Topic: Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It...
I've been thinking about this one for a very long time. But its sorta an incomplete idea, so if anyone can think of any additives to it please post.
Okay this is about Commander Mode. I really like idea of commander mode, but it's implementation, meh not so much. The general idea behind it is allowing to allow the commander to organize where his troops should be, and the game makes good use of this by relaying orders down through squad leaders. But it sorta feels pretty impersonal. There are no fancy strategies, nothing to destinguish between one commanders style and another. There is no style. Its just reacting. If this flag is taken, you order these guys in. If you take the flag you order the troops to advance to the next one. Thats as far as strategy goes. Now this isn't bad for handling the mass numbers of troops, becuase it preserves their freedom to go where they want, when. But there should also be system that allows the commander some more finess. So heres my idea: Special Mission Squads.
Lets use Wake Island as an example. The US has captured the 2 north bases at the top left corner of the island, but their having difficulty holding it from the mass chinese attacks. The US commander sees this, and instead of simply dropping a defend this position order (which he also does), he forms a plan to use the battle as a distraction to nab the chinese airfield.
The idea is to give the commanders the ability to create a special squad completely under his command. He presses the button to create the squad, and this launches a mass announcement to his entire team, requesting them to join 'Special Mission Squad 1'. They can press page up to enter it, just like a normal squad invite. The squad fills up with volunteers who want to put themselves exclusively under the commander's control.
Now heres the real meat. These special mission squads have many more command options he can give them, and use a waypoint system, so these commands can be stacked. Several of the possible commands might be (instead of simply attack or defend): Spawn Here, Set Up Sniping Positions Here, Steal Enemy Assualt Vehicles, Stay Hidden Here until Area is Clear, and Destroy These Assets. But these can be stacked to create a custom strategy.
So using my previous example the US commander has created a Special Mission Squad to sack the airfield, using his mass forces as a distraction. He selects the squad and places a Spawn here beacon on the island with the boats. Now he places a Stay Hidden Here Until Area is Clear order on the area on the beach of the southern tip base, where there are alot of trees for cover. Next he places a Steal Assualt Vehicle Order on the Tank that spawns there. These three orders all stay on the battle field, instead of dissapearing after a new one is placed, forming a chain of orders. He places one more Stay Hidden until Area is Clear command in the treey area just below the airfield, and then a final attack command. After that order is completed the Squad is disbanded.
I know that was really complicated to read, but it would be utterly simplistic in practice. This allows people who want to do their own thing to not join a Special Mission Squad. Those that want to be part of the plan can. But more importantly it gives the commander a host of strategic options he can use, and entertain his own style. If the commanders an idiot, do not join special mission squads until he's impeached, its that simple.
And theres even powers teh commander can be given to facilitate his plans! He might have a parachute power, which gives the special mission squad a point they can paradrop in from, and additional stuff like that.
Now I specifically used bf2 to explain the example instead of star wars, in hopes of making it easier to understand. Obviously I'm suggesting this for FS. I used wake island becuase its base positions are well known. If you forget exactly what wake looks like, take a look at a map and it will make the idea easier to understand.
Now the only technical issues that I think could come up would be giving the commander the ability to create squads, and the ability to keep more than one order on the battlefield without disapearing. Is that hardcoded, or can it be done?
Sorry that was so long, and poorly explained. But whatcha think?! ![]()

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