Added weather and natural occurences

[firestormrct]

This has been suggested in many forms, but Planetside needs some more nature-related events. The night and day is good, as well as the current snow and rain, but it needs more variety! Here are my suggestions:

1.) Earthquakes
Earthquakes would shake a player's screen for a short period of time. The closer a person is to the epicenter of the earthquake, the more their screen shakes. The epicenter is denoted on the map by curved, yellow lines which go out from it and fade with distance. Many earthquakes should also have aftershocks, which are less severe, but can be expected after the main earthquake.

2.) Rain
The rain in-game now. Has animations and makes some noise, but nothing that is really annoying. It is denoted by a green circle on the map.

3.) Rain Storm
Just like rain, except there is much more of it. Make more rain animations and play the rain sound a little louder (the rain sound strength should be determined by the effects sounds). Also, decrease fog range by about one-sixth (but still show it as full in the game options). The rain noise and viewing hindrance can make interesting out-door battles. It is denoted by a yellow circle on the map.

4.) Lightning Storm
A Rain Storm, but with lightning. The lightning should actually have animations though, and hit the planet. A person who is near a lightning strike should be "blinded" by a residual white screen that covers what they see (NOT their HUD). If something is hit by lightning, it should take damage. Also, aircraft should be very prone to lightning. It would make for some interesting ground battles. It should be shown as a red circle on the map.

5.) Snow
The snow in-game now. It has animations on screen, and should make soldier footprint sounds a little louder. It is denoted by a green circle on the map.

6.) Snow Storm
Just like snow, except there is much more of it. Make more snow animations and make footprints even louder. Also, decrease fog range by about one-forth (but still show it as full in the game options). The footprint noise and viewing hindrance can make interesting out-door battles. It is denoted by a yellow circle on the map.

7.) Ice Storm
It is a snow storm, but with ice! Hail the size of grenades should fall to the ground, and slightly damage things it hits (infantry much more than armored units). The fog-range should also be about one-third of what it is normally. This would make it near-impossible for infantry fights, and put some nice vehicle fights in the game. It is shown as a red circle on the map.

8.) Tornados
Tornados are giant wind funnels! They should throw infantry and light vehicles in the air (where they fall to their doom) and slightly damage heavier vehicles. You can see them because they are either brown or blue funnels (depending if they are over water or land). They are denoted by a black swirl on the map.

9.) Solar Flares
Solar flares mess up electronics. It should occasionally mess up Radar and prevent lock-on weapons from working every once in a while. It is shown by a cartoony sun on the map.

10.) Sand Storms
Sand storms are like rain and snow storms. They throw sand in the air, which makes a lot of noise and makes vision about one-third it is normally. They are shown as a yellow circle on the map.

11.) Fog
Good old fog. It just makes the default fog one-third its normal range. It is shown as a white circle on the map.

12.) Volcanic Eruption
OH NOEZ! THE SKY IS FALLING! Causes the volcano on Extinction to throw flaming rocks (like meteors, hint hint) into the sky, which rain down and hit things, doing damage to them. The volcano also needs some lava in it. This can't happen on Searhus because the volcano is dormant. It is shown by red, blinking text that says "eruption" over the volcano.

Searhus:
-Earthquakes
-Rain
-Rain Storms

Ascension:
-Earthquakes
-Rain
-Rain Storms

Extinction:
-Earthquakes
-Rain
-Rain Storms
-Lightning Storms
-Fog
-Volcanic Eruptions

Cyssor:
-Rain
-Rain Storms
-Tornadoes

Amerish:
-Rain
-Rain Storms
-Lightning Storms
-Fog

Hossin:
-Rain
-Rain Storms
-Lightning Storms
-Fog

NC Sanc:
-Rain
-Rain Storms

TR Sanc:
-Rain
-Rain Storms

VS Sanc:
-Rain
-Rain Storms

Forseral:
-Rain
-Rain Storms

Nexus:
-Snow
-Snow Storms
-Ice Storms

Ceryshen:
-Snow
-Snow Storms
-Ice Storms

Esamir:
-Snow
-Snow Storms
-Ice Storms

Ishundar:
-Sand Storms
-Solar Flares

Solsar:
-Sand Storms
-Solar Flares

Desolation:
-Sand Storms
-Solar Flares
-Tornadoes

Screenshots are comming.

[thephenyxrising]

The problem with weather is that, for graphical limitations, needs to be togglable... thus, you have hardcore players operating at a disadvantage while you have other players turning it off so they don't have to deal with it.


I really really like the idea, though. :)

[AJsarge]

Easy, use only weather particles vor visual effects and chang viewing distance depending on weather. That way, if a hard-core goes up against a mossy in a rainstorm, the mossy will have just as hard as time as the H-C when it comes to seeing.

[DrizzCat]

Excellent Idea for Balance.

I pity the Poor Sniper that Sets up Shop and has a Thunger storm Roll in

[firestormrct]

Heh, that's the idea. It shouldn't be that hard for lower-graphical computers; all you have to do is animate the traditional fog polygons with white-dotted splotches. There should be a toggle to select how detailed weather should animate, but I dont think 100- extra polygons would mess up a computer that can draw one or two BFRs. I know the current weather system decreases the viewing distance, just like AJsarge suggessted, but weather really shouldn't slow down your computer at all.

[minignu]

Ha, I remember when I was playing on Hossin and a MASSIVE rainstorm moved in. We were moving through some trees when we were ambushed by some vs. All i could hear was the rain drwoning out gunshots, TS and everything else. It. Was. Amazing.

(We fought 'em off :))

[Aut]

I would like it if severe weather grounded flight vehicles and made things harder / slower. Would add an interesting aspect to the game.

"Should we attack hossin?"
"No way man, Huge storm above chac"