=Sarc=

TG SOPs used to be tactics. Now SOPs are a list of things not to do. I'd like to see the revival of SOPs describing a common method of game play expected on TG servers.

__________________
JO Guides & Tutorials
Team Element - It's who you game with.

aeroripper

Rules should be kept simple, and hopefully we can get a good low ping 8 player versus server, and maybe 2 good 4 player servers.

I wonder if any TG person could create a server on a dedicated TG server so we could have a couple of really low pings going... not sure if that's possible.

1) Cooperation - This is pretty much integrated into the game so its not that much of a worry.
2) Communication - Use your voicecomms. This is what really makes it fun and more tense. I just did a couple of rounds with a bunch of TGs in versus and it was a blast with all infected communication and setting traps, and providing cover as survivors.


Assigning a "leader" that would call out the movement orders would be interesting. You could do things like "nobody gets ahead of him" and if you all get separated you'll regroup together when moving on. This would have to be tried for a while before getting anything set it stone that's fun, but not restrictive.

WhiskeySix

agreed.

I don't think we want to cramp peoples style. SOPs are more how to play well... i.e. what we expect from a quality teammate in L4D specifically. The 'don't shoot your teammates' type things are too obvious and too generic to be written down as SOPs.


After playing a lot more, here's a rough cut at some things that I see starting to become standard:


- When incapacitated, yell "help" over VOIP. It's fast (don't have to think about describing your situation), and immediately gets your teammates attention. Once your teammates hear that, they can quickly/easily look around for the yellow silhouette and deal with the situation.

- Announce over VOIP when you're going to use explosives. This prevents wasted explosives when two pipe-bombs are thrown out at the same rush or two molatov's are thrown at the same tank.

- When a rush comes, immediately find a defensible position, like a corner or roof-top.

__________________




Reflexes are for mistakes only. Reaction implies surprise. Be surprised less.

gunjunkie

Personally, I think this game has a pretty good built in idiot filter. Wanna lone-wolf? Go right ahead and see how far it gets you...

I think obviously, the TG code of conduct applies. Other than that, this game is pretty unique in that teamwork is really the only way to, well, survive. Everything else is how well you apply the tactics.

__________________


Do or do not, there is no try....
-- Yoda, Dagobah

DrProctor

Erm... have you heard the characters talking to one another?

__________________

aeroripper

I disagree. I think it's fine (and adds to the tension) as long as nobody is excessively griefing, and is treating everybody respectfully. After all the main characters curse regularly.

Lorax74

As long as you are aware of who you're playing with and practice restraint when playing with someone you are not familiar with, I don't see the language being much of an issue

__________________

Morganan

Respectfully disagree. With the "teammate radar" the game gives you and the obvious sound cues if you need more information to help a teammate, your situational awareness score only ranks marginally higher then a corpse and I'd rather not be on the same team with you. ("you" doesn't mean you personally, you means my teammates)

Big affirmative. There are times 2 molotovs or 2 pipe bombs are the way to go, but not when they are thrown to the same place.

While I see what you are saying, this is an unneccesary thing to write down. Sometimes you have no choice (you get caught in the open with a rush before the lift on Stage 3 No Mercy or when you get off the lift on the same level, you have to move to the building)

To me, you only need 1 simple rule for this game on TG.

-Anyone who doesn't want to participate in the game how it was meant to be played, (requiring teamwork and communication) may be removed at anytime.

Trying to legislate anything past that is making a mistake as this game presents more fluid situations then most other titles requiring you to make decisions on the fly. There are no "safe zones" or areas one team shouldn't be allowed to be at for this title unlike most of the other titles sponsored by TG. This title is made to play the way the primer asks members of this site to play, (if you ignore the whole zombie thing) as close to realism as one can possibly get without your family having to identify the body in the morgue if you loose.

My $.02

Morganan

Agreed, this game is rated "mature" so why would mature language (which is spoken by the characters themselves in the game without your prompting) be a bad thing in this case?

Sirusblk

I think slips of the toungue are fine. Since it's a horror fest those 'Oh crap' moments are gonna be impossible to avoid, however if someone whose playing asks players to watch their language because of their children hanging around I think everyone should be able to abide. The audio track can be turned off, VOIP, at least on TG's server, is necessary.

I think when players go down they should ask for help. I've played the game and gotten tunnel vision before, I often don't hear when my team mate goes down unless I hear them asking for help over VOIP.

Also when someone wants to throw an explosive they should say that they intend to before they even pull it out and another team mate should respond with the 'okay'. It's hard otherwise because there's still situations arising where someone pulls it out and yells "throwing pipe bomb" and another player is doing the same. My situation cuts down on this a lot. Granted there will still be the rare situation but this will largely cut it down almost completely

__________________

Pokerface

The ESRB says Experience May Change During Online Play. In our case, it's for the better.

Hold yourself to a higher standard.

__________________

NS Game Officer. TF2 Admin. BF2 Admin / Scripter. PM with issues.
Tempus: Pokerface is nailing it right on the head. Everyone who is arguing against him is simply arguing against reality.
<anmuzi> it is not permitted to have privacy or anonymity
<LazyEye> yeah when I play on TG the server digs though my trash
Arm yourself with knowledge: TG NS TF2 BF2

WhiskeySix

o_0? More communication = better. In the chaos of this game, having someone speak over VOIP is 1000 times more clear and attention getting.

Again, SOPs aren't rules, but I generally agree w/ you.

__________________




Reflexes are for mistakes only. Reaction implies surprise. Be surprised less.

Morganan

This right here is why I have avoided playing on any TG servers for close to a year...

Someone in a position to have "say" not knowing what they are talking about...

The game itself, without you hitting a single key on your keyboard, uses language that is deemed inapproapiate on the servers hosted by this site for every other game and would get one removed from the server. The characters in the game at times sprout off with conversation that the player does not initiate that uses the language in question. There is no option in the game to turn off these phrases. If the language from the player cannot be equal to the language in the game for whatever reason, this community should not support the game at all, and doing anything else is a double-standard. If you are offended by language of this type, you shouldn't be playing the game, period, because you will hear it, and you cant stop hearing it short of disabling all sound.

So either TG should back off the whole language bit for this title as long as it isnt intended to be abusive towards other players, or TG should not support the game either with servers, forums, TS channels or what have you.

Morganan

I dont disagree, but you know as well as I do SOP's are considered rules around these parts. If we are sticking together as a squad like the game intends and I have to tell you there is a hunter on me when the sound cues should make that obvious, no amount of voice communication will change that, will it? If you know but can't get to me, will telling you a hunter is on me over voice somehow change that?

WhiskeySix

really? most SOPs are about how to make a contact report and stuff like that. <shrug>

yes actually! If I'm fighting off 18 screaming zombies I might not hear the hunter beating the bag out of you 20yds away. However, I WILL hear you yell "help! hunter!" over VOIP and find my way over to help you...

__________________




Reflexes are for mistakes only. Reaction implies surprise. Be surprised less.