PC Multiplayer Info
*Note: much of this information is taken from Homefront's PC blogs:
http://community.homefront-game.com/blog-post/homefront-pc
http://community.homefront-game.com/blog-post/pc-blog-2-exclusive-pc-features
PC Info/Exclusive Features Recap:
- Three control settings for flying vehicles
- First person vehicle cockpits
- Dedicated Server Executable
- Mod tools: maybe after launch
- 32 players--same as consoles, but open to expanding this after launch
- Low server machine requirements
- Steamworks title (including VAC)
- Spectator mode
- Server Admin tools
- No online pass/DRM (aside from Steam's protection measures)
- Multiplayer practice map
- Clan/Steam group support
- Demo recording
- Battle chat - radial command menu that gives visual and audio indicator of what player is saying/requesting
- Squad support (including squad-based VOIP)
- Joystick support
- Competition features
- LAN Play
- SLI/Crossfire
- 3d Vision
Clan Support
Players can use Steam groups to manage your clan. Once you create a group, go into the game and choose which group you want to play as. This group will show up as part of your name as well as a unique identifier in the scoreboard. We offer clan support with the following features:
- Players can associate a clan tag with themselves via the options menus. Clan tags will be prefixed to player names in matches.
- These tags are linked to the steam groups that the player belongs to.
- The game browser allows players to sort games by the number of their clan-mates/friends present in each game.
- We have built in extensive dedicated server support, such that clan servers can be sufficiently managed.
- We have incorporated a robust demo recording interface which will allow clans to record their matches, useful in competitive game-play scenarios.
Demo Recording
In an effort to fully support competitive gaming, we will be providing the community with the necessary tools to prevent cheating during sanctioned online and LAN games.
Beyond the prevention of cheating, demo recording has other useful applications in competitive game-play scenarios, such as determining rule violations, settling match disputes, and clan strategizing.
HOMEFRONT demo recording is fully hardwired without the need of a console. This will include the implementation of specific in-menu UI to access a pre-recorded demo directory, whereby a user will choose which demo they wish to playback. This directory will be saved locally on a users PC.
Statistic tracking
Per-player statistics that are tracked are:
- Time Played
- Level
- Kills
- Deaths
- Wins
- Losses
- Average Lifespan
- Total XP
- Clan Tag
- Achievements
- Challenges
- Per Weapon Stats (Primary, Pistol, Grenades, Knife)
- Kills; Deaths; Shots Fired; Shots Hit; Headshots; Time Played; Vehicles Destroyed
- Per Special Weapon Stats
- Drones - Kills; Shots Fired; Shots Hit; Vehicles Destroyed; Uses
- Air Strikes - Kills; Uses
- Launchers - Kills; Deaths; Shots Fired; Shots Hit; Time Played; Vehicles Destroyed
- Per Vehicle Stats
- Road kills; Time Played; Gun Kills; Gun Shots Fired; Gun Shots Hit; Gun Vehicles Destroyed; Shell/Rocket Kills; Shell/Rocket Shots Fired; Shell/Rocket Shots Hit; Shell/Rocket Vehicles Destroyed
- Infantry/Vehicle Loadouts: The player's current setup for their customizable infantry/vehicle loadouts
Battle chat
Battle chat is accessible via a bound control. Through the interaction of a context sensitive button, a radial menu appears on the HUD which allows players to issue specific commands (see command list below) to their squad or team via Fire and Zoom, defaulted to left and right mouse click (though, this can be mapped to a players individual needs). Alternatively, by tapping the Battle Chat button, a player can issue commands from the default look option by targeting a specific object within the reticule. This functionality allows players the freedom to move while issuing commands.
With the radial menu open, players can issue the commands by navigating their cursor to the desired command on the perimeter of the menu, with the center dynamic command menu allocated for spotting. Dynamic commands are dependent on what is being targeted. If, for instance, an enemy vehicle is targeted in the middle of the menu, a visual notification (text) is displayed that an enemy vehicle has been spotted. If the same player has targeted a friendly vehicle, the centre option then becomes a Wait/Pick-up command. In the event that a player issues a command to a squad mate, visual notification (text) will appear onscreen which indicates that a command has been issued to them. In addition, all commands incorporate as many variations of audio commands as needed.
