PlanetSide (video game)
| PlanetSide | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Sony Online Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Sony Online Entertainment |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | May 19, 2003 |
| Genre(s) | MMOFPS |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
PlanetSide is a Massively multiplayer online first-person shooter computer game published by Sony Online Entertainment and released on May 19, 2003. The number of players is known to have been over 40,000 in September 2004, but some research suggests that the player count might have been in the 50,000 to 60,000 range throughout 2004 and some of 2005. [1]
Story
After exploring through a deep space wormhole, the "Terran Republic", a highly centralized oligarchic galactic government which had unconditionaly ruled humanity for the past 1,112 years, discovered a single habitable planet. Not only was this planet suitable for the sustenance of life, but it also already possessed many native, highly developed and staggeringly familiar flora and fauna. The Science Institute named this planet Auraxis. Taking a keen interest in this aberration, the Republic quickly sent expeditions through the wormhole to explore and colonise the planet. Shortly after arriving, the colonists discovered the remains and technology of a lost and ancient alien species - the Vanu (also known as the Ancients, since their original name for themselves was not known). This technology, at first an enigma, proved to be so complex and powerful as to barely be conceivable to human minds, involving levels of energy previously thought to be physically unquantifiable. This allowed for the quick colonisation of the ten continents of Auraxis, the creation of power sources and vehicles for the use of the colonists and, most importantly, it facilitated the development of rebirthing technology. This nanotechnology allowed the Terrans to deconstruct and reconstruct their own bodies, allowing fast transportation across the world. Later on, it was discovered that dead workers could be brought back to life using the technology, revealing a startling new possibility: immortality. Needless to say, the incredible power (and value) of this technology was systemically acknowledged, and despite the enormity of the advances made due to the study of the technology, it was also recognised that humanity had not yet even scratched the surface of any future possibilities. Later on, the discovery that the planet itself had been an artificial construction of the Ancients further served to solidify the realisation that if left unchecked, Vanu technology would forever and irrevocably change humanity and its future.
Shortly after the rebirthing technology was discovered, however, the wormhole collapsed, cutting the colony off from the Mother Republic and preventing the return of Vanu technology for proper examination. The Republic authorities took measures to hide this fact, while desperately exhausting all theoretical options for re-establishing the traversability of the wormhole. Meanwhile, as widespread usage of the technology grew, the Republic began to fear the potential repercussions of allowing so much power to be shifted so quickly into the hands of so many people. Namely, it feared that the rebirthing technology and the potential impunity to death, disease and pain it afforded would cause massive philosophical shifts amongst the isolated population, thus pulling out one leg of the tripod that had sustained the Republic for a millennium: that of deterrence. More generally, the military feared that if utilisation of the technology continued to spread, that the other two bases may come away as well: a populace armed with practically god-like power would have very little need of a strong authoritarian body to provide structure and purpose to their lives. Based on these trepidations, the Republic began to restrict usage of the new technologies, and halted all further research and development involving the Ancient Tech.
It was too late, however, and their concerns began to materialise earlier than they had expected. As research diminished, so too did hopes of re-opening the wormhole. As news of this began to escape the scientific community, general dissension set it. Amongst the populace, a great resultant of the loss of faith in the capability of the Republic (which had always presented itself as infallible) caused the populace to split in their loyalties. Two distinct groups emerged: the loyalists and the separatists. The separatists argued that the recent behaviour of the Republic was full of obvious knee-jerk moves and over-reactive mistakes. Claiming that the Republic knew its end was at hand, the separatists advocated breaking away and forming a new society, now that their would-be "oppressors" were isolated and without aid. The loyalists countered that the Republic had never been abusive (a claim hotly debated) and had always looked out for its own, and that the Terran people at least owed them continued loyalty on that point alone. Meanwhile, in the intellectual circles and among the scientific establishment, there had long been the feeling that the Republic was ill at-ease with the possibilities of the New Science, and a movement had begun to sequester and conceal as many of the Vanu artifacts as could be feasibly obtained without overt notice.
As the Terran demographic continued to polarise, these movements finally came to fruition as the predecessors of the "Vanu Sovereignty" made their exodus and took with them the artifacts they had obtained. Encouraged by this, the separatists seceded, seizing a number of military stockpiles and procuring a small arsenal of military assets: they called themselves the "New Conglomerate". In a backlash to this, the Republic declared these two factions outlawed, announcing their intentions to re-unify with them at all costs. Shortly after this, war broke out amongst the Terrans of Auraxis. As an inhabitant of this world, you must choose to fight for one of the three factions:
- The Terran Republic (TR), a conservative, authoritarian collectivist nation who strive to regain contact with the homeworld and re-unite the warring factions. Their leadership is a public oligarchy known as the Overwatch, composed of various (so-called) representative officials and their associated Ministries, who regulate allotted portions of society in accordance with their own expertise and the collective will towards favourable outcomes. They believe that authority is the bastion that protects humanity and that in a truly free society, with no Big Brother to guide and watch over citizens, misery and suffering would quickly be visited to all. Furthermore, they regard the Vanu technology as dangerous and unstable, a chaotic force threatening the stability of their righteous order, and only begrudgingly do they utilise it in warfare. Their vision of the future is one of peace restored through their benevolent rule, and humanity reunited by the reopening of the wormhole. They stand by the view that the Vanu were extinct by their meddling with orders of power the magnitude of which was to be found in their artifacts, and they fear groups such as the Sovereignty will drive humanity to a similar fate, causing as much damage to reality as possible along the way. Their ordinance is characterised by its high rate of fire and correspondingly great ammunition consumption.
