Ideas for how the series could course-correct.
If it can be agreed that Ghost Recon's identity at its core is an Authentic Strategic Shooter Putting the player in control of a Small Special Operations Unit Conducting Small Unit Tactics, I would suggest the following things being implemented would reinforce those themes:


-Genre:
The genre should go back to its identity as an authentic semi-realistic strategic squad shooter. It should remain an open-world game as it lends itself best to the subject matter.


-Setting:
The setting needs to be an authentic real-world location covering realistic geopolitical conflicts..


-Tone:
The tone needs to reinforce the subject matter, and not serve to discredit it. The tone should be gritty and tell an authentic military story complete with a requisite amount of gallows humor.


-World-Building:
The world-building needs to reinforce the theme of a small special operations unit operating in a clandestine environment.
The Player should feel like the world is alive and reacts to the player's choices, but still like events could unfold without direct action from the player.
The world-building and gameplay mechanics should make the player feel like there are severe consequences for getting caught when operating in a non-permissive environment.
Civilians should have a larger impact on one's mission and not just be aimlessly wandering about as set dressing. One could gather intel on targets/missions/convoys by asking civilians for information one would have to choose the right things to ask/say to get information out of them, not just pressing the action button to get intel out of them but actual dialog choices with multiple outcomes and possible tasks to complete in return for the intel, this might mean bribing them.
One might have to dress in civilian clothing when in urban areas so as not to compromise the team's presence, as well as when they are trying to get through checkpoints or border crossings without being detected. One might have to bribe the guards at the checkpoint but it isn't guaranteed to work and the money supply is limited to what they might find on objective sights or what they have limited access to from CIA safe houses.
One could also bribe civilians to get intel or to not give you up to the enemy, depending on the relative distance or scope of influence the hostile faction has on the civilians they would be more or less inclined to help or rat you out.
If the team is compromised in a non-combative situation at a checkpoint or in a town/city the team would have to escape and evade those, they became compromised too.
A capture system should be put into place where the team members that are caught go to a local jail or military base depending on the type of transgression and who they are caught by, the team member could break out where they are being held or have people break them out.


-Story:
The story should cover plausible geopolitical turmoil & the conflict that arises from them in a realistic manner. The story should be linear to allow for better character & story arcs with narrative cutscenes. Allied factions should also get a character arc this could be accomplished by the Ghost team training the allied faction in small unit tactics that would also act as a tutorial to teach the player those same skills.


-Missions:
The missions should be authentic to that of a small special operations unit working in a clandestine environment.
The Ghost team should have a planning board at the HQ or Regional Safehouse with the mission objectives and overhead map of the area of operation that would allow the player to plan the mission after gaining the requisite intel via reconnaissance and allied assets actionable intel.
The player is then able to set up their; insertion/exfiltration routes and points via AI-controlled vehicles. Dismounted approach/exfill routes. Entry/exit points of the objective building or compound. Primary, secondary, and tertiary exfill points/plans. Contingencies for Quick Reaction Forces. What available assets are available that the area of operation and their constraints of the area in regards to what for Close Air Support, Airstrikes, or Fire missions can be called in.


-Gameplay:
The gameplay should mirror real-world Special operations mission sets. CO-OP player count should be increased up to 6 if possible to better employ small unit tactics. If it was upped to 12-player CO-OP to mirror the upper size of an ODA team it would allow for serious strategic squad-based gameplay not currently available on a console. Fireteam controls should include patrol pattern/spread, bounding overwatch, fireteam/squad formations, proper AI execution for clearing buildings, and ambush tactics such as Linear, L Shape, & V Shape Ambushes at either a Near, intermediate or Far distance. The Ghost team could be tasked with teaching rebel groups those same squad tactics to mirror the mission capability of some ODA & SFOD teams, this would hopefully give the allied rebels some character development and could act as a tutorial to teach the player some of these tactics towards the beginning of the game. AI control should have more functionality such as being able to be given individual orders to do certain, change the Rules Of Engagement, chain waypoints, tell them to suppress a target, set up a defensive position/ambushes, assault, or fall back, etc...


-Vehicles:
Vehicles should be authentic to the factions and locations being depicted. The full suite of current Special operations watercraft, air, and land vehicles should be present in the game to include covert up-armored bulletproof and blast-resistant civilian vehicles such as the Toyota Hilux or Landcruiser. The team's vehicle should have storage for additional weapons, ammo, and gear, as well as having a winch/ recovery kit, jerry can for extra fuel, & snorkel. Storage of ammo equipment gear and heavy weapons like an M107A1, MK32A1, CARL-GUSTAF M4, Mortars, and tripod-mounted crew-served weapons like the General Dynamics .338NM LWMMG or .50 BMG XM806 one can move around to set up ambushes/defensive positions. To make travel between areas more engaging and add a bit of tension having the need to fill up the cars with at gas stations/safe houses/or with jerry cans in case one runs out of gas in remote areas. Having areas on roads where one can get stuck in mud/sand/water after which one would need to use a winch/recovery kit to get out, as well as including flat tires/engine problems being a random/very rare occurrence and more commonplace for NPC vehicles.


-Firearms & Weapons:
Firearms Ballistics and handling characteristics should be based on real-world data variables being derived from what caliber, barrel length, and ammunition are being used, not made-up stats. Optics should have functional reticles with functioning holdovers, Ballistic Drop Compensators, and Auto-Ranging markings on the reticles.
The Ghost Team should have access to authentic US Special Operations weapons from the start of the game with appropriate accessories & modifications also being available from the start. The weaponry of the other factions should reflect their real-world counterparts and what is actually available and used within those regions. Realistic and plausible weapons being used by the factions in the game adds to the world-building and authenticity of the factions. The next game needs a competent professional advisor who has extensive knowledge of weapons and experience employing them I think Lary Vickers would be the best choice given his credentials and previous involvement working on Medal of Honor Warfighter.


-Gunsmithing:
Gunsmithing should be as in-depth as industry leaders like "Escape from Tarkov". Quality Real-world industry-leading Optics and Accessory that would mirror what is used by SOF units and what is available for procurement at the higher end. Placement for applicable accessories based on ergonimics and eye relief constraints. Variations in cosmetic weapon furniture such as Buttstocks, Rails/Handguards, Pistol Grips, and receivers. Multiple Caliber options for applicable firearms. Flashlights (For [censored] Sake) with realistic characteristics when it comes to disrupting enemies' ability to react in close quarters. Both White light and Infrared settings could be available.
Ammo's choice.
-Armor Piercing
rounds (better penetration) and possibly velocity.
-Hollow Points.
So as to increase terminal ballistics and not to over-penetrate one's intended target causing the projectile to strike something that would compromise one's presence to the enemy or harm an HVT or noncombatants.
-Supersonic/Subsonic Ammo.
option to use either subsonic or supersonic ammo for suppressed firearms as an option so as to get better bullet velocity lethality and trajectory with supersonic rounds with the trade-off being the report of the round breaking the sound barrier downrange. Subsonic ammo being, much quieter but has decreased velocity/lethality.

-Communications
Radios: Shortwave & Longwave. Longwave radio would be used by the team's RTO/Forward Air Controller to coordinate airstrikes, fire missions, and call-in assets. Having coms tied to radios would be a natural way to encourage teammates to stay in range of the shortwave frequency to maintain coms with the team.


-Load Out:
What Gun, Calibers, Backpacks, Plate Carriers, and Chest Rigs, that one chooses impacts what one has available to them during a mission and their mobility. Didn't pack the bolt cutters too bad, didn't wear a plate carrier on a direct action raid go down in a few shots, and didn't consider the weight of your gear/gun/caliber choice now your slower with less stamina.


-Clothing & Gear:
Clothing and kit should affect the player's ability to blend into the world camouflage concealing the player at plausible distances if the 5S's of concealment are being followed Sight, Sound, Shape, Shine, Silluet. The other aspect of that would be concealment in plain view, wearing full tactical gear would only be advisable in certain scenarios like direct action raids but wouldn't be when gathering intel staking out an objective. Wearing full kit would blow the team's cover when traveling in areas where it isn't appropriate to be in full kit with unconcealed weapons (this could be a setting for those interested in the idea of what is "tactical" over what actually is tactical IE actually blending into a given environment.)
Clothing & Gear should be authentic to what JSOC uses or brans who work in conjunction with JSOC clothing brands Like Arceryrx LEAF, Beyond Clothing, TAD Gear, TYR Tactical, not 511.
-Climbing Gear for Abseiling/Rappelling/Climbing Buildings & Cliffs.
-Breaching charges, & devices.
-Six12 breaching shotgun.
-IR strobes, and IR lights for Identifying teammates under nods.
-Smoke Grenades (40mm, and handheld)
-Signal Flares.
-Chem Lights.


