Originally Posted by Bananajuice

how does BattleField 2142 keep a strong going, they havent added anything new since its release. I love it, but POE is just soo much better on soo many levels

Points. Shiny shiny things to add to your profile. EA was even smarter with 2142. Badges give you points, they aren't just pixels. To get all the guns you have to get badges, ribbons, medals and pins. I like 2142 too, but even on the TG server try getting someone to defend a flag. Defense is not worth as many points, so it doesn't happen. 2142 is twitch and run and gun. It's fun and I do like the craziness of the weapons, but the perfect mix of realism and action that POE2 has is addicting. Guns that kill, but not instantly. Vehicles that are powerful, but not overly so. The removal of the UAV. I could go on and on...

What I hope is that DICE makes POE2 the model for BF3, in the way that DC was the model for BF2. I also hope they consider the good things about 2142 which is in my opinion the unlock system. I would love to see customizable kits in a modern warfare setting. I'd love to see a large variety of guns, add ons, equipment, etc. I'd use weight/space system. I'd like to be able to carry a pistol, a SRAW, and a stinger or swap one missile launcher out for a carbine. Or throw an AT4 with my spec ops kit in lieu of C4. I'd like to be able to chose between a M14 EBR and a Barret .50, with corresponding weight, speed, and ammo penalties. Customizable armor levels, camo, etc. Another good idea: decentralize production. Offer payment on an ad hoc basis for models, maps, weapons, etc. Who here would take 50 bucks to sign over one of their maps to DICE? Or model a new weapon for 30?


Kind of went OT, but here's the bottom line: people won't play POE unless we go around and get them to try it. So hit the BF forums, get people to try it, hand out the server IP, hell promise them free candy. I'm going to go post in the POE forums, but those are dead. The server browser issues a while back chased off a lot of people. I think we should try to draw them back.

Another thing...alright, I think it is time to face up to the fact that people want to play tight maps. 8 people can start a game of Dnipro or even Dnister City and just barely struggle through. No one checking the browser who isn't in a "really wants to play" mood logs in when 8 people are playing Melitopol or something like that. Basically, maybe we should get the night started with a series of small maps like Orel, Kerch, Olesko, Fallen, Risen, and armor maps that lend themselves to small pop play, like Rolling Thunder 16. Once the pop gets up around 20, we can start playing more of the armor maps. I don't have anything against armor maps, but getting a campfire going doesn't mean slow burning logs, it means lots of quick burning stuff. Once the fire gets going we add in the logs for a long burn.

I think that an SSM to put an uncap around the "base" flags on certain maps isn't a bad idea with low population. Frontlines mode can also help to overcome the low population issue.

So outreach, targeting the map lineup to nourish early evening server pop, and some judicious use of server mods or frontlines mode to encourage concentration of action at a given point are the ways to go, in my opinion.