- The New Conglomerate (NC), a separatist faction determined to remain free of the controlling and domineering Republic, as well as to liberate the rest of humanity from the Republic, whether or not they share the Conglomerate's theories. Unlike the authoritarian and technocratic TR and VS governments, the NC are fighting for democracy, freedom, and human rights. As a rebel group, their leadership lies with the Revolutionary Command, a visible cooperative of military experts and leaders who direct the liberation efforts as a whole. They feel that any form of control is oppression and that a miserable free man is better off than a contented slave. Consequently, they view the Vanu technology as a potential tool of control, and the Vanu Sovereignty as technocratic tyrants, would-be dictators like the Republic, only under the banner of science and probably much worse. Their view of the future is one of freedom and self-government, where every man elects his own path and flourishes in what ways he sees fit. They rely on ponderous vehicles and slow-firing heavy weaponry, foregoing mobility and tactical flexibility for heavy armour and superior firepower. The NC's democratic philosophy is often their achilles heel militarily, as they lack the iron-fisted leadership structure of the the TR and VS. From the New Conglomerate's point of view, however, theirs is the only moral and just cause.
- The Vanu Sovereignty (VS), a loose Transhumanist cult of academics, intellectuals and technology worshippers who believe that human destiny lies in the further development and exploitation of the alien technology. Their leadership is the clandestine Sovereignty Council, the composition of which is unknown without itself and the existence of which is obscured to those outside the Sovereignty. They see the Republic as pedantic and outmoded, a used-up idea and restriction on the continuing ascendancy of the species through the synthesis of man and machine. They also see the New Conglomerate as a savage, ochlocratic band of thugs who have repackaged old mistakes in new dressings and are desperately afraid of new concepts which they cannot grasp, and the future these promise to the far-sighted. Their view of the future is one of scientific perfection and purity: they believe that the Vanu used the power of their advanced technologies to transcend their physical limitations and the mundane world, ascending to a superior state of being, and ultimately, a higher plane of existence. Scientists and intellectuals through-and-through, they see this path as an enlightened ascension and hold the Ancients up as a shining example for mankind to follow. Hopefully and eagerly they envision humanity imitating this metamorphosis, firstly through the enhancement of the human condition via "hypertech" (foreseeable technological breakthroughs which have not yet quite arrived), and eventually, by the replacement of human beings altogether; from there, not even they can imagine yet. They are most reliant on alien science and technology, and often more than compensate for their shortcomings through the superiority of their engineering, utilising mind-bending physics, high-energy arrays, and other exotic weaponry to defend themselves.
Gameplay
At any one time, each of the three PlanetSide servers host hundreds of players fighting a persistent war on foot, in ground vehicles or in the air across desert wastes, icy mountains, lush forests or dank swamps. The goal is simple: each faction must attempt to capture as many facilities as possible on the surface of the planet whilst denying them to their enemies. There are many strategies and opportunities for tacticians to divert the flow of battle and learning the intricacies and depth of the game can take many months. The player controls his chosen character from a first-person perspective and can travel about the vast environments on foot or in one of the many available vehicles. Combat is fast-paced and does not suffer from the 'hands-off' feel of many other Massively Multiplayer Online Games.
Before entering combat, it is important for a tactician to identify:
- The empire affiliation of the enemy. Each empire has a particular theme for their weapons and vehicles, and a leader should equip his troops to counter such.
- What vehicles they may encounter. There are several types of bases, but only a few types can create heavy vehicles (tanks, bombers, etc.) and a leader needs to make sure, usually through a flyover by a scout aircraft, what vehicles he needs to worry about.
Leveling and Experience
While a first person shooter at heart, PlanetSide does have a rather basic experience/leveling system. Earned experience is divided into three categories: Battle Experience, Support Experience, and Command Experience.
Battle Experience
Battle Experience (BEP) is gained from elimination of enemy soldiers, the capture of base facilities, and exploring and interacting with the game world. When enough experience is accumulated, the character will increase in Battle Rank (BR). When the character increases in Battle Rank, a certification point is awarded (except at BR 6, 12, and 18, when an implant slot is activated; see below). The higher a character's Battle Rank, the more certification points it possesses. These certification points allow the character to acquire new vehicles, weapons, and armor classes. Newly created characters begin at Battle Rank 1 and can reach up to Battle Rank 25 (Battle Rank was initially limited at 20). Benefits of reaching higher Battle Rank include uniform upgrades and character implants.
