Planetside 2

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Comm-Link: Matt Higby
2011-09-13 15:11:00
.................. COMM-LINK 001 ESTABLISHED....................



Greetings:



My name is Matthew Higby and I have the privilege of working as the Creative Director on PlanetSide 2™. My role on this team is to steer the game design vision and manage the design team responsible for the overall gameplay experience that players will encounter once they step foot in the game. So you know where I’m coming from, prior to PlanetSide 2 I worked on a number of SOE titles, including the original Star Wars Galaxies, EverQuest® II, Free Realms® and most recently, Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures™. From the early days of development, original PlanetSide was a title that I respected, admired and had a hell-of-a-lot of fun playing. As an avid FPS gamer and fan of competitive online gaming and e-sports, being able to take part in the creation of the follow up to such an epic franchise is an absolute dream come true for me.






Of course, it takes an extremely talented team of artists, coders, designers, audio engineers, and production staff to build the enormous, incredible, unbelievably badass game experience that is PlanetSide 2. I’m really proud to be working with an extremely passionate and hard working team whose drive and determination inspires and amazes me daily. The PlanetSide 2 team members are some of the most talented and proven developers in the industry bringing together hundreds of years of collective experience from all over the gaming map especially the MMO and FPS genres-- and we are still growing. Together we are building the future of online gaming with PlanetSide 2.



It has been a little over two months since we officially unveiled PlanetSide 2 to the world and to say it has been a busy couple months is a huge understatement. We are really stoked at the reaction we have received from the PlanetSide community and are amped to relay our goals and aspirations for the game and inevitably create a direct back-and-forth communication with our players. This COMM-LINK will be a resource to the PlanetSide community; a place where we plan to deliver news, assets and information to keep you involved in the PlanetSide 2 development process. This is a place where we will share insight directly from the team on the game in our course to launching PlanetSide 2.






So, a bit about the team- our ridiculously talented art team is led by Senior Art Director, Tramell "T-Ray" Isaac. With an impressive resume that spans more than 15 years and includes games like Fallout, Fallout 2, Never Winter Nights 2, and the original PlanetSide, Tramell is a force to be reckoned with, often ending arguments with nothing more that his steely gaze.



With a project as technically ambitious as PlanetSide 2, we could not get anywhere without a brilliant group of engineers, technical architects and coders. We have some of the finest in the industry including our Technical Director, Ryan "Forge" Elam, who is not only one of the smartest and most dedicated teammates but he is also one of the nicest dudes around.



Heading up the whole crew is our Executive Producer, Joshua Hackney, who somehow manages to keep us all in line and at the same time keeps the energy drinks flowing, the paychecks signed and the suits and bean counters off our backs so that we can concentrate on making the best possible game.



There are a ton of reasons that we are all excited to work on PlanetSide 2 and for those of you who have not heard what we are building, allow me to lay out a few of the fundamental features so you can see why:



Our goal with PlanetSide 2 is to create a game where you will fight against and alongside thousands of players, competing simultaneously and directly against one another in massive battles featuring intense infantry action as well as incredible air and ground vehicle combat. You will be able to traverse enormous open-world maps featuring massive gameplay space and unique biospheres, punctuated by massive facilities, towers and bunkers. Persistent conquest warfare is facilitated by territory control where you will earn resources to unlock weapon add-ons, vehicle customizations, and more. No instancing here, everything is 100% PVP and 100% open world combat. And of course, a deep character customization and personalization will allow players to create your very own soldier, customize your weapons and vehicles to fit not only your own personal play style but the needs of your outfit or the entire empire.






All of these features come together to deliver what we feel will be not only the world’s best MMOFPS, but the ultimate online FPS experience. The feedback and excitement we have received from the PlanetSide community thus far has been amazing and we are just getting warmed up! Over the next few weeks and months be sure to check back here periodically as we release additional COMM-LINK articles featuring myself, Tramell, Josh, Ryan and the rest of the dev team. As I said earlier, here we will share some extensive details about the game systems, continents, vehicles, weapons, etc., through screenshots, gameplay videos, and more. PlanetSide 2 is about to go off and we are thrilled and honored to have you, our player community, along for the ride.



Until next time, please keep in touch- we would love to hear from you!



PlanetSide2.com

Facebook.com/PlanetSide2

@PlanetSide2



-


Matthew Higby
Creative Director, PlanetSide 2
@mhigby



& The PlanetSide 2 Team

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So what gets the most attention and detail? It's the two objects that you'll be seeing all the time: your character's arms and weapons. Isaac said we'll be impressed by just how much detail we'll be able to make out, including stitches, threading and surface textures.

As for the armor itself, players will have a lot of say in just how they look. Not only will they gain new pieces and insignias as they rank up, but PlanetSide 2's microtransaction-based business model means that players can purchase cosmetic armor sets from the get-go if they're not feeling as rugged and awesome as they desire. The team is also working on a neat attachment system in which you can slap on cool accessories and armor modifications to further personalize your gear.

Going from the original PlanetSide to PlanetSide 2 is like comparing the Tim Burton's 1989 Batman to Christopher Nolan's 2005 Batman Begins, Isaac said. It's all about making it more contemporary while keeping the same spirit: "I look at it like PlanetSide Awesome, not PlanetSide 2."

Araxis: An extreme Earth

Of course, armor and colors aren't the only job of the art team; the artists have to create an entire planet with multiple continents as well. The planet that will ship with the game, Araxis, is huge in scope and design. The team's made it to be a more extreme version of Earth, with superheated deserts, large grand canyon regions, frozen oceans, and the like.

While alien life forms will initially be limited to just plants, the team isn't ruling out a house call from E.T. at some point in the future. In the meantime, players will have to pay attention to their environments, which can -- in some cases -- kill. For example, a volcanic zone will be spewing lava all over the place, and lava trumps armor most every day.

