and the rest of QRY, you won't be going 1v6 anymore and winning. Which is what they needed in the first place. Maybe this will solidify the position of the ESF as a fast attack fighter with a good weapon for killing ground units. Now, they just need to buff ESF top speed across the board and drop acceleration to compensate. That will further solidify the ESF as a hover-fighter OR an interceptor. And not both, within 10 seconds of eachother. Oh, and it might help bring in new pilots into the fold. I am tired of fighting ONLY QRY folks on Mattherson. Not that those dogfights arent exciting, but come on. Getting your lumifiber trim facepounded is just depressing after the 30th time. Now, don't get me wrong, the reverse maneuver will still be useful for skilled pilots in a hover duel. So kudos to those who can use it correctly. Cheers!
I don't think this works yet? Maybe it does, and the PTS Hossin cont just has really low flight ceiling?
I will try the ESF change before passing final judgment. But it has me worried. What was the goal of the change, anyway? What was the problem that needed to be solved? I thought the current dogfight/hoverfight dynamics were one of the few things about the game that was in an extremely good place...
What do you consider dogfighting? Fighting in a circle of death like in BF3 jets? Is that vision of a good dogfight? Reverse thrusting was needed because it helps the person in front of you break your "lock" and attack back. Sounds to me like you never learned to reverse thrust and hate how your "advantage" of being behind the enemy aircraft can be destroyed easily, making for a more fair dogfight as long as both pilots are on par with eachother.
I don't even SEE the new esf weapons as being available to try out (not even an icon for them). How come other people can see them? Edit: and no noticable change in thrust for the ESF either. Also no Hossin! !?!?! Nevermind I am on Hossin lol... Is the patch not up yet?
The memorable dogfights I've had in this game have been the ones against pilots using the reverse maneuver, going head to head with vthrust orbiting and trying to keep a bead while shaking theirs. They have NOT been the ones where I dropped onto someone's tail and burned him down while he wiggled around in the air. If this goes through, you can be sure I won't be buying any of your shiny new dogfighting weapons. Why bother when you want to make dogfighting a boring circle jerk? Your game doesn't have a complex enough flight model to make 'normal' dogfights entertaining.
So you want ESF fighting to devolve into a numbers game just like ground fighting. I can see how that would favor a terrible outfit like AOD, but it's still an awful change.
You seem to have this idea where anybody who can pull off this reverse thrust maneuver simply wins. That is not true at all. The first problem with performing the reverse thrust maneuver while someone is on your tail is that you stop evasive maneuvers and slow down. This give whoever is tailing you the perfect shot and with the recent changes to the default ESF primary canons you can bet that if that pilot has any competence you will die or at least take good damage. You can't just know how to reverse thrust you have to be able to apply it in combat and know when to do it. I can say from experience that simply tailing, even at a TechPlant is easy enough that you won't lose your pray unless they get help, are faster than you(significantly faster/has afterburner fuel), or if the pull off the reverse thrust maneuver. The second problem with you perception of this "I win ability" is that just because you pulled it off you have the GG. This simply isn't true because what the reverse thrust maneuver does is allow you to face your pursuer not just get on top and subsequently behind them. I know noob pilots just keep going forward and end up being tailed themselves from which they soon die because they don't really take evasive action, but any "average joe" would have kept his target in sights. What happens when a reverse thrust maneuver is successfully pulled on one of these average pilots is what has been called a 'circle-strafe jerk'.
Well, quite simply, you wont get that. Our ESFs can stop in the air and rotate on the spot. Why on earth would anyone "dogfight" in a traditional sense when you can turn so quickly? Should they just completely re-design the flight model? Perhaps they'll want to redesign the continents too to accommodate these changes. Ok, so by your logic, if it is an "I win" button against new players, then it must be relatively complex to do, right? Otherwise the newbies could do it too. So why should those of us who have learned how this game works, how to utilise the flight mechanics to our advantage be penalised? It's one of the only things in this game that actually requires practice and skill to get right. Leading a shot correctly in a Vthrust duel, whilst making sure your engines dont point forward. Guess what, that's HARD, and if you can do that properly, you deserve to win! Or if it's not hard, then it should remain untouched as well, because it should be just as easy for newbies to do it.
Forgot to mention that even if your in a "circle-jerk" you still have to be mindful of environment because I have many a time slammed into the ground or a mountain.
No offence, but your conclusion is ridiculous! You admit that reverse thrusting and ESF dogfighting is a skill based encounter, and you want to dilute that?! You're actually telling me that you want a nerf because people are too good? Why would you want to dumb down this game? We already have lock on missiles for that.
Absolutely crappy pilot here! I do NOT support nerfing the reverse maneuver. If a pilot beats me using skill and advanced techniques then he deserves to kill me. End of story. Only pilots I have a problem with are the hackers, not those who beat me using legitimate and skill based tactics.
I pretty much called this one, though it's just my humble opinion. This change is going to go through! It's the only way they could actually put in an afterburner cert line, they are nerfing it and then you can cert into it so it gets back to normal. At least I hope that's it
Aww, is this because you keep getting beaten every time you pull an esf or go against a good pilot??? First of all, the reverse manouver does not guarantee you winning a dogfight, especially when you have a good pilot tailing you. But its going to be so boring just chasing someone till you kill them because of the horribly weak reversing, you'l be beaten already. Maybe for inexperienced pilots tailing you, you can beat them easy. But if you want to be any of a chance or threat to better pilots, why not research/watch youtube vids then go and learn and practice them. Most good/Ace pilots out there have practiced for ages, gone through trail and error and worked there way to perfection of manouvers, and thats their playstyle. If you want to stand a chance fighting a good pilot, stop whining and asking for terrible changes and go out there and learn it yourself and stop complaining
So I just tried this out, and to be honest I won't mind seeing this hit live. Reverse maneuver is noticeable slower, yes, but it is still easily doable and it still serves it's purpose: to dodge bullets.
