Squad positions as job assignments

[speedybst]

One reoccuring problem i've seen people have is the dreadful lineup to get assigned at round start. As a suggestion, perhaps we could have players join pre-placed in a squad, much like the normal job assignment system. Could also help to balance the squads out by limiting the squad size to 5. Add a counter to list how many people are in a squad to prevent people from joining an empty squad without knowing. For people wishing to be a "civilan" role, you could have a NonCom position, that again has a limit to the number of people who can be it.

[razerwing]

This seems like a very good idea, though the number limits seem a bit low. Five people per squad? Given that this server seems a bit popular, you'd either need to add MORE squads, or raise the population cap for each squad. Having five people per squad only gives you twenty combat-ready marines, not counting command staff. The rest would either be civilians, which ICly would be untrained and damn near impossible to keep control of during the inevitable boarding of the ship.

Of course, if you doubled the pop-cap, you'd theoretically have double the amount of combat-ready troops. Suddenly you've gone from a mere twenty marines to forty. From there you could have two squad leaders per squad, which would definitely allow for more ground covered.

[Void00]

Eh.
no , it's fine like this.
The reason that we didnt made it so that the marines spawn directly equipped and in squads , is to give the aliens time to proliferate and prepare the hive.

[CampinKiller]

I don't think he means for them to start in combat gear, but rather they choose a squad to be assigned to at round start, and then they go to Logistics to get their assignment as standard/SL/engineer/medic.

Also, should this happen, make the cap 10. Would work especially well if that squad NCO position came into the game

[Raikyh]

I agree with this idea.

[CampinKiller]

Also, to tack on to this, I'd suggest expanding Logistics to include a fourth computer, and have the lines sorted by squad. It will allow LOs to keep track of what positions in the squad they have assigned, so they don't accidentally assign 3 engineers or 3 SLs or 3 medics to one squad, though the obvious challenge would be how to redesign Logistics.

[RoswellRay]

For the sake of organization I kinda feel we could do with one more ID line and have the first letter of each squad behind each one. That way you can see how many people are in line for each squad and it would be easier for LO's to tell how many people to a squad.

[Rovernic]

I agree with Void's reasoning, since even assigning squads takes time and the aliens /need/ that time.

That being said, they could do something along the map change line as suggested or perhaps, even more, squad positions and limits could help.

[CampinKiller]

I agree with Void's reasoning, since even assigning squads takes time and the aliens /need/ that time.

That being said, they could do something along the map change line as suggested or perhaps, even more, squad positions and limits could help.

I get what you're saying, but I don't think the suggestion was for them to spawn equipped. They still come out in PJs and all at the sleepers, and their assignment is just Alpha Squad, Bravo, Charlie, etc. The only access they have is the basic access everyone has (bathrooms, mess hall, and the like). They can't get armed up and equipped until assigned positions, so there wouldn't be any change in the time from round start to when the Marines arrive.

[RoswellRay]

How about since aliens need time just put a 30 minute refueling timer on the shuttles from round start. Then the marines can jsut gear up real quick,hang out on the sulaco,maybe put in a b-ball court or something,get to know their squads so they aren't in a rushed clusterfuck to gear and go.

[speedybst]

As camping says, the intention was to have them spawn as a blank marine of that squad, with standard access to the prep areas, but not access to the weapons room, so they can only get into the squad colours and armor. This is just a thought, in an attempt to prevent the mosh pit of brawls that occur if more than 15 people join and head to logistics at the same time. As for Razor's suggestion about the numbers, i wrote this in my 5min lunch break at work, so i wasn't able to think about the numbers too much. Roswell's idea of a waiting time could also allow the individual squads time to practice as a team, so that you know everyone and know what they can/can't do Beforeyou get into the field. setup some small war-game rooms, give them dummy weapons (perhaps laser tag weapons...), gives you the ability to practice your firing lines as well and allows the commander to get an idea of what squad can do what, so you don't get a squad that can't set up the engine sent to engineering.

[razerwing]

To be honest, I'm actually kind of liking the whole idea here. Not only would it give the squads time to really get to know each other, but ICly, cryogenics tend to mess with people. Every reference I've seen to cryopods or stasis sleepers being used, waking up is generally quite jarring even with training and experience. Symptoms could range anywhere from nausea and trembling to out-right passing out. To remedy this, marines would have to spend some time on the ship to make sure the stasis symptoms wear off. And who wouldn't like some quality bonding time eh?

I think this would benefit the marines greatly, as well as the LO's. Imagine the stampede that every LO faces at round start, with people shouting out preferred roles at them. On top of that they're being rushed by the CO and the angry infantry standing in front of them. While under this pressure they not only have to count up the squad numbers to attempt to even things out, but the interface they use can be a pain in the rear sometimes. Adding a fourth line, designating squads the second they step out of cryo, and making the LO's jobs easier by simply having them sort out what job a marine does in his determined squad would likely lessen the brawling at round start and the suicide rates of Command staff.

[apophis775]

Something like this, will eventually be incorporated.