Commander Interface needs overhaul

[Michael_Denmark]

If you want people to CO, if you want people to gladly step up and say "Yes, I will shoulder the burden of not actually playing the game and being resented by all the squadleaders.", then this attitude has to go. As far as suggestions,

1) Seeing the squad name is important. Equally acceptable would be letting the SL select an icon for himself that the CO can see, corresponding with the purpose of the squad.

2) An actual timer is highly desired instead of a bar that fills over the course of the hour or what have you for the countdown to the next area attack.

3) If it's possible, a more detailed map (or even different kinds of map, ie topographical) should be substituted for the "Feed Lost" zoom level.

4) It would be extremely cool if the commander could somehow access the timer to a vehicle spawn, allowing him to assure the SL that he knows when his toy is coming back and allowing him to effectively reassign the SL for the duration of the asset's absence from the battlefield.

Other than those, I think the CO screen is actually remarkably well designed as it is.

1) agree that seeing the squad name is important

2) agree that the timer is important

3) Completely agree

4) Micromanagement option would be very desirable, however, whether this should be on the CO level, I am not sure of yet. Thought about the same too.

The CO screen is remarkable well designed as long as you perceive it within the borders of the Bf2 CO logics.

[Bluedrake42]

If you want people to CO, if you want people to gladly step up and say "Yes, I will shoulder the burden of not actually playing the game and being resented by all the squadleaders.", then this attitude has to go. As far as suggestions,

1) Seeing the squad name is important. Equally acceptable would be letting the SL select an icon for himself that the CO can see, corresponding with the purpose of the squad.

2) An actual timer is highly desired instead of a bar that fills over the course of the hour or what have you for the countdown to the next area attack.

3) If it's possible, a more detailed map (or even different kinds of map, ie topographical) should be substituted for the "Feed Lost" zoom level.

4) It would be extremely cool if the commander could somehow access the timer to a vehicle spawn, allowing him to assure the SL that he knows when his toy is coming back and allowing him to effectively reassign the SL for the duration of the asset's absence from the battlefield.

Other than those, I think the CO screen is actually remarkably well designed as it is.

yeah those are probably the best suggestions I've seen

[Frontliner]

If you want people to CO, if you want people to gladly step up and say "Yes, I will shoulder the burden of not actually playing the game and being resented by all the squadleaders.", then this attitude has to go. As far as suggestions,

1) Seeing the squad name is important. Equally acceptable would be letting the SL select an icon for himself that the CO can see, corresponding with the purpose of the squad.

2) An actual timer is highly desired instead of a bar that fills over the course of the hour or what have you for the countdown to the next area attack.

3) If it's possible, a more detailed map (or even different kinds of map, ie topographical) should be substituted for the "Feed Lost" zoom level.

4) It would be extremely cool if the commander could somehow access the timer to a vehicle spawn, allowing him to assure the SL that he knows when his toy is coming back and allowing him to effectively reassign the SL for the duration of the asset's absence from the battlefield.

Other than those, I think the CO screen is actually remarkably well designed as it is.

I haven't played CO too often, yet I can tell that the UAV is stupidly powerful. Unless the enemy goes out of his way to avoid being seen by it, you just.... will be. Making the commander easier/better than it already is, just to attract more people is really counterproductive. Commanding is best left in capable hands, those who think they are up for the task, and can handle the hardships that come with it.

As for the suggestions:
1.) Meh. Would be nice to have, but not exactly needed.
2.) Why? As long as it isn't loading up it doesn't matter to you anyways, I'd rather have that shit not filling up over an hour, distracting me.
3.) Topographical map, that sounds really nice.
4.) Hmm. Indifferent towards this one atm.

[mat552]

I haven't played CO too often, yet I can tell that the UAV is stupidly powerful.

I think there is a pretty hefty burden of proof required to make this statement, can you provide it?

