Flag Domination 3.0

[legacy-Uncommon]

Name: Flag Domination
Version: 3.0
Compatibility: UT2004
Description:
Flag Domination combines elements of Capture the Flag and Domination: simply touching a control point isn't enough here, you have to capture that flag!

Here's how it works: the flags start out in a neutral place, and each flag has a designated spot to be captured by each team. Some maps have two flags, and some have three.

Flag Domination plays either on its own FD maps, or on Onslaught maps, automatically replacing power nodes with flags and capture points.

Points are scored in one of four ways:
Rounds - Capture two flags and hold them for 10 seconds to score a point, as in Double Domination. On a three-flag map, getting a third flag scores a bonus point.
Timed - Similar to UT Domination, each captured flag earns one point per second, until it is stolen.
Scavenger - Capturing a flag immediately earns one point. The flag reappears in the center after 10 seconds.
Incursion - Like Scavenger, only reversed: you must capture flags in the enemy base. Think of it as being like Bombing Run, only with multiple balls and multiple goals!

Additionally there is the Flag Points option: each flag has a limit on the number of points that can be gained from it. This means the pace and strategy of the game will change as the easy flags get used up. It also means you can't let the enemy team get too far ahead, or there won't be enough points left for you to catch up! If the flags get used up and the teams are tied, the match is decided by a sudden death round.

Comments:
Version 1.0 placed 4th in Phase 2 of the Make Something Unreal Contest. Version 3.0 is a Phase 3 entry.

Only a couple of minor changes have been made since the last beta version. Flag placement on Onslaught maps was improved again, and should now work on any map with at least three nodes and at least one of them in the center.

Screenshot:
http://uncommonplace.com/games/flagdomshots/azsmall.jpg (http://uncommonplace.com/games/flagdomshots/az.jpg) http://uncommonplace.com/games/flagdomshots/dawnsmall.jpg (http://uncommonplace.com/games/flagdomshots/dawn.jpg) http://uncommonplace.com/games/flagdomshots/cleosmall.jpg (http://uncommonplace.com/games/flagdomshots/cleopatra.jpg)

Credits: David Catmull
Homepage: http://uncommonplace.com/games/flagdom.html
Download:
with 1 map (6.7MB tryout) - http://uncommonplace.com/games/flagdom2004.zip
with 4 maps (16.5MB variety pack) - http://uncommonplace.com/games/flagdom2004pack.zip - Mirror (http://www.kaoticassociations.com/flagdom2004pack.zip)

See the web site for more maps. There are currently 11 maps available. Mappers wanted! (http://www.ataricommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=380178)

[jaybud4]

in the far right picture, why are the manta and the scorpion red?

[legacy-Uncommon]

Because they're on the red team ;)

I keep forgetting about that when I take screenshots. It's an unreleased mutator I made that makes vehicles red and blue instead of orange and green. Just one kink to work out - when a blue Leviathan spawns, it has red turrets (FD's neutral vehicles have the same problem).

[legacy-Uncommon]

Mirrors needed! My bandwidth is about to die! :eek:

[The5thviruz]

I will set up a mirror for the 4 map pack one.

LINKAGE! (http://www.kaoticassociations.com/flagdom2004pack.zip)

[legacy-Uncommon]

Thank you!

[legacy-mycelo]

The game seems to be much better now, thank you! :up: Bots are definitely smarter. I ran into an infinite-recursion once, but it's very, very rare. I've let a match only with bots running for a few hours to get this error.

Keep up the good work. ;)

[legacy-Uncommon]

Thanks!

Yes, there is one infinite recursion bug left, but as you say it's very rare, which makes it hard to fix. Fortunately the next patch will fix a bug that was getting in my way.

[legacy-kizza]

This looks like a fun different gametype.
A bit differnt but still not a completely different game type.
Definatly gonna try it at our next LAN.

[legacy-Clanwarz]

Mirror! - No Registration! - No Ads - Plenty of Slots - Pure Downloads! (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownloaddetails&lid=532&ttitle=)

----------------------------
Over 500 Ut2004 Files For Your Downloading Pleasure!
----------------------------
Assault Maps (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=3#cat)
Bombing Run (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=6#cat)
Capture The Flag Maps (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=7#cat)
Death Match Maps (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=8#cat)
Double Domination (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=9#cat)
Team Death Match Maps (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=10#cat)
Vehicle Capture The Flag Maps (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=12#cat)
Vehicle Death Match Maps (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=14#cat)
Map Packs (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=18#cat)
Movies (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=17#cat)
Skins (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=15#cat)
Mutators (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=11#cat)
Tools-Patches-Linux (http://www.ut2004maps.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=13#cat)

[legacy-FineWolf]

Only thing I don't like. It seems that for capture messages it uses the UT2003 default automaticly. It completly ignores your current announcer settings.

