LOTS of suggestions, community input needed.

[sonic meadow]

I copied a suggestion/review list I left on steam since sometimes there are some issues on there with suggestions and feedback getting drowned out in the onslaught of comments being left there..

I hope this doesn't violate the "Bumping in any form" part of the rules; I'm not trying to overcrowd anyone else's input but rather distance myself from the simple reviewing that most Steam comments apply.

I genuinely want to provide positive feedback that applies to not only my own preferences of what I would like to see the game include, but more rather actually useful widespread feedback that applies to a mass and unique set of player types.

I wrote on topics considering class balancing, gadget reworks, bugs, and potential ideas the team could look over at their leisure.

I've really enjoyed the amount of time I've invested in the game at this point(as little comparably it is to others and the longevity of the game's existence), so I passionately found myself investing time in writing my thoughts for them to look over.

If the developers see this, I would greatly appreciate a reply on my feedback if you have the time. I'm an "argumentist" as made up as that word is, and really enjoy contemplating changes that revolve around balance. I even enjoy the idea of being wrong/rejected in a lot of scenarios for learning experience.

(Also just to clarify further, all of the info I provided is under the pretense that development of these ideas aren't too much of a strain to create).

If my ideas are compounding at all, or if they would like to talk to me more about the game and any testing they would like me to look into for certain aspects/areas they want to personally improve.. I'd be more than happy to oblige and offer my abstract insight.

Otherwise, for the rest of you, please feel free to look over the suggestions until the developers remove this thread. Take what you can from my ideas and expand upon it if it gives you insight.

Thank you for reading, I talk a lot.

Here's the text-to-discord copy in multiple messages for your non-downloading convenience:

The game is good, but needs a few more things eventually.

Here are my suggestions considering the way I like to play the game, and also what I've noticed would make classes feel a lot more substantial IMO:

1. An easier resupply would be nice instead of needing to manually press E by a box. I think if you stand over a box long enough, passively you should start resupplying instead of needing to take your attention away from the fight.

2. A slower resupply for gadgets would be very nice. Things like the drone are really resourceful and helpful in combat, but when it gets shot down or blows up utilizing the ability to bomb things with attached explosives.. a player needs to either wait till their next death, or forcefully re-spawn to get any further utility which also costs your team lives in the long run before you lose.

3. The Support class should be able to get the riot shield for more defensive cover, and potentially(if ever added), mortars. For one the class lacks severely in the utility department when it comes to how relevant their kit is in battle compared to something like the medic or scout, but while also applying the passive resupply and gadget resupply would be nice for making them much more useful to teammates.. playing battlefield 4, you could set up a mortar somewhere and then use it when you needed to pinch people in a hard to approach area, which was always super helpful when performing a retake on an objective.. so something like that getting added into the game would be awesome to use.

4. The riot shield should be able to be placed down for cover. Right now you cant really use it with anything besides maybe peaking a corner and backing up to gain information(which the drone does better at anyways), so having it be able to be placed down with durability would be quite nice. Also being able to shield bash would be a welcome change too.

Now that that's out of the way, here's some bugs/issues I've discovered while playing the game:

-The rappel rope from the helicopters are a bit weird to use. If you look down and hold forward you'll go down the rope, if you look up and go forward you'll go up the rope, and vice versa. This over-complicates the dropping system to leave the helicopter, so being able to simply hold forward to go up the rope and backward to go down would be really helpful in keeping it simple.

-You can't mark vehicles very well or at all while within the drone.

-The turn speed of the drone decreasing with more weight might be a mechanic for keeping drone bombing more balanced, but I feel that the speed decrease does it just fine.. if anything, the turn speed is a minor inconvenience whilst trying to drone bomb but more-so just annoying to deal with while casually turning in general when either taking off or moving within the air. If it could be looked into more, maybe removing the turn speed change with weight would make the drone feel cleaner to use in these scenarios.

-The flashbang is a bit overwhelming, but that's not the problem. Sometimes the flash is really long and can be a bit extreme considering the pacing of the game and how much of a disadvantage you're put at(as well as the phantom freeze frame when your vision returns completely hindering your POV until it wears off), and sometimes it's just a flashlight of a blast(I've tested it with multiple scenarios whether it be directly looking at the blast, or just catching a glimpse at an angle from a distance, the difference in randomness is not much).

.

