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Then I considered the Command Console (or CC from now on since I'm tired of typing that out) as a way to implement some of the more controversial game options (3pv, respawn, etc...) without throwing game play out of balance.
Let me see if I can outline an example (and ideally other people in the thread can correct, define and help further this idea) that may make sense.
Say you have a 12 man team, split into 2 scout lances, 1 assault and 1 support (mix of med/heavies).
All of the modules/consumables your team brings to the round, would give additional options for the command consoles for your team, and the command leader (and lance leaders) may have additional options (everyone else gets passive or active on if the leaders die).
(I will borrow some of the screen shots from the PA article on map creation, since they show a bit of what I am thinking)
So if you have a scout lance with UAVs, you could get a wire 3D map of the area they cover for as long as they are in the air - http://penny-arcade....am-creates-worl
If mechs had a 3 person view module, your CC could see (and record) their fight from a 3pv (displaying this would be interesting, may require multiple small screen views).
CC's of lances could use airstrikes of teammates (they would cue up as a total for the team), with a better view of the situation (and ideally more time to do it right), and if we could get a more powerful larger area airstrike (which hopefully is coming) we'd need a partial counter to it as well (yay more consumables).
etc, etc...
Basically this would add incredible functionality to modules/consumables, allow leaders of lances to actually do something while not engaging that's worthwhile, and also build a team mentality to modules/consumables so you're not just equipping them for yourself, but for the team as well.
This could allow for much larger maps (less rail and hand holding) give lights/meds purpose again (beyond trying to light assault), make actually commanding multiple lances feasible (getting rid of the tarball fighting we see now that will only get worse with 12 v 12), let PGI increase the amount of tactical game play exponentially (which is missing a bit in instanced based combat), and help with recording awesome vids for people to post (which is free advertising).
Obviously careful consideration to the modules (both current and future) to make sure the information is useful, but destroying a command mech should be a strategy on the field that is worthwhile, controlling large fields of mechs for multiple objectives shouldn't seem impossible, and different game modes (that seem difficult today due to the need for leading players/smaller map designs) could be implemented more quickly with a larger toolset for players to help figure out things for themselves (and possible not make the devs spend so much time on each map having to make things so obvious).
Yes it would take awhile to build, but once implemented could be immensely beneficial for almost every faucet of gameplay to come (ComWarfare, Clan Invasion, etc...).
I think it could also lead the way for different types of modules/consumables, which in the end could hopefully justify the cost of developement (or at least offset it).
Hell you could even build champion command mechs (2 seater atlai anyone?) that one person could just work command while the other dealt the death.
Any thoughts?
TL:DR - Take team modules/consumables, add those into command console options, add strategery, add modules/consumables, give lights purpose, make game more fun.
Edited by Kaemon, 21 June 2013 - 05:35 AM.
