Focus Testing Part 1: Stopwatch, Canary Wharf, Trainyard and Waterloo

(BomBaKlaK) #121

I need some more to keep playing this game to !

(Kl3ppy) #122

Yesterday I played it for 30 mins and was bored to death. The next Focus Testing should be “Fun” because this is what Dirty Bomb lacks the most.
Maybe Ashog quotes me what I said yesterday :smiley:

(DarkangelUK) #123

The config reset bug is stopping users playing, should hopefully see more users on once that’s fixed.

I’d be interested to see how lengthier spawn times would work, even if it’s just on one or 2 maps. I mean properly go 20/30+ to see if the grind is reduced and the fun increased. Less theory, more practical testing.

(Glottis-3D) #124

[QUOTE=DarkangelUK;494961]The config reset bug is stopping users playing, should hopefully see more users on once that’s fixed.

I’d be interested to see how lengthier spawn times would work, even if it’s just on one or 2 maps. I mean properly go 20/30+ to see if the grind is reduced and the fun increased. Less theory, more practical testing.[/QUOTE]
agreed, testing is about changing and trying.

(Kl3ppy) #125

I don’t believe that the game will be more fun with longer spawn timers

(BomBaKlaK) #126

Some real cool maps with significant travel time to objective and between objective is needed !

(DarkangelUK) #127

Which is why I’d like to test to see rather than guessing :slight_smile: There’s too much theory on here for my liking, we need to start doing some proper practical testing.

(Kl3ppy) #128

Fully agree. I somehow miss the testing part. Sure we are testing but we are not testing uncommon decisions. All we have now is already part of “normal” games. There is imo nothing new in Dirty bomb. The only thing I miss in Dirty Bomb atm are kill streaks (/irony off if someone doesn’t see it) I had the hope that we (especially in the Alpha) can test extremes to find something real cool.

(BomBaKlaK) #129

After a year of Alpha and few month of the pseudo Beta it’s maybe time to do something.

(Bangtastic) #130

You mean like reload rev up and ride out? :smiley:

(Kendle) #131

I’m not sure SD are open to the idea of longer spawns, I think they’re paranoid that today’s gamers won’t accept being dead and not able to play for potentially 30 seconds at a time (even though CS remains a popular game in which you can be dead for several minutes before being able to play again).

I’d certainly like to try longer spawns (once the config bug is fixed, ain’t playing till that’s sorted), although I wouldn’t get too carried away because short spawns is only one of XT’s problems, and increasing it won’t magically fix the game. The spawn system in previous games worked because they had forward spawns and selectable spawn points, both of which are conspicuous by their absence in XT.

(Glottis-3D) #132

ofc spawn times as large as 25-30 seconds will not alone solve all of the problems.
i also think that these spawntimes have to be object-dependent.
there has to be correlation between travel time to the obj and spawn time. for both sides - def and attack.
lets look at waterloo (the only map that i am not already sick of in the current mappool).

1st stage defence
-very short travel time.
-overal balance is biased towards defence (very often fullholds on 1st stage)
if we add 5 or 10 seconds to the spawn time of defence. this will improove both of above issues.

1st stage attack
-a pretty long travel time
-but we have a spawn-point, that cuts the travel time to very short, but laso it removes the sneaky way to the object.
-if the defence is not fooling around, there is little chance for planting the door without spawnpoint.
i dont see how the additional spawn seconds can help here.

(BomBaKlaK) #133

Spawn times got to be reworked after some REAL maps rework, with significant travel time and capturable spawn point.
Without this DB will stay the same, spam fest in a tiny corridor

(Kl3ppy) #134

What I don’t get is, why SD didn’t “copy” the real good and unique stuff from ET/ETQW. I mean the overall map layout and the forward Spawn System. The shooting System and the movement cant get copied easily due to different Game engine. The forward spawn System we have right now is a joke.
I have the feeling that SD tries to copy stuff from CoD/BF/Titanfall to get a wider audience but forgot what SD Games (beside Brink) were famous for. The classless objective isn’t that bad, with well balanced objective speeds it can really work and is not a huge problem. I have troubles to see a real concept in Dirty Bomb, does SD want a objective based shooter or a TDM shooter with the extra spice of objectives? I would really like to see the game concept because I have difficulties to see a clear concept.

B2T: Maybe increase the spawn times in the next patch. Put it to 20/30 secs, let us play 1-2 weeks and adjust the spawntimes if needed. Also point out what and why we are testing certain things. Now is the time to test various settings to find the best solution.