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[quote]Theme of the Week - The Art of PlanetSide 2
2011-09-27 10:35:00
.................. COMM-LINK 002 ESTABLISHED.................



Whats crackin!



Its Tramell T.Ray Isaac, Senior Art Director on PlanetSide 2. In last weeks COMM LINK you met some of the core dev team leads; this week we want to switch gears and focus on the art style of PlanetSide 2. Currently, a majority of our team is comprised of artists, including concept, environment and character artists, 3D modelers, animators, tech artists and 2D graphic designers, to name a few. These artists have been diligently working on the paramount task of defining, and in some respects, re-defining the art style of PlanetSide 2. From this lens, we would like to give you a better understanding of how the overall aesthetic of the game will come to fruition throughout the course of development. But first a bit of background on me, just so you know where Im coming from



Seventeen years ago I started in the video game industry as a 2D animator. My first game was a title for Interplay, Blood and Magic. I think that sold like 7.5 copiesMy second title started out as Steve Jacksons GURPS. I believe most of you know this product by its true name, Fallout. Fallout 2 and Icewind Dale followed and a few short years later I began working on the original PlanetSide and all of its expansions. We had an awesome time working on original PlanetSide, and even though most of that team has moved on to other companies and games, we are still very close to this day. Soon after SOE released PlanetSide: Aftershock, I decided it was time for me to move on. I then went on to work on Neverwinter Nights 2 and Duke Nukem Forever. But SOE couldnt take me being gone so long, so once again I returned and joined forces on The Agency. Now its time to make history again with PlanetSide 2.



The groundwork we put into the original PlanetSide established the foundation for much of the look and feel of PlanetSide 2. The original PlanetSide started out fairly simple in its visual approach. I came onto the project after about a year of production. A few things had been loosely defined, but there wasnt a final cohesive look and feel to any of the factions, buildings, weapons, or vehicles. We started small by refining the look of the Terran Republic (TR) and the New Conglomerate (NC) characters, and then moved to the Vanu Sovereignty (VS) faction which had been designed but not created on the art side. By associating the factions with basic geometric shapes, we found a simple way to create visual opposition. We ended up with Circles (TR) v. Squares (NC) v. Triangles (VS). These shapes are simple and straight forward which works really well for player identification.



The iconic faction colors were also something that we played with, but ultimately chose Red for TR, opposing color Blue for NC, and combined them both to make the Purple of the VS. We needed colors that stood out on the screen for easy friend or foe identification. With the Vanu Sovereigntys main color being so dark, we need a color that complimented purple that was vibrant and wasnt used in the other two factions. Teal was the color we went with for these reasons. Once all the basic shapes and colors were established we took those cues and expounded upon them for the vehicles and weapons. The buildings were another story as they needed to have a nonspecific look that players could immediately recognize and not mistake for their own or as constructed by an opposing faction.



For PlanetSide 2 we took the origins of the factions, buildings and environments and re-imagined them with todays technology. The buildings and structures now have more depth and detail. We took a look at what was created in the original game and re-developed it to fit the needs and aesthetic of the current gaming landscape. You will definitely see some familiar cues from the original bases in the buildings that we have re-visualized for PlanetSide 2. Each facility will still be identifiable as it was represented in the original game but with a modern twist.

The basic style cues for each faction are still intact. The Terran Republic is the faction that started it all. Their shapes and design are formed from circles and smooth lines. The TR look is more refined and sports some wear and tear but never looks overly used or secondhand. Most of their armor, weapons, and vehicles are constructed of composite materials that require a more sophisticated manufacturing process.





In contrast, the New Conglomerate is a bit less refined than the TR. The NC base look is derived from squares, rectangles, straights and 45 degree angles. The NC are a resourceful bunch, which is important in maintaining an older set of vehicles, armor and weaponry. Although NC weapons arent the most advanced, they ARE lethal just the same. NC armor will be chipped, dented and dinged but never compromised. The weapons and vehicles are worn but well maintained, something like your dads 77 Oldsmour dads 77 Oldsmobile.

New Conglomerate Liberator

The Vanu Sovereignty is the most technologically advanced empire in the PlanetSide Universe. The VS are worshippers of the ancient technology found throughout planet Auraxis. I would say that they are more like an extremely powerful religious cult with energy weapons. As with some religious structures you would see things that are fairly ornate and somewhat extravagant. VS armor, weapons, and vehicles appear to be fairly contemporary with very little wear or damage. The VS is symbolized by triangular shapes and angles. Armor, weapons, and vehicles sport a carapace like shell layered like the plates of a lobster.

Vanu Sovereignty Magrider

New to PlanetSide 2 is the manufacturing company Nanite Systems (NS). NS created all the common pool vehicles and weapons. They are the PlanetSide equivalent to Stark Industries in Iron Man. We created NS to add an additional element and background story to the planetary war. Visually, NS is very generic Sci-fi. There is nothing particularly unique about the NS items; their colors are warm grays with off white and tan to accent. NS shape language is taken from the combined shape language of the three empires. NS weapons and vehicles can use straights, 45 degree angles, some curves, with some shallower angles incorporated into the form. Nanite Systems hardware is built to last not for flash.

SOEs ForgeLight Engine has allowed us to bring the PlanetSide universe to life in a way that could not have been realized until now. The environments for PlanetSide 2 are the star of the show. We are working hard to give the players game environments that are immersive and believable. Much like the original PlanetSide, we will offer up a wide variety of ecosystems to wage war upon. Continents like Indar will present the player with a vast desert wasteland with canyons that stretch as far as the eye can see. Dust storms will plague the landscape. As the suns set, watch the shadows stretch and fade into the night. PlanetSide 2 environments will be living worlds. The battles will not only be about battling the other empires, they will also require the player to strategize against the continent itself.

Ok, enough of this bulljive. I have to get back to making the most bad-ass MMOFPS that youve ever done seent. I hope you enjoyed my little nugget of info about the art style of PlanetSide 2. For more information on the subject, please join us this for this weeks Webcast and Twitter Chat (info below). Until next time my friends, T.Ray signing off.

