Uniform System

[Flekk]

(First off, I would just like to ask the devs, if you read this, I'd appreciate if you'd consider my suggestion and points, as I really do think this would greatly enhance the gameplay and experience in many ways. Anyways, back to the post!)

I understand and respect the idea behind linking early through late war uniforms to the squad level. It's not a bad idea, but I do think many disadvantages and restrictions occur with using this system in Verdun.

So here are my points:


1. It's not very rewarding.
All you get is a later, different uniform. You aren't rewarded with any rare, unusual, or uncommon uniforms or something visually unique (besides the actual uniform being different). The only thing that makes them “special” is that most players don't have them. This would still be true for the exact opposite, with everyone wearing late war uniforms. There have been many suggestions by players that could be more interesting and in some cases easier, but these have been rejected due to the fact they would increase load times, game size, and are not important enough to justify spending the resources to make it. Which brings me to my next point:

2. The costs don't outweigh the rewards.
Verdun contains a total of 34 uniforms and of these there are 13 that you will see very regularly. This leaves 21 that players don't often see. In the current system, these are only given to leveled up squads. It also doesn't help that a lot of these squads will be higher level players, and they tend to be good at exposing little and remaining unseen.

Lots of time, resources, and effort went into researching, modelling, and texturing all of these uniforms. Twenty one of them are increasing loading times and game size, like the other 13, but don't do so to enhance the experience and add to gameplay. Instead, they only serve to “reward” a small portion of the playerbase. If something like that were to be done now, I'm sure lots of people would totally freak out from all the time and effort spent on something so small and insignificant. These uniforms come at a high cost with very little importance or reward.

3. Seeing the same uniforms can be boring.
This is a smaller point, but it still has a big impact. Players are first drawn in by the trailers, with what appears to be battles being fought with everyone in different uniforms from multiple years. The truth is, mostly everybody will be wearing the same uniform for their squad every game, and, not surprisingly, this can become a little boring and even disappointing to some people. Nearly all players (myself included) will/have never seen or played in a public match with everyone wearing any of those other 21 uniforms. Most everyone will be wearing one of the 13.


Here's my suggestion:

Link the uniforms, not to squad level, but to the individual matches. Everyone would be able to wear a uniform out of all the 34 in the game, instead of just 13. This would practically be like releasing all new content. Twenty one “new” uniforms would be available for players, and not be hidden away, taking up space, and collecting dust.

So here's how it would work: A year (1914-1918) will be picked randomly at the start of the match or while the match is loading, and everyone gets assigned uniforms closest to that year. Simple.
For example, let's say the year for this match is 1914. If we are playing as the US Doughboys, we would simple wear the uniform closest to that year, in this case, the uniform from Tier 1.


To add more depth, certain maps would only be played in the years the actual fighting took place. A year would still be randomly picked, but only from the select years available.
Here's what the map years would look:
(I tried to pick years when fighting took place in the region, and that still somewhat fit the map, like the Aisne. If I missed some years or got something wrong, let me know.)

Argonne: 1915, 1918
Vosges: 1915+
Picardie: 1916+
Flanders: 1915, 1917+
Artois: 1915, 1917+
Aisne: 1914, 1917+
Douaumont: 1916
Champagne: 1915+

(Of course this part isn't absolutely necessary but, like I said, it would definitely add some more depth.)

In conclusion, I believe this would greatly enhance the gameplay, depth, and experience, without the negative side effects of increased load times and game size caused by adding content. Players will get to actually see the uniforms that a good amount of computer space and work went into.
Devs, I'd really like to hear your thoughts and opinions on this, and the same goes for the community, tell me what you think!

[Sir Gigachad of Thundercock]

Are you asking for TF2 hats? cause it seems like you're asking for TF2 hats,

Jokes aside
I like your idea.

[Nerd Doodle]

There are 34 uniforms? Woah I have never seen more than 12.

[Flekk]

Originally posted by Nerd Doodle:

There are 34 uniforms? Woah I have never seen more than 12.

Yep, not many people do.

[LV|Ironstorm767]

According to your suggestion for map per year, there'd only be one map for the 1914 uniforms. Effectively cutting out the 11 early war uniforms.

[Flekk]

Originally posted by LV|Ironstorm767:

According to your suggestion, there'd only be one map for the 1914 uniforms. Effectively cutting out the 11 early war uniforms.

It's not effectively cutting out 11 uniforms because you could still play those uniforms on that map, and it's better than "cutting out" all the other 21 uniforms in the game.
It would also, as a bonus, be a more accurate representation of the years the battles on the maps take place.

And, like I said, it is not completely necessary.

[LV|Ironstorm767]

Most of the maps have elements from multiple years during the war. (Exceptions being Douaumont and kind of Champagne)

Which makes them sandboxes for matches, essentially. Especially once you factor in the freedom of choosing loadouts and squads.

I'm not going to say it's a bad idea however, because it's not. Though, maybe with the addition of having a corresponding starting positions/trenches. It'd showcase the multiple elements laid out on the maps better.

For example, 1918 Aisne would start the Entente at the Germans' first trench, and the CP at their second.

[Flekk]

Originally posted by LV|Ironstorm767:

Most of the maps have elements from multiple years during the war. (Exceptions being Douaumont and kind of Champagne)

Which makes them sandboxes for matches, essentially. Especially once you factor in the freedom of choosing loadouts and squads.

