[Suggestion] The Ultimate Thread Dedicated to Refurbishment of Infantry

How to Improve Infantry



Introduction

Planetside 2, though a combined-arms game, is at its core a first-person shooter. As such, it merits infantry mechanics that in quality are commensurate with, if not exceeding, other prized first-person shooters. As I have explained in my old but still pertinent thread, vehicles are more in need of an overhaul, but infantry should not be ignored either. If people play Planetside 2 only for the sheer scale, then the game would be in grave danger.

What exactly is wrong? Faction traits are definitely underplayed, with none of them feeling truly unique. Movement is rather clunky, at least compared with other fast-paced games. Immersion is definitely lacking, and it feels more like a regular arcade game than a war one is fighting in. Mechanics are too simplistic, making an otherwise decidedly complex and realistic game seem flawed. Balance requires quite some work, to smooth out discrepancies between infantry and vehicles as well as providing more faction variety. Evidently much needs to be eventually done to improve infantry gameplay.

Some of the ideas posted forthwith are my ideas; others have been volunteered by others. I would like to thank the countless people who have patiently aided me in this endeavor, as I will thank you if you read this thread methodically and provide constructive criticism. This thread is not for the purpose of calling attention to myself, nor is it to advance my own views. Rather, it is to provide an accumulation of suggestions that the developers could skim and pick ideas from. If the developers could easily access the many excellent ideas propounded by the community, then perhaps they will be content to use their limited time on their forums. However, my own posts are merely an opening for this project. Your ideas, no matter how minor or how seemingly preposterous, are needed, not for my sake but for that of the community of Planetside 2. Do not let this thread perish.

This thread may seem to many to be much too lengthy to be paid any heed. In addition, the developers themselves have expressed consternation at the prospect of reading long threads. Nevertheless, length is necessary for such a broad subject, and this particular thread is carefully separated into sections. This way, one merely has to scan over the parts he finds interesting.

The totality of these posts, though too voluminous for a simple "tl;dr" addendum, does deserve a synopsis. This thread consists general improvements that could be made, such as infantry resource revamps, a new inventory system, netcode updates, and integrated tutorials. Movement could be assisted by prone, stamina, cover mechanics, faster agility, and better animations. There should be an armor mechanic, locational damage, and a helmet slot. Ballistics, scopes, and explosives all stand to gain from improvement. There should be greater customization in weaponry, and there must be greater distinction amongst the factions. Both melee weapons and grenades should get a complete overhaul. Aesthetics and immersion need to be looked at. Finally, each class should get a complete revamp, making them unique and potent at a specific role. In these ways infantry combat can be improved.


General Improvements

It is planned that resources will be refurbished. This thread is not to deal with all the technicalities of resources. However, resources that govern the use of infantry equipment are necessary. Ideally, everything, not just hand grenades and consumables, should consume resources, to prevent spamming and overuse. Since one would have to be more careful in conserving ammunition, it would require more tactical play.

Classes and loadouts could be enhanced with a limited inventory system, essentially a cross between the old Planetside system and the current system we have. With this new system one can add or remove weapons, consumables, and other items as one pleases. It would be a slot-based system, with some weapons and items taking up more space than others. There would also be a weight mechanic, which will be further expounded in the movement section. Of course, the number of a particular item one could carry would be limited by certifications. Specific upgrades would add additional slots to the inventory, but they would be limited to specific items; for instance, a grenade bandolier would add grenade-only slots. Unlike Planetside 1, there should be restrictions of items to classes. Such a system would enable much more variety in loadout.

Another problem restricting Planetside 2 is netcode. Latency means one's location appears differently to one player than to another. For instance, when a player moves rapidly around the corner this player can shoot another without even being seen yet. This prevents fast-paced combat from working well and makes a low TTK difficult to handle. If infantry combat is ever to be improved, this has be managed somehow.

In addition, the game should be more friendly for new players, especially considering the massive scale. As Wrel has suggested, there could be pre-made loadouts. These would cost a certain amount of certification points for the weapons and suit modifications. Already owning a portion of the loadout would detract from the total expense. This would give new players ability to specialize (or generalize) with minimal confusion. Such a better experience for new players would help retain them.

Movement

Although Planetside 2 is a vast improvement over its clunky predecessor in terms of movement, currently it is still outclassed in this respect by many other first-person shooters. As it currently stands there is no prone posture, no stamina mechanic, lack of fast-paced movement aids, cover mechanics, or other enhancements to movement.


Planetside would benefit greatly from a prone mechanic, featured in most other shooters. Prone would reduce one's profile against the enemy, enhancing stealth. The added cover would improve long-range combat as well as in defense aspects of the game. The obvious downside of using prone in combat is the slower mobility. Many have demonstrated concern about "dolphin diving" and clipping into terrain. The first is easily solved by having an animation to increase the time getting into and out of prone. The second can be done by blocking prone (whether in lying down or in turning while prone) where an object or steep terrain is in the way. Thus prone can only improve infantry combat.

Currently, one is capable of sprinting indefinitely. This is not beneficial for gameplay, as it undermines the purpose of transports for infantry operations. This is one of the grounds on which many players view PS2 as too infantry-centric in open field battles. What would be better is if there existed a stamina system contained many games, where sprinting and jumping drains stamina, but staying still or walking regains stamina. The purpose of this would be to encourage better tactical play and allow SOE to improve fast-paced gameplay without things getting out of hand. Additionally, the rate of decrease of stamina would depend on one's weight (varying due to the contents of one's inventory, as explained previously), and on one's armor. Thus, infiltrators and light assaults could run farther without pause than a heavy assault. MAXes may or may not be affected by stamina; after all, while being the heaviest class they are powered armor. Stamina should not be too limited; after all, the major issue this would solve is being able to run from base to base without needing to stop or use a transport.

In addition, cover mechanics should be implemented. This means that a player can peer over and around objects. This would work similar to Red Orchestra 2, which features the optimal system. Such a system would allow one to use cover that normally is useless (such as many crates), and look around corners without overly endangering oneself. Thus, it enhances both attacking and defending.

