[PnP].MatchServer. 144.140.154.51:31337 |
Map: cp_well |
Players: 0 |
[PnP] Duel Server 144.140.154.51:21270 |
Map: duel_duel2 |
Players: 3 |
PantheonES.com #oztf 144.140.154.51:21370 |
Map: tc_hydro |
Players: 0 |
iPGN TeamFortress #1 210.50.4.11:27506 |
Map: amth1 |
Players: 0 |
Scorched Earth 2 - Xtra TF 203.96.92.69:27500 |
Map: se2 |
Players: 0 |
TFDE: Retribution and Beyond | 23-Apr-2004 18:43:55 | |||
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Some of you may have read about Twist’s next movie TFDE: Retribution and how he will be taking a slightly different approach this time. It looks like Twist will be integrating a story line into the movie instead of just the usual tricks and frags formula that have made his last two movies so successful. I think the greatest challenge will be trying to make the new movie stand out when not a lot of improvement has occurred in the level of skill between now and when TFDE 2 was released. For example, if you look at a demo that is a year old and compare it to a demo of today you would have difficulty deciding which demo is which. You could even argue that the general skill has gone backwards since TFDE 2 was made. I personally think TF has reached the point where not a lot can be achieved in terms of improving individual skill. Probably because of this, Twist has decided to use a story in his next movie because the tricks and frags, whilst still being entertaining, are unlikely to have the wow factor like in his last two movies. Teamwork- The Next Development? The only real area that I can see future improvement is in the area of teamwork. There has always been teamwork on defense, with basic stuff such as incomings and organised set positions that have become standard. This standard doesn’t really exist on attack. For example, defenders get annoyed when they don’t get incomings but 99% of the time attackers don’t give information that could help them work as a team. My question is why doesn’t attack have an accepted equivalent to incomings and organisation? The CBF Factor I think the CBF factor is the biggest reason why people haven’t really bothered with actually thinking about teamwork and attack strategy. There are notable exceptions like when PnP attacks well6. I choose PnP and Well6 because I know something about it, but you could also apply it to other clans like J’s teamwork on TF2k. People seem to think that we are only good at well6 because we have some good individuals. Sure it’s important to have good players on attack because you aren’t going to get anywhere with 3 inexperienced players attacking even if they do have great teamwork. However, I think that 3 solid but not elite attackers can have a huge impact on well6 if they actually bother to make the effort. I’d weight PnP’s attack success on well6 to about 50% on individual skill and 50% on stuff relating to teamwork. These teamwork aspects include things like knowledge of each others skills, communication such as status, flag reports etc, class balance and experience playing together. However, on other maps we haven’t really bothered with strategy as we do with well6. On maps other than well6 for PnP I’d say that 80% is individual skill and 20% teamwork, going down to about 10% teamwork as the map becomes quicker e.g. hardcore. Even on maps like hardcore some strategy exists like designating an attacker to hassle the piper but it is mainly just individual. If clans look at teamwork I think they could make teamwork be as important as individual skills on maps other than well6. This could allow some lesser clans beat the more favoured clans individual skill wise e.g. CFZ beating PnP or J. Another thing that can assist in teamwork is the use of Teamspeak or qizmo voice. Many clans are starting to use this and you can see a huge increase in ability when they are using voice. PnP hasn’t really used voice in games even though it would probably make us harder to beat. The reason is the CBF factor! I am probably the driving force behind not using voice because I couldn’t be bothered setting it up or having people wondering why the hell I am talking to myself. This demonstrates the CBF factor as a barrier to better teamplay! Maps and Misconceptions Why is it that whenever you go into a pug you have the token well6 haters who say boring or bail whenever it comes up? These people are often the first to pick what I consider the most boring map, hardcore. The funny thing is it is often these people who are the first to complain about how TF has become all bunnyhop and no thinking. You can’t have it both ways. If people really don’t want to play maps that require some thought can you at least stop being hypocrites and stick with one point of view! As I’ve said I think that well6 is the most important map to have teamwork and that Hardcore is the least important. That leaves a lot of maps in between that haven’t really been done to death like well6 has in terms of strategy. I think another reason that nobody has tried to apply much thinking on maps other than well6 is because they have the misconception that teamwork won’t have any impact on the end result. I think that this is totally wrong, even if some maps are more suited to teamwork than others. For example, I remember one game when XF got totally owned by PnP on 2fort5r because they used a strategy of a scout and 3 soldiers when everyone else used 4 soldiers. The scout would concuss the ramps defender all game and get his teammates in the basement 90% of the time. I haven’t seen much teamwork like this on maps like 2fort5r even though these strategies have been effective. I think eventually someone will be bothered to apply teamwork more to other maps such as mbases and 2fort5r and dominate these maps like PnP has done with well6. Bunnyhop and Faster Gameplay It seems that since bunny hop has come in strategy on all maps bar w6 and tf2k has been largely ignored. You often hear people say that since bunny hop has come in you doesn’t need to think. I’d say the majority of current TF players would believe this. Sure the faster speed has reduced the need to think, but saying it has eliminated thinking altogether is ludicrous. Some strategies can be used to gain an advantage in bunnyhop friendly maps like 2fort5 as I’ve discussed. To use bunnyhop as an excuse not to think cannot be validated! Retribution and Beyond So there you have it, unless TF moves beyond an individual perspective to a more team based perspective then it is going to get very boring and repetitive. Since this is about the only time TF standard has been stable in 7 years I think the next phase might be actually looking at improving teamwork on attack. I think Twist’s need to implement a storyline is indicative of the current state of Teamforterss. He can’t really make it more interesting just by using gameplay stuff because not a lot is changing. ! I’d rather see successful teamwork in a movie than the odd midair and trick that can be done one in a thousand times. Do Twist a favour and start thinking about TF in terms of team strategy and feed a young Twisted some material that he can use to showcase TFDE: Retribution. NB: I apologise that I do not convey or posses the same passion about TF as Zoom and Mess. Hopefully the word length more than compensates for this. |
[PnP]Slappa | |||||
[PnP]Donaldo | |||||
[PnP]rec | |||||
[PnP]Asmo | |||||
[PnP]Reactor | |||||
[PnP]Haze | |||||
[PnP]Punker | |||||
[PnP]Fruit | |||||
[PnP]Ace | |||||
[PnP]Goten | |||||
[PnP]Novate | |||||
[PnP]Valtiel | |||||
[PnP]Nevermind |
[PnP] win vs fv | 17-Mar | |
cp_well : 5 : 0 [Comment]i solid effort by our guys |
[PnP] win vs [-] | 11-Feb | |
cp_dustbowl : 1 : 0 ctf_well : 2 : 2 [Comment] |
[PnP]GAK Man | Design / Backend |
[PnP]Adix | Backend |
[PnP]Kariya | Backend |
[PnP]Covert | Backend |
[PnP]Slappa | Backend |
[PnP]Zoom | Backend |
[PnP]Messiah | Design |
[PnP] Since Oct-1997 | |