Improving squad leader - squad members communications

[Omar The Insurgent]

Right now there are 3 problems that I see concerning giving out commands to your squad members:

1. Spawning on SL needs to be a priority. Right now, you can play SL and get a great position near enemy obj, but your average player will usually keep spawning on the static spawns, probably since Spawn 1, Spawn 2 and Spawn on SL are one under the other in the menu.

2. Squad chat from SL needs to be more obvious so squad members need to know it is THEM you are talking to. Color chat mutator just does not cut it.

3. Commander widget needs to be more obvious so that when SL assigns a move/attack marker, it needs to be visible on HUD or on compass or something.

Teamplay rests on shoulders of SL, and right now I can't see much that will make your average player notice the advantages of spawning on SL and listening to his commands / move markers.

[Kowalczyk]

1. I agree, I find the average 'newish' player is very uncreative in their choice of spawn points (and basic movement too lol). It's Spawn 1, Spawn 1, Spawn 1, Spawn 1, (do you get the idea? You can see this if you obverve the little dots on the map) and the movemnet is 'W until I meet enemy and get killed' LOL.

2. Coloured chat does go a long way but on servers I play on only one server uses it, and I find commander chat (green) tends to stand out wonderfully while SL chat I dotn even remember what colour it is!

3. It's visible in the tactcial view, I believe, but along with the wheel-click chat commands, it can turn into a meaningless exercise.

[Omar The Insurgent]

The move/attack marker issued by SL is quite confusing too as it lets you list trough "fire teams" or something, and it looks to be something left from singleplayer portion of RO2.

I definitely think that the squad portion of HUD could use a lot of improvements which would actually make some sense for the squad members to engage into team-play oriented action.

As it is right now, with 64 player server full in capacity, artillery shells going near your spawns, bullets flying everywhere, smoke grenades making it hard to orientate, I think that even a lot of experienced players can get confused, let alone those new guys who haven't even got an idea that they are in a squad.

Something should be implemented to promote unity and advantages of being a part of the squad, and as it is right now, I just can't see it.

[Mormegil]

Long time ago, I suggested Spawn on SL as the default. That could go a long way to helping.

[Rabid Penguin]

Originally Posted by Mormegil

Long time ago, I suggested Spawn on SL as the default. That could go a long way to helping.

Prepare to get attacked visciously by certain people. :P

I agree though. I think you should get much bigger bonuses too when you stick together as a squad, such as points bonuses, suppression resistance, morale boost, etc.

[LugNut]

Long time ago, I suggested Spawn on SL as the default.

Agree on this. And on issuing squad based rewards. There needs to be a more obvious advantage for individual pub players to want to stick with their squad instead of going off on their own. As well as easily understood mechanics for making it happen.

I think colored names would help ID squadmates, both in chat and in game. As it is now, I haven't a clue how to tell squadmates apart from anyone else on my side when I'm in game except for my SL.

[Calumhm]

Originally Posted by Mormegil

Long time ago, I suggested Spawn on SL as the default. That could go a long way to helping.

I agree with Penguin, some of the community would never let that happen. Many of them hate Spawn on SL because it removes the added fear of death that a long run to the battle creates.

Instead, I would suggest (perhaps just for some servers and not as a default) spawn WITH squadleader being default. You spawn where he does.

Or limit SoSL, so that it never spawns you TOO far into battle; while still helping you regroup with your leader.

Originally Posted by Rabid Penguin

Prepare to get attacked visciously by certain people. :P

I agree though. I think you should get much bigger bonuses too when you stick together as a squad, such as points bonuses, suppression resistance, morale boost, etc.

I don't know if these bonuses need to be buffed or not. I've seen points bonuses happening, but I cant even remember noticing less suppression while with my squad. Many players won't know that the squad suppression bonus is even THERE let alone observe it's hard-to-notice effects.

Originally Posted by LugNut

Agree on this. And on issuing squad based rewards. There needs to be a more obvious advantage for individual pub players to want to stick with their squad instead of going off on their own. As well as easily understood mechanics for making it happen.

I think colored names would help ID squadmates, both in chat and in game. As it is now, I haven't a clue how to tell squadmates apart from anyone else on my side when I'm in game except for my SL.

I believe in game squad-mates' names are currently bright Green. I also agree that it should be more obvious when your SL is talking to you.