a decision to be modeled after

[a wily duck]

I'd like to cite one of my site postings/ramblings from a couple months ago. Today holds a potential beginning for industry-wide innovation:

When will gamemakers focus on creating seperate gameplay maps of competition vs. public play? id Software's Enemy Territory would have been out months ago if they weren't so damn concerned about competition balance. Try this - create a maps' public version that doesn't have to have flags tweaked down to the unit, then sweat over how L33t_D00d can execute the almost-hax combo move in the competition map version. This isn't a new idea.

It's easy! pub_ubermap gets released first (but don't use it as a lazy excuse for forcing a release i.e. could've spent an extra 8 hours on just simple optimizations, that'll burn you), then moooonths later comp_ubermap gets released.

It's obvious there's 2 urban terror factions as of 4.0. Although both versions of 4.0 are the same game, player psychology will inevitably perceive them as 2 different games.

To the community, battleye is unproven. For an assumedly fun and hack-free multiplayer game, PB's gravity is far stronger. The mainstream probability does not look favorably toward the standalone. Here, there is opportunity, where a new Urban Terror can rise.

An example.

A fork of Urban Terror, focused on co-op. Not too different, modded and mapped for an individual or team vs. the bots. One on one, one on many, many on one. A few modifications to bot capabilities per situation, i.e. skill mods like super jumping, tougher armor, speed, etc. Maps developed with asyncronous paths and dead ends, unfair holding points, CAMPING, and other guerrilla tactics in mind. Nothing too fancy or over the top that would deviate too far from the standard working gameplay of competition Urban Terror 4 (PB version, get it?).

I actually like that example, because it brings to me a trend the game industry is starting to lean towards, co-op play. Since the risque' release of the fully deathmatch focused game Quake3, few games have returned to their single-player roots. The only game I've ever known absolutely everybody would play at a LAN party was Serious Sam, because of the co-op abilities. This brings gamers together rather than pit them against one another. I think this concept is an underlying reason for the Nintendo Wii's current success.

Frozen Sand, congratulations on pulling together 4.0 for it's long awaited release. I'd like to read your opinions on this proposal of ioUrbanTerror's future, if there is a future to be had.

 

FSK405 wily duck
:V

[HeliX]

Cool idea.

Myself, i'm using the standalone... i'm done with PB... pb kills my fps. When I first join a server i'll have 70 to 80 (have it capped at 125) then I do a "/pb_sleep 500" and the fps goes right up to 126 instantly. I would rather play without anti-cheat or try this new one out at least. But I've been using the standalone for QA tests and I like it.

I think leagues will use standard Q3 with PunkBuster for matches and tournaments, but for pub play, the standalone would be my choice.

[woekele]

To the community, battleye is unproven. For an assumedly fun and hack-free multiplayer game, PB's gravity is far stronger.

BattlEye unproven? I guess that's better then PB, that has proven not to do anything anymore for the Q3 version.

Also, BE run in warsow and ran in BF2. It's not completely new or anything

[x-fact0r]

I choose standalone as well
I had already chose it before BE support was announced.
I think the major leagues will use it, since as myself there is a lot of people not playing in PB anymore...

[TwentySeven]

The first part of your rant about doing stuff for the competition leagues touches on something I think the competitive level players need to be reminded of,  the 3.x series, minus walljumping (which was for meee) was dedicated entirely to improvements for match play and balance issues brought to us by that section of the community.

Theres alot of stuff in 4.0 thats Pub/noob/whatever orientated again, so don't be too surprised when you see it.  No pub players = dead game.

[Naked Assassin]

Theres alot of stuff in 4.0 thats Pub/noob/whatever orientated again, so don't be too surprised when you see it.  No pub players = dead game.

And to be fair the competitive edge has dwindled recently since the disappearance of the uber-leet clans. League/ladder matches seem to have more emphasis on fun nowadays.

[c|M WarBirD]

Coop would be a cool Game Mode, but I am not sure URT would make much of a sense with that. Most important thing in Coop is the AI. Its no secret that bots in Q3 (Mods etc.) are the most stupid Bots ever seen the face of this earth.

Coop would mean at least a good AI, which isn´t really available. I myself am a passioned Coop Player in Games like JOINT OPERATIONS and DELTA FORCE XTREME. I love a good Coop match more than any CTF or TDM Match. But like i said, the Game must be ready for that. Quake based Games are usually not. But then, this is only my oppinion. But a Coop mode should be in any Game.

I also made a few Maps for Coop, in above mentioned Games, and I can only say its quite enjoyable. Play together with a few people against the AI can be very relaxing but also great action, depends on the Game and the capabilitys of the AI.