-Land Navigation:
Land Navigation tools shouldn't take the player out of the game into a menu, there should be a Hand-Held topographical Map one can bring out and Lensatic Compass to plot routes then made visible to the squadmates. Wrist or chest-mounted GPS could offer different digital maps including satellite overview. A wristwatch to tell the time with a compass attached to the band is another option for a quick baring.


-Bases.
Bases should range from a largescale US Military Base that the player would plan and launch larger missions from, the base would have an airfield that could launch AI-controlled planes to insert the team via High Altitude Low Opening or High Altitude High Opening airdrops, and AI-controlled helicopter insertions for the team. The team's Air Support & Quick Reaction Forces could also be launched from the base in real-time, or be loitering on standby if dictated by the player when setting up a mission. The larger base could also incorporate a randomized kill house as well as an area to build a modular kill house that could be rearranged to match target buildings when preparing for certain high-profile missions during the story.
Forward Operating Bases would act in much the same way but with different assets available to the team such as support for helicopters as well as ground or water-based vehicles. The FOBs might also include artillery batteries or 120mm Heavy Mortars depending on the size of the FOB.
Safe Houses would be used when in more hostile controlled areas to resupply and plan missions from and would support covert civilian up-armored vehicles.
Allied rebel camps & training camps could act as both a training area with a rudimentary kill house a safe area and a way to visualize the human cost of getting rebels killed, as well as launch rebel fire missions and quick reaction forces in real-time.
Rebel or CIA-controlled airfields or docks could launch smaller planes or boats for the team to utilize for AI or player-controlled insertions.


-Game Setting.
The Philippine archipelago would be a great setting for the next game: 
It Has an erratic and Tyrannical head of state.
Is at the forefront of a violent & brutal Drug War.
Is in the midst of a rise in Religious Extremist & Terrorist Activity.
Is a key player in a major Geopolitical Flashpoint in the South China Sea both territorial disputes and superpowers like the US and China vying for influence over the country each positioned in interesting ways with the US having multiple military bases around the country and China becoming a more strategic trade partner. 
The Green Berets have close military connections with their Pilipino counterparts so there is already a relationship to play off of with local personnel.
The location could afford the use of US air support and other substantial military assets SOF specific or conventional as far as support or transportation is concerned while still having the clandestine mission set and the requirement of the team being an unknown actor in the conflict.

Factions at play could be:
Pilipino Military.
Pilipino Police.
Pilipino Special Forces (Possibly spearheading a sanctioned coup attempt or aiding with rebel fighters subverting one or other conflicts with the other factions)
Ghost Team.
CIA. 
JSOC.
US NAVY, Air Force, USMC, & ARMY.
Terrorist cells.
Narco-terrorists.
A rogue faction of the Pilipino Military and its political/military leaders were involved in a coup. 
Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), and Chinese Navy.

So long as they included a good amount of large Islands as well as smaller ones I think it would play well giving different modes of transportation more importance there could even be a system to choose one's infiltration or exfiltration by AI or player-controlled vehicles like a local charter plane or boat, Helicopter, Zodiac, RHIB or SWICC Boat, Submarine or HALO drop between the islands and navigable river systems. 
Interesting set pieces could include artificial Chinese military Islands off the coast as well as Chinese US naval presence static or patrolling, container ships, or other large maritime vessels.

@dv20katana I think Colombia would easily be one of my top picks for locations of a ghost game. I also agree with the airplanes in GTA being the right fit for modeling flying off of. Though, for helicopter flying, I would personally opt for basing it on Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising, as I don't think anyone has done it better for use with a controller.

Steps towards a brand Corse Correction for Ghost Recon.

-What was the core of Ghost Recon's brand identity?
-What was the original intent of the series & what was the experience it was trying to have the player experience?
In my opinion, the original intent was to create an authentic strategic game putting the player in the boots of a Special Operations Team Member allowing the player to engage in Small Unit Tactics within the context of the special operation's mission set.


Ideas for how the series could course-correct and regain its identity?
If it can be agreed that Ghost Recon's identity at its core is an Authentic Strategic Shooter Putting the player in control of a Small Special Operations Unit Conducting Small Unit Tactics, I would suggest the following things being implemented would reinforce those themes:


-Genre:
The genre should go back to its identity as an authentic semi-realistic strategic squad shooter. It should remain an open-world game as it lends itself best to the subject matter.


-Setting:
The setting needs to be an authentic real-world location covering realistic geopolitical conflicts..


-Tone:
The tone needs to reinforce the subject matter, and not serve to discredit it. The tone should be gritty and tell an authentic military story complete with a requisite amount of gallows humor.


-World-Building:
The world-building needs to reinforce the theme of a small special operations unit operating in a clandestine environment.
The Player should feel like the world is alive and reacts to the player's choices, but still like events could unfold without direct action from the player.
The world-building and gameplay mechanics should make the player feel like there are severe consequences for getting caught when operating in a non-permissive environment.
Civilians should have a larger impact on one's mission and not just be aimlessly wandering about as set dressing. One could gather intel on targets/missions/convoys by asking civilians for information one would have to choose the right things to ask/say to get information out of them, not just pressing the action button to get intel out of them but actual dialog choices with multiple outcomes and possible tasks to complete in return for the intel, this might mean bribing them.
One might have to dress in civilian clothing when in urban areas so as not to compromise the team's presence, as well as when they are trying to get through checkpoints or border crossings without being detected. One might have to bribe the guards at the checkpoint but it isn't guaranteed to work and money supply is limited to what they might find on objective sights or what they have limited access to from CIA safe houses.
One could also bribe civilians to get intel or to not give you up to the enemy, depending on the relative distance or scope of influence the hostile faction has on the civilians they would be more or less inclined to help or rat you out.
If the team is compromised in a non-combative situation at a checkpoint or in a town/city the team would have to escape and evade those they became compromised to.
A capture system should be put into place where the team members that are caught go to a local jail or military base depending on the type of transgression and who they are caught by, the team member could break out where they are being held or have people break them out.


-Story:
The story should cover plausible geopolitical turmoil & the conflict that arises from them in a realistic manner. The story should be linear to allow for better character & story arcs with narrative cutscenes. Allied factions should also get a character arc this could be accomplished by the Ghost team training the allied faction in small unit tactics that would also act as a tutorial to teach the player those same skills.


-Missions:
The missions should be authentic to that of a small special operations unit working in a clandestine environment.
The Ghost team should have a planning board at the HQ or Regional Safehouse with the mission objectives and overhead map of the area of operation that would allow the player to plan the mission after gaining the requisite intel via reconnaissance and allied assets actionable intel.
The player is then able to set up their; insertion/exfiltration routes and points via AI-controlled vehicles. Dismounted approach/exfill routes. Entry/exit points of the objective building or compound. Primary, secondary, and tertiary exfill points/plans. Contingencies for Quick Reaction Forces. What available assets are available that the area of operation and their constraints of the area in regards to what for Close Air Support, Airstrikes, or Fire missions can be called in.


-Gameplay:
The gameplay should mirror real-world Special operations mission sets. CO-OP player count should be increased up to 6 if possible to better employ small unit tactics. If it was upped to 12-player CO-OP to mirror the upper size of an ODA team it would allow for serious strategic squad-based gameplay not currently available on a console. Fireteam controls should include patrol pattern/spread, bounding overwatch, fireteam/squad formations, proper AI execution for clearing buildings, and ambush tactics such as Linear, L Shape, & V Shape Ambushes at either a Near, intermediate or Far distance. The Ghost team could be tasked with teaching rebel groups those same squad tactics to mirror the mission capability of some ODA & SFOD teams, this would hopefully give the allied rebels some character development and could act as a tutorial to teach the player some of these tactics towards the beginning of the game. AI control should have more functionality such as being able to be given individual orders to do certain, change the Rules Of Engagement, chain waypoints, tell them to suppress a target, set up a defensive position/ambushes, assault, or fall back, etc...