To facilitate faster-paced gameplay, there needs to be better mechanics for such tactics as bunny-hopping and sidestrafing. Though some individuals within the community have spoken out against it, it would make gameplay more skill-based as well as help it to be fast-paced. For balance, classes should have different movement capabilities. MAXes and heavy assault, due to their weight, should slow down while bunny-hopping and would have difficulty side-strafing. Medics and engineers would have neither speed benefits nor penalties while bunny-hopping and would sidestrafe as well as infantry can currently. Light assault and infiltrators would benefit greatly from bunny-hopping (as much as Quake) and would be able to change directions extremely quickly. Bunny-hopping would enable light classes to move faster and dodge more effectively, at the cost of consuming more stamina than simply sprinting. Thus balance would be furthered.

In addition, better movement mechanics and animations should exist within the game. There ought to be better vaulting in order that traversing over fences can be easier and faster. One should be able to clamber up crates and other objects too tall for jumping, making it easier to get around, at the cost of momentary vulnerability. Light classes should even be able to cling to ledges, making stealth play easier. There needs to be a marching mechanic. Currently, most outfits do not bother with battle formations, as different weapons have varying ADS movement modifiers. Marching would provide a constant motion to enhance tactics.


Damage and Armor

There needs to be an armor system for infantry. It will be the main form of protection for the soldier once personal shields are down. Except for powerful, high-damage, and/or armor-piercing weapons, the first shot would be absorbed entirely by the armor. However, the armor itself is degraded by such hits, and as it depletes more damage is applied to health. Armor would not be regenerated with revives and could be recovered only at terminals, providing an aspect of attrition in skirmishes. Each class should have different amounts of armor, especially when it comes to two areas of armor: torso armor and limb armor. Infiltrators would feature little overall armor, light assault would have little limb armor but a medium amount of torso armor, medics and engineers would have medium amounts overall of armor, and heavy assault would have overall heavy armor. MAXes would extremely tough armor, capable of being repaired by engineers. Special armor (nanoweave, flak, etc.) would affect armor only, not shields. This would effectively increase the TTK differences among the classes, and allow for more variety while preserving balance.

With the proposed armor system, health needs an adjustment. To be balanced with the armor, health should be reduced to a hundred points. A player with no shields or armor would be one-shot by most weapons, and one-shot with a headshot by practically any weapon. Shields might be made slightly more powerful to compensate to reinforce its role as the primary means of protection.

In addition, locational damage should be better implemented so as to make gameplay more logical. First of all, when shields are up, all shots should inflict the same damage regardless of where they hit. When shields are down, being shot in the limbs would carry penalties. Hurt arms reduce accuracy, and with enough damage to them, one would no longer be able to use weaponry. Being shot in the legs reduces one's mobility, and with sufficient damage one would be forced into prone. Although limb damage would reduce overall health, one cannot die, at least immediately, from being shot in the limbs only. Restoration packs and medical packs, although still effective in restoring overall health, could only bring back marginal amounts of limb function, making medics more of a necessity.

To complete the improved system for player damage, when a player is at low health ("in the red") he would slowly lose additional health until dead. This would simulate bleeding out, and would enhance team play as well as punish solo players who venture unprepared. It is a rather simple mechanic, but would greatly add to gameplay.

Infantry gameplay would also be enhanced with a helmet slot. Once shields have fallen, headshots should be more lethal, and most weapons could take out an unshielded enemy with a single skilled shot. To balance this, one could equip extra head protection, reducing the headshot damage multiplier. For obvious reasons, it would not work well against sniper rifles. In addition, other options could exist for this slot rather than for implants. One could equip night vision that enables the player to toggle it on/off independently of a scope (especially helpful for MAXes and infiltrators at night). Other ideas would allow one to expand his role. Non-protective hats (such as ceremonial gear) should provide no head protection whatsoever except for looking cool, and once shields are down a headshot with any weapon should one-shot-kill.

Gun Mechanics

Planetside 2 ought to incorporate realistic ballistics; that is, the projectile originates where the gun is pointing. Currently, bullets travel out of the camera (that is, the center of the screen), and are sent out randomly within the cone-of-fire. This not only destroys immersion, but also makes numerous glitches possible. By having bullets always move out of the barrel, not only are these problems corrected, but it provides new ways skilled players can show of their skill. One could shoot enemies (rather inaccurately) to the side while sprinting, and a particularly skilled player could compensate for recoil to a greater degree.

Recoil could also be looked at. It is quite obvious that the main force should be backwards, not upwards, yet it in-game it does not feel like so. All that is required is a tuning to the animation to make the shoulder be pushed back slightly, thus enhancing immersion.

A change that requires significant alteration to gameplay, yet offers much greater reward, is enhancing all ballistics. All weapons ought to have faster bullets. How much so depends on the faction: the TR would have projectiles equivalent to, if not somewhat faster, than real modern firearms; the NC would have extremely high velocity projectiles thanks to magnetic propulsion; and the VS would have the slowest projectiles in plasma shot, whereas lasers would be nigh-instantaneous. To come with enhanced velocities there could be less bullet drop. The TR would have bullet drop more or less equal to that of modern munitions; the NC would have slightly less, and for the VS it would be nonexistent, as per their faction traits. Damage degradation must be all but removed from all TR and NC weaponry, except for very long range. The reason VS damage degradation was made equivalent to across other factions was because it made no difference; all factions have suffered equally from it, despite it ostensibly being a VS counter-balancing trait. The result of all these proposed changes is to make long range combat more viable and not practically useless. It would also make the factions more unique, something Planetside 2 definitely needs.

Iron sights and scopes are also in need of an overhaul. Part of the problem with long-range combat is that these add-ons are not very precise, with the metal prong often being too thick or the dot too wide. In addition, the problem needs to be fixed where reflex sights often do not line up with the gun. Reflex sights should function like real equivalents, not like a piece of plexiglass with a dot painted on. Since the ballistics suggestions effectively increase the range of most small arms, for balance sniper scopes ought to increase render range in the direction they are pointed at. While some may complain of being shot from beyond render range, in defense of sniping it would be exceedingly difficult to accomplish this, and infiltrators could finally function as actual snipers. Sniper scopes could incorporate long-range night vision and other functions infiltrators have been begging for. What is exceedingly important, however, is that all scopes and iron sights, regardless of magnification, feature scope sway. Shift+ADS would function just like in sniping, but universal scope sway would provide better immersion and provide balance. Scope changes are so important that they could be implemented alone if necessary.

