Is this a dumb idea?

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HQDefault

...what
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Aug 6, 2014
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OK, so, recently, I had an idea that I came up with while I was like, sleeping or something. A payload map with 3 separate payloads. Payload A, Payload B, and Payload C. Needless to say, they all have their own point sets. Actually, none of them have any real checkpoints. It's just 3 single-point payloads. So, I've been thinking, is this a bad idea or not? Would it work? Would it be too hard to balance? I don't know D:
 

worMatty

Repacking Evangelist
aa
Jul 22, 2014
1,257
999
If the map requires the attackers and defenders to manage three separate payloads that run concurrently, it would split the action up in to three areas. It would be a bit like those CP maps that have three CPs that can be captured in any order, and once a team captures all three, they win. But it would be a roaming A/D model.

It sounds like a good idea, but I'm concerned that it might split the action up too much and make the game a bit too quiet. Perhaps two payload carts would be more suitable. You could have the tracks move between being close to each other and at a distance, to offer variety. Just make sure the map is designed so people find things easily.

The mini capture points are good for keeping a match short, so you don't have to set a really long round time. And they also help to encourage people to push the cart. You should incorporate them, but think about how they would affect the game. Maybe, if you had one track which was 'easier' for the attackers, the mini capture point would be at a further distance. While, the more difficult track's capture point would come sooner.

Alternatively, you could give each track its own set of capture points, spaced out in roughly the same distances on both tracks, and each would add time. Or, only the first point to be hit, in a parallel pair, would add time, then disable its brother on the other track. It's interesting.
 

SSX

aa
Feb 2, 2014
392
411
You could make it work in the sense that gravelpit works. You need to cap the first two payloads before you can move onto the last.
 

HQDefault

...what
aa
Aug 6, 2014
1,056
535
If the map requires the attackers and defenders to manage three separate payloads that run concurrently, it would split the action up in to three areas. It would be a bit like those CP maps that have three CPs that can be captured in any order, and once a team captures all three, they win. But it would be a roaming A/D model.

It sounds like a good idea, but I'm concerned that it might split the action up too much and make the game a bit too quiet. Perhaps two payload carts would be more suitable. You could have the tracks move between being close to each other and at a distance, to offer variety. Just make sure the map is designed so people find things easily.

The mini capture points are good for keeping a match short, so you don't have to set a really long round time. And they also help to encourage people to push the cart. You should incorporate them, but think about how they would affect the game. Maybe, if you had one track which was 'easier' for the attackers, the mini capture point would be at a further distance. While, the more difficult track's capture point would come sooner.

Alternatively, you could give each track its own set of capture points, spaced out in roughly the same distances on both tracks, and each would add time. Or, only the first point to be hit, in a parallel pair, would add time, then disable its brother on the other track. It's interesting.

I like everything you said about this :) However, the 3 vs 2 payload is going to be a difficult choice. Because it wouldn't be easy to just insert or remove a cart in like, a2 or something. I was kinda thinking that 80% of the time you would be able to defend 2 carts at once, but very rarely all 3. Maybe you could do that at like the last bit. I think the design would make more sense once I started working on it.

BTW: A major thing I was very concerned about was having scouts spam: "The freakin' cart stopped!" "The freakin' cart stopped!" "The freakin' cart stopped!" everywhere. So I guess that would be another good reason to have only 2 payload carts.
 

UKCS-Alias

Mann vs Machine... or... Mapper vs Meta?
aa
Sep 8, 2008
1,264
816
Keep in mind that its easier to display 2 carts on the hud instead of 3 carts. For 2 carts you can use the PLR hud.
 

UKCS-Alias

Mann vs Machine... or... Mapper vs Meta?
aa
Sep 8, 2008
1,264
816
Also, to give you some extra info: http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=18744

Thats a concept i made before of having 2 payloads for a team. I kept the red/blue marking to make clear which is which on the hud. But obviously you can just change that. And this concept in theory even allows sub control points. Its not fully tested but it should cover the basics you need to get such map working.