Server spawn tuning? Fun? Not fun???

[console]

Hi all,

We just updated the server with some code to fix a few bugs, and add some spawn protection, and also provide the possibility of tuning different spawn items.

To test this out, we mapped the bfg to "ancient head", and the powershield to "power screen".

This morning, I read the following concerns in the log:

07:45:25 * HabibGoatAss: i hope this server is not going "professional"
07:45:51 * HabibGoatAss: it worries me
07:45:56 * HabibGoatAss: it might end up like kansas
07:46:00 * Reznor: professional?
07:46:02 * HabibGoatAss: where nobody ever has any fun
07:46:06 * HabibGoatAss: yeah
07:46:18 * HabibGoatAss: restricting the "bad" things into oblivion
07:46:25 * HabibGoatAss: until the game is not a game
07:46:36 * HabibGoatAss: but people stop having fun
07:46:47 * HabibGoatAss: nex they will tune grenades down
07:46:48 * HabibGoatAss: LOL
07:47:07 * HabibGoatAss: you know stuff like that
07:48:22 * HabibGoatAss: all we need now is instagib
07:52:54 * HabibGoatAss: i hope we dont tune this server into oblivion

I think Habib makes an interesting point.  We don't want to, er, "neuter the server's gameplay".

At the moment, it was just a test.  One thing we'll be able to do is change spawns dynamically, just for one game on one map, for instance.  Like put a rail on a map that didn't used to have one.  Or try playing a particular map with ONLY rail, etc.  Just for variety, not set that way all the time.

Anyway, we've removed the bfg => ancient_head test mapping...

The powershield => powerscreen mapping is still enabled... So far it seems pretty cool....

Any comments/thoughts/concerns/questions welcome, as always . . .

Regards,

[QuakeDuke]

Hi all,

We just updated the server with some code to fix a few bugs, and add some spawn protection, and also provide the possibility of tuning different spawn items.

Any comments/thoughts/concerns/questions welcome, as always . . .

Regards,

I like the spawn protection - 2-3 secs max - gives slow dialup (me at home) time to do something besides die when those *(*S(E** spawn campers sit on a pad.

I've also liked the power screen more than the power shield ever since I first seen that.

I don't have a clue (surprise, surprise, surprise!) what an "ancient head" is unless it's referring to us "aged" players or is some sort of sordid sexual innudendo and if those are what it is, I gotta tell you, it's not been showing up in MY weapons inventory!      

As for the rest, I kinda like it when things are skewed randomly on different maps - For instance, I LOVE the gravity lotto.

It throws those who have the maps down to pac-man like precision (the PM/MSPM genre were fun games until I learned the patterns) off enough to give those who aren't fortunate enough to have HSI & "cough" skillz a chance to whomp on them. I kinda get a kick outta listening to the excuses when they lose to some slower, lesser *cough* skilled player.

Changing weapon placements, types, etc makes the game more interesting to me.

And, of course, I like the fact xquake is a server where all kinds of stuff happens and where admin(s) really do care about what the players think .  So, as far as I'm concerned it is

[ background music begins to play stirring patriotic music as QD drags his weary, war torn, shrapnel filled bod to a semblence of attention in front of a wavy flag -your choice -  and begins to speak in ever growing louder stronger tones.....ssscccrrrreeeecchh - sound of record needle on vinyl ]  

Morry! I had a flashback to a kinder, gentler time [it's NOT true that if you remember the '60s you weren't there - I vividly remember getting my welcome letter from Uncle Sammy] and kinda got carried away there - now what was I saying? Oh yeah,  whatever everyone decides is OK with me

QD

[{TNP}Dukie]

I don't mind a little spawn protection although I do enjoy getting pissed off at spawn campers and fragging them.  Spawn protection is nice though because it keeps a spawn camper from winning a map.  I hate that  


What I don't want to see is a bunch of anal-retentive rules for the server where somebody tells me I'm violating the server rules because I fragged someone who was going for a weapon.  I don't want moderators telling me I'm spending a little too much time in one area.  (there is a server out there that does do that)

[HabibGoatAss]

I think the spawn protection is a needed and useful thing.  I personally would prefer the "red" protection type or just having a padkill register as a frag=0 instead of the punitive method of getting killed.  Invariably one will kill people on the pad as a "casual effect" (EX. second person to die on double rail is a pad which become self kill) and die in the process and in the ideal world, one would not need to "work around" pads to stay alive. That all said, the spawn protection is a nice improvement, but a zero frag would be more likeable to me.

(but) I was bummed when I saw the ancient head for BFG substitution.  I said to my self "oh no, here we go".  You know, the mission of making a "kinder gentler quake".  The version where we turn all the lava into soft puffy cotton, turn off falling damage so that we do not get sued because someone fell and broke their leg getting the railgun, disable the BFG making the area of the map that it used to be in a ghost-town complete with tumbleweeds, disallowing quad, getting rid of that annoying green armor, nixing the megahealth, tuning grenades down to nothing, adding instagib . . .  In truth noobies sorely need these "cheese" weapons against an armored up 178 health "pro" with a railgun and many years of experience.  Even in the hands of an old pro, all these elements add some fun to the game.

XQuake has kept the magic balance between FUN & fairness.  There are no "admins gone mad" like on a few other server (I agree with dukies "anal-retentive rules" statement - we all hope we are not headed there), the player base is great, there are great little twists like the grav-lotto (lots of fun) and many cool maps and people really have a friendly disposition.  It is a FUN server and the players have captured this very very needful incentive for the game.  I don't see this on many other servers that have "gone professional" - people only care to win, there's no sportsmanship and nobody really seems to have a good time.

