Campaign Unlock Discussion
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2011 3:33 am
I figure it's time we start at least bouncing some ideas around when it comes to how we want to handle unlocks for the campaign. Obviously there are a lot of unknowns (ie: unlock order changing for retail, final weapon balance, level of control over unlocks we will actually have for the unranked server, etc) for this, but it seems like a good time to at least get some basics hashed out.
Obviously, we have got to have unlocks available in GC, otherwise some kits are unable to do their job. Letting people use personal unlocks is an issue, though, since it can obviously cause imbalance issues. Looking over the current unlock trees in the beta, though, it seems like we can strike a balance pretty easily, assuming that server controls will allow us to do so.
So, with that, here are my preliminary thoughts. I am presenting this mainly to get opinions/ideas/suggestions/feedback from the GC community, since it is something that hasn't been heavily discussed yet. One way or the other, it needs to be addressed before we can really begin prep for C1, and since everyone has had access to the beta, it seemed a good time to start.
For individual kits, I'd suggest the first 4 tiers of unlocks would be available.
Assault: Defib, M416, M320 Grenade Launcher, AEK-971 - 2 rifles, 2 gadgets
Engineer: Igla/Stinger(for our purposes, a single unlock), AT Mines, SCAR-H, EOD Bot - 1 missile launcher, 2 gadgets, 1 rifle
Support: M249, C4, PKP Pecheneg, Mortar - 2 LMGs, 2 gadgets
Recon: SV98, T-UGS sensor, SKS, SOFLAM - 2 rifles, 2 gadgets
In my opinion, 4 tiers of unlocks per class gives everyone a broad range of abilities, as well as access to core abilities, without giving access to the top end unlocks. This simplifies loadouts, simplifies balance, and also prevents possibly overpowered, end-game unlocks from coming into play. It also allows every class access to at least one (usually 2) standard rifles/LMGs to negate any balance differences in the default army weapons. As it stands now, it would probably be simplest to allow all the accessory unlocks for all of the weapons available to GC players, assuming we even have control over that.
I think we should also consider the possibility of allowing a limited number of the general weapon unlocks, to give a little more variety, and a little more versatility. Since Recon now seems to be a little more important class to GC style play (spawn beacons, SOFLAM, sensor), it would also allow them to branch out from the typical sniper/designated marksman role that is often frowned upon. It would also help prevent the entire class from being nearly written off, as we only have 4 basic classes to pick from now.
General unlocks suggestion - First 8 unlocks. At is stands now, this would give the following:
Pistols - G17C w/laser, M9 w/light, MP443 w/light, and G17C Suppressed w/laser
Shotguns - 870MCS pump-action and M1014 Semi-auto
PDWs: PP2000 and UMP45 - two weapons DiCE has already said will be "rebalanced" for retail.
IMO, this gives a good balance overall of versatility for all classes.
Finally, specializations - I think this may be the one place where unlocking everything would work well. Squads can mix and match their squad specializations to meet their needs. Infantry could have cover, suppression, frag and ammo at their disposal, for example.
Vehicles:
Many of the typical BF vehicle abilities are now unlocks - including countermeasures for all vehicles, anti air and anti ground missiles on jets and helicopters, AA missiles for mobile AA, AT missiles on APCs, etc.
This gets a little trickier, since some of the abilities we are used to are far up the unlock tree - Air-to-ground missiles and TV guided missiles specifically, as well as the laser-guided missiles and guided shells for almost all vehicles. The latter are a good match to the SOFLAM unlock for recon kits, since the SOFLAM can "paint" an vehicle for these projectiles, even if the person firing cannot see the target.
If we cannot pick and choose exact unlocks, but only what "rank" is available, then this might present a problem, since the laser guided munitions are near the top of the unlock tree, and TV guided missiles are the last unlock for attack helos.
Otherwise, a "first 4" approach again seems fairly solid...
All air vehicles except transport helos- Stealth (decreased spotted time, harder lock on from AA), IR Flares, Heat-seeking A2A missiles, Belt speed (increased reload speed for guns/main weapon) - 2 survivability unlocks, 2 lethality unlocks
Main Battle Tanks - IR smoke Countermeasure, Coaxial LMG, Autoloader (main gun reload speed), Zoom optics - 1 survivability, 3 lethality
Infantry Fighting Vehicle - IR smoke, Anti-tank missile launcher, Belt speed (main gun reload speed), Coaxial LMG - 1 survivability, 3 lethality
Mobile Anti-Air - IR Smoke, Anti-Air missile, belt speed, zoom - 1 survivability, 3 lethality
Unfortunately, I have yet to earn any vehicle unlocks in the beta, so I have no idea how these unlocks fit into the 3 unlock slots shown on the customization screen. It may be that the first 4 fill those 3 slots out nicely, or will always leave a slot open.
Again, these are just my thoughts. I was rambling to Brummie on TS earlier about this, and he suggested I start a thread. Blame him.
