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Over the last several months we’ve brought you a number of articles about Sony Online Entertainment’s new PlanetSide 2. Now that the game is released, here are a few things you need to know and some links to other articles with more detailed information.

If you’re not sure whether to play or not, check out 5 Reasons to Play PlanetSide 2 for a little help making up your mind. You might also want to take a look at our review

Getting Started

Download the client by signing into your SOE account (I find signing in at soe.com is easiest), then go to planetside2.com/download and start the download. You’ll download a launcher, which will then download and patch the game. It’s a big game, so expect to wait a while.

Once you’ve launched the game, pick a server and a faction and run through the character creation process. There’s not much to it as most of the customization is done in-game through either certifications or cosmetics purchased through the online store.

Factions

• New Conglomerate – Slower, but harder-hitting weapons and more heavily armored.
• Vanu Sovereignty – Energy-based weapons with damage fall-off over range, and more maneuverable hover-tanks.
• Terran Rebublic – Rapid-firing weapons and lightly-armored, but very fast vehicles.

Pick a Class

The class you chose helps to define your role on the battlefield. You’ll nearly always have easy access to an infantry terminal to change out if you decide you don’t like what you chose, though. Here’s a quick list of the various classes:

• Infiltrator – Think James Bond as these guys pack a large assortment of toys to include Stealth Suits (“F” to Activate), Hacking Tools, Numerous Electronic Countermeasures and Counter-Intelligence systems, Sniper Rifles, Pistols, and some explosives.
• Light Assault – Jump Packs allow these guys to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Lightly Armored and packing sub-machine guns and some explosives, they're like the FedEx of destruction--they deliver anywhere.
• Combat Medic – Every Soldier's best friend is the medic. Packing an assault rifle, these guys aren’t defenseless, but it’s when they whip out their bag of healing tricks that they really turn the tide of battle. Various healing kits include several options like the Healing Hand Grenade of Antioch.
• Engineer – For when it absolutely positively must be destroyed overnight, you call the corps of engineers to the fight. As they get upgraded through certs, these guys pack a plethora of explosives, various mines, and turrets for holding important choke-points or blowing things up in a hurry.
• Heavy Assault – It’s hard to roll as one of these guys and not affect an Austrian accent. Heavy weapons specialists, these guys carry light machine guns and various counter vehicle weapons (Anti-Air or Anti-Tank). Perfect for Terminating at will.
• MAX – If Mac Trucks could pack heat, they’d be something like this. Heavily armed and heavily armored, MAX suits can take every-bit of what they can dish out, and that’s a lot. Their modular design allows them to equip a large number of various types of weapons from general guns, to flame-throwers, to several types of anti-vehicular weapon systems.

Every class has it’s unique equipment or abilities. As you invest in certifications, be sure to click on the options on the right to apply the upgrades.

For more information on classes, take a look at our Class Compendium 1 and Class Compendium 2 guides.