[legacy-Uncommon]

I'm not sure what you mean by "capture messages".

[legacy-FineWolf]

Originally posted by Uncommon
I'm not sure what you mean by "capture messages".

The announcers that says "Red Team scores!", "New round in"...

The countdown are ok..

Set your default announcer and bonus announcer to one of the female voice and play your mod. Every time you heard a male announcer, that is because you forgot to make your mod use the current configured announcer. I'm looking at your code right now to check where you maybe forgot to check for announcers.

[legacy-FineWolf]

Hmm... that's a weird problem... You seem to use AnnounceScore...

[legacy-Uncommon]

I'm redoing the way I do the announcements to match the way it's done in xDoubleDom, since that changed in UT2004 (using PlayStatusAnnouncement instead of PlayAnnouncement). Maybe that will fix it.

[legacy-FineWolf]

OK, I found the problem...

It happens with sounds: Averted, Dominating, Last Second Save, NEw Round in...


The problem is that you are using "BroadcastSound"...

Check the DDOM code for more information about how to broadcast the proper announcer voice.

[legacy-FineWolf]

Oups... lol, you've been quicker...

[legacy-mdhutson]

Slight problem noted, on the map where the flags are Circle Square and Triangle, everytime I have a flag all the bases have the circle symbol floating around them. Is it just me?

[legacy-Uncommon]

Argh.. wish I'd seen that one sooner. Looks like all the capture point beacons in a net game end up showing the same symbol - I don't think it has anything to do with carrying flags. Apparently it only happens in regular FD, not VFD. Thanks for pointing it out.

[legacy-Varsity]

Interesting, I'll take a look. :)

[legacy-Uncommon]

I've fixed the problem with capture point beacons in net games.

I'm also making it so that more maps in VFD will have 3 flags. This raised a problem in ONS-ArcticStronghold, because the bot paths don't allow them to get to the power cores, where the A flag is captured. I'll just have to distribute an alternate version of the map.

[legacy-mycelo]

On ONS-Cruiser a flag had no drop point... There were A, B and C flags, but only A, B drop points. But this is a custom map, and maybe it's a problem with its design. On ONS-CBP2-Brassed, a bot carried the "A" flag, but never droped it, and some other bots of the same team stayed bumping on that bot, and I had to abort the match.

[EDIT]

Sometimes when a bot enter a turret, the turret keeps "shaking" like it's trying to look to front and back at the same time. It's a ugly glitch, and the bot never leaves the turret, nor fire it. And for some maps, two icons on the minimap sometimes occupy the same place, hiding the icon that happened to be below another. It's common to have the "A" and "B" flags at the same point in the middle of the map, even though there are more node points around the middle.

[legacy-FineWolf]

Originally posted by Uncommon
I've fixed the problem with capture point beacons in net games.

I'm also making it so that more maps in VFD will have 3 flags. This raised a problem in ONS-ArcticStronghold, because the bot paths don't allow them to get to the power cores, where the A flag is captured. I'll just have to distribute an alternate version of the map.

or create paths in code for that map.

[legacy-Uncommon]

Originally posted by mycelo
On ONS-Cruiser a flag had no drop point... There were A, B and C flags, but only A, B drop points. But this is a custom map, and maybe it's a problem with its design. On ONS-CBP2-Brassed, a bot carried the "A" flag, but never droped it, and some other bots of the same team stayed bumping on that bot, and I had to abort the match.I'll check out those maps. I haven't seen ONS-Cruiser before. It may not be possible to work around the bot pathing issues on all maps. In Onslaught, bots just have to get close enough to shoot the power core, so there are cases where bots can't actually get to that location even though it works fine in Onslaught.

Sometimes when a bot enter a turret, the turret keeps "shaking" like it's trying to look to front and back at the same time. It's a ugly glitch, and the bot never leaves the turret, nor fire it.Yes, they do that until they see an enemy. I have no idea why it happens, though I don't think it causes any real problems in game play. It is something I want to figure out, though.