Tramell T.Ray Isaac

Senior Art Director, PlanetSide 2

@PS_TRay

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JAKE duffy, Terran Republic Quartermaster, AMP Station Gamma. June 21, 2845.

Duffy’s voice could be heard through the walls of his Plexi-enclosed office. “What the freakin’ hell are you standing there for, Jones? You playing with yourself? I told you to get those !%$#$@ weapons to the loading dock-A…now.”

He glanced at the manifest, then glared at Private Genny Jones, quaking in fear, a tiny, little thing, no more than five feet one, if even that, with shoulder length flaming red hair and a temper to match. She had been assigned to weapons’ supply only two weeks ago when they were still at relative peace with the New Conglomerate and they thought she’d have time to learn her job while the two sides tried to reach some tentative compromise. Nobody expected those idiots to start shooting at each other before dawn the very next morning.

“115 Mini chain guns. We need two crates of bolt drivers. They’re also going to need cyclers and repeater pistols. And don’t forget the dome blasters. You got all that, Jones?”

“Yessir,” she shouted back. “I gathered them soon as I saw the manifest this ayem, sir. And they’re already loaded onto the Galaxys. I was just waiting for coordinates to dispatch them, sir.”

Duffy looked her over. Two weeks on the job and she nailed it. Damn. “Good work, Private. Punching them in now. And one other thing, Jones.”

“Yessir?”

“I’m the Quartermaster, not an officer. Call me that, or Q, or Duffy. Not sir.”

“Sorry, won’t happen again…Duffy.”

“Make sure it doesn’t private. Now get on board. You’re with Booth and Erickson.”

She was already on the move.

The troops took their places in the Galaxy and braced for lift-off. Two minutes later Duffy’s voice crackled over her head-armor earphones. “The brass just told me to relay your mission. So, listen up, soldiers, I’m not repeating it. Two platoons of T.R. soldiers are trapped on the volcanic island of Searhus, under fire by ^&%# New Conglomerate dirtbags. Appears they took control of Mount Lavastorm on the mistaken belief we’re gonna let ‘em free their captured forces from the Kane Prison Compound. If they succeed, the N.C. armies would be equal to T.R. forces. Our job’s to make certain that will never happen. You got that?”

Genny Jones joined the chorus with a loud, “Understood, Quartermaster Duffy. Understood.”

As the Galaxy sped across Auraxis toward Searhus, Jones mentally catalogued what she had been taught about the enemy. The New Conglomerate were originally from three very different groups who came together for their mutual benefit. First and foremost there were the businessmen. They may not have been the highest of the muckety-mucks, but they ran the most powerful companies back on Earth and the Terran colonies and were sent to establish a foothold on the other side of the universe to exponentially increase company profits. They were the VPs and managers of the original conglomerates and now they were going to control the new businesses. Of course, Jones realized the bosses weren’t expecting to do any of the hard labor by themselves, so they brought along the civilian workforce, men and women paid to join the mission to build the new cities, factories and more. Once done they would return to Earth to collect their creds. Finally, because the businessmen never went anywhere without protection, they brought along the third group that made up the N.C.’s: the highly paid and highly dangerous mercenaries.

Unlike the bulk of Connery’s crew who intended to colonize and live on the new worlds they discovered, these groups were in it for creds only. They planned to return home as soon as they could. They had no loyalty to Connery or the mission. All they cared about was what they could get out of it. The New Conglomerate, as they came to call themselves, were always willing to work with them. But, Genny remembered reading that once they found themselves on the other side of the wormhole with no way to return home, meaning no way to get their creds, they slowly moved apart from the others.

Genny remembered her Sergeant’s words, drilled into her squad of new recruits. “You wanna know the difference between us an’ them,” he shouted. “Once those N.C. bastards landed on Auraxis, they came to the high ‘n’ mighty conclusion that the Terran Republic’s laws, which they had followed ‘til then, were suddenly incompatible with their own selfish needs. They could never accept that the laws were enacted to protect all the people, seein’ we were so many lightyears from home. Like always, those N.C. buttholes only thought about themselves an’ nobody else.”

She took out her tab and flipped through the vids of her family back on Cyssor and hopefully safe. Her mom smiled at her and blew her a kiss. Her Dad looked at her like he always did. To him she was still nine years old and in pigtails. Her sister, Lea, mouthed the words, “Be safe, sis,” which made Genny grin. Sandy, her older brother, just waved solemnly. He was the one who fought the most with her not to join the T.R. army. Sandy, a theoretical physicist, was caught up with the Vanu cultists and was against some of T.R. laws but those Vanu nuts were nothing compared to the N.C. traitors. They argued endlessly over who was right and who was wrong, and she recognized that he made some good points, but ultimately she had to fight for the cause she most believed in. Still, she loved him and knew he loved her, and they both prayed that war would not divide their family as it was doing to Auraxis.

Back in his office, Quartermaster Duffy watched the Galaxys take off for Searhus. Before they took off he had done his traditional one last walk through. He saw the shock of red hair in the back. Genny Jones was talking with Billy Pelz, a recent recruit no older that eighteen unless he had lied about his age. A lot of the kids did these days. They talked excitedly about going off to war. Idiots. They got no idea what war is all about, Duffy thought before giving a silent prayer that they all came home again.

He turned away and scanned the news vids looking for any word whether the group that was now calling themselves the Vanu Sovereignty was remaining neutral, taking sides or launching their own offensive. So far nothing. He prayed they would stay out of it. Life on Auraxis had suddenly gone to hell and Duffy didn’t need another conflict to make it worse.

He shook his head wondering how it had come to this. By the time they found Auraxis and landed, the people had joined together for mutual protection. They tamed the savage planet, terraformed it, grew food enough for everyone, built cities and fortifications, and worked together so they could survive together.

So much changed in 175 years.