Additionally, weapons should have a collision model. As it is, one can stand right next to a wall, point at it in the same manner as if it never existed, and shoot into it with a normal cone of fire. Instead of this, when facing a wall at such range, the weapon should be pressed against it, and could not be fired in this state. This mechanic would complement cover. It would provide a close-quarters balance for long-barrelled accurate weapons.

Rocket launchers could serve being looked at. Currently some heavy assault use them as primary weapons, one-shotting most infantry. In fact, it is usually encouraged to use them against MAXes, even in close quarters. Rocket launchers must feature one of two drawbacks: backblast or recoil. The former should toast infantry directly behind; the latter would dramatically shift the player's view towards vertical, and perhaps provide a slight concussion effect making most actions difficult. Using a RL in close range should splash the player back with damage, injuring him and leaving him vulnerable. Rocket launchers should have two rocket types. AP could pierce armor, but would have no splash; HE would be poor against most tanks, and useful against light vehicles or in engaging clusters of infantry at a distance. The current do-all rocket, HEAT, should be either removed, or be mediocre at the two specialized roles. Hence rocket launchers would be more specialized and better balanced.

Currently Planetside 2 is in a predicament regarding grenades. As history indicates, if a grenade has any effectiveness at all in its role (area denial), then it will be spammed; nerfing them to be less lethal has resulted in grenades becoming completely useless. Any viable solution has to start with the resource overhaul; any explosive, underbarrel or otherwise, has to cost resources. With such a system in effect, grenades could be safely buffed without constant spam. Additionally, balance would be helped in dividing the standard "frag" grenade into two types. The first is high explosive: it inflicts deadly damage over an area, and is quite useful against armored opponents (MAXes and Engineer fortifications), but outside of this area it almost completely loses effectiveness. The second is fragmentation: compared to the blast area of the HE grenade it clearly underperforms, but because it launches shrapnel in all directions, it is capable of inflicting damage farther away. HE would be better indoors; fragmentation would be superior in open fields. Hopefully this solves the current issue with grenades once and for all.

Weapon Customization

Currently, while there is no shortage of guns in the game, most of these are practically identical and bear no great difference. Weapons have only small differences in terms of damage, rate of fire, recoil, and other statistics. Having a superior weapon customization mechanic would solve this problem.

What would this entail? There should be additional options for customization for every weapon. Games like Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and Blacklight Retribution are leaps and bounds ahead of Planetside 2 in this. Planetside 2 should borrow such excellent ideas.

Stocks, firing assemblies, magazines, barrels, and muzzles ought to all be switched out. Additionally, top, side, and underbarrel rails could enjoy more varied attachments. Different weapons would have different amounts of attachments. For instance, a pistol could only alter a side rail, the handle, firing assembly, and muzzle, but an assault rifle could customize everything.

Heftier stocks would muffle recoil but would make maneuvering more difficult. It would be more tricky to move around corners quickly, and hip-firing would suffer. Since less recoil would be felt, it would be ideal for long range or for suppression. Lighter stocks would have the opposite effect, being superior at close quarters but suffering with more recoil. Carbines would have the advantage of folding stocks, which could be folded in or out while in battle for different scenarios.

Firing assemblies could tweak rate of fire, making a gun better at either short range or short range. Although a slower rate of fire would hinder a weapon at close range, it would make it more controllable at distance. Conversely, one could make the gun shoot slightly faster, but would be much more difficult to control.

Once could customize magazines to alter the ammunition type, increase magazine size, or alter reload speeds. Besides the current high velocity and soft point ammunition, there could be anti-shield bullets, anti-armor bullets, incendiary bullets, and explosive bullets. Anti-shield bullets would inflict greater damage against shields, but would perform poorly against armor. Armor piercing bullets would inflict more damage through armor, but would not bring down shields as effectively. Incendiary bullets would have the worst of both worlds against these two, but would have tremendous damage potential against health in addition to damage over time as well as a flat damage boost. Explosive rounds would be like incendiary rounds except that instead of a small amount of damage over time, there would be a small amount of explosive splash damage. Perhaps there could even be faction-specific ammunition. Special magazines could have different sizes, but larger ones would reload slower. There could be a special magazine that consists of two regular magazines strapped together, making every second reload much quicker. These changes would greatly open up the often empty "ammunition" slot.

Top rails would have greater customization scopes and sights. One would be able to take off the sights off completely for whatever reason. There should be multiple iron sight designs as well as more scopes. For instance, one might have a high-magnification scope with an iron sight above or below it, to provide versatility. Such advanced sights would have a higher certification cost and would have disadvantages of their own.

Side rails would be mounted on the side of the weapon. They would include laser sights and flashlights. In addition, there should be more choices for the side rail.

Underbarrel rails would be for the bottom of the weapon. Existing modifications for this are forward grips and underbarrel launchers. In addition, a bayonet could also be available, useful for stabbing enemies without switching to one's melee weapon. Heavier guns like sniper rifles and LMGs could have bipods or tripods to steady aim and reduce recoil, enhancing their ranged performance.

Barrels could also be exchanged for differences in length. Longer barrels would be more accurate but would more difficult with which to maneuver in close quarters. Shorter barrels would have a larger cone of fire but would be more nimble.
Muzzles should remain the way they are now, with suppressors and compensators.

Faction Distinction

Differences among the factions are lacking. Whether aesthetically or functionally, VS, TR, and NC do not seem vastly different. The Vanu Sovereignty needs more futuristic weapons, the Terran Republic needs faster-firing weapons, and the New Conglomerate needs harder-hitting weapons.

What sort of mechanics would make the Vanu Sovereignty seem more unique and futuristic? There could be three categories of weapons: plasma weapons, beam laser weapons, and pulse laser weapons. Plasma weapons would be the plurality of VS weapons, and would feature a slow projectile speed, the only significant damage drop-off in the game, but would have a small amount of splash damage. Some special weapons would be capable of damage over time, and shotguns would knock targets back. Beam laser weapons would be short-ranged, inflicting constant damage on a target. Pulse laser weapons, optimal for long-range, would boast practically instantaneous bullet velocity and supreme accuracy, but would merely have mediocre damage per second. Automatic pulse lasers would function mostly normal weapons, but semi-automatic laser weapons could be charged similar to the Phaseshift. All VS weapons would have an overheat mechanic, to limit spamming and increase the skill ceiling.