Implants
Currently, there are ten implants available for use. Players can have three implants at any given time, however they may be exchanged for other implants at Implant Terminals. Implant Slots are awarded at Battle Ranks 6, 12 and 18. Each implant offers an upgrade for your character. Each implant varies in its benefits and disadvantages, such as Enhanced Targeting to view enemy health, Personal Shield which drains your stamina instead of health and armour when you are hit. Most implants use stamina, and can only operate when you have enough stamina to maintain it. Leaving an implant on that drains stamina will exhaust your character and force you to walk until you rest.
Uniform Upgrades
Awarded at Battle Ranks 7, 14 and 25 Uniform upgrades merely change your appearance on the battlefield. In most cases, the character goes from a darker color to a brighter one, supposedly to make them more lucrative targets on the battlefield. The most drastic change is that of the New Conglomerate, which start with a dark blue uniform only to progress to a very bright yellow uniform. However, at Battle Rank 25, the armor becomes mostly black with some blue and yellow. No certification points are given at Battle Rank 24 or 25. Battle Rank 24 gives you the option to wear sunglasses and/or a communications headset, in lieu of the helmet, as well as the option to wear a hat or a beret.
Support Experience
Support Experience is earned through "Assist" kills. For a short period of time after you assist another player (see list), any kills by that player count as Assists for you. Each Assist is accompanied by a small percentage of experience from the kill. Support Experience acts identically to Battle Experience, but is listed separately for characters.
Methods of Assistance:
- Providing a Router for teleporting
- Providing an Advanced Mobile Station for respawning
- Hacking a terminal or locker for use by others
- Driving a vehicle with a gunner
- Repairing a vehicle or character
- Healing a character
- Reviving a fallen character
Note: Repairing Spitfires will provide Assists from the turret itself, not the one who deployed it.
Command Experience
Command Experience is gained from leading a squad/platoon in a successful base capture. (Currently, experience is not rewarded for tower captures.) When enough Command Experience has been accumulated, the character will increase in Command Rank. When the character increases in Command Rank, new command abilities are made available. In addition, special uniform modifications are awarded. The breakdown by Command Rank is as follows:
- Command Rank 0(CR0):
- All characters start at this command level. No special abilities are available.
- Command Rank 1(CR1):
- The ability to place four (4) waypoints on the overhead map is awarded. The waypoints are visible to all members of the squad/platoon that the CR1 is leading.
- The command /sitrep becomes available, which reports to the Command Rank above you. Example, CR1s sitrep to CR2s. The text received by the next highest CR is preceded by [Situation Report].
- A shinguard (or spat for the Vanu Sovereignty) is added to the character's uniform.
- Command Rank 2(CR2):
- Characters at CR2 are given access to use the Command Uplink Device (CUD), which enables the use of higher level command functions. At CR2, the 'Reveal Friendlies' option, which allows the user to reveal friendly positions on the entire continent, is the only available option. (Note: A common myth is that the Reveal Friendlies gets bigger as you move up in Command Rank. This is false. It will always cover the entire continent.)
- CR2s have access to Command Chat, a separate chat channel that will allow them to speak with CR2s in the local area.
- SitReps now report to CR3s.
- The uniform upgrade for a CR2 is a second shinguard (or spat for the Vanu Sovereignty).
- Command Rank 3(CR3):
- CR3s are given the ability to use battleplans, enabling them to draw on and label the planetary maps. (Note: this ability will function ONLY if the CR3 is the Squad/Platoon Leader.)
- Additionally, the CUD may be used to emit an Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) in a small radius around the player, which disables implants, vehicle weapons, spitfire turrets and motion sensors; enemy mines and boomers caught within the blast radius are detonated.
- Command Chat will now speak to all CR3s in the local area extended by linked bases on the continent.
- SitReps now report to CR4s.
- A wristguard is added to the character's uniform.
- Command Rank 4 (CR4):
- CR4s are given access to the Orbital Strike command, accessed through the CUD. Deployed from space stations orbiting the individual planets (known as Orbital Stations), the Orbital Strike is a devastating attack that can turn the tide of a battle. The CR4 OS is very small, good for dropping AMS' deployments.
- The 'Reveal Enemies' option becomes available through the CUD. It functions in the same way as the 'Reveal Friendlies' option, however it barely covers an SOI. (Sphere Of Influence.)
- The radius on the EMP is increased.
- Command Chat will now speak to all CR4s on the continent.
- SitReps now report to CR5s.
- A second wristguard is added to the character's uniform.
- Command Rank 5 (CR5):
- CR5s have the ability to perform 'Global' Broadcasts to every player on every planet on the server. Additionally they can 'Global' to individual continents, including the Sanctuaries.
