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Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 12:51
by RedAlertSF
Okay, here's my suggestion;
Well we need to improve teamwork between squads and I think this little thing would be pretty nice:
Give different squads different colors. Currently we have only green and blue( and white) people on minimap, but why don't make it so that Squad 1 is red and Squad 2 is yellow. Squad 3, where you're in, is green as it is now. And so on.
I've sometimes been thinking that in what squads are those guys in. I think this would be pretty handy thing, at least if it's not hardcoded.
Thoughts?
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 12:54
by Rudd
couldn't hurt
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 12:58
by AnRK
Yup, would speed up the time it takes to decide what squad I wanna join too, clicking on each squad and seeing hoe far across the map they are from each other for each one takes up a good 10 seconds of my life every time I have to do it
Would be useful to know at a glance what's happening when you bring up your map though. Like Jonny said getting really distinct colours might be problematic though, only way of doing it will be to use very extreme versions of the same colour when you run out. Only problem with that will be the outline, perhaps you could have it so squad 1 had a light colour with a black outline and number etc, squad 2 had a dark colour with a white outline and number an so forth, can imagine that might pose some problems but I can't be bothered to think what they might be at the moment other then perhaps the screen looking a bit cluttered.
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 12:59
by Scot
Wouldn't hurt, but I would imagine this is impossible because of EA's prized squad system which can't be touched with a 20m long stick!
A thread similar to yours(ie different colour people, this time only in the same squad) got this reply from fuzzhead:
[R-DEV]fuzzhead wrote:If was possible to edit the squad system in any way, we would have had 8man squads long ago and yea, broken down into fireteams.
Its a damn shame we cant do it, but you can still do it the old fashioned way. Im not saying its impossible because most things that are currently in PR were thought impossible at one point or another, but I think its prety unlikely to happen.
I usually run an infantry squad with this setup:
FIRETEAM ALPHA:
Officer (SL)
Medic
Grenadier
FIRETEAM BRAVO:
Rifleman AT (FTL)
Automatic Rifleman
Rifleman
The trick is assigning your bravo fireteam leader to the player you feel would be best at the role. As long as the guy has voip and is not constantly disobeying your orders its usually fine.
So it's not impossible, it could happen, but as I don't know much, not sure if this is one of those hardcoded suggestions or it can actually be done

Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 13:13
by RedAlertSF
Yeah, I don't think we are running out of colors at least.
Green(own squad), grey (could be new unassigned), blue, red, yellow, orange, pink, purple, black(too bad?), white and different versions of colours.
But let's hear what DEVs have to say.

Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 14:42
by Sights
When I first read this my first thought was that it wouldn't be possible, perhaps because of BF2's fantastic engine, or perhaps because it's such a good idea I thought if it could be done it must've been done already. But if I was wrong, and I hope I am, and it can be done, then I think this would be a really good idea to implement.
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 15:21
by Gore
I like the idea. The 10 different colours could be like in the old WC3?
That was easy to get used to.
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 16:07
by Oak
I don't like it. I think that in a real battle the soldiers aren't intimately familiar with all soldiers of other platoons. It would also lead to needless distraction - you should stick with your team and follow orders, let the SL observe other squads.
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 16:09
by Gore
Oak wrote:I don't like it. I think that in a real battle the soldiers aren't intimately familiar with all soldiers of other platoons. It would also lead to needless distraction - you should stick with your team and follow orders, let the SL observe other squads.
They wouldn't know everybodys name neither? If the colors were permanently assigned to squads, it'd also make it easier for the commander.
Maybe you're right about distraction, but you'd learn the colours. It'd look cool. Could be nice to see someday.
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 17:54
by RedAlertSF
In real life you probably know msot people in your company.
Even if you didn't know, you would at least know where is the squad on the battlefield. I think it makes the gameplay much nicer. You need to defend position X with squad 2, in real life you probably knew where they are. But right now you can only guess and you know only the SL.
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 20:07
by Conman51
i like it.but i dont think red can be used because the noobs would TK the hell out of that squad

Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 21:31
by bloodthirsty_viking
Jonny wrote:You lot should probably know that we could change all the little person markers on the minimap to rabbit shapes, with mousetraps for the SLs. That part isn't hard to change, but what could be is different colours for each squad. A different colour for unassigned people, however could be easier and would be a good addition IMO, grey was a fitting colour for it, too.
Just so no one comes and posts thats all hardcoded 'cause it involves squads...
lol, what if you made each squad there own animal/symbol
the squadys would be the shape of the animal, with a tint change, and the sl would wave a big one on the animal, kinda like how they show in the movies?=P
so squad one could be like a panda, squad 2 a line, squad 3 an elephant squad 4 a mouse, squad 5 a helicopter, squad 6 a computer, squad 7 a water bottle, squad 8 a wench, squad 9 a tank=P
or somehting like that would be cool, that way, you can have some of the same tinted colers, like sqd 1 and 9 simmiler tint of green or somethen, but you could still tell the diffrence
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 21:58
by ReaperAce712
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 22:04
by gclark03
...
It's not hardcoded, and it's definitely possible. The hard part is finding nine suitable colors.
I really want to see a system that allows the Commander to label squads with a certain icon, but I doubt that's possible.
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 22:04
by General Dragosh
GoreZiad wrote:I like the idea. The 10 different colours could be like in the old WC3?
That was easy to get used to.
I dont remember PR being dota xD
Im off to play dota now

Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-05 22:05
by [MoL]jaVi
I don't need new colors either, and it's simple to explain why (for me)
- Too many different colors won't make it easier, it will become harder (see attached pics, and thats only 4 squads and unassigned in grey... now guess with 9 different colors :/)
For me its fast and easy to find my SM, but with a colored version I have to look twice
- Second point: Its the role of a SL to know where his members are and to keep them together, otherway the role of a SM is not to go too far away from his mates/his SL (exept SL tells you)
- Third point: Commander doesn't need to know where EACH player is, he needs to know the SLs and delegate orders to them, then SL has (like in second point) to know his men and delegate also....
So for me, the only thing that needs a color is the WHITE color also in big map, not only in minimap

Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-06 01:56
by AnRK
'[MoL wrote:jaVi;890580']I don't need new colors either, and it's simple to explain why (for me)
- Too many different colors won't make it easier, it will become harder (see attached pics, and thats only 4 squads and unassigned in grey... now guess with 9 different colors :/)
For me its fast and easy to find my SM, but with a colored version I have to look twice
- Second point: Its the role of a SL to know where his members are and to keep them together, otherway the role of a SM is not to go too far away from his mates/his SL (exept SL tells you)
- Third point: Commander doesn't need to know where EACH player is, he needs to know the SLs and delegate orders to them, then SL has (like in second point) to know his men and delegate also....
So for me, the only thing that needs a color is the WHITE color also in big map, not only in minimap
Dude, that pictures kinda retarded, no offence. Seriously think about it man, I know servers can have some pretty stupid players on, but I've NEVER seen every squad spread out randomly like that, nevermind being so close to members of other squads simultaneously.
2nd point - It's more of a team issue then a squad issue.
3rd - It's not about the commander keeping an eye on individuals, it's more about making a squads formation and facing more obvious, either way I'd see the colour thing as much even maybe more of a tool for SLs not commanders.
The white highlight would be kinda cool on the minimap though, although I couldn't see myself needing it if this multicoloured thing came into play.
Re: Give squads different colors
Posted: 2009-01-06 02:00
by mp5punk
what if your color blind lol?