Because of the inherent splash damage of plasma weaponry, the Lasher would need be buffed in this respect, with a larger blast radius to encourage its use. Overheating would be the balancing factor. The Lancer is a superb, versatile weapon, but seems ever so slightly overpowered when used by an organized group against an armor column. Perhaps its damage against heavy armor could be tweaked slightly? Care must be taken in this balance, however. It would also be terrific if there was a dumb-fire rocket launcher capable of inflicting damage over time against targets. It could be called the "Ion Cannon."

Appearance needs to be improved. A long time ago we were too colorful, and the purple/teal combined with tights looked ridiculous. Now the shades are much darker, but because of a marginal advantage at night (if what we have can be called night) there have been complaints about balance. While a darker look should remain for infiltrators and light assaults the other classes could use a more "shiny" and brighter look. Weapons need to have a more unique appearance as well. MAXes should have a more serious and insectoid appearance, without high heels.

Terran Republic weapons should be faster-firing. Current-day weapons can easily outclass the weapons the TR wield. This should not be the case; on the contrary, TR RPM ought to match, if not exceed, that of modern firearms. At least some special weapons ought to have fantastic RPM, with smaller bullets and less damage. Accuracy could be slightly better and horizontal recoil ought to be less severe, with a possible increase in vertical recoil. Bullpup weaponry should be common. These changes would make the TR seem more of an advanced military.

The mini-chaingun ought to be properly underslung, with a rate of fire that sets it apart. The Striker could be more unique and less of a generic lock-on. There should also be a multiple-shot dumb-fire rocket, perhaps with three rockets but with less damage. There could be a rocket similar to the real-life Javelin.

Terran Republic uniforms could be revised. Because their secondary color is black, the infiltrators and light assault at least should have much darker armor. It does not have to feature a dark and sinister style as in the original Planetside, but the TR should look more like science-fiction SWAT teams. TR weapons are not creative in form either. They need to be more varied, similar to how modern weapons come in myriad shapes and patterns.

New Conglomerate weapons demand more force. These guns should have a substandard rate of fire, but capable of killing targets with merely a few shots. Because they are magnetically propelled, NC projectiles would boast a phenomenally fast velocity. For proper balance, they would suffer from extra amounts of horizontal recoil.

The Jackhammer ought to be more unique as a shotgun. Rather than having the current situation with the Jackhammer featuring more accuracy than every other shotgun, other shotguns should be useful at a longer range, effective from twenty to forty meters. The Jackhammer, with a revised model, would have a very wide horizontal arc, about sixty degrees in front, and pack extremely potent damage, being effective at close quarters. With slugs it would become a powerful medium-range battle rifle that shoots three bullets in multiple directions. The Phoenix ought to inflict a bit more damage, and the projectile itself could possibly be slightly faster.

The fashion of NC uniforms ought to be more drab and utilitarian, fitting their irregular nature. New Conglomerate weapons, though they have better models than the other factions, could still use a bit more variety. Their design should emphasize boxiness and function over form, yet should be unique in appearance.



Melee Weapons

As the roadmap shows, more melee options are planned by SOE. This, if done correctly, would be a terrific boon for the game. However, before new melee weapons can be introduced the underlying mechanics must be revised.

Players should be able to hold a melee weapon out as a weapon proper, and not just use a simplistic animation. This change would open the door for more complicated techniques. With melee weapons, one could slash with the left mouse button, block with a right mouse button, and thrust with the middle mouse button. Movements with the mouse would adjust the behavior of the weapon; for instance, slashing with the weapon while moving it up and to the right would cause it to swing in that direction. Melee weapons themselves would have collision, and it should be possible to block other melee weapons with them.

Factional melee weapons should be quite unique. VS energy weapons, due to their elegant nature, would be the fastest and most controllable. TR chain weapons (in the style and spirit of Warhammer 40K) would have a militaristic aesthetic and could be held against enemies for continuous damage. NC magnetic weapons would have the most damage, but would be slow.

As for what the melee weapons themselves would consist, the sky is the limit. Before SOE starts adding broadswords and warhammers, however, fencing swords would be the ideal choice. Light and nimble, they would be perfect for most infantry. VS could have an energy/plasma rapier, TR could get a chain-sabre, and NC might have a mag-katana. If SOE wants to go further than this, class-specific weapons are an ideal route.

Grenade Mechanics

Grenades are in dire need of better physics. Though they have been better than before, physics are still wonky and unrealistic. More importantly, it needs to be possible to control one's throw better. The player should be able to hold the grenade as a weapon. Holding one mouse button would adjust how far the grenade is thrown. There may or may not be "cooking;" cooking a grenade is inadvisable in the real world because of unreliable timers, but futuristic timers would probably be different.

Although the best buff for grenades would be to make them more controllable, frag grenades ought to be more powerful. Currently, the explosion is pitiful, and one is lucky to incapacitate any enemies, even in a crowded room. To compensate, there should be separate high-explosive and fragmentary grenades. High-explosive grenades would be similar to the current grenades, but would feature a larger blast radius and more damage. Fragmentary grenades would have a meager blast, but would shoot shrapnel in all directions. High-explosive grenades would be excellent in small rooms, but fragmentary explosives would be effective on a larger field. Grenade-spamming is prevented by resources, and teams throwing volleys would be costly yet effective.

Additionally, there could be faction-specific grenades. VS could have plasma grenades, dealing damage over time quickly within an area, thus providing area denial. TR could have cluster grenades, allowing destruction within a wider area. NC might have a heavier but more powerful grenade.



Aesthetics

The aesthetics call for some revision. Numerous designs are bland and monotonous, with little variety. Uniforms, weaponry, camouflage, and immersion in general could be better thought-out, to provide a unique aesthetic appeal.

Uniforms should look more appealing. VS originally were too colorful (a bad combination with tights) and then were remodeled to be darker, which led to complaints that they were "overpowered" at night. There should be a compromise. Of course infiltrators and light assault should have dark and surreptitious uniforms, as those classes rely on stealth. However, other classes should have more shiny and bright uniforms. There should be less spandex, and metallic armor should be more prominent.

TR uniforms ought to look more militaristic and practical. Their coloring should be darker, not to appear sinister as in Planetside 1, but to resemble real-life SWAT. TR prefer conventional styles and designs, so it makes sense that Terran designs should reflect modern equipment.

