Planetside: Prima's Official Strategy Guide

Rating:
Summary: another ... excuse for a strategy guide from prima
Review: I'm a big fan of the planetside game so naturally when I heard that the book store where I work had gotten in a copy of this strategy guide I was anxious to see it. I was very very dissapointed. The 'strategies' presented in the guide involve more common sense than anything, with such gems as 'crouch while firing' and 'strafe to avoid being hit'. As far as game information the guide has very little you can't find in game, there are no hard numbers on any of the weapons or vehicles as far as damage, rate of fire, and other things are considered, instead the guide uses relative numbers (1 is the worst, 5 is the best) to 'rate' each weapon in each category. As far as maps of the game world go, they are in black white just like the rest of the book, but the contrast is so low that you can't tell whats on them and they are much to small to prove any use as far as planning goes. The facility maps are even worse and are little more than screen shots of the minimap from ingame. Overall I'm really dissapointed but I guess I shouldn't expect much more from a company that consistantly puts out lackluster material.

Rating:
Summary: another ... excuse for a strategy guide from prima
Review: I'm a big fan of the planetside game so naturally when I heard that the book store where I work had gotten in a copy of this strategy guide I was anxious to see it. I was very very dissapointed. The 'strategies' presented in the guide involve more common sense than anything, with such gems as 'crouch while firing' and 'strafe to avoid being hit'. As far as game information the guide has very little you can't find in game, there are no hard numbers on any of the weapons or vehicles as far as damage, rate of fire, and other things are considered, instead the guide uses relative numbers (1 is the worst, 5 is the best) to 'rate' each weapon in each category. As far as maps of the game world go, they are in black white just like the rest of the book, but the contrast is so low that you can't tell whats on them and they are much to small to prove any use as far as planning goes. The facility maps are even worse and are little more than screen shots of the minimap from ingame. Overall I'm really dissapointed but I guess I shouldn't expect much more from a company that consistantly puts out lackluster material.

Rating:
Summary: Not up to date with game
Review: This book is useful for its strategy discussions, but much of it is now incorrect. Ceritfications have changed and mechs in core combat have changed the landscape of planetside - they are not mentioned in this book. This book also treats Planetside as combat across multiple continents, not the planets connected by jump gates in the current game.

Rating:
Summary: It is what it is. Don't expect too much & you'll be happy.
Review: Why jmu would use his review space to bash Prima is beyond me. Here's a clue: Planetside is persistent, on-line world. Books are permanently printed on paper. Of course they're not going to put hit points and other hard numbers about weapons, armor types etc. BECAUSE THEY CHANGE. They've changed already and the game has only been out a month. As the developers see fit, weapons change, vehicles are added, base attributes change, objectives are modified, etc. To put it all down in a book, print that book, and then have to change that book every time the devs come up with an update is simply cost prohibitive. If you really want to know about hard numbers, check the website . . . OFTEN.

Rating:
Summary: It is what it is. Don't expect too much & you'll be happy.
Review: Why jmu would use his review space to bash Prima is beyond me. Here's a clue: Planetside is persistent, on-line world. Books are permanently printed on paper. Of course they're not going to put hit points and other hard numbers about weapons, armor types etc. BECAUSE THEY CHANGE. They've changed already and the game has only been out a month. As the developers see fit, weapons change, vehicles are added, base attributes change, objectives are modified, etc. To put it all down in a book, print that book, and then have to change that book every time the devs come up with an update is simply cost prohibitive. If you really want to know about hard numbers, check the website . . . OFTEN.