Player Interviews: Spkr4TheDead

Our next interviewee is no other than MAG luminary, Spkr4TheDead. In our latest interview he chimes in on holding grudges, the Stranded Series and why MAG has a command structure CCP should consider emulating.



1. What are you looking forward to most in Dust 514? The Grand scale of it all, the next evolution in shooters.

2. Any old MAG scores to settle in Dust?

Yeah, they'll be settled pretty quick. The all-around guys will have the easiest time. Ever seen one of the most well-known clans not able to blow up your vehicle? I have.

 3. Social areas are a confirmed Game Mechanic, what other social areas are you looking forward to in Dust?

Just as long as I'll be able to go over things with those handing out the contracts, saying if something seems feasible or if I need this and that asset to complete the contract; as long as there's honest two-way communication, I think I'll be fine.

4. Alliances seem to be popping up all over the place, what good/poor decisions have you seen so far?

I haven't really paid attention to the alliances. From what I've heard, the MAG clans are basically going to stick together, with alliances being formed between some. There isn't anybody I can't get through.

5. Early reports seem to indicate a Dust corp has already incurred the wrath of a rather large EVE Alliance with their rhetoric, what do you make of the early politics of New Eden?

Sounds like some good bloviating that I'd be interested in hearing as well as participating in.

6.Whats your opinion of Dust 514's Stranded series?

The Stranded series is good so far I think, though it's not written like a sci-fi novel too much and I'm having just a bit of trouble trying to put everything together.

7. Any weapons, vehicles or other equipment you hope too see in Dust? 
If we're offered enough flexibility, going so far as building and deploying IEDs that are hard to detect, the best minds are going to have a hard time getting through even an average defense.

8. What MMOFPS pitfalls should Dust try to avoid?

Dust should try to avoid everything. I'll always believe the best online shooter series to be SOCOM, minus Confrontation and 4. There was something special about the earlier ones; nobody followed them, and everybody tried to copy Call of Duty. Look at Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Huge, spacious maps. But there are so few people in one match on the PS3, and there are so many vehicles, it gets pretty ridiculous. I remember a night at a friend's house after a few beers, I went one-on-one with a helicopter as a sniper, and it was briefly two-on-one, but the other was a terrible pilot and crashed. I believe CCP should avoid everything out there and make their own animal.

9. What well done elements can CCP incorporate from other online titles?

A basic command structure like in MAG seems to work I believe, but obviously the only problem is in getting people to listen to you and follow you. With the clans I've been in, for example, if some idiot tries to team kill one of my guys, we'll all spend the rest of the time teaching them a lesson. Or if defending, we'll throw one or two guys at another platoon to help prop them up. Usually we don't need to send a whole squad because I know some real intuitive guys and they know what to do to have the maximum effect. A fantastic feature that was in the SOCOM: Combined Assault online co-op was you saw the gear each person was choosing, minus whatever attachments they had. So someone could choose for example an SR-25 sniper rifle, but you don't know if they're going with a variable scope and a suppressor or an extended magazine. Showing everything someone is choosing, plus attachments would be a big help to avoid redundancy for someone that might be a great grenadier, with an underslung grenade launcher, but not too good of a marksman, having a good scope and longer barrel for their rifle.

10. Can EVE Corps be trusted?

I don't have any experience with EVE corps. If they put their money where their mouth is, that's fine. But heaven help if they try to cross me. I keep grudges and I'll get them back one way or another.

11. What's your first Dust 514 mercenary action after the game launches?

Buy all the good gear I would've gotten used to on the beta. Then go about signing up with a corp, and then head into highsec to bust some heads.

12. Join and established EVE Corp or form your own, why?

I'm not too sure yet; I'll probably end up joining an established one as I'm not on EVE and it would take too long to build up the capital I'd need to buy all the gear I'd need.