Squad Objectives

[Straws]

One of the things that really get's my back up in Planetside is it's method threshing out commanders. Currently, the only way to get Command Experience Points (CEP) is to capture or secure a facility for your empire. Not only is this very limiting, it also means that the only skill a squad leader needs is the ability to follow the zerg. This is why I am proposing the following idea.

Squad Objectives will allow the squad leader (SL) to set objectives for indivudual squad members or an entire squad. Each member will only be able to recieve one objective at a time to prevent "power leveling".

The SL will be able to set tasks via the squad pane (ingame : 'P'). They will then be able to set the task they want to hand out to his/her squad, however, the SL has to be specific in the task. They will have to set the name of the target facility/continet/cave after choosing the actual task.

Here are a few examples of objectives that may be set;

• Destroy Generator at Ran
• Capture Byblos
• Install module at Neit
• Resecure Marduk

As you can see, there are a lot of parameters involved, giving SLs the ability to very specifically instruct their squad on what to do, this would also allow new squad members to see exactly what the rest of the squad are doing.

Obviously, CEP will only be issued upon completion of the task, and the value will depend on the difficulty of the objective. If there is no opposition, then no CEP will be issued (unless the task actually has effects an empire that is currently in motion).

I'm strongly considering a Support Rank in order to give squad members a reward that doesn't level them up through their battle rank too quickly. This support rank will also work around support tasks when not in a squad (ANT running, Module installations, base repair etc), but the rewards for a Support Rank are still trying to be thought up.

[IncomingFire]

I personally think that so far the CEP system is set up well the only problem being you don't get any CEP for defending a base other than through resecures so if they made it the longer the base you were at the more CEP you would get after the first 5 mins starting at 2-10 depending on the current threat level then each 5 mins or so another 5-15

[bwzman]

One problem: setting an objective to one person would be odd unless it's like "Defend Neit (Kill 10 enemies in Neit's SOI)." or "Attack Marduk (Kill 10 enemies in Marduk's SOI).", otherwise, one squad member would have a little trouble with "Resecure Neit."

[IncomingFire]

yeah it needs a tangible objective {see above}

[bwzman]

More Squad Member objective:

-Scan for Cloakers in <BASE>: Kill 3 enemy Cloakers. (Only available in ORANGE ALERT or above).

-Make way for the Aircraft in <BASE>: Kill 2 enemy AA maxes or 1 skygaurd (Only available in ORANGE ALERT or above).

[Straws]

I like those ideas, bwzman. I was just going to point out that a SL would only tell their engineers to repair facility structures while telling others to resecure a control console.

Setting defensive/offensive tasks would be very useful.

I'll try to make a list of full Squad objectives and objectives for individuals.

[IncomingFire]

the idea in itself is really cool although it may end up too complicated to actually put into the game

[bwzman]

Orange, were you in beta? That's the exact same thing they said about Lattice! Too Complicated! It wouldn't be that complicated, it'd just be in depth, which is what players like.

[IncomingFire]

no I wasn't in beta but I do know that a lot of new players are already pretty confused by the lattice and to add even more might be a poor business move on SOE's part even though it seems like the new player influx is dying down

[bwzman]

believe me, pre-lattice was baaaaaaaaad: You could hack any base on a continent, regardless of link, meaning Back Hack Galore.

[IncomingFire]

I actually liked when there was no latice just after release when I got the game

[bwzman]

Honestly, I think you were the only one.

But believe it or not lattice was created by the Players! Wow!
Actually, Hayoo might have done some of the artwork for it...didja Hayoo?

[bwzman]

Squad Objectives List Ver 1.0:

-Defend <BASE>: Kill 2 Enemies in this base's SOI [No Alert]
-Defend <BASE>: Kill 4 Enemies in this base's SOI [Yellow Alert]
-Defend <BASE>: Kill 10 Enemies in this base's SOI [Orange Alert]
-Defend <BASE>: Kill 14 Enemies in this base's SOI [Red Alert]
-------------
-Protect our Air in <BASE>: Kill 2 Enemy AA Maxes or 1 Enemy SkyGaurd.
-Bomber Escort in <BASE>: Protect a Liberator in an enemy SOI for 5 minutes. It must survive the complete 5 minutes in a base with enemies equivilent to Yellow Alert or above.
-------------
-Gain Air Superiority: Destroy 2 Enemy Air Craft in less than 5 minutes.
-Gain Air Superiority 2: Destroy 5 Enemy Fighters [Reaver or Mosquito] in less than 10 minutes.
-Protect your Superiority: Destroy 2 Enemy Air Craft in this Base's SOI.
-------------
-Bomber Intercept: Destroy an Enemy Liberator.
-------------
-Bomber Mission in <BASE> : Destroy 5 vehicles or 10 infantry/MAXes in an this Base's SOI.
-------------
-Cloaker Mission in <BASE> 1: Destroy 1 Equipment terminal in this base. [Yellow or above]
-Cloaker Mission in <BASE> 2: Destroy the vehicle terminal in this base. [Yellow or above]
-Cloaker Mission in <BASE> 3: Destroy the Generator in this base. [Yellow or above]
-Cloaker Mission in <BASE> 4: Hack the Control Consol in this base [Yellow or above]
-Cloaker Mission in <BASE> 5: Destroy the Spawn Rooms in this base [Yellow or above]
-------------

[Hayoo]

Originally posted by bwzman@Jul 16 2004, 03:02 AM
Honestly, I think you were the only one.

