Season 5 - Fixed Spawn proposition

NotDragon
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25 September 2014 - 23:26 CEST
#31
I know all about the command, but that requires a ref to manually key in that command each round per map. I'm talking about it being automatically set on the corresponding maps per week.

I don't think this change would alienate 1 div, from what I remember most players supported random spawns provided they were not horribly unbalanced (like old veil).

As a final note, I cant tell if you're intentionally wording posts the way you are or its just my misunderstanding, but there's no need to turn this into an Us vs Them kinda argument...
RisingSun
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26 September 2014 - 00:08 CEST
#32
There are no hidden meanings or sarcasm in my post (I can see where some choice italics can change the tone). I am being honest and trying to ignore the posts that troll or are disrespectful. There is no reason we can't foster an environment where everyone is heard and valued for the ideas brought up. No idea is bad, but some are misguided. If that is the case it is in the best interest of both parties that it is resolved so the idea can be refined instead of dismissed out right. (See any interaction with Rant. She excels at this.)

I understand the premier guys and what they were saying. The change comes down to personal preference. No ones opinion is more valid than another in this. I hate RNG and avoid it when I can. If you don't want to code it, that's fine. As I learned from other threads it isn't worth the argument. If people want it, there are always other ways to do it.

My idea would be to ask the nsl and pug server admins if it would be possible to add this command to the server config file and whitelist it so everyone has access.

If that is not possible I can see if Peron8880 is willing to add the command to shine.
Wob
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26 September 2014 - 00:15 CEST
#33
Simba says


I didn't say do anything to descent. Calm down big boy.


It was just a plea for people to actually think about the implications of how the map is set out rather than whine and remove certain aspects. I think if it actually went down to a vote, those vents would be removed which would genuinely be a great upset to potentially the best map in the game.
joshhhy
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26 September 2014 - 03:45 CEST
#34
Gotta remember Simba, Wob gets a boner every time he gets to talk about Descent vents... don't say I didn't warn you.
Wob
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26 September 2014 - 12:44 CEST
#35
joshhhy says
Gotta remember Simba, Wob gets a boner every time he gets to talk about Descent vents... don't say I didn't warn you.


And I'll use it like a sword to fight off anyone wanting to change it
ryssk
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26 September 2014 - 13:27 CEST
#36
Wob says
joshhhy says
Gotta remember Simba, Wob gets a boner every time he gets to talk about Descent vents... don't say I didn't warn you.


And I'll use it like a sword to fight off anyone wanting to change it


ENSL Forum, where a topic changes subject after 4-5 posts xD
Zefram
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26 September 2014 - 15:14 CEST
#37
Even if it is muddling inelegantly through sv_resets, practical week to week implementation isn't really the issue. The presumption is that certain spawns confer huge benefits and sway matches that are likely insurmountable and fixed spawns would make it more "fair". This is a scapegoat akin to ping, where the traditional thought is that low ping always gives the inherent advantage. I don't think the effects of certain spawns or ping gives teams wildly out of hand advantages/disadvantages as long as teams understand how to play under those circumstances. The focus then becomes on strategy like the OP and others who are advocating this change want. The root seems to be that losses need to be blamed for something out of the control of players other than strategies or their performance. "It's the map/spawns... ping!"

Choosing fixed spawns isn't really a problem. It's easy for me to choose spawns each week. I just don't see the demand for the option after reading through both threads. It's basically Tachi, who doesn't play on a team, and 2 people from the same team saying they'd like the option and the vast majority, from premier to middle div players, saying they are lukewarm on the idea and/or would prefer random spawns.
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RisingSun
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26 September 2014 - 15:40 CEST
#38
Zefram says
Even if it is muddling inelegantly through sv_resets, practical week to week implementation isn't really the issue. The presumption is that certain spawns confer huge benefits and sway matches that are likely insurmountable and fixed spawns would make it more "fair". This is a scapegoat akin to ping, where the traditional thought is that low ping always gives the inherent advantage. I don't think the effects of certain spawns or ping gives teams wildly out of hand advantages/disadvantages as long as teams understand how to play under those circumstances. The focus then becomes on strategy like the OP and others who are advocating this change want. The root seems to be that losses need to be blamed for something out of the control of players other than strategies or their performance. "It's the map/spawns... ping!"

Choosing fixed spawns isn't really a problem. It's easy for me to choose spawns each week. I just don't see the demand for the option after reading through both threads. It's basically Tachi, who doesn't play on a team, and 2 people from the same team saying they'd like the option and the vast majority, from premier to middle div players, saying they are lukewarm on the idea and/or would prefer random spawns.


Tachi - Yes
Pela - Yes
Fisk - Yes
Rising - Yes
Vinda - Yes

War - doesn't care with a preference towards no
Simba - doesn't care with a preference towards no

Golden - No
Joshy - No
Wob - No

I have no idea why you would say two people from the same team want it when two people from the same team don't. Myself and Fisk, as usual, get countered by Golden and Joshhy. Take us out and there are still more yes votes and these are from admins too.

