Request for Banimod ET - XP System

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Kendle
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Request for Banimod ET - XP System

Post by Kendle »

Heh Bani

You asked me to post here my suggestions for modding ET now that you have the source, so here goes.

Option 1 - Customise the XP System

I presume that within the ET source there are variables that contain the point scores required to reach each Level. I'd like these variables to be amendable by Server Admins, so that they could set the points score required. This would enable them to do things like, for example:-

Set Level 1 = 0, Level 2 =0, Level 3 = 9999, Level 4 = 9999

Everyone starts on Level 2 and remains on Level 2.

Set Level 1 = 9999, Level 2 =9999, Level 3 = 9999, Level 4 = 9999

Everyone starts on Level 0 and can't progress to any higher levels, ideal for Clan games.

Option 2 - Switch XP ON/OFF

The downside to the above is that Server Admins could set these variables anyway they wanted, like make everyone Level 4 straight away. This could lead to some ridiculous spam-fests, especially if Heavy Weapons are not restricted. You might also find that every server is set up differently, making it difficult to find a properly balanced public server.

So as an alternative, a simple XP ON/OFF server-side variable, so that Clans can switch it off for Clan games (if they want), for example.

Option 3 - XP Public = ON / Competition = OFF

Incorporate the XP ON/OFF switch into the Competition/Public modes, so that XP is OFF when the server is in "Competition" mode, and ON when in "Public" mode. On a server with Competition/Public settings voting enabled, the players could decide whether to use XP or not without requiring an Admin to change a server-side variable.

Option 1 gives the greatest flexibility, but also provides scope for abuse. Option 3 is the least flexible. I'd prefer Option 2 as a compromise.

Please would anyone who thinks XP is viable for Clan games (you know who you are) please refrain from flaming this thread. I'm only asking Bani to make XP optional, not do away with it completely. Clans will want this, and ultimately the public will as well. As much as I love ET, it's rapidly turning into point-whore heaven with team-work and objectives going out the window.
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bani
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Post by bani »

it sounds like you dont really want to disable XP, what you want to disable is the ranking and abilities...
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Post by =FF=im2good4u »

gee did bani got the sourge i didint know lol :lol:

anyway here is an idea add rocked pilot :lol:
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Kendle
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Post by Kendle »

bani wrote:it sounds like you dont really want to disable XP, what you want to disable is the ranking and abilities...
You could be right. It's the "abilities" specifically that trouble me for Clan games, by artificially enhancing a player's abilities to the detriment of skill, tactics and teamplay, which should be the only deciding factors between who wins and who doesn't.

However, as long as rankings and points remain, people will point-whore on public servers. I'm starting to see it happen a lot now. Covert-Ops who only steal uniforms cos they get 3xp for the kill and 5xp for the uniform (I think?). I've seen Cov-Ops who never spot Landmines or drop Smoke Canisters or Snipe or make any attempt to infiltrate enemy lines the whole game. I've seen Engineers plant dynamite near ammo/health racks and then defuse, thereby racking up the points without doing anything constructive for the team, etc.

Maybe what's required is better balancing of the XP system, to better reward players who help achieve the Objective, but that's beyond the scope of what I'm asking for here.

Specifically I don't think "enhanced abilities" has any place in a competitive, organised Clan game. Skill, strats and teamwork should be all that differentiates the teams, and all the things that XP promotes (rewards for doing your job, etc.) are already inherent in Clan games.

So, to cut a long post short, how about Option 2, but with only the "enhanced abilities" (Battle Sense, Light Weapons, etc.) being disabled. Keep the points and the ranks (they're only fluff that Clans would ignore anyway).
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Wraith2k3
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Post by Wraith2k3 »

A possible problem that I can see on public servers, would be that without XP and rewards, some people would have no reason to perform class-specific tasks, and will just go deathmatch style instead.
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Kendle
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Re: Request for Banimod ET - XP System

Post by Kendle »

Whilst I would agree with that to a point (Cov-Ops mostly already do see it as a death-match style game where the object of the exercise is to grab as many enemy uniforms as possible), I have to repeat this:-
I wrote:I'm only asking Bani to make XP optional, not do away with it completely.
However I do think ultimately something will have to be done even for public play because the "look at me, I win, I've got more points than you!" mentality that plagued RTCW in the early days has returned with a vengence with E.T.