NC uniforms should appear to be of utilitarian aesthetic, similar to what real-life, albeit futuristic, rebels would wear. Bright boxy armor does not quite seem right; instead armor should be more worn and drab.

Numerous weapons also demand tantamount attention. There needs to be more variety for every faction. TR weapons should resemble modern weaponry with the exception of being more advanced and refined. While favoring curved shapes, each weapons would be very unique. Bullpup weapons would be common. NC weapons ought to be roughshod in appearance, and should look powerful, with more emphasis that the projectiles are magnetically propelled. VS weapons should come in many different shapes, yet always appear elegant. They ought to look like they have been designed by scientists and artisans, with a high degree of experimentation and refinement.


Camouflage should be more effective at concealment. This is quite a controversial issue as currently camouflage is only obtainable through station cash. Thus, making some camouflage effective would indeed make the game pay-to-win. However, an easy solution to the problem could be implemented. First of all, camouflage should be divided between functional camouflage and decorative camouflage. Functional camouflage would be that mimicking the environment for purposes of concealment, while more colorful decorative camouflage would be purely for making a character look nicer. Functional camouflage would become available to obtain through certification points as well as through station cash, while decorative camouflage could be purchased only through station cash.

With the pay-to-win dilemma solved, SOE can safely make some camouflage functional. The chief problem about visibility currently is coverage, or rather, lack of it. Camouflage should coat the entire uniform except for the visor. Because some players would not appreciate how this looks, they should be able to modify the coverage to their preference. A reasonable objection would of course be incapacity in determining friend from foe. However, a discerning eye can identify friend from foe simply through uniform style alone, at least from reasonable ranges. In addition, the existence of tags on the HUD practically eliminates the issue. There have been cases where squads have suffered because of an individual using camouflage; however, that is the solecism of the victims, and in 94% of cases camouflage makes only a very marginal difference.

Improved camouflage, combined with better movement, would enhance stealth gameplay. Clever and careful players would be able to sneak behind enemy lines undetected, increasing the skill ceiling for all and making Planetside 2 a more fun game.

Immersion

It is evident that game immersion has withered in Planetside 2 over its development, to the game's detriment. Fortunately, a bright individual created a thread for the purpose of reversing this, and the list has received widespread rapport from the community. Every idea he has proposed ought to be implemented in Planetside 2 eventually, with the exception of blood.

Some of these suggestions are necessary to enhance the game's success. Players must be able to lie prone, as I have previously expounded. An aesthetic overhaul is ideal, as already mentioned. Vaulting and climbing would improve mobility and make the game fun. Other suggestions could be omitted, but implementing them would be beneficial. Being able to see the interior of one's helmet would be excellent. In addition, so would be being able to see one's body in first-person. Being able to see most equipped gear on player models in the world would allow one to see what equipment another player has. Much progress could be made in enhancing immersion.



Class Overhauls
SOE thus far has been trying to overhaul the classes one at a time, tentatively proposing improvements and asking the community for advice in the roadmap. Results have been mixed; while the game has been enhanced overall, there is still much that can be done, and most classes still feel lacking in some areas.



Infiltrator

Months ago numerous additions to the Infiltrator class were added. The new sniper and scout rifles have improved long-range performance, while the stalker cloak, new sidearms, and motion detectors allow more versatility in close quarters. Even more advancements can be implemented.

Sniper and scout rifle damage should be revised. They should fire more slowly but hit harder, to emphasize that these are high-calibre weapons. Bolt action sniper rifles should one-shot with headshots at all ranges, and ought to be highly effective with body shots as well. In fact, a few semi-automatic sniper rifles might even one-shot with headshots, though these would have drawbacks.

Sniper and scout rifles can be more unique when it comes to factions as well. Terran sniper rifles, while most would able to kill in one shot, would have the benefit of versatility, with some having built-in straight-pull bolt actions. Vanu sniper rifles would lack bullet drop and would be extremely accurate. Conglomerate sniper rifles would have small quantities of ammunition but would inflict extreme damage. The TRAP could two- or three-shot with a headshot, making it effective as a sniper rifle. The Phaseshift should have limited ammunition, but its damage could be increased somewhat to compensate. The Railjack should have a one-shot clip, could one-shot with a hit to the torso, and could pass through multiple infantry. VS and especially NC scout rifles ought to have more powerful rounds, to emphasize their ranged role. TR weapons, like the SOAS, would receive tweaking to remain competitive.

For use against vehicles and MAXes, anti-materiel rifles ought to be introduced. So they will be balanced and to emphasize accuracy, their ammunition would be sparse and highly expensive. Anti-materiel rifles would severely damage MAXes and could one-shot them with a headshot. They would also be highly effective against light armor, capable of knocking out vital components in cavalry and transports. With highly accurate aim, an infiltrator could even inflict damage to the components of heavy armor. These rifles could one-shot regular infantry with hits to the torso, but the expense of the bullets would not prove it worthwhile. The rifles also could not be fired without being first deployed with a bipod. Infiltrators would finally be able to do more than scratch the paint of vehicles.

Not long ago SOE released crossbows as side-arms. Although versatile in its modifications, the Hunter is not particularly effective in combat. Infiltrators might have crossbow primaries that are more lethal, and these weapons would fulfill a silent role at medium range. TR crossbows would be semi-automatic with a relatively large magazine, and could take down targets with a few shots. VS crossbows would have to be redrawn every shot, but would have the best accuracy and range. More powerful NC crossbows would be single-shot but be capable of killing an enemy with a single body shot. Crossbows, unlike bolt-action rifles, would be completely silent and would have special ammunition.

The stalker cloak was revealed, and it has greatly improved infiltrator gameplay. In addition to this, there could be a special holographic cloak that replaces the infiltrator's appearance with that of a fallen enemy. No markers would appear over the infiltrator, though an enemy could spot him within five meters. The infiltrator could use only melee attacks while disguised. Holographic blinds could also be introduced. These would act as curtains on a stand, hiding players behind with a projection of the terrain behind. Thus concealment for infiltrators would be enhanced.

The main melee weapon of the infiltrator would be a dagger. Daggers would inflict less slashing damage than a regular knife; however, stabbing an enemy in the back would be an instant kill except against heavy assaults with raised shields and MAXes. Daggers would provide a silent, skilled way to eliminate enemies.

Light Assault

The Light Assault class is probably the least developed class in the game, and people are correct in stating that it needs priority. Every other class in the game has received updates recently, and while the Light Assault class is fun to use, its competitiveness is questionable. There is much that can be done to improve it.

