Mission system, squads and specialisation

DviddLeff · 2012-03-25, 05:48 PM

I've been wondering over the past week about the mission system, squads and character customisation and how it all meshes together.

The mission system is replacing the platoon, allowing commanders to direct any number of squads around the continent to perform various tasks, mainly involving capturing or defending territories or parts of facilities.

Now as a commander you will be able to set missions, but will you be able to direct them at specific squads?

And as a squad leader, my squad may be specialised mainly in tanks or aircraft, light assault or infiltration... would this information be available to commanders so he knows what troops he has at his disposal?

I guess I am worried that the command system will be very dumbed down; set a mission then someone picks it up, with no more interaction than that between the commander and the troops he is leading.

Whalenator · 2012-03-25, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by DviddLeff

I guess I am worried that the command system will be very dumbed down;

Welcome to Planetside 2!

SgtMAD · 2012-03-25, 06:23 PM

are you positive about no platoons?

DviddLeff · 2012-03-25, 06:24 PM

Yeah, I was pretty outraged when I heard it the other week, think its common knowledge that I had missed from months ago.

sylphaen · 2012-03-25, 06:41 PM

They took out platoons ? wow...

I hope it's only because they're rushing for release and that platoons (or larger groups than squads) will be implemented after release.

It seems like a lot of stuff is scheduled for after release and that the high-priority at the moment is finalizing troop combat dynamics.

Grognard · 2012-03-25, 07:00 PM

Yeah, personally this is my only complaint about this games development... Going to squads only, is a big step backwards in my opinion. I think we need squads, platoons, and companies with the target populations...

Outfits will not take the place of companies... My reason is, Outfits will act independently the majority of the time, not suffering others to make their missions for them. Though they may cooperate with a faction goal, they will probably generate their own mission base.

So we will need platoons, and companies.

Edit: Companies will, at least, be extremely useful for outfits to project their organizational schemes in-game...

Brusi · 2012-03-25, 07:06 PM

Are alliances in?

Perhaps the scale of everything has been increased? Squads are the new unit, outfits the new squad and alliances the new platoon?

Aww, it's a cool concept tho, isn't it?

Ruwyn · 2012-03-25, 07:31 PM

Mission system = stupid.

All kind of targets were already called out in chat. Anyone with a brain could look at a continent map and foresee where the fight was heading. All decent outfits moved to counter or defend and would put out the call for reinforcements.

The only thing this mission system is for is to attempt to spread people out, instead of having 300 vs 300 over one tower/base. I think they fear Forgelight will not handle it and we'll be back to 50 vs 50 in general areas without lag.

SgtMAD · 2012-03-25, 08:12 PM

this game seems to be slipping more with every new detail we find,if they renamed the empires the game would have nothing to do with Planetside

ArmedZealot · 2012-03-25, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by DviddLeff

I guess I am worried that the command system will be very dumbed down; set a mission then someone picks it up, with no more interaction than that between the commander and the troops he is leading.

No offense, but PS1's command system was as dumbed down as it gets. Platoons were just a chatroom for squad leaders and command rank was a chat for commanders.

There was no real formal system for sorties and such. Higby and Co. are trying to change that. Wait for beta and see what potential it has because we no squat really on how the game will play with the proposed system in place.

Brusi · 2012-03-25, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by ArmedZealot

No offense, but PS1's command system was as dumbed down as it gets.

There wasn't really all that much to platoons... was there?

Losing platoons, you are basically losing the platoon chat and the ability to distinguish certain players on the map. More of a blow for commanders/raid leaders than anyone else.

If it's possible for a mission creator to see the location of friendlies units/squads that have accepted his/her mission, that would be pretty neat.

A fully customisable map interface that lets you tag/distinguish different outfits/alliances within your empire might be pretty cool feature too.

Lonehunter · 2012-03-25, 09:11 PM

Platoons just aren't in at launch, and missions don't replace a platoon. The only reason to really make a platoon is for the multi colored number indicators for those other 2 squads. The organization, communication, and planning can all be done through TeamSpeak and chat. Yes the missions will help with those things, but I still want the 30 person group basically.

NEWSKIS · 2012-03-25, 09:18 PM

Truthfully there's no way to know if it will be good, bad, or somewhere in between until beta.

In PS1, random squads/platoons consisted of the SL/PL setting a waypoint on a base and leaving everyone on there own to do things. Most squads in PS1 were akin to pointing a group of 9 headless chickens in the right direction and hoping they get there. Organized outfits will be able to do things with multiple squads regardless.

SgtMAD · 2012-03-25, 09:32 PM

Look, I ran multiple squads before platoons were in PS and it is a pain in the ass.

I don't need to have to type everything I want my squads doing, its a pain in the ass and its why any outfit worth a shit used voice comms, so we didn't have to type everything out.

if I have to generate missions for every outfit squad just to see what is going on around the map then the system is a waste of time.

this is a big nerf for outfits,screw this "Less is More" mentality I see in all these threads

Shanesan · 2012-03-25, 11:35 PM

Gotcha. Nobody uses the search before they make topics anymore.