In any event, I have always had a great time at XQuake, because of all the good things.  Hopefully we can keep it FUN and fair too. FUN is first on my list.

Later,

Habib

[HabibGoatAss]

OOps  as I re-read the first post from console, I also see the possibilty of tuning an item as a map-by-map option.  

Now that has many fun possibilities that might be a real scream.  On could have a map with rail only (or even granades only) and no health, or an alternate weapon location, like mixing them up a bit.

A steady diet of this stuff (odd changeability) would kill me, but if things were to change once in a while, like on the frequency of grav lotto, this could really be a fun thing.  

Is it possible to use the same mechanism that generates the grav-lotto to make some occasional planned variability on the items?  That would be "da bom".  Sound like some work though

:wink:

Later,

Habib

[spikeq2]

Does the spawn protection kill the attacker if he fires!? that would be really kewl. Just imagine...

A spawn camper lines up to camp with a rail, the particles ignite forshadowing the coming of an unsuspecting client. He fires as the players comes into being, totally overlooking the yellow shield on him now. Then, Boom!, his screen fills with red and he sees his score is now a minus one. He just camped himself!

Lol i think it would be funny, don't get me wrong. Camping is not cheating...just cheap. Its kinda of one of thoes rights american citezens have that we just abuse...like speech and ingorance

Keep up the good work connie (console) and i look forward to seeign what else you are capable of.

Ps. Sorry i havent checked out the forums in a bit...i have been busy  

[Hydro-cru]

I always thought xqauke was a vanillia server?

[HabibGoatAss]

Yeah it does look like we're getting away from vanilla - may not be so bad, but there is always a chance of getting strange in a hurry.

I did find one unexpected aspect of the spawn protection that surprised me.  On the small maps, the protection actually allows me to attack other active players for a few seconds without fear of death.  This was particulaly noticeable on the "slimy place" where I could get a weapon in a second and us it in "invulnerability mode" for a second.  It gave a slight unexpected advantage.

Technically, if the spawns are off limits, they should perhaps not be able to blaster or use weapons until the spawn wears off.

In any case, I resolved to "play as usual, punitive self-kill for padkill be damned".  I played a few rounds full out - kill anything that moves - I did not manage to kill any pads in a way that killed me, so I think it's working and you won't need to play in "being too careful" mode.

I wonder what will happen when one telefrags a pad, is that even possible?

 

Later,

Habib
_______________________

Console, what are the current substitutions that are active?  Is there some way to see what they are.  I'm curious about the shield - is this like a "runout" type of shield one that gets 10 hits and then dies?

[Hydro-cru]

Well I am sure I am in the minority here but…… thinking way back xquake was always one of my favorite servers because it was a vanilla server, aka out of the box server.  Essentially it is now a server with a “mod

[QuakeDuke]

http://www.quake2.com/sconfig/index2.shtml .  
.

Sniff! :cry:   I guess us penguins get left out again.  Sniff! :cry:

QD

[Hydro-cru]

=BMF= Clan DM <www.bmfclan.com> (69.44.60.69:27910)

That is an old page and there is a version for you too I'm pretty sure,  

[LtColumbo]

It does seem that this server is getting less vanilla all the time. It was the fact that xquake played the original maps. Then it was like 5 new maps between the regular maps and the dm maps. The new maps are good. Don't get me wrong now.  It was the classic maps that drew me here and the good players that kept me here.
       I despise camping. it is part of the game and I dont do it. It was a challenge to see if I could get off the pad before I died. I did not make it  a lot.  :cry:
I would like xquake run a vanilla server again and a server with all the new maps (over 250 isn't it). double the servers and double the player capacity.
While I am on a roll it would be nice to have the mission pack games too. Ground Zero and Reckoning. I know it won't happen but i had to say it any way.
       I will most likely say and play here. i will look for other servers that run the basic maps not the DM maps. i got burned out on the Edge and Tokays towers. I is nice to see these maps in rotation. the frag count is fast and the map changes pretty swift. Those are my thoughts.

[QuakeDuke]

=BMF= Clan DM <www.bmfclan.com> (69.44.60.69:27910)

That is an old page and there is a version for you too I'm pretty sure,  

All links (even googled) lead to a no longer alive page.... quake.ipcinc.net ...  I hate it when everyone links to a single page that has a file - leaves 5 zillion pages of dead info....   Oh well....

QD

[The Dreaming Dragon]

Silly Question:

What exactly does the "Ancient Head" do? I've seen it floating around for ages on maps but never found what it adds to the game or player who gets one.

[johnny]

I like the spawn protection. It's just one little tweak that takes an advantage away from total lamers, and I think that's good. I agree that making the server completely "anal" (as one commentator described such modifications) would take some of the fun away, but I really don't think this small adjustment is doing that; if someone wants to camp a weapon or any other strategic location, he is still free to do so. Hell, someone could even camp a teleport pad if he wanted to. Again, spawn protection is a pretty minimal modification, especially when you consider that on most maps there is either armor or a BFG to help out the less skilled players (such as yours truly).

I think Xquake offers a good all-around experience for everyone. If there's a map that comes up that seems too "unskilled" or "non-vanilla," depending on one's philosophical perspective, well, just leave until one comes up that's more to your liking. Or just DEAL with it, for God's sake. There's something for everyone here! If a map comes up that I hate or that has elements that I don't like, I'll leave if I'm fairly sure that it won't ruin the game for those who are staying (e.g., if there are more than 4-5 players, I'll leave and not feel like a party-pooper; if there are fewer than that, I'll stay just to be a sport, even if I don't particularly like the map).

Blah, blah, blah--did any of this make any sense? I should know better than to check in here after four hours of scotches...