Pub Objective

[Eridu]

A few months back we had some settings in pub. There was 1 active sector for 5 or less players, more players = more active sectors. The active sector had to be flagged, first freq to 200 bell flags in the sector won the match. If two sectors were active, first freq to 400 bell flags in those sectors won. The bot would periodically update the score. The population was extremely low at this time and no one seemed to care about it and active sectors idea was removed.

Lately there has been some complaints about no objective in pub. We only have Jackpot, hold 100 flags for 3 minutes, activated at 6vs6 players for an objective right now. Should the active sectors idea be brought back with the current population?

[jim the chin]

Don't be stupid. That was not an objective, and if it was, it was the worst thought out objective I have ever seen. I am surprised you're asking for feedback about this now, because I can barely remember it, but there were so many things wrong with the idea.

1. No updates in pub-chat about who was winning.
2. No idea of what the reward will be.
3. No proper announcements that there is a game going on in the first place, and no instructions for the game.
4. 200 flags is quite a high number. Imagine east sector; you would need to hold the entire sector for 10 dings.

Start with something like this (use a sound):
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Active sector game initiated. Capture and hold flags in the EAST sector.
Every 80 seconds your teams flag count will be recorded.
Reach a count of 150 flags and win the jackpot!
The jackpot can be spent on prizes to improve your ship.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Then the most important thing, give updates of the scores at each ding (80 seconds) so people know who is winning, can get involved, and so people entering the zone know there is a game going on too:

Current score: 121-87, Team 0 is winning by 34 flags. Reach 150 flags to win the jackpot.

At the end of the game give some stats, and if you can, reward people jackpot points based on who contributed most. A formula that considers kills, ratio, time-played, and of course flags held. Announce the winning team. Announce a new match will be starting in 80 seconds. Remind people they can spend their jackpot points on prizes. Next game.

That's an objective, not what you had in pub.

[deathcorp]

Now that I think of it, I did run in to this awhile ago and I didn't care about it. I think the reason for it was because if I played to win a sector, none would care enough to follow. You see it with the example set by Freespirit, how many long years has he played the game as its meant to be played, none ever followed him, apart from some people. I played some trenchwars and noticed that if you're freq isn't working for the flag, it'll eventually die, and the reason being those guys running around one shotting people outside who're trying to get in and play the game. It might be fun but it's against the gameplay and could be compared to having wrestling fights in an ongoing soccer game.

It's brutal for some bombers but it might have to be forced, if you're not playing the game, be specced until you are. Since none seem to care about the game enough and want to focus more on killing, I really think the idea of BAB would work the best in pub. I don't know what you'll make of it. If the pub didn't work back then, it sure needs an improvement of some sort, probably the best being an ukase. This might kill pub population completely though, for starters. + 1 with reducing the flags in play though.

Keep positive with making changes, I for one don't mind seeing changes at all. Then again changes have been made all the time so I think there's a good time for seriously considering the demolishion and starting a new saving only the shipsettings and key elements of the map. Give powers for someone to do this in a sub arena which is open for everyone to go to and add in their contribution, until its ready, final say with me

+ 1 on Jim's suggestion on taking the scoring back to the game in a way that it matters and is familiar to people. You can't play any sports without scoring and people will want recognition.

[jim the chin]

First, any word from Ent on this? This is the most important topic on these boards.

I have an idea based on what deathcorp said about demolishing the map and keeping the settings. There is one way to turn the game into an objective without much room for any aimless killing. What you do is make a small deathstar in the centre of the map with entrances at east and west. You then make one freq spawn on the east side, and the other freq on the west side. The only way to fight is to make your way through the deathstar (no way around the edge). Naturally, flags will line the route you take. What this does essentially is turn pub into a game of RUSH, but with flags marking territory claimed along your path to the other teams spawn-point. You would have to purposefully ignore the flags to not play the game.

The scoring is simple, just total up how many flags people held and for how long within a match (you know, flag average like we tested in prac arenas). Bonus scoring could take effect when all the flags are claimed (a lock of the ds) giving 2x normal points per time increment.

The DS would look something like TLT's 6v6 minids map, but I think we can come up with something a little better than that.

[jim the chin]

So something a bit like this:

[Tembest]

Sounds like a good idea. I don't like the map at all though.

[Matioso]

Yeah, need more space in some rooms :/ and different kind of rooms and spaces like in current ds.

[jim the chin]

Well, i just knocked that up as an example because I had an hour to kill. It's in ?go #ownage if you want to modify it. The rooms are larger than they look, but sure, they could be bigger. I realise there needs to be more variety of rooms, but like I say, it's just an example.

[Matioso]

Yeah ok.

[Entr0py]

What about putting goals in each safe, and a ball will spawn somewhere in the DS and the goal is to score the ball in your goal. The bot would award tokens for each goal.