I am sure all BF2 players will agree with me on some (or all problems) raised here. They will have noticed medics that refuse to endanger their stats to heal or revive teammates; who throw down medic packs only for themselves. They will have noticed support players doing much the same. They will also have noticed, or been the victim of, teammates who purposely teamkill for vehicles / aircrafts. They would also agree that there is a definite inequality of infantry classes (especially engineers and anti-tank). Below I will list those problems which can be sorted out with relative ease and use those ideas from players which have been circulating for sometime.
Mines - Claymores
One of most fustrating aspects of BF2 is that, despite a red skull appearing on friendly mines and claymores (and on your HUD), you are deducted points for your teammates error when he/she decides to ignore that obvious warning. More fustrating still is that he/she is able to punish you (possibly getting you kicked) for his/her own error. The solution in this case is simple, punish only the player foolish enough to ignore the warning with a death, no more.
Vehicles - Aircrafts - Infantry
Everybody wants the tank, apc, attack chopper, or plane...why? because with these you are able to win games, earn medals, score a huge amount of points, and keep your k/d ratio high. I have seen multiple people kicked from servers for teamkilling for vehicles / aircrafts, and as a commander I have seen at least a quarter of my side just waiting for these to spawn - despite the numerous boats underneath the carrier. The solution to these problems is, in part, to make the infantry more powerful, especially the anti-tank and engineers. But also to slightly reduce the advantages these vehicles / aircrafts have to offer.
Anti-Tank:
This solider, on his own, is virtually useless. Playing this kit in the manner intended and you will rarely score high or finish in first place. The anti-tank weapon itself, is too slow to reload, too slow in flight and too weak. Moreover, on city maps vehicles are not as plentiful as soliders and you will spend too much time tracking them down for only the 2 points they offer (that is, if the driver doesnt jump out before it blows). The solution, in my humble opinion:
1. Make the anti-tank weapon slightly more powerful (without increasing the splash damage to much)
2. Make the anti-tank weapon slightly quicker to reload between shots
3. Make the anti-tank weapon slightly quicker in flight
4. Award the anti-tank infantry an extra 2 points for destroying an enemy tank, apc or aircraft (that is, on top of the infantry killed inside).
5. Make the final shot a kill shot, so that the infantry are not given the time to jump out, and also so that -you- get the kill, not another guy who sees it flaming and fires a gp30 into it getting all the kills for -your- hard work.
Engineer:
Almost certainly the most useless infantry in the game. Those who play this kit are those who spend their lives in tanks and apcs; they use the kit to repair their own vehicle, after finding a nice hiding spot so no teammate nicks "his/her" vehicle. Unfortunately, this class has been made worse by the lastest patch. By allowing vehicles to blow up mines, this has had a double affect, 1. by making the mines strategically pointless 2. by reducing the need for the engineers to pull up the mines. The solution to this problem is perhaps more complex:
1. The mines should not be able to be blown up
2. Engineers should get points for pulling up each enemy mine.
3. Engineers should be given anti-aircraft stinger missiles; this would also address the problem of aircrafts having complete dominace over infantry (such as the blackhawk on Mastuur). The stinger themselves would have to be effectively useless against armored vehicles, otherwise this would affect the game's fine balance.
4. The shotgun should be dramatically more powerful, enabling engineers to be able to fight alongside other members of the squad. Apart perhaps from the grenade launcher the shotgun should be the most deadly close range weapon in the game.
Snipers:
I believe that the sniper class does not require a great deal of change. Although It is ludicrous that the spec ops and medics (with unlock) are able to compete in long range encounters - this certainly needs addressing. Moreover, even the most prolific sniper is unable to compete with a half-decent medic for points in a round (due to the heals, revives). The possible solution to this problem:
1. Reduce the accuracy of non-sniper rifles at extreme distances.
2. Give the sniper 3 claymores (this should give snipers slightly more chance of winning a round)
3. Slightly increase the snipers stamia (as a true sniper rarely goes into transport vehicles, but runs around the outsides of maps - which takes time that otherwise could be used in engaging in combat)
4. Slightly increase the time between shots for the bolt action weapons
5. 1 hit 1 kill for infantry in choppers (its hard enough to hit them once!)
Medics:
I believe that the medic class does not require a great deal of change. Although one area that needs to be addressed is that medic can throw down a medic pack to instantly heal himself. This tactic is used quite effectively when medics go prone on top of a health pack - almost acting as double health. I believe however that by addressing this without speeding up the healing from just holding the pack in front of yourself would mean less people playing the medic class.
