PC Game Update - 3/20 - EverQuest 20th Anniversary Update

[PSNews]

PC servers will be taken offline on Wednesday, March 20th, 2019 at 6:00AM PT for maintenance. Downtime is expected to last up to 3 hours.

[img alt=[IMG]]https://i.imgur.com/kSkwu0S.jpg

EverQuest turns 20 years old!

The grandfather of MMORPGs, EverQuest, turns 20 years old this month! In support of this historic moment, we've invited some of the EverQuest history into the realm of PlanetSide 2.

From March 18 through March 31st, players will be gain a new EverQuest 20th directive line with some legendary loot at the end of it.

[img alt=[IMG]]https://i.imgur.com/pkjbLKN.jpg

Scattered along the furthest reaches of Auraxis, players will find collectable "shinies" that will reveal some brief glimpses into the history of EverQuest.

Gather the shinies, and complete other tasks to be awarded the Fatestealer dagger at Tier 3 completion.

[img alt=[IMG]]https://i.imgur.com/tqy04ae.jpg

Upon completing a final round of trials, the Fatestealer upgrades into the Nightshade dagger, a corrosive edged weapon capable of damaging heavy armor.

[img alt=[IMG]]https://i.imgur.com/KBrfkHk.png  [img alt=[IMG]]https://i.imgur.com/Mh00M26.jpg

New Carbines have entered the battlefield!

Each faction now has access to a new carbine, fitted with unique mechanics that have yet to be seen in PlanetSide 2.

VE-C Horizon

The Vanu Sovereignty's new Horizon carbine launches a horizontal fan of pellets when fired from the hip, and a tighter, vertical pellet spread while aiming down the optics.

[img alt=[IMG]]https://i.imgur.com/EFkByd1.jpg

MGR-C1 Charger

The Charger carbine uses a new magazine type that, upon reloading the weapon, overcharges the first few shots for increased damage.

[img alt=[IMG]]https://i.imgur.com/2cllUqQ.jpg

MG-C1 Kindred

With the goal of maximizing the firing rate of Terran Republic weaponry, the Kindred was developed using a prototype spindown mechanism that boosts rate of fire each time the trigger is pulled, and settles into a more steady rhythm the longer the weapon fires.

[img alt=[IMG]]https://i.imgur.com/d1httNy.jpg

Meta Game

End of Continent Precision Strikes

• Damage over time area of effect from 300m to 50m
• Detonation area of effect outer radius from 150m to 100m

Dev Note: Reducing the damage over time area of effect here lets players redeploy from the zone more easily.

UI

• Numeric Vehicle Health Display Option
• Closing the map during an active alert now plays an animation that draws more attention to the alert timer.

MAX Weapon Adjustments

The New Conglomerate MAX unit's CQC strength has been a bit of a sore spot over the years, as most fights eventually boil down to control over an indoor capture point where shotguns have a large degree of power. We've taken some time to rebalance the NC MAX shotgun arsenal to provide players with more opportunities to play around the strength of these weapons, while also revitalizing the identities of each of the shotgun variants. We've also touched upon some neglected TR and VS anti-infantry MAX weapons with changes that help solidify their place in each faction's respective arsenal.

Changes impacting all NC MAX shotgun weapons

Cone of fire has been standardized (and buffed heavily) across these weapons.

• CoF bloom is now 0.5
• Standing hipfire CoF is now 0
• Moving CoF is now 0.5
• Crouching CoF is now 0
• Crouch-walking CoF is now 0.25
• Maximum hipfire CoF of the movement states above is now 1
• Slug Ammunition attachment has been removed.
• Short and long reloads have been standardized for these weapons, so hitting a "long reload" is no longer possible.

Weapon specific changes are listed below.

NCM1 Scattercannon

• Damage range from 130 @ 8m - 50 @ 18m to 125 @ 8m to 35 @ 20m
• Pellets per shot from 6 to 5
• Refire rate from 333ms to 500ms
• Ammo capacity from 60 to 72
• Short reload from 2.945sec. to 3sec.
• Long reload from 3.8sec. to 3sec.
• Pellet spread from 3 to 2
• Ext. Magazine size from 4 to 2

Dev Note: The Scattercannon retains the ability to "one-click bodyshot" infantry targets without headshots, but now comes at higher cost through rate of fire penalties, and a slimmer damage margin to secure a one-shot kill.