The following is a list of radial menu communication/commands (assuming communication options are mapped to left/right mouse click). This also includes the on-screen-text to be displayed (OST):
- Radial Menu Commands
- Fire
- Squad chat (send command to squad only)
- Clicking left mouse button would engage chat with entire squad. This option would not be available if player existed in squad alone, only team chat would be accessible in this scenario.
- Zoom
- Team chat (send command to entire team)
- Clicking right mouse button engages chat with entire team
- Advance (requests that squad/team mate advance forward from current position)
- Retreat (requests that squad/team mate fall back of current position)
- Hold (requests that squad/team mate hold current position)
- Follow (requests that squad/team mate follow players position)
- Backup (requests that player requires backup from squad/team mates)
- Yes (player confirmation/consent of squad/team mate action/request)
- No (player refusal/denial of squad/team mate action/request)
- Spot (confirms that player has spotted enemy)
- OST - Enemy spotted
- OST - Enemy Armor spotted
- OST Enemy LAV spotted
- OST Enemy Humvee spotted
- OST - Enemy Heli spotted
- OST Enemy Ground Drone spotted
- OST Enemy Air Drone spotted
- Pickup/Wait (requests that player requires squad/team mate pickup - to be a target specific request).
- OST - Requesting pickup
- OST Wait
Audio Barks
Commands, issued via the radial menu or quick spot, are accompanied by its own unique audio bark. Players will hear the bark dependant on the allocation of the command (either squad or team). Each bark is accompanied by its respective on-screen-text, displayed above the mini-map on the in-game screen.
Icons
In the event that a player engages teammates with one of the above-mentioned requests or actions, a simple/generic icon will appear above that players head to communicate that a request or action has been issued. This request or action will also be reflected on the mini-map via the player icon for a short period of time.
Icons located on mini map will represent all friendlies and enemies:
- Light blue indicates players current squad mates
- Green indicates non-squad teammates
- Red indicates enemy
- To avoid onscreen confusion and clutter, a player will not see the nameplates of other non-squad teammates or enemies on active game-play screen unless within player FOV (Field of View).
- Once spotted, icons on mini map will reflect enemy position with the appropriate icon (dependent on what was spotted). A timer is utilized to reveal an enemies position for two seconds.
- Light blue will always indicate all squad mates and green for non-squad teammates.
Squad Switching
A screen listing all of the players on the users team will be shown, sorted by squad allocation. Squad allocation headings will be shown above each list of players in a squad. When a squad heading is clicked by the user, the user will join that squad.
The Squad Browser will be accessible to players at any time during game play, as well as within the spawn menu. This will allow players the freedom to switch squads at anytime. We will allow a maximum of 16 squads per team. There will be no limit or predetermined number of squads or player counts. An additional empty squad will always be available to players in the event that they wish to play alone or in a smaller squad
In addition to the above-mentioned flexibility, the player who creates a squad initially (Squad Administrator) will have the ability to lock and unlock their respective squad.
Squad Based VOIP
Game modes such as death match do not require the need for team based communication but for team based gameplay, where we have a maximum of sixteen players on either side, team/squad-based communication is provided.
Audio is broadcasted to members of a squad regardless of their proximity to a squad mate. Any squad consisting of more than one player has the ability to communicate player to player as needed. This allows individual members of a squad the freedom to move to a specific location, organize and communicate game-play strategies, without the restriction of audio proximity.
Example: A group of four players forms a squad. They enter the match and decide to split-up and take positions on either side of the map. Despite their relative distance from one another, inter-squad communication will always remain intact. This will allow the squad to organize and communicate game-play strategies without the restriction of proximity-based communication.
Note: non-squad voice chat will only be supported at the end of a round while in the scoreboard
Competition Features
These are the current features in Homefront that allow for clan matches/league competitive play:
- Demo Recording
- Intermission timer (Currently 60 seconds but are working to make this a setting in the console of the server and be variable.)
- Console ability to switch members to a team. Ability to swap teams as a player as well.
- Support for Clan Tags.
- Support for private dedicated servers.
- RCON Access
- Ability to make a admin (or anyone) a spectator via console.
- Ability to turn on and off auto-balance.
- Ability to run the server in Mixed Mode with maps from the TDM or GC in rotation.