(Glottis-3D) #135

[QUOTE=BomBaKlaK;494977]Spawn times got to be reworked after some REAL maps rework, with significant travel time and capturable spawn point.
Without this DB will stay the same, spam fest in a tiny corridor[/QUOTE]

i have to agree here. i dont see, how anything could help current maps with lots of messy parts - only fixing these bad parts can help.

we can help, by suggesting cure for the worst parts.
sad thing, that sometimes this cure is heavy surgery and amputation.

trainyard and waterloo seem curable.
canary is mostly inoperable.

but i think we realy could have more posts in maps sub-forums.

(Loffy) #136

My guess is that since the developers are embarking on a new Intellectual Property, a new engine, and have tons of things to learn (for example how to master the F2P market), all is daunting and takes time. Consequently, imho, things like setting up and polishing map design, spawns, and such is perhaps not necessarily the number one priority right now. I might be totally wrong ofc, but there must be houndred of things to learn, design, and construct, and tweak.

Having said that, I personally want to wish for a patch, new maps, and that we do not only have to play stopwatch mode. I want to test some new, cool stuff, pretty please. :stroggtapir:

(Bangtastic) #137

I think its not a big deal to have more or less linear maps. For me canary wharf is not a problem, as long there isnt a second canary wharf map^^.

  1. Canary wharf thoughts

For example I like the first objective of CW (the second one isnt that great, whereas I liked it in alpha more, with the trainstation and fancy stuff).

Imo second objective of CW doesnt qualifiy as a final objective, since its the type of gap-closing objective, to pave the way for the next and final one. I dont like the middle pipes in front of the objective. They are too clunky and its troublesome to have firefights over it.

  1. General thoughts about objectives

a) Doors as meaningful optional objectives
Would doors add something beneficial to maps? Last I picked the thought up again: Doors which can be accessed by defenders (opening/closing), but must be blown up (any explosives-> different use for merc abilities) or hacked by attackers (different door types/interactions), as optional objectives. Its not rly important but I had lot of fun when I did it in rainbow six games with different interaction types.
Once the door is passed, its passed for good ->its like a open doorway. I still think it adds to the atmosphere quiet nicely.

b) More optional interactions with environment
Same goes for lift interaction. Can be hacked and brought to hold for a certain amount of time. So ppl taking the lift can happen to get stuck shortly. A bit of such optional side objectives makes it more varied.

c) Different objectives or better chained objectives
Since the environment is rather in a post-apocalyptic state, what about some objectives where you have to fix it first and then hack or use it. (can also be optional, when less computer/server are running for the “hackstation”, its easier to hack, therefore grants faster hacking) In order to be the fastest team, they need an engineer in place. In theory^^.

Steal device A to put it into objective B. To run this thing, engineer is favourable. Then you are able to extract intel from Objective B.

For me its a missed opportunity to fill the maps with nice content, so they could feel more complete or “alive” but not cluttered ofc.

  1. Team-interaction (2+ players are needed to activate X)
    Are objectives or interactions where two players at once have to activate sth are worth looking into it, or is it a too high expectation for an average player? Or is it simply a bad design choice? (Team objectives)
(Ashog) #138

I have to disagree with the negatives about Canary Wharf. The map makes most fun at the moment and the second objective is much more drama than objectives 2 and 3 together from a previous alpha version with 3 objectives.

There are some bugs but the last objective is usually now a very tense fight with crossfires, defendable secondary routes and sneaky places too. In other words it is more or less what I expect from a typical SD map objective. Very big improvement from what it was in alpha, kudos.

(BomBaKlaK) #139

[QUOTE=Ashog;495058]I have to disagree with the negatives about Canary Wharf. The map makes most fun at the moment and the second objective is much more drama than objectives 2 and 3 together from a previous alpha version with 3 objectives.

There are some bugs but the last objective is usually now a very tense fight with crossfires, defendable secondary routes and sneaky places too. In other words it is more or less what I expect from a typical SD map objective. Very big improvement from what it was in alpha, kudos.[/QUOTE]

REALLY ? I can’t believe what I just read
the map is short, secondary obj is not really fun, tube design of the dead, shortcut who remove one of the best part of the map (U turn), useless lift for defenders, no real alternative routes, etc …

(Glottis-3D) #140

[QUOTE=BomBaKlaK;495060]REALLY ? I can’t believe what I just read
the map is short, secondary obj is not really fun, tube design of the dead, shortcut who remove one of the best part of the map (U turn), useless lift for defenders, no real alternative routes, etc …[/QUOTE]

i mostly dont see the fun parts because the flow of the map is broken. and i’ve never had a single satisfying match in 2nd obj. in years!!! (ok mb monthes =)))))