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New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 16:48
by Sniperdog
First off I know Spotter has been suggested before so please don't simply shout "resuggestion". My suggestion is a new idea about how the issuance of the kit could work which hasn't been suggested before.
So player A wants to be a sniper and have his buddy player B be his spotter. Player A creates a squad (called "SNIPER" or whatever) and player B joins the squad. Player A walks with player B over to any old spot and presses the button that would request a sniper kit. Instead of seeing the message "You have already been issued that kit" A spotter kit spawns at his feet and player B grabs it. This would only work if the person doing the requesting is a sniper and if he has another person within his squad. The sniper kit would consist of everything it normally does minus the soflam and smokes. The spotter kit would have a knife, pistol, small inaccurate machine gun (something already in the game), grappling hook, SOFLAM, two colored smoke grenades, patches, and a spotting lens which has a higher magnification than either the SOFLAM or Sniper rifle.
With this method of doing it the only new content which would have to be added is the spotting lens. Everything in the spotter kit (minus that lens) is already in game and the only task would be to create the layout for the kit. To get the spotter kit spawning to work the coding would be modified so that the when a player with a sniper kit reqeusts another one and has at least a two person squad a spotter kit spawns (with a limit of 1 spotter kit per sniper kit). Even though the spotter kit would be requested rarely, it would not have to appear on the issued kits menu so people could not request it for themselves. Abusing this would be tough and would probably rarely occur.
All in all the idea would be both easy to accomplish and realistic, would make a lot of people happy, nobody unhappy, all the while improving game play.
I encourage constructive criticism so please share your ideas and tell me what you think

Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 17:00
by MonkeySoldier
To be honest, I think this is going to make the run for a sniper/ spotter kit even worse then it currently is. If you give the spotter kit an assault rifle/ SMG plus a grappling hook in combination with a sniper kit, they'll be almost invincible in-game. Sniper shoots at long ranges, spotter eliminates enemy infantry on close quarters. They would rappel themselves like spiderman all over the map, and would be hard to get. (Face it, you couldn't get them with 3 average players, it might need a whole squad)
Edit: Further more, I can already see the 2/ 3 man locked squads (medic, sniper and spotter) and powning everyone on the battlefield. No, this would only demote teamplay, since they don't need the rest of the team.
My vote goes to no.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 17:43
by Sniperdog
A sniper, 1 smg, and a medic I expect would not hold up against a full squad with 1-2 medics when at medium or close range. Alternatively their danger to people on the battle is realistic. A sniper and spotter together on a real battlefield are a force to be reckoned with just as much as a tank or aircraft, but thats no reason to not represent them realistically.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 17:44
by Elektro
MonkeySoldier wrote:To be honest, I think this is going to make the run for a sniper/ spotter kit even worse then it currently is. If you give the spotter kit an assault rifle/ SMG plus a grappling hook in combination with a sniper kit, they'll be almost invincible in-game. Sniper shoots at long ranges, spotter eliminates enemy infantry on close quarters. They would rappel themselves like spiderman all over the map, and would be hard to get. (Face it, you couldn't get them with 3 average players, it might need a whole squad)
Edit: Further more, I can already see the 2/ 3 man locked squads (medic, sniper and spotter) and powning everyone on the battlefield. No, this would only demote teamplay, since they don't need the rest of the team.
My vote goes to no.
Yeah thats the idea with snipers -.-
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 18:22
by MonkeySoldier
Sniper_dog14 wrote:A sniper, 1 smg, and a medic I expect would not hold up against a full squad with 1-2 medics when at medium or close range.
With an SMG, it isn't too hard to take out enemy infantry. I already see it happen on maps like Barracuda and Muttrah. Camping somewhere up high in the hills/ buildings with a three man squad. They're on a distance they can't effectively be engaged by the enemy. This kit would only encourage wrong usage of the sniper kit. Snipers are more meant for recon, but adding a spotter kit, you only encourage people to take sniper kits. And in PR they're usually used as long range marksman by people who try to get as much kills as possible.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 19:09
by Dev1200
Surprisingly, I'm the only one here that thinks this is a good idea. This "spotter" kit makes it nearly impossible for snipers to have full potential. Can't laser-designate targets, and since the spotter is there, he would be the squad leader, making it nearly impossible for snipers to calculate range on their own. Maybe make it so you can't be a squad leader with a sniper kit?
Although, your spotter kit may be flawed, unless I'm mistaken, there can only be 9 inventory items at a time, since from what I have seen most of the kits cap out at 9 items..
But besides that, It's a great, realistic idea. Sniper-Spotter-Medic team is a great idea, since medium-range targets can easily take out the group. Neither snipers, spotters, or medics have grenades, so firepower is limited.
