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PlanetSide 2 has let out a bit more info and assets at Gamescom, the most divisive of which is what developer Matt Higby told Incgamers: the game will not be coming to PS3 (his exact words were, "I think I would have been told about it by now"). While this news may surprise those who’ve followed SOE’s MMO track record – the most recent crossover being the PC/PS3 DC Universe Online, it doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s true that a PS3 release could help PlanetSide 2 reach a much wider audience, but the issue is one of complexity. When speculation first began as to whether there would be a PS3 release, I was extremely skeptical. The first PlanetSide had me using more keys on my keyboard than any other game I’ve ever played, so translating that to the limited buttons available on a PS3 controller didn’t seem feasible. The good news for PC players interested in PlanetSide 2 is, then, that the game won’t be watered down in order to fit into the console’s controller or specs.
At the same time, it would have been fun destroying PS3 players with a mouse and keyboard through cross-platform play, but oh well. Disappointed PS3 owners: the game won’t be out for a while yet, which means you have time to prepare for a PC upgrade. Sound like too big of an endeavor? Check outmy guide for how to get into PC gamingand you’ll see it’s not so difficult or expensive. In the meantime, let’s check out the new PlanetSide 2 screens, with my PlanetSide geek-levels of knowledge commentary…
Above: This one's interesting not because of the dudes, but rather what's printed on the boxes at right. The labels say "Nanite Systems" which implies some kind of company. This is odd because nanites in the PlanetSide universe are what you'd expect: nanomachines. However, they were not created by humans. They were created by the Ancient Vanu, a race of aliens who long ago abandoned the planet Auraxis, where the game takes place. In fact, the humans discover that the entire planet is made out of nanites, and that once you pass through a warpgate (a teleporter), your flesh-and-blood body is destroyed so when you come out the other side, you're actually made out of nanites. This was PlanetSide's cool explanation for why people can respawn: when you die the planet just rebuilds you from nanites. So if PlanetSide 2 is a re-telling of the original game, maybe the nanites are now created by a human company?
Above: The thing to note here is the smoke in the background. The devs have said that smoke and clouds will be a huge part of the game, with aircraft able to hide inside of cloud banks, and even large battles kicking up enough smoke to actually affect the weather
Above: How did the Rocketeer get into the game? Who cares - jetpacks! The original PlanetSide took some inspiration from the Tribes series and allows the Vanu Sovereignty's (one of the game's factions) heavy-armored soldiers, known as MAX units, to gain the high ground through jump jets. PlanetSide 2 is going to allow any faction's light infantry to have jump jets, so we'll be seeing a whole lot more fools careening through the air. Also of note is the guy on the left, a Terran soldier, carrying a New Conglomerate weapon (the blue and yellow icon gives it away) which implies that the first game's looting system will still be in place in some shape or form. The three factions all have unique weaponry, so stealing an enemy's weapon and then killing his buddies with it is a gleeful act of vengeance
There's also some concept art released which answers a few questions we were wondering about:
Above: First of all, female avatar - which we hadn't seen until now. Second, she's a medic. This confirms that PlanetSide 2's class system won't be as free-form as the first game's. In the original game, anyone could be a medic by simply purchasing and carrying a medical applicator, but there was no medic class. This outfit shows they do plan to have a medic class, although what we don't know for certain yet is whether being a medic just means you're better at healing than the regular soldiers
Above: Now we're talking - infiltrator! PlanetSide handles invisible players better than any game we've seen - it manages to balance invisibility perfectly, allowing infiltrators to have a huge impact on the battlefield without being an annoying enemy for other players. With all the new gameplay mechanics in PlanetSide 2, the devs will have their work cut out trying to keep this class balanced. Sweet looking outfit. Of course, since they spend all their time invisible, you won't be seeing this outfit... pretty much ever
You can also check outa few more screens hereif these aren't enough.
Source:Incgamers
Aug 18, 2011