First of all, the Light Assault needs to be more mobile, to live up to its name. Adrenaline pumps need to have multiple levels and should be more effective. Ideally, at top rank they should provide a significant boost of sprint speed , walking and ADS speed, and jump height. It is necessary for adrenaline to be competitive against other suit options. Faster-paced gameplay would be beneficial.

C4 is the most popular and powerful weapon Light Assault have, and changes be made cautiously. I believe the game would benefit if it was divided into two explosives. One would be a specialized demolition charge, used against vehicles. It would use specialized nanites that would rapidly deconstruct vehicles, and would thus be almost useless against infantry except when used against MAXes. The second would be a form of satchel charges, which would inflict very little damage against heavy armor but would have a large blast radius, devastating against infantry in a confined space. Throwing these explosives should not take so much time that C4 currently requires. If the anti-vehicle demolition charge must be slowed down for balance, then at least make the satchel charges easier and quicker to use in combat. More specialized variants of C4 would be easier to use without raising balance concerns.

Currently, every other class but MAXes have a special tool that is very useful. Light Assault should also have a special tool, one that preferably has team utility. Perhaps there should be a net-gun. This would slow or completely immobilize an enemy, making him easier to bring down. Light assault might also be able to have a grappling hook, to allow hanging on to cliffs while waiting for jetpacks to recharge. To make it look more unique and cool, it should be strapped directly on the arm.

Weapons for the Light Assault should be diversified. Since it is an assault class, assault rifles must be available, as currently carbines perform pitifully at range. There are balance concerns since Light Assault can better take advantage of range than anyone else, but the inventory system suggested would provide a counter-balance to larger weapons. There could perhaps be battle rifles as well. Better ranged options would help Light Assault immeasurably.

Finally, there must be more jetpack options and the current ones should be improved. Regular jumpjets should be much faster horizontally. This is to make it more difficult to shoot light assault in midair. Drifter jets should be much, much, faster, at least as fast as skiing in Tribes: Ascend. In addition, when utilized on the ground they should hug the surface. Icarus jets should be brought back, enabling one to leap up vertical surfaces quickly. A new set of jumpjets would provide the ability to quickly move a short distance laterally, and would be perfect for dodging in close quarters. Some players have suggested a form of short-range teleportation similar to the "Blink" from Dishonored, which would have less utility than a jetpack but which would be suitable for stealth. Thus there is much that can be done.

The melee weapons for light assault should be light fencing swords. TR would have chain-sabres, VS would have plasma/energy rapiers, and NC would have mag-katanas. These weapons would be quick to use and it would be possible to fence with them.



Combat Medics

Medics seem to be in a dilemma. Too few players play as dedicated medics. Nevertheless, fully upgraded medics are too powerful, capable of raising an entire squad from the dead within seconds, while new medics feel useless. What makes matters worse, some players play only the "combat" part, since it is the only class that currently has assault rifles.

First of all, the revive system could be rethought. Currently, even without using revive grenades (which can resuscitate an unlimited amount of allies within a radius in the span of a second), a medic with a fully upgraded healing tool can get an entire squad back in shape within ten seconds. Some individuals may have no contention with this, but this completely ruins the purpose of individual units flanking behind and killing as many enemies as possible, instead reducing battles to sheer attrition. A fully upgraded medic tool could take as long as 4-5 seconds to revive, with the default at around 10 seconds. Multiple medics could revive the same soldier at the same time to expedite the process. MAXes should take even longer. To compensate for this "nerf," the revive progress would not disappear when the medi-tool is temporarily disengaged. Medics would still be useful, and would retain a role in deciding fights, but they would require more time to bring back units.

To help with resuscitation in dangerous firefights, one should be revived in the prone or at least crouched position. This way, players would not be shot down in a split second of getting up.

In addition, one should not be able to heal ad infinitum. The healing tool should contain a limited amount of nanites, which can be increased through upgrades. These nanites are replenished through ammunition packs and through equipment terminals, though they will still cost a minute amount of infantry resources. This would place a limit on a medic's ability to heal and revive, preventing endless grindfests that are commonplace today.

Medics are advertised as having a wide range of weaponry, yet they have less variety than engineers. Combat medics should have available to them carbines as well as battle rifles. Carbines would provide a short to medium range alternative to assault rifles, while battle rifles will allow them to be even more effective at long range. It cannot hurt balance too badly if medics had more weapon choices, especially since they will no longer have assault rifles to themselves.

Additionally, Combat Medics should have a weapon class to themselves. Ideally this constitute stand-alone grenade launchers. These would be perfect for a support class like Medics because one could arc shots over friendly heads. Naturally people are wary of more explosive launchers since the underbarrel grenade spam of months earlier. However, the ammunition for these weapons would cost plenty of resources, one could not carry many rounds, and the reloading process would be lengthy. The TR's grenade launchers would resemble the Hawk MM-1 or a handheld Marauder, the VS's would have a balance between power and firing rate with better aiming systems, and the NC's would be a single-shot but extremely powerful like the M79. There would be empire-specific grenade attachments, of course. This way Combat Medics remain competitive and useful in battles without directly competing with the assault classes.

As for melee weapons, it makes sense that Combat Medics would have one-handed weapons combined with a shield, in StarCraft style. There would be one-handed shortswords, axes, and maces, with a science fiction feel, of course. The shields could resemble riot shields and would block bullets. It would be possible to use the shield with a pistol or with the healing tool.

Engineer


Currently, engineers have access to a wide variety of weapons, have an endless supply of ammunition, two small deployable manned turrets, mines, and they are the only class capable of repair. What then is lacking? Engineers need more depth. There ought to be finite resources available for ammunition and repairing. Mines should be revamped to work better. Most importantly, there need to be other deployable options available.

First of all, ammunition packs need to be rethought, as the current system is too simplistic. Each pack should carry a limited number of nanites, which is increased via upgrades. Different ammunition types would cost more nanites than others. Ammunition packs would not disappear over time, but only after they run out or the engineer leaves the area. Engineers would not generate a new ammunition pack to be redeployed endlessly, but they would be able to pick up ones they have tossed. Ammunition packs would also cost resources, though replenishing one would cost less than purchasing a new one. Enemy ammunition packs could be destroyed.