OK, they get points for doing their job. But "doing their job" and "helping their team win" are not necessarily the same thing. Besides which RTCW doesn't reward players for performing Class specific tasks and yet it's now a mature scene and players mostly go for objectives rather than points.
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Post by -[x]- Surge »

i disagree everything should stay cause you have to earn the ablities and everything by doing good.everything you get you earn and even with the abilities or not it doesn't make a difference i faced people with 1000 xp and destryed them joining late and would get a quater or half way up to thier level in 1 or 2 maps 8)
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Post by bacon »

Oh surge the XP-whore! :D

It looks like Kendle can't keep up so he wants to limit us...
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Post by =FF=im2good4u »

well i love the XP i would rather see more levels thne just 4
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Kendle
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Post by Kendle »

bacon wrote:It looks like Kendle can't keep up so he wants to limit us...
LOL, where'd that one come from? I pretty much own on most ET servers, like most RTCW vets, but that's not the point. I repeat:-
I wrote:I'm only asking Bani to make XP optional, not do away with it completely.
Please don't turn this into a pro / anti XP thread, that's not the issue at all. It's about putting the emphasis on skill, strats and teamwork in competitive games, something that every single Clan player I've spoken to about this agrees with.
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Post by spoon »

What I'd love to see is simply points for picking up objectives like Wolf had.

For example, on Goldrush, the xp hoes are always going to fix the tank or truck rather than pushing on the bank, grabbing the gold, and getting it to the truck. This would change dramatically if all the sudden you got 10 points for picking up an objective and another 10 for getting it on the truck. Battlesense might be a good candidate for the points.

And if you do setup something to disable XP, it'd be nice if you removed some of the handicaps as well to make the game behave more like wolf classic (ie, sniper bullets go where the crosshairs are).

Banners need to make comeback. :)

Need the option to move some of the game alerts down into the player chat window.

Uber activate.

The spectator follow feature would be nice, as well.

And.... oh,yeah. Kickable nades. :rock:

Have you got any plans on changes you want to make to the guid system yet?
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RammStein
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Post by RammStein »

Takin away the XP would take away the whole point of the game and make it flat out BORING. Leveling up is the best part.
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Post by bani »

the idea behind clan/league matches is that everyones player abilities should be the same. xp leveling up messes that up. so i can see why they'd like a switch to disable the leveling up for competetion play.
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Post by Kendle »

bani wrote:the idea behind clan/league matches is that everyones player abilities should be the same. xp leveling up messes that up. so i can see why they'd like a switch to disable the leveling up for competetion play.
Thank you oh voice of reason.

I could repeat this again:-
I wrote:I'm only asking Bani to make XP optional, not do away with it completely.
But perhaps I should also add:-

This would have zero effect on most of you here. I'm only talking about disabling it for Clan games.
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Post by O2.iceman »

I'm very much in favour of a system like this, and have been asking for it since day 1 in various forums.

Being able to configure the XP levels so that everyone starts on level 2 (for example) and doesn't get any higher.

We all know how much more fun the game is at higher XP levels (faster reload, more sprint, more accurate smg), but the whole XP levelling up is terrible for clan play because of the unbalanced maps.

If we could level the playing field by making the XP system configurable and consistent, then you still get the benefits of the higher XP level but eliminate the unbalanced maps and how defence generally gets XP faster.

It might open up for more spam etc (because of faster recharge bar), but i'm hoping bani will allow for configurable max classes per side as well, and better HWR support.

Oh and I don't see the reason for anyone to criticise the option - it's just that, an OPTION. Don't like it, turn it off!
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