Ask DICE: Commander Mode Revisited

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The feedback we’ve received following our in-depth blog post on the return of Commander Mode has been tremendous, and we’re listening! The team at DICE is hard at work putting the final touches on Battlefield 4, but we managed to get some time with Valerian Noghin, Multiplayer Designer on Commander Mode.

High Value Targets

One of the primary objectives for a Commander will be to identify threats.  In Battlefield 4, we are giving the Commander the ability to identify High Value Targets, turning up the intensity on the battlefield even more.

When a player has reached a kill streak of six, they will appear as a selectable unit on the Commander Screen. Once this happens, the opposing teams Commander can choose to reveal the HVT’s location on the map. Once they do that, a timer begins to count down and a message will appear on-screen letting that Commanders team know where that HVT is via the mini map.

If the HVT takes down an enemy while the timer is counting down, they will receive bonus points for each kill. If you’re good, racking up great amounts of points during a match will be easier, but don’t expect it to be easy if you’re playing against a well-coordinated team. Rewarding skilled players is really important for us, as we don’t want them to feel as if this is a punishment, but rather something that they should be proud about.

When a player eliminates a HVT they will receive a one-time bonus, and the Commander that issued the order will also receive a bonus based on the total amount of kills the HVT had during their kill streak. Taking down a HVT isn’t an easy task, especially if the opposing Commander utilizes assets such as the EMP or even supply drops to help his team out. When the countdown ends, there will be a cool down before a Commander can choose a new target, so it won’t be possible to HVT spam.

Becoming a Commander

You’ve been on the battlefield and now you’re ready to lead your team to victory. Players that have reached Rank 10, will be able to join matches as a Commander on a first-come, first-served basis. This rank requirement will also be required for Commanders playing on tablets, meaning they will need PC/console experience before leading their teams while on the move. PC players will use Battlelog to join, while console players will be able to do this through the in-game menus.

Commander Mutiny

Think you can be a better Commander? If so, start a mutiny. Squad leaders who disapprove of the Commanders performance will be able to vote for a mutiny against the Commander. When a Commander reaches the munity threshold, all players on the team will be informed and a countdown timer of 2 minutes will appear on the Commander Screen (and those of the squad leaders). The Commander will be able to directly see which leaders disapprove and will have some time to turn the tide of the battle, showing that they are worthy to be in the position. Unlike normal voting, squad leaders can at any point change their minds and show that they now approve of how the Commander plays.  If a mutiny does occur, new Commanders will have a couple of minutes’ grace period when taking the seat before a mutiny can be started against them.

Until next time…

Check back here at the Battlefield blog next week for a special BF4 Beta edition of Ask DICE.

Next time we’ll be answering questions about the Battlefield 4 Beta as well as any other burning questions. What questions do you have? Let us know in the comments below.

Battlefield 4 begins its release on October 29, 2013 and will be available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition and get access to the exclusive Battlefield 4 Beta on Oct 1.

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