1. Stop the ability for medics to instantly heal themselves by throwing their health pack on the floor.
2. Speed up the healing time from holding the medic pack in front of yourself.
Assault / Support / Spec Ops:
If the medics were stopped from instantly healing themselves, this in itself would benefit the assault, support and spec op class. Like the medics it would be an improvement to stop support players from instantly rearming themselves by throwing an ammo pack on the floor, and in return speeding up the ammo replenishing time by holding the bag in front of yourself.
Planes:
I dont see why planes have the luxury of seeing enemy vehicles outside the range of the UAV, infantry players certainly dont have this luxury. Spotting enemy vehicles and infantry outside the UAV is the responsibility of the commander (helped also by good team players on the ground). I believe the box showing an enemy vehicle should only be visible for a -short period- and that the box itself is brought up by the action of spotting. Whoever did the spot, which ends in a kill, should be rewarded with a point.
Choppers:
I believe if the engineers and anti-tank troops were improved as detailed above this would solve the problem with attack choppers and blackhawks dominating everything except planes.
Awards and Ranks:
Unfortunately despite all the stats, they tell us nothing. Most players get their combat badges as commander through arty or in vehicles or aircrafts. It is also hard to tell whether someone has been awarded something through consistant skill or blind luck. Moreover, why on earth is there a medic combat badge? Its not their job! If a medic kills 40 in one round its a sure thing he/she has not played in the way a medic should. Furthermore, the entire ranking system is based, not on skill, but on time in service - and some of us work!
Medals and Ribbons should be based on consistant skill in doing the job that kit entails for example the badges for a medic could be:
Basic Medic Badge:
Requirements
(at least 10 rounds played)
(during which at least 10 revives per round are performed)
(during which at least 5 heals per round are performed)
Veteran Medic Badge:
Requirements
(at least 20 rounds played)
(during which at least 20 revives per round are performed)
(during which at least 10 heals per round are performed)
Expert Medic Badge:
Requirements
(at least 30 rounds played)
(during which at least 30 revives per round are performed)
(during which at least 15 heals per round are performed)
And the medic medal could be something like:
Florence Nightingale Medic Badge:
Requirements
(at least 1500 revives)
(at least 750 heals)
(at least 50 rounds played)
(during which at least 30 revives per round are performed)
(during which at least 15 heals per round are performed)
Sorry for the length of this post, but i feel implementing these changes, or changes like these, would dramatically improve the gameplay for us all and moreover would attract more players to BF2.
Mines - Claymores
One of most fustrating aspects of BF2 is that, despite a red skull appearing on friendly mines and claymores (and on your HUD), you are deducted points for your teammates error when he/she decides to ignore that obvious warning. More fustrating still is that he/she is able to punish you (possibly getting you kicked) for his/her own error. The solution in this case is simple, punish only the player foolish enough to ignore the warning with a death, no more.
Vehicles - Aircrafts - Infantry
Everybody wants the tank, apc, attack chopper, or plane...why? because with these you are able to win games, earn medals, score a huge amount of points, and keep your k/d ratio high. I have seen multiple people kicked from servers for teamkilling for vehicles / aircrafts, and as a commander I have seen at least a quarter of my side just waiting for these to spawn - despite the numerous boats underneath the carrier. The solution to these problems is, in part, to make the infantry more powerful, especially the anti-tank and engineers. But also to slightly reduce the advantages these vehicles / aircrafts have to offer.
Anti-Tank:
This solider, on his own, is virtually useless. Playing this kit in the manner intended and you will rarely score high or finish in first place. The anti-tank weapon itself, is too slow to reload, too slow in flight and too weak. Moreover, on city maps vehicles are not as plentiful as soliders and you will spend too much time tracking them down for only the 2 points they offer (that is, if the driver doesnt jump out before it blows). The solution, in my humble opinion:
1. Make the anti-tank weapon slightly more powerful (without increasing the splash damage to much)
2. Make the anti-tank weapon slightly quicker to reload between shots
3. Make the anti-tank weapon slightly quicker in flight
4. Award the anti-tank infantry an extra 2 points for destroying an enemy tank, apc or aircraft (that is, on top of the infantry killed inside).
5. Make the final shot a kill shot, so that the infantry are not given the time to jump out, and also so that -you- get the kill, not another guy who sees it flaming and fires a gp30 into it getting all the kills for -your- hard work.
