Multiplayer IQ

[Kernel]

A side project i've been working on:

How smart should you be, to play a custom map?

Should everything be color coded, made with a beginner in mind, and one layout?

Would it be fun, to play custom maps that make you find your objective (obviously, you would know where your team needs to be to protect.), or would it be a burden. I have been working on ways into randomizing flags and other elements to add more replay ability, and depth to maps. What's your thoughts?

This is for ctf and other variants, not cp gametypes.

 

[Hawk]

Though my intuition always tells me to design for the lowest common denominator and make maps quickly understandable, the idea of a map where you have to find the flag does sound like fun. I'd be interested in playing a map like that.

 

[Nizzem]

it's an interesting idea, but I don't see it sitting well with the player base. People get very whiny when the goal isn't immediately evident.

 

[Voztron]

Much like a Headquaters style of game, the HQ or flag in this instance would move around after each capture? I think this style would work much better as CP, you have 4 or 5 CP locations where one gets randomly actvated for a small ammount of team, the team that holds the CP earns points or "sap" points from the other team.
Having a random flag may just split teams up too much and may make the map seem empty.

 

[Logo]

Just always keep in mind that your players should be fighting each other not the map.

 

[YM]

I've played a map where they told you to 'burry the enemies flag inside their base' It had our whole team running around going "what do we do" over voice comms for three rounds, every time we capped it no one realised what had happened.

Players should not have to find out what they need to do by trial and error. It should be made pretty clear where things should be taken, not blindingly obvious like having big flashing lights all the way but clear.
The two sides of the map should be colour coded, red/wooden/old for red and blue/concrete/metal/industrial for blu
You should make your map so that someone of IQ 70 can play, but someone of IQ 130 can excell. Someone with a higher IQ then 150 probably wont find you map fun because they are likely to be more interested in doing complex vector calculus for fun.

 

[Vilepickle]

Maps like these are fun, but most likely too complex.

http://vilepickle.com/map/silverfort/

That map has been around for 10 or 11 years now. i ported it from QWTF to Q3F and ETF. It has its own website

Basically you grab the flag from the enemy base, you're teleported to your "chute room" and then you can choose which chute to take. The enemy can specify which of their capture points is open every 2 minutes via their command center. Potentially they can "cut you off" after you find their open spot and 2 minutes has expired by closing it, then you have to find the open one. If the flag returns the team has to get it back.

Something like this would be bad in TF2 because it's very hard to score already. It was much easier to get a lot done in past TF games.