In addition to the proposed changes to the healing tool, the repair tool should have a limited amount of nanites, in addition to overheating. This is because engineers in sufficient numbers constantly repair a vehicle under bombardment until the enemy gives up or runs out of ammunition. Limited repairing adds a sort of attrition, enhancing depth.

Mines need a refurbishment. Anti-infantry mines are good, but are useless on open fields, mainly due to their expense and visibility. It is better that mines be deployed rather than thrown. In outdoor terrain, all mines should be buried to be hidden, and replenishing them should cost half as much resources. Vehicle mines should inflict slightly less damage, while engineers should be capable of carrying more mines. These relatively minor fixes would greatly enhance mine placement and would result in teams carefully laying minefields.

Engineers should also be able to disarm explosives. A specialized implant would enable one to see buried mines, and a special tool would destroy them without causing a blast. This would not only allow for a sapper playstyle, but engineers could also save a vehicle from almost certain destruction by removing planted C4.

The current turrets need some work. They should have limited ammunition that can be increased through upgrades and/or suit upgrades. It should be easier to place turrets, especially on slopes. AV turrets have long been the most overpowered weapon in the game, though they were nerfed. SOE must take care that their range is no greater than three hundred meters, while their damage should be about as much as a shoulder-fired rocket. Nevertheless, a direct hit should usually one-shot an ESF, as it would be the pilot's fault if he was hit by it. The main point of the AV MANA turret is to be a sort of harassing weapon against vehicle convoys, having only a few shells and requiring supply for extended combat. Thus MANA turrets would be balanced.

Most important for engineers is that they have more deployables to utilized. For instance, one useful deployable would be a barricade similar to the ones commonly found around the map. It would provide useful cover for infantry and present a roadblock against vehicles. As another alternative to direct-fire MANA turrets, engineers could have a mortar that acts as small artillery. Using it would require careful rangefinding but would reward the skill required with a powerful blast, capable of flushing out infantry from behind cover. Each shell would be moderately expensive, making spamming quite costly. An individual engineer would thus be better able to assist his platoon.

In addition to the aforementioned deployables that are designed to be used by one person, there could also be team-based deployables that require multiple engineers. A bunker similar to the one from StarCraft could be erected. It would act as a sort of sheltered rumble seat for multiple soldiers. Its resilient armor and three hundred sixty degree view would allow half a squad to hold a key point without worrying about cover, and a well-organized strike force of Light Assault troopers or a tank rush would be the best options in taking out bunkers. Two engineers could also build an anti-tank gun. It would be better at piercing heavy armor than the AV MANA turret, it would boast superior range and velocity, and it would be dumb-fire. Functionally, it would resemble an emplaced 100mm Python AP cannon. Aesthetically, it would resemble a modern anti-tank cannon, except with an energy shield like the AI MANA turret. It would have to be resupplied with ammunition, of course. These structures would provide an extra teamplay component and would allow for player-made fortifications within bases.


Engineer melee weapons should resemble those of Medics. Like their healing equivalents, their choices would not be built around melee combat, and would exist primarily for self-protection.



Heavy Assault

Heavy Assault is quite clearly the most popular class in Planetside 2. They are durable, powerful, and adequately mobile. However, like everything else this class needs improvement. They need more weapon variety, better shield functionality, and some additional tweaks.

Heavy Assault should have assault rifles. This is simply because assault rifles belong to assault classes and it would make sense that they be issued to the most populous class. Assault rifles would be a sidegrade to LMGs, lacking the ammunition capacity but possessing greater accuracy and mobility.

Overshields should be more unique. The majority of the overshields should have more durability, providing more protection, but would recharge even slower and reduce speed further. Others would provide less protection but could recharge more quickly. The former category would be best for charging in a room, while the latter would more suitable for prolonged combat.

LMGs, as has been pointed out earlier, should be cumbersome to use in close quarters except for the shortest barrelled weapons, designed for this purpose. LMGs could also mount bipods, providing needed stability and reducing recoil.
Rocket launchers should also operate differently. Rockets should not be particularly effective against thick heavy armor. Rather, they should be used to target weakpoints on vehicles, and good aim would be rewarded through massive damage. In addition, there should be more rockets that utilize unique firing systems rather than mainly only dumb-fires and lock-ons. Rockets that require more skill to use would be more powerful.

Melee weapons for heavy assault would be heavy-hitting and unique. They could use two-handed swords, battleaxes, warhammers, and polearms. What they lack in finesse would be compensated by power.

While concussion grenades are perfect as they are, anti-vehicle grenades should be rethought. They should be cheap to unlock and only slightly more expensive than frag grenades. Anti-vehicle grenades could be highly damaging against MAXes and light armor, but direct hits against heavy armor would have little effect. Also, their blast radius should be rather poor, and would be nerfed somewhat against infantry. With anti-vehicle grenades one would aim for weakpoints, and they would be generally used in volleys for maximum effect.

MAXes

MAXes are sadly more often treated more like vehicles than infantry, and considering how unique the class is, MAX mechanics are rather lacking. Sometimes MAXes are accused of being overpowered or "easy mode," but in reality MAXes just need to be more of an expensive and team-based powerhouse.

First of all, MAXes need less ammunition capacity. They should have fewer clips, especially for AV weapons, since there is not much room to store bulky ammunition. This would force them to stay near a means of resupply, such as an ammunition pack. The ammunition canisters upgrade would provide more independence.

The means of reviving MAXes could be refined. Currently it simply takes more time to revive a MAX compared to other infantry. Obviously, this raises some questions as many brave individuals give their lives to take out MAXes, only to have their efforts undone in a few seconds. It would be better to require both an engineer and a medic to bring back a MAX, since after all he is a man inside a machine. To compensate, the revived MAX would enjoy more hit points.

MAX units should have a special armor category. They should feature an innate greater resistance to shotgun and fire damage, since those weapons are designed for use against softer targets. Most small-arms weapons ideally would be impuissant against MAXes, except for those with higher armor penetration values.

In addition, MAXes should have a helmet slot. This helmet slot could mount optics, such as night/heat vision or zoom, or it could provide additional protection against headshots. Without this protection MAXes would be much more vulnerable to high-calibre bullets, and can be one-shot by most sniper rifles.

