This game, and EVE to which it is connected, is based on team-work. If you want to fight alone, that is your choice, but the military uses squads for a reason, and so does Dust. Before saying, "This is just a video game. I want to do it alone," or some variation, remember that EVE is one of the few games where players hold almost all the power. Player run economy, history, militaries, etc. That's just the type of universe that you're getting into.

While I agree with you about EVE online, I really don't see it in this game. To me this is a shooter and while I play to help my team, I don't necessarily want to hear a kid screaming my ears off on a mic because I didn't turn left. I just think that what I am asking would help maintain a player base of casual players. I have brought 3 friends to play this game so far and they all stopped because a) there is too much randomness b) they are fed up of squads rolling pugs. I am not suggesting to change the direction that the game is taking, simply to take into account the average joe.

Squads in public games isn't the problem. It is squads of proto suit wearing, Complex Damage mod stacking, 6 million+ SP supermen in public games with completely new players that is the problem. You get hit with 7 AR bullets and you're dead.

I don't precisely know what your friends mean by "too much randomness" but I assume they mean...spawns maybe? Or the action seems too chaotic (probably because they are constantly getting pubstomped)? If they were fighting players roughly around their skill level then they probably wouldn't be seeing the same kind of randomness.

Fix the matchmaking and you fix this entire complaint, in my opinion. Based off of, say, total WPs or some super CCP style complex algorithm of Total WPs, WPs average per game and value of purchased items, maybe? That makes it very unlikely that a Proto guy (even if he's using Militia gear) who kicks balls would end up in matches with absolute newbies. Squads are the tricky part. I don't know. Average doesn't work so well but basically ANYTHING would be better than what is going on now.

Average Joe would be able to play against some other average Joe.

I play every other weekend, so i'm not on very often. Fortunately, my corp has no problem with that. I may never get onto their A team, but I have a chance to play in a squad of skilled players who are noob friendly and like to work as a team. Also, I was pretty offended by your comment about a "kid screaming in your ear." I'm the only person under 18 that I have ever seen in game or on the forums, and I definitely don't "scream in people's ears." This isn't CoD, there are no 3 year olds crying when they lose. This is a mature game for mature people, so almost anyone who plays it will mirror these characteristics.