-Vehicles:
Vehicles should be authentic to the factions and locations being depicted. The full suite of current Special operations watercraft, air, and land vehicles should be present in the game to include covert up-armored bulletproof and blast-resistant civilian vehicles such as the Toyota Hilux or Landcruiser. The team's vehicle should have storage for additional weapons, ammo, and gear, as well as having a winch/ recovery kit, jerry can for extra fuel, & snorkel. Storage of ammo equipment gear and heavy weapons like an M107A1, MK32A1, CARL-GUSTAF M4, Mortars, and tripod-mounted crew-served weapons like the General Dynamics .338NM LWMMG or .50 BMG XM806 one can move around to set up ambushes/defensive positions. To make travel between areas more engaging and add a bit of tension having the need to fill up the cars at gas stations/safe houses/or with jerry cans in case one runs out of gas in remote areas. Having areas on roads where one can get stuck in mud/sand/water after which one would need to use a winch/recovery kit to get out, as well as including flat tires/engine problems being a random/very rare occurrence and more commonplace for NPC vehicles.


-Firearms & Weapons:
Firearms Ballistics and handling characteristics should be based on real-world data variables being derived from what caliber, barrel length, and ammunition are being used, not made-up stats. Optics should have functional reticles with functioning holdovers, Ballistic Drop Compensators, and Auto-Ranging markings on the reticles.
The Ghost Team should have access to authentic US Special Operations weapons from the start of the game with appropriate accessories & modifications also being available from the start. The weaponry of the other factions should reflect their real-world counterparts and what is actually available and used within those regions. Realistic and plausible weapons being used by the factions in the game adds to the world-building and authenticity of the factions. The next game needs a competent professional advisor who has extensive knowledge of weapons and experience employing them I think Lary Vickers would be the best choice given his credentials and previous involvement working on Medal of Honor Warfighter.


-Gunsmithing:
Gunsmithing should be as in-depth as industry leaders like "Escape from Tarkov". Quality Real-world industry-leading Optics and Accessory that would mirror what is used by SOF units and what is available for procurement at the higher end. Placement for applicable accessories based on ergonimics and eye relief constraints. Variations in cosmetic weapon furniture such as Buttstocks, Rails/Handguards, Pistol Grips, receivers. Multiple Caliber options for applicable firearms. Flashlights with realistic characteristics when it comes to disrupting enemies' ability to react in close quarters. Both White light and Infrared settings could be available.
Ammo's choice.
-Armor Piercing
rounds (better penetration) and possibly velocity.
-Hollow Points.
So as to increase terminal ballistics and not to over-penetrate one's intended target causing the projectile to strike something that would compromise one's presence to the enemy or harm an HVT or noncombatants.
-Supersonic/Subsonic Ammo.
option to use either subsonic or supersonic ammo for suppressed firearms as an option so as to get better bullet velocity lethality and trajectory with supersonic rounds with the trade-off being the report of the round breaking the sound barrier downrange. Subsonic ammo being, much quieter but has decreased velocity/lethality.


-Load Out:
What Gun, Calibers, Backpacks, Plate Carriers, and Chest Rigs, that one chooses should impact what one has available to them during a mission and their mobility. Didn't pack the bolt cutters too bad, didn't wear a plate carrier on a direct action raid go down in a few shots, and didn't consider the weight of your gear/gun/caliber choice now your slower with less stamina.


-Clothing & Gear:
Clothing and kit should affect the player's ability to blend into the world camouflage concealing the player at plausible distances if the 5S's of concealment are being followed Sight, Sound, Shape, Shine, Silluet. The other aspect of that would be concealment in plain view, wearing full tactical gear would only be advisable in certain scenarios like direct action raids but wouldn't be when gathering intel staking out an objective. Wearing full kit would blow the team's cover when traveling in areas where it isn't appropriate to be in full kit with unconcealed weapons (this could be a setting for those interested in the idea of what is "tactical" over what actually is tactical IE actually blending into a given environment.)
Clothing & Gear should be authentic to what JSOC uses or brands that work in conjunction with JSOC clothing brands Like Arceryrx LEAF, Crye Precision, TYR Tactical, Triple Aught Design, Solomon, Lowa, and not companies like 511 Gear.
-Climbing Gear for Abseiling/Rappelling/Climbing Buildings & Cliffs.
-Breaching charges, & devices.
-Six12 breaching shotgun.
-IR strobes, and IR lights for Identifying teammates under nods. IR lights for signaling with the use of a short length of 550 cord spun around like a lasso.
-Smoke Grenades (40mm, and handheld)
-Chem Lights for marking routes cleared rooms etc...
-Working Radios: Shortwave & Longwave Radios the latter being used by the team's RTO "radio telephone operator" & TACP "Tactical Air Control Party" to call in fire missions, airstrikes, and ground, air, or waterborne assets (See Arma Reforger's radion system for an example).


-Land Navigation:
Land Navigation tools shouldn't take the player out of the game into a menu, there should be a Hand-Held topographical Map one can bring out and Lensatic Compass to plot routes then made visible to the squadmates. Wrist-mounted GPS & chest-mounted smartphones with blue force tracking & GPS could offer different digital maps including satellite. A wristwatch to tell the time with a compass attached to the band is another option for a quick baring.


-Bases.
Bases should range from a largescale US Military Base that the player would plan and launch larger missions from, the base would have an airfield that could launch AI-controlled planes to insert the team via High Altitude Low Opening or High Altitude High Opening airdrops, and AI-controlled helicopter insertions for the team. The team's Air Support & Quick Reaction Forces could also be launched from the base in real-time, or be loitering on standby if dictated by the player when setting up a mission. The larger base could also incorporate a randomized kill house as well as an area to build a modular kill house that could be rearranged to match target buildings when preparing for certain high-profile missions during the story.
Forward Operating Bases would act in much the same way but with different assets available to the team such as support for helicopters as well as ground or water-based vehicles. The FOBs might also include artillery batteries or 120mm Heavy Mortars depending on the size of the FOB.
Safe Houses would be used when in more hostile controlled areas to resupply and plan missions from and would support covert civilian up-armored vehicles.
Allied rebel camps & training camps could act as both a resupply point and training area also acting as a way to visualize the human cost of getting rebels killed, as well as launch rebel fire missions and quick reaction forces in real-time.
Rebel or CIA-controlled airfields or docks could launch smaller planes or boats for the team to utilize for AI or player-controlled insertions.


The Philippine archipelago would be a great setting for the next game: 
It Has an erratic and Tyrannical head of state.
Is at the forefront of a violent & brutal Drug War.
Is in the midst of a rise in Religious Extremist & Terrorist Activity.
Is a key player in a major Geopolitical Flashpoint in the South China Sea both territorial disputes and superpowers like the US and China vying for influence over the country each positioned in interesting ways with the US having multiple military bases around the country and China becoming a more strategic trade partner. 
The Green Berets have close military connections with their Pilipino counterparts so there is already a relationship to play off of with local personnel.
The location could afford the use of US air support and other substantial military assets SOF specific or conventional as far as support or transportation is concerned while still having the clandestine mission set and the requirement of the team being an unknown actor in the conflict.

Factions at play could be:
Pilipino Military.
Pilipino Police.
Pilipino Special Forces (Possibly spearheading a sanctioned coup attempt or aiding with rebel fighters subverting one or other conflicts with the other factions)
Ghost Team.
CIA. 
JSOC.
US NAVY, Air Force, USMC, & ARMY.
Terrorist cells.
Narco-terrorists.
A rogue faction of the Pilipino Military and its political/military leaders were involved in a coup. 
Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), and Chinese Navy.

So long as they included a good amount of large Islands as well as smaller ones I think it would play well giving different modes of transportation more importance there could even be a system to choose one's infiltration or exfiltration by AI or player-controlled vehicles like a local charter plane or boat, Helicopter, Zodiac, RHIB or SWICC Boat, Submarine or HALO drop between the islands and navigable river systems. 
Interesting set pieces could include artificial Chinese military Islands off the coast as well as Chinese US naval presence static or patrolling, container ships, or other large maritime vessels.

@ferromortem Multiplayer Game-mode Ideas (HVT) (CSAR) (Escape & Evade) (Hostage Rescue)

1st.) The mode would be called (HVT) High-Value Target. 
In HVT the defensive team would be tasked with defending a high-value person at a static location or the team would have to move the HVT to a series of locations or a specific location that would update if the first location was compromised. 
The Defensive team would win if the time were to run out, or they repelled the other team.
The attacking team would be told at the beginning of the round if they were capturing or killing the HVT. 
The attacking team would have the choice to infill via ground vehicle, parachute, or helicopter and land at player-designated landing zones outside a certain distance from the objective.
Once the HVT was killed or captured the attacking team would have to exfiltrate to an extraction zone (with tertiary alternatives) without being killed, captured, or lose the HVT.

.....Map size.
1-2 square kilometers give or take. 

