They just need to give LA a class specific grenade launcher, that way I could pretend I'm playing Tribes.
Most certainly. For the majority of the game it was the second least played and second lowest scoring- this was during a time when medic was least played and infiltrator was lowest scoring. Anyone want to bet that LA is currently the least played and the least scoring? I mean, what, it's only been a year and a half and LAs are still the only class without a tool where most other classes have handfuls of options and lots of unique things. I am truly disappointed with LAs in this game. Granted, I was coming from TRIBES so maybe I had high expectations, but even still it seems there are 2 assault classes and one of them is just plain weak. Any other class is better than a LA if they are both in similar out of the way positions. I had hoped that this game would see lots of people playing LA, as in perhaps the most popular class. Why? Because jetpacks are not nearly as cheap a gimmick as heal, invisibility, or extra HP and mid air dueling is awesome sauce. A real shame that the class is effectively the 'sit in a tree and wait for the unexpecting' it could and should be so much more- the front lines should be littered with HA and LA because they are the most assault oriented classes in the game. Instead, I've learned the error of SOE's ways and mostly play medic these days- go on longer kill streaks, am better in 1vMany situations, free health and C4, plus the impact you can have just by healing/rezzing is ridiculous. This, compared to a Luigi jump and there is simply no contest.
Actually jump pads are all kinds of silly when it comes to sync. Wrel has a video pointing out where someone is shooting pointing away from him in the air, but ends up shooting him to death due to ping and sync.
The only weapon I coukld see an LA getting access for which they would be no reason to bar access would be Assault Rifles. I'm not saying that because both their names contain the word "assault," since that's a dumb reason. My suggestion in more along the lines: LAs already share "Light"-type Engineer default so I see no reason to deny them the other "Light"-type class default. I don't want to talk about Battle Rifles or Scout Rifles because the whole situation with them is messed up in my opinion.
Only way to fire while using the jump jets effectively is to use drifters, grab a pump action and shoot people at literally point blank range, i.e. 0-5m.
I honestly don't see the issue since the LA arsenal is mostly hipfire... I haven't had any real issues shooting while getting or being shot at while attacking a drifter/jumper. Sure, it's not easier, but it's not a deathblow to the class. I would say the biggest blow was SOE closing so many windows.
Some of us are used to the awesomeness of LA from tribes. It was a stand out class when skill was applied, it didn't have to be afraid of anything. It was extremely fun with areal duels and also had its own tool kit. What a shame that it is confined to such a minimal role in this game.
True but. The light assault has the advantageous chance of being a versatile offensive class compared to the defensive Engineer. Considering the current strong point of a light assault is being able to move fast over a battlefield. Then shouldn't he/she also be able to bring a weapon suitable for different situations. Like taking a position and doing some medium range marksman ship. Or laying down covering fire. Right now LA is barley useful for jumping over a wall into a base. Because he is stuck with Carbines and to be frank they are one of the weaker weapon classes in the game. The second is C4 fairy. Which is borderline suicide bombing. <.<
I would not classify medics as light. Medics are if anything, the medium assault. Their ability lets them soak an extra bullet, making them the third most resilant class (behind MAXs and heavies), and they have access to the best infantry weapons (assault rifles).
Positional advantage is useless in large scale battles where the minute a recon dart or player spots you your advantage is lost moments later. Sure you can perch and rack up kills but you are much more useful being a C4 fairy on their sunderers, which imo is not what the class should be designed around. It is an assault class. It should be effective at attacking a point or pushing into a room. Firepower may be addressed buy dual wielding but mobility, the key pillar of the class, is only a tertiary thing. Nice utility, not an essential ability for use in combat like medic heal, engineer repair or turret, heavy shield and infil cloak. All of the other class abilities are not only very useful in combat, they are ESSENTIAL. The jetpack is a liability in combat.
They fixed that on the PTS. Fall off (don't jump) from just about any height whilst ADSed and you will stay ADSed. Granted you won't hit anything but it won't cause your screen to freak out.
except you are wrong, having the higher ground is an advantage whether they know you are there or not. Having a second point of entry is usefull whether they know you are there or not, most firepower still has to be pointed at primary point of entry. recon darts dont give elevation, on the roof or in the building. the infiltrators cloak completely removes its combat ability, definatly making it more of a liability in combat than the jetpack is. There are things and tweaks the LA could use to be a better class, but fire power isnt really one of them, and every-time someone cries "my jetpack is a completely useless ability" it entirely undermines any legitimate points. the light assault class is the magrider, its not about butting heads, its about being were the competention simply cannot be, and using that advantage. TTK in infantry is short, ambush and flank are incredibly powerful.