- CR5 Command Chat is 'Global', meaning that CR5s can communicate with all CR5s regardless of location.
- The radius, and coverage area of the Orbital Strike are increased.
- The radius of the EMP, and 'Reveal Enemies' are increased.
- A Communications Pack is added to the uniform of the character. Commonly referred to as 'The Backpack'. (Also referred to as the Fanny Pack in the old days when female avatars had the pack hanging off their rear.)
Organization
While players can experience the game solo, the best way to succeed in PlanetSide is to join a squad. A squad is an ad hoc group of up to ten players led by a squad leader. Two or three squads can form a platoon, for a maximum group of thirty players. Benefits of being in a squad include the sharing of experience (resulting in a speedy rise in Battle Rank) and the results gained from working as a team.
Like most online games, a player can create or join an Outfit, PlanetSide's implementation of a clan. Whereas a squad is a temporary group, an outfit persists even if all members are off-line. Outfits are managed through a panel in-game, allowing players to be promoted/demoted. Outfits have eight possible ranks, with the top four being officer ranks, allowing members to invite and kick players to and from the outfit. Outfits can range in membership from ten (the minimum number required to form an outfit) to an infinite number. (The very largest outfits have over 1000 members, but those are rare). A new event coming up is the Outfit Wars. Various outfits will participate, the winner will undoubtedly on Emerald by the NC's outfit "Army of One".
Updates
As of 2006, the game is actively supported by Sony Online Entertainment. New content and patches are released about once per month, however small or large they may be. Usually focused around an in-game community event. Like other online games, the PlanetSide developers allow access to a 'Test Server' which hosts the next proposed build of the game for users to test and troubleshoot before it is pushed to the 'Live' Servers.
Core Combat
On October 27, 2003, SOE released Core Combat, the first and only true expansion for PlanetSide. Originally, the expansion created six new 'cavern' areas, each of which took on the characteristics of the continents which lay above them. (This was changed in later patches. The caverns now operate on a timer with two open and four closed at any given time, with random links to planet/continents.) Also introduced were new Ancient Technology (AT) weapons and vehicles. In order to use these weapons, vehicles and new game spaces, one was required to purchase the expansion.
Also included was the new 'Module Benefit System'. This system encouraged players to travel down to the caverns to retrieve modules that could be installed in surface bases, granting them special abilities such as 'Pain Fields', Advanced Base Shielding and the ability to purchase AT weapons and vehicles from surface bases.
- Six new massive underground war zones
- New Ancient-technology vehicles and weapons which can be used by all Empires
- Head-to-Head Urban style combat in subterranean cities
- Unique alien complexes to explore and conquer
- New underground environments from volcanic lava flows to ice caverns
- Ancient technology can be used by all Empires to upgrade existing surface level facilities
The Bending
On August 14, 2004, possibly due to experiments with Ancient Technology, the planet Auraxis has undergone a process known as The Bending, and has been reconstructed as a system of smaller planets scattered throughout the cosmos. These planets are still linked by the original warpgate system. One of the main islands of Auraxis, Oshur, has been destroyed and replaced by a series of small 'Battle Islands'.
Aftershock
On October 18, 2004 SOE released "PlanetSide: Aftershock". While some refer to Aftershock as the second expansion, in actuality it is merely PlanetSide and Core Combat repackaged together, using a new build of the game that introduced Battle Frame Robotics (BFRs). These are essentially large, heavily armed walking vehicles similar to those found in BattleTech.
PlanetSide Reserves
On March 24, 2006 SOE launched the PlanetSide Reserves program. This program allows anyone to download the game and play for free. All characters in the Reserves are limited to Battle Rank 6 and Command Rank 2, as well as other restrictions. Players will be able to convert to a paying account at any time. The program is available for download now, and slated to run until March 24, 2007.
As part of the launch of PlanetSide Reserves all paying accounts were upgraded to include all Aftershock content.
Proposed Expansions
While nothing has been set in stone, several proposed expansions are regularly discussed on the PlanetSide forums. The most likely step is a 'space' themed expansion utilizing Orbital Platforms and the technology associated with the High-Altitude Re-entry Transport (HART) Buildings found in the Imperial Sanctuaries.
Planets
Planetside currently contains 10 planets and 6 caverns that can be fought over by the 3 empires.
Ceryshen
- Ceryshen is a cold, arctic planet with tall mountains and high elevations. It is the home continent of the Terran Republic.
Amerish
- Amerish is a temperate Vanu Sovereignty home continent. It is roughly divided into north and south sections by tacticians.
Cyssor
- Cyssor is an earth-quake shattered planet, and it is also one of the largest planets in PlanetSide. Because of its large size, conflicts can take a while, giving the planet the nickname of "CyssorSide" by players. It is also one of the most common planets on which to have a conflict.
Solsar
- Solsar is a dry, desert planet and is a home continent to the New Conglomerate.
Ishundar
- Ishundar is a rocky and mountainous planet that rivals Cyssor in size.