.....Player count.
would be 8-12 players for the attacking team (A Squad split up into two Fire-teams ideally could be less like 6 but still needs 2 fire teams of 3). The defensive team if augmented with AI could be the same team number as the attackers. 

.....Spawn types.
Could be limited respawns or restricted to 1 life depending on settings.

.....Chat type 
Possibly required game chat with working radio channels to help with teamwork/cohesion.




2nd.) The mode would be (CSAR) Combat Search and Rescue.
In CSAR the First Team would be tasked with destroying a downed (Drone) (Helicopter/Resupply Plane) depending on which it was the team might have to extract important tech/pilot & aircrewman to an extraction point (with alternatives) should the main one not be viable for the team to reach. 
The opposing team would try to secure the crash site retrieving the tech or the aircrew if the First team got there first they would pursue them trying to prevent them from extracting or destroying the objective. 
*Optional idea could have the opposing force shoot down the aircraft to start off the round with a MANPAD Man-portable air-defense system like a Stinger.

......Map size.
1-2 square kilometers give or take.

......Player Count
4-6 players for the First team, 6-8 players for the opposing team. Could be evenly matched if that seems to work better if so maybe augment the team with AI.

.....Spawn types.
Could be limited respawns or restricted to 1 life depending on settings.

.....Chat type 
Possibly required game chat with working radio channels to help with teamwork/cohesion.




3rd.) The mode would be Escape & Evade................. 
In Escape & Evade the First team would start off getting shot down in an aircraft there would be variations in getting shot down one would include having to bail out of a plane that was hit and would parachute to the ground if the team was split up during the jump they would attempt to rally up or go directly for the extraction point.
They would have to evade a much larger opposing force as they try to get to an extraction zone should the first become untenable the team would have to reach another extraction point. (possibly augmented by AI patrols & search teams as well as hostile AI located at checkpoints/points of interest if possible) 
The opposing team would have to track down the first team more points would go for capturing them but killing them would be acceptable. 

.....Map size.
1-2 square kilometers give or take.

.....Player Count
4-6 players for the First team, 6-10 players for the opposing team. Augmented with AI.

.....Spawn types.
Restricted to 1 life for the first team, limited spawns for the opposition team.

.....Chat type. 
Possibly required game chat with working radio channels to help with teamwork/cohesion.





4th.) Hostage Rescue. Secure the hostage by extracting them or by killing all OPFOR on a medium-small map with multiple rounds to win. The hostage would be located in a large enclosed building and the mode would focus on close-quarters room clearing.
The attacking team would have the choice to infill on foot in a ground vehicle or via helicopter and land at player-designated landing zones outside a certain distance from the objective. Once the Hostage is captured the attacking team would have to exfiltrate to an extraction zone (with tertiary alternatives) without being killed, captured, or losing the HVT.

Once the HVT was killed or captured the attacking team would have to exfiltrate to an extraction zone (with tertiary alternatives) without being killed, captured, or lose the HVT.
.....Map Size 
Medium to small 1 or 1/2 square km, medium if teams scaled up.

.....Spawn type 
Restricted to 1 life per team member

.....Chat type.
Possibly required game chat with working radio channels to help with teamwork/cohesion.   

@dv20katana I think Colombia would easily be one of my top picks for locations of a ghost game. I also agree with the airplanes in GTA being the right fit for modeling flying off of. Though, for helicopter flying, I would personally opt for basing it on Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising, as I don't think anyone has done it better for use with a controller.

@sandilands85 Work in Progress but here is what I have so far.

……………...Game Outline………………….. 


………………..Date........................…
-During the height of the Arab Spring


……………...Locations in sequence:
-Libya
-Mali
-Nigeria/Chad
-Somalia
-Yemen
-Egypt
-Lebanon
-Iraq
-Syria 
-Turkey
-Afghanistan
-Pakistan 
-Malaysia/Singapore 
-The Philippines 
-Vietnam

…………….Factions:
Friendly 
-CIA Ground Branch & Special Activities Division. 
...Delta Force aka CAG or 1st SFOD-D
…SFODA (Shortened to ODA in the story outline)
...SEAL’s
...SWCC
…75th Rangers 


Neutral/Unknown
Iraqi SF
PLA
Philippine Army/SF
Vietnamese Army
Malaysian Army

Hostile Factions:
-Boko Haram
-Hamas
-Al Shabaab
-Abu Sayyaf
-Al-Qa’ida 
-Quds Force (Iranian Special Forces)


.……..The Story…….


-P1 A). Africa

Ground Branch gathering intel to take out terror cells working their way up the food chain in Libya when the safe house is attacked.

Remaining Ground branch track the terrorist responsible, and pass of intel to Delta stateside.

Ground Branch uncovers an arms smuggling ring leading to Mali.

Delta is training in the US on a mock-up building they are going to raid HVT's house in Tripoli. 

Ground Branch and Delta work their way thru Africa starting in Libya following stolen Libyan arms into Mali, next lead after a terror attack in Nigeria.

Intel is found of Boko Haram terror attack on Oil Refinery.

SEALs and SWCC move up the river to retake the refinery and track down new leads. 

Ground branch and Delta goes to Nigeria to investigate the Boko Haram attack, following the next lead up the [censored] River into chad.




P1 B.) Africa

(Multiple ODA detachments are training Rebels in select locations in Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, & The Philippines….)

Ground Branch Intel uncovered a lead at a Delta raid site that leads them to Somalia, CIA uncovers Al Shabaab's plans to attack an oil tanker after the next delta raid on a coastal Pirate fishing village with thought to harbor Al Shabaab leadership.

An oil tanker is hijacked by the Al Shabaab terror cell, and the SEALs in the region are tasked with retaking the ship as Delta hits a major Al Shabaab HQ in Mogadishu. 

Military ships in the region are routed towards the tanker.

An Al Shabaab Terror Cell branch out of Yemen attempts to blow up the Military ships as the attack was meant to draw out US Naval ships.




-P2 A.) Middle East Arabian peninsula

Ground Branch and Delta go into Yemen to follow up on the cell responsible for the attack. Delta meets up with Green Berets and friendly Rebel forces, they locate the area where the attack was planned in the mountains northwest of Sana'a and conduct a joint raid with Saudi AH64 Apaches providing close air support for the raid.

The Joint operation is led into an ambush by an Al-Qa’ida sleeper that was embedded in the allied rebel group on the raid that also misdirects Saudi air support to hit civilian targets in the area.

Ground Branch finds intel while conducting Sensitive Sight Exploitation that leads them to Egypt where the next attack is planned on the Suez canal (refinery/oil tanker)




-P2 B.) Middle East

Delta goes to Egypt to intervene at the planned attack site but is too late and arrives on-site being informed by the Egyptians that an oil tanker was highjacked by an Al Quida man dressed as the local Egyptian Suez canal navigator that is required by law for large vessels to safely navigate the canal who plans to scuttle the tanker at a natural chokepoint.

Hamas Backed by Quds Force Retaliate for a Saudi air strike that kills civilians in Yemen with an attack on a Saudi Port/Refinery In Jeddah.
Saudis allow SEALs to intervene in the Hamas takeover of the port.

Another SEAL Team based out of Mosul Iraq is tracking reports of ISIS/ISIL trying to steal chemical weapons in Iraq along the Tigris River

SEALs and SWCC move up the river to intervene with ISIS/ISL securing the chemical weapons. 

Ground Branch goes to Lebanon to gather intel on the Quds Force training Hamas on the Syrian Border 

Delta (or SEALs) with help from the Rangers attack the Quds Force/Hamas in Lebanon.

ISIS/ISIL has intel that US SOF is in the area and plans to ambush them. 

Delta goes to Beirut to meet with old contacts from the 90s to get intel on and eliminate Hamas HVT in the city Ground branch follows up on intel and locates the HVT. 

CIA/Langley hears chatter of impending ISIS/ISIL attack on the failing Mosul damn in Iraq. 

SEAL teams working with Iraqi SF go to defend the Damn

CIA/Langley get intel that destroying the damn is only part of the attack and ISIS/ISIL are planning to set off stolen chemical weapons to frame the Syrian Government. 




P3 A.) Middle East/Asia

Ground Branch finds intel of Quds Force backing a coup in Turkey. 

Ground Branch and Delta go to Turkey to intervene in the coup.
Delta takes down the Head of the Quds Force in turkey finding ties to an Al Quida branch in the tribal region of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border but couldn't prevent the coup.
Martial Law is instated in Istambul shutting down trade through the Bosphorus strait.

