Command Overhaul

[DviddLeff]

Command Overhaul

This command overhaul is designed to encourage those who are best at leading to carry on leading, not simply retire at CR5 and use their OS to get cheap kills once a play session, and use commander chat as a place for idle spam and idiocy. It aims to put in place in game systems for missions, giving definite goals to squads in an attempt to break up the zerg.

New Commander Features
Command Vehicle
The Command Vehicle is a stripped out Deliverer or Phantasm with antennas and satellite dishes instead of weaponry and troop space. When stationary the vehicle deploys and the antenna and dishes emerge so that the Commander can hook up to the network and begin commanding the troops. From within the vehicle the Commander can assign missions to squads, use his CUD, request reinforcements and send general orders to the troops. He can also control Camera Drones (see below) from the Command Vehicle to get an overview of the battlefield.

The Command Vehicle can only be used by a leader with a command rank of 3 or above.

Shoulder Aerial for Squad, Platoon and Company Leaders
Squad Leaders would have an aerial projecting from his shoulder, and a Platoon Leader gets an aerial on each shoulder, while Company leaders would receive both and an aerial on their backpack to differentiate them from the troops.

Camera Drone
CR4s would receive a Camera Drone, which could fill a pistol slot. This drone would be controlled like an aircraft, and would show the player a view in a window on his HUD. The player could use it to provide recon for his squad. The drone would have a limited life span, and could be shot down by accurate fire.

Scout Video Feed
Commanders using either base CCs or Command Vehicles can view video feeds from friendly scout vehicles (Mosquito, Harasser and ATVs) in the area. Also, commanders at base CCs can view video feeds from the base turrets. These video feeds would display in small adjustable windows on the HUD.

Ability to vote out Squad/Platoon Leaders and Base/Planet/Galaxy Commander
With Squad, Platoon and Company Leaders, sometimes it is necessary to remove them from command. Their Squad/Platoon/Company Leaders would be able to attempt to vote them out of power once every 15 minutes and replace him with another player in the Squad/Platoon/Company. This would require a majority vote for success.

Command Rank Certifications
Commanding will become a full support role, requiring a 3 cert investment (Basic Command) to gain access to the CUD, Command Terminals and Command Vehicle. To access orbital strikes and become a platoon or company commander you must invest a further 2 cert points (Advanced Commander). Note that even without investing a player can still lead a squad, and thereby earn command rank up to level 3, however the benefits of CR 4 and 5 will only be unlocked when they have both earned the experience and purchased the certifications. See appendix 1 for details.

Squads
Squad Sergeant
Squads would have a second leader, who would earn 20% of the command experience for the squads actions. The squad sergeant would be able to use their command tools, however the Squad Leader would decide on squad missions.

Squad Leader Context Sensitive Orders
Squad leaders can use a new key to give his squad quick specific orders on the battlefield. The object of the orders would glow to squad mates nearby, as well as a brief written command in the HUD top centre. This could be used to order the squad to move to an area, target a specific enemy, hack a door/CC/terminal, support a friendly, etc.

The Squad Sergeant would be granted the ability to use this feature, so that squads can split up to cover different roles.

Capturing Towers
For capturing towers players and squads would be rewarded with experience in a similar system as for bases. The limit for these would be around 20% of a base fight.

Base Defence CEP
For successful base defence, Squad Leaders are rewarded with a small amount of CEP for every kill in a friendly SOI their squad achieves.

Squad Missions
Squad Leaders can now accept missions for their squads from higher ups to fill a variety of roles, including:
Offensive
Hack Base/Tower Control Console
Destroy Base/Tower Spawn Tubes
Destroy Base Generator
Capture Base Back Door
Capture Base Lobby
Assassinate Enemy Commanders (leaders of Squads, Platoons or Companies)

Once these Offensive missions are completed, the Squad Leader is rewarded with a CEP bonus, and the squad with a BEP bonus (maximums of 500), depending on how much resistance is encountered. If the squad completes the mission then it is cancelled from the Squad Mission List automatically, and they, the platoon and company leaders are informed.

Defensive
Defend Base/Tower Control Console
Defend Base/Tower Spawn Room
Defend Base Generator
Defend Base Back Door
Defend Base Lobby

For every five minutes defending in the area, the Squad Leader is rewarded with a CEP bonus, and the squad with a BEP bonus (maximums of 500), depending on how much resistance is encountered. If the squad fails the mission, then it is removed from the Squad Mission List after five minutes, giving them a chance to secure the area.

Up to two missions can be accepted by any one squad at a time, and the Squad Leader can cancel mission orders whenever he sees fit. Squad Leaders can also request missions from their commanders. Missions have a 1 hour time limit.

Platoons
Platoon Leader
The Platoon Leader position is now changed to be filled by a player who does not belong to any squad in a platoon, leaving three Squad Leaders to concentrate on leading their squads. The Platoon Leader can request his Squad Leaders to perform missions for him, using the system detailed above.