Searhus
- Searhus is a combination of a temperate climate, and becomes increasingly desert-like as one reaches the top of the dominant volcano on the planet.
Oshur/Battle Islands
- Originally, Oshur was a continent similar to Ishundar or Solsar. It also contained a giant avian skeleton, prompting discussions of the Ancients who might have been there. With the Bending event, Oshur was broken into 4 islands, or the "Battle Islands", each one with a climate of each type in the game.
Forseral
- Forseral is a mild, temperate Terran Republic home continent.
Hossin
- Various swamps dot this New Conglomerate planet, making ground transportation in such areas quite difficult.
Esamir
- Esamir is an arctic planet similar to Ceryshen. It is a Vanu Sovereignty home continent.
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Vehicles
Currently the game contains 34 vehicles.
Ground Vehicles
Common Pool
Common Pool vehicles are available to soldiers from any Empire.
- AMS
- The Advanced Mobile Station is the lynchpin in many attack strategies. Once driven to a location and deployed, the AMS allows soldiers to store their patterns at its respawning tubes for quick redeployment after death. It also carries a full Equipment Terminal allowing soldiers to reequip in the field. When deployed, the AMS automatically cloaks beyond a short distance in order to better shield it from enemy troops.
- ANT
- The Advanced Nanite Transport is the backbone of the system to draw energy from the ancient Vanu warp bubbles. Usable by any soldier with any other vehicle certification, the ANT is driven to warp gate bubbles where it deploys its charging vanes. Once the capacitors onboard are filled, the ANT is driven to a battle facility and deployed near a Silo. The energy then coruscates over to the Silo collector and the facility gains enough energy to be fully powered for a time.
- Basilisk
- The four-wheeled Basilisk is the most agile attack vehicle, combining reasonably potent offensive capabilities and speed. The primary weakness of the Basilisk is its light armor that allows the vehicle its superior handling. The Basilisk has Light Rotary Chainguns mounted side-by-side in front of the rider.
- Deliverer
- The Deliverer is a medium transport capable of carrying up to five occupants (1 driver, 2 gunners, 2 passengers). While less maneuverable than assault buggies, the Deliverer has two gunners -- one next to the driver, facing forward, the other in the rear, covering the back. A reasonable trunk provides adequate space to carry supplies as well. The Deliverer also has the distinct advantage of being able to cross calm rivers and waterways. When entering water, the Deliverer will float at the surface, but is only capable of 70% of its maximum speed when crossing water. It is also slightly faster than its variant designs (below).
- Fury
- The Fury is an ATV, similar to the Basilisk except armed with a rocket launcher with a 2-round magazine. The rockets have roughly the same power as a Decimator dumb-fire bazooka, which when combined with the Fury's speed and agiliy, make it an effective hit-and-run ATV.
- Harasser
- The Harasser has room for a driver and a gunner. Both people sit in an open-air compartment that affords little protection, but lightens the vehicle to increase its speed. The passenger position has a mounted 12 mm Rotary Chaingun that can be used to "ride shotgun" in an anti-infantry role.
- Lightning
The Lightning is a single seated mini tank. Fairly fast, but only lightly armored, Lightnings are suited to running escort or in packs. It is outfitted with a 75 mm cannon as its primary weapon, and is also equipped with a secondary light rotary chaingun. Both weapons are mounted on a fully traversable turret that also includes the driver's gunsight camera, making it a difficult vehicle to drive and fight simultaniously.
- Skyguard
- The Skyguard is a Technology Plant-dependent buggy, designed for anti-aircraft work. It is a two-player vehicle, with a driver and a gunner. The gunner has access to a 12 mm machine-gun, and an anti-aircraft flak cannon, making it an effective vehicle for air-defense.
- Sunderer
- The Sunderer is a large, lumbering heavy ground transport capable of carrying a driver, two gunners, six passengers, and two MAXs. The gunners man two large 75 mm Tank Cannons to be used in defense against vehicles, but depend on squad members disembarking to protect against infantry attack.
- Wraith
- The fastest and most agile of all land-based vehicles, the Wraith ATV trades armor and all offensive capabilities for sheer speed, maneuverability, and stealth. Designed as a reconnaissance vehicle, the Wraith has a unique light refraction system that effectively cloaks it visually at long range only if the rider is wearing a Stealth Suit. The integrated stealth system complements the light fraction, removing the Wraith from most radar systems. In addition a white noise generator helps to dampen the Wraith's engine noise. As onboard weapon ammunition is not needed, the Wraith has a generous available "trunk" space, making it a favorite with Combat Engineers for getting additional ACE units into the field quickly. Infantry soldiers also use the Wraith to get to key tactical positions or the main battle front, fast. It's also just plain fun to ride.
New Conglomerate
- Enforcer
- The Enforcer is the New Conglomerate's Version of a heavy buggy sports an Advanced Rocket Launcher mounted in an open 360 degree turret located above and behind the driver. The ARL (aka Firebird) is a single barreled rocket launcher with a heavy punch and a hefty clip.
