I think it would be nice if LAs, filling their tool slot, could have the ability to emphasize key objectives and enemy positions. You would get the ability to place waypoints of various shapes signifying certain stuff, for ex. a marker dedicated to infantry with a relevant infantry sign; a marker dedicated to armor with a relevant vehicle sign, perhaps even a marker dedicated to a sunderer and so on... These would follow the same rules regular waypoints do - visible as long as within field of view, through walls and environment. This would not require you to go to the map, it would operate like any other tool - you would simply point in a direction and where ever your crosshair meets with the environment or an object a marker would be placed in that location. You will earn exp when someone spots the threat corresponding to the marker you placed in the markers proximity. If someone spots infantry near a place where you placed an infantry marker - you get exp. So it operates on a deliver information -> confirm information -> deal with the threat basis As a light assault I frequently find myself in a position overlooking enemy forces; if not, my ability allows me to cover the environment more efficiently and more often I simply stumble upon an enemy zerg. But my faction has no awareness of it unless I tell them and when I do most still chose to ignore it without attempting to investigate or deal with the enemy forces. I believe a tool like this would synergize well with the LAs ability to get around and would encourage people to employ LAs to scout outdoors, where as infiltrators offer local transparency, without either of them crossing in each others roles. Also symbols and hud related information seem to translate better than verbal orders do, assuming from cap points and SCU gens and so one... I guess the issue is whether this should be displayed to a faction or a squad, and how do you prevent the spammed markers from cluttering the hud and obscuring vision. I assume spotting the marker would cause it to disappear would allow observers to judge and handle the excess information.
This is more of a problem of in-game communications being less than they could be, than Light Assault's. Another problem is that players rarely concern themselves with dealing with specific threats. There are no incentive to actually win the battle, hence no reason to go for objectives like destroying sunderers and capping points. I guess highlighting enemy assets would be useful to the occasional player that does concern himself with objectives, but most of the unorganized people just want to kill enemies. Squad/Platoon command interface certainly needs a tune up, adding more convenient ways to place markers rather then going to the map, and additional commands like "follow me", "attack here" or "retreat" or "regroup".
I was thinking that this would work because a lot of open random platoons operate on a "follow teh waypoint" method. I'm guessing no one takes the initiative to deal with threats because of fear of doing it alone. If there is big fat marker that is visible to everyone there is more of a chance that people will tend to it like moths to a flame.
i for one, love this idea, it provides great team play, but it would really only be usefull if you are playing as a team, otherwise the map and screen will just be covered in these waypoints. but if this were something we could do in platoons and squads, the teamplay aspect of LA would be insanely boosted.