He sighed, breathed in a deep breath, then called in Ben Davids, yet another new kid who joined up only this past week. “What the freakin’ hell are you standing there for, Davids?” Duffy shouted. “ You playing with yourself? I told you to get those !%$#$@ weapons to the loading dock-B… now.”

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SANDY JONES, Vanu Sovereignty, Chief of Research and Development.

Jones looked up from his computers to the bank of monitors lining the wall above where he sat. He had been warned that morning by his sister, Genny, a Private in the Terran Republic military, that something big was going down on the volcanic island of Searhus.

“Why are you doing this, G?” he asked her. “There’s no reason you have to join the military. There’s no reason you have to take sides. They’re both insane, you know, the Terran Republic and New Conglomerate alike. They’re going to kill each other and take down a lot of innocent bystanders.”

Genny laughed. “Unlike you Vanu lunatics? You believe in the magic powers of some alien God…”

“Not a God. Just an alien. We know they existed. We’ve excavated their cities. We’ve analyzed their artifacts. And ever since what happened to Briggs we’ve gotten sporadic telepathic feedback. Vanu and his people were real.”

“Operative word, Sandy, is ‘were.’” They died off a zillion years ago. And don’t dare correct me. Five hundred years or a zillion don’t make a hell of a difference when they’re dead. Look, I get it, brother. You scientists don’t take sides. You analyze. You poke. You rip the atoms out of whatever the hell you’re researching just to see what happens. Then you do it again and again to see if the results are the same.”

“The scientific method. It’s worked since the dawn of science.”

“I know. And I love you for your dedication. But those of us who don’t hide our emotions behind test tubes and equations get excited about things. We’ve only been on this world two hundred years. That’s not enough time for mankind to want to wipe everyone out again. We need peace. I believe in that so much I want to be part of the process.”

Sandy gave her that look he knew she hated that said, I’m now going to speak sense into you, kid, so you’d better listen. “Which is why I’m telling you that you should stand aside and let both sides blast each other until the idiots are dead and stay dead. Then this planet will belong to the rest of us who believe in peaceful research. Besides, you do know your Terran Republic friends aren’t all sweet innocence and light. They’re dictators of the worst kind.”

He saw her face flush red with anger. “And the New Conglomerate are any better? They’ve worked against the colonies since day one. They refused to do their jobs unless they were paid and when there was no way they’d go back home and get their creds, they took off. The T.R. wants us to work together…”

Sandy leaned in and interrupted. “Under their rules and draconian laws. And if you disagree, you are either arrested or executed.”

Genny talked over her brother as if he hadn’t said a word. “…while the N.C. went off and built their damn underground cities and let the rest of us rot.”

“Exactly. For them it’s all or nothing, my way or the highway” Sandy said. “Which is why I stay neutral. It’s why I and the rest of us refuse to get involved with that insanity. Sis, all I want is for you to be safe. Look, why don’t you let me take you to our camp. See what I see. Understand what we’re about. When you’re shown the truth of Vanu, I know you’ll want to join us.”

“Sandy, come on, be serious. I love you. Really. And because I do I read about Vanu. I understand him. And that’s why I am not going AWOL to watch your friends talk their mystic gibberish.”

“Gibberish? Genny, you’ve only read T.R. and N.C. propaganda. You have no idea what Vanu is about. Please. Let me show you.”

Genny gave her brother a dismissive kiss on the cheek. “I’m sorry, but no. I can’t and I won’t. Besides, you and I both know it won’t come down to war. They’re talking. They’ll find some compromise. They always do. We’re all stuck on Auraxis so ultimately we’ll have to work together whether we want to or not,” she said as she gave her brother a kiss, and promised she’d be back in time for Wednesday’s family dinner. It was Genny’s birthday and Sandy’s wife, Elayne, was preparing Genny’s favorite, Turkey faux.

She gave one parting grin, flicked her brother’s earlobe as she always did, then left. Tomorrow was going to be one helluva day.

Sandy looked up at the live news feed that scrolled across the monitors. The reporter, Richard Morgannis, named for his great, great, great grandfather, Richmond, and the great grandson of the still beloved Jessicana Morgannis, looked serious as he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Representatives of both the Terran Republic and the New Conglomerate report that all peace treaty meetings have been cancelled.”

“There’s no way we can reason with those traitors,” said George Harris, the T.R. spokesman.

New Conglomerate spokesman Diane Draper responded by saying, “We didn’t walk from the peace table, George. Your side did.”

Harris’ face filled the screen again. “We left because your people ordered your mercenaries to attack T.R. settlements in the Kaorr desert region.”

“No, you marched in and slaughtered dozens of settlers.” Draper responded.

“Settlers? They were building weapons of war out there, Diane, and don’t act like you didn’t know it! You terrorists were intending to use them against innocent citizens of the Terran Republic!” Harris yelled.

Morgannis’s face replaced the two feuding representatives. “T.R. officials say they deny all N.C.claims and that unless the N.C. leadership is willing to…” Morgannis touched his earpod; he was receiving new information.

“We are now getting reports that a large scale battle is taking place on the island of Searhus, in the vicinity of the Kane Prison Compound. Both sides have sworn that the battle will not stop until their opposite numbers are all dead. Our reporters on the scene are replaying information indicating that weapons of mass destruction are being used and that the death toll on both sides is quickly rising. They say… wait… I’m no longer connected with our people on Searhus. All I’m getting is static. It appears communications are...”

Sandy Jones stared at the monitor screens alive only with static. Genny was somewhere in that warzone. He had to know what was happening.

“Sandy,” a voice coming from behind him called his name. He turned to see Chairman Willis Scott enter the room. “Those fools did it. This planet is now at war.”

“We’re staying neutral, sir. Aren’t we?” Sandy asked.