And for some maps, two icons on the minimap sometimes occupy the same place, hiding the icon that happened to be below another. It's common to have the "A" and "B" flags at the same point in the middle of the map, even though there are more node points around the middle. Which maps do you have where not all the central nodes are being used?


Originally posted by FineWolf
or create paths in code for that map. You mean put in a hack specifically for that map? Bleah.. I hate ugly hacks. Plus this change involves replacing PathNodes with JumpSpots, so I don't think that's even doable.

[legacy-Uncommon]

I did a bit more checking around:

In ONS-CBP2-Brassed, the blue power core is not connected to the navigation point network (though the red one is). I played a couple of experimental Onslaught games, and sure enough the bots had a harder time finding the blue core - in fact they could only make it on foot.

ONS-Cruiser isn't going to work very well anyway, since the two middle power nodes are only accessible by air so you'd never get anywhere with the flags. But I will try to fix the C flag thing.
Edit: I didn't see the teleporters. Guess it works after all :) And I've fixed the C flag.

And it's not possible to modify paths in code, at least not UnrealScript code.

[Xyx]

Verily, this is an uncommon amount of fun! ;)

Supporting ONS maps for VFD is an immensely strong decision that gives me dozens of good maps to play VFD on. :)

You don't suppose this could be made to work with a single flag as well? Maps like ONS-Frostbite and all BR maps would be perfect for that. :cool:

It did crash on me, though. I saved the error message to post it at uncommonworld, but the site is down. Anyplace I could drop it off at?

[jaybud4]

Originally posted by Xyx
Verily, this is an uncommon amount of fun! ;)

Supporting ONS maps for VFD is an immensely strong decision that gives me dozens of good maps to play VFD on. :)

You don't suppose this could be made to work with a single flag as well? Maps like ONS-Frostbite and all BR maps would be perfect for that. :cool:

It did crash on me, though. I saved the error message to post it at uncommonworld, but the site is down. Anyplace I could drop it off at? How about here?:) Forgot to download before, downloading now:)

[legacy-Uncommon]

Originally posted by Xyx
It did crash on me, though. I saved the error message to post it at uncommonworld, but the site is down. Anyplace I could drop it off at? Try Uncommonplace (http://uncommonplace.com/) instead.

[legacy-mycelo]

Originally posted by Uncommon
Which maps do you have where not all the central nodes are being used?Try ONS-Tempura. It has a lot of powernodes, but only 1 on the middle is actually used. I don't like hard-coding fixes to every map, but you could place at your website better flag configurations to copy&paste, for the maps that you tested.

[legacy-Uncommon]

I was actually just testing with that one yesterday. The new placement code puts all three flags around the center node. Do you think they should be spread out more?

On the other hand, they're already kinda spread out, since that map is so huge. You'd have to set the domination countdown to something like 30 seconds to give people a chance to steal any flags on such a big map.

[Xyx]

VFD-ONS totally blows VCTF out of the water for several reasons: There are actually vehicles left to drive the flag back after I grab it (unlike VCTF, which is usually drive there - walk back).
I can play it on loads of maps I already have installed.
The average ONS map is vastly superior to the average VCTF map in terms of looks and gameplay.This post states a subjective opinion rather than an objective fact.

[legacy-Uncommon]

Originally posted by Xyx
There are actually vehicles left to drive the flag back after I grab it (unlike VCTF, which is usually drive there - walk back). I'm actually thinking about improving on this, too.

Stealing a flag causes nearby locked vehicles to disappear, which can be a bit frustrating for the flag carrier, so I'm thinking of adding a delay. I'm not sure if I should also delay deactivating turrets; any thoughts on that?

I also want to enable flag carriers to steal all locked vehicles, though that's a bit tricky with the way normal vehicle locking works.

Thanks for the positive feedback.

[legacy-mycelo]

Originally posted by Uncommon
I was actually just testing with that one yesterday. The new placement code puts all three flags around the center node. Do you think they should be spread out more? On the other hand, they're already kinda spread out, since that map is so huge. You'd have to set the domination countdown to something like 30 seconds to give people a chance to steal any flags on such a big map. I agree that for this map the flags become proportionally well spreaded around the middle, but I really think that you should place only one flag per node -- unless the map hasn't enough nodes. It's also nice to have an option to control how many flags we want: 2, 3 or AUTO. Sometimes I feel that changing the number of flags could generate a better flag placement for a given map.

Thanks! :up: