Make the effects of the truck adjust slightly according to what soldiers are in the squad that the truck spawns with.
The truck will still act as a spawn point by default, but depending on which troop types you add to the squad, make that truck have different additional effects (and even change the look of them a little bit accordingly!) Additionally, extra icons listed above the truck icon to identify various benefits for players spawning in on that truck.
For Example:
If a medic is added to the squad, the truck will have a medic logo added to it.
Troops that spawn in the truck will automatically be given an extra medkit, as if they had accessed a medcrate.
If an AT troop is added to the squad, the truck will gain a large crate in the back of the truck, along the floor.
AT soldiers that spawn in the truck are given a couple extra shots for their AT weapon.
If a Sniper is added to the squad, Camo netting is added to the sides of the back.
Snipers that spawn on the truck are given an extra magazine of ammo (unless already using large ammo pouches).
If Machinegunner(s) are added to the squad, belts of MG ammo will be present either in the back or draped over the sides.
For EACH Machinegunner in the squad, an extra magazine of ammo is given to other machinegunners that spawn in the truck. (unless already using large ammo pouches).
If Assaulter(s) are added to the squad, assaulter type weapons will be visually present in some way (not sure what to suggest on this one lol)
For EACH Assaulter in the squad, an extra magazine of ammo is given to other Assaulters that spawn in the truck. (unless already using large ammo pouches).
If a Radio Operator is added to the squad, an antenna would be added to the truck (though likely in a folded or laid down position).
This would slightly decrease the spawn timer on the truck, allowing troops to spawn in faster.
Points for support will be applied for any additional bonuses given to troops, making it VERY worthwhile to upgrade the APC crew, and use this squad!
@Greyparrots, your APC post inspired me to write this up!
@EdVanSchleck, and @Bigote0070 I always look to you for constructive criticism, and with a suggestion this potentially major, I could REALLY use your thoughts.
I feel like leaving extra weapons that people could grab off of it would get really OP quickly. Especially in the example of
As then you would have things like a flamethrower unit picking up and MG and being absolutely ridiculous.
That’s why I stuck to suggestingammunition for specific types according to what troops were in the initial truck.
The issue that I forsee with making it just a single type of truck is that only one or two would become meta, and all the others would be left out. Let’s face it, an MG or Assaulter truck would ALWAYS be taken over say a Medic truck.
Which is why I suggest having it dynamically change according to what troops were in it. This way, it encourages a larger variety of troops in the squad and uses of the truck.
I like the idea in general though and the medic and radio operator buffs are well thought-out.
I would also like to call back to an issue discussed previously about how APCs are used as rally points in full ignorance of their ability to be driven around. These buffs are an opportunity to also change that.
Hence for the Assaulters, I recommend a strong recoil reduction while seated on the APC. This allows for easier fighting from the APC, and since you already need to move your mouse around to compensate for the movement of the vehicle, a recoil (which you also compensate for by moving your mouse) reduction is the best measure to increase combat potential.
AT soldiers may actually need the ammo, as well as reduced weapon sway + faster stabilization after moving your aim for AT rifles.
Snipers already benefit from the camo netting if you can see through it well enough from the inside. In addition, they need to be able to exit/enter the vehicle instantly to be able to dodge counter-sniping.
What led you to choose the ammo buffs in the first place?
I was looking to make something useful for each type, but without being broken overpowered. Something that would encourage players to diversify the squad, rather than just bringing the same exact thing as everyone else.
In addition, something that would give the person that brought it in an adequate reward for helping the team in that way, as well as something to help the soldiers while riding in the back, not just if they used it as a rally point.
From trying it out with my buddies, we came to the conclusion that the ammo IS extremely helpful for on the move, as well as once it is parked.
(Though it would be nice if assists were given to the player driving for kills made by the other player and their squad!)
This is what I am talking about in regards to being too powerful.
Assaulters are in the top 3 most used units in the game. They are already very effective. Changing recoil like that would be a recipe for disaster. Instead, they would have a bit more ammo, so that if they did miss (which let’s face it, you are trying to shoot from a moving vehicle, so you aren’t going to be terribly accurate), then the extra mag makes up for it.
