Planetside Screenshots

Overview

Massively multiplayer gaming takes on a new face in PlanetSide, where thousands of players wage war in a battle of planetary proportions. A newly designed 3D engine drives PlanetSide's first-person player-to-player combat and vehicular warfare across extraordinary worlds. The stage has been set, the battle lines have drawn, and military dropships are ready to deploy. Featuring seamless worlds on a massive scale, PlanetSide allows for character development and advancement through ranks. The massive continents of PlanetSide vary from arctic wastelands to scorching deserts with breathtaking visual splendor. Players work to capture various technological bases using both soldier-to-soldier and vehicle-based combat to eventually influence the control of the continent toward their chosen empire. Gamers will be able to choose an empire to align with and live in a persistent world in which previous actions and campaigns will have dramatic effects on future conditions. Stealth, espionage, teamplay and rogue tactics play a huge role in the ever-evolving world of PlanetSide.

Features

• Combines frenzied combat with tactics as players join teams to control territories. An arsenal of equipment is available to use.

• As with our other premium games, you will be able to purchase the game at retail and then sign up at The Station to play. A monthly fee will be required to play online with thousands of other gamers. The exact price has yet to be determined.

• Character advancement will provide players the opportunity to tailor their online persona with skills and abilities. Although the game will focus on the action elements of first-person shooter style gaming, players will find ample room for role-playing within the framework of a planetary war.

• Each server will hold approximately 3500 players.

• The balance of power between the opposing empires will constantly shift depending on the actions of players. Since everything happens in real-time, players will find worlds changing continuously as battles are fought. Players may also advance their characters through rank and other means. As skill sets are learned, the player will see permanent increases in certain abilities. Similar to role playing games, PlanetSide will allow the player to customize their characters as they see fit, allowing for infinite re-playability.

• The implants are permanent additions to your character. A certain number of implants can be stored on an individual. These implants can be swapped out at implant centers when preparing for a mission. The implant centers act like a "bank."

• These implants offer enhancements and benefits that can be used in the field. They can be combat intensive abilities or abilities that may help in the art of espionage.

• There will be an ability tree will determine a player's progression in this area of character development. Rather than having a percentile score for abilities (i.e. proficiency), abilities will tree out in having stages of development (Healing I, Healing II, Healing III) will be more stand-alone.

• Approximately 70 base abilities have been specified, however, the final number is subject to change. Progressive stages of ability are not counted in this number.

• When a new rank is achieved, the player will be given the opportunity to increase implants at a facility within their empire.

• All players will have their own apartment in the game. The apartment serves as a place of safety and may also be used for storage purposes.

• Player controlled vehicles will be available in PlanetSide. The emphasis will be on land vehicles and the ability to travel by air.

• Certain vehicles will have multiple player slots. But, only one player can drive at a time. In some cases, players can choose to operate gunnery positions.

• The game's setting takes place on a single world that is divided into approximately 13 continents (each measuring up to 64 square kilometers). In addition to this landmass, there are expansive interiors found inside facilities and bases which adds to the overall real estate.

• Our goal is to create a weather system in PlanetSide that actually affects gameplay and strategy. A heavy rainstorm will reduce visibility and possibly affect vehicle traction while an electrical storm may interfere with or even damage electronic equipment.

• The PlanetSide team has created a new scalable 3D engine specifically for the game. PlanetSide's engine will feature completely seamless gameplay across each continent, with no load times or interruptions while running across the vast terrain or entering/exiting facilities. Gameplay will run at 60 frames per second on most systems.
  

Release Date: Summer 2002