Forcing AutoJoin

[SG]

This is a major issue in my book:
People waiting in spec to see who is on what team and proceeding to join up with either people they see as "better players" or someone they are friends with.
The point of PCS is to play by tactics, and joining the team with better players comes off to me as the complete opposite. Is it not a better game when there are random players on each team? Would it not make games much more intersting and tactical if there is more of a challenge?
I know I may be guilty of this in some cases, and I am willing to admit that and start this post to change that. We need to divide up the teams evenly in search of more evenly matched and fun games!
"Because of the number of regulars on S1, an often-occuring thing is for teams to be stacked with the best players. People will actually wait as a spec until a spot opens on the team they desire. The problem with this is fairness, and decency. In regards to decency, I've seen a game with 4 ct versus 3 t with 8 people waiting as spectators, hoping someone will join the t team so another spot opens up." -Whistler's Mother
There are other people recognizing this as well as me and Whistler. Many times I have heard people mentioning things about the teams being stacked. Ok, we might say that sometimes just in good fun, but the reality is that people really are joining teams with the same people on consecutive maps.
I recently saw 4 people that were Ts on Nuke on the exact same CT team on Kismayo. This should never happen.
This is why I would recommend having a Forced AutoJoin rule enforced. Make due with who is on your team things will become more tactical right before your eyes!

[Rick_the_new_guy]

I wonder about this also. For the most part i believe the vets really try to make the teams more even. I think on the Tac Mod the Forced Autojoin is in effect.

I try to make the teams more even after a victory. (Maybe this further hurts the team?)

I feel that three quaters of the time the games are even the other it is a blow out. I wonder how this happens sometimes. However, i do not have a feel for the way teams are balanced on Tac Mods nights cause the ticket bleed is missleading.

I really do not mind players having the option to switch teams. If your are part of these platoons or, companys, brigrades, or divisions, i think it is o.k. they switch teams and have fun together.

Good thread and nice drow picture.

[SG]

Originally Posted by Rick_the_new_guy

Good thread and nice drow picture.

Why Thank You!!!, Its my boy DDO

[poe]

Yeah, I've noticed this.

On occassion I have preferenced one team over another, for one of several various reasons.

• A good buddy that I haven't played with in a while is on the team.
• If I'm feeling lazy I lean towards defensive teams, whilst if I am feeling active and creative I typically go offensive. This is the most usual reason that I may try for one team over another.
• Certain maps I have a preference on. ie on dust2, I MUCH prefer CTs. This carries to other maps too.

But, if a team is doing really bad I will often switch myself in hopes of assisting, or pointing a more useful player in their direction If there's an uneven amount of players, I always try to put myself on the team that needs my help most.

I'm not a fan of forcing anything, but this may is worth some viewpoints.

[Rick_the_new_guy]

good points poe.

is that a picture of Mask of the Phantasm, from the Batman animated seris? I watched that show religiously in Middle and High School, but never watched that movie. i hear it is really good.

[SG]

Originally Posted by poe

[*]If I'm feeling lazy I lean towards defensive teams, whilst if I am feeling active and creative I typically go offensive. This is the most usual reason that I may try for one team over another.

Here is the problem. I understand how you feel Poe, and as I said before I do it as well, but having creative minds on each team, no matter devensive or offensive, always boosts the tactical play of the game. You might want to lay back and play defense, but you can always have a plan that might have a more offensive defense persay. Having AutoJoin makes it so the creative people (like Poe) are distributed throughout the teams.

[Pla`/er]

Usually the only time I stay in spec for a minute or two is when I'm busy, the only time I have to leave is after a map change, and I don't want to leave because the server is full and I'll probably lose my spot. But if autojoin is forced, I think an afk player is a bigger problem. Anyway I think an admin can make someone join a certain team anyway if there are too many people waiting in spectator.

[doorway 27]

I have been guilty of this, usually when I end up as a T or CT on the same map over and over again and want some variety.

I could deal with AutoJoin, wouldn't bother me to much

[TheBigC]

It is a double edge sword. If you force people to join a certain team people may just drop off if they are not happy with the side they were forced to join (see Poe's post). If you give people a choice they are more apt to be a bit more excited about the game they are currently involved in.

I do not see this as a major issue because most of the regulars will switch sides if the teams are imbalanced based on skill or team size. That is what makes this server so great.