True, but there are many many was to get this advantage without a jetpack. The true, LA exclusive positions are rather few and far between and that number dwindles even further when you factor in that only some of those are worthwhile positions in the first place. Then you have to consider that when in any of those positions you have 0 support in the form of ammo, heal/rez, or supporting fire. Moreover, your effectiveness once in position has nothing whatsoever to do with the jetpack itself or anything else about the class- in fact, your effectiveness as a LA always comes down to your FPS ability (shooting, aiming, picking targets, etc.). This is unlike other classes, like say HA, Medic, or Infiltrator, where your effectiveness is a combination of FPS ability + class gimmicks. Sad but true, I played LA almost exclusively for most of my game time until I realized they were not going to do anything about its meh-ness and then I switched to Medic. Not only do I have a much higher cert gain (without the need/concern for skill) but I have the same if not better killing potential without all the waiting or perching or making yourself vulnerable. Plus, aside from having infinite self (and AOE) heals, you can rez/heal others and have rez grenades that are just !!!! in terms of effect on the battlefield. Put simply, LA could be a fun and effective class but it really isn't- the only time I've ever heard people asking for LAs is when they want to C4 something and that is lame and a clear indication that something is wrong IMO. Relative motion ensures that it is no more difficult for person A on the ground to shoot person B in the air than it is for person B to shoot person A (and that is assuming that being airborne has no effect whatsoever on the ability to aim). Just complete fail how PS2 has treated LAs, fail and nothing but fail. Honestly, I think lately the biggest problem is that a lot of people want the heal/rez, repair/ammo, invisibility/darts abilities so badly (because they are so strong and so easily and highly rewarded) that they simply cannot stand the idea that LA and HA should by rights be significantly better at assaulting. I'm almost to the point where I would rather that they got rid of LA completely and just gave everyone jetpacks because at least then we could maybe have cool jetpacks and fun airborne mechanics since they would be available to anyone anytime.
And here is a guy who speaks apropriately. Most of the LA tweeks i would aprove of are map based, and to support independent action (I frowned on the effect window shutters had on LA dispite smiling on the effect it had on tank shelling into buildings). Though while I agree the amount of usefull LA only positions arnt huge, there are a LOT of usefull positions that only LA can get to quickly and consistently. I have seen coordinated LA push, were most of a plat went LA and leaped a wall circumventing the choke and broke said choke from the other side. LA can change the course of a battle, but like with anything in this game, it cant do it alone. And LA have a tendency to operate alone, because they can go where others cant follow and take shortcuts to reach were others can follow much sooner than others can reach. Thats what needs to be dealt with most of all, its okay for LA to be lonewolf flankers and pressure makers, beleive it or not that does have a larger effect on a big battle than most folks think, but they could definatly use ways to pull the team with them, weather its map based (such as switch activated doors, with swtiches in places LA can get to directly and others must reach via the scenic rout), or put into the class itself (such as a tool that puts spikes into walls others could use as steps).
In a 48 vs 48 fight there is no positional advantage. With maps that everyone knows in and out. You guys are blowing jetpacks to astronomical proportions, way above what they really are.
Magrider =/= LA How about you play LA, I'll play any class of my choice. We go a few rounds and see how much more useful I am in any given situation than you are. I'm bettering I'm going to end up being a lot more useful.
You make this sound like it's not a great deal. Position is everything in this game (given a moderate skill level etc). The one who has position in a fire-fight will win the vast majority of the time. Having jump jets and being able to sit in out of reach places is a massive advantage. However, I do agree that weapon use when flying should not have been nerfed so badly.
If this is true, why am I able to repeatedly use my jet pack to sit on buildings in biolab fight/tech plant fights etc etc and stack up kill after kill? Infact in my experience the bigger the fight the more likely you are to avoid detection. The confusion and chaos only makes the jet pack more useful. And I'm not even an experienced light assault player.
