How Do You Feel About Squads?

[Drakhar]

Awesome.

<--- look for this commander and join his squad. The fact that I successfully herded the Wintergrasp cats in early WotLK makes me more than qualified.

[moleman262]

Sounds like they're kind of taking a page from battlefield. Squads have always been a good way (in theory) to get small groups of people organized with one person leading them. Only thing I don't care for is the commander of the squad not having control over it. Feel like its something that will be patched later on. If people commanders work together and people follow their commanders will definitely make wvw more organized though.

[vicious796]

Sounds like they're kind of taking a page from battlefield. Squads have always been a good way (in theory) to get small groups of people organized with one person leading them. Only thing I don't care for is the commander of the squad not having control over it. Feel like its something that will be patched later on. If people commanders work together and people follow their commanders will definitely make wvw more organized though.

What do you mean not having control? Like, can't force folks to do what they want or something else? If they did make it so the commander can force players to move to areas and whatnot it would kind've kill their whole "free, open world" thing.

[zardon3001]

However, if a guild is going at it there's no real need for the squad - just use guild chat. You should be able to see where you guildmates are on the map anyway so I think that part is covered.

Was thinking it would be a good tool to physically mark where and what you want people to be doing on the map, instead of typing it out or yelling it out in vent, guess guild chat could work for some of that too.

[Deleted]

Sadly it could be as bullocks as it could be immensely awesome. Only time will tell, and why I chose abstain.

[Chaith]

Was thinking it would be a good tool to physically mark where and what you want people to be doing on the map, instead of typing it out or yelling it out in vent, guess guild chat could work for some of that too.

That would be a nice feature, but might be entering a grey area on the potential for abuse at the hands of overzealous commanders. I wouldn't want commanders all taking a crayon to my map. Of course that possibility totally depends on how it might get implemented.

So far, the ability to rate commanders has been unanimous.

[Spl4sh3r]

I have most information about Squads, but I still don't really understand them. You have a commander leading them and anyone can join them. Question is how big is a squad, and is it only one squad per command. I was thinking it was like a party that you joined and when it was full you joined another squad. All of them being lead by the same commander (unless you join under a different commander). You can't speak with other squad members, so are they shown like a party in the UI or you just see where they are on the map. Only commander can speak in a squad and place markers on the map on where to go.

[Conscious]

Looks excellent imo, no more clogged as fuck raid chats. And the raid markers make it all the more fun and simple imo.

[moleman262]

What do you mean not having control? Like, can't force folks to do what they want or something else? If they did make it so the commander can force players to move to areas and whatnot it would kind've kill their whole "free, open world" thing.

No control as in they can't decide who joins their squad or boot people from their squad. If im commanding a squad and there happens to be a smacktard in it (which we all know they will be out there) I have no way to remove him, and or restrict him from joining in the first place. Also this in no way affects the "free open world thing."

[Alatian]

If you have two or three good commanders on each side, it will lead to large armies running to each strategic point. It's a neat system, and on paper it's great, but I'd like to play it for myself first.

[DrakeWurrum]

No control as in they can't decide who joins their squad or boot people from their squad. If im commanding a squad and there happens to be a smacktard in it (which we all know they will be out there) I have no way to remove him, and or restrict him from joining in the first place. Also this in no way affects the "free open world thing."

What's wrong with that? It's not like he can totally screw things up.

[moleman262]

What's wrong with that? It's not like he can totally screw things up.

Sure he can. Defeats the very principle of having organized squads for team play especially if you can't remove him to let other friends join in.

[Conscious]

Sure he can. Defeats the very principle of having organized squads for team play especially if you can't remove him to let other friends join in.

They're not going to implement it without a way to get rid of these people, and most likely a CD on when they can rejoin a squad.

[Squirrelbanes]

Must at least be an option to remove afkers or something.

[DrakeWurrum]

Sure he can. Defeats the very principle of having organized squads for team play especially if you can't remove him to let other friends join in.

You're missing the point.

He's in the WvW whether you want him in it or not. Him being in your squad and ignoring your orders causes no more harm to you than if he were alone. The only interaction squad-wise is that the squad commander communicates to everybody in it through a one-way channel and gives commands via the map. On top of that, it's been suggested that squads have no size limit, unlike raid groups.

Him joining your squad and ignoring the commander causes no benefit to him, and no harm to you.

[moleman262]

You're missing the point.

He's in the WvW whether you want him in it or not. Him being in your squad and ignoring your orders causes no more harm to you than if he were alone. The only interaction squad-wise is that the squad commander communicates to everybody in it through a one-way channel and gives commands via the map. On top of that, it's been suggested that squads have no size limit, unlike raid groups.

Him joining your squad and ignoring the commander causes no benefit to him, and no harm to you.

And what about that extra person i could have had in my squad that would have been at a key point at a key time, but wasn't because i couldn't communicate with him. It most certainly does cause more harm if i could have 1 or 2 extra people who would be contributing at key moments. But instead if im stuck with 1 or 2 smacktards i cant communicate the information needed. PvP especially in a large arena such as wvw is all about moving key forces at key moments.

---------- Post added 2012-04-10 at 08:11 PM ----------

They're not going to implement it without a way to get rid of these people, and most likely a CD on when they can rejoin a squad.

I would hope it would be common sense to have it put in but as it stands it seems to be unimplemented.

[DrakeWurrum]

And what about that extra person i could have had in my squad that would have been at a key point at a key time, but wasn't because i couldn't communicate with him. It most certainly does cause more harm if i could have 1 or 2 extra people who would be contributing at key moments. But instead if im stuck with 1 or 2 smacktards i cant communicate the information needed. PvP especially in a large arena such as wvw is all about moving key forces at key moments

Did you intentionally miss the following line, or are you just bad at reading?

On top of that, it's been suggested that squads have no size limit, unlike raid groups.

It's absolutely dumb to put a size limit on these groups when you can have upwards of 500 people from your server alone in WvW, not to mention the simple fact that the very concerns you have would be considered a source of griefing, something ANet would not allow to happen.

It's also not impossible to design squad groups to literally have no size limit. Computer programming has been able to handle essentially-infinite data groups for a long time now.

[Squirrelbanes]

The point is he just be bad somewhere else. Wouldn't matter.
And when I said about the ability remove them, I meant from WvWvW, not just the squad.

[DrakeWurrum]

The point is he just be bad somewhere else. Wouldn't matter.
And when I said about the ability remove them, I meant from WvWvW, not just the squad.

I don't think it's really possible to be worthless in WvW without being afk.

[moleman262]

Did you intentionally miss the following line, or are you just bad at reading?



It's absolutely dumb to put a size limit on these groups when you can have upwards of 500 people from your server alone in WvW, not to mention the simple fact that the very concerns you have would be considered a source of griefing, something ANet would not allow to happen.

It's also not impossible to design squad groups to literally have no size limit. Computer programming has been able to handle essentially-infinite data groups for a long time now.

Oh and who suggested it? You? Cause it sure hasn't been anyone from anet. Next time bring facts to the table and not your opinions (aka suggestions.) I do like how you quote yourself though as if it gives credence to your argument. It is in fact quite common sense that a squad which is defined as a small unit will not contain 500 people. Thanks for playing though.