[T:V] Say it ain't so

Oh boo hoo fucking hoo. A game "might" strive to accomodate anything from 2 to 32 players but we all know that's unrealistic. A game always "settles" on an optimal number of people, that's why leagues like the TWL have "14-man" ladders, and those ladders are seen as the "real" ones, as opposed to more "leisurly" ladders like 7-man.

That's what I want to know: Where will the game "settle"? When TWL creates the new T:V ladders, will they say "5-man" or "12-man"? Only one will be seen as the competitive ladder, the others will be played on a Saturday night by people who show up drunk.

Also, I pointed out that I'm talking about CTF, the dominant gametype in Tribes. Arena plays 4v4 or 6v6 and it plays well because the gametype caters to small teams that basically just kill themselves. But like I said, CTF was always what Tribes was all about... so I ask again: 5v5 CTF?
 
Last edited:
You know Voidsinger, duel and arena would be extremely awesome CAL/CPL ready gametypes.

While CTF would cater to a larger crowd...
 
Zoolooman said:
You know Voidsinger, duel and arena would be extremely awesome CAL/CPL ready gametypes.

While CTF would cater to a larger crowd...
Click to expand...

Voidsinger said:
I know Arena plays with smaller teams (6v6, 4v4), so maybe a CPL Arena push might be what you're aiming for (hell, most CPL games are DMs/variations thereof anyways).
Click to expand...

That's what I was saying from post #1. If the CPL push caters to Arena or some form of TDM, then cool. That's how it should be played, hell, that's how it's played right now. But I'll reiterate.. I don't see 5v5 CTF working in a game that favors movement like Tribes, unless you're playing maps like BB or a smaller version of DoD. Tribes isn't only flag cappers and LDs. There are gens, there are farmers, there's rapers and HDs. 5v5 just makes an abstraction of all the peripheral goals of Tribes CTF.

I've played in both 14, 12 and 7-man ladders. The lower you go, the less you depend on team tactics and the more you depend on an individuals pure killing skill. 7-man CTF in T2 Classic is little more than a game of Arena/TDM but with an added "flag" incentive. However, in 14-man a team that "outkills" the other can also lose the game. Overraping is a real factor.

Let's not kid ourselves. Like KP said, they aim to satisfy a broad range of playing styles and team sizes, from 2 to 32 players. But if they push the CPL for a 5 on 5 Tribes league, then many will see this as the "legitimate" team size. I wouldn't be surprised to see CAL or TWL follow suit with 5-on-5 ladders. This is not my vision of Tribes.
 
T:V could ostensibly come out of the box with all sorts of mods or gametypes, facilitating multiple team-size options for equally diverse gameplay experiences. For example, T:V could host a Heavy Games Mod for 5 v 5 Heavy play, or Tank Dueling for 1 v 1, 2 v 2, or 4 v 4, whatever the case may be. The possibilities are endless. The trick would be to offer a diverse but concise list of game types and mods that are somewhat mutually exclusive, which would offer options more than they would compete with one another for players.

I think Irrational and KP are thinking very efficiently when they talk about how mappers will be able to create such diverse gametypes and "map/mods." If mappers are equipped to create diverse gametypes, then the community can key in on what players of varying team-size preferences want. There's a point at which the developer provides the means and the community provides the ends, but it is very important that the developer specifically creates a game that is friendly to multiple game types and team sizes.

edit: ...or I suppose the developer could invest in an in-game browser instead. :nofu:
 
Voidsinger said:
A game always "settles" on an optimal number of people
Click to expand...
Does it? Tribes communities around the world have a different definition of "optimal" team sizes. Maybe within a given community the game "settles," but not globally.

When TWL creates the new T:V ladders, will they say "5-man" or "12-man"?
Click to expand...
That'll be completely up to them, and ultimately the community. We won't dictate team sizes, but we'll empower you to create and use maps in ways that you find to be the most fun. Assuming you're talking about traditional CTF, I suspect it'll be 8-, 10- or 12-man, but I can't say for sure. It'll be a community decision that is made after everyone has had a chance to play the game for awhile.

the others will be played on a Saturday night by people who show up drunk.
Click to expand...
There's a lot to be said for a game that is fun for a few drunk people on a Saturday night.

so I ask again: 5v5 CTF?
Click to expand...
Sure, if you want to. Personally I have more fun playing CTF with 8 to 12 people per team, but that's just me,
KP
 
Back
Top