The ones that don't care but lean towards no are willing to try it.

Your opinion on ping and spawns are just that, your opinion. The only "no" votes were in premier. Let everyone else have their fixed spawns and premier can have random. Everyone is happy.

Btw, no one is saying spawns make/break matches, and there are no "Huge benefits". It is removing the RNG out of a competitive scene.

Spawns are not equal and some do have slight advantages and disadvantages. This thread is suggesting we make it as fair as possible. Ping and spawns do matter, even if it is a small element in the over all game. Any argument against that is wrong. Period.

To go further your post is incendiary and uncalled for. I'm sure others don't appreciate being put down for presenting an idea. It seems like you are trying to incite bad behavior instead of curbing it. You are head admin right? Why don't you act like one.
Zefram
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26 September 2014 - 16:06 CEST
#39
A few things change in a month. I spoke to Pelargir, personally, yesterday about the issue and he sides on the random spawn camp now. Don't forget to add me and Dragon on the no side too. So if we're really counting votes of voices in this thread it's more like 8 to 4 against or indifferent with 6 definitely against.

RisingSun says

Your opinion on ping and spawns are just that, your opinion.


Any more or less valid than what you've presented?
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RisingSun
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26 September 2014 - 16:12 CEST
#40
RisingSun says

Btw, no one is saying spawns make/break matches, and there are no "Huge benefits". It is removing the RNG out of a competitive scene.

Spawns are not equal and some do have slight advantages and disadvantages. This thread is suggesting we make it as fair as possible. Ping and spawns do matter, even if it is a small element in the over all game. Any argument against that is wrong. Period.


I can rally my team to post too. So add 4 more to the yes category and they actually play the game.
Zefram
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26 September 2014 - 16:15 CEST
#41
RisingSun says
To go further your post is incendiary and uncalled for. I'm sure others don't appreciate being put down for presenting an idea. It seems like you are trying to incite bad behavior instead of curbing it. You are head admin right? Why don't you act like one.


I don't see how any of my post was incendiary or uncalled for other than disagreeing? I was more than respectful and didn't put down any idea other than voicing my opposition that went along with a sizeable amount of the posters in the threads.

You've consistently shown through multiple threads and topics that you believe people are trolling or putting down your ideas when they don't agree.. which isn't always the case. Sometimes people just don't agree.. and that's ok. But if you want to start the personal attacks, you should probably refrain from posting in these forums for a bit too.
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RisingSun
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26 September 2014 - 16:26 CEST
#42
Zefram says
The root seems to be that losses need to be blamed for something out of the control of players other than strategies or their performance. "It's the map/spawns... ping


This screams elitist and has a condescending tone that isn't wanted or appreciated. You are saying anyone who likes this idea is just whinning about losses instead of what we are really trying to do is fix the RNG in the start of the game.

If this change would help lower div teams why wouldn't you want it? The best argument is " it's boring" when the argument against is to make things more fair across the bored. I don't see any choice here. Fairness or spontaneity.

But hey, you're the head admin. You make all the decisions. Pick what you and your buddies want over what is good for the league. It wouldn't be the first time and won't be the last.

Side note: my "personal attacks" are nothing compared to your tantrums. So if anyone needs a time out from the forums it's you.
Golden
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26 September 2014 - 18:27 CEST
#43
RisingSun says

If this change would help lower div teams why wouldn't you want it? The best argument is " it's boring" when the argument against is to make things more fair across the bored. I don't see any choice here. Fairness or spontaneity.


No, the best argument against this is that no spawns offer unfair advantages or disadvantages when compared to any other spawn. If that were the case, people would be trying to get those spawns fixed. The second argument is what you said, it's boring to have the same spawn for a week, to not have to make a split decision at the start of the game which strategy to use. Let's be honest, by now everyone should have strategies for every map and every spawn, even the teams newer than yours. Its not like there's a whole ton of choices.

RisingSun says
Zefram says
The root seems to be that losses need to be blamed for something out of the control of players other than strategies or their performance. "It's the map/spawns... ping


This screams elitist and has a condescending tone that isn't wanted or appreciated. You are saying anyone who likes this idea is just whinning about losses instead of what we are really trying to do is fix the RNG in the start of the game.


What? How is that elitist? Its a fact that nearly everyone that plays this game will try to blame anything but themselves for a loss of their lifeform or a round. I do it, you do it, everyone in premier does it... how is that elitist? The problem is when people stop their round analysis there and don't actually recognize the problems they're having in order to fix them and end with "well this spawn is stupid, that's why we lost".

RisingSun says

Side note: my "personal attacks" are nothing compared to your tantrums. So if anyone needs a time out from the forums it's you.


