Introducing a New Game Type for Red Orchestra 2

[-=THOR=-]

New Game Type for Red Orchestra 2

Some of you may be aware of it, I've been working on a new game type for Red Orchestra 2 in the last months, with the collaboration |DD|Mad_Fred and |DD|GrimReality. Special thanks to |DD|Spaehling for the initial help with the SDK, and alpha testing. I also want to thank the other |DD| testers for their time.

First, here's a little teaser...

Red Orchestra 2 - New Game Type - YouTube

Spoiler!

Yes, you got it right! Capture The Flag is making its way into RO2! The |DD| Clan has been playing that game type for years on many different shooters. From that experience, we wanted to combine the good points of the best experiences we've had. Why did we pick CTF? Coordinating an assault, helping to bring the enemy flag home, defending your own flag, collaborating to track the enemy flag carrier, all of these require a great bunch team of work to win a match. But what is nice with CTF, is also the individual rewards that come from personal actions: capturing the enemy flag, killing the enemy flag carrier and returning the flag, all of these make your team proud of you, which is very motivating.

Basics of the game
Each team has a flag, generally located close to its initial spawn area. The objective is to take flag of the enemy, and bring it home to 'capture' it. Easier said than done.

Notes:
1. You can only capture the enemy flag when your own flag is home.
2. When you are killed as a flag carrier, the flag drops on the ground. If an enemy touches its flag, or after X seconds, the flag returns automatically to its bay. Before it that happens, a teammate can pick it up and continue.

Decisions relative to key concepts of CTF
1. Returning the flag manually (or not)
Many have proposed that players should have to return the flag manually, instead of 'teleporting' the flag back home. Although the idea is interesting, we decided not to implement this, because it would have a major impact on the gameplay, and would have many unknowns. As an example, just consider the case of a player hiding with his flag instead of returning it... CTF has been a success in many games, and we didn't want to take the risk of such an important change: newer is not always better. There are also other concerns, like the flag falling in some unaccessible location, waiting for someone to bring it back home, screwing a game up. With this in mind, we adopted the classic CTF approach, which means that the flag needs only to be touched by a teammate to return automatically, or returns by itself after a customizable delay expires.

However, in the future, we might be interested to add this as an option, or an alternate game type.

2. Display the location of the flags (or not)
Displaying the (enemy and friendly) flag location helps avoiding sequences where both flag carriers keep hiding somewhere. However, it greatly dumbs down the game, and greatly reduces the interaction required by the team, to coordinate tracking efforts. From the feedback we gathered, displaying the location of the flag carriers ruined CTF in the games that chose to do so. In our implementation, only the flag bays are displayed; the location of the flags is not displayed.

3. Points System
It is difficult to design a points system that rewards the players in a fair way. Our main concerns were:
A) Fairness across servers: the points system is not customizable.
B) Fairness across gametypes: we based the points system on Territory, and tried to get a similar total number of team points distributed through a match.
C) Fairness across roles: Being next to a flag carrier is not always the best thing to do (protecting behind and clearing upfront, can be more useful sometimes), and it is also not always possible for some classes like sniper or machine gunner. Also, a remote enemy (tank, sniper, machine gunner) can be more dangerous than a close target. For that reason, we don't give special points for being 'next' to the flag carrier, or killing an enemy nearby.

The points are awarded following this scheme:
A) Taking the enemy flag (flag bay): +5 team points.
B) Taking the enemy flag (dropped): +3 team points.
C) Killing an enemy who is near your flag bay: +2 team points.
D) Killing an enemy who is near the enemy flag bay: +3 team points.
E) Returning (touching) your flag after it has been dropped: +5 team points.
E) Flag carrier defending himself: +2 team points.
F) Killing the enemy flag carrier: +3 team points.
G) When a flag capture happens:
*10 points are awarded to the final flag carrier.
*15 points are split between the final and intermediate flag carriers (min 5 points/carrier).
*3 points are awarded to players of the capping team that got at least 1 kill while the flag was being carried.
The maximum number of cap points is clamped at 25 points per capture.

From the tests we've made, the number of points awarded during a match is very similar to a TE match of equivalent duration. However, it could be modulated differently in the future, especially to take into account map-specific or playercount-specific details.