Scott shook his head. “We’re not siding with either of them, if that’s what you mean. But we also can’t stay on the side any longer. It is only a matter of time before all the nuances of Rebirthing is made public; it’s a secret we won’t be able to keep for much longer. Vanu himself has spoken to me. To save the world he once ruled, in order for humanity to reach its full potential, we must take up arms and destroy them both. We must eradicate all that stands against us. Today we have declared our Sovereignty, a Vanu Sovereignty. Only one force can live on Auraxis, and it must be us.”

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JOE WALSH, New Conglomerate Master Sergeant, Searhus. June 21, 2845.

Walsh watched helplessly as Privates Ken Edmund, Jr. and Adira Sullivan, both doing their best to hold Lavastorm’s south ridge, fell dead to the ground, Terran Republic bullets penetrating their chest armor then exploding inside them. Although he didn’t know Sullivan, Walsh had been friends with Ben’s father from their Academy days. These kids were good. Walsh would make certain the T.R. murderers paid.

“Miller. Cohen. Move into their positions. You see any T.R. scum, take them out.” The two scrambled over the crusted lava field and filled the empty spaces. “In place, Sarge,” Miller shouted, “and ready.”

The Terran Republic had been the single political force on Earth since the Armistice and the formation of the new Government. They had set up an open and transparent Government that kept the peace for nearly two hundred years. Walsh had no problem with them, but he certainly did with the current crazies who used their name to rule over Auraxis, not as a democracy but as a harsh and cruel dictatorship. Strict curfews, which had been put into place during their travels when discipline needed to be maintained, were not rescinded after they landed on Auraxis. In fact, they were made more harsh.

“Don’t worry,” the T.R. council told the people, “we have a planet to reshape, cities to build, and we don’t know what the hell might be out there. As soon as we can, all restrictions will be lifted, but for the safety of our 60 thousand citizens, we have to keep all rules and laws in place."

But what really clawed Walsh’s ass was that the people voted with the T.R.; they voted down their own freedoms.

In a move directly planned to keep the New Conglomerate from resisting Terran Republic control, all political gatherings were banned. Groups of more than three, unless they were a family, were not permitted the right of assembly. Refusal to follow T.R. laws were punishable by imprisonment, and in some cases death. N.C. officers were rounded up and imprisoned without proof of wrongdoing or even a trial. The N.C. pleaded for the return of all personal freedoms, but then T.R. refused. They were trying to work a compromise when both sides walked from the table and war broke out.

So much for Thomas Connery’s belief that men could work together in peace.

Walsh and his unit grabbed their heavy gauss rifles, tri-barreled “jackhammer” shotguns and carbines and carefully moved down Lavastorm. Duffy knew the T.R.’s tactics. They hid behind realistic 3D holo-boulders, lying in wait until N.C. soldiers passed. Walsh held his jackhammer close and fired it in a wide arc as they passed all possible hiding places. But when he heard gunfire erupt just behind him he knew he screwed up. The T.R. were hiding in a real crevice, large enough for a half dozen men. When Walsh’s unit moved past they leaped from their spots and opened fire. Nine of his boys died. Three were wounded and captured. Return fire only killed four of their ambushers.

Walsh and his men scrambled for safety behind an outgrowth of rock. They had high ground; they’d be safe, if only for a few minutes. He gave the signal and Miller, Cohen and the Dorsey twins revealed the seven Phoenix missile launchers they had hidden along the volcano’s rim.

“Now!” Walsh screamed. Jimmy Dorsey fired launcher one. His brother set off Launcher two. Walsh and the others set off the rest. Rockets careened down alongside Lavastorm’s wall and exploded. Four T.R.s, broken and lifeless, were thrown from cubby holes. Through his binocs Walsh could see two of the T.R. bastards. One, a kid, probably 19. “Screw you, moron for picking the wrong side,” Walsh shouted. The other looked like a girl, a little older, with flaming red hair.

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SOE Taps Legendary Comic Book Writer, Marv Wolfman to Create PlanetSide® 2 Backstory

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) announced that award-winning author Marv Wolfman has joined the SOE team to write the historic fiction for the upcoming massively multiplayer online first person shooter (MMOFPS), PlanetSide ® 2. This will be the first time the PlanetSide franchise narrative has been detailed.

PlanetSide2: New Conglomerate Design Video

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[size=18]PlanetSide 2 Empire Brief – New Conglomerate [/size]
Traitors. Rebels. Terrorists.

These are words often associated with the New Conglomerate, one of the three major powers fighting for supremacy on the battlefields of Auraxis in Planetside 2.

However, to many the New Conglomerate are something else entirely: Heroes. Freedom Fighters. Protectors.

The New Conglomerate value freedom above all else and see anything that encroaches upon freedom as an affront to their fundamental rights. Originally founded by some of the most powerful corporations on Earth as a political entity working against some of the restrictive policies of the Terran Republic the New Conglomerate’s “spirit of opposition” has only increased in the intervening centuries. Now an empire in their own right they are in total open war with both the Terran Republic and the Vanu Sovereignty, seeking to free humanity from the tyrannical grip of the former, and defend them from the fanatical alien influence of the later.

Since the start of hostilities, the unpredictable and ruthless tactics employed by the insurgent N.C. have allowed them to gain significant ground against the seemingly overwhelming T.R. military. Their methodology is to achieve victory by any means necessary and they are not afraid to use experimental weaponry, guerilla tactics or unconventional warfare if the need arises.

While they’re not blessed with the infinite resources of the Terran Republic, the N.C. have managed to build up enormous reserves of weapons, armor and vehicles which they keep well maintained. Their equipment might not be the prettiest on the battlefield, but the N.C. philosophy is that as long as it shoots straight or can take a pounding that’s what really counts. This gives them access to an incredibly diverse range of weapons and gadgets to help get the job done.