[Bonsai]

Still waiting for a planning phase before the actual map goes live. Where a CO can step-up. Put some markes on the map. Talk to SLs and present them his plan and organise the team. All of the things an organized match (clan or tournament) does offline and beforehand but can not be achieved in public games.

[Frontliner]

I think there is a pretty hefty burden of proof required to make this statement, can you provide it?

Why don't you provide me as to why exactly it's weak, I guess we all get more laughs out of it that way.

[mat552]

Why don't you provide me as to why exactly it's weak, I guess we all get more laughs out of it that way.

No no, you're the one who called it overpowered. The fact that we don't have thirty two people all scrambling to command means it can't be that overpowered, so it's up to you to justify your statement, because I don't have any evidence that the UAV is up to snuff as a useful tool, let alone an overpowered one.

[Frontliner]

Well, go figure, are you the guy to stop playing Football when you came to play Football in favour of playing Chess?
Similarly, if you want to go lead an infantry squad or w/e, it is unlikely you're gonna ditch that plan in order to command. All you do is observe, lead(assuming the SQLs listen), and only few actually acknowledge you for doing your team the favour. YOU DON'T GET TO SHOOT SOME PEOPLE, that's why there are maybe 1 or 2 ready to lead per round. There, that's the reason you're looking for. It's not the tools you're giving people, it's simply people not being in the mood.

[mat552]

And if it takes new toys and making the ones available more attractive to put more people "in the mood" more often, I say lets go for it.

[Frontliner]

And how does making Chess more attractive lead to Football players ditching their Football game? Again, you could grant Chess the most overblown tools known to mankind; yet it will still be Chess and only enjoyed by the few who enjoy that kind of strategic play. And the Football players who came to play Football will play Football.

[mat552]

I think you are underestimating the number of people who are capable of commanding but simply not willing under the current set of incentives.

[Frontliner]

The role is granted with enough powerful abilities to make playing it worthwhile for your team. It just lacks the shoot-shoot/boom-boom of an active role and that's why people reluctant to play it. The transports face a similar issue, the few that man those often enough only do it because they know otherwise they'll loose the game by default. The commander, on the other hand, isn't needed as much to get the team going and rolling out. That doesn't mean what he's doing/can do isn't good enough.

[Oskar]

The role is granted with enough powerful abilities to make playing it worthwhile for your team.

I disagree. While a commander is always useful, whether he's actively using the interface and functions or not, it's not enough and it could be much better. I've been commander quite a lot in the past and what is most damaging to my motivation is the unnecessary difficulties of the interface. The UAV is fiddly and glitchy, most of the time you can't be sure that you're seeing everything you should be (there is a bug where all players, enemy and friendly as well as FOBs, vehicles etc. just dissappears from the UAV never to be seen again, or sometimes reappearing the next minute) and on many large maps it is quite difficult to pinpoint locations effectively.

The commander screen does not work as intended. I need to see who is in what squad and what role without having to click through menus Pressing Enter and then clicking on 'Squads' and then opening each squad manually is just too much work for something that should be available to me instantaniously. In a normal public game squads change roles and players leave and new join which makes it difficult for a commander to keep up. A squad that was previously a HELI TRANS could a moment later be a TANK squad, for example.

I've read that this is an engine limitation, but only being able to place one marker/delete on marker/etc. per minute is not workable.

Then there's the reluctance that most players in PR have now to appreciate a good commander and at least pretend to follow commands, be open to inter-squad coordination, take note on intel provided, give contact reports, etc. But that's a different story.

[MrTomRobs]

I've read that this is an engine limitation, but only being able to place one marker/delete on marker/etc. per minute is not workable.

Then there's the reluctance that most players in PR have now to appreciate a good commander and at least pretend to follow commands, be open to inter-squad coordination, take note on intel provided, give contact reports, etc. But that's a different story.

