SOE Launches Planetside Fodder Program

RobinH writes "Sony Online Entertainment hopes to recruit more players to its aging MMOFPS title Planetside with the launch of its new play-for-free version Planetside: Reserves. According to a story in Gamasutra, 'The freeplay option limits players to a "battle rank" of six, with higher ranks only available to those with a paying account. PlanetSide is already part of the Massive in-game advertising network, and has been running billboard and other adverts since August 2005, presumably helping to fund the game's continued operation via this alternative model.'"

Comments

Re:So...it's just a demo?

[Corbu Mulak]

Well...traditionally a demo version, even multiplayer, wouldn't allow to play with the regular players. I downloaded this over the weekend, as I was interested in trying out Planetside. Me and my brother hooked up with a crew of regular players and we fought in a largish battle.

The game is actually quite fun. It reminds me of a watered down Tribes with experience points.

Re:So...it's just a demo?

[ptbarnett]

So, it's just a traditional demo version, right?

Not entirely. The Reserves play on the same server as everyone else. They can continue to play until the end of the demo period (March 24, 2007 -- no matter when you start).

All of the areas, vehicles, and weapons are available to the Reserve players. The BR 6 limitation just means they won't be able to "learn" more than a handful of certifications at any one time. But, you can "forget" a certification every 6 hours, so you can re-cert (almost) as often as you want.

You start with 7 cert points at BR1, and you'll get an additional one for each BR until BR6. At BR6, you get your first "implant" instead.

The only real handicap for a Reserve player is that paying subscribers will go to the head of the queue (in front of Reserve players) when a zone is population-locked (i.e. there are already 133 players from your empire in that zone).

Re:LOL HTTP DL Only??

[ptbarnett]

1.8 GB via non resumable HTTP Download link? You must be joking, no Torrents? No FTP hosting?

You can find a torrent here:

http://www.mininova.org/tor/262474

This was posted elsewhere. I can't vouch for its reliability.

Try it, but join a good outfit with voice comm!

[Erik_Kahl]

I've been playing this game on and off since it was in beta three years ago. Few games provide me with as much rage or entertainment. SOE has made mistake after mistake compounded with bad ideas. But, the core idea of the game is so interesting and the variety such that I keep playing. Really, once you get into it and find a good group to play with, there just isn't any game like it.

For new players, the game will SUCK for about two weeks. The game is a lot more complex than you think.

For example:

If you're wearing an activated infiltration suit, armed with a spiker, have the weapon drawn and walk by a spitfire turret in an enemy owned interlink facility shpere of influence and in range of a motion sensor does the turret fire at you? What if you crouch walk? What if you fire the weapon? What if you take damage?

Hell, I can't even remember. But, there are players who do and they will kill you.

Now, how many shots will it take an NC in heavy armor with heavy assault to kill you? One. Cause the NC have magical guns. (not really, they just kill me a lot)

In all, this is the stuff you learn by playing with a good group and asking questions over voice comms.

If you want help go to:

www.PlanetsideSyndicate.com

and ask for help. I'll find you a group to play with or the other people there will. The wiki there also has a lot of game info.

1 mb download

[Anonymous Coward]

Alternatively use the 1 mb installer.

http://www.greyfalcon.net/psinstall.zip

PlanetSide, Full Year Trial is easy to download:

[GreyFlcn]

Well, I've done my best to polish up my installer over the weekend.
Put in about every detail I can think of for the trial.

It's a 1MB web installer.

Completely simple, compatable, and just about perfect in every way :)
http://www.greyfalcon.net/psinstall.zip


I'm also the guy who ran the installer last year when we had only 7 day trial keys.
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/05/ 1713229
Got about 7,000 downloads off that marketing push

As for the Devs, we've got a new Producer, really capable guy.
Last two patches have been fantastic.
And the next one looks pretty sweet as well.

Join the Fight :)

Re:Fodder is right

[RobinH]

Here are some great combinations you could have with 11 cert points (BR6):

Heavy Trooper:
- Reinforced eXosuit (3), Medium Assault (2), Heavy Assault (4), Misc (2)

Grenadier/Support:
- Reinforced eXosuit (3), Medium Assault (2), Special Assault (3), Engineering (3)

Sniper:
- Medium Assault (2), Sniper (3), Misc (6)

Pilot:
- Air Cavalry Scout (3), Air Cavalry Assault (2), Air support (3), Misc (3)

Armor Driver:
- Armored Assault 1 & 2 (3), Ground Transport (2), Engineering (3), Flail (artillery) (1), Misc (2)

Combat Medic:
- Advanced Medic (5), Engineering (3), Medium Assault (2), Misc (1)

Special Ops:
- Combat Engineering (5), Infiltration suit (2), ATV (1), Misc(3) *I admit that this role really requires BR8 so you can get advanced hacking to be 100% effective*

Multi-role:
- Air Cavalry Scout (3), Uni-MAX (6), Medium Assault (2)

Battleframe Robotics Pilot:
- Armored Assault 1 & 2 (3), BFR (4), BFR AA (1), BFR AI (1), Misc (2)

There are a LOT of possibilities. Check this out: (a cert point calculator).