New Gametype Proof of Concept - VIP v1.0

Backslash

L1: Registered
May 10, 2008
30
2
Thanks to new member Cargo Party and his [ame="http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=8529"]recent thread[/ame] for inspiring me to make this! It's not exactly what he wanted but as close as I could get. :)

The gametype is VIP. When your team spawns (in a temporary spawn) someone must pickup the intelligence to open the real spawn. As long as someone on your team is holding the intelligence everything continues as normal - but if it's dropped, your team has 30 sec. to retrieve it, or the opposing team wins the round!

The bsp (Download Here) has an instruction sign packed into it that displays in spawn so everyone knows what's going on.

In the next iteration I'll fix any problems (if any arise) and make the round wait to start until both teams have picked up their intelligence.

The VMF is attached.

Thanks,
Backslash
 

Penguin

Clinically Diagnosed with Small Mapper's Syndrome
aa
May 21, 2009
2,039
1,484
Flag Defense.

Anyway, sounds nice!
 

Backslash

L1: Registered
May 10, 2008
30
2
Nice names! In the meantime, if anyone plays the test map and notices problems let me know.
 

DrHaphazard

L5: Dapper Member
Jan 6, 2008
249
12
Well i didn't playtest the map but the most obvious problem with your proof of concept is that the other team cannot get into your "base" so the flag carrier can just sit in there.

I see that you made a spawn room up above the original spawn room with
a grate in the floor. The grate is open when the flag is picked up but closed when the flag is dropped. This means any reinfocements that spawn after the flag is dropped are unable to exit, unless enough people are alive on your team to pick up the flag. Is that intended? This would lead the amusing situation of the flag carrier waiting till all or most of his team is dead then dropping the flag so they cannot get out of spawn.

I originally thought this was like an Attack\Defend map, like invasion but with greater penalty for dropping the flag (i guess i was equating it to the old and much loved/hated hunted maps.)

As is, theres no incentive for the flag carrier to move away from his spawn, i mean the farther he gets from it the more damage he'll likely take, the farther he is from reinforcement and the less likely someone who respawned while he was alive will be close enough to pick up the flag.

The most intelligent thing for the flag carrier to do would be to attempt to hide or turtle somewhere near his spawn while some fraction of the team goes hunting the other flag carrier. This would make it much like a normal CTF except the flag can move.

The reason that the gamemode The Hunted worked (well cmon, it kinda did) was that the vip only won by reaching the safe zone on the other side of the map, meaning he could not turtle.
 

BrokenTripod

L5: Dapper Member
May 11, 2009
248
65
I think a combination of what you have and the A/D CTF contest that is going on would be quite interesting.

The attacking team gets a flag, and if they lose track of it for 30 seconds to a minute, then they lose? It would give more incentive for the attacking team to avoid ninja-ing the point because if they couldn't grab the flag in time, it's an instant lose.

Of course then you have a problem with people purposely dropping the flag in unreachable spots :/

I haven't played the map, but the other comments here seem to be valid concerns.

Perhaps if you assure that the flag doesn't go back into the spawns by using a respawnroomvisualizer you will avoid people sticking around spawn too much...Um, I still think there needs to be additional incentive to keep the flag moving instead of turtling, but I can't think of what you could do. (Or, I can, but it would require a large map and seems a little too similar to another map..)
 

Backslash

L1: Registered
May 10, 2008
30
2
Well i didn't playtest the map but the most obvious problem with your proof of concept is that the other team cannot get into your "base" so the flag carrier can just sit in there.

While I do agree with some of your points, and I like the idea of a goal for the vip (I think I'll play around with that), the other team can get into your base. The doors start locked to force someone on your team to pickup the flag. Yes there are opportunities for griefing, I guess I just play with reasonable people! :) That system wouldn't be necessary if I could force someone to randomly spawn with the flag.

This means any reinfocements that spawn after the flag is dropped are unable to exit, unless enough people are alive on your team to pick up the flag. Is that intended?

Yes this is the intended penalty for not holding the flag. The idea is to make it a sort of mad rush to save the flag if it's dropped.

Thanks for the feedback! :)
 

Stormcaller3801

L5: Dapper Member
Jul 5, 2009
249
28
Seems like this game type would encourage you to set up an ambush area and kill off the intel holder, then just wait it out. Thirty seconds is typically shorter than the amount of time it takes a team to eliminate a hard-to-reach Sentry or a decent Sniper.

On the other hand, you could grab the intel and then get your Engineer to set up a mini-base with a Dispenser and Sentry Gun, then assign a couple people to guard the carrier who stays out of sight. Set up with the carrier behind the Dispenser in an alcove, put the Sentry off to one side, have a Pyro within Dispenser range, maybe one or two more people just to be extra careful, you're not going to get the intel.

Which would basically lead to 2Fort style camping.