From a gameplay perspective, the Blue and Gold are built around hitting first, hitting hardest and taking a beating. Although their weapons might not have the most finesse (often having strong kick, long reload times, and slower firing rates) they do pack a hell of a punch. The empire specific vehicles, the Reaver attack fighter and Vanguard medium battle tank pack on more armaments and armor as well as abilities that allow them to stay in battle longer than the other empires equivalents. While the N.C. vehicles excel in durability and sheer firepower, their trade off is in mobility and speed.

Check back over the next couple weeks as we release new info about the New Conglomerate, their weapons, vehicles and more. As always, we’ll be answering your N.C. questions on Facebook and Twitter, so log on and hit us up, we can’t wait to hear from you!

Freedom from Tyranny!

And, as a personal note, I’d just like to say: NC 4 LIFE!!

-

Matthew Higby (@mhigby)

Creative Director – Planetside 2 (@Planetside2)

quote:

With the cold war in PlanetSide 2 quickly turning hot, potential players have to ask themselves: Which side will they join? Today SOE is making a bid on behalf of the New Conglomerate, painting them as the scrappy underdogs of the war with plenty of attitude to go around. We sat down with Creative Director Matt Higby to see if we could figure out what makes this faction tick.

Massively: As an introduction for new players, what's the philosophy behind the New Conglomerate?

Matt Higby: The New Conglomerate are an insurgent guerrilla force fighting against pretty stacked odds: an enormous military machine in the TR on one side and the vast technological superiority of the VS on the other. This forces the New Conglomerate to be adaptive, use creative tactics and take advantage of every possible opportunity they can to accomplish their goals. Their weapons run the gamut from conventional to experimental, and they're not willing to say no to anything that might give them an edge.

Has the NC changed from what we've seen in the original PlanetSide?

From a story perspective, the NC are probably the faction that's remained the most unchanged, although we're fleshing a lot of their motivations out in our weekly backstory releases. NC gameplay still revolves around quick strikes, burst damage and durability.

What type of player do you imagine being attracted to the NC as a faction?

Shooter players who really excel at fast twitch based gameplay will get a lot out of their bursty weapons. But anyone who wants a little bit more rough-and-tumble vibe to his gameplay will love the NC; their position as the "rebel/freedom fighter" is a lot of fun.

Do you see enough of a distinction among all factions to keep a balance of player-types? Or is this a concern?

Within each faction there are roles for any kind of shooter player, so it comes down to a stylistic difference at the end of the day -- which weapons do you like the feel of the most.

Do the NC have any unique tech available to them? Unique skills?

Each of the faction has a full range of completely unique weapons with their own feel and two unique vehicles. For the NC, the vehicles are the Vanguard medium tank, the most beastly of the tanks in the game, and the Reaver, a heavily armed and armored fighter jet, which makes up for its lack of mobility with sheer firepower.

Are there any cross-faction chat restrictions?

We're still working out details on that. We'd like to allow smacktalk.

Is character customization different for each faction? Will the NC have options specific to them?

Each faction will have piles of exclusive customization options to earn and unlock in the game for its armor, vehicles and weapons.

Thank you for talking with us!

quote:

Backstory: Historical Archive - Thomas Connery Holovid - 14.07.2638

From the holovid diary of THOMAS CONNERY, Commander, Terran Republic, Discovery-1. July 14th, 2638

Two months out of twenty-eight have passed in our long journey to the wormhole and ultimately to the future of mankind. Despite the never ending list of things to do, extended space travel has a way of offering plenty opportunities for introspection. Lately my thoughts have turned to war, odd that they should, as it is something that no living human has ever experienced.

War had always defined human existence, and has many times taken us to the brink of no existence at all. Before the formation of the Terran Republic, Earth had known no years without the blemish of war, no time of worldwide peace, nothing but strife and anguish.

Our final and most perilous war began hundreds of years ago, on January 18th 2368, the day the world died.

One hour past dawn, responding to intel indicating imminent and simultaneous attacks, Earth’s six greatest countries declared war on each other. As we know now, nobody in command of any of the countries who survived the initial firefight could remember issuing the codes that launched their missiles, nor did they know who sent out the initial warnings. But they all knew the war that began that cold winter morning had been long expected. Perhaps even desired?

Despite the fact that this was the so-called “war to end all wars”, Nukes, ion warheads and even anti-matter explosives were never used, though nobody was certain why. But in the very first year of world-wide conflict, half the human population died, either in the war or because of it. Starvation and disease killed as many as lasers and explosives.

But then, seventy-seven years later, on December 19, 2444, our final war ended. Not because we learned the folly of our ways, but because scientists announced the existence of the wormhole, and a new threat from beyond. All past truths were eradicated in the single instant the universe opened wide, and they were replaced by a single new truth: If mankind wanted to survive, all nations and all people would have to work together.

On May 13, 2445, an armistice was signed by all the nations which codified the end of war. Amazingly, in less than twenty years, borders fell and Governments merged. Where there had been nearly two hundred separate countries, now there would only be one united planet under the banner of the Terran Republic.

Representatives from all the former nations would sit on its council. Because those in charge understood that Earth either moved forward together or perished together, they lay down laws that would be strictly and evenly enforced. It was vital to the Terran Republic that no individual would ever again be permitted to slow down the safe progress of all peoples.

For first time in her history there was peace on Earth, and this time that peace was embraced by everyone.

At the end of its ten-year term, the Terran Republic constitution mandated free and open elections. The people, freed from worry, didn’t want anything to change and voted the Terran Republic back into power. Ten years later they did the same. At the end of the first century, on the date the wormhole was to open one more time, the people once again voted the Terran Republic into office. And so they did for another hundred years.

There were some who fought against such mandated peace. There were always those who wanted more. But when they struck, the Terran Republic struck back, harder. To ensure the continuation of peace, the T.R. enacted strict laws and harsh penalties. But the people, enjoying the most prosperous moment in humanity’s history, encouraged them on. As T.R. President Harrikan proclaimed in 2598: “All citizens must display loyalty and fealty to the Republic, above all. Strict retribution is sometimes required, and if minor freedoms must be compromised to ensure the continued security and prosperity of all, then so be it.”