AF-34 Mattock

• Damage range from 100 @ 15m - 70 @ 30m to 100 @ 15m - 75 @ 50m
• Pellets per shot from 6 to 3
• Magazine size from 6 to 8
• Ammo capacity from 60 to 72
• Short reload from 3sec. to 3.25sec.
• Long reload from 3.8sec. to 3.25sec.
• Pellet spread from 2.5 to 1.75
• Ext. Magazine size from 4 to 2

Dev Note: One of the most popular NC MAX shotguns with the fewest drawbacks. We've pushed the Mattock a bit further into its mid range niche by increasing the reliance on accurate aim, while reducing its versatility at close range.

AF-41 Hacksaw

• Damage range from 125 @ 8m - 45 @ 18m to 75 @ 8m - 25 @ 15m
• Pellets per shot from 6 to 5
• Magazine size from 6 to 8
• Ammo capacity from 60 to 72
• Short reload from 3.2sec. to 3.5sec.
• Long reload from 4sec. to 3.5sec.
• Pellet spread from 4 to 3
• Ext. Magazine size from 4 to 2

Dev Note: The Hacksaw still retains the highest damage per second of all the shotguns, while feeling a bit better to use, thanks to the cone of fire and pellet spread adjustments.

AF-23 Grinder

• Damage range from 130 @ 8m - 50 @ 18m to 50 @ 8m - 20 @ 20m
• Refire rate from 333ms to 500ms
• Magazine size from 8 to 12
• Ammo capacity from 64 to 72
• Short reload from 3.4sec. to 4sec.
• Long reload from 4.3sec. to 4sec.
• This weapon is now automatic.

Dev Note: Despite being the "mag size" shotgun alternative, it didn't have enough of an identity to warrant using over most other options. We've moved this weapon more into a slow, chunky, suppression weapon with a high up time and room clearing capabilities.

VS and TR MAX units

While VS and TR MAX units feel to be in a pretty good spot, a few of the underused weapons were too similar. We're making some minor adjustments to help diversify these weapons a bit more.

Quasar VM1

• Short reload from 2.1sec. to 2sec.
• Long reload from 2.8sec. to 2.7sec.
• Standing CoF from 1.9 to 1.5
• Moving CoF from 2.4 to 2
• Crouching CoF from 1.4 to 1.25
• Crouchwalking CoF from 1.9 to 1.5

Dev Note: The changes here move Quasar into a bit more of a competitive alternative to the Blueshift or Nebulas, and sits somewhere between them in terms of accuracy and damage output.

Cosmos VM3

• Short reload from 2.1sec. to 2.25sec.
• Long reload from 3.1sec. to 3sec.
• Headshot multiplier from 2 to 1.2
• Projectile velocity from 500 to 400
• Projectile size increased
• Projectile visuals modified

Dev Note: This is a somewhat experimental departure from how the weapon used to behave. Instead of being a "higher ammo capacity Quasar," we're moving it more toward an "Unstable Ammunition" style weapon, with less emphasis on headshots and more consistent damage over time.

M1 Heavy Cycler

• Short reload from 2.4sec. to 2.2sec.
• Standing CoF from 2 to 1.75
• Moving CoF from 2.5 to 2.25
• Crouchwalking CoF from 2 to 1.75

Dev Note: This weapon was essentially an inferior Mutilator, with no real reason to use it if you had any other arsenal option unlocked. Without wanting to change the weapon too much, we increased its reload speed and initial accuracy to give it a more solid place in the arsenal.

Lockdown (TR MAX)

Now renders the player immune to being moved by knockback based attacks, like Orbital Strikes or Tank Mines. (Does not alter the behavior of being bumped by a vehicle, thrown by a jump pad, etc.)

Source: Game Update Notes