Kray Dytt
THE DOLLARS
32
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Posted - 2013.03.22 09:52:00 -
[1] - Quote
I don't really disagree with most of your suggestions here. The only issue I see is that they could implement it all and not change a damn thing about balance. I'm not saying it's all perfectly balanced now (and to be honest it never will be), I'm saying that changes like your suggesting would still be balanced by the same mechanics, which means it doesn't necessarily change anything about the position of niche players.
I agree completely that niche roles should be meaningful and fun to play. I also agree completely that CCP shouldn't nerf niche-roles because assault players get killed by them in their element. (red-zone sniping aside). I also wholeheartedly agree that maps need to be (much) bigger to allow for more useful application of niche roles (especially combined with larger team/squad sizes this would be probably the biggest boon to niche players imaginable).
I think the main issue with niche roles is that they aren't niche enough
To elaborate:
Take a Heavy with an HMG. They are supposed to be a walking tank. They are supposed to be able to withstand loads of damage, while dishing out massive damage as well. That sounds awesome. But, to not make them completely overpowered, all this has to be balanced. And that's where it goes t*ts up. Their mobility is less than an assault, but not so much as to make a solo heavy completely useless for running around killing people. To truly be a niche role, they'd have to be more powerful in their intended field, but less powerful outside of their comfort zone.
A niche role should fulfill a certain role on the battlefield. But they should not be able to fulfill other roles. They are, by definition, limited. They will also, by definition, have to rely more on the rest of their team. True niche players will shine in well-coordinated teams.
However, they should be in a cr*pload of trouble outside of their comfort zone. A sniper that gets found is basically dead. A heavy with an HMG that gets jumped from behind? Dead. A tank that drives out in the open without knowing if the area is safe? Dead. A medic without support? Dead. A shotgun scout that gets spotted before he reaches his target? Dead. Etc. Niche roles are a valuable asset to a team if applied/played correctly. The team will have to help them though.
I can't help but get the impression that you don't really want niche roles to work like this, but rather want them to simply be better than assaults, with possibly a minor downside here and there, which would turn assaults in to scrubs who simply haven't picked a cool specialisation.
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