Feedback:User/Guild Wars 3 perhaps/Squad Commander and Party Leader Map Markers
Squad Commander and Party Leader Map Markers | |
|---|---|
| User | Guild Wars 3 perhaps |
| Categories | Mechanics Player vs. Player |
Go here to see a list of my other GW2 suggestions and discussion contributions.
This suggestion started as part of a discussion thread found in a previous suggestion of mine; Squads and Parties. I give credit to Leonim for the original inspiration for this suggestion based on his contribution to the discussion thread mentioned previously.
Building on Leonim's suggestions for different sets of icons for Squad Commanders and Party Leaders:
Assuming my suggestion of permitting parties to exist within squads is implemented, I think a very easy but effective means of reinforcing the hierarchical command structure of a squad would be to have all of the map markers currently granted to a Squad Commander be additionally associated with each party within a squad.
Currently, a Squad Commander - per the blog - has access to "attack", "defend", "rally", and "bring supply" map markers; but only one set - globally - for the entire squad. What I'm proposing, in addition, is that each party within a squad have their own set of four map markers assigned to them. Each set will be distinguised from the other by color, shape, and graphic or symbol within the icon (while still maintaining a continuity that makes it evident that an "attack" map marker is an "attack" map marker, regardless of which party we're talking about at the moment). The Squad Commander will still have access to his or her four global map markers and everyone in the squad - party affiliated or not - will still see those map markers.
However, for the party-specific markers, only the party which is associated with those markers will see that marker on their map. A concrete example would best illustrate what I'm talking about:
- Squad Commander X decides to capture a strategic point but realizes his opponent's defenses are too strong.
- He decides to set up a feint by using his global "attack" map marker to command all of his squad members to attack a different location on the map. Squad Commander X hopes this will draw his enemy Squad Commander's forces away from the strategic point that he wants to capture.
- Squad Commander X then places Party A's "attack" map marker at the strategic point to command them to go capture it. Party A will see the global attack map marker along with all of the other squad members; but they are the only ones to see their party-specific map marker. Based on previous orders issued by Squad Commander X, Party A knows that their party-specific map marker trumps the global map marker. They can ignore the global map marker and head, instead, for their party-specific map marker to capture the strategic point.
Though this may sound confusing in text, I envision it being very simple to implement visually. I assume a Squad Commander will have some form of squad window which shows all of the players in their squad. If the ability to form parties in a squad is also added per my original suggestion, then the party leaders would naturally be listed in this squad roster, as well. Whether or not members of a party are also listed in the squad roster, only the party leader, or the party members can be toggled to roll up or down underneath their party leader's roster entry is a discussion for another time. Regardless, the party leader will be in that roster somewhere and will be diffentiated from non-party squad members by a set of 4 party-specific map markers next to their name in the roster. It's then a simple matter of the Squad Commander clicking a party leader's map marker and placing it on the map to issue a party-specific command.
It would work in principle much like the hero flags of Guild Wars. There's a global flag which orders all of your heroes/henchmen to congregate at the flag. However, there are three individual flags which can be used to command the first three heroes/henchmen in your party to move to locations other than the global flag. Same concept but applied to real players in parties within a squad.
Now that we've covered the Squad Commander's map markers, I believe the party leader should have their own map markers, as well. These markers would only be visible to the members of that party; no one else in the squad to which the party belongs would see them. Extending the concept put forth above, each party member would have a set of icons next to their name distinguised by color, shape, number, symbol, graphic, etc. The party leader then uses these icons to issue orders to their individual party members.
Using the example from above, let's extend it to the party level:
- Squad Commander X has executed his grand strategy of a feint in an effort to capture a strategic point. Party A has been given the task of attacking that point.
- It's now up to Party A's leader to figure out the specific tactics of how to go about capturing the strategic point.
- Party A's leader assigns defense duty to Party Member #2 and Party Member #3 by clicking on their respective "defense" icons and placing them on the map. Party Members #2 and #3 now go to those points to watch their party's back in the event the enemy realizes they've been duped and attempt to rush back to the strategic point.
- Party A's leader then places "attack" map markers for Party Members #4 and #5, ordering them to capture the strategic point. Party A's leader then assigns herself the task of patrolling and scouting the area while the rest of the party goes about their duties.
Thank you for reading.
Guild Wars 3 perhaps 17:00, 21 April 2012 (UTC)
