stone abyss
I'm directly referring tho this thread: https://discord.com/channels/303681520202285057/1183210810760249425
Imo OP is right on the issue, that the ability to spawn on ANY Squadmate is a bit overtuned. Like, I get it. Sitting and starring at a spawn screen for 30 seconds or walking 2 minutes only to get sniped isn't fun. But neither is basically having to guard every damn outpost at all times because as soon as an enemy is there, you can never be sure the point is fully cleared before leaving. This also encourages people to give up when downed, because they can just hop back into the fight, instead of preserving tickets.
But instead of just removing the system, an overhaul would be great. Iirc in the older Battlefield titles, it was possible to spawn onto transport vehicles*. This could be a great alternative to the current system. I'm talking especially about the APC/IFV and boats. So those vehicles, that are DESIGNED with troop transport in mind. If played correctly, you have a mobile spawn point that is allowing your team easier access to a flag. With the downside being, that you have to park it further away (hide it) OR actively defend it. Because the second it gets spotted, the enemy can effectively counter-play by trying to destroy it, to stop the influx of players.
You can see how this could create an interesting dynamic, where single players with good map knowledge can make all the difference in winning a point, while a vehicle is also not as frustrating to find and destroy as a single hidden player would be. And yes, I'm aware of the "battle bus problem" (driving in circles while dropping infantry) but that could be tewaked with cooldowns and "safe zones" around flags.
Additionally, I wouldn't remove the "spawn-on-squad" system as a whole but reserve it for the Squad leader and maybe add a cool-down to it (1 player every 20ish seconds or so?). This could encourage players who pick the role, to stay away from the direct front more, thus stopping them from rushing mindlessly into a fight and actually making use of the stuff the Squad leader has to support his squad in a a fight. Like Para-Drops, placing the spawn beacon and assigning targets.
Speaking of the spawn beacon: I think it is in a good place balancing-wise. It's just that, because of squad spawning, it doesn't have any real utility rn, aside from allowing a squad to be even more reckless, once they placed one down. I'm pretty sure removing the "spawn-on-anyone" ability would by its own greatly enhance its usage.
*I didn't include helicopters here, because not only are they armed, insanely fast and can fit a load of players, they're also notoriously hard to down for your average player, which would make them broken when used as an "everywhere"-spawnpoint.
raven meadow
swift valley