Outfit Size - Which is more fun to you?

[Zendo]

I have been involved with large scale outfits...

-multi-tier command levels
-dedicated teamspeak server
-very sucessful and mature

A smaller outfit, maybe 1 or 2 dedicated squads of 10 on at a time.

-less zerging feel
-more time for small scale tactics (sniping, cloaking, small vehicles)
-potentially better teamwork, etc

Am NOT asking which is "better", I have had some great sucesses with a huge outfit, and enjoyed it. But was wondering how the smaller tight-knit group is to be involved with.

So what are your experiences, and what did you find to be fun? I figured even if were EXP the main goal (which isn't necessarily mine) .... one can still only be in one place a time, and time is what exp is largely based on.

Your thoughts welcome =)

[Lise]

I've always preferred smaller groups. With really big outfits/groups/what have you, I've always felt like more of a cog than a person. With smaller people you can get to know the members better. Also, I know from personal experience that big outfits are a pain in the ass to command.

[Jarlo]

I prefer outfits with 1-2 squads on most of the time, tends to be more active.

[Prowler]

I agree, A outfit with up to 3 squads on at once is pretty productive and fun. After that you just become a mess.

[Zendo]

The large outfit have been in used teamspeak on a very large scale, to pass down orders in a very efficient way. It was not messy, just very different than the smaller feel.

Does the built in voice chat in PS allow for communication between squads?

[EVILPIG]

Go BIG. Always have a full squad available to join. Participate in mass assaults.

Too often I see folks trying to put down larger outfits. They call them "zergs" and "noobs" and etc. What most fail to realize, is that larger outfits are just larger versions of the smaller ones. Larger outfits will have just as many if not more "elite" players in it, as well as the newer guys. Everyone starts out a noob, and anyone that continues to play grows out of that. Large or small, it's the outfit's responsibility to teach thier newer, or older players what they expect from them. But don't be an azz and put don other outfits based on thier size. Chances are, you have no idea how they operate unless you've run with them.

-Good luck out there.

[Zendo]

I 100% respect the tactics of both small and large groups.... just wondered what you find more fun.

Large groups rarely make use of snipers, cloakers, small-med vehicles..... and if they do, its in a minor way.

Once again, don't take this as me saying anything is superior to another.... purely looking for style preference, not which is "better"...

[Bad Mojo]

Originally posted by Zendo

I have been involved with large scale outfits...

-multi-tier command levels
-dedicated teamspeak server
-very sucessful and mature

A smaller outfit, maybe 1 or 2 dedicated squads of 10 on at a time.

-less zerging feel
-more time for small scale tactics (sniping, cloaking, small vehicles)
-potentially better teamwork, etc



Both of those are "larger" outfits, IMO. Being able to field one to two squads most anytime means there are well over twenty members. I would say that being able to put one or two squads out there each night is medium and anything more is large. Anything less than one is small.

My preference is usually based on how the outfit is run more than how many squads it can field. Larger can be better if run well. Medium outfits are good, too.

[NightWalker XI]

I like large because there are always online but small is good if you liek close team work and people with specific roles (sniper, heavy weapon, vehicle, aircraft, etc)

[MilitantB0B]

Originally posted by Lise
I've always preferred smaller groups. With really big outfits/groups/what have you, I've always felt like more of a cog than a person. With smaller people you can get to know the members better. Also, I know from personal experience that big outfits are a pain in the ass to command. Bingo :nod:

[Zendo]

With large outfits, and multiple squads.... it seems the duties are very delegated/distributed..

ie.

squad A - cc defense
squad B - tower watch
squad C - heavy armor
squad D - air squad

So when you down someone, its your bullet, and a good 50 others. The "zerg" concept, though, there is nothing wrong with that, its works, and is very viable.

But I'm wondering if it would be more fun to run a small outfit, that was well connected to the overall empire.

A couple infils, a tank/gunner, baslisk, a skeeto, 2 maxes, sunderer.... etc. Is it more exiting to have a small versatile group? There would be less glory, seeing 200 of your outfit pouring into bases, definatley a machine .... and damn effective.

