Recently the lesser blessed players had a change to play Quake Wars as well. Some lucky people already have been playing the beta for months. We are on xfire so we are only interested in one thing: Is this game suited for competition? It's hard to judge whether it is suitable based on just a beta. Nonetheless I am writing this column. Why? Because I fucking can!
First thing I have to do as should all of you is to stop making comparisons between RTCW/ET and Quake Wars. I myself have been guilty of doing so but that could destroy this game. Second that has to be done is not to be afraid of change. Who cares what the developers intended? If things have to be altered to favor competition it has to be done.
I have no idea when the full version comes out but the first months of a game are the best. Just think of all the tactics teams will use. They can be totally different and that's a lot of fun. ET never really had this because going from Rtcw to ET was just a small step. This change is a lot better so everything has to start relatively fresh. Remember the days of Wolfenstein where teams still tried to defend both radars on mp_base. Later on everyone used the same (boring) tactic of just defending one radar. This was the best tactic but it got quite dull. Clan Kapitol using a venom in the first BOB tournament (was it called battle of the beachhead??) on the stairs on mp_beach. You never saw it again. So enjoy the first few months of the game, afterwards the game gets repetitive.
How to stop it from becoming dull and repetitive? I have no idea how many maps will be included or what they look like but competitions should not use the same maps over and over again. Each season, which is 6 months, a number of maps have to be chosen. These maps will be used that season and the following season maps will rotate. Use no map for more than two seasons and be sure to add customs to the map pool after a while. Remember Supply depot which was a good custom map, if not amazing, but it got played way too much. Removing the map for a season or two would stop it from becoming dull. Let's prevent that from happening by making something as simple as rotating map pools.
Game play changes. Don't let the game remain the same for a long time. Keep making small changes which affect game play. Change the rules for something simple as respawn times, recharge times, number of mines god knows what but keep changing small things regularly. This will keep things fresh and exciting. Tactics will have to changed to adjust to the new game play. This will stop the game from being dull and repetitive.
Is the game suited for competition? This is impossible to determine based on the beta and without competition being played but it is more likely than not that it is not suited out of the box. It can't be balanced from the start. When the game gets played more teams will discover things that disrupt the balance of the game. Besides that there are a lot of functions in Quake Wars. Not only vehicles but also two types of mines among other things. Some will add flavor to the game while others will ruin the game. Which? Time will tell but I don't be afraid of change. That something was added doesn't mean it can't be removed or tweaked but the game also shouldn't be made into Rtcw or ET because while ET was quite similar to Rtcw this doesn't relate that much to the previous game. The engine is different which causes new dynamics. It has classes and team play but that's the only comparison that can be made. This game can be suited for competition, let's see to it that it will.
I still want to propose one change I, and other, have already suggested for ET a long time ago: Maptimes. These maps are big and the time limits are long. Not everyone can play for hours or wants to play for hours just to play a game in a tournament. Not everyone likes to be held at spawn for 20 minutes which can happen in an uneven match. A simple rule can change all this. Take a look at the current map. There are two main objectives (three if you count blowing up the sewer): Building the EMP disruptor and hacking the sewer system. The current map time is 20 minutes. Exact times aren't important but let's say a team gets 8 minutes to build the disruptor. If they fail the other team has won. Do they manage to build the disruptor in those 8 minutes than they have 8 minutes to hack the sewer system. An uneven game will only last 8 minutes, I think both teams will like that while an even game, assuming that in an even game objectives can be completed within time only time will tell, the full time limit will be used.
What was the purpose of the article (which was written too fast)? The first months are the best months of a game. Keep the game fresh and exciting. Don't make it into Rtcw or ET because this is a different game based on a different engine but also don't be afraid of tweaking/altering things. Time will tell what things have to be changed but I already hear "but that's part of the game" or "that's how the developers intended it" comments. No one cares, no game is good out of the box. That's because it is impossible to tell how the game play will evolve. Which it will. Is there another purpose? Hell no I was just bored because I have too much time on my hands.
So, there you have my 122 cents.
First thing I have to do as should all of you is to stop making comparisons between RTCW/ET and Quake Wars. I myself have been guilty of doing so but that could destroy this game. Second that has to be done is not to be afraid of change. Who cares what the developers intended? If things have to be altered to favor competition it has to be done.
I have no idea when the full version comes out but the first months of a game are the best. Just think of all the tactics teams will use. They can be totally different and that's a lot of fun. ET never really had this because going from Rtcw to ET was just a small step. This change is a lot better so everything has to start relatively fresh. Remember the days of Wolfenstein where teams still tried to defend both radars on mp_base. Later on everyone used the same (boring) tactic of just defending one radar. This was the best tactic but it got quite dull. Clan Kapitol using a venom in the first BOB tournament (was it called battle of the beachhead??) on the stairs on mp_beach. You never saw it again. So enjoy the first few months of the game, afterwards the game gets repetitive.
