Alone on this battlefield, you will not survive. Squad is an online, team-based military experience where high levels of teamwork and communication are crucial to success. Built from the ground up in Unreal Engine 4, Squad pits teams of up to 50 people against each other in intense modern day combined-arms combat scenarios. In this realistic environment, the flow of the game is dictated by the players, with organic and emergent gameplay reigning supreme. Spoiler: What is Squad? Squad is an online multiplayer first-person shooter that aims to capture combat realism through communication and teamplay. ORGANIC AND EMERGENT GAMEPLAY The battlefield of Squad is built around organized teams using both the environment and the assets available within the game to wage a tactical battle against an opposing team. From role organization to base building to vehicle mechanics, teamwork amplifies the effectiveness of the tools at your disposal. Supported by intuitive positional VOIP and navigation systems players will be able to maintain situational awareness and seamlessly interact with others. Dedicated chain of command channels and localised voice will be an effective tool for communication and organization. Squad seeks to establish a culture of camaraderie that is unparalleled in competitive multiplayer shooters. This is a game where you can work together and coordinate with your team: players from around the world, often that you just met. MASSIVE ONLINE 50 ON 50 SQUAD-BASED COMBINED ARMS WARFARE Squad will support up to 100 players in competitive multiplayer. This broad scope serves to immerse the player into a rich battle environment filled with challenges and opportunities. With teams of sufficient size, some players can perform supporting roles while leaving enough front-line combatants to provide fun and challenging gameplay across the full expanse of the battlefield. A wide variety of support vehicles and aircraft will be included. Tanks and close support helicopters will spearhead a team’s assault into enemy lines while transport helicopters and APCs will provide much needed logistics and transportation support. A NEW EXPERIENCE EVERY TIME At the heart of Squad is our desire to let the player drive gameplay and define the objectives. Commanders and squad leaders will be given the ability to shape the battlefield through construction of defensive and offensive fortifications as well as control of battlefield planning and supplemental combined arms assets. Coupled with this, spawn dynamics will be affected by occupation of territories and level of supply each objective is receiving. Organized control of the battlefield will ensure a properly supported supply structure and pave the way for a strategic victory. It’s all about teamwork. http://joinsquad.com/
I like having a lot of people on the field. The small number of players itself serves to distort many of these types of games. That said, think bigger: 50 players on each side and each player commands a squad of npc's (and can switch between any of his squad's npcs on the fly). Tanks and fighters and artillery pieces would equal a squad.
The developers of this game are the ones that made the Project Reality mod bor battlefield. This game is meant to be the successor in everything but name. I have to disagree with that. What makes this game really interesting is that it's only pvp. I dislike using any npc on my team. It's all right fighting against them but even there its more fun to fight against other humans.
You're correct, I just said what I thought would be really cool. Not having seen this in action and not having tried it, this could be really cool too.
Yes, it would be really cool to see all those units but i feel that the gameplay would not be as good.
Yea, a lot more work for devs and a lot more moving pieces that need to be polished and refined before it feels right. A lot that can go wrong.
The maps would also have to be a lot bigger for it to work. So we would probably still see the same amount of action in the end.
Aye, there's that. And syncing issues of having several hundred things on the battlefield firing several hundred projectiles each every minute. "Sir, that there is a lot of traffic!" Realistic infantry-heavy engagement could easily have 1000 troops on the field. Ouch.
It's fully realistic in a lot of different situations. For instance a brigade will have smaller detachments on all it's sides, think in terms of a patrol bumping into another or warfare that is fought without a front line and the situations being more like chess board situations with both sides having smaller patrols and units going about each other's rears and even being a matter of perspective who is in who's rear. Also especially in such situations there can be bigger things going on elsewhere for the brigade that are taking up all the indirect support at the moment.