A CIA asset on the Afghan-Pakistan border finds further intel on an Al Qaida a possible planned attack in Malaysia




P3 B.) Southeast Asia 

CIA assets in Malaysia hear chatter about Al Qaida camps in the Malaysian jungle and a possible attack on the Malaysian straight.

Ground Branch searches for more intel on the camps and gives intel to Delta on HVT location who should know where the camps are. 

Delta goes to raid the training camp, they confirm intel of a possible attack on oil tankers in the Malaysian/Singapore straights and attacks on the port of Singapore. 

Singapore goes into a state of martial law, the city is on full lockdown.

A SEAL team is sent to secure the oil tankers in the straights.

One Ranger Battalion moves in to secure the port. 

The Marina Bay Sands hotel/convention had an international military expo taking place with thousands of guests and high-ranking military leaders from around the world.

The terror group is disguised as Singaporean police/military and locked down the entrances to the hotel with explosives prior to martial law being instated.

Delta is diverted from the Port to the Hotel (Inserts via Little bird on the rooftop) to secure the hotel as Singaporean forces are on standby to breach the ground floors.



P4 A.) South China Sea

Al Qaida stages attacks as an act of provocation to get China and the US into a direct conflict by way of framing China for attacking strategic points in Vietnam, and the Philippines. 

Ground Branch and Delta go to Vietnam to track down the perpetrators of the attacks, and SEALs go to the Philippines to spearhead operations with a Marine Expeditionary Unit in-country with help of the local Filipino SF. 

The US gets roped into the South China Sea to protect allies in the region.

Al Qaida staged an attack on a US Navy aircraft carrier, to get the US into the conflict against China.

The US prep for counterattacks at Chines Islands/military sites in the south china sea. 

Chinese mobilize troops on the Vietnamese border.

A Ranger Battalion and a Marine MEU deploy to Vietnam to bolster Defences at the Border.

As a new previously unknown terror group is revealed worldwide on major national television stations showcasing a video of the prior month's series of attacks culminating in the broadcast revealing that all the attacks had been organized by a terror collective that utilized the newly founded interconnectivity The Arab Spring brought about to connect with other terrorist organizations across the globe to outsource multiple attacks by their regional counterparts. Seeking to destroy major international shipping crippling routes Cripiling the US and Chinese economy while simultaneously bringing those same two leading powers into direct conflict to set the stage for a global power shift Setting the stage for the next game.
Setting the stage for the next game ending as a new global war between China and the US starts with the full force of both nations being unleashed.

@sandilands85 Sounds Great! I made an outline a while back for a game similar to Medal of Honor Warfighter with a linear storyline that would take the player across the globe tracking down leads on a global terror network during the Arab spring that could probably be adapted to a Ghost game I'll post it here later if I can find it.

@ferromortem Multiplayer Game-mode Ideas (HVT) (CSAR) (Escape & Evade) (Hostage Rescue)

1st.) The mode would be called (HVT) High-Value Target. 
In HVT the defensive team would be tasked with defending a high-value person at a static location or the team would have to move the HVT to a series of locations or a specific location that would update if the first location was compromised. 
The Defensive team would win if the time were to run out, or they repelled the other team.
The attacking team would be told at the beginning of the round if they were capturing or killing the HVT. 
The attacking team would have the choice to infill via ground vehicle, parachute, or helicopter and land at player-designated landing zones outside a certain distance from the objective.
Once the HVT was killed or captured the attacking team would have to exfiltrate to an extraction zone (with tertiary alternatives) without being killed, captured, or lose the HVT.

.....Map size.
1-2 square kilometers give or take. 

.....Player count.
would be 8-12 players for the attacking team (A Squad split up into two Fire-teams ideally could be less like 6 but still needs 2 fire teams of 3). The defensive team if augmented with AI could be the same team number as the attackers. 

.....Spawn types.
Could be limited respawns or restricted to 1 life depending on settings.

.....Chat type 
Possibly required game chat with working radio channels to help with teamwork/cohesion.




2nd.) The mode would be (CSAR) Combat Search and Rescue.
In CSAR the First Team would be tasked with destroying a downed (Drone) (Helicopter/Resupply Plane) depending on which it was the team might have to extract important tech/pilot & aircrewman to an extraction point (with alternatives) should the main one not be viable for the team to reach. 
The opposing team would try to secure the crash site retrieving the tech or the aircrew if the First team got there first they would pursue them trying to prevent them from extracting or destroying the objective. 
*Optional idea could have the opposing force shoot down the aircraft to start off the round with a MANPAD Man-portable air-defense system like a Stinger.

......Map size.
1-2 square kilometers give or take.

......Player Count
4-6 players for the First team, 6-8 players for the opposing team. Could be evenly matched if that seems to work better if so maybe augment the team with AI.

.....Spawn types.
Could be limited respawns or restricted to 1 life depending on settings.

.....Chat type 
Possibly required game chat with working radio channels to help with teamwork/cohesion.




3rd.) The mode would be Escape & Evade................. 
In Escape & Evade the First team would start off getting shot down in an aircraft there would be variations in getting shot down one would include having to bail out of a plane that was hit and would parachute to the ground if the team was split up during the jump they would attempt to rally up or go directly for the extraction point.
They would have to evade a much larger opposing force as they try to get to an extraction zone should the first become untenable the team would have to reach another extraction point. (possibly augmented by AI patrols & search teams as well as hostile AI located at checkpoints/points of interest if possible) 
The opposing team would have to track down the first team more points would go for capturing them but killing them would be acceptable. 

.....Map size.
1-2 square kilometers give or take.

.....Player Count
4-6 players for the First team, 6-10 players for the opposing team. Augmented with AI.

.....Spawn types.
Restricted to 1 life for the first team, limited spawns for the opposition team.

.....Chat type. 
Possibly required game chat with working radio channels to help with teamwork/cohesion.





4th.) Hostage Rescue. Secure the hostage by extracting them or by killing all OPFOR on a medium-small map with multiple rounds to win. The hostage would be located in a large enclosed building and the mode would focus on close-quarters room clearing.
The attacking team would have the choice to infill on foot in a ground vehicle or via helicopter and land at player-designated landing zones outside a certain distance from the objective. Once the Hostage is captured the attacking team would have to exfiltrate to an extraction zone (with tertiary alternatives) without being killed, captured, or losing the HVT.

Once the HVT was killed or captured the attacking team would have to exfiltrate to an extraction zone (with tertiary alternatives) without being killed, captured, or lose the HVT.
.....Map Size 
Medium to small 1 or 1/2 square km, medium if teams scaled up.

.....Spawn type 
Restricted to 1 life per team member

.....Chat type.
Possibly required game chat with working radio channels to help with teamwork/cohesion.   

@ferromortem

Other location ideas in Africa would comprise of two countries being represented on one map idea behind these selections would be to focus on the relationship between bordering countries their political conflicts and how porous borders can feed black market smuggling trade routes that feed into the regional flashpoints.

Locations could be any of the following:
-Nigeria and neighboring Cameroon (or Chad) dealing with oil companies, mercenary groups, rebel groups, terror groups, Civil War, and Coup attempts.
-Sierra Leone and neighboring Liberia dealing with the black market diamond trade rebel group's civil war and coup attempts. 
-The Democratic Republic of the Congo & Tanzania dealing with Cobalt & Lithium mining rebel groups civil war and coup attempts and the major railway being built between the two.

With any of the aforementioned African countries, it's possible to have China be involved in some way either as a direct opponent propping up a hostile regime the ghost team has to undermine covertly by aiding rebels and previous regime military forces. The ghost team would have to actively try to avoid contact with the Chinese military/gov’t personnel. China's involvement in the development of infrastructure in return for access to resources and emerging markets in many African countries is extensive and considered by most to be a form of debt-trap diplomacy where the lending nation seeks to loan more than the host nation receiving the loan can afford often times resulting in that nation defaulting on that debt whereby the lender collects on that debt by taking control of natural resources directly or by taking control of an infrastructural project they lent money for they also can use that debt for leverage compelling that nation to vote the same way on the key issues in the UN. So it's plausible the ghost team might come into contact with the Chinese in one of the countries adding another interesting dynamic and faction to deal with. 

It would be an interesting aspect to deal with border crossings getting procuring local safe houses, currency, arms, and vehicles if needed after crossing into a different country legally or illegally the former and latter crossing methods have their respective pros and cons. 
Having multiple factions within the countries could provide some added tension as one's allies in one country might be enemies of the allies in the bordering country making cross-border conflicts between factions dynamic and difficult to navigate one's standing in the various factions making supporting or subverting coup attempts in the storyline less black and white. I would have these factions interacting seizing territory and strategic points of interest dynamically whether the player is around or in a natural ebb and flow. Good world-building is an important aspect that most games and movies fail at miserably if done right the game world should feel alive and things and events should happen whether or not they are instigated by the player.

