[Suggestion] What if vehicles were actually built instead of spawned ?

Discussion in 'PlanetSide 2 Gameplay Discussion' started by Rusky, Jan 8, 2013.

  1. Rusky

    So, here's an interesting idea I had.

    Since most people's grievance with vehicles seems to revolve around the ease with which a bunch of them can just appear all of a sudden, what if when you went to a vehicle pad, the vehicle would actually just start being built and not instantly spawn ?

    For example:

    I go to Tawrich and choose to spawn a Vanguard.
    The Vanguard then is being built at the plant, and will be ready in 5-10m. Perhaps certs can also lower the build time.
    Once the vehicle is ready, the UI will inform you and you can go pick it up at the tech plant. Of course, asuming the facility was not captured by the enemy in the meantime.

    The build times can vary according to what is being built so a Flash might even be assembled instantly while a Galaxy could take up to 20m.

    Alternatively, the whole vehicle cooldown thing could be rolled into this, making a Vanguard build time ~30m uncerted for example.
    That would both give people more incentive to defend facilities and make it harder to get a huge tank/air zerg going in seconds.

    Of course, I think the facilities will need some upgrades so they are more easy to defend if this is implemented, as keeping hold of them will be far more important.
    Perhaps even, only certain facilities can make certain vehicles (similar to what we have no but extended, so you'd get a sort of Air Tech Plant etc) and maybe they could even have a maximum production queue (ie. they can only work on up to 10 vehicles at a time or so).

    I guess this would accomplish a reduction in vehicle spam, and make people care about their spawned vehicles more (if you had to protect the tech plant for 30m so you could get your tank out, you'll of course be less inclined to kamikaze it needlessly)

    There's probably many ways this could be refined, and I think it would work really nicely in PS2 BUT I don't think the devs will consider it since it would probably slow the game down too much :(

    PS. Just wanted to add a little extra example:

    Instead of having a 20m cooldown on being able to spawn a Reaver, you would have to trigger the construction of a Reaver at a facility then come back 20m later to pick it up. Certs would work similarly by reducing this time.
    Effectively, it's the same time, only it's front loaded instead, resulting in less "instant zerg".
    • Up x 5
  2. QuantumMechanic

    I think the game does need to be slowed down a bit, and vehicle spam reduced. Thus, +1 for your idea.
  3. DarkNeuron

    Great idea actually, why didn't I think of that.
    Because I really wish the game revolved more around maximum infantry combat with only a sprinkle of air and mech.
  4. jake taylor

    This... Is... So... *******.... BRILLIANT!!! I don't know why no one suggested this before, it's actually a really deep mechanic that could even be worked into the logistics that people so crave. I.e. bringing resources to a factory with a special certed sundy boosts build time by X% until resources run out.
  5. Autarkis

    Nice direction but not the right details. I don't think people will like waiting.

    That said, the idea of building vehicles is neat. What if you could spawn Vanguards immediately, but only if the parts were available in your empire's stockpiles?

    A Vanguard might consist of:
    • Engine
    • Weapons systems
    • Armor plating
    • Electronics
    Your empire has a running stockpile of, say, tank barrels. Thousands. Those can be replenished by taking and holding facilities that manufacture them, or that yield the materials to manufacture them. As tanks spawn they deplete these resources and parts warehouses, and you have to take various outposts to replenish.

    If you look at a game like Eve Online, resources are the centerpiece of most conflicts. What if capturing a mining facility meant earning the minerals needed to make tank armor? What about the ammo depot granting you access to tank ordinance?

    We've all furrowed our brows at the thin resourcing system in the game. Why not create some real resources, and make the small outposts matter?

    PS: Vehicle materials are shared across continents, so you can sneak attack someone's mechanical depot on Amerish to make tanks on Indar.
    • Up x 1
  6. Rusky

    Not a bad idea either. I mostly just tried to keep the original suggestion as simple as possible in the event that the devs might find it appealing. But yes, I'm all for extending it in many different ways and I think it would add a lot of depth to the game :)
  7. SolLeks

    it would get quite frustrating seeing people kamikaze aircraft into things and then not be able to pull one yourself.

    as for the build times, I don't see a problem with spawning a tank instantly, I see more of a base design problem that lets said tank shell every room inside because we don't believe in windows and doors after the late 2050s.
    • Up x 1
  8. medbot544

    No one would bother waiting, I know I would not. Instead, I would try to get to those factories so I can lay AV mines at the exits so I could laugh knowing every vehicle I destroy means I just wasted 20+ minutes of time for some for shmoo. Heck, this will be even better for TKs too; they will have a field day with this idea. The level of griefing would reach new heights!

