Class Limits

[Dowding]

One of the most annoying aspects of most online FPS games is the unrealistic distribution of classes. Quite often you'll find 10 snipers trying to hold an objective and only a couple of grunts. At the moment BF2 doesn't have this problem, mainly due to the neutering of the sniper class. But with calls to mod the snipers to make them more like real life counterparts, I think there is the danger of losing some balance.

By limiting the number of "super snipers" to a fixed ratio, like one in eight players for example, I believe a more realistic distribution can be maintained. Afterall, a modern battlefield only ever has a handful of these troops compared to the rest of the infantry contingent.

This could be extended to other classes - like the support trooper to prevent any rambo-like behaviour once the MGs are fixed.

[Wolfmaster]

many posts on this before. not to flame you or anything. i'll just repeat what some wise guy around here once said. i quote:"the search button is your best friend"

[GABBA]

I have a friend, he is called SEARCH, he is very lonely. USE HIM.... .


EDIT________

goddam wolfie you got to him a minute before i did

[Wolfmaster]

just don't abuse the search option. he's delicate. right GABBA?

[GABBA]

like a ming vase .......

[BrokenArrow]

well the thing about the search button is that if you find a thread your looking for it might be very old thread (maybe days old!) so i think that as long as the topic is someway related to the one youre in then its fine that the topic comes up.... whats this thread about again?

Oh right, classes , as for that there should be something like 1 sniper, 1 support gunner, 1 medic, and a handfull of riflemen. as for special ops and engineers they should be parts of special squads, an enginerr detatchment and special ops team for example, in them there should be a medic, and for the special ops guys there should be a medic and sniper, both different looking from the medics and snipers found in the regular squad. not sure but maybe this is something that can be implemented the way the commander role is, in a squad the squad leader assigns you what you should be doing (sniping,medic, support) and if you dont like it, leave the squad. i think this is realistic because in the military youre more assigned to a position in a squad than you get to choose it right?

[keef_haggerd]

i once again agree with broken arrow.

everytime i join a squad i say "is there any class you guys want me to be?"\

of course i never get an answer because squads are never organized.

But when someone joins my squad i tell them what class we need. i hate it when im in a squad with 3 medics and a sniper... its like... whats the plan exactly?

[Wolfmaster]

one other thing, in the demo/BF2 you don't HAVE to join a squad. this should be different. you have to join a squad. else you'll still get people going out on their own.

[Psycho_Sam]

Yes but they Bf2 wont include this becuase they will be people out there who just want to go solo. If they force you to be in a squad they wouldnt listen to orders so what would be the point?

[Ugly Duck]

Forcing people to be in squads would just ruin any good squads out there. If they want to go out on a suicide mission on their own let them. I was playing on the WOLF server, trust me, it's no fun playing alone against an organized enemy. You can take 1 or 2 down, and then the remaining 3 or 4 gun you down and the medic just reverses all the damage you've done.

Now... squad limits. It was possible in BF '42 to make limits. However these were very primative, they would remain the same on a 16 player server and a 64 player server. This was because they became a part of the game code.

What if PR could code limits into maps? If it were map based they could be changed to fit each map size as well as the maps them selves. Say, a 32 player server were up. If I were to do the limits, I'd set it up like this. Also consider a full squad is 6 people, so just under 3 full squads per side. I'd also recomend a 38 player server for a 32 player map, since that would mean 3 full squads + a commander.

Limits for ONE team

Riflemen - unlimited
LMG - 4
Grenadier - 3
Medic - 3
Marksman - 2
Special Forces - 3

Let's say this set up was used on a 38 player server. That's 2 sides with 3 squads and a commander.

Squad 1

1 Riflemen
2 SF
3 Medic
4 Grenadier
5 Machine Gunner
6 Machine Gunner

Squad 2 and 3

1 Riflemen
2 SF
3 Medic
4 Grenadier
5 Machine Gunner
6 Marksman

Now of course this is the "optimal" set up. It could be done any wich way they wanted. Maybe set a limit of 2 of the same class per squad? Minus riflemen of course.

[BrokenArrow]

i was playing a game and i actually lead a pretty cooperative squad, when i asked, 1 guy went medic, 1 guy went support and it evened out at 3 rifleman 1 sniper 1 medic and 1 support, we took the center beach CP as the commander ordered and held it for the rest of the game. as for class limits is there a way to make it a class limit per squad as opposed to per team? or maybe even the ability for the squad leader to assign the different players what they want their players to be in case of a full squad with a neccessary class missing? if the squad isnt full then obviously the members can switch to what they'd like to be. but as i said before its more likely in the forces that you be assigned your spot on the battlefield. for example if you have a sniper in your squad who cant hit the broad side of a barn, you should be able to assign him a spot where he would be a little more helpful like a support class, since sometimes that class doesnt require the best accuracy as a sniper usually does. maybe this isnt a great idea because people might like to be a bad sniper than a usefull support gunner and therefore not enjoy the game as much but thats just my $.2



EDIT- ugly duck im not saying force people to be in squads, just so the person running the squad can have the squad they want, maybe its not perfect but what happens if you have a support class limit at 4, and 3 of them end up in 1 squad?

[Ugly Duck]

I thought about a per squad limit, but what happens to those that don't want to play in a squad? Forcing squads on people just isn't going to work, they can still do what they want and take the rest of the squad with them. Hence the reason I would leave it at the team level. If people are running cooperative squads then they will most likely be mature enough, as you pointed out, to take classes they need.

[Figisaacnewton]

I think something along the lines of the big post above, somethign along the lines of how AA does it woould work out well.

You also have to figure in AT though. Maybe just drop one LMG guy and give him an m16 and an AT4

[Beckwith]

id put the SF and marksmen in one squad alone since they would work best on there own

[BrokenArrow]

plus thats usually how they work IRL, marines have 2 man sniper squads and usually SF forces have a marksman or two along with them, plus a medic of their own.

[Dowding]

In a two man sniper squad, only one fella shoots... the other spots and protects the sniper.

[Wolfmaster]

yeah, maybe pr can do that too.

[BrokenArrow]

yeah thats what i mean have a spotter class and give him a set of high power binoculars and an m4

[Wolfmaster]

we'll have to figure out a way to give that guy points as well, so he won't be just lying there and giving the sniper kills. maybe make it like the 'driver kill' thingy, but then like 'kill spotting assist'

[GABBA]

i agree there should be FORCED squad selection.....