Change on the CTF mode

I had thinking about something for a long time, and found nothing about that so far, then, i will propone that:
As you guys probably noticed, the "capture the flag" mode consist in taking the enemy flag and take it back to your carrier sooner than the enemy. It's kinda rushy mode.
So, I think that your own flag be kept at your Carrier should be a prerequesite condition to allow your team to capture the enemy flag.

As many CTF games like Team Fortress, Unreal Tournament, World of Warcraft, and et cetera.

(sorry for any engrish, feel free to correct me)

in MB currently, your flag is kept in space at the whim and ability of the other team - if they try to hold the flag they are only degrading their own score.

requiring your own flag to be at your carrier to score... you will end up with games that never end.

in UT, for example, it is not uncommon for both sides to get the flag to their base at the same time, at which point the game changes into a hunt and retrieval of your own flag while keeping the captured flag in a safe area. this works because once you destroy the flag carrier, you can instantly return your flag and if your teammate carrying the enemy flag is already at the drop zone, instantly score too. Imagine UT without being able to return your own flag - instead it would sit there for 20-30 seconds, waiting for someone else to pick it up. it would make it impossible to get the flag back unless the opposing team scores, the best you can do is delay it until the game ends.

im all for this type of scoring because yes, it was fun in UT... but without being able to return the flag it means an automatic stalemate if both teams pick up the other's flag at the same time - this means at any time... picking up the enemies flag right as they are about to score is no different to picking up both flags at the same time.

You surely got a really good point the-anger.

However, I think this mode could be improved with a bit of dynamic. In my opinion, a 3-4min match of pure race, with almost none PvP is a waste. Of course to implement what I said, would demand changes, like "how long the flag will wait in the space till another player get it?", maybe changing the fact that the flag returns by itself after 20s, to be destroied, giving it like 500-750pts of shield (a mamba without upgrades have 500), that would give the chance to the team that lost his flag to return it when the flag-carrier get killed, and will give a chance to the team that dropped the enemy flag, to get it again before it get destroyed! I don't know if the CTF match have any lore about "what is the flag? crew, informations or supplies?" Wouldn't be nice to kill your crew just to not let the enemy take them as prisioners.-hahaha

Think about the team-work that this changes the CTF would demand. The problem that many people complain, that the panther is a tank that just take the flag to the middle of the map, just to another one get it, and we know that after the flag carrier reach the middle of the map, even if he dies, you can consider this flag captured, and the boring race-mode...

I'm not complaining about the current CTF system, I'm NOT a "veto-ctf-plz!-player" (honestly, as a V-66 rider, I enjoy the current system), i just believe that this mode could be improved.

It definitely needs improving, its degenerated into a relay race between a few fast ships on either side while the rest of the team ... spectates? pointlessly furballs? kills turrets? Its really not as fun as it should be, its become a chore.

longshot wrote:It definitely needs improving, its degenerated into a relay race between a few fast ships on either side while the rest of the team ... spectates? pointlessly furballs? kills turrets? Its really not as fun as it should be, its become a chore.

exactly!!!
CTF matches are won by one or two players...

KyNtampo wrote:
CTF matches are won by one or two players...

Or 3 if you're really coordinated.

Loki wrote:

KyNtampo wrote:
CTF matches are won by one or two players...

Or 3 if you're really coordinated.

Sad but true. So often this week I've been on a team where I get 2 or 3 flag caps in a round.

I think it's time we went on strike from flag-capping. I call upon all veteran pilots to 'cluster-frack'. In other words. Let the noobs figure out how to win if they want to; we can just practice our bombing-runs and dog-fights.

Lol ok, why not. How about we play CA in CTF games, S&D in CA games, and ... hmm. What to do in S&D?

Nyxy wrote:

Loki wrote:

KyNtampo wrote:
CTF matches are won by one or two players...

Or 3 if you're really coordinated.

Sad but true. So often this week I've been on a team where I get 2 or 3 flag caps in a round.

I think it's time we went on strike from flag-capping. I call upon all veteran pilots to 'cluster-frack'. In other words. Let the noobs figure out how to win if they want to; we can just practice our bombing-runs and dog-fights.

But it's so fun to fly right through the middle of the cluster-frack without anyone even noticing me. The other day on the 3rd cap I flew all the way back twice just to see if someone would chase me. But I'm game. No more flags for me I'll just mix it up in the middle. See you guys there.

longshot wrote:Lol ok, why not. How about we play CA in CTF games, S&D in CA games, and ... hmm. What to do in S&D?

CTF. duh.

CTF definitely needs help.

First, it's too easy for a single fast craft (sidewinder, viper, kingfisher) or a single durable fast craft (FH-250, panther) to blast the flag so far from the carrier - if not making the entire run themselves - to render defense a lost cause. At that point, people lemminging the flag is more than enough to finish the job.

To this end, I'd say remove the speed reduction while carrying the flag, but increase AB consumption while carrying the flag. Say a 100% increase to keep things simple.

----

Idea of tribes/ut style flag. Won't work. One word: sidewinders. And open space.

Instant reset would be daft as hell.

Some sort of idiot-proof flag reset mechanism would be best. As mentioned before, some idiot grabbing our flag and moving it to the enemy carrier....

Good point ZigZagJoe, this could improve the CTF.

But i think that what i said could make the CTF mode much more fun. Just nerfing the AB effectivity would just make the CTF a harder get the flag race.

What about giving the HE-3 tank hull strength in conjunction with boost nerfs which are subjective upon the ship?

The HE-3 tank would act as a neutral entity and take damage from foes, friendlies and hazards (read: huge chunks of floating rock). On destruction, the tank would respawn back at the carrier. The tank cannot be destroyed when not held by another player and something like the current respawn rules would apply for floating tank. I would say that the tank should have about as much starting health as a fully upgraded Barracuda- it would need testing and balancing,but that seems a fair point to start.

The tank's 'hull strength' would not replenish itself until after respawn. The tank can be hit with rocket splash damage, but cannot be locked onto. The tank takes damage if the ship carrying it is destroyed. In my world the tank would also be super-resistant against nuclear explosions, but that's just me.

This would accomplish at least a few things:

1) The Panther's shield strength advantage would be minimized as lighter and more agile ships would be able to take out the tank directly. The larger body of the Panther, however, would be a more effective shield for the tank than a smaller ship.
2) Faster ships would need to plan their flight paths to avoid damaging the tank on asteroids/the hull of the carrier during their escape. No more carelessly dodging and weaving through asteroids with a magical phasing tank strapped to you. Light ships would also need to be careful about relay racing as each death further damages the tank.
3) A tank that's half-way across the map is no longer a lost cause; at some point it becomes more effective to use precision gunning to take out the tank and cause it to respawn. This would reward players who take time to aim.
4) Speaking of aiming, super beam snipers become a commodity. Pew-pew.
5) Teamwork becomes vital to success.
6) Profit.

A small change I think would help (though not fix) CTF:

Right now you cannot see the flag carrier's health and the icon doesn't turn white when you first score a hit. I can't speak for everyone, but the lack of feedback when I hit the flag carrier makes it much harder for me to shoot them down.