-The supply drop comes down quite slow and doesn't offer much that the support class already gives other than longer up-time and more uses. Keeping the ability to interact with the supply drop for instant resupply of specific gear would be very nice except with gadgets, if that change was added then instead of applying the same slow passive regen to gadgets that a support box could.. the ability for a person once per life and per supply drop to instantly get back their gadget would be decently balanced and also quite helpful in the regards of the utility to using points on a supply drop in the first place.

-Claymores are not very effective compared to Anti-Personnel mines. Instead of blunt black lines/tripwires, subtle red lasers might make them more effective in holding doors compared to mines, and though they would still be visible and could be countered.. they would still be more discreet and offer more potential to kill.

-The repair tool has some issues when attempting to repair a vehicle like the helicopter due to it's hitbox. If you're sitting in a particular seat(such as the inside cab), even when directly looking at the ceiling or certain points inside.. the repair tool will fail to detect collision and wont repair. Sometimes it works but in a lot of cases, I find myself rotating to the outside seat on the edge to get a better angle at repairing.

-If the supports could resupply the mini-guns in the helicopter, that would be nice.

.

Finally, here's some ideas I have that might make the game interesting but would require some insight on balancing and also fluid utility:

1. Cameras: Being able to set a camera somewhere and have it auto-mark someone while you're on the other side of the wall would be nice for defending, but a side of this would make it break easily to explosions and also have a light shine on the model so people can more easily identify a camera(also removing any marks applied by the camera when it's destroyed). You could place a camera by throwing it at a target location to stick.

Also for more uniqueness to the gadget, you could make it similar to the drone in the regards of being able to access the camera from a screen.. but in the case you want to view the camera without pulling out your screen, you could dock the screen on a wall or the floor to stay active in combat while being able to still view the camera(and allow others to view it too). This would allow for some really nice plays where you could in real time see the position of an enemy for information to better hold an area.. or even detonate traps from the comfort of your defenses.

2. Revamping the building mechanic: I always find it interesting how a person can deploy cover using squad points.. but I find the system a bit in the way in some instances, and in a lot of cases simply spammed when bottlenecks are a problem. To give more utility to this unique aspect of the game, being able to tie this system to the tools would be very helpful in making them more prominent. I find players using explosives more often to deconstruct walls and fortifications more than the tools themselves, so adding a mechanic where players could use the tools in their loadout to create unique pre-defined defenses would make defending an objective that much more engaging.

For example: hammers and pickaxes could still do what they're meant to do breaking either in mass or in specific spots for angles, but pickaxes would be better suited and more used in scout or medic kits for constructing sniper-lookouts and tight-knit defenses, and hammers would be better for assault and support kits for creating strong and bulky sectors to suppress/block off, and approach enemies with better cover.

This in turn would simplify the building system to allow players to use construction more to their advantage in fights, instead of randomly building in an erratic manner in hopes to create defenses from a really awkward bottleneck or choke-point they're being suppressed at(while also keeping the squad point system much more relevant in the case the passive resupply is added).

Also, having a max cap of structures that just outright stops the whole squad from building is a bit momentum breaking in the case someone really likes the mechanic.. so reworking that for individual caps and to begin a decay for old structures over the cap would make it so the player can build as much as they want without overwhelming the map with too many random structures.

---

End of List

---

Now you may add your replies. Thank you.

[sonic meadow]

LOTS of suggestions, community input needed.

[pseudo turtle]

I am opposed to the idea of mortars in this game, because we already have an issue of getting killed out of nowhere by snipers. Maybe mortars and artillery could be a fun game mode, but I think it'd be very frustrating to lets say be finally breaking a stalemate and pushing with your team, only for everyone to be completely wiped out in mere seconds due to someone halfway across the map. It might be even worse then snipers, because at least they need a direct line of sight to you (which means you have a line of sight to them if you can find them)

[bronze gyro]

Here is my feedback on your suggestions:

1. I don't see a major problem with resupplying passively, but could also just add that you are passively getting ammo when you are holding down E to begin with. Would allow for it to roughly do the same thing.

2. I think opening the can of worms and allowing resupply of gadgets would lead to bigger problems. While I do agree that having the drone is helpful in some cases, most of the time the gadget itself just doesn't fit the picture. It's cool people attach the bombs to it but even then majority of the time it is shot down. While you are piloting a drone it isn't doing anything proactive for the team and defending a location it is just providing information that may not be useful. For me that information you are gathering is very minimal and almost pointless in some cases. Also your team can just shoot the mines on the drone and make it pointless itself.