- Thunderer
- The Thunderer is the Deliverer variant available to the New Conglomerate. It is identical to the Deliverer with regards to handling, armor, and the ability to cross water. What sets the Thunderer apart is its innovative weapon system. The weapon system has a fairly long range, and a very small cone of fire making it highly accurate at close to medium ranges. It also carries with it the New Conglomerate's signature high damage per shot, the one drawback being its low rate of fire.
- Vanguard
- The Vanguard is the main battle tank of the New Conglomerate. Generally well balanced, the Vanguard brings decent speed, solid armor, and hefty firepower to the field. The main turret, which houses both a dual 20 mm chaingun and 150 mm cannon, is capable of a 360 degree pivot, giving the gunner complete attack coverage for the driver.
Terran Republic
- Marauder
- The Marauder heavy buggy sports more armor, fire power, and passengers than the buggies of other Empires. The primary weapon system consists of a 360-degree capable heavy automatic mortar (Ground Pounder) mounted in the rear. The mortar is a relatively short barreled weapon that can fire off several rounds before needing to reload. The secondary weapon system is a 12 mm Rotary Chaingun mounted to the right of the driver.
- Prowler
- The Prowler is the largest Main Battle Tank. Having mid-range armor for a Tank and a 360-degree capable dual 100 mm heavy tank turret, the Prowler is certainly able to devastate many targets in short order. The secondary gunner is able to control a dual Rotary Chaingun which is a small turret stacked upon the primary turret. Naturally the sheer size, weight, and firepower of this tank makes it slower than any of the other Main Battle tanks.
- Raider
- The Raider is a Deliverer variant available to the Terran Republic. Like the Thunderer, it is identical to the Deliverer with regards to handling, armor, and the ability to cross water. The Raider's strength lies in its 4 gunner positions -- a fully maned Raider with gunners working together can bring down even the biggest foes quickly and efficiently.
Vanu Sovereignty
- Aurora
- The Aurora is the Deliverer variant available to the Vanu Sovereignty. Like the Thunderer, it is identical to the Deliverer with regards to handling, armor, and the ability to cross water. The Aurora's weapon system consists of 2 energy cannons capable of firing a single shot; or a secondary mode capable of spraying a bombardment of 6 rounds quickly and with devastating results when used in close range, or for raining down damage on a large area.
- Magrider
- The Magrider is the Vanu Sovereignty's Main Battle Tank. Built upon Vanu Alien technology, it has the ability to hover across both ground and water. This propulsion system also gives the Magrider the ability to strafe left or right. The drawback, however, is that the Sovereignty has not perfected the anti-gravitic drive yet so weight is still a critical issue. Because of this, their primary weapon, a heavy energy rail beam is the lightest of the tank main cannons, though the most accurate. The secondary weapon system, which the pilot controls, is a light Pulsed Particle Accelerator, and is mounted on the front of the vehicle.
- Thresher
- The Vanu Sovereignty's version of a Heavy Buggy is built upon a gravitic drive system that replaces the usual wheels with 4 anti grav pods that propel the buggy. It sports a turret mounted Flux Cannon that serves as the primary weapon. Though the Vanu Sovereignty's version of an Assault Buggy may not have the thick armor that other Empires have, its hover capabilities allow it to effectively strafe left or right thus offsetting some of its other disadvantages with increased maneuverability. In addition, this hover capability allows the Vanu Sovereignty hover buggy to sustain travel over water, allowing it to easily ford small rivers and ponds.
Ancient Tech
"Ancient Tech" vehicles are available with the Core Combat expansion. All use anti-grav technology similar to the Magrider and Thresher. It has no doors, per se, but the driver is transported in and out of the vehicle.
- Flail
- The Flail is a massive hover tank that cannot fire at all unless deployed. However, once deployed, its massive Dispersion Cannon can fling devastating energy projectiles long distances with indirect fire. Because it can shoot farther than it can see (obstacles often intervene to prevent direct line of sight), soldiers can access a terminal on the back of the Flail to get a laser Pointer. This item is equipped like a pistol and can be used to provide forward observation information to the Flail gunner. This helps point out targets for annhilation from a remote location.
- Router
- This ponderous vehicle can be deployed in the same manner as an AMS. Once deployed, a station becomes operational on the back allowing access to a deployable Telepad. A soldier can take the Telepad to a location (inside or outside), and deploy it to create a connection then exists between the ROUTER and that Telepad, thus creating a point-to-point teleportation system. NOTE: This is not an IFF system. In other words, your enemies can use it also. Be wise in your placement.
- Switchblade
- The Switchblade has a forward-firing Scythe Cannon that fires "V"-shaped wedges of energy at a rapid speed. The vehicle can be deployed, however, in much the same manner as a Terran Republic MAX, vastly increasing the rate of fire of the Scythe cannon and allowing this light vehicle to pour forth destructive power. The Switchblade does not carry any spare ammo. However, it can recharge its battery of ammo in friendly bases.