Overall there should be a much larger emphasis on clandestine operations incorporating "fieldcraft" & "tradecraft" aspects into the game, and having there be an inherent benefit for the player to blend in, and use common weapons/calibers used by local factions.

@sandilands85 Feel free to post any ideas here, I would be interested to see what others are coming up with.

@ai-bluefox Agreed about the inspiration part. But with little to no interaction from mods or responses from Developers, giving feedback on the Ubi Forums ultimately seems completely pointless. In my eyes, unless they course-correct I could easily see the series go the way of other AAA game franchises like Battlefield as they both have completely alienated their respective core fanbases at this point.

@el_cuervacho Same to you, I always appreciated your ideas as well and would give you that same accolade. I kinda gave up on the franchise after the last game and the announcement of the next game, but I figured I might try my hand at giving feedback to a brick wall again.

Ideas for how the series could course-correct.
If it can be agreed that Ghost Recon's identity at its core is an Authentic Strategic Shooter Putting the player in control of a Small Special Operations Unit Conducting Small Unit Tactics, I would suggest the following things being implemented would reinforce those themes:


-Genre:
The genre should go back to its identity as an authentic semi-realistic strategic squad shooter. It should remain an open-world game as it lends itself best to the subject matter.


-Setting:
The setting needs to be an authentic real-world location covering realistic geopolitical conflicts..


-Tone:
The tone needs to reinforce the subject matter, and not serve to discredit it. The tone should be gritty and tell an authentic military story complete with a requisite amount of gallows humor.


-World-Building:
The world-building needs to reinforce the theme of a small special operations unit operating in a clandestine environment.
The Player should feel like the world is alive and reacts to the player's choices, but still like events could unfold without direct action from the player.
The world-building and gameplay mechanics should make the player feel like there are severe consequences for getting caught when operating in a non-permissive environment.
Civilians should have a larger impact on one's mission and not just be aimlessly wandering about as set dressing. One could gather intel on targets/missions/convoys by asking civilians for information one would have to choose the right things to ask/say to get information out of them, not just pressing the action button to get intel out of them but actual dialog choices with multiple outcomes and possible tasks to complete in return for the intel, this might mean bribing them.
One might have to dress in civilian clothing when in urban areas so as not to compromise the team's presence, as well as when they are trying to get through checkpoints or border crossings without being detected. One might have to bribe the guards at the checkpoint but it isn't guaranteed to work and the money supply is limited to what they might find on objective sights or what they have limited access to from CIA safe houses.
One could also bribe civilians to get intel or to not give you up to the enemy, depending on the relative distance or scope of influence the hostile faction has on the civilians they would be more or less inclined to help or rat you out.
If the team is compromised in a non-combative situation at a checkpoint or in a town/city the team would have to escape and evade those, they became compromised too.
A capture system should be put into place where the team members that are caught go to a local jail or military base depending on the type of transgression and who they are caught by, the team member could break out where they are being held or have people break them out.


-Story:
The story should cover plausible geopolitical turmoil & the conflict that arises from them in a realistic manner. The story should be linear to allow for better character & story arcs with narrative cutscenes. Allied factions should also get a character arc this could be accomplished by the Ghost team training the allied faction in small unit tactics that would also act as a tutorial to teach the player those same skills.


-Missions:
The missions should be authentic to that of a small special operations unit working in a clandestine environment.
The Ghost team should have a planning board at the HQ or Regional Safehouse with the mission objectives and overhead map of the area of operation that would allow the player to plan the mission after gaining the requisite intel via reconnaissance and allied assets actionable intel.
The player is then able to set up their; insertion/exfiltration routes and points via AI-controlled vehicles. Dismounted approach/exfill routes. Entry/exit points of the objective building or compound. Primary, secondary, and tertiary exfill points/plans. Contingencies for Quick Reaction Forces. What available assets are available that the area of operation and their constraints of the area in regards to what for Close Air Support, Airstrikes, or Fire missions can be called in.


-Gameplay:
The gameplay should mirror real-world Special operations mission sets. CO-OP player count should be increased up to 6 if possible to better employ small unit tactics. If it was upped to 12-player CO-OP to mirror the upper size of an ODA team it would allow for serious strategic squad-based gameplay not currently available on a console. Fireteam controls should include patrol pattern/spread, bounding overwatch, fireteam/squad formations, proper AI execution for clearing buildings, and ambush tactics such as Linear, L Shape, & V Shape Ambushes at either a Near, intermediate or Far distance. The Ghost team could be tasked with teaching rebel groups those same squad tactics to mirror the mission capability of some ODA & SFOD teams, this would hopefully give the allied rebels some character development and could act as a tutorial to teach the player some of these tactics towards the beginning of the game. AI control should have more functionality such as being able to be given individual orders to do certain, change the Rules Of Engagement, chain waypoints, tell them to suppress a target, set up a defensive position/ambushes, assault, or fall back, etc...


-Vehicles:
Vehicles should be authentic to the factions and locations being depicted. The full suite of current Special operations watercraft, air, and land vehicles should be present in the game to include covert up-armored bulletproof and blast-resistant civilian vehicles such as the Toyota Hilux or Landcruiser. The team's vehicle should have storage for additional weapons, ammo, and gear, as well as having a winch/ recovery kit, jerry can for extra fuel, & snorkel. Storage of ammo equipment gear and heavy weapons like an M107A1, MK32A1, CARL-GUSTAF M4, Mortars, and tripod-mounted crew-served weapons like the General Dynamics .338NM LWMMG or .50 BMG XM806 one can move around to set up ambushes/defensive positions. To make travel between areas more engaging and add a bit of tension having the need to fill up the cars with at gas stations/safe houses/or with jerry cans in case one runs out of gas in remote areas. Having areas on roads where one can get stuck in mud/sand/water after which one would need to use a winch/recovery kit to get out, as well as including flat tires/engine problems being a random/very rare occurrence and more commonplace for NPC vehicles.


-Firearms & Weapons:
Firearms Ballistics and handling characteristics should be based on real-world data variables being derived from what caliber, barrel length, and ammunition are being used, not made-up stats. Optics should have functional reticles with functioning holdovers, Ballistic Drop Compensators, and Auto-Ranging markings on the reticles.
The Ghost Team should have access to authentic US Special Operations weapons from the start of the game with appropriate accessories & modifications also being available from the start. The weaponry of the other factions should reflect their real-world counterparts and what is actually available and used within those regions. Realistic and plausible weapons being used by the factions in the game adds to the world-building and authenticity of the factions. The next game needs a competent professional advisor who has extensive knowledge of weapons and experience employing them I think Lary Vickers would be the best choice given his credentials and previous involvement working on Medal of Honor Warfighter.


-Gunsmithing:
Gunsmithing should be as in-depth as industry leaders like "Escape from Tarkov". Quality Real-world industry-leading Optics and Accessory that would mirror what is used by SOF units and what is available for procurement at the higher end. Placement for applicable accessories based on ergonimics and eye relief constraints. Variations in cosmetic weapon furniture such as Buttstocks, Rails/Handguards, Pistol Grips, and receivers. Multiple Caliber options for applicable firearms. Flashlights (For [censored] Sake) with realistic characteristics when it comes to disrupting enemies' ability to react in close quarters. Both White light and Infrared settings could be available.
Ammo's choice.
-Armor Piercing
rounds (better penetration) and possibly velocity.
-Hollow Points.
So as to increase terminal ballistics and not to over-penetrate one's intended target causing the projectile to strike something that would compromise one's presence to the enemy or harm an HVT or noncombatants.
-Supersonic/Subsonic Ammo.
option to use either subsonic or supersonic ammo for suppressed firearms as an option so as to get better bullet velocity lethality and trajectory with supersonic rounds with the trade-off being the report of the round breaking the sound barrier downrange. Subsonic ammo being, much quieter but has decreased velocity/lethality.

-Communications
Radios: Shortwave & Longwave. Longwave radio would be used by the team's RTO/Forward Air Controller to coordinate airstrikes, fire missions, and call-in assets. Having coms tied to radios would be a natural way to encourage teammates to stay in range of the shortwave frequency to maintain coms with the team.