Iron/Aim Point sights = Short Range
Optics = Medium Range
Sniper Scope = Long Range
In order to test it devs, Have the Sniper-Spotter-Medic team (or just Sniper-Spotter) and go hide somewhere. If it's an unbeatable team, then its no good. Make sure you rotate the team with different people.. just so you don't accidentally get the uber-best sniper with uber-best medic etc.
But to me, it sounds like a great idea. It literally forces teamwork on a lone-wolf kit.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 22:19
by bloodthirsty_viking
to me all i sede is a sl and a sniper, with a rifleman and a medic comming along....
thats all that i see from the suggestion, so taking what would be 4 ppl and making it three
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 22:45
by Dev1200
bloodthirsty_viking wrote:to me all i sede is a sl and a sniper, with a rifleman and a medic comming along....
thats all that i see from the suggestion, so taking what would be 4 ppl and making it three
A 4 person squad could do more being regular infantry then following a sniper around.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 23:13
by Mongolian_dude
Skeptical Moderator is skeptical
Really. Is the Rifleman specialist not enough?
...mongol...
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 23:49
by Dev1200
'[R-MOD wrote:Mongolian_dude;972056']Skeptical Moderator is skeptical
Really. Is the Rifleman specialist not enough?
...mongol...
Yes, but:
Take the specialist's grappling hook, combine it with a SMG/pistol, give it officer's smoke grenades, 2 more patches, the sniper's GLTD, and a new "spotting lens" (with more zoom then GTLD)
To sum it up.. the Spotter Kit:
1.Knife
2.Pistol>
>Balance wise, may want only 1
3.Smg >
4. Extraction/Marking Smoke
5. Faction Specific Smoke
6. Spotting Lens
7. GLTD
8. 2/3 Patches
9. Incindiary?
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 23:53
by nick20404
'[R-MOD wrote:Mongolian_dude;972056']Skeptical Moderator is skeptical
Really. Is the Rifleman specialist not enough?
...mongol...
This, I have gone 40-0 with this combo 2 snipers and a specialist. if you come under enough fire that you need a medic to revive you than you are doing something wrong, snipers have enough bandages to take a pot shot and get away.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 23:57
by Agent Parker
Can we stop making more and more parts of the game dependant on VOIP? There are people who do not use VOIP. While it makes sense for Tank crews, there is no need to complicate sniping even more. WTF is a spotter for anyway?
This, I have gone 40-0 with this combo 2 snipers and a specialist.
I do not believe that.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-23 23:58
by nick20404
If you don't want to use voip this is the wrong game for you.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-24 00:01
by Agent Parker
My kill stats say something different. And VOIP is not that necessary. If you can type fast.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-24 00:09
by bloodthirsty_viking
voip is faster the n any typer, mostly bcuase to type it the persom also has to read it, talking them away from the battle, but voip lets them listen while concentrating, and can filter out what they dont need.
also,like i sead, i dont think it should be introduced, but if it is, idk if it was sead or possible, but have it so you can only get the spotter kit if there is a sniper in the squad
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-24 00:11
by Sniperdog
From the Wikipedia article on sniper teams (
Sniper team - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia):
The spotter detects, observes, and assigns targets and watches for the results of the shot. He also provides the team security, therefore he is usually armed with an assault rifle.
Some military doctrines describe a third member known as the flanker. His task is to have observe areas not visible to the sniper or spotter and assist with the team's rear security.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-24 00:31
by Agent Parker
The spotter detects, observes, and assigns targets and watches for the results of the shot. He also provides the team security, therefore he is usually armed with an assault rifle.
All of this a sniper can do on his own in PR, except protecting himself when enemy gets too close.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-24 05:26
by Sniperdog
Agent Parker wrote:All of this a sniper can do on his own in PR, except protecting himself when enemy gets too close.
True but then again in real life one of the big ideas behind a spotter is having an extra set of eyes handy. Bear in mind that the spotter scope has a good deal more magnification that the sniper rifle so its very useful for spotting targets and following tracers (just as is true in real life). Most the time spent by a sniper team is spent spotting the target(s) as compared to the relatively small amount of time spent preparing, calculating and taking a shot. Above all... why not. Spotters are realistic and with the aforementioned suggestion (read the first post) they would be very easy to implement without affecting the mechanics of the normal kit request system at all.
Re: New idea for Spotter Issuing
Posted: 2009-03-24 05:30
by Ace42
Sniper_dog14 wrote:why not.
Why not? It would take time and effort, and add what? One less player being useful? As pointed out, snipers can do everything a "spotter" can anyway, and as nothing you suggested couldn't be done with any other standard kit - why bother making a new one?