Air Vehicles
All air vehicles in PlanetSide are Common Pool, meaning they are available to all Empires.
- Galaxy
- The Galaxy is a gigantic aircraft capable of carrying a pilot, three gunners, two MAXs, six other passengers, as well as a light vehicle in the back (with passengers). Fully loaded, with passengers in the vehicle stowed in back, the Galaxy can easily carry a full Squad of soldiers, plus a pilot and gun crew to bring them to the battle intact and alive. The gunner positions have 20 mm Chainguns to use in defense against airborne targets, or they can be alternately used to pound ground targets from above. Passengers are able to bail out of the Galaxy while it is in the air, leading to the common tactic of flying over a base or tower and bailing out to attack from above, known as a "galaxy drop" or "gal drop". Vehicles can also "bail out", the most common use of this feature is in delivering an ANT to an underpowered base in the heat of battle. Strategic use of one or more Galaxies can often swing a battle in favour of the attackers.
- Liberator
- The Liberator bomber is crewed by three soldiers. One as a pilot (with a fixed forward 35 mm cannon), one as a tailgunner (with a pivotable 25 mm machinegun), and the last as a bombardier. The bombadier is capable of dropping anti-infantry cluster bombs, or heavy 'tankbuster' bombs.
- Lodestar
- The Lodestar is a single-crew vehicle that can lift and carry any ground vehicle, including main battle tanks and the enormous Battleframes quickly and smoothly to a desired location. Vehicles mounted in the Lodestar can be ejected in order to "hot drop" to an overflown location. The Lodestar can also be used by ground and air vehicles as a repair/rearm terminal when the Lodestar is landed.
- Mosquito
- The Mosquito is fast, agile, and lightly armored. It carries only a Light Rotary Chaingun (12 mm), but it can easily slip past most sensory defenses (it's not visible on radar) and is primarily a scout craft. While cruising at slower speeds, its overflight radar allows enemy units within a certain radius to be seen on friendly mini-maps. The Mosquito only carries a single pilot.
- Reaver
- The Reaver carries much more armor and ordnance than the lighter Mosquito. Of course, this makes it less maneuverable, but the Reaver is easily the king of the skies with its forward-firing 20 mm Recoilless Cannon and secondary firing Rocket Launchers. The Reaver, like the Mosquito, carries only a single pilot.
- Vulture
- A low-level intrusion bomber variant of the Liberator, the Vulture sports a modified 35 mm cannon capable of significantly increased rate of fire, at the expense of a long cooldown period after each clip. The bombadier has larger, heavier anti-tank bombs, and the tailguner retains the 25 mm ball-turret, but the clip size for the turret is reduced by one-third. The inclusion of an afterburner and increased speed and manuverability required the aircraft armor to be lightened noticeably.
- Wasp
- An anti-air variant of the Mosquito, the Wasp carries two air-to-air missile launchers as well as a 12 mm rotary chaingun with a smaller clip size than the Mosquito's. It trades a significant amount of armor and its overflight radar for an afterburner with increased capacity. Like the Mosquito, the Wasp only carries a single pilot.
Battleframe Robotics
Introduced with the "Aftershock" event, Battleframe Robotics (BFRs) are the most powerful vehicles available to players in PlanetSide. Each one features a shield generator that can absorb large amounts of damage. The shields will also regenerate as they are taking damage. While they require the Core Combat expansion to access, they are not considered "Ancient Tech" (although the backstory indicates that some ancient technology is needed to pilot them).
BFRs come in two types: Standard or Gunner variant and the Flight variant. The Standard variant has a pilot and a gunner and weapons for each. Flight variants give up the gunner in exchange for "jumpjets" that allow the BFR short flight abilities. The Flight variant is only available to soldiers that have achieved the Advanced BFR Merit Commendation.
New Conglomerate
The Peregrine is the ground variant and features two pilot weapons and a gunner turret. The pilot weapons include the Anti-Tank Machine Gun (Anti Vehicle), the Hammer (Anti Infantry) and the Sparrow (Anti aircraft). The gunner weapons include the Particle Cannon (Anti vehicle) and the Rocket Pod (Anti Infantry). These weapons are the most powerful of the three battleframes, however they are only effective at close range since the hammer is essentially a large shotgun and the Anti-Tank Machine Gun's depleted uranium bullets quickly lose effectiveness the longer away the target is. With the exception of the Anti-Tank Machine Gun, these weapons are also the slowest firing but overal their firepower can be devastating.
The Eagle is the flight variant. It is not as heavily armoured and has a weaker, slower charging shield but it has the ability to jump into the air and it has twice the speed of the Peregrine. The shield also goes offline while in the air and slowly drains until the BFR has landed. While in the air, the BFR can be tracked by Anti Aircraft weaponry and flak projectiles will detonate when close to a BFR that is in flight. The Eagle also does not have a gunner turret, only the pilot weapons.