-Load Out:
What Gun, Calibers, Backpacks, Plate Carriers, and Chest Rigs, that one chooses impacts what one has available to them during a mission and their mobility. Didn't pack the bolt cutters too bad, didn't wear a plate carrier on a direct action raid go down in a few shots, and didn't consider the weight of your gear/gun/caliber choice now your slower with less stamina.


-Clothing & Gear:
Clothing and kit should affect the player's ability to blend into the world camouflage concealing the player at plausible distances if the 5S's of concealment are being followed Sight, Sound, Shape, Shine, Silluet. The other aspect of that would be concealment in plain view, wearing full tactical gear would only be advisable in certain scenarios like direct action raids but wouldn't be when gathering intel staking out an objective. Wearing full kit would blow the team's cover when traveling in areas where it isn't appropriate to be in full kit with unconcealed weapons (this could be a setting for those interested in the idea of what is "tactical" over what actually is tactical IE actually blending into a given environment.)
Clothing & Gear should be authentic to what JSOC uses or brans who work in conjunction with JSOC clothing brands Like Arceryrx LEAF, Beyond Clothing, TAD Gear, TYR Tactical, not 511.
-Climbing Gear for Abseiling/Rappelling/Climbing Buildings & Cliffs.
-Breaching charges, & devices.
-Six12 breaching shotgun.
-IR strobes, and IR lights for Identifying teammates under nods.
-Smoke Grenades (40mm, and handheld)
-Signal Flares.
-Chem Lights.


-Land Navigation:
Land Navigation tools shouldn't take the player out of the game into a menu, there should be a Hand-Held topographical Map one can bring out and Lensatic Compass to plot routes then made visible to the squadmates. Wrist or chest-mounted GPS could offer different digital maps including satellite overview. A wristwatch to tell the time with a compass attached to the band is another option for a quick baring.


-Bases.
Bases should range from a largescale US Military Base that the player would plan and launch larger missions from, the base would have an airfield that could launch AI-controlled planes to insert the team via High Altitude Low Opening or High Altitude High Opening airdrops, and AI-controlled helicopter insertions for the team. The team's Air Support & Quick Reaction Forces could also be launched from the base in real-time, or be loitering on standby if dictated by the player when setting up a mission. The larger base could also incorporate a randomized kill house as well as an area to build a modular kill house that could be rearranged to match target buildings when preparing for certain high-profile missions during the story.
Forward Operating Bases would act in much the same way but with different assets available to the team such as support for helicopters as well as ground or water-based vehicles. The FOBs might also include artillery batteries or 120mm Heavy Mortars depending on the size of the FOB.
Safe Houses would be used when in more hostile controlled areas to resupply and plan missions from and would support covert civilian up-armored vehicles.
Allied rebel camps & training camps could act as both a training area with a rudimentary kill house a safe area and a way to visualize the human cost of getting rebels killed, as well as launch rebel fire missions and quick reaction forces in real-time.
Rebel or CIA-controlled airfields or docks could launch smaller planes or boats for the team to utilize for AI or player-controlled insertions.


-Game Setting.
The Philippine archipelago would be a great setting for the next game: 
It Has an erratic and Tyrannical head of state.
Is at the forefront of a violent & brutal Drug War.
Is in the midst of a rise in Religious Extremist & Terrorist Activity.
Is a key player in a major Geopolitical Flashpoint in the South China Sea both territorial disputes and superpowers like the US and China vying for influence over the country each positioned in interesting ways with the US having multiple military bases around the country and China becoming a more strategic trade partner. 
The Green Berets have close military connections with their Pilipino counterparts so there is already a relationship to play off of with local personnel.
The location could afford the use of US air support and other substantial military assets SOF specific or conventional as far as support or transportation is concerned while still having the clandestine mission set and the requirement of the team being an unknown actor in the conflict.

Factions at play could be:
Pilipino Military.
Pilipino Police.
Pilipino Special Forces (Possibly spearheading a sanctioned coup attempt or aiding with rebel fighters subverting one or other conflicts with the other factions)
Ghost Team.
CIA. 
JSOC.
US NAVY, Air Force, USMC, & ARMY.
Terrorist cells.
Narco-terrorists.
A rogue faction of the Pilipino Military and its political/military leaders were involved in a coup. 
Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), and Chinese Navy.

So long as they included a good amount of large Islands as well as smaller ones I think it would play well giving different modes of transportation more importance there could even be a system to choose one's infiltration or exfiltration by AI or player-controlled vehicles like a local charter plane or boat, Helicopter, Zodiac, RHIB or SWICC Boat, Submarine or HALO drop between the islands and navigable river systems. 
Interesting set pieces could include artificial Chinese military Islands off the coast as well as Chinese US naval presence static or patrolling, container ships, or other large maritime vessels.

Steps towards a brand Corse Correction for Ghost Recon.

-What was the core of Ghost Recon's brand identity?
-What was the original intent of the series & what was the experience it was trying to have the player experience?
In my opinion, the original intent was to create an authentic strategic game putting the player in the boots of a Special Operations Team Member allowing the player to engage in Small Unit Tactics within the context of the special operation's mission set.


Ideas for how the series could course-correct and regain its identity?
If it can be agreed that Ghost Recon's identity at its core is an Authentic Strategic Shooter Putting the player in control of a Small Special Operations Unit Conducting Small Unit Tactics, I would suggest the following things being implemented would reinforce those themes:


-Genre:
The genre should go back to its identity as an authentic semi-realistic strategic squad shooter. It should remain an open-world game as it lends itself best to the subject matter.


-Setting:
The setting needs to be an authentic real-world location covering realistic geopolitical conflicts..


-Tone:
The tone needs to reinforce the subject matter, and not serve to discredit it. The tone should be gritty and tell an authentic military story complete with a requisite amount of gallows humor.


-World-Building:
The world-building needs to reinforce the theme of a small special operations unit operating in a clandestine environment.
The Player should feel like the world is alive and reacts to the player's choices, but still like events could unfold without direct action from the player.
The world-building and gameplay mechanics should make the player feel like there are severe consequences for getting caught when operating in a non-permissive environment.
Civilians should have a larger impact on one's mission and not just be aimlessly wandering about as set dressing. One could gather intel on targets/missions/convoys by asking civilians for information one would have to choose the right things to ask/say to get information out of them, not just pressing the action button to get intel out of them but actual dialog choices with multiple outcomes and possible tasks to complete in return for the intel, this might mean bribing them.
One might have to dress in civilian clothing when in urban areas so as not to compromise the team's presence, as well as when they are trying to get through checkpoints or border crossings without being detected. One might have to bribe the guards at the checkpoint but it isn't guaranteed to work and money supply is limited to what they might find on objective sights or what they have limited access to from CIA safe houses.
One could also bribe civilians to get intel or to not give you up to the enemy, depending on the relative distance or scope of influence the hostile faction has on the civilians they would be more or less inclined to help or rat you out.
If the team is compromised in a non-combative situation at a checkpoint or in a town/city the team would have to escape and evade those they became compromised to.
A capture system should be put into place where the team members that are caught go to a local jail or military base depending on the type of transgression and who they are caught by, the team member could break out where they are being held or have people break them out.


-Story:
The story should cover plausible geopolitical turmoil & the conflict that arises from them in a realistic manner. The story should be linear to allow for better character & story arcs with narrative cutscenes. Allied factions should also get a character arc this could be accomplished by the Ghost team training the allied faction in small unit tactics that would also act as a tutorial to teach the player those same skills.


-Missions:
The missions should be authentic to that of a small special operations unit working in a clandestine environment.
The Ghost team should have a planning board at the HQ or Regional Safehouse with the mission objectives and overhead map of the area of operation that would allow the player to plan the mission after gaining the requisite intel via reconnaissance and allied assets actionable intel.
The player is then able to set up their; insertion/exfiltration routes and points via AI-controlled vehicles. Dismounted approach/exfill routes. Entry/exit points of the objective building or compound. Primary, secondary, and tertiary exfill points/plans. Contingencies for Quick Reaction Forces. What available assets are available that the area of operation and their constraints of the area in regards to what for Close Air Support, Airstrikes, or Fire missions can be called in.


-Gameplay:
The gameplay should mirror real-world Special operations mission sets. CO-OP player count should be increased up to 6 if possible to better employ small unit tactics. If it was upped to 12-player CO-OP to mirror the upper size of an ODA team it would allow for serious strategic squad-based gameplay not currently available on a console. Fireteam controls should include patrol pattern/spread, bounding overwatch, fireteam/squad formations, proper AI execution for clearing buildings, and ambush tactics such as Linear, L Shape, & V Shape Ambushes at either a Near, intermediate or Far distance. The Ghost team could be tasked with teaching rebel groups those same squad tactics to mirror the mission capability of some ODA & SFOD teams, this would hopefully give the allied rebels some character development and could act as a tutorial to teach the player some of these tactics towards the beginning of the game. AI control should have more functionality such as being able to be given individual orders to do certain, change the Rules Of Engagement, chain waypoints, tell them to suppress a target, set up a defensive position/ambushes, assault, or fall back, etc...


