Why do VS get all the Goodies?

I'm not talking about actual useful items or abilities, I'm talking about cool little cosmetic tweaks over the course of development that only VS get while the other two factions are kinda left out. I realize it's not that big a deal, but it's something that's been on me mind for a good couple of weeks so I thought I'd share it.

To be specific, I'm referring to things like their total audio revamp (which was desperately needed, don't get me wrong, but the other two factions now sound very lackluster in comparison), default camo darkened to black when black isn't even one of their faction colors, and all the changes made to the Lasher to make it look and function better (Scopes, firing animation, etc.).

Meanwhile TR got poor quality chaingun noises and NC got more shotguns.

What gives SOE? Can't you let someone else be your guinea pig for a change?

maybe because your average internet gamer is afraid of the colour purple so they had to man it up a bit?

Didn't someone on the art team say that they would at least get sound redone for TR? I'm pretty sure they're just doing a 'whenever we get around to it' thing now. The roadmap seems to have been abandoned. The stuff for the lasher wasn't even a goodies thing. The lasher was inexcusably bad as a weapon for the longest time, and it finally got changes that made it better, or at least semi-usable, in a larger variety of situations.

I think it's because the "science" angle has more latitude creatively. Most of what the TR and NC have is available to some degree (in terms of art and styling) in R/L. I think that places a certain creative constraint on what people will do.

Nice to hear they've at least noticed some of the issues, though it's kinda discouraging when they just up and abandon a development plan like that.

As for the Lasher bit, I was honestly just trying to come up with a third example of things VS got that the other two didn't, which made me think of the Lasher because the MCG and to a lesser extent the Jackhammer have been all but ignored since release.

like the commissar cap? which no other faction has an equal for?

TR has glory, thus TR wins

I'm a bit jelly of vanu helmets. They got the popular and good looking avalon and viper. I think all new TR and NC helmets are bad except bandana. It looks nice but I personally wants an actual helmet. On player studio forums I have seen 1 good TR helmet months ago and Tramell said he loved it but there is no sign of release yet. There have been at least 1 version of the loading screen NC helmet that we all want yet we don't get it.

The art team has Vanu sympathies, therefore, we get the sexy.

It's a good thought, but I don't really buy into it. We're talking about a time very, very far in the future. Any brain worth it's oxygen supply could come up with several awesome concepts and ideas just from the fact that it's so far in the future.

Think about it, what TR and NC have in terms of styling should be dictated by a loose understanding of where technology will go in the next 800 years or so. That means that the WW I-II style weapons and armor we have now are a no-go, there's plenty of better options. There should be information on weapon-mounted displays, confirmation bleeps when you slot in a mag, warning sounds when you get low on ammo, super computers built into our armor, advanced HUD displays etc. etc.

Just because one faction uses science as its main driving force doesn't been the other two have to be left in a metaphorical creative desert. The TR has great scientists, The NC have very intelligent corporate benefactors. There's so many options for stylistic awesomeness here that it pains me to see not only TR and NC, but VS as well get left in this very drab representation of the distant future.

even the coil gun designs on NC are lazy IMO.

The worst audio in the game comes from the NC call-outs and announcer... TR and VS call-outs you can mix up a little, not much, but the NC voices are just silly. TR guns, especially fractures, could use new audio for sure, sounds like you're crushing tin cans.

Do not forget that we are dealing with limited resources here. It's not just about art and style, it is also a matter of how much complexity the designers can add to models ect. without making the game unplayable for a considerable portion of the user base.

They aren't just playing with art, the developers are also forced to weigh art against memory constraints that could lose them money if they get out of hand. While the art team and performance team are not the same people, they do not operate in a vacuum.

I think it was because at that time VS was the most underpopulated faction and they needed it the most.

Our gun's dakka noises may be lacking, our tank may look like a lunch box, but no one can beat the way we pull off the look of professionalism. Oh, and everyone knows how awesome the Terran Republic looks with goggles on.

Along with Zoe and many other minor tweeks. I hate the way population balance is being managed.

Well its a bulletproof way of getting a population that is freefalling faster than a sack of potatoes to stabilize and even grow. But yes, its a stupid way of doing it.

You can have stupid useless cosmetic crap when I can get a useful gun.

The VS get all the cool looking stuff because it all blows at everything except a Ms America competition.

TR was also the only faction that got a special day and received the ability to wear the "Commisar" Hat. There is art there!

Been waiting a while for that. The suppressor change was ok (although I liked how quiet the old suppressor sounds were), but we need a bit more. In my opinion, the NC need some of their sounds reworked, too. Suppressed NC weapons sound like .50 cals being fired in bathtubs... and no, it doesn't sound good (plus they're still loud as ****, except for their SMGs, those thins are wayyyy too quiet compared to VS/TR SMGs).