Weaponry also needs to be more varied for MAXes. For anti-infantry use, NC MAXes should not be limited to shotguns, nor should VS and TR MAXes have only weapons that resemble LMGs. For close range, TR could have auto-shotguns with poor damage but a fast rate of fire while VS would have energy blasters that push enemies back, with common-pool flamethrowers available for everyone. Medium range NC guns would be basically their LMGs bolted onto their arms. For longer range, VS might possess a modified form of the Vortex, NC would have powerful but cumbersome railguns, and the TR would have automatic or semi-automatic battle rifles. AV weapons should be less powerful against heavy armor, and while they should inflict lethal damage against infantry, they should not be as effective against the latter targets.

MAXes should also have unique melee weapons. The standard MAX punch should receive the advantage of knocking enemies back. More advanced weapons supersede ranged weapons entirely. TR could have bladed fists that could be swung more quickly than the MAX punch, though with less damage. VS could have highly controllable and adroit energy blades similar to those sported by Zealots from Starcraft. NC would have a sort of jackhammer that can be used against armor as well as against infantry.

MAX abilities could be better balanced. ZOE once was overpowered, then was nerfed to the ground. To make it useful but not overpowered, it should be possible to leave it on indefinitely, and it should provide a substantial speed boost, though there would be less of a damage increase. Turning on and off ZOE should take more time and leave the MAX vulnerable. There would be no damage benefit for NS weapons.

The TR's Lockdown has always been underpowered, even when used in ideal positions. For a fix, lockdown should provide some additional armor from the front (the animation should be changed to accentuate this). It should also be difficult for vehicles to attempt to crush the MAX. While in lockdown, clips would become "bottomless", and while ammunition would be used from the overall reserve, there would be an overheat mechanic.

The NC's shield could also use some work. Currently it is probably the most useful faction-specific ability. With the shield up the MAX should be able to run, and it should be possible to reload. With these improvements all the MAX abilities would be viable and fun.

In addition, there could be two sub-classes, or sort of a chassis, for MAXes. These would have the same weaponry of a regular MAX, but would have different mobility and armor. One, classified as the "Berserker," would be the lighter variant, and would enjoy much better acceleration than a regular MAX as well as almost as much speed as regular infantry with a high jump. With the still considerable profile, it would be jeopardous to use in direct combat even against regular infantry. At the opposite end of the scale would be the "Juggernaut." Though incapable of sprinting, these giants would be immune to most small arms fire. Even tank cannons could not take them down in one hit. They would also have more ammunition capacity. Whereas the Berserker is best for small-scale fast-paced combat and MAXes are suitable for general combat, the Juggernaut would be best for simply wading through enemy ranks, allowing others to follow with greater ease.



Conclusion
There have been numerous suggestions listed in this thread, perhaps the most contained in any one thread with this level of detail. Naturally, for SOE it would be impractical to attempt to incorporate all these ideas, though I have laid them out to be optimal while combined. SOE should pick and choose from these ideas and the ones others will contribute to this thread, to determine which would be best to implement.
The desideratum of this thread is to contribute a sort of stockpile of all the ideas that might improve infantry gameplay. I have contributed the ideas I have formulated, but if you want to see Planetside 2's infantry combat improved, then suggest any and all ideas that come to mind. Do criticize in a constructive manner the ideas of others, but do try to include ideas of your own.

Some great ideas in there, certainly worth the time it takes to read.

ideas that require huge amount of work for little to no benefit and would also alienate 90% of the playerbase because they wouldn't improve but just change
would have been better if you stayed with your initial idea of improving Infantry combat not designing a new game
tough i have to give credit to you that some ideas in this are worse than what SOE created

I would like to thank the following members of the community for helping to start this thread: BloodyPuma, Vanus Aran, Wrel, WaaWaa, Tenebrae Aeterna, Posse, Rictavius, PaperLamp, Phrygen, Eldarfalcongravtank, Spaceking, Pikachu, RenegadeHelios, Ned, Ravenorth, Libbmaster, Ender, Flapatax, Liberty, Sock, Visk, IamDH, Prudentia, Synapse, Iridar, EliteEskimo, Iosef Stalin, a4555in, and Ronin Oni.

They have all provided ideas most useful in the construction of this thread. I may have been somewhat pretentious consulting them all, but they were all integral to the construction and refinement of this thread. It remains to see whether it will be monumental or not.

As long as some ideas are good, it is a net benefit. SOE can pick and choose from there, with guidance from the community. To be fair, the good ideas were probably contributed by other people, hence why this is a community thread.

inb4 ten thousand likes.

As always Zorro, your thread is amazing, and you're filled with great ideas.

Really liked this--very well thought out with a lot of really good and interesting ideas. Although, the thing that kept hitting me the most was how good that TR alpha look was *sigh*

Also, FYI, medics currently can use Battle Rifles. This was added in a recent patch.

Probably one of the most thought out, thorough threads I have ever seen on any forum, bar none. (Well, maybe the banning game, but whatever). I will confess that I have not yet read the whole thing, but what I have read looks very well done.

My thoughts:
-Not sure about the idea of melee weapons, shields, maces, etc. Especially the fencing swords in particular. Maybe instead, Katanas, Kris, Flamberges (fan of that one) or others. Rapiers, foils, epees, etc. don't strike me (no pun intended) as being realistic combat options.
-The infil one hit knife from behind my be slightly OP, but since I love stalker cloak, I would like it.
-Since I main engi, I'm very hesitant about the long list of what looks like nerfs to the class. (No unlimited ammo boxes, no unlimited repair, no unlimited ammo for turrets) However, I do like the idea of more deployables. Also, you mentioned giving the medic a sort of granade/explosive launcher. Maybe that could go to the engi as well, since explosives/support are also their role.

More to come soon, but so far, this looks like an incredible thread. Great job!

Sounds like something for Planetside 3. While I like some of the ideas, they would require a significant change to the core of the game, to where you are pretty much building from scratch. Also, there are technical limitations with some of the movement and rendering ideas. For example, faster infantry and jetpacks caused players to warp around to other clients. There is only so much data that can be sent to players at a time, simply because of the infrastructure we have right now, though companies are in the process of slowly upgrading it. And then there is the problem with how powerful the average computer is.

While I like a lot of the ideas, I think a lot of them require waiting for the future when we are a couple of generations forward in terms of technology.

TLDR Version. = Start over from scratch

Can't say I'm a fan of prone or stamina.