Countdown

[kozzy420]

I just LOVE Countdown, reminds me of the old Ghost Recon days hehe.

Territories is very good to, but for me I only really play Countdown and Territories, infact most my fav srevers play those two back and forth.

I think as more people learn the mode and the levels they will play Countdown more. Its very tactical mode, love it!

 

[NinetyNine]

I think my point stands. 2 vs. ?????? is quite realistic. But it's not fun for a lot of people. People draw the line between fun and realism all over the place....but the always draw it exactly where they'd like it.

To me CD is ultra realistic and easily the most immersive of any of the modes, when all the other features are dialed down or turned off...but it's the least fun because all you want to do is get back in there, and dying early makes for a long wait.

I still disagree, but respectfully in this case, as it's a technical disagreement.

2 vs. ??? is not realistic, because if it was 2 vs. 10, the 2 would most likely high-tail it out of the area and go report the enemy position. Attacking the 10 would be suicide.

I'd suggest that TE would be a better choice for realism if they allowed each individual to only use X percent of the total reinforcements. Then your individual lives would mean something. Currently, I don't care how many times I die as long as my team has reinforcements left. If my team had 200 left and I had 3 left, I'd probably rethink charging blindly into a courtyard again on the hopes I make it across this time.

 

[JayTac]

Everyone seems to be missing the problem here...

Countdown is not more realistic because of fewer lives, it's less so. Territory attempts to simulate larger battles by giving a number of respawns. It's flawed, but works well enough. Countdown attempts to make every engagement lopsided by removing the players slowly from the equation. It's like they're trying to answer the question of "What would the fight over the train station have been like if it was fought with 3 people against 2 people", even though nobody ever asked that.

In response to those who argue that the game is too fast paced, and too much of a twitch-shooter, I disagree. CD is far more realistic in that regard. Run and Gun is not a viable tactic on that mode, and the pace is a lot more methodical. That's all I was getting at.

For arguments sake, you still have the same engagement sizes. It's still 32 v 32 max at any given point. No one ever asked how 32 vs 32 would play out with random reinforcements trickling in one by one. At least countdown can replicate a true squad vs squad, or small platoon conflict.

 

[the_Monk]

Everyone seems to be missing the problem here...

Countdown is not more realistic because of fewer lives, it's less so. Territory attempts to simulate larger battles by giving a number of respawns. It's flawed, but works well enough. Countdown attempts to make every engagement lopsided by removing the players slowly from the equation. It's like they're trying to answer the question of "What would the fight over the train station have been like if it was fought with 3 people against 2 people", even though nobody ever asked that.

I think it's you who is missing the problem/point......

When playing TE (or god forbid FF) the player quite quickly becomes used to the spawn-run/shoot/kill/die-respawn cycle so when/if a server introduces a CD map the players who are now all hyped for the next "cycle" leave after that first death. While TE is indeed trying to simulate those larger skirmishes it ends up being (not simulating) not much else than a meat-grinder because of the above mentioned cycle the player gets lured into. There are many times that I have to snap myself out of the lull I've fallen into playing TE. It's like waking up and finding you've been running on a treadmill all night.

When playing CD the player needs to put himself into that situation. Using the environmental audio, embracing the tension-building lulls in action and using them to his/her advantage. CD is all about flexibility. In CD mode each round starts out with team-tactics being the focus and as people die it becomes more about the individual's tactics. This is contrary to the "meat-grinder" and "twitch gamer" tactics that TE mode is so friendly to. Where you think game modes that support a frantic spawn-death cylce are more realistic the opposite is actually true. There were many more smaller fierce/tense engagements in Stalingrad than several hours on end of mindless meat-grinder action which is what TE mode becomes after a few rounds.

People may resolve to join a TE server and not let it become a spawn-death cycle etc. but I'd bet it never works. That spawn-death cycle draws you in.......you get sniped or shot 2 or 3 times by the same guy you're not going hunting? right......hehe

 

[Justin MacDuro]

Just about every thread I go into, someone mentions how disappointed they are because RO2 is more arcade than they expected it to be. Everyone is clamoring for a more realistic and tactical experience.

Yet! When I go to the server browser and filter for Countdown, hardly anyone is playing it. Countdown is the mode for the hardcore crowd, that want a realistic, tactical, and slow paced action. But, no one plays it!? Instead they get on the forums and complain about how fast paced the action is, well jump into countdown, a realistic mode, hardcore settings, and see if that doesn't change your opinion. For all the guys who are screaming for something hardcore.. where are you?? Countdown should be a lot more active than it is.

I really think that Countdown is more a mode for CS fanboys who likes die and wait some minutes watching his screen until the match ends , I find that mode totally boring and I really prefer the wave concept from terrytory mode and the simulation of other squads reinforcing the position .


Usually when a server loads a countdown screen I leave the server ... just at most of the players . CD is as realistic as Territory is ... you die and you respanw later ... in one mode you need to wait some minutes and in the other a few seconds ... but the two modes allows you to have "multiple lifes" .

For clans sure it will bea nice feature , but for casual gamers it's so boring imho.

 

[Rumpullpus]

countdown relies on tactics too much for it to be any fun at all on random servers. unless you like watching people just run around not knowing what to do. but then i would suggest just spectating.

 

[JayTac]

I really think that Countdown is more a mode for CS fanboys who likes die and wait some minutes watching his screen until the match ends , I find that mode totally boring and I really prefer the wave concept from terrytory mode and the simulation of other squads reinforcing the position .


Usually when a server loads a countdown screen I leave the server ... just at most of the players . CD is as realistic as Territory is ... you die and you respanw later ... in one mode you need to wait some minutes and in the other a few seconds ... but the two modes allows you to have "multiple lifes" .

For clans sure it will bea nice feature , but for casual gamers it's so boring imho.

