Randomized quad spawn

[GreEn`mArine]

Well, from my experience I can say that I plan (prepare) my attacks about 15 seconds before. Trying to get some more health, probably trying to spam out the "noobs" (who are there way too early) from the outside and then I still have 2-3 seconds before I attack. So 5 seconds is really too little time to prepare.

I see that there is a problem with maps having more than 1 quad. The suggestion I have is:
- for now keep it to a 10 or 15 seconds announcement
- once overlay-sprites are available, use them to show the quad remaining time. These can be configurable via CSQC, as I suggested, so that the player could setup in the menu the number of seconds left before respawn-time (and if that timestamp hasn't been reached yet, the sprite isn't shown either). This way the sprite wouldn't annoy anyone beyond the time you really want it to see anyway, e.g. in the last 20-30 seconds before quad-respawn

[Komier]

I'd like randomized start spawn at least if there will be a counter/announcement. Instead of running to the strength and getting it to win with shotguns, you'd have to stock up and then defend yourself until you can actually grab it. So there would be some skill in how you take the strength. (hide and attack when they go for it, stand on quad spawn, etc) Maybe even let them get the strength and blow up one of their rockets in their face?

Anyway, I voted for randomized strength spawn, since it doesn't really matter. You still can time the strength if you wanted to. (Just knock off 5 seconds {down to 1 minute 55 seconds} and then you'd wait maximum of 10 seconds.) All randomizing it will do is make timers less effective; it adds some doubt.

[alpha]

/me sits back and relaxes, seeing how green marine is winning this one for him anyway

High five GM

[Alien]

^
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The same what I want.

But why announcing instead of keeping time until respawn on the hud? That would be much more comfortable. Random spawn was introduced not solely for preventing timers. There are other reasons.

What if the map has more then one strength pwrupp?

I do agree that announcing + random spawning makes little sense. Perhaps random + better _taken_ announcement could be a nice option here.

The most logical thing would be to display the time left until the earlier one, then switch to the later one, etc... or to have some sort of user controllable list with scrollbar on hud, which would be nice addition overall. I'm not against anouncement, anouncement is great but having accurate time left representation is always better. We could have both.


I haven't heard the answer why full length timers are BAD, but 5 - 10 sec announcements are GOOD? IMHO, there is no good reason not to allow user to configure whether he wants full length timers or let him define time until powerup respawn, when he should be informed about in on the screen or making an anouncement or doing both.

The second question is: can CSQC handle sound playing? If it can, why it is so hard to make multiple announcements for each powerup? (I'm not talking about annoucements for 11 sec, 37 sec, ..., but more like 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90).

[divVerent]

It's also lots of code needed for that for almost no gain.

For game action, it's better to focus action on the respawns than to display the time all the time (and the noobs then don't even know where the powerup is). Sprites really are the way to go there.

Anyway, pre-announcement is now 10 seconds, and a build bar is shown near the powerup so you know how "done" it is.

[alpha]

Anyway, pre-announcement is now 10 seconds, and a build bar is shown near the powerup so you know how "done" it is.

Will be tested and reported by clan.

[alpha]

Wanted to test but lazy dog filter does not show anything up today (and on sunday).

[divVerent]

I shut it down as nobody's using it anyway any more.

[Flying Steel]

I shut it down as nobody's using it anyway any more.

I would, but the lag I get is just too bad to accurately test anything. There's only a few servers where I can get days of low ping, probably all close by to me.

[Raven]

I've noticed that svn nexuiz spawns quad at slightly different times now.
And personaly I believe it's not a good idea. And here's why:

Fighting for the quad is a signifitiant part of the game. And knowing when the quad spawns is important to make this fight actually skill-based.
With random quad spawn it becomes more of a luck then skill. Which can be fun also but absolutely ruins the competitive part of the game.

So I'm [s]asking[/s] begging for a fixed time spawn at least on ladder servers.

That's a load of crap. Powerups only *might* give an advantage to those who keep track of the respawn time, but most of the people are not even bothered to keep track. In fact, I believe not being focused on it and just staying close to the spawnpoint of the item in question, killing off as many opponents as you can gives you a far better chance of getting the item. Keeping track of the spawntime has little to do with skills imo. As 90% of the people pick up powerups randomly, I'd say spawntime should be random as well to keep the game fair and square. Getting a powerup should be as random as possible, how you're USING it (Or counterfeiting it) is the challenge at hand for the powerup user or his opponent. THAT's where you must use your skills.

Personally I dislike powerups alltogether, they give too big of an advantage, especially in minstagib which I mainly play.