Same kind of idea goes for the others.
Primarily they are intended to bring in troops with an advantage in terms of positioning. I personally have a Medic in EVERY truck squad, and place the box right in the path of where players will go, but the problem is only a single troop will use it (since you have to switch to each character to actually use it), and I figured why not add it as a function.
While at it, why not add additional small bonuses for each type of soldier in it?
That is where all the reasoning comes in. One mag per guy may seem inconsequential at first, but don’t forget you have the potential to give up to 2 mags of either MG or Assault ammo, should you choose those options, and often that is equal to a large ammo pouch worth.
I try to make suggestions that will help encourage teamwork, and I think this one greatly does.
I understand this stance as we’re coming from very different positions.
You’ve had time to practice firing from the APC and in the end you can somewhat learn to account for the movement.
Me, I’ve never even seen anyone use their APC in combat. What I see frequently, though, is people using the Kubelwagen. And those are by far the easiest targets for sniping since they cannot change trajectory or velocity on the fly like infantry can.
And that’s the impression that the average player, including me, has of fighting from an APC. You’re just a sitting duck, you’re worse off than any exposed tank crew. The reason I thought of combat buffs for infantry on the APC is to give them a chance to shoot at whoever’s about to farm them.
How have you mitigated the lack of protection on the APC in your testing?
So, the biggest issue, that I really hope the devs take note of and adjust the game accordingly, is right now there isn’t a lot of reason or incentive to use the APCs for COMBAT, rather they are just used as a stationary spawn point moreso.
That COULD change, if the game was changed give more difficulty to open infantry combat.
What do I mean by this?
It the game is far too focused on letting players run-and-gun with infantry on foot, rather than allowing decent fortification to take place. It is currently MORE EFFECTIVE to simply park the APC in a remotely safe location, and continuously spawn squads that run into the objective on foot.
This is in large part due to 2 things:
It is difficult for defenders to put up meaningful fortifications OUTSIDE of the objective area (due to lack of time to prep and knowledge ahead of time where the next objective will be).
Now stop and think about it.
If fortifications actually held decently, APCs would become MUCH more useful to push through fortified enemy lines and drop off troops up close. You could literally use them to clear a path and deploy troops AS INTENDED, rather than just use them as a stationary rally.
At this point, the additional medkits and ammo would come in extremely useful for ATTACKERS especially as they would no longer be trying to fight through the outer defenses and making pit-stops along the way. They would be able to push right through most outer defenses and get into the fight easier.
Overall, it needs to be a combination of factors that ultimately brings more strategic gameplay in. I see a lot of people complaining that it “wouldn’t be as fair to solo players” but at that point players need to learn how to play in a decent manner and help their team in the process. It has worked out in other games (Battlefield 4 was REALLY good about it) and could work here too, if the devs didn’t cater to solo players trying to put them on EQUAL footing as groups. You want to do better at the game? Make some friends.
I like the suggestion. The automatic change of camouflage or generally the design won’t happen IMHO. The extra buffs you mentioned could be exploited but what can’t be exploited to be fairly honest.
I was having the discussion on what the buffs should be with some of my friends to generate suggestions and bounce ideas around. Which is where these came from.
Other thoughts were to have crates with the weapons or something, but it was argued that could be even more exploitable.
The reasoning behind each suggestion I feel makes sense accordingly.
Medic boxes can be put down right in line with where they are walking, but because it requires the player to interact with it, usually only one soldier gets the benefit usually,
so having it as part of the truck allows the whole squad to benefit.
The extra magazine of ammo was summed up nicely by one of my buddies saying “if they don’t have to carry it the extra distance, they would be carrying extra ammo anyways” in terms of reality.
Game sense wise, it wouldn’t function quite the same way as if they had ammo pouches, as once the extra mags are used, they are gone. You can’t get them back even from an ammo box.
Overall, the hope is to encourage players to use them more as an assault vehicle rather than just a rally point. As having these additional buffs would help with.
Even used as rally points, players that attempt to provide support to their team are often shorted on the points they should be getting IMO, this would be a good step to helping that issue.
