[Video] New ESF fuel pod certs, v-thrust nerf removal & other small ESF related changes

So we get to see a few things changed here. ESF weapons remain the same, except missile locks no longer working with freelook. The fuel pod certs are here in their first version (and I certainly hope it is their first version and not their final), we get a sea level altitude reader alongside our distance from ground altitude reading, and an apparent removal of the "reverse nerf".

All in all, I would like to see the fuel pod certs expanded a lot more than what we have here. They are too simple and honestly, a bit OP when you can have2 factors increased at once. I would much rather see different cert trees going down different paths, i.e. better recharge rate, more powerful fuel, more fuel capacity, etc. Having this and making it so you can only equip one type allows for a little more customization for your flight style and doesn't just blanket a bunch of cool upgrades across all fuel pods for everyone, which would just make it so everyone is flying at the same level again anyways. Add differences in the certs and make it so we have to choose which to equip so there is some variety and risk-reward with our choices.

I take it back, I shouldn't voiceover my videos anymore. My voice sucks and scares people away

Thanks for making the video.

Good video, good idea.

Man I really hope they changed their minds on the RM nerf.

Also, the new altimeter is awesome. It's a perfect solution.

yes! best thing ever. now i know exactly when i'm about to hit the ground or flight ceiling

this is a ******* joke...reaver was supposed to have the best afterburners and now it has same speed as the mosquito with them...and 10km/h less in cruise speed...******* stupid.

Reaver: 280
Scythe: 290
Mosquito: 290

What's this? A ******* joke? everybody knows the scythe is the most stable and slower aircraft...now it has more cruise speed then a ******* reaver? what gets reaver? NOTHING.

Yeah, increased regen rate/AB acceleration would be one viable cert line for dogfighting, and increased burn time/top speed would be another viable cert line for more hit and run style play.

Why is it we always agree on the forums, yet when I fly against you I don't have such positive endearing thoughts?

I'm pretty sure the Reaver has the best top speed, greater than the Scythe and the mosquito, though the cruising speed is less. I did the numbers the other night, and max (With fuel pods) put the reaver at... 370? That's with the nose down, and the burners on, in a straight line. I'll need to double check.

I'm with Hader and Dash on this, there should be lines to increase different things about the afterburners, so that you can go with either One thing or another. So either faster top speed or faster Afterburner top speed, or more vertical thrust... Or something. Maybe even just make variations of the afterburners, so you can choose which you want?

That's correct, the Reaver has a ~15kph faster AB top speed, but all craft have the same burn times and the Reaver has terrible evasive maneuver speed bleed, so it doesn't really translate to anything very meaningful. The Reaver's AB speed used to make a lot more sense when the other craft had shorter burn times, but now it's all pretty normalized. I think the Scythe should have an 8 second burn time and the Mossie should have a 6 second burn time, to the Reavers' 10 second burn time. That way the Reavers' advantage will actually make sense, rather than just being another "NC advantage" that's really just pencil whipped onto a page yet doesn't really tranlate to any kind of realistic advantage in game.

Oh god, So this is a cover up for nerfing the NC again?!?!? NC is doomed, and Luperza and Totalbiscuit are murdering the populations on NC and Vanu and resurrecting them as TR.....

Worst case scenario

Voice sounds fine. Probably sounds terrible to you though - most people hate their own voices until they hear them recorded a lot.

Reaver pilot.
Looking good tbh..
400 kmph with the AB is what I want.
On launch day I am sure that most people are gonna be using the new flashy weapons.. I'm going to cert this first if it remains so good and maybe mess around with mass drivers when I can be bothered.
But with most people being slow and useless with such a disadvantage fuel pods really will be the way to go.

Can you still pull off the Rendezook?

I have already posted this in a similar thread but here is a suggestion for the direction SOE needs to take this in. Like Hadar mentioned it this needs to be broken down it into different cert lines.
3 Distinct Cert lines with meaningful play style choices.
1 Reactor Tanks
Boosts fuel regeneration rate per rank
100 certs- 33% Faster Fuel Regeneration
200 certs- 66% Faster Fuel Regeneration
400 certs- 100% Faster Fuel Regeneration
2 Light Weight Fuel Cells
Adds Cruise Speed and AB Top Speed
100 certs- 15 kph Cruise, 5 kph AB Top Speed
200 certs- 30 kph Cruise, 10 kph AB Top Speed
400 certs- 45 kph Cruise, 15 kph AB Top Speed
3 Tuned Thrust Nozzles
Increases AB hover strength and reduces cost to engage AB
100 certs- Boost hovering strength AB by 5%, Reduces AB Engagement Fuel cost by 20%
200 certs- Boost hovering strength AB by 10%, Reduces AB Engagement Fuel cost by 40%
400 certs- Boost hovering strength AB by 15%, Reduces AB Engagement Fuel cost by 60%
AB Engagement cost is the AB fuel cost paid just to engage afterburners. With no fuel tanks this is about 25% of the fuel in the AB bar. Basically it would reduce the cost of the starting the afterburners from 25 to 10.
Note all numbers would be subject to balancing if needed. Overall this change is proposed to promote a greater variation in play styles. It may be that these cert bonuses will need to be scaled down by 50% or more across the board as to not give AB tanks too much of an advantage.

Voice sounds fine, and your pronounce things to an acceptable level, though the recording quality is fairly low, you'd benefit alot from a decent mic.

That said, I like the looks of the fuel pods, though I am only viewing it in a closed view (ie this is what it is and nothing else exists), because the air game's situation is... kind of complex, really, really complex lol, so I'll think about the effects of this passively rather than trying to fight through comprehension quickly.

My gut feeling is similar to yours though, that fuel pods should have some diversity in some form, whether it's cert trees for different modules, or faction specific stats or whatever, just seems a bit too dull right now.

I like your ideas, but I think the second one should be the reverse of what it is now. i.e. 5-10-15 cruise speed, and 15-30-45 AB speed. Or at least it would make more sense that way.

Heh, not even that, I don't mind the sound of my voice so much, but when my last good mic broke and I had to settle for this lower quality one, the change in my voice was strange with it. That and I just don't like voicing things over a lot.

Guys how about since the Air game is Dead in high pop battles to begin with. lets Skip the cert trees until Complicating the system is actually worthwhile. Or balancing, because right now we get **** on from the ground all the ******* time when it comes to any intelligent players. I can't even have fun dueling an ESF without Ground AA screwing with me.

I mean seriously These ideas are great. For a game where They haven't made the air game all but pointless at this stage in the Games development. We really are bored. Mass tomcats ruin the skies, removes skill out of the equation, especially 3 tomcats at once. Why should we limit something that gives us the ability to win with PURE skill from our accuracy of our noseguns.
I am not an Ace, but I'd rather Die to a rotary than a tomcat, or any lock-on for that matter. I'd rather have the ability to outrun those missiles as well.. But in your Video Hader the time the AB was active did not seem longer than regularly. Any chance you could double test this with some timers? Then test the Live server again?

My stance on this, Don't introduce trees, the lock-ons and other weapons are the trees, I just ugh, don't want a ********tedly limited upgrade for my AB that in the end will probably not make a dent in my ability to combat people who use lock-ons and zero skill.

Don't sell yourself short, video and commentary is really good.
Keep up the good work!