Capitol Building Playtest tonight!

[Dr Cheese]

10:45pm today (Wednesday 3rd March) on the Test Server (if anyone else has actually checked it out - instructions for how to set up an account on the test server are here)

They're rolling out a test for Capitol Buildings - details here

The scenario is set on Searhus - the TR will be defending the Capitol Oro against the VS and NC

See anyone there? For those that haven't tried the test server - you get a BR10 character to play with nowadays. So you can pretty much do whatever. They do wipe them now and again though so don't start building up BR in the hopes of getting a cheap BR20

[Ventral]

we're so gonna get pummelled

[ophiuchus]

cus NC own j00

[Flossie]

Go on - how was it, I'm sure the offical forums will be full of 20 pages of crap illuminated by the odd shaft of thought...

otoh they never ever change anything after a Test Server session so I'm sure we'll find out soon enough, bugs'n'all...

[Dr Cheese]

Well lets see:

Firstly - it was a pretty damn intense fight... and we're talking intensity in TEN cities. But i reckon that was more to do with 300 BR20 characters going at it hammer and tongs over a couple of bases

1) First most noticable difference is the global benefit of having a continent lock on a cavern (CC stuff). This allowed EVERYONE in a base connected to the locked cavern to get any CC bits n bobs that they fancied. I like the maelstrom btw

Lots of startegic use of the radiator, loads of maelstroms going off, reports that the spiker is cool etc etc. Oh, and CONSTANT BLOODY FLAIL BOMBARDMENT dammit :/

2) Force domes - Some people expressed the opinion that it makes no differnece to the fight at all. Which in my opinion is bobbins. Cool things: You can regroup back at a force dome-ed capitol, load up a Gal, form up air cover etc etc - but without the worry of being bombed by a lib, charged by a Vanguard posse, stabbed in the nuts by a stealther etc. You can also to some extent fire the phlanx turrets (which incidentaly are wonderful with the elevation changes) out whilst still avoiding enemy fire. The wait for the dome to come down was worth it for me... think the Outpost defence in Starship Troopers... or the second death star in Jedi. You have all these enemy forces circling you... then the field comes down and they swoop, charge and drop on you. All the Phlanx turrets pound away until they're silenced... then the door defence begins (by the time i left, the TR had held Oro for HOURS - We RULE!!!!). Wicked stuff and i reckon it'll do good things for Planetside - each map will have a dedicated pseudo "Win" scenario which keeps people happy and to some extent focuses the direction of the fight(s).

Broadcast warpgates are wicked too, again i like the idea of variable or "favourite" home continents (i.e. the concept of home continents is going, allowing us to decide priorities in defence/offence.) Having said that though there are concerns that they may have made an almighty fudge-up. If you have dominion over zero continents, then you can only Hart out of sanctuary. The problem is when there are no contested continents (rare, i admit) - in this situation the TR (for example) would have to wait for the NC to break a VS cont lock or vice versa in order to leave our sanctuary. Bummer, but i guess it would serve us right for losing the entire world.

The grenade pack increase (1->3)will give my stealther a new lease of life - but my test character is all guns so i didn't really check this.

I heard rumour that the striker is "fixed" though i think that was someone thinking wishfully.

Anyway that was about that. Great fight though, imho. Highlight of the night (i am such a fanboi) - holding Oro gen like a BIATCH with Sporkfire and a ragtag bunch of other TR grunts. Oh and that bit where we pissed the devs off by refilling one of our bases that was *just* about to go neutral. I swear they were cheating to help the NC/VS out... we could've held our sub-capitols all night

Downside - massive lag during the battles. But i reckon there were more people on continent than generally allowed (biggest playtest ever apparently)

Later ladies

[Flossie]

thanks for the info cheesy

[Dr Cheese]

I try to be useful

[Bugstomper]

yeah good report, have a cookie

[Lungboy]

Originally Posted by ophiuchus

cus NC own j00

Playing NC is the PS equivalent of a "Piece of Piss" difficulty setting.

[ophiuchus]

uhuh then why are there soooooo many lasher spam monkeys?

[Dr Cheese]

Because the Jackhammer recieved a nerf. If they buff the MCG we'll be the next empire to "benefit" from the influx of nimrods. w00t :S

I don't mind it tbh - i've always liked the "impossible odds" style battles, feels sweeter when you kick their asses (even if you only manage to kick them a little bit )

[Lungboy]

Yup. I quite agree.