PvE content is designed in many MMO with required character roles. If you don't have a tank combined with a healer and adequate DPS, you'll fail every time.

Do you think we'll be looking at classic MMO character roles (tank, DPS, healer, ect...), or will V13 be more like Borderlands where any combination of characters can get the job done?

It's a pretty huge element of any game. While it's nice to be able to define your characters role in PvE, once you start down the character role path, PvP is forever imbalanced (nothing says #1 PvP target in an MMO like a red cross).

So long as PvP and PvE are both in the mind of the class developers there can be balance with different classes.

The problems that arise tend to be when the game decides to add PvP or PvE into itself in a level the classes werent designed for.

Classic example would be WoW of course, none of the classes were designed around small group combat so when Arenas came to be it imbalanced things in favor of certain compositions. Then it essentially became a patchwork job that led to even more imbalances as the classes were changed.

So in my opinion if the developers set down in stone where the game is going in regards to pvp and stay the course things will be fine.

Also I think if things are designed around say 1 v 1, 2 v 2 or 3 v 3 scale battles and all the classes are viable in those areas everything is will work out at the bigger scales or at least be easier to adjust with out domino effects.

I had to laugh at the red cross equalling an easy target, in WoW Warriors and Healers have been the most unbalanced. Healing tends to be greater then damage cost wise.

I'm a casual PvP player in most games. I enjoy PvE content a lot more than PvP especially with friends. Even in other Fallout games you sort of had character roles. As for Fallout:Tactics you had combat roles such as a sniper type, heavy weapons type, soldier type, a CQB type , or a jack of all trades type for the online PvP matches. So I imagine that their classes are going to be something similar to previous fallout games. With the way skills, perks, and stats work.

It's an interesting question. A lot will depend on the character creation process, and whether or not it locks you into a class. If that's the case, then it's much easier to develop unique abilities which facilitate performing the roles related to that class. If you just go for a Fallout 1/2-esque SPECIAL + Skills system, then you end up having to try and balance around too many combinations to really give each role the sort of specialisation that it deserves. For instance, imagine a player who simply put all their points into the tank skill that reduced damage, and the doctor / first aid healer skill. They could presumably just sit there, doing no damage but being nigh-impossible to kill.

I quite like the idea of several specialised characters being able to band together to create whole greater than the sum of its parts. That doesn't necessarily need to exist within the archetypal holy-trinity paradigm, but it is a fairly easy and well established model to follow. Maybe you'll sit and sigh, wishing that I were near
Then maybe you'll ask me to come back again
And maybe I'll say "Maybe"

In the Fallout I know there's also:

Lockpickers, Hackers ... probably more but i could imagine also:

Scouts (with high enough perception to even SEE doors (under heavy rabble or similar? i'm guessing here)
Strong guy able to lift that fallen roof out of the way to get thru. (probly the tank guy)

Basically build into the game niche's for all the SPECIAL attributes maybe.

I wouldn't mind if me and 2 buddies want to check out an area but can't get into some parts cos none of us could open ONE safe, or couldn't get info from a terminal, or even deal with a crazy old wandering trader.
The rest of the area should still contain lots of super mutants, loot and mind blowing scenery which will be a walk in the park because instead we're a trio of tank, sniper and medic.

hmmm this opens new possibilities. You could then come back later WITH a thief (player OR npc?) or maybe sell the location of unknown free loot...

Battlefield Bad Company 2 shows that balanced party is good not only in MMORPG. A squad of assault, medic, recon and engineer has more chances to win then a squad of 4 assaults or 4 medics. The same way is fallout. Player with high first aid skill will raise chances to get the job done, high trap skill will save some stimpacks as good as high sneak skill. A crowd of characters with maxed big guns skill can do the job too, but on all will of the Saint Random. Excuse my bad English... I am a Russian bear, it's hard to type with claws.

Honestly, if you are going for the healer you are doing it wrong. CC first, then ranged casters, then healers. But that's not the point of this thread.

They could have an EVE style where it's one character who can train how they want to play. Some people will choose to be a healer type, maybe a hybrid (as I would). Some will vouch for tank roles. It generally evens itself out.

Otherwise if they do classes, it's the Holy Trinity for a reason.
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