Proposition for new gametype on main server

[pilau]

Here's a proposition for an additional gametype for the main server.

Has any of you ever played the Maelstrom-NV map? It features a very intense and action-packed twist on the Onslaught gametype. Yes, Onslaught. Are you still here? Good

This map doesn't have any vehicles at all (NV stands for no vehicles). What it does feature, is a unique node layout, and a complex enough environment to turn into an action-packed battlefield that mandates teamwork if you are to win. The map has some vegetation, z-index, and is based on natural corridors that lead to action zones, found mostly around the center area as well in the larger vicinity of the cores.



From the creator's description:

Maelstrom features 23 intermediate nodes between the two cores. Each node constructs twice as fast as normal nodes, but are destroyed twice as fast as well. This change, coupled with the amount of nodes results in massive alterations to gameplay mechanics.

This is a special edition of Maelstrom that has no vehicles, and is scaled down 20% in size. ONS-Maelstrom-NV, like its big brother, is vastly different from any other onslaught map ever made. NV takes this one step further, to all-infantry node warfare. This map has extremely fast gameplay - controlling the inner 9 nodes is the key to your team winning.

One of the most common misconceptions I see floating about is that Maelstrom is huge. 23 nodes would usually lead to that conclusion, but since they are modified, they are packed very close together. The number of nodes used in gameplay is proportional to the number of players in the game - this map plays extremely well with few players, as the number of contested nodes shrinks down to the middle. 4v4 matches can be just as fast-paced as 14v14 matches in this respect.

This particular version is about the furthest from a normal game of Onslaught you can have - it should appeal to fans of other gametypes. The node-based gameplay is pretty much all that's left from your usual game of Onslaught

Did you get that? The number of nodes adjusts automatically to match the number of people playing!



You can see some additional screenshots here, as well as download the map and play it with BW Pro and bots.
http://www.mapraider.com/maps/unreal-to ... elstrom-NV

The game is really fast paced and surprising (even with bots) and has a lot of moments were you can get caught unprepared, due to the great structure of the map.

I would suggest to play this in Loadout mode, with some of the stronger ordnance weapons available from the start. That how I play it offline. Something that should be looked into more carefully, for balance, is that a LAW missile takes down a node in one hit, and the AT-Streak and FP7 fires eat through a node in mere seconds. Just a noteworthy fact.

Would love to hear your opinions on this. It could really throw in some spice into the community to add a fresh gametype.

[Definitelynotjay]

I've played a couple of maps much like this before. I really like them. Although, they are time consuming. These types of maps are very complex and require strategy, which is a very different way of playing. I think making one for Freon would be great, and i would definitely play it.

[Ollievrthecool]

Im sure there is already a topic on why this wouldn't be added.

[Mecha]

We had ONS once. It was rarely played, and I don't want it again if my opinion would like to be heard. In my personal experiences on ONS with BW, I only had bad ones. If you pick the wrong weapons like assault rifles, you are just cannonfodder or a living target practice. Coordination is important for this level of ONS and it exists only in TeamSpeak which not everyone has. Clanplayers have the great upperhand at this. Unless you are in a team in which people who know what they have to do, it goes actually well without communication. Otherwise you get in a team in which YOU, only you work your sorry ass off to build up some nodes only to get them destroyed by snipers while others try to kill enemies with assault rifles over range. Speaking of weapons and snipers...

[...]with some of the stronger ordnance weapons available from the start.

People will permanently use them when they find that out. Such weapons are far too effective on nodes and players alike. Once, I used E-23 Viper and tried desperately to build a node alone in a wide open field while my teammates were busy ignoring objectives. Surprise HAMR shell from above, I flung away and died while the enemy happily continued shooting HAMR. The node got destroyed in no time, nobody even dared to shoot the HAMR user off, I tried to do it again and again but it always was the same result: HAMR or G5 instakills and free nodes for enemies. Sorry, but this idea just sucks. Snipers were another problem, the maps were too advantageous for them, combined with minimal cover and pussy turrets that get destroyed by snipers in two or three shots. When you try to build a node, a sniper is certain to kill you sooner or later.

Maybe it was just me who had those bad experiences, or I'm just bad at the game who deserves to be laughed at. But I told what I felt during that time.

TL;DR: ONS is a mess of spam and has balancing issues with BW. Straight "No" from me.

[pilau]

Every one of your points is valid (but I will debunk them all )

I cannot counter your argument regarding how strategical gameplay types, like the original Onslaught require real-time communications. But this is not a strategical gametype. As someone who has played this map a couple of times already, I can vouch that this map doesn't require any strategy at all. It's plain easy, a foot soldier attitude game: conquer as many of the opposite team's nodes and then destroy their main base - before the enemy destroys yours. It's dead simple. That simple.

Let me expand on that. Again, this is not the Onslaught game you know from UT2004. It just uses nodes and cores as a game mechanic, but that's it. It is basically TDM with benefits. It has as much PvP action as the beloved Freon, but brings a different twist to TDM with a single grand objective - destroy the enemy core. The links between the nodes don't mandate any specific strategy for taking them - they are all linked to each other and allow a proportionally limitless number of simultaneous ways to get to each core. A match like this could benefit from the whole team working together but can also definitely be decided by individual players advancing on their own.

To address your HAMR example - a player who will sit behind a node on this map, bombarding it and letting no one take it, will simply waste time. There are endless other ways to walk away and take a different route to the core. There's no bottle neck in this map - only until your core is reached. Even then each core is linked to 3 different nodes - allowing you to turn the tides and charge an attack.

Regarding weapons and BW: this is only a matter of game balancing loadout selection. I will stress this point again: this is not regular ONS. It just bares this name. You don't have any vehicles or turrets - only infantry. Perhaps my suggestion to provide ordnance right away was off the board. But it's up to us as a community to find the balance that suits us.

I would love it if people would try to ignore the name "Onslaught" and keep an open mind about this map.

@Ollie what thread is it - and please read this message.

[Azarael]

I will vouch for what pilau is saying. NV ONS maps play entirely differently from ONS.

[pilau]

Does that mean we have his highness's support of the idea?

[Azarael]

Give me a bit to add ONS.

[pilau]

Sweet. Take your time no rush

[Calypto]

Maplist for ONS (because there's no thread in admin forum):
DefaultMaps=ONS-BitchSlap-BigAl-Solace?LinkSetup=Default
DefaultMaps=ONS-BridgeOfFate-NVE-beta2?LinkSetup=Default
DefaultMaps=ONS-ChainsIsileFinal?LinkSetup=Default
DefaultMaps=ONS-Dreamus2_32p-Final?LinkSetup=Default
DefaultMaps=ONS-SPAMBOX?LinkSetup=Default
DefaultMaps=ONS-Primeval?LinkSetup=Default
DefaultMaps=ONS-Maelstrom-NV?LinkSetup=Default
The mutator for vehical removal is AllVehicleArena.AllvehicleArena. The configuration is in the test server UT2004.ini, on the very bottom. It needs to be added to the UT2004.ini of the intended server where it will be used.