Class customization inCall of Dutywas relatively simplistic when it was first introduced inCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. WhereBattlefieldused classes as a form of strategic team composition,Call of Duty’s Create-A-Class system focused more on player preference than anything else.Battlefieldwould eventually implement some broader aspects of weapon/equipment customization as a result, but never compromised on its commitment to team strategy. Then, Gunsmith inModern Warfarebrought weapon customization to a new level.
OlderBattlefieldtitles likeBattlefield 3had customization that was the closest thing toModern Warfare’s Gunsmith before it existed. Gunsmith emphasizesCall of Duty’s desire not to compromise player preference with improper balancing. Even though there’s been a few examples of overpowered guns/class builds, out of almost 50 guns throughout the entire game, it’s crazy to think how balanced the weapon pool is with Gunsmith.Battlefield 6would do well to observe and emulate the freedom achieved with Gunsmith’s implementation.
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The Predecessor to Gunsmith
Used to be thatBattlefieldwas further ahead of the game in terms of weapon and equipment customization thanCall of Dutywas. Back when the game came out,Battlefield 3introduced a weapon customization systemthat wasn’t constrained to this one attachment, one playstyle method thatCall of Dutyswore by.Battlefield 3allowed three particular customizations for most primary weapons in the game: sights/scopes, barrel types like silencers, and under-barrel attachments like grips or launchers. The game also allowed more flexibility in primary weapon choice, instead of Assault classes exclusively using assault rifles or Support classes only using light machine guns.
If anything, the changes made inBattlefield 3’s weapon customization served as a basis for what was to come. At the time,Battlefield3’s rival wasCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which was still utilizing its tried-and-true weapon customization that was introduced and refined in the previousModern Warfaretitles. Every weapon in that game was constrained to one attachment unless players selected the “Attachments” weapon proficiency that allowed for two attachments. Balance concerns likely would’ve been the main concern with allowing more than one/two attachments per weapon, especially in tandem with the perk selection in the game’s multiplayer.
Weapon Attachments, Revamped
ThentheModern Warfarereboot implemented Gunsmith, which leveraged its perk systems with an obscene level of weapon customization. Players could choose up to five different attachments from a selection of nine categories, ranging from weapon muzzles to ammo capacities. The freedom in choice is massive, allowing for various builds on weapons that would either be invalidated or at least considered weaker in previousCall of Dutygames. Loosening the attachment restrictions has lead to a wealth of variety in weapon choice and customization.
What’s more impressive is how, even with all these elements of choice and weapon customization, guns still fit right in with the staples of the Create-A-Class system. Even amongst all of the possibilities of unfair advantages with Gunsmith, the system was balanced surprisingly well with perk distribution in multiplayer. Duplicates like faster reloading perks were adjusted and changed, and some existing perks were routed into different tiers to compensate for new weapon perks and attachments. Gunsmith’s comprehensive customization allowed greater variety, largely without sacrificing competitive balance in the process. There have beensome egregious exceptions inModern Warfarelike the GRAU, but for the most part the game has aptly balanced guns and perks quite well.
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Adding More Gunsmith to Battlefield
In a game likeBattlefield, Gunsmith almost makes more sense to include than inModern Warfare. Weapon balance inBattlefieldhas been spotty at times, but the expanded weapon customization introduced inBattlefield 3compensated for that in a big way. If anything, expanding the systems that were introduced inBattlefield 3and4into a Gunsmith-like system could help differentiate teammates/opponents from each other. Since every player picks one of four soldier classes, there’d be a lot of overlap between players' choice of weapon and equipment. Classes were constraining to a specific gameplay style, like how engineers were almost strictly close-range fighters with SMGs.
Battlefieldis often a much more team-focused game, especially with its classes and specialists designed to fulfill a specific role in battle. Leveraging that with weapon customization adds some flexibility, but doesn’t compromise the series' desire to make every player’s role feel just as important as everyone else’s. These classes encourage proper team composition andinfluences the way people playBattlefield, allowing them to clearly determine what their role is in the grand scheme of a Conquest or Rush match. But with a Gunsmith-like system, classes would feel less linear and give players options where previous games could not. Support members don’t necessarily need to carry a big machine gun, or engineers don’t need to be limited by close-range weapons.
There’s options, and in a game likeBattlefield, options are what make the games interesting. Implementing a Gunsmith-like system would make the soldier classes feel less linear/restricting, whilst also allowing players to fulfill specific roles dependably.
Battlefield 6is reportedly in development.
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