Suggestions & Observations

[Cpt. Cuddles]

Hello,

I have a few suggestions to help better translate the realism of real-life firefights into the game:

Weapon Jams: Add weapon malfunctions during firefights for increased tension and unpredictability.

Scope Conditions: Allow scopes to get dirty over time, requiring cleaning or adjustment.

Realistic Movements: Allow players to lay down on rooftops for better cover.

Immersive Navigation: Replace the minimap with a physical map and compass for navigation, making players rely on real tactics.

Movement Restrictions with Heavy Weapons: Prevent walking while shooting a machine gun, reflecting the real difficulty of controlling such weapons.

Clumsy Reloads Post-Firefight: Make reloads slower and clumsier after intense firefights to simulate exhaustion (e.g., dropping magazines).

Intel Collection: Allow players to inspect enemy soldiers for intel (passports, names) to gain points, adding depth to gameplay. (I would really love if collection of intel or recon played a bigger part in the game!)

"Double-Tap" for Checking Bodies: Award bonus points for double-tapping downed enemies (though controversial, it reflects realistic caution in dangerous situations).

Heavy Actions: Make actions like kicking doors or running slower and more laborious to reflect the weight of gear and increase tension.

Micro Coop Interactions: Introduce closer interaction between cooperative players, like mounting rifles on a teammate’s shoulder or physically holding onto each other, to intensify the firefights.

Enemy Response to Smoke: Make the AI suppress smoke grenades rather than freezing, which would create more realistic engagements.

Larger Team Sizes: Consider allowing more players in a squad to better reflect real-life military tactics, avoiding unrealistic, asymmetrical gameplay with just four players.

Character Backgrounds Matter: Incorporate character backgrounds (age, experience, motivations) into gameplay. For example, soldiers who are less experienced might struggle more with weapon jams, while seasoned veterans handle them better.

Dynamic Outer Limits: Make the areas outside the mission zone feel more alive with sounds of distant gunfire, adding immersion.

Pre-Mission Briefing Time: Encourage players to spend more time planning before missions by studying maps and strategizing, increasing their investment in realistic gameplay.

Remaster Current Missions: Over time, missions become predictable. Adding variety to entry points or mission layouts would reduce this predictability, enhancing replayability.

Digging In: Allow players to rest and regroup inside buildings or trenches after intense firefights, providing an opportunity to rebrief and adjust objectives.

New Mode Suggestions

Maze Mode: This mode is designed to disorient and immerse players in the chaos of combat. As players approach their objective, the map dynamically regenerates around them, creating a surrealist, constantly shifting environment. Each step outside a building could take them closer or farther from their goal, forcing players to rely on recon skills to find their way.

Night & Day Survival Mode: Players would survive six days of combat, with alternating periods of quiet and intense firefights. The day would feature clearing buildings and streets, while at night, players could rest—if possible. The passage of time would be real, and the unpredictability of combat, combined with moments of calm, would create an immersive experience reflecting the psychological toll of warfare.

Immersive PTSD Experience
Reflect the long-lasting trauma experienced by soldiers by incorporating subtle gameplay elements that simulate post-traumatic stress. As players progress, they might experience nightmares, flashbacks, or heightened anxiety, blending fiction with reality to provide a fuller emotional experience.

Post-Mission Recap
After each mission, introduce a "documentary-style" recap using AI-generated commentary. Highlight the player's best moments with cinematic replays, allowing them to reflect on tactics and decompress before the next mission. This break would help reduce fatigue from the intense gameplay.

Thank you for creating one of the best shooters ever made. These suggestions are meant to enhance realism and immersion, exploring both the psychological and physical aspects of combat. You guys have done an incredible job so far, especially with the AI. But I think there’s a deeper emotional realism you can tap into.