How to stop it from becoming dull and repetitive? I have no idea how many maps will be included or what they look like but competitions should not use the same maps over and over again. Each season, which is 6 months, a number of maps have to be chosen. These maps will be used that season and the following season maps will rotate. Use no map for more than two seasons and be sure to add customs to the map pool after a while. Remember Supply depot which was a good custom map, if not amazing, but it got played way too much. Removing the map for a season or two would stop it from becoming dull. Let's prevent that from happening by making something as simple as rotating map pools.
Game play changes. Don't let the game remain the same for a long time. Keep making small changes which affect game play. Change the rules for something simple as respawn times, recharge times, number of mines god knows what but keep changing small things regularly. This will keep things fresh and exciting. Tactics will have to changed to adjust to the new game play. This will stop the game from being dull and repetitive.
Is the game suited for competition? This is impossible to determine based on the beta and without competition being played but it is more likely than not that it is not suited out of the box. It can't be balanced from the start. When the game gets played more teams will discover things that disrupt the balance of the game. Besides that there are a lot of functions in Quake Wars. Not only vehicles but also two types of mines among other things. Some will add flavor to the game while others will ruin the game. Which? Time will tell but I don't be afraid of change. That something was added doesn't mean it can't be removed or tweaked but the game also shouldn't be made into Rtcw or ET because while ET was quite similar to Rtcw this doesn't relate that much to the previous game. The engine is different which causes new dynamics. It has classes and team play but that's the only comparison that can be made. This game can be suited for competition, let's see to it that it will.
I still want to propose one change I, and other, have already suggested for ET a long time ago: Maptimes. These maps are big and the time limits are long. Not everyone can play for hours or wants to play for hours just to play a game in a tournament. Not everyone likes to be held at spawn for 20 minutes which can happen in an uneven match. A simple rule can change all this. Take a look at the current map. There are two main objectives (three if you count blowing up the sewer): Building the EMP disruptor and hacking the sewer system. The current map time is 20 minutes. Exact times aren't important but let's say a team gets 8 minutes to build the disruptor. If they fail the other team has won. Do they manage to build the disruptor in those 8 minutes than they have 8 minutes to hack the sewer system. An uneven game will only last 8 minutes, I think both teams will like that while an even game, assuming that in an even game objectives can be completed within time only time will tell, the full time limit will be used.
What was the purpose of the article (which was written too fast)? The first months are the best months of a game. Keep the game fresh and exciting. Don't make it into Rtcw or ET because this is a different game based on a different engine but also don't be afraid of tweaking/altering things. Time will tell what things have to be changed but I already hear "but that's part of the game" or "that's how the developers intended it" comments. No one cares, no game is good out of the box. That's because it is impossible to tell how the game play will evolve. Which it will. Is there another purpose? Hell no I was just bored because I have too much time on my hands.
So, there you have my 122 cents.
YES YEEE LETS DO IT MAN RLY YAY !!! YES
YOU FUCKING SAVED MY DAY YAY
- 6 man fall back to warromm doc camping with venom and pf.
- flamethrower on the "long" stairs.
life was great...
ontopic:
the mappool can be given a try, but to many maps will fuck it up also. Ppl like to refine tax, not make new ones all the time...
a new "pro" mod will have to be born again to make the game balanced and competitive in the best way possible.
The 8 mins and so on system is just bullshit, why? simple, take supply for example: some teams just rush through the FB while others need several minutes, but after that everything is still possible. Ive seen matches where axis kept allies off at the FB for 3-4 minutes, but after that they failed to set up a good defence and lost in 8 minutes...
2. Make smaller maps (and indoor maps)
3. The 2 different teams isnt balanced, change them so that they are exactly the same.
4. Sci-fi is for geeks, make the game a WW2 game.
5. I dont like the Doom3 engine, change back the the Q3 engine.
but seriously, i like qw as it is except some "minor" problems like the hitboxes, the prone / lean animations, stuff like that.
One bigger issue are those jetpacks. really, cba to get used to em as a GDF soldier. Playing strogg they are just fine (way to overpowered).
anyways, lookin forward on how the community will react on that game once its final.
A good team can adjust to changes in game play. That makes them good, everyone can practice a map for a year looking at tactics of other teams and become good. Few can adapt to changes quickly. So I wouldn't worry about really good teams being harmed by this, au contraire.
8on8 would be good for etqw.
Please not anymore stupid small maps/indoor maps like ET has nowdays, fueldump style gameplay/tactics to etqw would be much better.