But believe it or not lattice was created by the Players! Wow!
Actually, Hayoo might have done some of the artwork for it...didja Hayoo?

:) Nope, I didn't join Planetside until about a month after release. And I didn't start displaying concept art until September, that's when I first began posting on the forums.

But I too heard the Lattice was suggested by Beta players when they couldn't convince them to do Areas of Influence (territories). Power to the people!

[bwzman]

Yep, that's pretty much what happened, They wouldn't give us territories so they gave us base lattice...which is acceptable.

[IncomingFire]

some spec ops missions should be added also like gen and spawn blowing missions along with some support missions like get an AMS into the SOI for a certain amount of time

[bwzman]

Squad Objectives List Ver 1.5:

------Base Defense------

--Defend <BASE>: Kill 2 Enemies in this base's SOI [No Alert]
--Defend <BASE>: Kill 4 Enemies in this base's SOI [Yellow Alert]
--Defend <BASE>: Kill 10 Enemies in this base's SOI [Orange Alert]
--Defend <BASE>: Kill 14 Enemies in this base's SOI [Red Alert]

------Protection missions-------

--Protect our Air in <BASE>: Kill 2 Enemy AA Maxes or 1 Enemy SkyGaurd.
--Bomber Escort in <BASE>: Protect a Liberator in an enemy SOI for 5 minutes. It must survive the complete 5 minutes in a base with enemies equivilent to Yellow Alert or above.

------Air Superiority Missions-------

--Gain Air Superiority: Destroy 2 Enemy Air Craft in less than 5 minutes.
--Gain Air Superiority 2: Destroy 5 Enemy Fighters [Reaver or Mosquito] in less than 10 minutes.
--Protect your Superiority: Destroy 2 Enemy Air Craft in this Base's SOI.

------Fighter Vs Air Missions-------

--Bomber Intercept: Destroy an Enemy Liberator.

------Bomber Missions-------

--Bomber Mission in <BASE> : Destroy 5 vehicles or 10 infantry/MAXes in an this Base's SOI.

------Cloaker Missions-------

--Cloaker Mission in <BASE> 1: Destroy 1 Equipment terminal in this base. [Yellow or above]
--Cloaker Mission in <BASE> 2: Destroy the vehicle terminal in this base. [Yellow or above]
--Cloaker Mission in <BASE> 3: Destroy the Generator in this base. [Yellow or above]
--Cloaker Mission in <BASE> 4: Hack the Control Consol in this base [Yellow or above]
--Cloaker Mission in <BASE> 5: Destroy the Spawn Rooms in this base [Yellow or above]

------Behind-the-Scenes Missions------
{High Risk, High Rewards Missions}

--Destroy Generator in <BASE> 1: You've got 5 minutes to destroy this base's Generator. [Maximum XP] This mission can only be created if all of your squad members are in a Friendly Base SOI. Failure results in the cancellation of all current missions and lose the ability to do missions for 15 minutes.
--Destroy Generator in <BASE> 2: You've got 10 minutes to destroy this base's Generator. [Medium XP] This mission can only be created if all of your squad members are in a Friendly Base SOI. Failure results in the cancellation of all current missions and lose the ability to do missions for 10 minutes.
--Destroy Generator in <BASE> 3: You've got 15 minutes to destroy this base's Generator. [Minimum XP] This mission can only be created if all of your squad members are in a Friendly Base SOI. Failure results in the cancellation of all current missions and lose the ability to do missions for 5 minutes.

[IncomingFire]

you should get BEP for completing the mission along with the SL getting CEP for example:


------Base Defense------

--Defend <BASE>: Kill 2 Enemies in this base's SOI [No Alert] - 10 BEP
--Defend <BASE>: Kill 4 Enemies in this base's SOI [Yellow Alert] - 20 BEP
--Defend <BASE>: Kill 10 Enemies in this base's SOI [Orange Alert] - 30 BEP
--Defend <BASE>: Kill 14 Enemies in this base's SOI [Red Alert] - 40 BEP

[Straws]

Just a quick fyi, I'm in the process of moving, so I don't have much spare time to work on this right now, but I'll try to reply to the comments as much as possible.

you should get BEP for completing the mission along with the SL getting CEP

I agree that Squad Members should be rewarded, but since I already loath the fact that ANT runners get Battle Experience Points for doing something that covers a supportive role in the game, and a hater of there being a complete lack of reward for performing other supportive tasks, I'd much prefer a Support Rank. This is the way squad members should get rewarded. Mainly because good squad members don't usually need BEP because they've gotten to be good team players because they've been playing for a long time (and therefore already are BR20).

However, Squad Objectives that are battle orientated (base/tower capture/defence/resecure) should issue both BEP and SEP to squad members if it's a squad objective and just BEP if it's not (this also applies to the SL, but they will fail to get CEP if it's not an objective).

Anyway, lots of work to do on this to make it clear, and that may take a fair while. Feel free to keep manipulating the idea to fit your ideals. I may not like BEP being awarded for these things, but that doesn't mean it's out of the question.