Headquarters Evaluation(Server 1)

[Zoopy_T]

After playing a lot more of this game type, one word comes to mind: terrible. I truly believed this game type is flawed in its execution even though it looks good on paper. Sometimes the game type works and plays out in an enjoyable manner, but from my experience 95% of the games are landslide victories. The following is the broken mechanics I find in this game type:

Spawns are too spread out: There is a tenancy that you'll spawn on a teammate but most of the time I feel the spawns are just randomly spread around (depending on the condition of the HQ). This leads to teammates being isolated. Teammates become unaware of other teammates position (even with the map) due to being focused on high enemy concentrations in one area.

Headquarters are grenade magnets: Sure, its a given. But no matter the state of the HQ, grenades will be swarming it like the plague. This becomes a problem since attackers respawn frequently and thus with a fresh supply of grenades. Also due to the point above, teammates on/near the HQ may get unintentionally fraged/flashed due to the spread out nature of random spawning well trying to get on the HQ. Sure, most of the teamkills can be lowered via communication, but people tend to frag first and ask location later. Just the overall spammage doesn’t work well.

The winning team almost always has the advantage: In HQ as a defender, once you die you cannot respawn until the enemy team captures your HQ. This is good since you never want an endless wave of defenders. The only problem is that it usually takes the entire attacking team to get the HQ destroyed. This results in the defending team spawning (roughly) altogether. What’s so bad about this? Well once the old HQ is destroyed a new one spawns randomly. Bad thing for the successful attacker is the new HQ is almost always as far as possible from the last HQ. This means the defending team that just all respawned together are now right on the next HQ before the attacking team. Since you only gain points from actually securing the HQ, the defending team that just got pushed off will have an advantage and will always be in the lead.

This thread really has no point, just an argument against Headquarters.

[Trooper]

I like it. Good outline and great review. Anyone got anything for HQ.

[Django]

Originally Posted by Zoopy_T

The winning team almost always has the advantage: ..This means the defending team that just all respawned together are now right on the next HQ before the attacking team. ...

I'm starting to realize this as well. Every now and then on certain maps the next HQ spawn won't be gheyed up like that but it's few a far between.

I really want to like HQ. I want to give it the chance, but...

[CouponClippr]

Originally Posted by Zoopy_T

Headquarters are grenade magnets: Sure, its a given. But no matter the state of the HQ, grenades will be swarming it like the plague. This becomes a problem since attackers respawn frequently and thus with a fresh supply of grenades. Also due to the point above, teammates on/near the HQ may get unintentionally fraged/flashed due to the spread out nature of random spawning well trying to get on the HQ. Sure, most of the teamkills can be lowered via communication, but people tend to frag first and ask location later. Just the overall spammage doesn’t work well.

I agree with this the most.

[machowner]

Originally Posted by Zoopy_T

After playing a lot more of this game type, one word comes to mind: terrible. I truly believed this game type is flawed in its execution even though it looks good on paper. Sometimes the game type works and plays out in an enjoyable manner, but from my experience 95% of the games are landslide victories. The following is the broken mechanics I find in this game type:

Spawns are too spread out: There is a tenancy that you'll spawn on a teammate but most of the time I feel the spawns are just randomly spread around (depending on the condition of the HQ). This leads to teammates being isolated. Teammates become unaware of other teammates position (even with the map) due to being focused on high enemy concentrations in one area.

HQ is pretty all I played to rank up and from experience the spawns are random sometimes. I'm not sure if that was due to the maps having 32 players or not. At TG with the number of players limited the spawns will not be so random. At least no more random/further from your team as spawning is in Sabotage.

Headquarters are grenade magnets: Sure, its a given. But no matter the state of the HQ, grenades will be swarming it like the plague. This becomes a problem since attackers respawn frequently and thus with a fresh supply of grenades. Also due to the point above, teammates on/near the HQ may get unintentionally fraged/flashed due to the spread out nature of random spawning well trying to get on the HQ. Sure, most of the teamkills can be lowered via communication, but people tend to frag first and ask location later. Just the overall spammage doesn’t work well.

This is really no different than the defenders in S&D making the target a frag magnet/camp fest. Again, the limited number of players on TG should help with this. I hope that this would also foster teamwork. Of course admins will have to be present to both warn and kick players who repeat the spammage without communication.