Loyalty and fealty to the Republic, above all. These became the words the Terran Republic lived by and the words the people embraced.

And they are the words I spoke on the day I took office, however, I have always disagreed with Harrikan about the second part. One should never give up their freedoms for security. A man far greater than Harrikan said that 600 years earlier.

Today, under the banner of the Terran Republic, I lead a bright and hopeful fleet toward a new frontier and a new future. But though the ships are at peace as we speed toward the wormhole, I sense a frightening undercurrent. I believe there may be some who don’t want this trip to succeed and I fear others whose doubt could blossom into something more. And, I am also sensing, as we speed closer to the wormhole, something else; that same imperceptible, subliminal dread I felt on my first voyage to the Moon Belt, that warned me not to continue, yet still forced me onward. Something is out there and I am being told to turn away from it, but something inside me tells me I cannot.

So why, you who are watching this must ask, do I still lead us on? The answer is simple and it has fired mankind’s imagination since we lived in the darkest caves. No matter the warnings or the doubts, no matter how inflammatory words become or how many fists are raised in resistance, mankind has never, and can never, turn from our future.

Whatever must, will occur today, but there will always be a tomorrow.

quote:

Backstory: Memo: For Your Eyes Only - 28.06.2630

MEMO: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Date: June 28, 2630

From: Terrance Mattherson, CEO Genudine Multiplanetary

To: (list undisclosed)

As voted on at our February 14th summit, and championed by Jonathan Woodman, CEO Woodman Alliance, we immediately began monitoring the activities of former T.R. President Connery. I’m reporting on the follow-up.

Jon’s suspicions that Connery may have found conclusive evidence of extraterrestrial life on his initial trip to the Moon Belt appear to be correct. Since retiring from the Presidency, Connery has begun to assemble the scientific expertise necessary in order to mount a deep-space interstellar expedition. We’ve known that Connery has long intended to return to exploring, his first and perhaps only true love, but his preparation indicates something far more serious and long-range than standard exploration.

If Connery is indeed planning to return to the Moon Belt, our analysis indicates it is because of whatever he might have discovered on his early expedition. It is further believed that whatever that evidence might have been, his then inability to retrieve it prompted his acceptance of the Terran Republic Vice Presidency and his later pursuit of multiple terms as President. Analysis has concluded that he accepted political office only as a means of acquiring whatever was necessary to later complete whatever he began in the Moon Belt. For those of us who wondered why he would abandon his oft-stated love of exploration for a glorified desk job, we now have the answer.

If that is proof of extraterrestrial existence, and we all are aware of its possible business implications, then it behooves us as co-founders of Business Forward, to continue full observation and to make available to Connery our manpower and technologies in order to reap the financial and other benefits such discoveries will no doubt incur.

Your thoughts, as always, are appreciated.

TM/jp

-------------------------------------------- End of Message --------------------------------------------------------------

MEMO: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Date: July 1, 2630

From: Sasha Dawn, CEO Nanite Systems

To: (list undisclosed)

Terry, you know, perhaps more than any of us, how intractable Connery is. If he’s been secretly assembling his finances and his team, don’t you think it’s because he doesn’t want to come to us for help? Since he knows we would make money available—with all the expected conditions—it’s obvious to me he doesn’t want us as partners. Besides, we all know what he thinks of corporations taking a lead role in “civilian affairs”. I think we should continue to watch him and then find a way to insinuate our companies into whatever he’s doing later on. If we go to him now when he thinks he’s still operating in secret, he’ll never accept us later.

SD/nw

-------------------------------------------- End of Message --------------------------------------------------------------

MEMO: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Date: July 9, 2630

From: Geraldo Pérez, Founder Freeman Institute

To: (list undisclosed)

Sasha, this isn’t just about whether business or the military controls civilian life, and you know it. You’re aware I was the one who originally broached the subject with Jon W. about forming this alliance because of the underlying direction the Terran Republic’s been taking all of us these past few years. In the beginning, we needed a firm hand on world politics in order for all parties to be able to work together in something resembling harmony. But we’re all working together now and way past needing the military to control every aspect of our lives.

Most in the T.R. are good people. They truly think they’re doing the right thing. They really believe there’s a danger of sliding back into the chaos and wars of old, but I disagree. I think over the last two centuries we’ve moved beyond those days. I believe it’s time we take our group and move into politics as an alternative to T.R. policies. We’ll be a party of business but also championing individual freedoms for the people. We need to get the government out of our business and out of our lives.

-------------------------------------------- End of Message --------------------------------------------------------------

MEMO: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Date: July 10, 2630

From: Terrance Mattherson, CEO Genudine Multiplanetary

To: (list undisclosed)

I agree with Geraldo and I also agree with Sasha, at least to an extent. This isn’t just about profits, but I believe profit can help us politically as well. If we want more freedoms, and we need more freedom for the people, we’ll need financial support to fight for them. We all know Connery’s a hardass and nobody can push him…which is why I don’t intend to. But we can push everyone else he has to deal with. Example: He needs financing. Hank Witherspoon, Ben Tolliver, Sarah James and Calvin Fitzgerald run the top nine banks in the T.R. federation and they have all applied for membership in Business Forward. So now we control his access to money.

Connery will need to construct ships as well as pretty much everything else. JoAnn and Mike Conway head up Construction Union 437. You can’t build anything on the thirteen planets without them. If we loosen up our corporate money belts on a few Union issues, I believe we can get them to play ball with us. Here we’re helping the people while at the same time helping business.

Finally, we know Connery has already taken bids from various Guardian service orgs. It could just be typical prudence, but I’m guessing that he expects to need protection from something out there. Well, as you all know, those Guardian orgs are run by multi-billion dollar conglomerates. In fact, I own two myself. Gary owns at least one. By now, I’m sure you can see where I’m going with all of this…

I’m not sure if becoming a political party in opposition to the T.R. is the best way to go, but I am proposing bringing business, unions and, well, yes, even the mercenaries together in sort of a new conglomerate. Without engaging our services, Connery won’t be able to get to his rooftop penthouse, let alone the Moon Belt.

