January 12, 2017 Hotfix

The Planetside 2 PC servers will be coming down at 4am (Pacific) / 12:00 (UTC) for a brief hotfix. Estimated downtime is 2 hours.

Infiltrator
Dev Note: Giving Infiltrators access to Battle Rifles has a minimal impact on their overall playstyle, but allows them to equip the reward for the Scout Rifle Directive.
 * Now have access to Battle Rifles.

Claymore
Now has an activation time of 320ms. Dev Note: Adding an activation time reduces the effectiveness (and frustration) caused by claymores placed where they cannot be countered or avoided.

Shotgun Balance adjustments
The intention behind the following changes are to increase the value of skillful aim while slightly extending the effective range of these weapons. In the case of the semi-auto shotguns, we’ve retained the weapons’ two-shot kill potential, but narrowed the margin of error by requiring more pellets to land on a target to achieve it. The three basic semi-auto shotguns should now also have a different feel from one another; directive shotguns will now all have their own empire specific leanings; and the NC’s Jackhammer will now be more capable of sustained fire.

Mauler S6, Thanatos VE70, FA1 Barrage (Quick Reload)

 * Max damage from 130@8m to 100@5m
 * Min damage from 50@18m to 84@20m
 * Magazine size from 6 to 8
 * Ext. Mags bonus from 4 to 2
 * Ammo capacity from 48 to 56
 * Cone of Fire bloom from 0.5 to 0
 * ADS pellet spread from 3 to 2.5
 * Vertical recoil from 1.3 to 2.8
 * Horizontal recoil from 0.2 to 0.5
 * Horizontal recoil tolerance from 0.4 to 1.5
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 15 to 8

NC12 Sweeper, Nova, TS4 Haymaker (High Capacity)

 * Sweeper and Haymaker now use larger magazine models.
 * Max damage from 130@8m to 100@8m
 * Min damage from 50@18m to 67@20m
 * Magazine size from 8 to 10
 * Ext. Mags bonus from 4 to 2
 * Ammo capacity from 48 to 70
 * Cone of Fire bloom from 0.5 to 0
 * Hipfire Pellet spread from 3.5 to 3
 * ADS pellet spread from 3.5 to 2.75
 * Vertical recoil from 1.3 to 2.5
 * Recoil angle from 0/0 to 12/12
 * Horizontal recoil from 0.2 to 0.65
 * Horizontal recoil tolerance from 0.4 to 1.5
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 12 to 8

AF-57 Piston, Pandora VX25, AS16 NightHawk (Automatic)

 * Piston’s weapon model has been updated.
 * Max damage from 125@8m to 125@5m
 * Min damage from 45@18m to 50@20m
 * Magazine size from 6 to 8
 * Ext. Mags bonus from 4 to 2
 * Ammo capacity from 48 to 56
 * ADS pellet spread from 4 to 3.5
 * Cone of Fire bloom from 0.5 to 0
 * Projectile velocity from 300 to 275
 * Vertical recoil from 1.5 to 2
 * Horizontal recoil from 0.2 to 0.95
 * Horizontal recoil tolerance from 0.4 to 5
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 12 to 8

GD-66 Claw, Phobos VX86, TRS-12 Uppercut (Quick Pump)

 * Max damage from 130@8m to 125@5m
 * Magazine size from 4 to 5
 * Ammo capacity from 28 to 35
 * Cone of Fire bloom from 0.5 to 0
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 12 to 8

LA39 Bruiser, Deimos VA29, TAS-16 Blackjack (Heavy Pump)

 * Max damage from 130@8m to 125@8m
 * Cone of Fire bloom from 0.5 to 0
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 12 to 8

NC05 Jackhammer (Heavy Weapon)

 * Max damage from 112@10m to 112@all ranges
 * Magazine size from 9 to 15
 * Ammo capacity from 54 to 75
 * Pellets from 6 to 5
 * Cone of Fire bloom from 0.5 to 0
 * First shot multiplier from 1 to 2
 * Horizontal recoil from 0.2 to 0.4
 * Horizontal recoil tolerance from 0.4 to 2
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 15 to 8
 * Equip time from 750ms to 1000ms
 * Hipfire crosshairs now accurately represent the actual pellet spread

The Brawler (Auraxium Mauler S6)

 * Max damage from 130@8m to 100@5m
 * Min damage from 50@18m to 84@20m
 * Magazine size from 6 to 8
 * Ammo capacity from 48 to 56
 * Cone of Fire bloom from 0.5 to 0
 * ADS pellet spread from 2.5 to 2
 * Vertical recoil from 1.3 to 2.8
 * Horizontal recoil from 0.2 to 0.5
 * Horizontal recoil tolerance from 0.4 to 1.5
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 15 to 8

Chaos (Auraxium Thanatos VE70)

 * Max damage from 130@8m to 100@5m
 * Min damage from 50@18m to 84@20m
 * Ammo capacity from 48 to 56
 * Shot reload from 2.1sec. to 1.68sec.
 * Long reload from 3.22sec. to 3.54sec.
 * Cone of Fire bloom from 0.5 to 0
 * ADS pellet spread from 2.5 to 2
 * Vertical recoil from 1.3 to 2.8
 * Horizontal recoil from 0.2 to 0.5
 * Horizontal recoil tolerance from 0.4 to 1.5
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 15 to 8
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 12 to 8

Havoc (Auraxium FA1 Barrage)

 * Max damage from 130@8m to 100@8m
 * Min damage from 50@18m to 84@20m
 * Magazine from 8 to 10
 * Ammo capacity from 48 to 50
 * Long reload from 3.22sec. to 3.54sec.
 * Cone of Fire bloom from 0.5 to 0
 * ADS pellet spread from 2.5 to 2
 * Vertical recoil from 1.3 to 2.8
 * Horizontal recoil from 0.2 to 0.5
 * Horizontal recoil tolerance from 0.4 to 1.5
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 15 to 8