Terran Republic
The Colossus is the ground variant and features two pilot weapons and a gunner turret. The pilot weapons include the Tank Defense Cannon (Anti Vehicle), the 30mm Chaingun (Anti Infantry) and the Burster Flak Cannon (Anti Aircraft). The gunner turret weapons include the dual 100 mm cannon (Anti Vehicle) and the mortar launcher (Anti Infantry). These weapons are very powerful but are the least accurate because the 75 mm shells used by the Tank defense cannon have a significant arc once fired which forces the pilot to lead the weapon to make a proper hit.
The Invader is the flight variant of the Colossus. It is not as heavily armoured and has a weaker, slower charging shield but it has the ability to jump into the air and it has twice the speed of the Colossus. The shield also goes offline while in the air and slowly drains until the BFR has landed. While in the air, the BFR can be tracked by Anti Aircraft weaponry and flak projectiles will detonate when close to a BFR that is in flight. The Invader also does not have a gunner turret, only the pilot weapons.
Vanu Sovereignty
The Aphelion is the ground variant and features two weapons which the pilot controls and a top mounted gunner turret which is controlled by a separate gunner. The pilot weapons include the Pulsed Particle Accelerator (Anti Vehicle), the Continuous laser (anti infantry) and the Starfire (anti aircraft) weapons. The gunner turret's weapons include the Immolation Cannon (Anti Vehicle) and the Plasma Mortar (Anti Infantry). The Vanu Sovereignty BFR's weapons are not as powerful as those of the Terran Republic or the New Conglomerate but they are extremely accurate with consistent damage.
The Eclipse is the flight variant of the Aphelion. It is not as heavily armoured and has a weaker, slower charging shield but it has the ability to jump into the air and it has twice the speed of the Aphelion. The shield also goes offline while in the air and slowly drains until the BFR has landed. While in the air, the BFR can be tracked by Anti Aircraft weaponry and flak projectiles will detonate when close to a BFR that is in flight. The Eclipse also does not have a gunner turret, only the pilot weapons.
System Requirements
The minimum specifications for PlanetSide are as follows:
- Windows. 98/2000/ME/XP
- Pentium III 1.0 GHz or greater
- 256 MB RAM
- GeForce2 class card with 64MB Video RAM
- DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card 56k
- Internet connection
- 4X speed CD-ROM
- 3.25 GB hard drive space
- DirectX 8.1 or greater
The recommended specifications are as follows:
- Windows. 98/2000/ME/XP
- Pentium III 1.6 GHz or greater
- 512 MB RAM
- Direct3D compliant video card with 64MB+ RAM
- DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card
- Broadband Internet connection
- 8X speed CD-ROM
- 3.5 GB hard drive space
- DirectX 8.1 or greater
With the CoreCombat expansion, minimum specifications are:
- Windows. 98/2000/ME/XP
- Pentium III 1.0 GHz or greater
- 256 MB RAM
- GeForce2 class card with 64 mb video RAM
- DirectX 8.1 or higher with supported sound card
- 56k Internet connection
- 4X speed CD-ROM
- 3.2 GB hard drive space
With CoreCombat, recommended specs:
- Windows. 98/2000/ME/XP
- Pentium 4 1.8 GHz or greater
- 512 MB RAM
- GeForce3 or higher class card with 128MB Video RAM
- DirectX 8.1 or higher with supported sound card
- 56k + Internet connection
- 16X speed CD-ROM
- 3.5 GB hard drive space
(Specs from the PlanetSide Support Knowledge Base, retrieved Jan. 18, 2006.)
Much criticism has been made regarding PlanetSide's system resource consumption. The game uses, on average, upwards of 750 MB of RAM while running. The game is widely considered a "system hog". This being said, even with the minimum specs met, many gamers agree that the program is quite playable.
Recently, many players using ATi and NViDIA video hardware have reported crippling graphical problems- missing polygons and "white" textures are two of the most noticeable problems, usually followed by a serious system crash, leaving the player with no option but to hard reset their computer.
A list of afflicted cards can be found here, along with a list of temporary measures that have been known to alleviate the problem slightly.
SoE have recieved much criticism for their handling of the aforementioned hardware problem. After the problem first being reported in early 2006, as of July 2006, no improvement in the problem has been noticed. The problem has prompted many long-time PlanetSide Veterans to cancel their subscriptions, displeased with Sony's handling of the problem.
See also
External links
- The official PlanetSide website
- PlanetSide Universe - Fan site
- The PlanetSide Wiki by PlanetsideSyndicate.com
- 核-CORE-PlanetSide, a Japanese statistic site for PlanetSide. Click here for automaticly translated version
- Template:Dmoz
- PlanetSide at MobyGames
- PlanetSide:Aftershock download
- PlanetSide at OGRank - News about Planetside development.