In MAG for the ps3, a 2010 fps from the creators of SOCOM game series, featuring 256 men instanced battles, one squad leader could set any "Q"-able object as squad's target, granting double experience for its kill or assists, or for repairing and near kills if it was a friend objective. basically everything you did in the near zone was double exp, reviving allies and taking letters included. noobs had a clear view of what to do even since the first matches. everyone wanted to lead because of exp bonus and the power it granted (squad leaders could call bombardments too, even if they wouldn't be doable in ps2, but that's just for the sake of the discussion). platoon and campaign leaders had even more power, like disabling enemy's use of map screen and voice chat. teams were formed by 8 men, and if your squad leader was not good, the team could just reach 5-6 votes (dun remember exactly) and kick him down from the charge. why can't ps2 offer real squad leading motivation? why the squad cert gain bonus has to be passive? why can't we incentivate players to kill that foking sunderer or repair the damn shield generator? do you know how much potential we are losing by absolutley not encouraging leaders to lead and players to follow? how often do you see an ammo field-equipped galaxy? could you imagine if squad/platoon leaders could cast, for example, a temporary double exp zone for allied aerial vehicles? what about removing the passive cert gain bonus from those spawn room heroes and make them work their ***** off to the letter? what is stopping this game to have proper teamplay outside of organized outfits?? /rage
I can only agree. Cert gain should encourage objective and team based activities. I mean, no damn wonder so many players obsess over SPH/SPM//KDR when the game massively reward this mindset.
It's not a secret planetside 2 leadership tools are extremely poor. A revamp was in the roadmap but the last phase has never been developed. The idea was squad leaders could assign xp for accomplishing specific tasks like destroying a generator, bombing an area etc. The same thing that happened to resources system.
This is all true, but still needs development of a better rewards system first... the dude who actually arms the generator is almost always less important than the 3-5 squadmates who kept him alive while he did so... and yet he gets all the XP, and they get nothing. Until that sort of thing is fixed (and frankly, I honestly can't see a way how), we're going to be limited in how much leadership stuff we can do.
Completely agree come sort of change should be made to encourage both the leaders leading and other players following (and eventually leading themselves). The idea for XP incentives to squad/platoon mates for accomplishing leader appointed goals is a great one. Why not make it a simple system where a squad visible marker can be placed on the map by the leader (either defend/attack/repair/ect.) and any area around the marker grants an XP bonus to those team-mates that follow the order. Leaders could gain XP for kills/repairs/ect. from team-mates acting inside his/her order zone, kind of like assist XP for vehicle drivers. Not much but enough that it adds up and is worth it the longer they actively lead and continue to give orders/set objectives. I have a ton of fun leading a squad of my friends, but the tools to do so effectively are lacking and rarely does anyone who leads get anything out of it for the extra work the put into it.
i dunno, im typically the lone wolf player by choice. ive been in groups and platoons all the time, but it seems they are either always changing their focus and they dont commit. the only times we do commit to holding strategic points is either the initial fight or the zerg, lose cap point B and its practially abandoned and im the only one pushing back. its not that the game lacks cooperative gameplay, its that it lacks conviction. in PS1 when you were in close proxy to a squadmate that got a kill, you got a very small portion as a bonus - any kind of bonus to keep your squad both togeather, and to stay moving/defending would fix this. or just have everyone follow the one really good player murdering machine...