Engineer:
Almost certainly the most useless infantry in the game. Those who play this kit are those who spend their lives in tanks and apcs; they use the kit to repair their own vehicle, after finding a nice hiding spot so no teammate nicks "his/her" vehicle. Unfortunately, this class has been made worse by the lastest patch. By allowing vehicles to blow up mines, this has had a double affect, 1. by making the mines strategically pointless 2. by reducing the need for the engineers to pull up the mines. The solution to this problem is perhaps more complex:
1. The mines should not be able to be blown up
2. Engineers should get points for pulling up each enemy mine.
3. Engineers should be given anti-aircraft stinger missiles; this would also address the problem of aircrafts having complete dominace over infantry (such as the blackhawk on Mastuur). The stinger themselves would have to be effectively useless against armored vehicles, otherwise this would affect the game's fine balance.
4. The shotgun should be dramatically more powerful, enabling engineers to be able to fight alongside other members of the squad. Apart perhaps from the grenade launcher the shotgun should be the most deadly close range weapon in the game.
Snipers:
I believe that the sniper class does not require a great deal of change. Although It is ludicrous that the spec ops and medics (with unlock) are able to compete in long range encounters - this certainly needs addressing. Moreover, even the most prolific sniper is unable to compete with a half-decent medic for points in a round (due to the heals, revives). The possible solution to this problem:
1. Reduce the accuracy of non-sniper rifles at extreme distances.
2. Give the sniper 3 claymores (this should give snipers slightly more chance of winning a round)
3. Slightly increase the snipers stamia (as a true sniper rarely goes into transport vehicles, but runs around the outsides of maps - which takes time that otherwise could be used in engaging in combat)
4. Slightly increase the time between shots for the bolt action weapons
5. 1 hit 1 kill for infantry in choppers (its hard enough to hit them once!)
Medics:
I believe that the medic class does not require a great deal of change. Although one area that needs to be addressed is that medic can throw down a medic pack to instantly heal himself. This tactic is used quite effectively when medics go prone on top of a health pack - almost acting as double health. I believe however that by addressing this without speeding up the healing from just holding the pack in front of yourself would mean less people playing the medic class.
1. Stop the ability for medics to instantly heal themselves by throwing their health pack on the floor.
2. Speed up the healing time from holding the medic pack in front of yourself.
Assault / Support / Spec Ops:
If the medics were stopped from instantly healing themselves, this in itself would benefit the assault, support and spec op class. Like the medics it would be an improvement to stop support players from instantly rearming themselves by throwing an ammo pack on the floor, and in return speeding up the ammo replenishing time by holding the bag in front of yourself.
Planes:
I dont see why planes have the luxury of seeing enemy vehicles outside the range of the UAV, infantry players certainly dont have this luxury. Spotting enemy vehicles and infantry outside the UAV is the responsibility of the commander (helped also by good team players on the ground). I believe the box showing an enemy vehicle should only be visible for a -short period- and that the box itself is brought up by the action of spotting. Whoever did the spot, which ends in a kill, should be rewarded with a point.
Choppers:
I believe if the engineers and anti-tank troops were improved as detailed above this would solve the problem with attack choppers and blackhawks dominating everything except planes.
Awards and Ranks:
Unfortunately despite all the stats, they tell us nothing. Most players get their combat badges as commander through arty or in vehicles or aircrafts. It is also hard to tell whether someone has been awarded something through consistant skill or blind luck. Moreover, why on earth is there a medic combat badge? Its not their job! If a medic kills 40 in one round its a sure thing he/she has not played in the way a medic should. Furthermore, the entire ranking system is based, not on skill, but on time in service - and some of us work!
Medals and Ribbons should be based on consistant skill in doing the job that kit entails for example the badges for a medic could be:
Basic Medic Badge:
Requirements
(at least 10 rounds played)
(during which at least 10 revives per round are performed)
(during which at least 5 heals per round are performed)
Veteran Medic Badge:
Requirements
(at least 20 rounds played)
(during which at least 20 revives per round are performed)
(during which at least 10 heals per round are performed)
Expert Medic Badge:
Requirements
(at least 30 rounds played)
(during which at least 30 revives per round are performed)
(during which at least 15 heals per round are performed)
And the medic medal could be something like:
Florence Nightingale Medic Badge:
Requirements
(at least 1500 revives)
(at least 750 heals)
(at least 50 rounds played)
(during which at least 30 revives per round are performed)
(during which at least 15 heals per round are performed)
Sorry for the length of this post, but i feel implementing these changes, or changes like these, would dramatically improve the gameplay for us all and moreover would attract more players to BF2.