Improving Titanfall: Taking the Next Step

I have 20+ hours in Titanfall and am approaching Generation 3.  The thing is, while I really enjoy the game, I can't help but feel like the game could be so much more.  For me, console multiplayer need look no further than three mega-titles to find a recipe for long-lasting, addictive, competitive gameplay: Halo, Call of Duty, and Gears of War.  To ignore successful attributes from those series is to have the blueprint for the wheel and decide that one can improve it.

All I have to do is look at my friends list and realize a majority of those friends were people I "met" playing Halo 2.  Ten years ago!  Ten years ago, Bungie created not only one of the great multiplayer games ever, but it helped establish an onine gaming communty with bungie.net.  While the forums were good, linkable stats to re-live gaming glory were great.  Waypoint and COD pushed not only the notion of tallying kills and wins but recording them.  Sure, we can take advantage of Twitch and Game DVR, but in Titanfall, it's almost like winning and losing isn't all that important.  Scores appear for such a brief instant, it's near impossible to process, and perhaps, more importantly, to gloat.  I mean, we see who's on top and bottom, but I feel like in exchange for the lowest lows for a terribly played game, we have given up the highest highs in victory.

And that's what we got in Gears.  The other night, we were playing Titanfall and at times, other than knowing we were in a party together, it was almost hard to tell we were playing together.  I rarely see teammates on maps.  I rarely feel like I provide cover or am covered.  There's less raucous moments of defeat and glory.  It's nice to win together and we've had some close games the last few nights.  But there's not a whole lot of sharing in the glory because how often do others get to see it?  In Gears, especially with the "death room," how many laughs and cheers went up seeing someone overcome a two-on-one situation?  How many times would we helplessly urge folks to abandon the sniper?  Last night, with an ogre and shield core and some nub opponents, I went one-against-two and lived to tell about it.  But no one saw the encounter and it lives only in my memory.

I'm not saying we need online stat tracking or even a "death room" to improve Titanfall.  But little things like letting you see the last game's stat, perhaps while choosing a map (!), and playing against each other so at least maybe the victim of a glorious titan takedown coud confirm, it creates a more shared experience as opposed to players sharing a map. I understand that Titanfall is a next gen shooter and perhaps wanting to take the FPS forward.  But with a few additions of not-revolutionary features, a good game can become great.