-Vehicles:
Vehicles should be authentic to the factions and locations being depicted. The full suite of current Special operations watercraft, air, and land vehicles should be present in the game to include covert up-armored bulletproof and blast-resistant civilian vehicles such as the Toyota Hilux or Landcruiser. The team's vehicle should have storage for additional weapons, ammo, and gear, as well as having a winch/ recovery kit, jerry can for extra fuel, & snorkel. Storage of ammo equipment gear and heavy weapons like an M107A1, MK32A1, CARL-GUSTAF M4, Mortars, and tripod-mounted crew-served weapons like the General Dynamics .338NM LWMMG or .50 BMG XM806 one can move around to set up ambushes/defensive positions. To make travel between areas more engaging and add a bit of tension having the need to fill up the cars at gas stations/safe houses/or with jerry cans in case one runs out of gas in remote areas. Having areas on roads where one can get stuck in mud/sand/water after which one would need to use a winch/recovery kit to get out, as well as including flat tires/engine problems being a random/very rare occurrence and more commonplace for NPC vehicles.


-Firearms & Weapons:
Firearms Ballistics and handling characteristics should be based on real-world data variables being derived from what caliber, barrel length, and ammunition are being used, not made-up stats. Optics should have functional reticles with functioning holdovers, Ballistic Drop Compensators, and Auto-Ranging markings on the reticles.
The Ghost Team should have access to authentic US Special Operations weapons from the start of the game with appropriate accessories & modifications also being available from the start. The weaponry of the other factions should reflect their real-world counterparts and what is actually available and used within those regions. Realistic and plausible weapons being used by the factions in the game adds to the world-building and authenticity of the factions. The next game needs a competent professional advisor who has extensive knowledge of weapons and experience employing them I think Lary Vickers would be the best choice given his credentials and previous involvement working on Medal of Honor Warfighter.


-Gunsmithing:
Gunsmithing should be as in-depth as industry leaders like "Escape from Tarkov". Quality Real-world industry-leading Optics and Accessory that would mirror what is used by SOF units and what is available for procurement at the higher end. Placement for applicable accessories based on ergonimics and eye relief constraints. Variations in cosmetic weapon furniture such as Buttstocks, Rails/Handguards, Pistol Grips, receivers. Multiple Caliber options for applicable firearms. Flashlights with realistic characteristics when it comes to disrupting enemies' ability to react in close quarters. Both White light and Infrared settings could be available.
Ammo's choice.
-Armor Piercing
rounds (better penetration) and possibly velocity.
-Hollow Points.
So as to increase terminal ballistics and not to over-penetrate one's intended target causing the projectile to strike something that would compromise one's presence to the enemy or harm an HVT or noncombatants.
-Supersonic/Subsonic Ammo.
option to use either subsonic or supersonic ammo for suppressed firearms as an option so as to get better bullet velocity lethality and trajectory with supersonic rounds with the trade-off being the report of the round breaking the sound barrier downrange. Subsonic ammo being, much quieter but has decreased velocity/lethality.


-Load Out:
What Gun, Calibers, Backpacks, Plate Carriers, and Chest Rigs, that one chooses should impact what one has available to them during a mission and their mobility. Didn't pack the bolt cutters too bad, didn't wear a plate carrier on a direct action raid go down in a few shots, and didn't consider the weight of your gear/gun/caliber choice now your slower with less stamina.


-Clothing & Gear:
Clothing and kit should affect the player's ability to blend into the world camouflage concealing the player at plausible distances if the 5S's of concealment are being followed Sight, Sound, Shape, Shine, Silluet. The other aspect of that would be concealment in plain view, wearing full tactical gear would only be advisable in certain scenarios like direct action raids but wouldn't be when gathering intel staking out an objective. Wearing full kit would blow the team's cover when traveling in areas where it isn't appropriate to be in full kit with unconcealed weapons (this could be a setting for those interested in the idea of what is "tactical" over what actually is tactical IE actually blending into a given environment.)
Clothing & Gear should be authentic to what JSOC uses or brands that work in conjunction with JSOC clothing brands Like Arceryrx LEAF, Crye Precision, TYR Tactical, Triple Aught Design, Solomon, Lowa, and not companies like 511 Gear.
-Climbing Gear for Abseiling/Rappelling/Climbing Buildings & Cliffs.
-Breaching charges, & devices.
-Six12 breaching shotgun.
-IR strobes, and IR lights for Identifying teammates under nods. IR lights for signaling with the use of a short length of 550 cord spun around like a lasso.
-Smoke Grenades (40mm, and handheld)
-Chem Lights for marking routes cleared rooms etc...
-Working Radios: Shortwave & Longwave Radios the latter being used by the team's RTO "radio telephone operator" & TACP "Tactical Air Control Party" to call in fire missions, airstrikes, and ground, air, or waterborne assets (See Arma Reforger's radion system for an example).


-Land Navigation:
Land Navigation tools shouldn't take the player out of the game into a menu, there should be a Hand-Held topographical Map one can bring out and Lensatic Compass to plot routes then made visible to the squadmates. Wrist-mounted GPS & chest-mounted smartphones with blue force tracking & GPS could offer different digital maps including satellite. A wristwatch to tell the time with a compass attached to the band is another option for a quick baring.


-Bases.
Bases should range from a largescale US Military Base that the player would plan and launch larger missions from, the base would have an airfield that could launch AI-controlled planes to insert the team via High Altitude Low Opening or High Altitude High Opening airdrops, and AI-controlled helicopter insertions for the team. The team's Air Support & Quick Reaction Forces could also be launched from the base in real-time, or be loitering on standby if dictated by the player when setting up a mission. The larger base could also incorporate a randomized kill house as well as an area to build a modular kill house that could be rearranged to match target buildings when preparing for certain high-profile missions during the story.
Forward Operating Bases would act in much the same way but with different assets available to the team such as support for helicopters as well as ground or water-based vehicles. The FOBs might also include artillery batteries or 120mm Heavy Mortars depending on the size of the FOB.
Safe Houses would be used when in more hostile controlled areas to resupply and plan missions from and would support covert civilian up-armored vehicles.
Allied rebel camps & training camps could act as both a resupply point and training area also acting as a way to visualize the human cost of getting rebels killed, as well as launch rebel fire missions and quick reaction forces in real-time.
Rebel or CIA-controlled airfields or docks could launch smaller planes or boats for the team to utilize for AI or player-controlled insertions.


The Philippine archipelago would be a great setting for the next game: 
It Has an erratic and Tyrannical head of state.
Is at the forefront of a violent & brutal Drug War.
Is in the midst of a rise in Religious Extremist & Terrorist Activity.
Is a key player in a major Geopolitical Flashpoint in the South China Sea both territorial disputes and superpowers like the US and China vying for influence over the country each positioned in interesting ways with the US having multiple military bases around the country and China becoming a more strategic trade partner. 
The Green Berets have close military connections with their Pilipino counterparts so there is already a relationship to play off of with local personnel.
The location could afford the use of US air support and other substantial military assets SOF specific or conventional as far as support or transportation is concerned while still having the clandestine mission set and the requirement of the team being an unknown actor in the conflict.

Factions at play could be:
Pilipino Military.
Pilipino Police.
Pilipino Special Forces (Possibly spearheading a sanctioned coup attempt or aiding with rebel fighters subverting one or other conflicts with the other factions)
Ghost Team.
CIA. 
JSOC.
US NAVY, Air Force, USMC, & ARMY.
Terrorist cells.
Narco-terrorists.
A rogue faction of the Pilipino Military and its political/military leaders were involved in a coup. 
Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), and Chinese Navy.

So long as they included a good amount of large Islands as well as smaller ones I think it would play well giving different modes of transportation more importance there could even be a system to choose one's infiltration or exfiltration by AI or player-controlled vehicles like a local charter plane or boat, Helicopter, Zodiac, RHIB or SWICC Boat, Submarine or HALO drop between the islands and navigable river systems. 
Interesting set pieces could include artificial Chinese military Islands off the coast as well as Chinese US naval presence static or patrolling, container ships, or other large maritime vessels.