Thread: Pilot class?

Do we want only certain classes to be able to pilot certain vehicles? This would allow us to say that only pilots could fly air ships, or maybe only support infantry could drive APC's? ... I don't actually much like the idea, but I thought I'd throw it up...

Additionally to this, we could also limit certain weapons or kits to certain players (kill or freeze players who pick up the forbidden kit - killing them is a little extreme I feel, but freezing them would allow them to pick up their old kit and move on). This can be done with squad leaders, commanders, squad members and lone wolves* - if we want to place a limit on kits or vehicles, we've got alot of freedom.

One use for this kind of thing would be artillery - it could be placed on the map and the commander would have to *enter* it in order to use it, and ONLY he could use it. infact, this could work with a whole "commander hut" (as discussed previously) which would house artillery, UAV's - or "stalker birds" as of soon -, supply drops and whatnot.

Also, we could set it up so that only, say, squad leaders with a certain kit could become stalkers, or players without a squad were unable to man transports...

Discuss.

makes sense to me but the class only thing really annoyed me in project reality.

Originally Posted by Halfdark

Do we want only certain classes to be able to pilot certain vehicles? This would allow us to say that only pilots could fly air ships, or maybe only support infantry could drive APC's? ... I don't actually much like the idea, but I thought I'd throw it up...

Additionally to this, we could also limit certain weapons or kits to certain players (kill or freeze players who pick up the forbidden kit - killing them is a little extreme I feel, but freezing them would allow them to pick up their old kit and move on). This can be done with squad leaders, commanders, squad members and lone wolves* - if we want to place a limit on kits or vehicles, we've got alot of freedom.

This, I disagree with, as I suspect you do too.* Yes, not letting some conscript jump in a plane is a good idea in real life, but in games it just tends to be frustrating, and n00bs will end up hanging around the airfield waiting for the plane to spawn, using a kit which will prevent their main pupose being fufilled (guarding the airfield), as the kit will take a drop in KP.

Actually, a random idea.* Is there a way of making players play through a training flight mission, and pass it, offline, before they are allowed in planes online?* I am sick of having my heavily laden transport crash with the loss of all hands because a moron spawned near the craft.

One use for this kind of thing would be artillery - it could be placed on the map and the commander would have to *enter* it in order to use it, and ONLY he could use it. infact, this could work with a whole "commander hut" (as discussed previously) which would house artillery, UAV's - or "stalker birds" as of soon -, supply drops and whatnot.

Also, we could set it up so that only, say, squad leaders with a certain kit could become stalkers, or players without a squad were unable to man transports...

Discuss.

This is much more satisfactory.* No real objections.

Well, as I said, I'm not sure about it for the most part. But for squad leaders and commander special things (artillery, certain weapons etc) I think this is potentially good.

For aircraft though, I think it could be useful. Infact, I think alot of players would *stop* hanging around the airfield waiting for a plane; many people waited around for ages to get them, then just used them to get from one side of the map to the other - or they *want* to use the plane, but not to the extend that they're willing to give up their weapons. We wouldn't have this restriction on transports I don't think; people normally have the good will to let other players jump in.

Wrt making them pass a flying test, not as such. That said, we *do* have access to their playerstats; I'm not sure about in 2142, but certainly in 2 there was a badge for commanding aircraft for a certain time. We could check they've got that badge before allowing them to get into our aircraft; that way they'd have to have a reasonable amount of experience in vanilla. On the downside *I* haven't got a badge, and I *am* a competent pilot. So that might be a little limiting.

Well I love the idea of a commanders hut/bunker/command vehicle thing. It would mean that their would be no "fighting commanders". Which always annoys me The idea of a air-badge is difficult, many people are good flyers but dont have the badge. Another point is those with the badge are generally the people who hog the aircraft so they can spam the titan guns etc. Do we want to reward those who dont use the aircraft to benifit the team? A pilot kit is a good idea, although I dont like the idea of a "crewman" kit for the APC etc, everyone should be able to use those.

So only use the kit to limit vehicles that tend to get camped for/abused? Suits me Commander hut won't be able to occupy him all game - he'll get bored. But it'd be a nice way of doing commander things I think.

True he couldn't but then again it would mean commanders would have to fight near the "control bunker". I suggest we look at vehicle specific kits in another light - would a average solider by able to drive it....no then make it specific.
e.g.

Wheeled - everyone
Tracked Vehicles - Specific
Aircraft - Specific
This also has the advantage that all the main vehicles, the ones that can do huge amounts of damage on their own - are specific so people have to take their role seriously in them instead of just using them as a sort of disposable transport.

On the other hand, it's kinda nice for any player to be able to roll into a tank and commit some ownage... They don't always want to be limited to a certain kit, and then made mostly useless when someone else gets the vehicle... I don't think I'd like this for tanks and other high-damage land vehicles - just the ones that tend to get camped for/hogged - as a means of getting people off the air field and into the combat. The main reason for it would be to *reduce* the number of people trying to get into any one vehicle.

Ok for summary people agree thats a good idea for aircraft, but for tank etc people are unsure either way? Perhaps we should leave the latter for testing to decide?

Agreed I'd like that.