3+4. I'm going to combine both 3+4 together for the sake of the topic. One idea that is floating around is that instead of having a passive resupply from being near a support would be being able to run up to a support and resupply from their kit. Would help in those specific cases where the support doesn't have chat on and is just blind. Mortar idea is already in the game being in the form of RPG's. People can still shoot them from across the map and be extremely accurate. In terms of the Riot Shield I would say completely pass on the entire idea. I think the riot shield is already to out of date and most people I see using it are just feeding on their team. Being able to place it already causes a bigger issue which would be players head glitching on their shields and camping angles with LMG's which has already been done in games before.

---

For the Final Ideas the only major topic I will touch on is the building mechanic.

1. The reason the building mechanic limit was introduced because if there wasn't a limit people would build on top of objectives and block zones within the game. It would be a cool idea if there was preset build layouts that you could utilize if you had enough points to build. I personally think the building is already a problem within BB and wouldn't mind it it was completely removed entirely.

[sonic meadow]

For resupplying from teammates directly or needing to look towards a box and press E, that still takes away momentum from combat. The reason I’m saying passive is so that players only need to be in proximity of an ammo box in order to gain ammo back, but maybe keeping the E button for things like explosives and tactical gear. Also, if you could resupply from teammates directly.. that alone might not be a bad idea, but for one you would still have the problem of taking your focus away from the combat just for ammo which isn’t detrimental.. but considering most teammates besides either vantage takers or pinned down pushers are going to be standing/shifting within the same area, all it would be is a role shift of the medic but backwards; instead of chasing a teammate to provide them benefit(aka healing) so you can perform your duties and rotate to someone else, you’re chasing someone down when they could be completely ignoring you just so you can get ammo. As a medic, if you’re chasing someone who’s tunnel visioned on something else.. you’re actively providing benefit to their gameplay and therefore performing your role, but if a support worked like that but backwards.. it would just be you chasing someone for some ammo and risking your positioning

For the gadgets resupplying, it’s not the fact that the gadget doesn’t fit the picture in some scenarios.. it’s the fact that the ONLY way you can get another one, especially if it’s shot down, is by dying and respawning. I don’t really see any downsides to having a way to get a new one so you don’t need to waste time dying or respawning just to get further utility. Personally, I find the drones very useful in destroying tanks and large groups of people I simply can’t get to, and if the marking was reworked.. it would prove to be a very useful tool by itself whether you’re using it for yourself to understand enemy positions without needing to actively scan, or for your team to make an educated push on an objective.

[sonic meadow]

And for the building mechanic limit, I was still keeping in mind a limit I didn’t say anything about removing it directly. I was saying that instead of SQUAD limits, individual limits with older built structures decaying would keep the spamming of using building as just outright an annoying blockade down to a minimum(you’d still have the same amount of structures as you do now or less, but they could be used more proactively and combatively rather than as a suppression tactic). Plus, the tools would have actual relevance to be used in kits beyond just being destruction, it would allow users to have a much more friendly interface for using the unique mechanic. And they’d still cost points anyhow.

Also for mortars and shields, that’s understandable..

but maybe a counter for mortars like the longer you lock your mortar on a single spot before firing, the more accurate it could be to pertain to eliminating campers, and also a sound effect in the area as it’s coming down or a very visible projectile to allow people to evade could be helpful so it’s not an immediate kill button so it has fun utility, yet also isn’t overpowered to kill anyone you want.

It would more so be like a “If I expect them coming this way, I’ll shoot this here and they’ll walk into the explosion” kind of gear.

And shields being placed is just an idea for a piece of gear that literally has no alternate uses at all. I like shields, and I like being able to peak corners without getting my head blown off by a super accurate player.. but I wish they had something like a bash so you could at least deal with people who jump in your face so you’re not just a complete sitting duck. I get SOME people feed, but for the ones who genuinely like the gear and want it to be useful for certain advantages that help their kit.. a rework would be nice to tend to their wants and needs.

I appreciate your criticism and critiques.

[sonic meadow]

Having counter potential would be critical, and I already stated it in a reply below.. but adding something like if the mortar stays locked in to a single position without adjusting much, it would be more accurate so you’d have to keep it locked in for a decent bit of time to hit a stationary target.. plus, travel time is already going to delay the shot as well.

and to counter it, you could have a very visible projectile that exposes the mortar user and the projectile going through the air from that direction so you can see if it’s coming towards you.. and also a sound effect as it whirs close to offer further dodge potential.

It wouldn’t be overpowered since it can be visually spotted ahead of time, it would still expose the player to an extent to offer people the chance to counter the mortar user, it wouldn’t offer much more comparable combative power than a sniper could unless used properly against grouped hordes of squatters who aren’t paying attention, or a lucky shot from an inaccurately pre-fired round.

