VS @ Cobalt; where did everyone go?

At first I thought that it was an increase in pop for NC and TR, but from one day to the next, I'm pretty sure the VS pop has gone down, a lot..

Also, the second continent is opening a lot later than before, and even then, it feels like overall pop has dropped, maybe time to consider merging servers?

Your Asian lag legion is now destroying Emerald. Instead of banning people with high latency playing this game TheyBreak Games are letting them ruin other peoples playing experience.

VS Emerald is still generally low, sometimes it hits 25% like earlier today. Played for hours holding majority territory only to drop to 30% and end up last. Whatever it is that's making VS faction not that popular, perhaps offer options. Team work is exceptional, gear is good, I just don't know why we consistently have less pop.

It seems like being underpopulated for so long finally caught on to VS on Cobalt. You can only fight an uphill battle for a certain time before it ruins your motivation. Many VS don't seem to want to engage in teamplay anymore but that's all that kept us in the game...with lower pop and overall worse toys(pew pew and fun is nice...but if it doesn't kill then the fun goes down the drain quickly.).

so basically, a vicious circle circling viciously?

VS have a problem with population on all servers, on Miller we just lost an alert because at 24% VS to 35% TR and 35% NC we just cant defend due to numbers. DIG is the biggest VS Outfit on Miller, I just watched a whole rant and logging of players because DBG have not addressed this issue that they acknowledged was a problem 12 months ago.

There is something wrong with VS that people dont want to play it, I have to admit I have been going onto Cobalt alot recently playing my NC and TR characters. Guess what they are both easier to play than VS.

I could make a list of things unbalanced, I cant be arsed anymore. DBG obviously dont give a toss about their customers and certainly those not from the USA based on how long it took them to sort the Miller server out yesterday, a whole sodding day.

I cancelled my repeating year sub some months ago the first time since release, I have a few months left but when I lost my membership benefits it will put me off playing and I like a lot of VS will drift off into other games.

i haven't been on in over a week but TRID and TFDN (pretty much the entire VS faction on cobalt)
were still zerging everything last time i was on

Can attest. Made a TR initially for the Mossie, but started to really like aesthetics and many unique things of TR too, weapon sound effects are great and satisfying especially, and when frustrated or perceiving a no-win pop scenario lasting weeks and months, having an alternative helps prevent the "this game is dying" feeling.

VS have generally been the underpopped on Cobalt but not by much - however last night there was a significant underpop (like 100 players less than TR or NC - 35%ish) so if/when TR and NC double-team, that's a BIG challenge (on Thursday with more even population numbers, the TR and NC double-teamed the VS for just about the entire evening).


Considering the general VS underpop on the other servers too - it is about time DBG did something.

The hard three-way balance equaled things up but left too many NC and TR on Koltyr.

With the current two-way balance the TR and NC can end up with considerable overpops.

VS need to be more appealing (or the underpop faction is helped in some way) and something to dissuade double-teaming ? It's inevitable against a faction with more territory but against a small population with minor territory ? Just isn't fun.

In honestly, what could DBG do?

Buff VS so everyone wants to play VS?

I doubt that they gona do that ..

If you want VS to have more people, simply make the faction more attractive while on character creation menu.
NC have a blue playmobil with murica music and rebel background
TR is a commie with dictatorship background
VS is a scientist in a BDSM armor and have wierd music. Seriously what's attractive on it ?

I only chose VS because of the no bullet drop trait otherwise I would have pick TR (awesome starting gun) or NC.

Which "No Bullet Drop"?

https://forums.daybreakgames.com/ps2/index.php?threads/mythbusting-ps2-no-bullet-drop.245430/

Just do it like the majority and go with TR or NC if its only because of the No Bullet Drop Myth.

That's the BS. The problem is not that people don't choose VS...but that they do not stay. Even veterans turn towards the other factions...simply cause the no bullet drop is not really an advantage(it does not matter at all in common fighting situations) and VS got nerfed into the ground. On top of that you got countless bugs with VS vehicles(flipping/spinning) that have been around for years...and it just does not feel great to pull an MBT that is basicly only strong if the guy that didn't pull it(second seat) does the damage. To blame it on spandex is simply far from reality...

I play VS cobalt and I agree the population seems to constantly be dropping. Less people on my outfit seem to be logging on aswell?

Also , there are nearly no fights on VS fronts. I’ve been forced to play on my alts recently to get a good fight.

(Well there was a considerable TR population explosion with the Gatekeeper but negligible compared to the TR increase when they closed the Russian server)

BUT - I doubt it too - however it would help if DBG didn't just nerf something into the ground and leave it there. This has happened with all factions but most follow-on buffs bring NC and TR stuff at least back to useful (jury still out on the Gatekeeper). VS stuff just seems to be left to rot.

PPA for instance - Zoe a great example too.

Now let's look at the ESRLs - it always used to be, Phoenix best AI, Striker best AA and Lancer best AV.

Although we don't have the oracle any more to check stats i'm betting that following the most recent 'adjustments', Striker is still the best AA, Phoenix still the best AI but AV too and Lancer is basically no longer used.

I could be wrong but when was the last time you were killed by a Lancer ? Yet another VS unique to be hung up in the hall of 'was previously pretty good in certain circumstances'.

Absolutely, all our exclusives have been nerfed to oblivion to be honest.

people like other factions besides VS more because they go watch these fake ownage videos on youtube of killing people that dont give a damn that joe blow is jsut sitting behind them all killing them...while in TR or NC faction type

Several factors likely contribute, from the "space cultist" personality that was arbitrarily added by SOE for no reason to most PlanetSide YouTubers playing NC and TR almost religiously. Wrel, the only major VS YouTuber, is now a developer, and no longer has the time to make videos.

VS is also the least popular faction, according to a DBC poll.

It could also be that NC and TR are more "familiar" to new players, since they use weapons and mechanics, plus have aesthetics one might find in every other generic shooter game, as opposed to being Halo rejects.

NC and TR are also featured heavily in promotional material.

I wonder sometimes if we're all playing different games!