I think you still missed the point, the mode isn't meant for casual gamers. The devs have specifically said that FF is for the more casual crowd, to the draw them in. TE is the classic mode, and CD was made for the hardcore in mind.

So the question was simply, where are all of those hardcore gamers at?

Forget the argument about spawns, fact is CD alleviates the main issue that a lot of the hardcore crowd has been complaining about, and that's a somewhat run-and-gun style. I honestly don't think you have that on CD.

Also, if PR ArmA and PR BF2 can work with random people, I don't see why RO2 should be any different.

 

[Icey_Pain]

It's just poorly worked out. Due to a number of reasons:

1. Poor spawns, you can be spawnkilled incredibly easily, often within the first 2 seconds of spawning. This makes Countdown extremely frustrating and there's no control over the pace you want to play it at.

2. There's no preperation time, countdown is all about tactics. Yet in Public servers you hardly have time to even agree on some tactics before you're all forced to rush.

3. Defenders get such little time to setup that every map is more of an attack/attack than attack/defense.

This is why I'm not playing countdown. If it was fixed, I would probably play it every day.

 

[G_Sajer]

Great point. I'm going to visit CD server soon and try it. I think folks are just nervous about the one life concept. It will certanly be a game changer but probably not a bad experience. I find the game entertaining enought that, if I get snuffed, I'll just spectate
until every one else finishes play and try to learn technique. I really find the idea intreguing.

 

[scarypunk]

Countdown is great, when you can get everyone working together,

The SFSS has a full time countdown server @ 216.246.49.146:7777 love to see you there.

 

[Justin MacDuro]

I think you still missed the point, the mode isn't meant for casual gamers. The devs have specifically said that FF is for the more casual crowd, to the draw them in. TE is the classic mode, and CD was made for the hardcore in mind.

So the question was simply, where are all of those hardcore gamers at?

Forget the argument about spawns, fact is CD alleviates the main issue that a lot of the hardcore crowd has been complaining about, and that's a somewhat run-and-gun style. I honestly don't think you have that on CD.

Also, if PR ArmA and PR BF2 can work with random people, I don't see why RO2 should be any different.

I'm not talking abou casual gamers , I'm talking about CS stile gamers ... CS = Counter Strike ... the idea base for the countdown mode I think is very near to the CS mechanics .

In the old days when CS was a mod I tried to paly it ... but I was heavy boring mot of the times due to the norespawn system ... thanks god sooner DOD appeared , and later RO .

 

[PapaGreg]

and we are not talking about casual gamers, we are talking about a mod for competitive and fun.

"the idea base for the countdown mode I think is very near to the CS mechanics ." And i m agree with it.
But TW failed this mod : this mod is more realistic ??? but assault have 2 waves or reinforcment and only 1 objective (all the defense camp this spot, no way for assault team)

TE is more realistic you said ??? that s so fun : you ve killed by someone, but before died you saw his position, and the positions of his teamates. respawn, and go for fun ... that s so skilled.

You want a realistic game ? no respawn at all, 2 objectives in the same time to splitt defense, and you ll get the best teamplay and strategys ever.

 

[Justin MacDuro]

TE is more realistic you said ??? that s so fun : you ve killed by someone, but before died you saw his position, and the positions of his teamates. respawn, and go for fun ... that s so skilled.

Nope ... I said :


"CD is as realistic as Territory " ...

And there a servers with no killcam so you can avoid see who killed you .
Also if there are a lot of people that want realism just play it for once ... the first time you die just unistall the game becasue in real life you only have one life ... for hardcore gamers !

 

[NoxNoctum]

CD is a great game mode I wish there were more CD only servers.

I like territory of course too but CD is great for a different kind of experience.

particularly good for smaller player numbers to be able to enjoy big maps.

Very immersive game mode as well.

 

[Bigman]

Pile enough boobgly bigs into a basket hthen fiad causea

 

[JayTac]

I'm not talking abou casual gamers , I'm talking about CS stile gamers ... CS = Counter Strike ... the idea base for the countdown mode I think is very near to the CS mechanics .

In the old days when CS was a mod I tried to paly it ... but I was heavy boring mot of the times due to the norespawn system ... thanks god sooner DOD appeared , and later RO .

You said that CD is boring for the casual gamer, the counter to that is CD is not made for the casual gamer.

 

[NoxNoctum]

CD doesn't feel very similar to CS to me, mainly cause the action is very focused.

 

[Sufyan]

I wish Countdown was the answer, I actually thought it would be my favourite game mode pre-release. Having one life is great, it is the single reason I had high hopes for this game mode. As a comparison, Hardcore Search & Destroy is the one thing that brings me back to the later COD-games, it turns the game into a very exciting stealthy objective based shooter.

My problem with Countdown is that it severely limits the maps and funnels players into single objectives from an easily predictable direction. They are not really methodical fights, they are instant gratification standoffs where the attacker is right on the doorstep and you resolve combat in seconds or minutes. While it is not the sprawling chaos of flanking maneuvers and daring assaults you see in Territory, it is still an intense assault mission with more restricted movement and objectives.

Countdown to me feels more like a game of dodgeball than a tactical firefight. It's strongest merit is that it works really well with a small number of players. This however makes it feel more like a game than a battle

A minor nitpick is that the pause between each objective is a big immersion killer. Everytime an objective is captured the game pauses and you see the overhead view of the battlefield. To the player, this is the same as the "game over" screen, the mind starts relaxing and takes you out of the game. This constant starting and stopping is actually a bit taxing on the brain and makes the game mode very unattractive and uncomfortable to play. If countdown is supposed to be a push to take the map faster than your enemy, it should be a constant push that doesn't end until a victor has been decided.

 

[grothesj2]

Countdown isn't so good for pub play. But for clan play, very good.