Your thoughts, as always, are appreciated.

TM/jp

-------------------------------------------- End of Message --------------------------------------------------------------

MEMO: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Date: July 28, 2630

From: Geraldo Pérez, Founder Freeman Institute

To: (list undisclosed)

Terry, as long as we don’t lose focus on our needs and goals, which are to get the TR policies of strict controls and draconian laws off the backs of the people and business, I can agree with you.

-------------------------------------------- End of Message --------------------------------------------------------------

MEMO: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Date: July 30, 2630

From: Jonathan Woodman, CEO Woodman Alliance

To: (list undisclosed)

A new conglomerate, Terry? You had this all figured out even before your first memo. You’re a crafty old bastard, but that’s why we love you.

If this works and we get access to that first blush of alien tech, I can see adding more than just a few zeroes to our bottom line. I’m in if we’re taking votes now.

New Conglomerate? I like the sound of that, if you don’t mind I’ll have Mr. Kobashikawa work up a logo.

Jon W

-------------------------------------------- End of Message --------------------------------------------------------------

quote:

Op zaterdag 19 november 2011 18:06 schreef Satex het volgende:
Heel raar dat ze de aircraft nu aan het verdelen zijn onder de factions. Welke zouden de Vanu krijgen, liberator? Galaxy?

quote:

PlanetSide 2 Empire Brief Vanu Sovereignty
2011-11-22 11:17:00


November 22, 2011

They have been called Religious nut jobs, Techno-evangelist, and a Tran-humanist Cult. The Vanu Sovereignty would find those terms to be dismissive and born of ignorance. They are what we would call true believers. The V.S. firmly believes that technology and knowledge hold the answers to all of mankinds problems. It has been said that The Ancients (the ones that actually created the tech that the V.S. use) have shown them the way. They believe that they have been blessed with the gift of technology and power to smite those that stand against the pursuit of knowledge and power. The V.S. also believes that everyone should have the freedom to believe in the ancients just as they do.

The founders of the V.S. were and to some extent still are scientists. They are of the belief that humans are still evolving and are capable of being so much more than just soldiers or miners. It was the Terran Republic that insisted that everyone trust that man was wise enough to solve all the problems that plagued humanity. The V.S. thought them to be fools and stated How can they possibly believe that they can achieve that goal without embracing the technology of the Ancients? The Ancients gave the Vanu Sovereignty a gift according to their leaders. The V.S. leaders even quoted great men from the past to further fuel their ideology. Men of science and literature were cited for their cause. Quotes predicting the coming of the inevitable ascension of mankind were found in V.S. scripture. Einstein, one of their best and brightest once said, It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. Another was cited, Progress is the activity of today and the assurance of tomorrow, said Ralph Waldo Emerson. These were wise men of their time that were forward thinking enough to embrace knowledge. Progression is inevitable why does the Terran Republic want to try to stifle it?

The Vanu Sovereignty took advantage of the alien tech, embraced evolution and change and has received the offering of knowledge and power from the ancients. The phrase Technology equals Might can be seen in action and demonstrated in the Vanu Sovereigntys medium battle tank, The Magrider. This awesome specimen of supreme technology levitates over all terrain types with ease. The Magrider can be equipped with a wide variety of powerful energy weapons. The basic Magrider weaponry starts with the Heavy Rail beam as the primary weapon. The HRB creates a focused blast of pure energy that penetrates even the heaviest of armor. The secondary that can be equipped on the Magrider is Pulsed Particle Accelerator. The PPA rapidly launches orbs of plasma that are capable of melting armor and of course, flesh. The use of the ancients technology has given them the ability to create some powerful weapons for use on the battlefield. The Heavy Rail beam and Pulsed Particle Accelerator are a testament to the wonders of the Ancient tech.

We have only begun to see what astounding array of applications this power can yield. Ancient tech has also been used to create more personal weaponry. The sidearm of choice for most V.S. soldiers is the Beamer. The V.S. has developed self charging cells that power this light weight firearm. The Beamer is extremely accurate and produces little to no recoil. All V.S. weapons benefit from the lack of a concussive round. The draw back to having this high accuracy is the degradation of potency over distance. While conventional weapons have bullet drop, V.S. weapons suffer from a reduction in power over distance traveled.

The Vanu Sovereignty manned flight vehicle, the Scythe rules the sky with maneuverability and agility. It uses the magnetic field of the planet Auraxis to move in ways other conventional aircraft can not. The Terran Republic has their Mosquito, the New Conglomerate has the Reaver and the V.S. has the Scythe. The Ancients technology will be pitted against the humans inventions on the battlefield and it is yet to be seen which side will emerge victorious.


And as a Vanu Soldier myself Id like to leave you with this

A war rages on the planet Auraxis
We roll up on you like April 15th and taxes
The fact is you lack this one essential thing
You need skill so get practice
Yes practice, Practice?! PRACTICE?!
We talkin bout practice
V.S. got this,
Warfare is rough like Indar cactus
You cant see me, you better mini-map this
Cloaker style, force blade I will attack with
When I roll up with a pair of V.S. maxes
You know its Kick, Mags, and T to kick to your asses

#auraxispoetryslam

Join in on the fun everyday on twitter

Tramell T.Ray Isaac
Senior Art Director
@PS_Tray
@Planetside2

quote:

Op vrijdag 25 november 2011 18:31 schreef Catch_me het volgende:
Laten we hopen dat dit geen COD/BF kloon wordt, daar zit niemand denk ik op te wachten een mix van die 2 faal spellen.

quote:

Op vrijdag 25 november 2011 19:07 schreef MouzurX het volgende:

[..]

Ik neem aan de de player visual limit wel lager ligt?