BFR Damage Tweaks

[Earlydawn]

My take on fixing BFRs:

Step One: Change Fundimental Shield Functionality

• BFR shields only recharge when crouched.
• Autorun mode totally disables shields.
• Shields function in normal mode, but do not recharge
• Flying is normal mode for shield purposes.
• Each varient recharges at the exact same speed it would recharge crouched now.
• This change creates a new tactical fascet. BFRs are still well protected against vehicles, but must play it smart and know when to retreat to recharge.
• BFRs can attempt to simply activate autorun and flee to recharge, but lose their shields entirely until they stop. Thus, a planned retreat is wise.

Step Two: Generator Vulerabilities

• Although vehicle ordinance cannot penetrate the shield, there is a chance that impact stress on the shield bubble may cause the generator to suffer minor malfunctions.
• English Translation: Heavy Arms damage to the shield has a % chance to cause a damage effect to the shield generator.
• These effects include reduced recharge rates (when crouched), a drop in maximum shield capacity, or vulnerability to an additional ammunition type (75mm / 35mm / ect rounds can penetrate until repaired.)
• However, this effect will never actually damage the generator. Instead, they are closer to perminant (until repaired) EMP effects.
• This helps prevent BFR vs BFR stalemates we see now. Although both BFRs can crouch and wail on each other with little to no effect, they are both subject to malfunctioning shield generators as they exchange blows, as well as exposing their generators to infantry.

Step Three: More Vulerable To Infantry

• Theroretically, infantry are the best at whittling down a BFR. However, this is much different, practically speaking.
• Bolt Driver hits should either have a greater probability of damaging a respective subsystem with a hit.
• Alternatively, give Snipers an Anti-BFR round that does much less damage to infantry, but has a very high probability of subsystem damage. (Anti-Resonance Round?)
• Make the shield generator more fragile, in general. No complicated rules here, just make , say, 2/3rds as durable as it is now.

[DviddLeff]

The BFR is already going to get a healthy beating with the nerf stick:

As we watch the earl days of the BFR's proliferation into the game, we are looking for opportunities to make the play experience the best that it can possibly be for all sides involved, whether BFR's or foot soldiers. With that in mind, we will be making a few adjustments related to BFR's on Tuesday, November 2. These changes are:
Small reduction to BFR Shield Regeneration.
Small reduction to BFR shield's size.
Increased experience multiplier for destroying a BFR.
Reduced BFR explosion radius when it is destroyed.
Reduced BFR AV weapons damage.
Increased effectiveness of handheld AV weapons vs. BFR's (Striker, Phoenix, Lancer, Decimator).
Increased the effectiveness of EMP's vs. BFR's.
Increased AV MAX effectiveness againt BFR's.
Splash damage that hits a BFR shield will incur less grief.
The most substantial changes have been made on the side of infantry against BFR's. While there have been some reductions to the BFR properties themselves, we feel it is most important to increase the foot soldiers' power in the anti-BFR battle and provide them with an effective counter. Of all the changes, the AV weapons changes will be the most dramatic to provide a large improvement to both dropping a BFR shield and begin blasting away at the armor itself once the shield drops.
Post Your Questions
Post Your Comments and Suggestions
Message Edited by SporkfirePS on 10-27-2004 03:22 PM

Victor Wachter
Community Relations Manager
Got a question? It may have been answered already. Check the Dev Tracker or the FAQ

Lets see how they balance out after this and the initial "OMGWTFIWANTABIGROBOTBBQSTD" phase...

[Tiletron|Hyncharas]

What can I say Earlydawn, I agree with every point on your list.

[Earlydawn]

We aim to please. :D :P

[evregade]

Im glad you posted that DviddLeff, that post will bring me back to Planetside. If the BFRs are being balanced out im coming back.

[Redford Blade]

While I'm happy to see infantry AV weapons becoming more effective against BFR's, I also empathize with BFR pilots.

While I played the Mechwarrior series of games, and thrilled at the power of humanoid (and not so humanoid) weapons of mass destruction, when I played the Battletech table-top game, I often tried to enhance the infantry, and give them more chances to kill the 'Mechs and vehicles. In a sense, I want to bring this to Planetside.

BFRs should be the reigning kings of vehicular combat, as that is their purpose. However, infantry need new weapons or ammo types designed specifically to damage BFRs at close range. Buffing AV is vital to the survival of the infantry, but it is not enough. We need equipment intended to defeat BFRs, similar to the Anti-'Mech troopers in the Battletech Universe.

Earlydawn mentioned Anti-Resonance rounds, and Spork spoke sparingly ( :lol: couldn't help it) of increasing EMP effects. I say make a new weapon that does nothing but cause EMP effects and weaken shields. Or create some sort of Anti-Resonance mine that blows up very soon after being set up (imagine a satchel charge that doesn't attach). These weapons would be used by dedicated anti-BFR units, and would go a long way to make the infantryman more useful than the reaverspammer.

EDIT: Lets set up a thread specifically to come up with and compile Anti-BFR weapons and ideas on how to balance them out. I'm heading to bed, but maybe one of you can do it.

[evregade]

Two Words- Max Bombs.

Give maxes an 8x8 bomb that they can take out and if a BFR holds still for 5 seconds they can plant on it and cause 50% armor damage + take out the shield.

Similar to the abilities an Elemental could have in Mechwarrior (they would actually hop onto the mech and plant bombs in the reactor area, run away and watch it go boom).

This would give MAXes a brand new function, but its balanced in that the BFR has to be un-moving and paying no attention whatsoever

[Redford Blade]

Was that in one of the MW games? A friend said he'd done it, but I've never seen it myself.

Sounds great. I was just unsure of how feasible it would be to attach an object to the BFR like that. I still say that infantry should be able to do something like that though.

[DviddLeff]

If Radiator sticky bombs would actually stick, say goodbye to BFRs...

[Redford Blade]

I don't think the radiator does enough damage for that (I could be wrong), but even if it did, infantry would still need access to AT equipment in order to counter BFRs.

[DviddLeff]

Yesterday annoyed me a lot, had a Radiator, in the caves, and was being camped indoors by a Mossie, jumped outside, Radiator grenade hits the Mossie right in the cockpit, does it stick, does it hell, Mossie just stays there shooting me.

That pilot should have had to head out of the combat zone and change his trousers, not just laugh and spray me with lead.