But the idea of protecting a trio of snipers, and running air recon sounds like great fun to me as well. Or something similar.

[actionjax]

The outfit I'm involved in usually has 1-2 squads going and on big nights we have had 3 before. On the website we have some of the best forums I've been involved with. These forums do a lot to keep the community aspect of the outfit going. I would call us a large outfit according to SOE and the number of toons enlisted. But we definitely have a small feel to me in terms of camraderie.

New players are totally welcomed, and anyone that wants to get involved with the community can. Even though I haven't met a single one of these folks IRL I feel like I'm playing with a bunch of friends. And really, that's the most I could ask for from an outfit.

[Zendo]

-

[Arthell]

Personally i find smaller groups better. The one im in now we very rarely have a full squad online at any one time. Tons of fun for us, though.

[Indecisive]

The outfit I'm involved in usually has 1-2 squads going and on big nights we have had 3 before. On the website we have some of the best forums I've been involved with. These forums do a lot to keep the community aspect of the outfit going. I would call us a large outfit according to SOE and the number of toons enlisted. But we definitely have a small feel to me in terms of camraderie.

New players are totally welcomed, and anyone that wants to get involved with the community can. Even though I haven't met a single one of these folks IRL I feel like I'm playing with a bunch of friends. And really, that's the most I could ask for from an outfit..


exactly how i feel, couldnt have said it better, that is pretty much the set up and feel of my outfit, the vanu alliance...its fun, they are your friends, you get to know their voices, playstyle ect. And they dont let you forget stuff...like....catching the gal your driving's tail in the ocean...and drowning 9 people....:D

[Onizuka]

Originally posted by Arthell
Personally i find smaller groups better. The one im in now we very rarely have a full squad online at any one time. Tons of fun for us, though.

definately. for an outfit i wouldnt go above 25 maybe even 20. and for a squad 5 people is plenty for me. I find i work better in those conditions.

[Bigjy2]

yeah i run a 100 man outfit its hard sometimes but we have alot of fun and we always kick ass!!

http://stats.planetsidegaming.com/12/388817/stats.png

[tazz]

i my self prefer small outfits, ive tryed big outfits (The Hornballers, Virus), and then i tryed a smaller outfit (The Demigods). In the end i decided on smaller outfits, as I focus on Kill Count then XP.

I find that if there are to many people around, which happens in big outfits, that i lag and i dont get many kills.

[Arakiel]

I enjoy leading a small outfit. Most of us have been gaming together for a couple of years and we work well together when we're not making fun of each other on voicechat :p

Plus, for 30 people, we have a ton of outfit points.

[kidriot]

I'd like 3 full squads during prime time. that's my ideal setting.

smaller then that and you're at the mercy of the zerg.

3 squads is versatile. you ensure a proper mix of certs and talent and as long as they all listen to me it's gtg :cool:

[Trencher]

I definitely prefer smaller outfits, not only in Planetside but in other games as well. I can't stand the concept of joining an outfit/guild just to have a cool label above your head, just to be one of the crowd...

My outfit has maybe 30 people, 15-20 of which are regular/daily players... we all know each other (on some level - many RL friends, many long time online friends, many just good acquaintances from the game) and we all know what roles we play, who is good at what: who is a good leader, who gets the most kills... who can kill a max the easiest, who can revive, who can hack... sometimes when we play it's like clockwork. I think it makes us more flexible, more efficient, and definitely more fun. We have a web forum and a dedicated Teamspeak server, we all love to joke around when we're not in the thick of it... it's mature but laid back, personal but still orderly... I couldn't have it any other way.

I'm sure some subsquads of bigger outfits have the same feel about them, but as a a solitary outfit squad we don't have anyone but the squad leader barking orders, and even those are usually democratically debated...

Of course, there is one major downside that others have mentioned and that is that at certain times a day there won't be but 1 or 2 people on, let alone enough to fill a squad. When Platoons are added to the game we intend to expand just enough to fill that gap but I'm sure most Outfits, big or small, will be doing some kind of restructuring when that happens.