To be honest, sometimes games (and films) stick too closely to "social realism" or this dry neo-realism that feels detached and ends up missing the mark. It's like certain films that win Cannes—technically brilliant, but emotionally disconnected from the average person. You guys have the chance to do something bigger, more visceral, by leaning into the surrealism of war itself—the anxiety, the confusion, the trauma. You've already done so much. I think pushing in this direction will make it truly unforgettable.

Keep up the amazing work, and thanks for pushing boundaries!

— A fan.

[AmperCamper]

Wow! Thanks for taking the time to leave so much feedback for us. Many of these have already been suggested by the community, and I'll add the new ones to the community wishlist.

If anyone else feels strongly about any of these items, please let us know.

[RiceTrooper]

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Weapon Jams: Add weapon malfunctions during firefights for increased tension and unpredictability.

I would rather not, as realistic as it is. The amount of enemies that will charge you requires heavy firepower, and I would absolutely hate for my gun to randomly jam.

Perhaps, we could make it based on time or weather? The longer or more we shoot consecutively, the more possible?

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Scope Conditions: Allow scopes to get dirty over time, requiring cleaning or adjustment.

Neat.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Realistic Movements: Allow players to lay down on rooftops for better cover.

Also neat, but I wonder how complex it would be to do this with how the topography is in game. There's a lot of areas where the player would be floating on small rubble and uneven ground.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Immersive Navigation: Replace the minimap with a physical map and compass for navigation, making players rely on real tactics.

Conflicted. There are so many areas where it is almost completely dark, and the compass is crucial for callouts. The animation for the compass will have to be quick.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Movement Restrictions with Heavy Weapons: Prevent walking while shooting a machine gun, reflecting the real difficulty of controlling such weapons.

I feel like this would make the game more clunky/sluggish. I think it would be better to make the recoil have more horizontally sway when moving while shooting the SAW.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Clumsy Reloads Post-Firefight: Make reloads slower and clumsier after intense firefights to simulate exhaustion (e.g., dropping magazines).

I'm glad you mentioned it being AFTER firefights, because it would be so frustrating during one. Maybe a rare or short-duration effect. Would be nice.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Intel Collection: Allow players to inspect enemy soldiers for intel (passports, names) to gain points, adding depth to gameplay. (I would really love if collection of intel or recon played a bigger part in the game!)

Like in Ready or Not? Maybe for high-value targets like leaders or specialists? It would be a pain to have to search all 60+ bodies for extra points, but I don't mind since it would be optional.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

"Double-Tap" for Checking Bodies: Award bonus points for double-tapping downed enemies (though controversial, it reflects realistic caution in dangerous situations).

Having only a point-based reward doesn't feel like a strong incentive. Expanding on this, maybe allow enemies to be revived by their allies (having them self-revive would be too much). This would actually force the enemy AI lessen their firepower momentarily. Downed enemies could probably emit sounds and have movements.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Heavy Actions: Make actions like kicking doors or running slower and more laborious to reflect the weight of gear and increase tension.

Gonna have to take a no for this one. A main complaint is that the game's movement is already too sluggish/rigid. Plus, soldiers are drilled constantly to run with full kit. It's already tough to maneuver the tight maps. Any slower and movement would be absolutely useless.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Micro Coop Interactions: Introduce closer interaction between cooperative players, like mounting rifles on a teammate’s shoulder or physically holding onto each other, to intensify the firefights.

Similar to Arma. However, they would also have to implement mounting on cover. As for shoulder interactions, I'm not sure how that would add anything other than extra work for devs. It would only be useful for multiplayer. But, an idea is if we could maybe add prompts to commands and have those animations.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Enemy Response to Smoke: Make the AI suppress smoke grenades rather than freezing, which would create more realistic engagements.

Gonna have to make them very inaccurate when doing so, or it will be very frustrating for people who think smokes will absolutely stop gunfire.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Larger Team Sizes: Consider allowing more players in a squad to better reflect real-life military tactics, avoiding unrealistic, asymmetrical gameplay with just four players.