List of gameplay features

• The flag has a skeletal mesh and physics, and is attached to the back of the player when carried (similar to a shouldered rifle).
• For players, only the friendly camera viewpoints can be used.
• For players, roaming, 1st person and 3rd person spectating are blocked.
• Not for bots, sorry.
• Tied rounds are taken into consideration for the maximum number of rounds allowed.
• A round can be won by capping enough flags, or at the end of the time limit, by having more flags than the opponent.
• A match can be won by winning more rounds, or capping more flags (total of the match) than the enemy.
• Arty can be defined by the mapper, with a delay between strikes, instead of a total number of strikes per match.
• Dynamic spawn locations as the team moves on the map and gets control over areas.
• "Hot Zones" can be defined throughout the map, and have a team index. Those are used to define areas around the flag bays, into which players get bonus points for attacking/defending.
• Supports spawn on squad leader and commander forced respawn.
• When there are 60 seconds, a timer appears at the top of the screen and turns red when 30 seconds are left.
• The classic compass is used independently from the game mode.
• A HUD widget at the bottom of the screen appears when a flag is not home, and indicates the status of the flags (home, taken or dropped). It is always visible in the tactical overlay. The icons change dynamically.
• Custom messages are displayed accordingly to the CTF points system.
• Custom alerts are displayed in the middle of the screen, when a flag is taken, dropped, returned, expired or captured. The player name of the instigator is displayed on a second row, in smaller characters (when applicable).
• The number of flags capped on each team is displayed to the left of the scoreboard, on the map, and in the tactical overlay.
• In the scoreboard, the player name of the flag carriers has a lighter color, and a "(FC)" tag next to their name.
• The location of the flag bays are indicated by moving icons on the tactical overlay. The icons change dynamically depending on the state of the flag.
• Sounds are played for taking, returning and capping a flag, as well as the flag expiration.
• The round start screen is customized.
• The scoreboard shows the name of the custom gametype at the top.
• The round/match end screens have been customized with custom stats (flags capped last round, and total flags capped).
• The spawn selection screen is available.
• The flag bays appear on the map with a dynamic icon, and instructions in the right panel change with states of the flags.
• A customizable 'credits' panel appears at the bottom-left of the 'Round Start' window.
• Spawn protected or other mapper-specified zones cannot be entered by flag carriers (else, the flag returns automatically after a delay).

List of server features

• Customizable time limit.
• Customizable flag capture limit/round.
• Customizable expiration delay for the flag.
• Customizable reinforcements delay and minimum time dead.
• Customizable classes (TE-Style or FF-Style).

Beta and Release informations
The files have been submitted Tripwire for white-listing. As soon as we get the green light, we will be holding a private testing session with invited guests. After that, we will be entering public beta. During the beta, CTF will be playing 24/7 on the |DD| server, along with the best TE stock and custom maps (probably alternating between both game types). When the beta phase is over, CTF will be made available to all servers. We will produce a wiki that will explain how to setup CTF on a map, so that modders can implement it on their custom maps. As of now, those maps support CTF (more stock maps will be converted):

• CTF-Warehouse (by |DD|Mad_Fred)
• CTF-Spartanovka
• CTF-Apartments

Regards,
-=THOR=-

[Extension7]

Oh wow, I can't wait to try this out! Awesome work guys! I hope some of the custom mappers either make specific CTF maps or convert theirs over.

[r5cya]

AWESOME! good luck with the whitelisting. looking forward to playing it!

[Spaehling]

Oh yeah, lets start the action!

[Abomolith]

Sounds fantastic! I enjoy my staple of Territory, but this would be nice to change up the pace occasionally. Great work there.

[TraXx]

To all of the |DD| guys -- I am absolutely speechless right now. I've known of this undercover, for a while now, and have anxiously been awaiting this day. I know how unbelievably hard you guys work, and that is something to be admired.

To the community -- I've had the chance to play RO2 in CTF now for about 30min. or so. Let me say that it is nothing short of dazzling.

I am so renewed by this gametype that I absolutely don't know what to say.

All I can do is thank you on behalf of everyone who enjoys a proper CTF gametype and giggle myself into oblivion.

Now if any medals are going to be given out, THESE guys deserve the first one.

Congratulations |DD| and JOB WELL DONE!

[GrimReality]

Thanks for helping us test tonight Traxx. Glad you loved it!

All the credit goes to Thor - he's been pounding his head against the wall day after day, making progress little by little, and finally we have this great new game mode!