The winning team almost always has the advantage: In HQ as a defender, once you die you cannot respawn until the enemy team captures your HQ. This is good since you never want an endless wave of defenders. The only problem is that it usually takes the entire attacking team to get the HQ destroyed. This results in the defending team spawning (roughly) altogether. What’s so bad about this? Well once the old HQ is destroyed a new one spawns randomly. Bad thing for the successful attacker is the new HQ is almost always as far as possible from the last HQ. This means the defending team that just all respawned together are now right on the next HQ before the attacking team. Since you only gain points from actually securing the HQ, the defending team that just got pushed off will have an advantage and will always be in the lead.

Teamwork, the whole team should not be at the headquaters. If your not in control of the HQ, probably 3 or 4 guys should be provide support, but at a distance that allows them to react quickly to the new HQ position. Again, you either have teamwork or you do lose HQ games. In past experience I have noticed that only a couple of enemies spawn near the HQ. If you kill them or hold them off the HQ for just a few seconds, it allows your team to get into position.

[UnDeaD77]

I like HQ.

[thedogwarrior]

I like HQ as well.. If for nothing else that by respawning you can get back in the action. And not spawning together, or staggering either the offense or defense does require much teamwork and communictions to do effectively.

I do think it's true that targets will always be grenade magnets, but the best way to defend a HQ, or Target in S&D for that matter, isn't to sit right on top of it.

[Santa]

Agree with Zoopy on all points. Im okay with playing it, but id much rather be playing domination or sabotage. My main gripe against HQ is the spread out spawns, and you wont be able to effectively organize like some people have claimed because by the time you do that, theyve defended the HQ for so long that a new one has appeared. It really is a spawn, run to HQ, die, and repeat, with plenty of grenades inbetween.

[BleedingKnee]

Agree with Zoop esp. on the spawns being too spread out. Thumbs down for HQ.

[sc1ence]

I do not enjoy HQ as much as other game types. Dom and SAB are my two favorite.

[Kampf]

I like HQ a lot. Lol easy way to make points and requires teamwork. But if you play long enough you can pretty much predict where the HQ will be next and generally send your team in that direction.

[ANGELofDEATH]

I can understand the hate for headquarters.. It IS, VERY frustrating game. It is true that the team that is defending/first to capture the HQ, usually will win.. THOSE points win the map.
I have spawned right next to the next HQ so many times, it amazes me everytime it happens... BUT, I have also been on the team to turn the tides in our favour, by, getting the rest of my team ON THE BALL.. came back from getting pwned by over a hundred to zero.. to loosing by ten.

True, the tide was stopped by nade barrage from my team during a chopper/UAV/airstrike/chopper .. It can be done. With the right team players.

[|SOG| Vir2L]

I posted in the mix-mode thread, but i'll reiterate it here.

I think if you tweak some of the game-type settings for HQ, it would be a better game-type.

Once the Defense sets up there HQ, they should have no respawns until the HQ is either defended for the time aloted, or they get captured (by killing the entire team or capturing the HQ).

Respawn times for the assaulting team should be at most 15-20 seconds.

The assaulting team that destroys the HQ should be rewarded some points 10 at the least.

This was modable in CoD2, dunno about 4, but I think would add to the gameplay.

[Zoopy_T]

Originally Posted by |SOG| Vir2L

I posted in the mix-mode thread, but i'll reiterate it here.

I think if you tweak some of the game-type settings for HQ, it would be a better game-type.

Once the Defense sets up there HQ, they should have no respawns until the HQ is either defended for the time aloted, or they get captured (by killing the entire team or capturing the HQ).

Respawn times for the assaulting team should be at most 15-20 seconds.

The assaulting team that destroys the HQ should be rewarded some points 10 at the least.

This was modable in CoD2, dunno about 4, but I think would add to the gameplay.

Well that's how the defense does work, the assaulters spawn in instantly though. Moving the attackers spawn to 15 seconds would cause the HQ to be fully defended if the attackers fail.5

[IanTheRed]

I have to disagree with everything you say.


HQ gives the fastest XP of all the games types. (now that im 55 that doesnt really matter)
HQ forces both teams to converge on one spot on the map and it makes for the most intense and fun game play of all the game types.
Good teams or good players can often sway the game back and forth, I see blow outs often but I usually switch to the loosing team and swing the game back around for them. Which adds to the challenge and fun for me.

as with all game types any server with more that 20 people in it just becomes a Nade fest. Its not just HQ. You notice it more in HQ because every one is nading the same spot. But beleive me any server, any game mode with more that 20 players is a nade fest.