I've been playing this game since founder's BETA, I have also spent around $200 on this game (way too much IMO).
Here are my opinions/concerns on 3PV:
-3PV does not affect balance much in in PUGs. It may help individuals from time to time (those who are smart enough to use it before popping out of cover), but not the team as a whole usually.
-3PV totally changes team vs team dynamics. Totally throws off the risk/reward balance for flanking and "creative maneuvering." I play on Brawling teams most of the time, and have had pretty good success because we were able to outflank/get close to the other team. Now it will be MUCH harder to do so undetected. It will make the game gravitate to camping poptarts EVEN MORE.
-People say "I haven't seen people use it." Well, what do you expect? If they are decent pilots at all, they will not use 3PV the majority of the time. they only pop it when they need to look around a corner or over terrain. This makes it WORSE than if they were forced into one view or the other. They can have the best of both worlds with no disadvantages.
-3PV helps new players MARGINALLY. They can't see their legs the majority of the time, they can't see their minimap (which actually holds their pilot progression back more than 3PV helps them). New players will have a hard enough time piloting in 1 mode, much less switching back and forth.
-3PV will help experienced players MUCH MORE than they will new players. They don't need to expose themselves to look around or scout. It helps those damn poptart snipers the most, and that's what's most annoying.
-It proves that there is a huge chasm between developers, their promises, what the community wants, and what has been delivered. While money is not exactly tight for me, I am really considering cancelling my Phoenix Overlord package just to show them my dissatisfaction with the direction the game is taking.
Edited by LordVanquish, 21 August 2013 - 10:39 AM.