Platoon Leaders get a share of the CEP the squads under his command earn for each mission and base hack or defence.

Platoon leaders must be CR4 or above.

Base Commanders
Platoon Leaders can take control of base fights, allowing that commander to send base wide commands to the friendly troops (even those not in their platoon). They can also assign missions to the defenders or attackers of the base, and request reinforcements (and ANTs if defending), and earn CEP rewards for those squads completing them. They also earn CEP by capturing the base or successfully defending.

When defending, the base commander must be at the Control Console of the base or at a new, secondary, emergency Command Console in the basement to issue his Platoon mission orders.

When assaulting a base the commander must deploy a new Command Vehicle within the SOI of the base, and stay within it and the vehicle to work as the Base Commander (details on the Command Vehicle later) and issue missions to his platoon.

From the CC or Command Vehicle, the Base Commander can use their CUD as if they were outside, being able to use Reveal Friendlies, Enemies and Orbital Strikes. They can also use new commander features.

Players around the SOI of the base can set toggles to show them messages from all base commanders, just their platoon’s base commander or no base commander messages.

Companies
Up to three platoons can join together to form a company, allowing for greater tactical control of troops. The separate platoon leaders can chat to each other privately, and they would all be under the leadership of one Company Leader.

Similar to the Platoon leader, the Company Leader would occupy a position outside of the squads/platoons.

Company Leaders would be able to create small Command Squads, with the three Platoon Leaders, which would all be able to share the responsibility of leading the company. This Command Squad would share BEP like a normal squad, and share CEP earned from the Platoons under their command.

To avoid clutter on the map/radar, players can toggle their HUDs to show only their Squad, their Platoon or the entire Companies troops. They could also set it to only show the separate squad/platoon/company leaders, or their squad centre points.

Company Leaders must be CR5.

Planet Commander
Planet Commanders are Company Leaders who will control an entire Planet from Base Control Consoles (or Command Vehicles until the first base is taken on the Planet), able to select bases as primary and secondary targets. It is only Planet Commanders who can send Planet All messages. Planet Commanders can also request for reinforcements to that Planet.

Planet Commanders can assign specific target bases to Platoon Leaders, and earn CEP rewards if these bases are then successfully taken or defended, depending on the situation.

Players on the planet can set toggles to show them messages from all planet commanders, just their company’s planet commander or no planet commander messages.

Galaxy Commander
Galaxy Commanders are CR5s who stay in Sanctuary and direct the flow of battle from there. They are the only players who can send general global messages. Galaxy Commanders can select primary and secondary target planets for the empire to assault.

Galaxy Commanders can assign specific target planets to Company Leaders, and earn CEP rewards if these planets are then successfully taken or defended, depending on the situation. They get to use RTS style controls to direct their troops.

Players can only be Galaxy Commander once a day, and only for two hours at a time.

[Furret]

Tons of great ideas, and I think the concept of PlanetSide that needs to be perfected most in PS2 will be the command system.

When you wrote that, you based the whole system off CR0-CR5.

((((perhaps CR should be a ratio between all of the other players?
Not sure if it'd be a good idea, but instead of having a ton of people at CR 5, maybe have the top 1 at CR 10, the next 4 (#2-5) at CR 9, next 14 (6-20) at CR 8, 21-50 at CR 7, 51-100 CR 6, and then you rank up to CR5 by yourself.
So really, there's only 6 command ranks, but everyone who has attained 'CR 6' is put into a ratio of the top 100 CR ranks in the empire. so if you get CR 6, and are the 34th highest CR rank in the NC, you'd be placed at CR 7. If enough people pass you, you're demoted to CR 6. If you get pushed down to #101, you get CR 5 'honors' or something.
Would be an interesting way to keep people with the best CR on top, and not have 500 CR5's spamming global chat with conflicting ideas.

CR10
- Ability to chat empire-wide
- Can give any member of the empire a general command, with a text box for specifics. Also gives green arrow pointing to objective.
- Can set empire-wide waypoints on any continent
- Can draw on minimaps, regular maps, and show up on the ground on all players' screens, seen empire-wide.

CR9
- Same as CR10 without drawings on ground/minimaps, text box for specifics, or green arrow.

CR8
- Same as CR9 without general commands, only specifics like 'crash this point, hack this CC, defend this point, etc.

CR7
- Same as CR8 without empire-wide waypoints, or drawing on regular maps.

CR6
- Only empire-wide chat))))

posted that on a different thread, and I think it would be easier to make the minor adjustments to your plan to fit it in with a CR0-CR10 system, depending on which system would be better for the game.

Most of the ideas that didnt coincide with a specific rank would obviously still work, and I definitely agree (though i never thought of it) that there should be certifications required to be able to use your CR.

So then the only question i'm asking here, is which CR system is better for the game?