Opinions on Squad Spawning

[Lord Cosine]

I actually really like it. However the drop-pod aspect is the deciding feature. without that I would fully detest this. Essentially PS1 style drop-pods onto squad-leaders from the spawn select screen sounds like it could be pretty cool to me.

However if the drop pod was replaced something akin to instant squad spawning then I would be completely against this.

[VioletZero]

Originally Posted by Shogun

that´s a clear "wait for beta" thing for me

Although I'd typically agree, my knee jerk reaction says that this will undermine the supply line aspect.

[Ragotag]

Originally Posted by Top Sgt

I don't prefer the new noobed up way Dice did it with BF Spawn on any squad member...

Neither do I. If they limit it to drop pods called in by the acting squad leader, *if* said squad has the CERT'ed ability to do so, then I think it self balances.

IMO, the BF3 style squad spawning is absolutely ridiculous. It get's you killed more often than not (spawning into the line of fire) and makes it easy for your opponent to wipe out an entire squad if not used smartly. Not to mention the silliness of materializing out of thin air.

[Raymac]

I really really LOVE the way Higby described it, being steerable drop pods. Sounds like alot of fun.

The only question I have for the devs would be, why would you not ALWAYS squad spawn? Why spawn at a Galaxy when you can just drop down? If they don't balance that out, spawning any other way will become obsolete quickly.

[Gelnika]

Originally Posted by Raymac

The only question I have for the devs would be, why would you not ALWAYS squad spawn? Why spawn at a Galaxy when you can just drop down? If they don't balance that out, spawning any other way will become obsolete quickly.

That's my concern as well. As someone who aspires to be a master Galaxy pilot, I don't want my efforts to be trivialized because of the squad spawn mechanic.

[Ragotag]

Perhaps this is a clarification question for the Dev's because it would make huge difference in people's perception of this feature:

Do squad members initiate a squad spawn if the squad leader has the ability, or does the squad leader with the ability initiate the squad spawn if requested by a squad member assuming a squad spawn countdown timer has reached zero?

(I would hope for the latter.)

[Atuday]

I like how they are planning on using it. Outside only and with drop pods. This seems effective and fair.

[megamold]

from what ive heard higby mentioned something about some sort of timer.
no info on how exactly that timer will work, maybe only 1 squad spawn per person every 10 minutes or maybe a max of 2 spawns a minute or something like that.

i think they are trying to make the squad spawn an option for those occasions when you and your squad go do some flanking or whatever, and 1 person dies.
so that person can spawn on the squad again instead of several km's out and continue battling with his friends.
if thats the case then i am 100% up for it

[Shade Millith]

I was fine with it, on the proviso of

1) MUST be a large, flashy drop pod that SCREAMS out "I AM HERE, SQUAD LEADER IS HERE" There can be nothing stealthy about this. (Apparently this is checked)

2) MUST not be within a base. Outside or inside. Needs to act like the old base SOI. Within that area, you cannot drop. (I'm still worried about this one. They've said 'no indoors', but there's a large amount of area in a base that is not indoors. These areas should not be spawnable in either, unless from a galaxy)

I'm also very worried about the timer. I'd say at least 30seconds to one full minute between drop pods. I would prefer around 5 minutes though. Dying needs to mean something, and it can't be this constant recycling of spawn-kill-die-spawn-kill-die like BF.

Infantry Squad spawning cannot be the same way it works in BF2-3. They had abysmal systems that did pretty serious damage to making people work together.

[Ragotag]

FYI:

Matthew Higby Tweet (@mhigby):
We had respawn timers disabled for the demo. No, you won't be able to instantly respawn like that.

[dowmein]

Originally Posted by Ragotag

This is certainly not the same kind of squad spawning that is implemented in normal or even hardcore BF3; based on the above, this is a new beast altogether and I like it. It is also balanced in that a drop pod will give away the squad/squad leader's approximate location; and if not done in a safe location (behind cover), it will place the spawned squadmate at extreme risk of inst-death from concentrated fire.

They did that in BF2142.

It was the best thing ever.

[Malorn]

I'm indifferent. We didn't have it in PS1 and I think it went fine, but they're also trying ti speed up pacing and help us spend less time running back to the fight and more time enjoying it. Squad spawning will help with that. But I'm also not entirely a fan of how its been implemented in other games.

I liked the squad-spawn mechanic from BF2142, where the squad leader could place a spawn beacon on the ground and anyone in the squad could spawn on it. Its limited to just a squad and it's a static location, and it's something that the enemy could find/destroy, so I think that sort of thing could work well.

Its something I would have to see first hand and experience in beta to see whether it truly fits or is out of place/needs tuning.

[Whalenator]

Originally Posted by Malorn

I'm indifferent. We didn't have it in PS1 and I think it went fine, but they're also trying ti speed up pacing and help us spend less time running back to the fight and more time enjoying it. Squad spawning will help with that. But I'm also not entirely a fan of how its been implemented in other games.

I liked the squad-spawn mechanic from BF2142, where the squad leader could place a spawn beacon on the ground and anyone in the squad could spawn on it. Its limited to just a squad and it's a static location, and it's something that the enemy could find/destroy, so I think that sort of thing could work well.

Its something I would have to see first hand and experience in beta to see whether it truly fits or is out of place/needs tuning.

BF2142 reference = +5 Respect
Neutrality = +2 Respect
New Conglomerate = +7 Respect
"Wait until Beta" = +5 Respect
Wrote Manifesto = +15 Respect


On a note more directly related to the topic I express an opinion similiar to Malorn's. Although beacons would be preferable, the drop pods are an interesting innovation; the advantage of rapid troop insertion is traded off with the equal disadvantage of having to give away one's position.

[Ragotag]

Originally Posted by Malorn

I liked the squad-spawn mechanic from BF2142, where the squad leader could place a spawn beacon on the ground and anyone in the squad could spawn on it.

I really like this idea, plus there are many ways that this could be balanced in the game: CERTS or hard limits could be set on spawn countdown timer duration, the number of spawns allowed on a given beacon, the radius around which the drop pod could land, make it destructible, make it a single use deployable (once deployed, it's deployed -- can't be moved or retrieved), or even make it a resource consumable... so many ways.

Originally Posted by Whalenator

[...regarding Malorn...]
BF2142 reference = +5 Respect
Neutrality = +2 Respect
New Conglomerate = +7 Respect
"Wait until Beta" = +5 Respect
Wrote Manifesto = +15 Respect

LOL... no arguing with that!