In a press release sent today, DICE goes in-depth with Battlefield 4′s Commander Mode and what players can do while…
In a press release sent today, DICE goes in-depth with Battlefield 4′s Commander Mode and what players can do while directing their team.
First up, DICE reveals the “ecosystem/loop” for both “Main Assets” and “Squad” loops.
Main Assets Loop: Can be obtained by Commanders by having their team own objectives, and will be gone once the objectives are lost or destroyed. Depending on the game mode and map, Commanders can help their team out via:
-The Cruise Missile – launched from fixed positions on the map, they will fly at cruising altitude before dropping in an arc at the designated point, wiping out anything in the vicinity. Their power is substantial, and this is why a good Commander will use the Cruise Missile Warning asset whenever possible. -Two types of Map Scans – Vehicle and Infantry Scan, used for long-term highlighting of enemy units on the map for your team. -Finally, the AC-130 Gunship – as seen in the Commander Mode videos and in BF3’s Armored Kill, this powerful plane provides ground support from multiple weapons, as well as a mobile spawn point covering a large section of the map.
Squad Loop: Earned similarly to how Field Upgrades are for your squad, all the Commander scoring events are fed into the Squad Assets bar.
Each asset costs 1, 2, 3 or 4 chunks of the bar. On a maxed bar, the Commander can use the most expensive asset or four of the least expensive asset, depending on the present situation. Similar to “Squad Wipes,” a chunk of this bar will be depleted when the asset is consumed, which is again similar to the squad field upgrades bar. Listed below are the assets available for this loop and I think the last asset is the one that bears the most significance, since it will let active players change their kits while on the battlefield! Yep, that means you don’t have to pick up a corpse’s kit, or need to commit suicide to change loadouts.
-Squad Promotion – boost the squad members’ individual field upgrade bars towards the next unlock. -Vehicle Drop – deploy a Quad Bike or a light Boat (depending on terrain) via parachute. -Rapid Deploy – cut the squad’s spawn time in half for a fixed period of time. -Supply Drop: deploy a large crate that will heal, resupply and repair friendly units. In addition, friendly units will be able to change kits on the field which we think is an interesting tactical addition to the game.
According to DICE, Commander Mode is a “long-term investment” for them and judging from what they’ve shown so far, it looks to be leaps and bounds better than it was in Battlefield 2.
You can check out the history of Commander Mode here, and even see early prototypes of the mode, too.
For more on BF4, make sure to read up on how Battlecorder won’t be making its way at launch, and how the PS4 version is said to be comparable to “Medium” settings on PC.
Will you play as a Commander once BF4 ships? If so, which asset do you think will play the biggest impact in an actual match?