Matches doesnt need to be short like ET matches are nowadays, average attack time could be ~15min.
7on7 or 8on8 can make it possible for more complex strategies/tactics /maps and so on. ET:QW can turn to same as ET if its played 6on6, maps are designed sameways and tactics turn to samekind crap, i really hope that doesnt happen.
more!=better
and i might add more = more spam = less fun = less tactical games = less 1on1's
Quakecon choose 6on6 because they were afraid to test 7o7/8o8, and theres still old LAN issues (cheaper travel, easier get teams etc)
Splash Damage made the game for 12vs12 on public servers, and 6vs6 for competitive matches.
more players = more spamm = less tactical stuff
not that really hard math tbh.
you can make different tactics in ET too but the fact is those might never work as hoped so all clans use same tactics and tricks as highskilled clans because those will work better than any new tactic... so it is in every game and so it will be in ET:QW...
clans need just few months to find out the most universal tricks to have a decent attack and a defence and after the first ET:QW shoutcasts/matchcasts every clan will use the same tactics as "pro" teams and ET:QW will be just like RTCW/ET no doubt about that...
Yet changing the dynamics of a game will change tactics. It takes a while for teams have found the best tactic so when the dynamics have been changed it is more exciting again. That's why I suggest game play changes at regular intervals.
Sewer is a mediocre size maps, in total there will be 12 maps, so we can expect arround 8 maps which should be good for clanwar play..
Btw think of a better article title :<
CS is been played for 10 years or something so changing stuff everytime is no use, just means you don't like the game.
Will all wait for the fullversion of ETQW but i don't see it beeing a great competition game for now, just another BF game.
But hey who knows.
In earlier versions of cs there were even bunnyjumping! :D
In a 20 min game the attacking team essentially gets 60 spawn waves, considering travel times and 'play' time this maybe becomes 30-40 spawn waves that a player will enter in. For each wave you get your attempt to complete the objective, the shorter the map time the less attempts and the easier the lock. For the attacking team the margin for error starts to become very narrow when there are so few 'lives'.
Trial and error is probably key. Play out a few cups and leagues with only the most minor of adjustments, find what is fun and what isn't and THEN start more severe changes to rule sets. Dodgy rule sets early on with little experience of actual clan play may only serve to spoil competition play before it's even begun.
So either 2 times 20min (one map), or 4 times 15 min (two maps, needs tweaking).
and btw, no one wants to play 2 hour matches. 20 min maps with fullholds + pauses + reconnects + whatever will end up in 2 hour matches. repeating that everynight is fucking boring. i know that because that's the way w:et was played when it was released. and it sucks big time. the more pcw's you get everynight, the better. more oportunities to change tactics around and to test your gameplay with different teams/maps.
imho.
Nicholas Angel is the finest cop London has to offer, with an arrest record 400% higher than any other officer on the force. He's so good, he makes everyone else look bad. As a result, Angel's superiors send him to a place where his talents won't be quite so embarrassing - the sleepy and seemingly crime-free village of Sandford. Once there, he is partnered with the well-meaning but overeager police officer Danny Butterman. The son of amiable Police Chief Frank Butterman, Danny is a huge action movie fan and believes his new big-city partner might just be a real-life "bad boy," and his chance to experience the life of gunfights and car chases he so longs for. Angel is quick to dismiss this as childish fantasy and Danny's puppy-like enthusiasm only adds to Angel's growing frustration. However, as a series of grisly accidents rocks the village, Angel is convinced that Sandford is not what it seems and as the intrigue deepens, Danny's dreams of explosive, high-octane, car-chasing, gunfighting, all-out action seem more and more like a reality. It's time for these small-town cops to break out some big-city justice.
we need an etpro'ish mod for et:qw that will allow to enforce some changes (for timelimits, spawns, replacing vehicles - instead of tanks we could/should have only huskys/hogs, etc).
nice read. and yes, battle of the beachhead! with zie great warwitch @ TsN casting! lol zie germanz!
<3
Anyway - I see great potential for competitive play in ETQW, however I also see that a lot of stuff will need changing. Deciding exactly WHAT to limit, change or remove will not be an easy decision...
I agree that there is probably too much spam at the moment and the role of certain vehicles / deployables probably needs to be questioned, but ET died for me when it was handed over lock stock to the l337 SMG aimers who argued everything not hitscan took no skill and should be removed.
As long as that doesn't happen to ET:QW the game should have a bright future.
It was called Battle of Britain as I called it because it was mainly british clans back then too
rew'ronin?
hi2u shakes!
Mines. I don't suggest they have to be removed but they should be able to kill teammates as well. On Sewer way too often do the stroggs mine every doorway. If mines can kill teammates they wouldn't do that anymore.