The problem: Although there are a staggeringly large number of permutations when it comes to customizing your infantry avatar, newbies aren’t going to realize this. A newbie’s first impression might be that there are only four classes to use and little variety among them. What’s more, he’ll just pick skills willy-nilly (heh… willy.) and complain about skill weakness X, Y, or Z. You’ve got a bunch of goobers out there thinking the game has no diversity not even realizing how versatile the skill system is, and I’d like to rectify that issue. Solution: What I propose is, in game mechanics, absolutely nothing. I don’t want any restrictions on what skills you take, ever. BUT what I suggest is that one might have lists of pre-set weapons and skills layouts that people could choose, in addition to just good ol’ hand picking your layout. Explanation: Real simple concept—just slap on another drag and click table just like the general/class skill list (or some other selection system, it doesn’t matter.) in the class selection screen. By default, it wouldn't select any sub-class. However, if you choose a sub-class, your weapons are selected automatically and skills listed in the order you'll earn them. When you earn a new skill, this one is picked automatically. Depending on how difficult to code this is, one could (ideally) just switch out the skill/weapon if it isn’t working for you. So it wouldn’t be a restriction on skills, just a suggested blueprint for the player and a convenience issue. Now, of course, we all know that the BEST way to do things is to just know the skills enough to know what you need, when you need it. But put yourself in a newbie’s shoes: two dozen skills and you don’t know how well ANY of them work—how the fuck are you going to choose one right skill, let alone four? When you comment on this, please comment on the idea and, if you like it, any viable layouts. REMEMBER: these are for NEWBIES so put yourself in their shoes when listing em, and keep them as specific as possible for the task at hand—no ‘jack of all trades’ layout, that’s not the point of these concepts. Pros: Veteran players get to try and make their own class layouts hard-coded into the game. Ease newbies into the game (important!!!) Marketability (Important!) 'hey, look at all the classes we have!' we could get rid of a lot of extra crap on the wiki (like those skill upgrade guides I wrote) Don’t have to re-pick your skill/weapons every time you change classes in an emergency Cons more crap on the class selection screen to complicate things. coding time you have to have ALL variations in the sub classes (Probably at least 10) or it’s kind of pointless to include any. Here’s a list of concepts and their related skill/weapons lists I could come up with. Rifleman Sub-classes: Assault, Heavy Gunner Assault: Weapon Choice: AR and Pistol 1 1. Accuracy Upgrade 2. Improved Rifle Damage 3. Health Upgrade 4. Dig-In Heavy Gunner: Weapon Choice: HMG and Pistol 2 1. Accuracy 2. Stamina Upgrade (operating under the assumption that it will be buffed) 3. Improved Rifle Damage 4. Dig-In Scout Sub-classes: Ranged Support, Saboteur, Assault (Optional: Armored Skirmisher, Melee Master) Ranged Support Weapons Choice: Scout Rifle and Smoke Grenades 1. Accuracy Upgrade 2. Hide 3. Speed Upgrade 4. Enhanced Senses Saboteur Weapons Choice: SMG2 and Smoke Grenades 1. Hide 2. Enhanced Senses 3. Stamina Upgrade 4. Health Regeneration Assault Weapons Choice: SMG2 and Concussion Grenades 1. Enhanced Senses 2. Accuracy Upgrade 3. Health Upgrade 4. Speed Upgrade Armored Skirmisher (Optional) Weapons Choice: SMG2 and Smoke Grenades 1. Vehicle Speed 2. Radar Stealth (assuming this will be buffed at some point) 3. Stamina Increase 4. Health Upgrade Melee Master aka ‘the Skulk Special’ (VERY optional, but my favorite) Weapons Choices: SMG1 and Concussion Grenades 1. Melee Upgrade 2. Enhanced Senses 3. Speed Upgrade 4. Hide Grenadier sub-classes: Siege, Tank Killer, Armored Assault, Infantry Assault Infantry Siege Weapon Choice: Pistol 1 1. Ammo Increase 2. Health Upgrade 3. Defusal 4. Artillery Feedback Tank Killer Weapon Choice: Pistol 1 1. Ammo Increase 2. Armor Detection 3. Stamina Upgrade 4. Health Upgrade Armored Anti-Tank Weapon Choice: Pistol 2 1. Armor Detection 2. Increased Armor 3. Defusal 4. Health Regeneration Infantry Assault Weapons Choice: Pistol 1 1. Speed Upgrade 2. Ammo Increase 3. Health Upgrade 4. Stamina Increase Engineer sub-classes: Medic/Assault Support, Defender Medic/Assault Support Weapons Choice: SMG1 1. Revive 2. Repair Upgrade 3. Healing Upgrade 4. Speed Upgrade Defender Weapons Choice: SMG1 1. Repair 2. Turret Upgrade 3. Accuracy Upgrade 4. Health Regeneration edit: The same arguments apply to tanks, too, although you can save custom tank layouts, I've never bothered to figure that out. Lazy? Hell yes, but a laziness that reflects a newcomer's first impressions, to be sure. also bear in mind that i haven't bothered to calculate weapon balance since I first made this post; so feel free to suggest otherwise. and i know my skill progression choices suck, stfu. They work for me. It's not like I'm gonna be deciding this stuff, anyway. XD
That's a good idea. Some small changes would be required. (heavy gunner would be retarded not to have dig-in, etc) Customizable loadouts would be nice.
fixed yeah, this is just a list i thought would be good, frankly, i barely ever tank as an engie OR a scout, so idk that, and i just asked dubee for the gren list. edit: YES YES WE KNOW LOBSTER HAS HORRIBLE TASTE IN SKILLS JEEZ CUT ME SOME SLACK :p
medic: I'd swap revive and heal upgrade over, because revive is awesome and heal upgrade saves you two seconds on a job that only takes about 5, (although it's good on maps like escort/district to heal people under fire) this would be great, i love the drag and drop idea. if you could actually customise them yourself that that would be awesome.
It would probably clutter. Also, you need at least 40 skill points to get all of the skills and most nubs don't reach that amount. I think we would be better of writing a guide on how the current system works and easing them into customizing their own class.
The best point of this is if the upgrades come into effect without returning to a barracks or armoury to initialise them. Otherwise...i'm not minding so much.
it doesnt really matter that newbs wont get 40 points. matching weapons to free skill plus the more they will probably get by the end of game makes it worth it. and having 4 skills preselected will give them ideas about how to plan ahead in matching skills.
This is a great idea which should be implentmented along with custom tank layouts... I think it would help make the whole process of changing classes work faster and smoother somtimes you get put in the postion where you need to change classes quick but its hard to do that when the current system always forgets your skills for each class
Could there be a crossover here? i.e. if you choose a subclass and not go custom, you can get the free skill without being in a squad?
As with the tank presets idea, I think this will work well for new players. No to giving it any advantage (like free skills) or locking you into certain choices, but as a general assistance like lobster suggested I can see it being helpful. The most important part in all of this will be the descriptions of the sub-classes, and having all of them available on the same screen. One of the major problems with the current system is the click-barriers preventing you from assessing all your options at once.
yay free skill debate! ok I promise not to derail this until it gets to at least... oh... the 4th page? :p ---------- the idea of this isn't to change gameplay. choosing a "subclass" if just a faster way of choosing skills than doing it manually... there's no other bonus to it. and it should stay like that really.