As for people spectating, well you must have not played with me lately!! I give them a round before they are gone. There are plenty of others waiting in the wings to play, plus they can always rejoin.

[Karkianman101]

I often cho(o)se teams in this preferential order:

1) If an old face is on a team
2) If I don't recognize anyone but one or two people, I join that team
3) If I prefer a particular side on a particular map
4) Whichever side is losing is the side I join
5) The X-Factor

As a sidenote, I hope to get back on TG sometime within the next couple months. My new computer handles Dust2, HDR, and (new) maps just fine, but even in NS my connection gets as low as 100, hovering normally from 150-300, reaching frequantly to 650-800. Fortunately, I am spending a good chunk of the summer in a house with an 8 Mbps connection, and at the end of the summer I will have moved into another apartment (which MAY mean switching from overburdened-Charter to Comcast, or at least a better Charter connection).

[Root]

Originally Posted by Rick_the_new_guy

I think on the Tac Mod the Forced Autojoin is in effect.

TacMod is BF2, no? This is PCS

Forcing autojoin is the subject of ongoing discussion. There are arguments for and against, but if there's a queue of people waiting to join a team, those people can expect to be treated as AFK's and removed from the server, especially if there are no free slots.

Originally Posted by SG_SuicideTS

I recently saw 4 people that were Ts on Nuke on the exact same CT team on Kismayo. This should never happen.

I'd love to hear why this should never happen. Can you fill in the blanks for me?

[Zephyr]

I've never seen the teams severely unbalanced due to who is on what team. What usually kills a team is whether or not they can work together, thus we see friends choosing their teammates consciously to ensure the best experience for them.

Yes occasionally Root will blow out the skills and get 10 headshots in one round, even when there are only 6 people on the other team, but an individual's skill is not usually sufficient to ensure a team winning at TG.

Also, most people are conscious of unbalanced teams when they pop up and always aim to rectify such situations, regardless of who is on what team. Autojoin is probably unneccesary and would just be a hindrance.

-Zephyr

[SG]

Originally Posted by Root

I'd love to hear why this should never happen. Can you fill in the blanks for me?

I can understand why a number of people that significant would be on the same team two times in a row if it was during a scrim, organized match, etc. I just think it is VERY unlikely that those same people could just be on the same team by chance. I see more of a tactical variance in tactical play when there are different people on different teams more often.

[poe]

Originally Posted by Pla`/er

Usually the only time I stay in spec for a minute or two is when I'm busy, the only time I have to leave is after a map change, and I don't want to leave because the server is full and I'll probably lose my spot. But if autojoin is forced, I think an afk player is a bigger problem. Anyway I think an admin can make someone join a certain team anyway if there are too many people waiting in spectator.

Problem #1

Originally Posted by The Big C

It is a double edge sword. If you force people to join a certain team people may just drop off if they are not happy with the side they were forced to join (see Poe's post). If you give people a choice they are more apt to be a bit more excited about the game they are currently involved in.

Problem #2

Originally Posted by Karkyman101

I often cho(o)se teams in this preferential order:

1) If an old face is on a team
2) If I don't recognize anyone but one or two people, I join that team
3) If I prefer a particular side on a particular map
4) Whichever side is losing is the side I join
5) The X-Factor

I agree completely

[Spyder]

Eh, I've seen rounds that are extremely stacked befrore, but usually it's not a big deal. The one and only time I've had problems with it is when you have most of the "better" shooters on the defending side of a hostage map, like italy. Games like that where the defenders end up going 9-0 simply because they can outshoot the entire other team. But this is generally rare.

Or rounds where they have several really good shooters that decide to play defense from just outside your spawn. AAA being the prime example of this. I'm all for having 1 or 2 players in a large game in the long b window to scout the T's movements, but I've seen 5 CT's in there, and they'd win every round because they'd blast the crap out of the T's regardless of where they were trying to go.

The only issue I think needs to be addressed is when you'll have people sitting AFK in specs for 2-3 minutes at a time, usually as player pointed out so as to not lose their spot. Call me cruel, but I think the only thing we really need is a plugin to boot anybody that specs for longer than 60-120 seconds on a full server. If you're afraid of losing your spot so much, bite the bullet and go SM. It'd be alright if most people actually only took a minute or two, but the reality is that most people sit afk for half the map.