Controller Question: Do You Ever Use Squad Commands?

Controller Question: Do You Ever Use Squad (Directional) Commands on a Controller D-Pad?

Perhaps on PC but almost never on a controller. I used to once upon a time though usually to direct tank-y characters like Grunt into direct fire during the Trilogy because the AI was poor but nowadays in this game it's just not necessary anymore imo which got me thinking what else could we use the D-Pad for instead in a hypothetical future BioWare game?

Having played the multiplayer for years now, whenever I go back to single-player I have this twitch reflex response whenever I'm about to die I press left for medi-gel (Ops Packs) like a skinner box rat without even thinking about it which leads to lots of irritating unnecessary deaths due to the unintuitive and cumbersome game-flow breaking gui compared to the lite multiplayer control scheme it's attempting to evoke which is just so much more intuitive than this horrible halfway house solution.

In my opinion adding consumables was a good idea in theory but the consumable/weapon wheel menu is unnecessary for a number of reasons. First of all weapon switching should have been part of the Favorite system and secondly equipping consumables should be something you do before a mission on a fully developed gui screen menu not during a mission in the middle of combat.

If they had assigned consumables to the d-pad like multiplayer they could have used the back button and that screen real-estate during combat to develop a new tactical view for directing squad power usage and which could also have been used for issuing directional commands.

Whether you use m+kb or a controller what are your thoughts on squad commands as they stand? How would you improve on them and the control scheme in general or has the series simply moved on from the traditional squad tactical gameplay of old grounded in hardware and engine limitations and are perhaps no longer really necessary anymore due to better AI and the change of (combat) direction?

My ideal control scheme for a hypothetical future Mass Effect game would attempt to bridge the gap between the measured tactical gameplay of ME:T and the fast paced action-orientated advances of MP & ME:A. Ideally, something a bit like this:


Up: Equip Heavy Weapon (5/5)  - e.g. Cobras, Cains, Blackstorm, Arc Projector, etc. via your ship/inventory
Left: Medi-Gel (5/5) - For Shield Boosting / Revives
Right: Ammo / Grenade Refill (5/5)
Down: Un-equip/Switch Weapon

Hold Up: Favorite 1
Hold Left: Favorite 2
Hold Right: Favorite 3
Hold Down: Favorite 4

Back: Tactical View (No longer paused but V.A.T.S speed)
Start: Menu

A / X : Run / Hold (situational): Cover
X / Square : Reload / Hold + Left Stick: Jump Dodge
B / Circle : Light Melee / Hold: Heavy Melee
Y / Triangle : Primary Power / Hold Y: Jetpack Jump

LB / L1 : Power 2
RB / R1: Power 3
LT / L2 : Fine Aim
RT / R2 : Shoot