That's pretty much what i was just about to post Oskar. I hate not being able to place more than 1 marker a minute because the battlefield in PR changes that regularly that it's usually insufficient. Maybe 1 every 10 seconds to stop spam, but even then you still want to be able to keep posting an enemy squad's location. It's even more frustrating if you take up the commander role mid-game and have to wait about 6 mins before you can even get even the slightest resemblance of what's happening when you start, and by the time you've got all your markers in they're all obsolete!

[CR8Z]

a mobile command vehicle that links to the UAV would be awesome. the vehicle could carry a single crate and have 3 seats: a machine gunner, a driver, and the command UAV linkup station.

I'd also think it would be awesome if the commander could have his own squad (of maybe 4 or so people) but I know that's probably impossible to put in.

I would add to the command vehicle that it would have to remain parked for the UAV to work, and that a settle time would be instituted for the CO to be able to use the UAV.

1) Seeing the squad name is important. Equally acceptable would be letting the SL select an icon for himself that the CO can see, corresponding with the purpose of the squad.

2) An actual timer is highly desired instead of a bar that fills over the course of the hour or what have you for the countdown to the next area attack.

3) If it's possible, a more detailed map (or even different kinds of map, ie topographical) should be substituted for the "Feed Lost" zoom level.

4) It would be extremely cool if the commander could somehow access the timer to a vehicle spawn, allowing him to assure the SL that he knows when his toy is coming back and allowing him to effectively reassign the SL for the duration of the asset's absence from the battlefield.

I don't know if these are possible or not, but they sure sound cool!

[Adalaxy]

I would like to see some sort of incentive system in play for the commander role.

You have "Commend Squad" and "Rebuke Squad" buttons. Could you somehow make these add a contribution to every player in the squads score at that point. Put a timer on it's use like markers to stop people from spamming it on their friends. As well as a time on its initial use like the UAV.

The points don't have to be excessive either but enough to give the commander's words weight when he asks you to do something.

As a squad leader or squadie if I know that my success will distinguish me than I think I would be more willing to follow command. Because lets face it we go to war for Glory. and the only Glory for our deeds we get in this game is the end screen score and in the memories.

+1 on the topographical map

[Web_cole]

The role is granted with enough powerful abilities to make playing it worthwhile for your team.

As someone who has commanded stuff I would also have to disagree. The CO has Area Attack, but that's a once an hour~ deal and you don't even need a "proper" Commander, just someone in the chair for 3 minutes.

I can count the number of times I've seen the CO rally used on the fingers of one hand. It can be useful, but more often than not FoBs make it obsolete before you've even considered using it.

The UAV can be powerful but its also unreliable and, dependent on the map, of varying usefulness.

I would also say the CO UI is currently less than sufficient. Even a small thing like having to hit TAB or Enter to find out what squad leader/role you are talking to is a small annoyance, a small annoyance which you might end up doing once every few minutes until its a large annoyance.

[KiloJules]

Most annoying thing in the whole "being the commander" is the disability to walk with the commander screen opened!

[DDS]

i was gonna make a suggestion about this but never got around to doing it.

i feel that the left side of the commander screen should be identical (if not at least similar) to the squad screen.

the commander needs to know:

1) squad names

2) names of people in given squad.

as for the rest of the screen i would optimize it by saving space where things are not as crucial.

i honestly never use the mini map in the upper left corner showing where u are zoomed in, i just zoom out and back in since my mouse is already there (but thats just me)

EDIT: on servers which require SL's to follow CO's orders the CO has no way of reporting the name of a disobediant SL to the server admins without resigning and then reapplying. very inefficient and time consuming if you ask me.

this goes for other reasons why the CO might want to report an individual.

And a suggestion tick list to send to squads/team.

-May I suggest you attack here?
-Pardon me, would you deliver supplies here?
-If I may, would you mind defending here?
-FYI, our area attack is available for you
-I really advise against doing that
-Well you certainly fooled me, good job!

Because that's really all the commander does anyway.

[L4gi]

Commander tells people what to do, not suggest it.