BLU Defense map - Rational?

Are swapped teams on an attack/defense map a terribad idea?

  • Yes, the swapped teams are too confusing.

    Votes: 18 72.0%
  • No, swapping RED and BLU for an attack/defense map works fine.

    Votes: 7 28.0%

  • Total voters
    25

Hastur

L1: Registered
Jul 30, 2010
39
3
So I've been toying with the idea of making an attack/defense map that utilizes (and for the most part would take place on) a large dam with cliffs on either side and two large bodies of water on the long sides of the dam.

My question is, since the resources commonly assigned to the parts of a map "controlled" by the BLU team would fit the aesthetic of a large dam far better than the RED team's resources (think concrete and steel versus wood and rusted metal for the RED and BLU teams, respectively), do you all think that an attack/defense map that pits the RED team as offense is too different from the norm, or too confusing for the average player?
 

Hanz

Ravin' Rabbid
aa
Jan 18, 2009
844
479
Yeah I'm just against this. It is too confusing and all A/D maps use RED as defender.
 

Omnomnick

L6: Sharp Member
Aug 16, 2009
335
111
It's not a "Terribad idea" like you put it. But it would be extremely confusing for players as it would take them a few extra seconds or even minutes to figure out quite what was going on. RED is just the standard, there really is no difference between teams so it doesn't matter who attacks and defends, apart from art style.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
RED defending is a mechanic to help people understand their role. This question has been posed many times over the years but it's simply an unneccassery gimmick. Teams swap at the end of the rounds so it's not like half the server is missing out.
 

Crash

func_nerd
aa
Mar 1, 2010
3,316
5,499
I think he means aesthetically, BLU defending makes more sense with his map design. The final area being a very industrial set up.

My recommendation would be to incorporate the red industrial colors and maybe move it to spytech if possible?
 

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
2,579
And Swiftwater, if we're getting into unofficial maps.

Honesty, considering how many useful resources an "industrial" team like BLU would control, I'm surprised they didn't make BLU the standard defenders of A/D maps. I think I remember reading an interview where they said they did it because warm colors are stimulating and cool colors are calming, and they didn't want people being calm when they played A/D.
 

grazr

Old Man Mutant Ninja Turtle
aa
Mar 4, 2008
5,441
3,814
There are blu and red versions of the metal textures. So that arguement is kinda moot. Besides, wood bases really only applies to the farmyard theme now. Maybe lumberyard. The end of A/D maps being a generic industrial is standard aesthetics.
 

Miauw62

L1: Registered
Aug 26, 2011
29
8
I am already confused on a normal teamswap at times. (thinking im still in blu while im in red, or vica versa)
so no.
and your argument for red beining rusty metal and wood, i am making my first map at this time, and for the computerwall concrete texture im using, the red texture is brighter then the blu one.
i tought i'd just throw this in.
(my english sucks so hard at times D:)
 

Hastur

L1: Registered
Jul 30, 2010
39
3
Okay, a big thanks to everyone who posted :)

What's been said about the team identity confusion makes sense, as it was a primary concern of mine when I first thought up this idea. I guess I'll try to go for a RED industrial look, which I've always thought was a bit off from a color identity prospective. Ah well.

Has anyone ever wondered why the team that does demolition is responsible for defending structures and points, and stopping the team responsible for construction from blowing their base up with a humongous bomb? I just realized that, and it makes no sense :huh:
 
Apr 13, 2009
728
309
I don't think it'd really confuse anyone for more than 30 seconds. I mean a look at the hud, knowing which side of setup gates you spawn on...

That said, you'd better have a better reason to do it than for the sake of swapping teams. Good example would be, you have an idea for a map almost entirely BLU-themed (which seems to be the case here ?)
 

tyler

aa
Sep 11, 2013
5,102
4,621
Keep in mind 90% of people that play video games are high while they do it, so anything remotely confusing becomes a big sticking point that they complain about for hours or even days
 

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
2,579
Keep in mind 90% of people that play video games are high while they do it, so anything remotely confusing becomes a big sticking point that they complain about for hours or even days

You've been on the Steam Forums again, haven't you?