All is taken from "Boot Camp - An Introductory Series" http://forums.joinsquad.com/topic/1678-boot-camp-an-introductory-series/ Spoiler: Session 1 - The Basics Welcome to Boot Camp, an introductory series aimed at explaining to you, the backer, about the BASICS and MECHANICS of what makes Squad the game it is. “ALL FOR ONE, ONE FOR ALL. The base unit of Squad is not the individual, but the 9-man squad. Gameplay systems honed over years of experience with the Project Reality series draw the focus away from the lone-wolf player and much more on the cooperation with other members of your squad.” But what does that mean? What are some of these gameplay systems? What happens when you spawn in? Compass & Minimalist HUD On your Heads-Up Display, you will see only 3 things. In the middle, your compass, which you use to instantly call bearings and direction; on the bottom right, your weapon’s fire mode and reserve ammunition; and on the bottom left your current stamina. HUD (Concept) Having less information being spoon-fed to you means that you will need to rely on not only your own eyes, but the eyes of your other Squad mates. The Compass will also display crucial information via the command marker from your Squad Leader. Kit Roles In Squad, every player chooses a Kit Role. Kit Roles in Squad Each role is assigned exactly what they need to perform their duties, whether it be a machine gun with a bipod for creating a base of fire, or a single light anti-tank rocket for light armor, but the idea is to standardize load-outs in order for you as the player to know exactly what the soldier next to you is capable of doing at a glance. There are also deliberate limitations as well, controlling the number of heavy weapons and specialized troops on the battlefield. No squads full of snipers! Penalties also apply if you are killed and lose your heavy equipment in the field, so with great power comes great responsibility. The Squad Leader Squad Leaders are the brains of a Squad. Many players will find it difficult initially to step into such a role, but leadership is one of the most rewarding aspects of the game. At your disposal are tools that help you maintain Squad cohesion. Place-able Markers Command Markers (Concept) Markers are placed by the Squad leader either in 3D space, or via their command map. These markers will show up on every Squad member’s compass and on their own maps, and are used as a quick means to coordinate your intentions and messages to your Squad. The Rally Point Rally Points (US Army on the left, Insurgents on the Right) Rally Points are the Squad’s primary means of reinforcing themselves. They are a spawn point placed by the Squad leader and allow for a Squad to regroup after casualties have been taken or otherwise. These will require the Squad Leader as well as a few of his Squad members to be present near him when placing. In addition, these can also be easily overrun by the enemy, so careful placement is necessary. That wraps it up for the first session of Boot Camp! We will bring you another one very soon, this time explaining our approach to Voice over IP and what it means for you. We will also revisit some of these key concepts, such as Squad Leading and Kit Roles further down the track! Till then, Offworld Out. Spoiler: Session 2 - VoIP Welcome again to Boot Camp, an introductory series aimed at explaining to you, the backer, about the BASICS and MECHANICS of what makes Squad the game it is. “INTEGRATED POSITIONAL VOIP COMMUNICATION, no need for third party programs, we're using the most effective codecs in-game. Speaking to other squad leaders across the map, or even the man next to you couldn't be easier. ALL THE TOOLS NEEDED FOR INTRA-SQUAD AND INTER-SQUAD COMMUNICATION built into the game. In the last ten years, the industry has moved away from providing proper command and communication features available out of the box. Squad will fix this.” But what does that mean? Communication? How do we make it easier for you? Completely Integrated Voice Solution VoIP in Squad is a completely tailored solution, built from the ground up, to facilitate voice communication right out of the box. Voice quality is comparable if not better than the leading third party solutions, and is tied in very closely with the team and squad organisational structures. All you need to do is have a microphone! As soon as you join a squad, you have two channels open to you, each assigned a push-to-talk hotkey. The beauty of local voice is that it is a 3D positional replication of your voice, so anyone within a 25 metre radius of you will be able to hear you, and so the further you are from the person speaking over Local, the quieter they sound. Also if they are to the left or right of you their voice will come from that respective side. If you are a Squad Leader, you have even more communication channels to help you with coordination. In order to further encourage use of Squad’s native VoIP, you will continue to have the ability to transmit while wounded or dead. In addition local voice chat will not be picked up by the enemy. That wraps it up for the second session of Boot Camp! We will bring you another one very soon, this time explaining our approach to level design and game modes, in order to facilitate much more strategic play, as well as prolonging the life we have for our maps.