    W/e, you make changes this drastic of any sort: I require a full out cert/sc refund for all my vehicles. Actually, no....I would just quit, nvm!

    edit. I have this sinkin feelin the CoD people are going to win b/c they are the loudest, most annoying demograph ever.
  9. Rusky

    Even if we're talking about the exact same amount of time as the current cooldown, only front loaded instead ?
  10. QuantumMechanic

    I can see one scenario where this idea would pan out to be frustrating. Your platoon just finished capping a base (you were on foot). "Everybody spawn armor, Zurvan is our next target".

    <crickets>

    Of course the only way around this would be to use Sunderers and Galaxies for their actual intended purpose, but what if none were previously available? Then they would need to be built too.
  11. TheEvilBlight

    When you destroy an enemy tank they theoretically have the wait timer to contend with, unless they pulled it well before and let their timer go.

    Maybe that's the real issue; a vehicle in the field long enough basically has no timer once he gets back to a V terminal?
  12. medbot544

    I personally have no problems with vehicles other than maybe ceiling LIbs. Other than that, any ground vehicle can be nuked fast by: a HA or two, AV mines, other tanks, MAXs, and or planes (hard counter). I came here b/c this game has VEHICLES. If I want just infantry, there is many games that has that. Why come here and change the game totally? Tired of this, imo. /end rant.
  13. Autarkis

    Here's a different take. Better or worse?
  14. MilitiaMan

    I gotta say "no" and agree with SolLeks here.

    I would find it so annoying and stupid that I cannot pull a tank / aircraft that I know how to use better than the BR1 that just happened to get to the terminal before me.

    Maybe have an achievement unlock vehicles.

    Say maybe you have to get BR10 or have x number of kill before the empire recognizes your skills and allows you access to vehicles.
  15. Rusky

    The instant spawning of a large amount of vehicles is after all one of the main reasons people complain about them at the moment, so the example you mention is pretty much exactly what this would work against :D

    @medbot544 I am a HUGE vehicle fan and don't want to see them nerfed. I wasn't really trying to suggest any kind of nerf through this, merely something to help give more depth to the game while perhaps alleviating what some feel is a "vehicle zerg" at present.
  16. Chestor

    That's not a bad idea, but why not make is simple and just have the re-acquire timer start once the vehicle is destroyed. Right now the timer is essentially pointless when for the most part it's already up by the time you're destroyed anyway. Unless something really unfortunate happens. making that little change makes the certs worth investing it and makes it so you don't just see an endless stream of them coming, killing a vehicle actually means not having to see the same person in one right away. I realize it's basically the same idea, but end-loaded you can at least get a vehicle to start when needed
    • Up x 1
  17. medbot544

    While the OP's idea might be a good; it would take a ton of coding/time/money to pull off. Instead they will probably take the path of least resistance and just adjust already existing values with heavy nerfs.

    Here's what they will probably do: add more cover to bases + ban vehicles from them, make vehicles into paper so they only last 2 seconds, increase pull time/cost greatly, lower the DMG on vehicle weapons, and then remove HE/Heat entirely. This is what I expect will end up happening unless SOE has balls of steel, staying the course.

    W/e, they will buckle. I am almost certain of that cus the CoD crowd always gets what they want.
  18. Rusky

    I actually often explode before the timer runs out so I have already invested certs into the cooldown reduction. Of course that could just mean I suck :p
    That said, I think the way it is now is ok, since it rewards people that can keep their vehicles alive over those that just zerg around with them.

    I certainly don't see nerfs of that proportion ever being rolled out, that would completely neuter vehicle play and drive away a large portion of the player base.

    Also, to be fair, simply replacing the cooldown with a build time would take one extra progress bar and, depending on the way they would choose to go with it, could easily be done in a month or less as part of a patch.
  19. medbot544

    W/e. I give up. Have at er, nerf the **** outa vehicles. I expect it.
  20. Chestor

    Well, even still, you still never have to wait the entire time since you're in it for at least some of that reaquire timer, making the actual timer somewhat pointless. I think that's fair really, and i'm not someone complains about vehicle spam, I just never thought it made sense to be destroyed in a vehicle and then be able to hop right back into one