True. This could work for maybe multiplayer, but it would force everyone to be a Team role. Meanwhile, for single-player, it'd be difficult for one person to command several teams with the current system. Maybe if the devs made the other teams automatically controlled by AI leaders, add some commanding system via map and radio, or a combination of both.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Character Backgrounds Matter: Incorporate character backgrounds (age, experience, motivations) into gameplay. For example, soldiers who are less experienced might struggle more with weapon jams, while seasoned veterans handle them better.

This should probably be only for the campaign. For co-op, if it's randomized per mission rather than being persistent like in Ready or Not, I feel like people would just reset, reset, and reset until they get the best stats for AI. This also seems too punishing for something that can't be controlled. Maybe reinforcements from the AAV can have less experience?

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Dynamic Outer Limits: Make the areas outside the mission zone feel more alive with sounds of distant gunfire, adding immersion.

Why not. Already got the eyes in the sky, could go for more.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Pre-Mission Briefing Time: Encourage players to spend more time planning before missions by studying maps and strategizing, increasing their investment in realistic gameplay.

For me, this would not help too much, but it would be a nice feature for others. I would just do this while in the game.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Remaster Current Missions: Over time, missions become predictable. Adding variety to entry points or mission layouts would reduce this predictability, enhancing replayability.

This is kind of already a thing? I would love to be able to choose our starting positions, though. Sometimes, the enemy AI just spawns right in front.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Digging In: Allow players to rest and regroup inside buildings or trenches after intense firefights, providing an opportunity to rebrief and adjust objectives.

Uh, does this have to be a mechanic? Players can just do this already. Unless, you're talking about giving players breaks, which I would like.

New Mode Suggestions

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Maze Mode: This mode is designed to disorient and immerse players in the chaos of combat. As players approach their objective, the map dynamically regenerates around them, creating a surrealist, constantly shifting environment. Each step outside a building could take them closer or farther from their goal, forcing players to rely on recon skills to find their way.

This sounds like a limited Halloween event. As cool as this sounds, it would be immersion-breaking as a standard mode, unless they explain it via some kind of chemical attack. I guess it could work if it's not too demanding on the procedural generation?

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Night & Day Survival Mode: Players would survive six days of combat, with alternating periods of quiet and intense firefights. The day would feature clearing buildings and streets, while at night, players could rest—if possible. The passage of time would be real, and the unpredictability of combat, combined with moments of calm, would create an immersive experience reflecting the psychological toll of warfare.

Essentially, persistent warfare. If they decrease enemy numbers in normal missions, I can see this as an alternative with larger numbers. Enemies would technically still be moving at night, btw. Problem, though, is this would probably be extremely stressful with just one 4-player squad, and I'm not sure if people would even play this over short missions. Not to mention, if it's the same size map, it would get repetitive.

Now, they could make it a long/lengthy map with an advance/push objective down a main road, featuring several squads. Perhaps, to get as far as possible in six days. Now THAT would be interesting. The darkness would force players to hole up in buildings to avoid night combat, and maybe they can reinforce and move certain objects as cover (tables and boxes), essentially becoming a defense mission. It would be like a Squad match. However, friendly AI would have to be better.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Immersive PTSD Experience
Reflect the long-lasting trauma experienced by soldiers by incorporating subtle gameplay elements that simulate post-traumatic stress. As players progress, they might experience nightmares, flashbacks, or heightened anxiety, blending fiction with reality to provide a fuller emotional experience.

This feels more like for campaign. I'm not sure how it would work outside.

Originally posted by Cpt. Cuddles:

Post-Mission Recap
After each mission, introduce a "documentary-style" recap using AI-generated commentary. Highlight the player's best moments with cinematic replays, allowing them to reflect on tactics and decompress before the next mission. This break would help reduce fatigue from the intense gameplay.

Essentially, making the article report during the mission evaluation screen a separate thing? Like, a replay plays on one side while the article shows text of what happened? Cool, but might be complex.