Spoiler: Session 3 - Strategy and Level Design Welcome once again to Boot Camp, an introductory series aimed at explaining to you, the backer, about the BASICS and MECHANICS of what makes Squad the game it is. “OPEN, EXPANSIVE LEVELS. Most of our maps will come directly or be heavily inspired from real world locations through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) satellite data, where authenticity and total tactical freedom to roam will always be part of the game.” What does that mean? Maps with Total Tactical Freedom? How does strategy come into this at all? Scale Maps in Squad can range between 1.5²km (2.25km²) to 4²km (16km²). To give you an idea.. This large-scale approach was taken to make vehicular travel a necessity to go from point A to point B, as well as stressing the importance of well-placed spawn locations and Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) to maintain your front line. Advance & Secure Game Mode The core game mode of Squad that we will be launching with is called “Advance & Secure”. Teams compete to capture objectives in a linear path. Capture zones often are strategic points on the map with a countless numbers of approach options, so defending highly contested positions requires lots of coordination, clear means of reinforcement and some kind of fortification. Maps are being designed with as much replayability as possible, while minimalising the benefit of map memorisation. Upon the start of each round, the capture points and attack routes will change. How to Wage War There are 3 main things a team’s Squads need to be doing while in the field, either SECURING new ground and routing the enemy from their positions; SUPPLYING the front lines with troops (via transportation) and additional supplies; or FORTIFYING positions with deployables using supplies and defending the objectives. In this manner there are a wealth of roles a player can take up within a Squad, and within the team as a Squad. Want to make the next Great Wall of China out of sandbags? You can. Want to be a hard charger and take your squad into the thick of the action? You can. Want to drive around the battlefield, pulling troops to where they need to be? You definitely can. Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Objectives There are 3 things you can actively do as a combatant - The secondary and tertiary objectives in Squad are completely dynamic as it is entirely dependant on how the opposing side structures its bases and supply lines. This stresses the importance of battlefield reconnaissance and intelligence, either with scouting parties or UAVs. That wraps it up for the third session of Boot Camp! Next time we will be explaining our approach to Base Building and the importance of Deployables. Get your shovels out, gentlemen! Spoiler: Session 4 - Base Buildings and Deployables Welcome to Boot Camp, an introductory series aimed at explaining to you, the backer, about the BASICS and MECHANICS of what makes Squad the game it is. “PLAYER-DRIVEN SPAWN-POINT AND BASE-BUILDING, which makes the front-lines of every match a unique experience. Players who prefer to construct rather than destruct have the capability to build fortifications and strong points for the team, and often play as important if not greater role than the ones doing the shooting.” LOGISTICS AND RESUPPLY SYSTEM, realised through your team's network of player-placed Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and Rally Points (RPs) to support your front-lines. Whether its ensuring a clear path between your main base and your forward bases, or risking the gauntlet and delivering supplies by helicopter or truck, a supply system controls what weapons are available at your Forward Operating Bases, and even how much you can fortify your spawn points. Defending friendly and eliminating enemy Supply Lines, FOBs and RPs become just as important as putting troops into the Objective Zones on the map.” But what does that mean? How do the respawn mechanics work? You can actually build bases in this game? What does that entail? Spawn Locations There are 3 places where you can spawn in Squad. Each have their own unique purpose and utility. Rally Points (RPs) are useful in maintaining squad cohesion as they can be placed in locations relatively close to the front and be up and running without any form of supply. They work extremely well in a pinch if a squad has taken some losses and needs to regroup. Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) are the bread and butter means of reinforcement as they allow the entire team to spawn within their walls. Placing them however requires a degree of coordination with logistics and also a limited number of them can be placed around the map. Finally the Main Base (Main) is where both sides start at the beginning of the round. Spawning at this location is nearly instant and all vehicular assets spawn here as well. However by virtue of the game, the Main Base usually is the furthest point away from the front, so unless you have a means of transportation the walk back to the action is going to be a long one. Deployables Deployables are structures that Squad Leaders and Engineers can deploy within the construction radius of a Forward Operating Base. These structures require other soldiers to construct them, thus setting up a FOB is not a solo act. Deployables are divided into 3 categories - Fortifications which are defensive cover options and measures like sandbags, razor wire and trip flares; Emplacements are weapons platforms like heavy machine guns and anti-air batteries; Tech Structures are used to expand the functionality of a FOB, so necessities like ammo dumps, armories to change kit roles and a casualty collection point to take in wounded (more about this in a later Boot Camp). In addition you will be able to upgrade the Radio Hub to access higher level deployables and weapons. This will allow particular FOBs to become serious defensive and fire support assets on the battlefield, if enough logistical support is provided to them. Logistics Logistics are a critical part in maintaining the FOB system and supplying troops on the battlefield. Aside from delivering ammunition and reinforcements to squads in the field, players running logistics either by land or air are necessary in maintaining and upgrading Forward Operating Bases. In addition, transport vehicles like APCs and transport helicopters play a key part in the mobility of a squad and factor in greatly when planning an assault or bringing in reinforcements to hold a defense. ---- That wraps it up for the fourth session of Boot Camp! Next time we will explain the bare bones of our Medical system, and helping the survivability of your squad. Till then, Offworld Out!