It would require skill, map knowledge of the ongoing fight since often you can’t see enemy marks on the map currently that well, and good positioning so you don’t get spotted easily and shot down fast. It’s powerful, but not OP.

[pseudo turtle]

I'd say you'd want the mortar whistle too. I'd def want it tested a crap ton first. I think it would be a great way to counter specifically sniper nests, though, as you could hit high up roofs in theory.

Maybe it'd be a more fun counter to snipers then the trail... but I can see it being more painful to frontline troops

[sonic meadow]

Yeah exactly. It’s good for people who don’t move much, and against frontline players.. it would be a hassle for sure, but if a group of people are seriously going to miss a visual cue AND a sound cue, they’re just as susceptible to getting obliterated by that as a bomb drone.

[pseudo turtle]

Well you gotta understand sometimes these people are way too caught up in the action to be able to notice. And sometimes they have no choice but to stay where they are. I get that grenades can help flush out enemies into the line of fire too, but at least we have trophies for that now.

[sonic meadow]

I think that’s what a mortar user would bank on preferably to get a lot of kills if they’re good at placing the round. Ofc some people are pinned down and they can’t move well.. but roughly, they’d have a good 3-4 seconds to reposition. And considering both sides would have it, I wouldn’t doubt if the play-style of players in the game would shift if something like this was added.

Definitely a lot of play testing, but still a strong idea for more ways to play the game.

Also, a good idea would be to make it so trophies could detonate the round early to avoid LETHAL damage, but not all of it.

[pseudo turtle]

Just concerned it'd be another sniper situation. fun to play, not fun to play against.

[lyric elk]

maybe it would be 10 seconds up, 15 seconds down while having the whistle, and maybe a shadow too

explosives are a gray area though, especially with the heat rpg, although this could def be more balanced if it gives enough warning to targets

[sonic meadow]

Snipers have always been rough in games. They’re more specific with mechanics and little things like travel, damage, penetration, etc.. so ofc they’ll be rough to fairly develop, but this isn’t as much of a stalemate thing as it is a “Either I’m going to blast em up, or expose myself like a clown.”

Imagine C4ing a room, you could either blow up everyone in the room or die not doing enough damage or trying to click the button when you’re already shot up and dead…

This would be the same, but much more spaced. You either get the shot off, it travels and lands for kills.. or you don’t get the kill, and you’ve just exposed yourself for snipers, other mortars, flankers, etc. Trophies and buildings would still be helpful too since roofs aren’t destructible like walls and the trophy would save you from the instant death of the round but not ALL the damage.

Another thought I had would just be to keep it so the mortars don’t one hit kill unless you perfectly drop it on someone.. but it could do splash damage just like the one in BF4

[lyric elk]

also maybe it could be "air support" instead of an item

[sonic meadow]

Only thing I have a problem with it being something like air support would be how big and explosive the rounds would actually be since it’s coming from a vehicle or something. For one the vehicles are strong, that’s a normal given.. but if it’s a mortar from a big air strike lobbing vehicle, your asking for the explosion radius to be really big or for a lot of rounds to be sent off in succession way too fast.

If it didn’t do something like that, it would just feel very underwhelming for something that’s meant to feel strong because you’re in something that bulky. In the latter regard, it sounds like having a sub machine gun on a helicopter extremely high in the air, but less drastic of an example.

[abstract stirrup]

there is a lot of leeway for Artillery and Air strikes. not all of them have a massive blast radius

[bronze gyro]

I will touch on other people have stated before that explosives should destroy some of the building materials but to counter the build limit I have read before and I can’t remember who suggested it but essentially all buildable items degraded over time to begin with.

[bronze gyro]

I’ve been suggesting this for awhile in the sense that I almost feel as if there are way too many maps that don’t have enough destructible environments. I can understand some players frustrations when a sniper is sitting on a rock or some other object that literally cannot be destroyed and in this case a mortar would help eliminate that issue. I understand how strong some positions are for snipers and I support adding more ways for players to push snipers out of positions. I already get rpg’d across the map from that one player who is fed up and destroys the entire building I was using.

I don’t think enough players try to destroy buildings which might be its own thread on its own. Too many buildings have way too much stability and would be interesting if you could reduce it. Example: player shots rpg into building and maybe slowly over time the building starts to crumble and breakaway.

Essentially as long as the player had line of sight to a building it still would allow that player to feel like they have something they can do to counter the sniper.