This is one of the reasons why I think it would work very well. Like you said, almost all the maps represent different years of fighting.

Originally posted by LV|Ironstorm767:

I'm not going to say it's a bad idea however, because it's not. Though, maybe with the addition of having a corresponding starting positions/trenches. It'd showcase the multiple elements laid out on the maps better.

For example, 1918 Aisne would start the Entente at the Germans' first trench, and the CP at their second.

That's a nice idea, but I don't want to ask for to much yet.

[Kermit the Frog]

I know I've said this before but I believe the devs should make it so the uniforms work with personal leveling systems instead of squad. You would also have late war uniforms be the first uniform you get as lvl 1 and have the earliest (1914) as a lvl 100. This system could also be implemented with the squad system BUT it would be a little awkward.

[Flekk]

Originally posted by Queen Luna:

I know I've said this before but I believe the devs should make it so the uniforms work with personal leveling systems instead of squad. You would also have late war uniforms be the first uniform you get as lvl 1 and have the earliest (1914) as a lvl 100. This system could also be implemented with the squad system BUT it would be a little awkward.

That would still work with this system as well. Players could earn the ability to pick what uniform Tier they would like to wear. I don't know what would be better though, attaching it to the personal level or the squad level.

[LV|Ironstorm767]

Personally squad level as the uniforms should be the same for everyone in the squad. (i.e. Being uniform)

[Kermit the Frog]

Originally posted by LV|Ironstorm767:

Personally squad level as the uniforms should be the same for everyone in the squad. (i.e. Being uniform)

A lot of soldiers still did wear there old uniforms especially those who had joined within the first year. It wasn't until early 1918 if I remember correctly that the Stahlhelm became the standard headwear but even than you would still see vets with picklehalbauts

[don_Durandal]

Originally posted by Queen Luna:

A lot of soldiers still did wear there old uniforms especially those who had joined within the first year. It wasn't until early 1918 if I remember correctly that the Stahlhelm became the standard headwear but even than you would still see vets with picklehalbauts

The Stahlhelm became the standard frontline headwear in the German Imperial armies in the course of 1916. By the end of that year you wouldn't have seen a soldier wear a Pickelhaube on the frontline except in the quieter sectors of the eastern front.
Old uniforms were worn as long as they were serviceable, which in the conditions of the trenches wasn't long.

[Kermit the Frog]

Originally posted by don_Durandal:

Originally posted by Queen Luna:

A lot of soldiers still did wear there old uniforms especially those who had joined within the first year. It wasn't until early 1918 if I remember correctly that the Stahlhelm became the standard headwear but even than you would still see vets with picklehalbauts

The Stahlhelm became the standard frontline headwear in the German Imperial armies in the course of 1916. By the end of that year you wouldn't have seen a soldier wear a Pickelhaube on the frontline except in the quieter sectors of the eastern front.
Old uniforms were worn as long as they were serviceable, which in the conditions of the trenches wasn't long.

Really? I had always just thought that with Germans recourse problems that old veterans would just have kept there uniforms and pickelhaube. But wasn't it also true that some older soldiers still wore there early war gear up until later 1917 to early 1918? I'm probably wrong but I'd always assumed this from what I was taught and seeing movies (not that movies are always accurate) like All quiet on the Western front, Paths of Glory, The Last Battalion and many others

[don_Durandal]

Originally posted by Queen Luna:

Really? I had always just thought that with Germans recourse problems that old veterans would just have kept there uniforms and pickelhaube. But wasn't it also true that some older soldiers still wore there early war gear up until later 1917 to early 1918? I'm probably wrong but I'd always assumed this from what I was taught and seeing movies (not that movies are always accurate) like All quiet on the Western front, Paths of Glory, The Last Battalion and many others

Yes, really.

It would be silly to issue steel helmets only to new soldiers and have all the experienced ones just die of head wounds, wouldn't it? Keeping old uniforms when they are still serviceable makes sense (like Germans still wearing 07/12 tunics after introduction of the 1915 Bluse, as opposed to French switching to horizon blue uniforms as soon as available), however steel helmets confer a definite survival advantage as opposed to the leather and brass Pickelhaube, so not issuing them because they already have older headgear would be utter stupidity.

That doesn't mean the German army was fully refitted with steel helmets overnight. It took time to produce enough helmets for everyone. At the start of the battle of Verdun most units still wore Pickelhaube (with the spike removed) but assault specialists already wore steel helmets. For some time units had to share helmets between soldiers in the trenches and those going in reserve. However by the end of 1916 all frontline units on the Western Front had enough helmets for everyone.

[SunOfNihility]

Originally posted by Queen Luna:

I know I've said this before but I believe the devs should make it so the uniforms work with personal leveling systems instead of squad. You would also have late war uniforms be the first uniform you get as lvl 1 and have the earliest (1914) as a lvl 100. This system could also be implemented with the squad system BUT it would be a little awkward.

I think this is a great idea myself and much better than the current method. If I knew that, for example, in 5 levels time I would unlock a new uniform, I'd be more inclined to continue playing the game. It would be a cool way to spot higher levelled players just by looking at them too.