New PlanetSide in the Works

[Logan Westbrook]

New PlanetSide in the Works

A follow-up to the innovative MMOFPS PlanetSide is in the works, according to Sony Online Entertainment

Released back in 2003, PlanetSide continues to have a dedicated following even to this day, long after later rivals such as Hellgate: London or Tabula Rasa have shut down their servers. While there is still support for the game, fans have hoped for a sequel for some time now, and now it seems that they will get their wish following a notice sent by SOE to all the PlanetSide players asking them for suggestions.

"We plan to expand the PlanetSide universe with another game and we need your help with the design ... We want to hear your opinion and to do so we have put together a short survey. The information you provide will play a critical role into helping guide the development and direction of the next hit Massively Multiplayer Online First Person Shooter."

There have been mixed reactions regarding this missive, ranging from the enevitable excitement about a PlanetSide sequel to concern over SOE's handling of other MMOs. Having never the game I can't really make any comment, but what do you folks think about this? Is it a good idea to ask the fans, or will that just lead to a skewed game?

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun [http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/09/26/sony-to-develop-planetside-2/]

Permalink

 

[Baron Khaine]

Make the original Planetside, with better graphics, and no stupid mecha's or caves, and SOE, you can have my money.

 

[Amnestic]

PlanetSide was good, though a little dated and dying these days.

More please. It's one of the few MMOs which would work well on consoles as well, which could be interesting.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

concern over SOE's handling of other MMOs.

There's my view right there. They've screwed up every MMO they've touched. If they'd listen to the userbase rather than the whiners then they'd already know how to do it. You won't/can't beat WoW, so make something different and better.

 

[hansari]

Ubisoft published an MMO? (Planetside)

Also...this makes 3 MMO's that SOE will handle under its belt...

Planetside 2 [http://planetside.station.sony.com/], DC Universe Online [http://dcuo.station.sony.com/], and The Agency. [http://theagency.station.sony.com/verification.vm]

Does Sony think all these games will be a success? Or is the mentality in the MMO development community that the more MMO's you dish out, the better chance you have that at least one will be a hit success...

 

[hansari]

There's my view right there. They've screwed up every MMO they've touched.

Wasn't Everquest a huge success?

PlanetSide was good, though a little dated and dying these days.

More please. It's one of the few MMOs which would work well on consoles as well, which could be interesting.

The gameplay makes it look interesting...I think it would be a hit...although the last Sci-fi MMO isn't doing too hot. (Section 8)

 

[Kellerb]

WOOOOO!!!!!! PLANETSIDE!!!!! (sorry, im a fanboy, but its awesome )

 

[feather240]

I'm glad they're listing to the fans. [quotezp/] As long as the one payment option is the same as the last one. It had better be or I won't even look at it. I'll glance, but I won't look!

 

[Nimbus]

I don't know much about this game. Is it a real MMOFPS or is it just WoW with guns, like Tabula Rasa?

 

[fix-the-spade]

More stability, dear god MORE STABILITY!

I tried it when it was new, then again during the WAR. Both times it was great except for the crippling number of fatal errors. I know MMO's have a lot of content to sort through but it was ridiculous, it's the only game I've played that crashed because the computer was operating too fast for it.

Gameplay wise I'd like it a little more run and gun, but that's just me.

 

[Dr Salvador]

I don't know much about this game. Is it a real MMOFPS or is it just WoW with guns, like Tabula Rasa?

It was a proper fps, but you could increase levels to unlock guns and different skills. It was pretty cool how the whole game was a constant battle for all the islands.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

There's my view right there. They've screwed up every MMO they've touched.

Wasn't Everquest a huge success?

Yes, and Verant made a great MMO.

Then SOE came in, added the PoK Stones to reduce travel - thus making certain zones unusable and empty - tried to get the ships working for 2 years and then replaced them with teleport gnomes, ruined the Epic quests and tradeskills by providing far better drops for free, had level 1's able to farm platinum, brought in the Froglok's etc. etc.

Then they created EQ2, tore the playerbase in half, spent huge amounts of money on character modelling and music and then hid it behind a Simple Simon game for combos that worked on ping.

Just about that point, WoW came along.

Then there was SW:G (Deserted due to "upgrades"), Matrix Online (disbanded due to killer bugs), Vanguard (Going over to gold selling). Not really a great record.

To bring up a small point, the demo they built in 1999 was released in 2007 without updating itself on any of the ingame changes since 2001. In 2009 there is still no support for an in game change that happened 8 years ago.

 

[AceDiamond]

You know I had high hopes for planetside, and then it actually came out.

So given that SOE is behind this as they were the first one, then no, I am not jumping for anything resembling joy. If, and that's if it comes out better than the first installments, I'll consider it.

 

[Wandrecanada]

With Global Agenda fast approaching a launch date they may want to take a look at what is liked and disliked with the title before starting to figure out what the fans want. You want to add to your userbase with a new title not not maintain what you already have. If you're only interested in placating fans you should make addon content.

 

[dekkarax]

Does this mean a second Planetside war?

 

[Danny Ocean]

Does this mean a second Planetside war?

If this happens, I think The Escapist should be in on it in a big way.

I've been looking over the shoulder of my PS3 owning friend with envy as he browses for snippets of news about MAG. Now I might be able to sate my needs for something like it on PC! =D

I can be the BF2 blackhawk pilot again! I used to be a squad leader, I'd fly and issue orders and warnings from up above, while two members rained down death, and the other 3 achieved the objective. It was such epic, movie-like teamwork. I've only really seen situations like that recreated in the scripted events of COD4. I'm so looking forward to this!

 

[MarsProbe]

A Planetside sequel is something I'd like to see. Even though, towards the end of the time I spent playing the game, the servers were most often completely empty and even hitting Instant Action would have landed you in the middle of nowhere.

Anyway, I still think a new game could work. It was just a pity, last time around, the Core Combat content was so scarcely used. That, and they shouldn't have blown the planet up....

 

[ccesarano]

I absolutely loved the feel of Planetside (when it was a fight for bases on three islands, at least). Hundreds of people in a single battle, waiting for the drop ship so all Hell could break loose, it was awesome. Sure, it had issues (I quit when the pistol became more useful than the machine gun), but for the atmosphere and everything it was a pretty epic game.

Here's to hoping it sees a console release for gamers lacking a powerful enough PC.

 

[samsonguy920]

This is a reaction to Dust 514, CCP's own MMOFPS. True CCP has a record of only one MMO so far, EVE Online, which is awesome in its own right(barely ever laggy, hardly ever crashed, the expansions are free...etc, etc) that alone speaks volumes for CCP. Sony trying to play catchup to that as they have tried to WoW, will only lead to bitter failure. Kudos to SOE getting input from the fans, but it aint gonna end well. Is too bad, Planetside looks like plenty of fun.

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

What with the release of Alpha Protocol looming, I've been playing way too many RPG games. I've been eying PlanetSide but don't know if its any good.