A great new custom map by Fred as well! Plenty of head smashing against the wall for him too!

Me? Right now I just have the custom flags, but there will be more custom environmental assets to come.

[-=}WoLvErInE{=-]

I'm dropping all my previous maps and projects ASAP. I have the SDK up and working on CTF map as i type this. Thank guys for making this game more fun than it already is

[teemu92]

ctf huh? nice looking forward to see how it plays out.

[Drecks]

Originally Posted by -=}WoLvErInE{=-

I'm dropping all my previous maps and projects ASAP. I have the SDK up and working on CTF map as i type this. Thank guys for making this game more fun than it already is

I agree with WoLvErInE CTF on Rakowice and Coldsteel is on top of my prioritylist.
Thanks for bringing this to the community.

[Extension7]

Originally Posted by drecks

i agree with wolverine ctf on rakowice and coldsteel is on top of my prioritylist.
Thanks for bringing this to the community.

ctf on rakowice

oh god the excitement is bursting through me.

[Mike_Nomad]

This is exciting... Capture the Flag.

Is this a FULL MOD to be run separately or, will it work within the existing framework ala RS?

Any ETA??

[Blitzk.-Bob]

Originally Posted by TraXx

To all of the |DD| guys -- I am absolutely speechless right now. I've known of this undercover, for a while now, and have anxiously been awaiting this day. I know how unbelievably hard you guys work, and that is something to be admired.

To the community -- I've had the chance to play RO2 in CTF now for about 30min. or so. Let me say that it is nothing short of dazzling.

I am so renewed by this gametype that I absolutely don't know what to say.

All I can do is thank you on behalf of everyone who enjoys a proper CTF gametype and giggle myself into oblivion.

Now if any medals are going to be given out, THESE guys deserve the first one.

Congratulations |DD| and JOB WELL DONE!

This is going to be awesome!

Thank you so much, after that video I started to work again on an old map project.


And if everything runs fine, I hope Tripwire Interactive will release it as an official gametype?!


Long live Red Orchestra 2!

[Ducky]

Great job Thor. A well done to you and your |DD| team. Hope to see it on a server soon. Can't wait to try it out.

[Paajtor]

awesome news, finally ready for release!
Sure hope to get to play it soon, and good luck with getting it white-listed

[Mr. Brewski]

Epic, truly epic. Thanks for all your hard work guys

[gyps]

well it's definately a new twist on RO

looking forwards to trying it

[Mad_Fred]

Originally Posted by Mike_Nomad

This is exciting... Capture the Flag.

Is this a FULL MOD to be run separately or, will it work within the existing framework ala RS?

Any ETA??

Well, it would be kinda silly to run a seperate instance of the game with only CTF as game type, I reckon.

It's technically speaking maybe even more of an Addon than a Mod, anyway, since it adds something that wasn't there yet, instead of replacing or modificating exsisting content. So yes, it will run within the current framework. It will just add this game type to the exsisting game, on a map basis. So if a server admin has the files, and hosts the maps that have it, then it's there.

The ETA is soon, as soon as the whitelisting (fingers crossed) goes through, but it will be an open beta on the DD server only first, untill all the kinks are ironed out. How long that will take, that is too early to tell. We have yet to test with a full house of players, for example. There is no way to tell yet, what might happen in every possible event during gameplay.



Regards,
Fred

[Mike_Nomad]

Originally Posted by Mad_Fred

Well, it would be kinda silly to run a seperate instance of the game with only CTF as game type, I reckon.

True but the question needed asking anyway.

It's technically speaking maybe even more of an Addon than a Mod, anyway, since it adds something that wasn't there yet, instead of replacing or modificating exsisting content. So yes, it will run within the current framework. It will just add this game type to the exsisting game, on a map basis. So if a server admin has the files, and hosts the maps that have it, then it's there.

OK, sounds good to me.

The ETA is soon, as soon as the whitelisting (fingers crossed) goes through, but it will be an open beta on the DD server only first, untill all the kinks are ironed out. How long that will take, that is too early to tell. We have yet to test with a full house of players, for example. There is no way to tell yet, what might happen in every possible event during gameplay.

Then why whitelisting run a PW'ed beta.... then you are for sure to have exclusivity.

Good Luck and thank you.

[AsoBit]

Oooh it'll be quite interesting to see how CTF plays out in the RO environment. Can't wait to play it!