Squad member list for SLs

[RavingManiac]

Right now, with new players, the confusion of battle, casualties, and a constant influx of new squaddies from cryo, playing an SL is somewhat akin to herding cats. Gun-toting, half-suicidal cats who go missing without a word because they ran off into the jungle chasing a runner five minutes ago and are now taking a well-deserved break gummed up in the depths of the alien hive.

We can't fix the players, but we can make it easier to keep track of them.


Summary

Give each SL a squad member list, functioning more-or-less the same as the one available on the overwatch computer. If this is considered too much, the list of names and roles is the essential component.


Benefits

The SL will know the name, role and (possibly) status and location of his squad members. He will know the composition and strength of his squad. He will know the names in his squad without having to mouse over everyone while hoping they all showed up to the briefing. He will be able to call out individual marines by name, and be aware of marines injured, unaccounted for or dead. He will not have to pester overwatch every five minutes for an update on the status of his own men.

Marines will be happier knowing that their SL is at least aware of their existence, and that if they suddenly went missing, somebody would notice.


Details

The squad list would be best made a function of the SL's armor as opposed to his helmet or a HUD, given that the armor is unlikely to be ripped off or replaced. It will be displayed in the status screen instead of a separate window so it can be used even in high-intensity situations.


Implementation

This should be fairly simple to implement, given that the code is already there in the overwatch screen. I could do it myself, if my coder application goes through.

[NoahKirchner]

+1 so SL's know who to yell at for being fuckwits and running off.

[northcote4]

You have my +1 as well. It's incredibly frustrating for an SL to not know who's jerking off in the corner since all they have to do is just not respond.

[Warnipple]

+1 for small QoL improvements. It would be hard to implement via coding though which would be annoying. Unless you gave every squad leader a hard-coded PDA that is accessed through a verb.

Edit: I guess it would be easy to access via a verb but it really wouldn't make sense. How could you pull up information regarding your squad in real time?

[Jeser]

+1 We definitely need something done in this area. Right now commanding your squad as an SL is really complicated as fuck.

[Ithalan]

Maybe just make a verb for all marines and sulaco crew that brings up the crew manifest window, and sort the marines in the manifest into sections named for their squad. There's nothing inherently unbalancing in the information available from the manifest and it'd make sense that all the marines and crew would just know this stuff.

[RavingManiac]

Maybe just make a verb for all marines and sulaco crew that brings up the crew manifest window, and sort the marines in the manifest into sections named for their squad. There's nothing inherently unbalancing in the information available from the manifest and it'd make sense that all the marines and crew would just know this stuff.

True. The squad member list could display for everyone. The SL's perk could be the ability to view location and/or health status.

[Boltersam]

You know it's in Notes for all marines....Right?

[RavingManiac]

You know it's in Notes for all marines....Right?

Are you certain? I don't see it.

[Boltersam]

Are you certain? I don't see it.

It may just be for Squad Leaders, then.

[RavingManiac]

Just checked. Doesn't appear in the notes for standard marines or SLs.

Either way, it would be better to have it in the status screen instead of the notes screen

[Neray]

+1 for small QoL improvements. It would be hard to implement via coding though which would be annoying. Unless you gave every squad leader a hard-coded PDA that is accessed through a verb.

Edit: I guess it would be easy to access via a verb but it really wouldn't make sense. How could you pull up information regarding your squad in real time?

Actually, I've got a solution for that. Add a special verb for SL helmet that'll open clone of overwatch squad status window with all information. Let's call it an in-built HUD. Helmets already have a two-way commsat in them anyway.

First, it'll be a huge QoL improvement for SLs, their squads and bridge staff. Second, it'll make lead helmets even more valuable. Third, it won't affect balance a tiny bit and will add some more purpose for SLs existence. They're NCOs, after all, but since motion sensors removal their only special thing was being a walking camera for overwatch officer. Give em this feature, make em stand out a bit more, so even a shitty SL could be useful for something.

[Renomaki]

As a man who struggles to keep his squad together, having a tracking device of sorts to locate them easier would be a nice idea.

[KingKire]

+1 to having at least having lists of whos in your squad. Its something that the characters in game would know off the bat, and it shouldnt be a hassle to get such critical information.

[Sargeantmuffinman]

LIVE I TELL YOU LIVE!



This would be a really nice addition to have as an SL.

It would also be nice to have the ability to assign fireteams with it as we have the chance to do so currently.

[misto]

didnt they have something sort of like this in the movies, dude watching everyone on some monitors from the apc as they get picked off or captured? a mini version for sls sounds nice and it ~enhances cooperations~!!!!

[Jeser]

didnt they have something sort of like this in the movies, dude watching everyone on some monitors from the apc as they get picked off or captured? a mini version for sls sounds nice and it ~enhances cooperations~!!!!

Overwatching officer has exactly same monitor, except only one cam on SL. The thing is, having a IC-knowledge list for SL would be logical thing and allows to issue more specified orders and in general microcontrol squad better.