Building the Ideal BF3/BF4 Leadership System

[sfscriv]

... Originally posted on 12 MAY 2011

There are two key questions to answer to develop a viable Battlefield in-game leadership system.

1) What do individual players want?

2) What encourages teamwork?

1) Individual players want:
- fun (feel good & excitement) [entertainment]
- camaraderie (status/acceptance)
- challenged & successful (a sense of accomplishment) [be a war hero & to win]
[It’s like being an active participant in your favorite action movie in an interactive environment.]
- survive longer (health/repair)
- kill more (ammo, intel)
- conduct amazing feats (stories to tell)
- more points/rank/unlocks/awards

2) Teamwork enhancement
- dependence on others (specialization, dedicated kits, tailored spawn)
- better behavior/cooperation (encourage good/discourage bad)
- staying together
- points/rank/unlocks/awards
- order system (follow order/accomplish task)
- interactive map with grid overlay
- commo rose (spot, courtesy, health, ammo, repair)
- VoIP
- squads
- leaders
- dual monitor support (situation awareness enhancement)

Additional Questions

3) Which Battlefield 2 (BF2) components should transfer to Battlefield 3 (BF3)?



4) What is their Purpose?
Structure - squads, squad leader, commander
Function - specialized kits, stand alone equipment, vehicles
Tools - commo rose, orders, VoIP, text chat, map, visual que

Positions/Kits and their Purpose
Commander – Lead the team, Intelligence, Logistics support
Squad Leader – Lead the squad, mobile & designate spawn, coordinate with team lead

Assault – Primary killer, organic indirect fire
Anti-Tank – Destroy vehicles
Spec Ops – Destroy equipment
Sniper – Long range killing, surveillance

Engineer – Repair, counter vehicular mobility
Medic – Restore health
Support – Ammo resupply, suppressive fire

5) Here are the Commo Rose options. What options should be kept, removed, or added?
Commo rose (courtesy, orders, intel, log, fires)
Courtesy – yes, no, thanks, sorry
Orders – Attack, Destroy, Defend, Repair, Move, Need Orders
Order #2 – Let’s go, Follow me, Need Reinforcements
Intel – Spot, UAV
Log – Suppy Crate, Vehicle Drop
Log #2 – Medic, Need Ammo, Request Pickup
Fires – Artillery, CAS

6) What type of guidance would assist DICE in the development of integrated systems?
- accomplish desired function
- difficult to abuse
- do not annoy
- earn trumps gift

7) What can be done to tailor the Commander position to make less annoying, more effective, and more fun?
- Team Plan
- Status (Vehicle, Units, personnel)
- Leadership (Commo, Coordinate, Orders)
- Intelligence (Enemy Disposition)
- Logistics (Health, Ammo, Transportation)
- Fires (Artillery & CAS)

8 ) What kind of things could be done to expand Leader tools and their functions?

Planning Overlay


Status (Vehicle, Units, personnel)


The Importance of Leadership (Commo, Coordinate, Orders)


Altering BF2 Commander Intel abilities
- Separate UAV operator
- Remove 3x zoom on map
- Remove “spot” ability on map
- Remove Scan ability (red “X”)

Intel Collection
- Spots from infantry, snipers
- UAV operator
- Squad Leader VoIP

Altering BF2 Commander Log abilities
- Remove magic parachutes for jeep (red “X”) and supply crate

Logistics Support
- Directs supply crate delivery (incentive to return truck or helio)
[CDR-controlled / bot-operated]
- Control vehicle spawn
- Players spawn with vehicle
- CDR-controlled SL-designated stationary heavy MG and TOW

Fires (Artillery & CAS)
Have the Squad Leader and Sniper with the ability to call in Fire Support/Indirect Fire and Commander controls/approves. This would reduce indirect fire frequency and increase teamwork. Fire Support could also include aviation Close Air Support (CAS) with a request approved by the commander and a temporary CAS communication channels opens up for the squad leader/sniper to talk directly with the jet/helio supporting the attack.

Situational Awareness
- Commander Asset status
- Vehicle status (occupied/health/ammo/stolen)
- Squad (health/ammo/task/kits)
- Map
- Commo (VoIP & Text)
- Enemy disposition
- match tickets
- control point possession



Ability to see on the Big Map
- supply crates
- All squad tasks
- UAV flight path
- sniper locations
- squads
- kit types

9) What are the differences of this proposal with that of BF2?
- Squad leaders can talk to each other
- Add a deployable spawn point similar to BF2142
- Squad Leader can temporarily talk to a plane or helicopter
- Less indirect fire (Artillery/Mortars)
- Only Squad Leaders & Snipers can request Arty which in turn is approved by the commander

[sfscriv]

... Originally posted on 12 MAY 2011

A different way to present very similar information:

Here are some of the functions of the Commander position:


Here are the BF2 Commander position functions as I see them:

Fires
- Artillery Strike

Intelligence
- Scan
- UAV
- 3x Zoom and manual spot on big map

Logistics
- Supply Crate Drop
- Vehicle Drop

Team Leader
- Enact a team plan of attack
- Coordinate with squad leaders
- Issue Orders
- Reward and encourage

My ideas for future Battlefields:

Fires
Have the Squad Leader and Sniper with the ability to call in Fire Support/Indirect Fire and Commander controls/approves. This would reduce indirect fire frequency and increase teamwork. Fire Support could also include aviation Close Air Support (CAS) with a request approved by the commander and a temporary CAS communication channels opens up for the squad leader/sniper to talk directly with the jet/helio supporting the attack.

Intelligence
Every "Spot" should be earned. There should Not be a scan feature, 3x commander zoom, or the commander ability to click on the map to spot. The spotting should be done by soldiers in the field, snipers, and a separate UAV operator.

- UAV
o.. Not controlled by the commander (separate operator)
o.. Not armed
o.. Not able to change altitude
o.. Spot like an individual with the same duration as the sniper
o.. Able to change the flight path
o.. Airborne until shot down
o.. Fixed wing aircraft (looks like a plane)

Logistics
I think the magic jeep parachuted onto the battlefield should be removed. Perhaps there should be the ability to control vehicle spawns and even sling load vehicles. I think players should be able to spawn into the vehicle at the beginning of the match. Example a squad could all spawn into the same APC.
Commander-controlled Squad Leader-designated stationary heavy Machine Gun (MG) and Heavy Anti- Tank (TOW) emplacements. The supply crates could be delivered by truck or helicopter.

Team Leader
I believe a cookie-cut of the BF2 position would not be the best course of action (COA). A modified version would be much better than removing the position all-together. There really should be at least one person looking at the big picture of friendly and enemy activity and directing friendly forces to exploit success or exploit a perceived enemy weakness.

[sfscriv]

Commander (CDR) – Lead the team, control artillery & CAS support
Scout Leader (SCT LDR) –Lead intelligence & deep attack
Executive Officer (XO) - Lead logistics support, defense, & controls bots
Squad Leader (SL) – Lead the squad, mobile spawn, deployable spawn, coordinate with leaders
Fire Team Leader (FTL) – Lead fire team & follow guidance from SL

[sfscriv]

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