Location
Initial recon indicates subject is returning to previous areas of operation. "Crossroads is by far the fan favorite," Luisi says, "so we definitely wanted to show what this level would look like in the next generation. We're trying to maintain a smaller size; the largest level in this game is going to be smaller than anything we had in SOCOM 3. And so while we are going to expand Crossroads out a bit, it's not going to be this huge, expansive area. All the other maps we're going to ship initially with the game are all going to be new."
Expansion
Subject is expected to expand sphere of influence over time. "We wanted to have meaningful content packs that'll be available postrelease that aren't just new maps, but in many ways kind of a mini-expansion pack," Luisi reveals. "You get new weapons, special forces...and even features that are going to change and evolve the gameplay as it goes on. And we're looking at having them themed after different areas. The initial release is the North African theme, and we're looking at bringing in new environments.
Complexity
Subject is showing signs of increased guerrilla activity; expect dense resistance and close-quarters combat. Luisi cites "intimate" locations. "Instead of spreading 32 players over this huge area with vehicles," he says, "we want to have a tighter interaction between the players. There's still going to be plenty of cover in the environments -- it's not going to be a fragfest -- but you're going to have a much different experience. You're going to want to look around every corner and be very careful about how you move through the environment, because it's not going to be as spread out as it was."
Recruitment
Recon indicates subject is engaging in energetic recruitment, enlisting community participation though material incentives. "We'll have ways of unlocking equipment and customization options by participating in team tournaments and clan ladders," Luisi says. "If you start winning, you're going to get rewards like different weapons and items. We even plan on having some higher-end tournaments that'll have a very specific reward for the person who wins that tournament. You'll be able to get things that set you apart from other people [and show] you've achieved a certain level of success in the game. It's about bragging rights."
Transformation
In deference to "intimate" locations, subject has disabled vehicular transport. "For the initial release, vehicles are out," Luisi says. "We are looking at possibly bringing them back later on with downloadable updates, but initially, we want to focus on the on-foot combat, making that as visceral as possible."
Customization
Informant reveals subject is emphasizing adaptability in personal appearance, potentially resulting in increased difficulty in identifying hostiles. "We are going to focus more on what identifies your character," he says, "like camo, clothing, and some of the gear options. Being able to customize your uniform is a huge part of your identity. It plays a little bit into the strategy of how well you're concealed in the environment, as well."
Identification
Subject appears to be encouraging community members to establish group identities. While this may make groups easier to target, expect further difficulty in distinguishing hostiles from friendlies. "As a clan leader," says Luisi, "you can go in and customize the camo pattern -- including its density and color -- and the base uniform structure. Then the members of the clan can go in and further customize objects on their characters and further customize their look. The idea is that they will look like their own special force. So the same way you see these guys out there in the different special forces -- each one looks different but you can tell they're one team? That's what we want to go for."
Collateral Damage
Informant cites "more interaction" with regard to physical surroundings, indicating potentially dangerous elements in the environment that must be taken into account (e.g., exploding barrels). "There will be destructible elements to the environments," Luisi says. "We have to be careful so that people can't just blow up any area, because we've spent so much time on the design and the flow of the environment that it's hard for us to allow somebody to just blow up random pieces of it. But we definitely plan on having objects that can be destroyed or moved. So the way you interact with the environment is going to be a lot more complex."
Acoustics
Subject appears to be emphasizing audio reconnaissance to an unprecedented degree. "The audio system...is going to be highly detailed," says Luisi. "It uses occlusion, so if somebody's fighting around a corner, you can hear it, and it sounds as if they're fighting around a corner. The audio will follow paths through the environment. So if you're running around, you're going to be making noise, and it'll be a lot easier to find somebody."
Exposure
Subject is expected to employ environmental dynamics to assist in locating individuals. "We have a lot of interesting things involving interactivity with the environment," Luisi says. "Like when you're shooting your weapon, you're ejecting shells from your weapon -- those bounce off the environment, they roll down hills, and you can walk around and kick them and they'll make noise. So you'll need to be careful.