CTF w/ Fortress Physics

[DDMJ]

Today I put the finishing touches on this server that I had had in the works for quite some time. I grabbed 3 people from IRC to come and join me in testing the server. After some time, the server was booming with people, with up to 15 (or maybe even 16) people at the same time.

The concept of this server (officially named: .:] Twisted Rats [:. CTF w/ Fortress Physics) is that it is a normal Capture the Flag server that uses this map:

http://durkas.info/resource/Durka/ctf/f ... .aamap.xml


The catch is that instead of the normal CTF tight turns, high rubber, and somewhat slow speed, this server uses Fortress Physics, meaning 5 rubber, 30 speed, 30 (default) brake, etc.

However, in order to accommodate the game mode, a few changes were made. These include:
*cycle_invulnerable_time 1.5
*cycle_rubber_wall_shrink 0.75
*cycle_wall_time 1
*score_die 0
*score_flag 4
*score_kill 1
*score_suicide 0
*score_win 8
*walls_length 250
*walls_stay_up_length 6

These settings yield an exciting new game mode thats fast 'n furious, seriously. Unlike normal CTF, if you have the other team's flag, but yours is away, you can still score. With Fortress Physics, it's even harder to chase after and kill someone. By setting flag_required_home to 0, this eliminates those boring flag chases in which the flag thief seems invincible. Flags are scored more often and the game is sped up.

As for the map, you'll also notice some differences from the normal CTF map. The respawn zone is centered behind each team's spawn points. It's kind of built into the wall, but has a few entrances, which make base camping impossible. What's neat about having the respawn zone in such a location, is that it's actually possible for the flag defender to pass through the respawn zone and respawn his teammates while he's defending the flag. However, with a little pressure, the opposing team can force the defender to focus more on the flag and stop the constant spawning.

Another thing to note about the map is that players spawn in front of the flag, far enough that not grinding will not hurt the defender's opportunity to build a defense around the flag. Freshly spawned players can immediately help the defender if he's in trouble since unlike normal CTF, it's rather hard to survive in tiny spaces with Fortress Physics, thus requiring the defender to have knowledge in Fortress defense, CTF tactics, and Sumo maneuvers, in order to be successful.

That's it for now. I look forward to hearing feedback and suggestions so I can improve the server. Hopefully I'll see you guys on the grid trying out this new, frenzied game type!

If you're curious, I've setup server stats for this server. They can be found here:

http://durka.ath.cx/stats?server=fortfzx

Custom connect information for the server is...
IP: durka.ath.cx
Port: 4539

Have fun and enjoy! ,

Durka

[Z-Man]

Heh. Just the other day, I was meaning to post something like 'CTF is a great game mode, but I don't like the cycle physics commonly attached to it', but forgot Sounds like a fun server.

[epsy]

Unlike normal CTF, if you have the other team's flag, but yours is away, you can still score. With Fortress Physics, it's even harder to chase after and kill someone. By setting flag_required_home to 0, this eliminates those boring flag chases in which the flag thief seems invincible. Flags are scored more often and the game is sped up.

Uhh, that kind of defeats the purpose of CTF in my opinion.

[DDMJ]

Unlike normal CTF, if you have the other team's flag, but yours is away, you can still score. With Fortress Physics, it's even harder to chase after and kill someone. By setting flag_required_home to 0, this eliminates those boring flag chases in which the flag thief seems invincible. Flags are scored more often and the game is sped up.

Uhh, that kind of defeats the purpose of CTF in my opinion.

That's what I first thought, but after playing with that setting off, I changed my opinion on it. I'll give you an explanation of my reasoning by relating it to my favorite video game, Halo 3 .

There's this thing called MLG (Major League Gaming), it's kinda corny, but they're a real gaming league, sponsored by ESPN and other companies like Dr. Pepper. Anyways, they have competitions, but the maps and gametypes are chosen and tweaked to make the gameplay very competitive.

They have 2 different versions of CTF that they use. The first one is used on bigger maps with power weapons, where your team might not spawn in your base, but rather, somewhat outside of it. In this version, you cannot score the flag unless yours is home as well. However, since this version is played on bigger maps with power weapons, it's not too difficult to instigate an attack on the flag carrier and stop him, so you can return your flag.

The second version is used on a much smaller map, without any power weapons. Armagetron has no power weapons, so each person has an equal chance of killing the flag carrier. The map I designed it somewhat small and encourages fast play. But, since there's no power weapons, it's very hard to take down the flag carrier, likewise with Halo 3 (kinda). In this version of CTF in Halo 3 (with MLG settings), you can still score the flag even if your isn't home.

The reason why this works better is because it allows the strategy of "counter-capping" to work. This means, that while the other team is focused on taking your flag back, you steal theirs and capture it as well. But, while this is going on, you're also getting ready to setup your defense to stop them from taking it again.

All, in all, it speeds up the game. Most of you won't understand my Halo 3 reference, but to go back to it one more time: in the 1st version of CTF I mentioned, it was first to 3 flag captures, since the game was slower and your flag needed to be home to score. But, in the 2nd version, it's first to 5 flag captures, since the nature of the game is sped up and there's more action, creating more excitement.