Please, share your thoughts or suggestions, or just call me an idiot for even posting this. One way or the other, though, we have to start working on an unlock system for C1.
Obviously, we have got to have unlocks available in GC, otherwise some kits are unable to do their job. Letting people use personal unlocks is an issue, though, since it can obviously cause imbalance issues. Looking over the current unlock trees in the beta, though, it seems like we can strike a balance pretty easily, assuming that server controls will allow us to do so.
So, with that, here are my preliminary thoughts. I am presenting this mainly to get opinions/ideas/suggestions/feedback from the GC community, since it is something that hasn't been heavily discussed yet. One way or the other, it needs to be addressed before we can really begin prep for C1, and since everyone has had access to the beta, it seemed a good time to start.
For individual kits, I'd suggest the first 4 tiers of unlocks would be available.
Assault: Defib, M416, M320 Grenade Launcher, AEK-971 - 2 rifles, 2 gadgets
Engineer: Igla/Stinger(for our purposes, a single unlock), AT Mines, SCAR-H, EOD Bot - 1 missile launcher, 2 gadgets, 1 rifle
Support: M249, C4, PKP Pecheneg, Mortar - 2 LMGs, 2 gadgets
Recon: SV98, T-UGS sensor, SKS, SOFLAM - 2 rifles, 2 gadgets
In my opinion, 4 tiers of unlocks per class gives everyone a broad range of abilities, as well as access to core abilities, without giving access to the top end unlocks. This simplifies loadouts, simplifies balance, and also prevents possibly overpowered, end-game unlocks from coming into play. It also allows every class access to at least one (usually 2) standard rifles/LMGs to negate any balance differences in the default army weapons. As it stands now, it would probably be simplest to allow all the accessory unlocks for all of the weapons available to GC players, assuming we even have control over that.
I think we should also consider the possibility of allowing a limited number of the general weapon unlocks, to give a little more variety, and a little more versatility. Since Recon now seems to be a little more important class to GC style play (spawn beacons, SOFLAM, sensor), it would also allow them to branch out from the typical sniper/designated marksman role that is often frowned upon. It would also help prevent the entire class from being nearly written off, as we only have 4 basic classes to pick from now.
General unlocks suggestion - First 8 unlocks. At is stands now, this would give the following:
Pistols - G17C w/laser, M9 w/light, MP443 w/light, and G17C Suppressed w/laser
Shotguns - 870MCS pump-action and M1014 Semi-auto
PDWs: PP2000 and UMP45 - two weapons DiCE has already said will be "rebalanced" for retail.
IMO, this gives a good balance overall of versatility for all classes.
Finally, specializations - I think this may be the one place where unlocking everything would work well. Squads can mix and match their squad specializations to meet their needs. Infantry could have cover, suppression, frag and ammo at their disposal, for example.
Vehicles:
Many of the typical BF vehicle abilities are now unlocks - including countermeasures for all vehicles, anti air and anti ground missiles on jets and helicopters, AA missiles for mobile AA, AT missiles on APCs, etc.
This gets a little trickier, since some of the abilities we are used to are far up the unlock tree - Air-to-ground missiles and TV guided missiles specifically, as well as the laser-guided missiles and guided shells for almost all vehicles. The latter are a good match to the SOFLAM unlock for recon kits, since the SOFLAM can "paint" an vehicle for these projectiles, even if the person firing cannot see the target.
If we cannot pick and choose exact unlocks, but only what "rank" is available, then this might present a problem, since the laser guided munitions are near the top of the unlock tree, and TV guided missiles are the last unlock for attack helos.
Otherwise, a "first 4" approach again seems fairly solid...
All air vehicles except transport helos- Stealth (decreased spotted time, harder lock on from AA), IR Flares, Heat-seeking A2A missiles, Belt speed (increased reload speed for guns/main weapon) - 2 survivability unlocks, 2 lethality unlocks
Main Battle Tanks - IR smoke Countermeasure, Coaxial LMG, Autoloader (main gun reload speed), Zoom optics - 1 survivability, 3 lethality
Infantry Fighting Vehicle - IR smoke, Anti-tank missile launcher, Belt speed (main gun reload speed), Coaxial LMG - 1 survivability, 3 lethality
Mobile Anti-Air - IR Smoke, Anti-Air missile, belt speed, zoom - 1 survivability, 3 lethality
Unfortunately, I have yet to earn any vehicle unlocks in the beta, so I have no idea how these unlocks fit into the 3 unlock slots shown on the customization screen. It may be that the first 4 fill those 3 slots out nicely, or will always leave a slot open.
Again, these are just my thoughts. I was rambling to Brummie on TS earlier about this, and he suggested I start a thread. Blame him.
Please, share your thoughts or suggestions, or just call me an idiot for even posting this. One way or the other, though, we have to start working on an unlock system for C1.