We need medics !

http://images.wikia.com/half-life/en...ouse_medic.jpg

This is going to be controversial: Every team-game needs a healing class. Neocron, taking place in a postapocalyptic world, has a healer/supporter role, the PPU. tiny problem: healing and supporting others is available für green-skinned and pointy-eared avatars only (so to say). while i believe we all are are fine with the ingame presence of psi-using chars, there should be other ways of supporting, too. for some time (in the past) we had a technical supporting role, as placing turrets was asking for construction skill. turrets do, of course carry problems of their own.
so let me suggest INT, IMP, RCL (or comparable) based tools for projecting health and shields on team members. while this clearly wont take place in the near future, it would add nicely to the overall rebalancing of NC.

If i may widen up this thread a little, just to support my ideas on this with more commonly facts.

The ppu is fine (when balanced (what no class is right now in my opinion)) and works as the "healer" class. When the nanites were not introduced yet, you could heal other players with the TL 3 heal, TL 10 heal (or higher as private eye) and also shield and boost them.

Shortly after the nanite-technology was introduced, ppu spells became obsolete to any class but the ppu, which made healing your teammates or in fact any other players non relevant. Now the problem with this is: leveling in a team you often see someone being attacked before they even realize it. This may be because of someone's experience or simply a better position where you may obtain a better view.

When leveling at the bunker, I often put myself on the roof of the building, where I could watch out for all of my teammates. Often there was some mob spawn behind them, which they could not see. So I put my heal on them before beginning to shoot - just in case they would take too much damage.

Now, what do I do with a nanite tool? Well, nothing much so far. I can heal myself (more or less, it's kinda slower than a psi based heal). Also, nanites could block the heal, which makes someone still using the psi based heal obsolete (exception: ppu class).

I think this is some developement gone in the wrong direction, simply because the result is to not heal anyone anymore. Yes, it's one direction the old neocron team was facing. Making each class more viable while adjusting the teamplay in general, requiring more of the ppu class (see all the new spells no one really asked for while weaking shields and heals so you have to own a trillion spells instead of 10) - and least but not last weakening all classes in general by introducing self-based nanite technology (also while weakening the resist skills and armor to push nanite resists).

Do we need a medic class?
I do not think so. The ppu was fine before the spell overload and weakening (so was the apu btw before the "adjustment" - or shall I say privation of their damage). Removing the nanite technology would be a) great and b) very wasteful. I don't know if the new team is actually able to balance the classes all out.

Balancing is the next big keyword

It begins in PVE:
Why does a pistol make so much less damage then a rifle?
Why does an apu modul make so much less then a cannon? (Monks were the MOST POWERFUL class, read the story :)).

Make it like:
100 % Cannon
100 % APU
098 % Rifle
096 % Pistol
095 % Melee

As now (i don't remember the thread, will grab it out if i find it)
100 % cannon
070 % APU
080 % Rifle
050 % Pistol
060 % Melee
(numbers are figures, don't pin me on that)
It's too much a difference in balance. Also I can not say it too often: Give the APU back their speed.

Back to topic. While the old team faced this direction of balance, teamplay disengaged, leaving players behind. For now the only viable classes seem to be Tank and Rifle-Spy. If you balance out the nanites and psi based ppu stuff, you will also bring back the psi based heals in SPYS and PRIVATE EYES, which will lead to more viable teamplay.

I know this is hard work, since there never was a grounded balance on which to build up. But now, take one base and play around. Do not use the balance-hammer - 1 to 5 % in the max. Take up the speed of APU modules by 5 %, nanites down by 5 %, psi based heals up by 5 % - test it, go again (or if the wrong direction, go back to the last change).

For me, there is no reason to bring up another "medic" class, while the old stuff is still not balanced. Maybe if you achieve to make any class viable again in this system, and also all weapon types, then and only then another class can be added. If you rush a new class in at this time, it will screw up all the work, leaving nothing but frustration (Medic'o'Cron ftw).

Wheren't nanites supposed to broaden the spectrum of potential supporting characters?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drachenpaladin

Wheren't nanites supposed to broaden the spectrum of potential supporting characters?

this may be but the guy who came up with them stopped thinking it trough,even selfbuffing with nanites isn't worth the hassle (this is the moment where 1 or 2 guys post "but i made a toon that uses nanites!11derp!" without mentioning that he rarely logs said toon)

do we need a medic? i don't know,maybe.It kinda depends on the class-balancing that may or may not come soon.However,the idea isn't all that bad

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drachenpaladin

Wheren't nanites supposed to broaden the spectrum of potential supporting characters?

that's what i thought when nc 2.2 launched. the nanites were supposed to be an alternative to psi spells. making teams without ppu able to stand against a ppu supported team.

I do like Torg's idea it is sound and logical that a PE or spy could be used as a medic. new nanites could be used as resurrection too.