It's not like you don't get punished for having your flag away. They're going to score 4 points. All this setting really means is that if you happen to steal their flag also, you can score as well and it eliminates the annoying 3 minute flag chases that always end in someone doing something stupid since they get bored...and in CTF tournaments, these flag chases sometimes end with the DZ whipping the grid...and that ain't fun at all.

[DDMJ]

I know this is not possible with the current sty patch, but ideally I would like to award a 2 point bonus if the team captures the flag, with theirs still home. To quote corn (although he only suggested a 1 point bonus):

I have a suggestion. It is for flag return.

Currently you can return the flag regardless of whether or not your own flag is back at the base. I like this idea, however it makes defense more moot than it would normally be. My suggestion is that you get 1 bonus point if your flag is at your base when you capture the enemies flag. Obviously you wouldn't get a bonus point if the enemy is holding your flag and would get the normal 4. With your flag at your base safe and guarded from the enemy you deserve the bonus because you were able to prevent the enemy from touching your flag while you were able to grab theirs and bring it back successfully.

This would also encourage strategy on when you want to return your flag, although it wouldn't really stop people from capturing the flag and make it a flag vs. flag fight just because people want the 1 extra point.

tl;dr: You get a bonus point for capturing a flag when your flag is safe.

[dlh]

Sure, that is possible. I'll look into adding it to 0.2.8-sty.

Edit: Actually, I'll leave this for someone else. I don't want to mess with sty. The sty-relevant changes to sty+ct should be merged back in to sty.

[Z-Man]

I don't think the flag home bonus would change anything. You defend your flag because you deny the enemy team capture points that way. That's motivation enough if you ask me.

Another change suggestion, it's also impossible with current sty: instead of ending the round when one team dies completely, respawn them all and give the other team points for it without ending the round. The round ends kind of break the flow.

Oh, and invulnerability time after respawning could be a tad longer. You never know when you respawn, and are often caught by surprise and hurled straight back into the fray. More often than I would have liked, I just went straight and crashed into the nearest wall.

[AI Teâm]

very nice server . really cool idea!
Great Job Durka!

[DDMJ]

Another change suggestion, it's also impossible with current sty: instead of ending the round when one team dies completely, respawn them all and give the other team points for it without ending the round. The round ends kind of break the flow.

Well...a lot of people still use 0.2.8.2.1, so the longer the rounds are, the lower their FPS gets. So ending the round is a good thing! Btw, I'm trying to also have a deathzone, but the settings kind of mystify me...does win_zone_min_last_death even work?...what about win_zone_min_round_time? Does it mean that if min round time is set to 100 but last death is set to 30, they DZ will spawn after 30 seconds of no one dying, only if 100 seconds have passed by already?

Oh, and invulnerability time after respawning could be a tad longer. You never know when you respawn, and are often caught by surprise and hurled straight back into the fray. More often than I would have liked, I just went straight and crashed into the nearest wall.

Yes, that's one of the things that I changed when you left, as well as the team_max_players setting. Right now it's at 6 so more people can have fun in the server, but if there's ever gonna be tournaments or wars, 5v5 definitely works the best.

[sinewav]

...does win_zone_min_last_death even work?...what about win_zone_min_round_time? Does it mean that if min round time is set to 100 but last death is set to 30, they DZ will spawn after 30 seconds of no one dying, only if 100 seconds have passed by already?

That's correct.

Although at times I have seen this work inconsistently on an older, sty-patched dedicated. I don't think it's a problem with newer builds.

[Monkey.D.Luffy]

Thats a good server! But I've never seen a CTF server without lags, and this one does not make exception for the moment (in any case for me), CTF has a lot of moved closer confrontations and medium rubber is appropriate, with low rubber there is less chance to survive so the lag can be really discouraging.

[AI Teâm]

But I've never seen a CTF server without lags...

*cough*pru ctf*cough*
jk
hes rigth theres no ctf server where is no lag , except from yours Z-Man.
Your CTF was without lags and bugs .

[Corn1]

Another change suggestion, it's also impossible with current sty: instead of ending the round when one team dies completely, respawn them all and give the other team points for it without ending the round. The round ends kind of break the flow.

If i'm not wrong, wouldn't FPS suffer incredibly? I know from a previous topic that the particle system was either broken or simply not finished and that outcome was that spark particles were never actually deleted but rather became invisible and still would have to be rendered.

This could be fixed by turning off sparks, but I would guess that the objects that are removed when a round ends could not be removed with an unending round and therefore as I said above would cause FPS problems.

Edit: Seems this was already discussed. Shame on me for not reading the whole topic.

[Z-Man]

Plus, the spark problem is only on trunk But yeah, I had forgotten about the 0.2.8.2.1 performance issue when I made the suggestion.

[DDMJ]

*Update:

After 2 and a half minutes, the DZ comes and clears the round. This 2.5 min mark seems to be the point where old (0.2.8.2.1) clients' FPS drops immensely.

To accommodate the quicker rounds, limit_rounds has been set to 100...why the hell would it be 100? Well the idea was that I didn't want matches to end after a certain number of rounds, but instead, by the first time to hit 100 points. Usually this happens after around 5 rounds (or less), but just incase, there is essentially an infinite # of rounds, so this score is for sure to be hit.