NS Baron G5

 * Max damage from 100@10m to 84@15m
 * Min damage from 60@30m to 67@30m
 * Magazine size from 6 to 8
 * Ammo capacity from 48 to 56
 * Ext. Mags bonus from 4 to 2
 * Cone of Fire bloom from 0.5 to 0
 * ADS pellet spread from 2.5 to 2.25
 * Vertical recoil from 1 to 2.2
 * Recoil angle from -5.8 to -12
 * Horizontal recoil from 0.2 to 0.45
 * Horizontal tolerance from 0.4 to 1.5
 * Hipfire recoil recovery rate from 15 to 8

Phaseshift VX-S
''Dev Note: This weapon has been revamped to provide two firing modes (semi-auto and bolt-action) that can be swapped between mid-stream. The result should be a weapon that has similar effectiveness to traditional bolt-action weapons, with the flexibility to compete at shorter ranges.''
 * Semi-auto and Bolt-action are now separate firing modes
 * Semi-auto and Bolt Action firing modes now use different crosshairs
 * The charge-up mechanic has been removed
 * Weapon can no longer be manually reloaded
 * Adjusted bolt-action muzzle special effects
 * Semi-auto heat per shot from 200 to 190 (6 rounds per mag)
 * Bolt-action heat per shot from 1000 to 800 (2 rounds per mag)
 * Upon overheat, 1 second cooldown
 * Heat bleedoff from 334 to 500
 * Heat delay per shot from 700ms to 1000ms
 * Recoil recovery delay from 0ms to -150ms
 * Recoil recovery of semi-auto from 10 to 15
 * Recoil recovery rate acceleration from 1000 to 300
 * Bolt-action vertical recoil from 1.2 to 4.5
 * Bolt-action headshot multiplier from 2.1x to 2.2x
 * Max damage range from 8m to 10m
 * Min damage range from 260@200m to 334@85m

T7 Mini-Chaingun
Dev Note: These changes tighten up the weapon’s walking cone of fire, and push it closer to being a competitive weapon, while also allowing the player to equip a laser sight in a way that significantly alters the performance of the weapon.
 * Magazine from 100 to 125
 * Ammo capacity from 400 to 500
 * Cone of fire bloom from 0.05 to 0
 * Standing hipfire CoF from 2.25 to 2.50
 * Walking hipfire CoF from 2.75 to 2.50
 * Crouching hipfire CoF from 1.75 to 2.50
 * Crouch-walking hipfire CoF from 2.25 to 2.50
 * Velocity from 600 to 500

Lasher X2
Dev Note: This is a minor change to increase the sustained fire capabilities of what could be considered one of the most suppression-dedicated weapons in the game.
 * Heavy Shield will no longer obscure optics while firing
 * Hipfire cone of fire bloom from 0.1 to 0
 * ADS cone of fire bloom from 0.05 to 0

Anti-Vehicle MANA Turret
''Dev Note: This change effectively reduces the max range of the weapon from 450m to 300m, which is the range at which infantry most often render. As a vehicle player, it’s no fun getting hit by targets you can’t see, and the AV MANA Turret has frequently created issues to that end. Shortening up the impact of precision long-range AV weapons also helps foster the new infantry to vehicle interaction we’ll be moving toward in the coming days.''
 * Projectile lifespan from 4.75sec. to 3.2sec.

Aspis Anti-Air turrets (lattice base version)
Dev Note: This change brings the maximum effective range of base turrets to 450 meters to focus their role on the defense of the base, instead of influencing far-off fights.
 * Projectile lifespan from 3sec. to 1.2sec.
 * Projectiles now detonate at the end of their lifespan.

Vehicle Thermal Optics
Dev Note: The intention behind these changes is to increase the skill required to hunt down infantry (especially while using natural cover, like tree canopies or underbrush,) while increasing the optic’s ability to detect vehicle-based threats.
 * Renamed "Threat Detection Optics"
 * No longer highlights infantry
 * Now highlights projectiles and some NPCs
 * Ground-vehicle thermal range from 150 to 350
 * Aircraft thermal range from 350 to 500

Sunderer
Dev Note: This change aims to lengthen the time it takes for a single infantryman to destroy a Deploy Shield Sunderer while uncontested, allowing for more time for defenders to respond to the threat.
 * Deployment Shield maximum health from 2000 to 2500.

ESF
Dev Note: These changes keep Hornets as the ESF secondaries with the highest burst potential, but the lengthened time to kill helps discourage hovering above targets for prolonged periods, pushed them more toward hit and run gameplay, and reduces their effectiveness against infantry.
 * Hornet Missiles
 * Direct damage from 2000 to 1500
 * Indirect damage from 550 to 250
 * Indirect damage max range from 4m to 3m

Misc. Change and Additions

 * Removed holiday themes from the Engineer's ammunition pack and C-4 brick.
 * Changed impact effect to small explosion to help players more easily identify when they're taking damage from an NS-AM7 Archer.

Bug fixes

 * MKV-P Suppressed rail attachments should equip appropriately.
 * Medic revives now advance ribbon progress again.
 * VS MAXes no longer take additional damage, compared to other factions’ MAX units. (This change failed to make it during an earlier update.)
 * VS' rank 5 repair tool will not properly maintain its lock on repair targets.
 * Corrected Restoration Kit tooltip.
 * Fixed some broken ESF cosmetics.
 * Fixed some missing 2d player studio icons.
 * Fix to some weapons' Suppressor attachments not hiding the player on the minimap.
 * HIVE neutral cores should once again be distributed correctly.