The Black Jackal
The Southern Legion
The Umbra Combine
999
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Posted - 2014.02.01 03:26:00 -
[1] - Quote
************** WALL OF TEXT ALERT
1. How long have you played DUST 514?
I have played since early Closed Beta (Replication Build)
2. What is the CPMs purpose?
The CPM's purpose is twofold. Firstly to represent the existing player base in it's opinions on how the game should develop. Secondly to act as a filter both ways from community to CCP, and CCP to community. They offer advice before ideas are implemented on CCPs end, and help keep the player's ideas that come in balanced with reality alongside CCP. While an Idea may be awesome, the CPM and CCP must decide whether the actual time and development to implement it would be worth it. (Mostly CCP since they pay the bills.)
The CPM must also converse constantly with developers in both Shanghai directly about DUST 514, with other communications with CSM, and CCP Iceland when a change will impact on the EVE Online Game.
3. What is the most single most challenging issue DUST must overcome?
The New Player Experience is foremost in my mind, and most challenging. The spirit in which EVE inducts new players is harsh, unforgiving, and completely ruthless with little hand holding. That simply wont, (and doesn't) work with DUST 514.
Tutorials, a new brand of Academy, and PvE will go a long way to retaining a player base.
4. What are the games strengths?
It offers a unique perspective on First Person Shooters with the ability to own your own assets. Moving away from the typical 'escalation' modes of other FPS games, while also linking into a complex other side of the game with impacts (in the future) both ways.
5. What are its weaknesses?
DUST 514 failed to meet player expectations after it's announcement. It has soured the Player base, and split it into people who 'like' the new direction it has taken, and the 'bitter vets' who want what was promised back in 2009.
6. If you are elected to the CPM and none of your suggestions or ideas are seen as valid, what will your response be?
Adapt. Not everyone has the same ideas, or thoughts, but often compromises can be worked out. If it comes to the fact that CCP takes a different route than I, or other CPM members would want, our job is to switch direction with them and help them along that course. Even if it goes against what we, or the community would want. CCP is a business, and sometimes you have to chose the lesser of two evils.
7. List the following in order of importance: paint bucket, proper matchmaking, jets, PVE, new game modes, new player tutorial, new frames for logis & commandos, player market, EVE & Dust link, social areas, orbital weaponary, PC Fixes, MCC commanders, new heavy weapons, tank balance, CR & RR tuning, ship boarding, walking in stations and gladiator arenas.
- New Player Tutorial
- Player Market
- Balance and Introduction of Weapons / Vehicles (New Heavy Weapons, Rifle Tuning, - Fighters, MAVs, HAV Balance)
- Proper Matchmaking
- PvE
- New Game Modes (Includes Gladiator Arenas)
- PC Fixes (Includes MCC Commanders and Orbital Weaponary)
- Social Aspects (Social Areas, Walking in Stations, and Paint Bucket / Avatar Customization)
- EVE - DUST Link (Also includes PC Fixes)
- New Frames for Logistics or Assault and Commando or Heavy
- Ship Boarding (I do not endorse this idea.)
My approach is about building a more solid foundation before introducing much 'newer' stuff. We need players, so New Player Experience is top of the list. You want them to keep playing and without players, you have no game. On top of that the Player Market and Racial Parity across all the weapons (Amarr and Gallente Heavy Weapons etc.) as well as the Vehicles (Amarr and Minmatar) with help form the economic backbone of the game. Proper Matchmaking will entice new players as well, and keep the vets stomping lower-level players, leading to a greater retention.
From this much more solid foundation (you can't build a castle on sand) we can then branch into PvE, New Game Modes, Social Aspects and Cosmetics.
PC Fixes is lower on the list, not by virtue of being less important in the grand scheme, but due to only a fraction of the playerbase being involved comparative to the norm. New players will eventually take part, but the foundation to get them in, and keep them in is top priority in my book.
8. What was your stance on murder taxis?
I believe that if you get hit with a car, you get hurt. Get hit hard enough, and you'll die. That being said, Murder Taxis are alot less common these days, and more often are the Jihad Jeeps which approximate a Murder Taxi for Anti-Armor purposes. Getting hit by a vehicles should hurt, and if you're hit hard enough, you should die.
The issue with Murder Taxis, and in general Vehicle Usage, is that most do not have a well defined role on the field that allows their other capabilities to slide. LAVs are fast, scout vehicles designed for small teams. But with the maps being relatively small, and scanners, there's little need to have a 'scout vehicle'. Heavy Attack Vehicles (equivalent to modern-day Main Battle Tanks) are designed to counter hostile Armor, and take out defences. Currently they suffice one role, but the lack of barricades or other destructables to keep them occupied, they end up aiming to destroy infantry as a (superior) assault-style method.
The same argument is applied to Dropships (not the Assault Variants) as why do you really need transport when deploying Uplinks is 1) more cost effective, 2) more effective, and 3) easier to get multiples out and spam them.
9. How did you feel about Flaylock Pistols after uprising?
I felt they were over utilised in the beginning, being a side-arm equivalent of a Mass Driver, but came down too far after their 'balnacing' to be used effectively, once again being overrun by the more common sidearms. After Sidearm 'Basic Parity' is introduced, the entire Sidearm line could use a good balance pass to bring them all into focus.
Once you go Black, you just never go back!
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The Black Jackal
The Southern Legion
The Umbra Combine
999
|
Posted - 2014.02.01 03:27:00 -
[2] - Quote
10. Give us your opinions on the cloak.
I have played games that involve cloaking, and found that as long as there's a counter, a drawback, and an advantage to them being implemented, they can make gameplay much more fun and entertaining.
11. How do u feel about the Slayer Logistics?
It's hard to define a 'Slayer Logistics' in the current game. A Logistics that heals, supports, but gets alot of kills is a slayer? Or was the guy just a good shot who would have done as good, or better as an Assault. Slayers are, in my opinion, more about the players than the suit itself. SLayers will always find away to do what they're good at. If you want to have slayers ONLY in Assault, or Heavy Suits, give them appropriate bonuses that make them superior for it and make the Logistics less suited for it.
It wont eliminate Slayer's, and it shouldn't, but it would encourage them to chose a 'more appropriate' suit to do it with.
12. What ways would you grow the playerbase?
Brighten up the New Player Experience then Market. There's no point marketting the game at the moment unless the New Player Experience is enough to get the people to stay. PvE and PvE Events would go a very long way to getting this done, as does Racial Parity, bringin the 'Play your own Way' to the fore. Else 'Play your own Way' sounds ridiculous when you HAVE to drive Gallanete or Caldari Tanks, but want a Minmatar Tank, or Amarr.
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Once you go Black, you just never go back!
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