The Front Line Initiative - 2017

Aim

This initiative aims to significantly alter the way the game is played for the better. The drive behind this combination of ideas is make fights last longer by making them more durable, fair and balanced. It also aims to draw conflict out from the bases into the field and onto the next base naturally with little to no pause in the action. The concept aims to increase the importance of player logistics as well as integrating construction into the territory control game. The ultimate goal is to make you never want to hit that redeploy button, instead allowing players to push and hold the front line through their entire play session.

The issue

For the past 4 years we have played the game in two ways which depends on if you choose to defend or attack. Either way you have until the attacker Sunderer blows and the fight ends, leaving you holding your Beamer and staring at the horizon with no enemies in sight and your finger on the redeploy button.

The problem with the above is that we may as well be playing a smaller scale FPS for all the impact the larger world has on us. Most of the map is not fought over. Few fights progress between bases and if they do it is often with one side zerging unopposed. Attacking is often frustrating and unrewarding because you only have a soft spawn. All too often you are faced with a situation where your opposition evaporates across the continent and if you want to actually have fun shooting mans, then you need to hit that redeploy button as well.

However much can be done to remedy this.

Key changes

In the below sections see details of the following changes:

• Micro lattice between bases with additional field capture points

• Hard spawns softened

• Additional spawn options

• Reinforcements needed changes

• Wave spawning

• Construction tied into territory capture

I considered detailing the Intercontinental Lattice yet again as it would allow players to push front lines into other continents, but meh.

Micro lattice between bases with additional field capture points

Capture points would be added in the field between bases. They would be positioned in rock clusters, near small buildings, ridges, clumps of trees, etc. Where none exist currently cover could be added. These capture points would control a public drop pod beacon players could use to drop into the area of cover. Depending on the position of the capture points they could be captured by vehicles or not. When zoomed out on the map the micro lattice would disappear to leave players an uncluttered view of the overall territory control.

This addition would make use of more play space and would encourage vehicle use. It would act as stepping stones to draw the fight into the field and into the next territory once a base is successfully captured or defended. This would give attackers multiple fall back points if Sunderers and other spawns are lost. This also removes the total reliance on attacker placed spawns. I would hope that this would have a reduced development time compared to hard spawn bunkers.

Hard spawns softened

Sunderer garages altered to have shields and their own capture point, preventing quick destruction while avoiding making Sunderers any stronger than they currently are.

Spawn bunkers tied to capture points in difficult to take territories (already in progress on PTS).

Sunderer NDZ changed to also apply to defenders.

These changes would simply make fights last longer. As it is fights end all too quickly once the large, obvious target that is the Sunderer goes down. With many more spawn options, including those that can be deployed with minimal time investment for the players; fights would go on until all options are exhausted and the players wiped out. Altering the NDZ to affect defenders would make attacking Tech Plants and Amp Stations much easier for small squads.

Reinforcements needed (RN) changes

• Altered to only factor in friendly/enemy forces proportion within 300m of the spawn point

• Changed to also allow reinforcement of spawn points in enemy territory

• RN opened up to all valid options across the maps

• Defender to attacker proportion for RN altered from 50:50 to 45:55

The above changes would allow players to balance uneven fights for both attacking and defense, stabilising front lines and giving attackers more of a chance. Also it would also reduce the misleading population bloat for a territory that construction fights cause. For a full rundown on the spawn changes I recommend, see this page. I did consider removing RN altogether from our spawn options however unless there is another option to help balance fights too many would go unopposed with the current lack of organised outfits. Until the player bases mentality changes I think that removing RN could do too much damage in the short term to be worth it. Eventually it would be fantastic if we could rely on the players to actively travel to defenses instead of redeploy hopping there.

• HIVEs changed to only be able to be built in friendly territories

• HIVEs increase the capture time of the territory if placed in a friendly territory, decrease the capture time if they end up in an enemy territory

This would encourage building bases where the action is, not miles from the fight which acts to disrupt the line of battle currently. This also encourages setting up bases ahead of an enemy push. As the micro lattice points are out in the field many would give players the opportunity to build construction bases around them, blocking progress through the lattice until the base is taken out. Construction also has a few tweaks sorely needed before it becomes a fun experience for attackers. Specifically a nerf to AI controlled turrets (which is already on the PTS), Skyshields not damaging players, a greater rate of cortium drain and a buff to the Glaive's effect on an enemy base.

Impact

My hope is that once all of these changes are in front lines would stabilise due to the more even balance of power between attackers and defenders. The micro lattice would draw fights into the field and discourage the redeploy habit as there would always be a goal within sight of a player. Construction would impact the territory control game by slowing progress through contested regions. Reinforcements needed changes would support attackers and encourage the use of transports for squads looking to defend, as would the wave spawning mechanic. This same mechanic would also alleviate spawn camping and encourage teamwork.

That is my hope at least.