Alan-Ibn-Xuan Al-Alasabe
Planetary Response Organisation
415
   |
Posted - 2013.08.27 11:08:00 -
[1] - Quote
For any who missed it, CCP Wolfman has provided a rough outline of what the 1.5 patch, AKA the vehicle patch, will bring. I make this post knowing that we have access to only limited information at this point.
Now, many of the things coming in the patch are just plain great ideas. Things that I assume were always intended, but simply hadn't been implemented yet. Things like making small turrets optional* and visual indicators of what active mods a vehicle is using.
Some things are indicative of a positive view that CCP has toward vehicles. They have acknowledged the lack of meaningful role for vehicles, which is huge, and state a desire to improve those. Warpoints for dropships, maybe?. They also hint at future additions like pilot suits and new turrets types, so hopefully we'll see those not long after 1.5.
The problem lies in what is not mentioned. The post speaks at length about rebalancing vehicles, but makes no mention of capacitor. If you're not familiar with this concept, you can do a little reading about it toward the end of this old dev blog. As you can see, it is an extremely fundamental property of how vehicles work. As such, any vehicle rebalancing that takes place before capacitor is implemented is a wasted effort. It's simply going to change things too drastically.
So, anyway, thanks for the patch, CCP. I'm going to focus on the positives, and think positive on the neutrals (not sure how I feel about shield recharge delay on vehicles), but it needs to be said that our outerspace cars and tanks need their little orange mana bars!
*I would like this for large turrets as well, not that anyone would ever fit a HAV without one. |
Alan-Ibn-Xuan Al-Alasabe
Planetary Response Organisation
415
|
Posted - 2013.08.27 11:14:00 -
[2] - Quote
ChromeBreaker wrote:You obviously didnt notice the part where they wil lbe expanding upon this patch, depending on feedback.
Dammit, I actually meant to acknowledge that point. Something about "provisional based on CCP's most current statements, blah blah blah". But I didn't, so you are right to call me on it. |
Alan-Ibn-Xuan Al-Alasabe
Planetary Response Organisation
415
|
Posted - 2013.08.27 11:38:00 -
[3] - Quote
I was trying to avoid focusing the discussion on the specifics of balance, since thanks to my broken PS3 I'm a bit out of date WRT the game's current metagame. My only goal was to point out that I feel that there is little point to attempting to rebalance vehicles until all fundamental vehicle mechanics (e.g. capacitor) are implemented.
That said, I share your hesitance about what sounds like an emphasis on burst tanking/burst dps for vehicles. I would much rather they have staying power, or at least the option to fit for staying power. But, as you said, that's a discussion for when we have more data. |