His "tantrums" where he calmly lays out a logical argument and then you jump down his throat for being "incendiary"? But don't worry, we're teammates so that's the only reason I have his back.
Simba
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26 September 2014 - 19:33 CEST
#44
Stop fighting! You're making me sad!

As far as I know, aren't we going to have some weeks like it's always been (random spawns) and some weeks with fixed spawns?

Then why are we arguing? everyone wins!
Pelargir
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26 September 2014 - 19:45 CEST
#45
Zefram says
A few things change in a month. I spoke to Pelargir, personally, yesterday about the issue and he sides on the random spawn camp now. Don't forget to add me and Dragon on the no side too. So if we're really counting votes of voices in this thread it's more like 8 to 4 against or indifferent with 6 definitely against.


Agreed, i'm afraid to say I've changed my mind since the last message here. Both won't bother me anyway but I should agree I'd like to see/keep random spawns.

Honestly, I don't really care about. But really, stop being so mad when you're talking about something. Both sides I mean.

Actually, there's no real good and perfect decisions about spawns. Let's bring your people or others to talk about the idea but do it quietly.
“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
RisingSun
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26 September 2014 - 19:48 CEST
#46
Pelargir says
Zefram says
A few things change in a month. I spoke to Pelargir, personally, yesterday about the issue and he sides on the random spawn camp now. Don't forget to add me and Dragon on the no side too. So if we're really counting votes of voices in this thread it's more like 8 to 4 against or indifferent with 6 definitely against.


Agreed, i'm afraid to say I've changed my mind since the last message here. Both won't bother me anyway but I should agree I'd like to see/keep random spawns.

Honestly, I don't really care about.


What changed your mind? Maybe it will change mine.
Pelargir
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26 September 2014 - 20:01 CEST
#47
RisingSun says

What changed your mind? Maybe it will change mine.


Probably not. Strategy. Every team should be able to be prepared before each match on the maps that will be played. That means, on Veil for instance, you must counter any opponent strategies with your own, regardless of the Aliens spawns. It is also an issue in my case 'cause if spawns are defined for each week, well both teams can think about only one strategy and that doesn't bring out the real interest of playing a map.
+ the vanilla game has made NS2 with random spawns.

But as I said, I don't really care, i'd prefer random spawns but as a non-player for this season both won't bother me.
“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
Simba
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26 September 2014 - 22:24 CEST
#48
It's another dimension of potential skill for teams. Being able to prepare and have ready strategies for all different spawns. If one team is more prepared, experienced, exposed than another, more power to them.
ryssk
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26 September 2014 - 23:59 CEST
#49
Fixed spawns? No thank you, just because the games would be so... simple minded? Or like almost every game would look the same, and especially if you would cast... Didnt we try this on Tram? With not Forced spawns, but dedicated hive spawns and cc spawns, like 1 week marine started shipping, and next week it was Warehouse?

And what i remember, many people didnt like it, cause you take away the suprise moment in the + the "flexibility" in many strats and the actual fun in the game. But that's my opinion and what i've picked up from it the last time.
Fiskbit
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27 September 2014 - 00:20 CEST
#50
If we'd already had fixed spawns, I don't think people would be praising random spawns as something that makes the game more skillful. Like maps, the spawns aren't equivalent and have different nuances or some completely different strategies, demanding different things of the teams, but for some reason this is OK because it's part of the map and people need to deal with it. Saying each team should be prepared for any spawn seems no different to me than each team being prepared for any map, just with a smaller scope. This isn't consistent with other league rules, like finding middle ground for pings (2 home servers or 1 middle) or splitting advantages so both teams benefit (one picks team, one picks map). It's perplexing to me how many problems with this game get explained away as being a matter of skill rather than recognized as balance issues or game design missteps. As for fun, we play different maps each week, so I'm not sure what the random spawns are really adding.
Pelargir
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27 September 2014 - 10:30 CEST
#51
As already stated, random spawns add for each rounds and games a tiny bit of surprise and challenge. You have to face with different spawns and so strategies whatever the maps and whatever your opponent.

I agree there are spawns that can maybe procure a small advantage or drawback regarding of a few maps. But here again, this is part of the game, is your team good enough for winning a round on every spawns of the said maps? You've asked to be in Division 1, that means, you have the ability to play on every maps, every servers and start on every spawns without being too much affected by these conditions (ping, spawns, maps), at least, in my opinion. Perhaps I could understand some requests from Divisions 3 and 4 teams and players because that is mostly Aliens wins and there's a few maps the Aliens can be easily advantaged even if this is not unfair or what. But nobody complained from their teams and I know some of them in these divisions that do not care about spawns.

This is a part of the fun, random spawns and give a better surprise for both teams and caster(s).

Honestly, I don't get the point comparing this with other league rules. It seems to me absolutely different. Those have been made to make the matches as fair as possible but everyone knows this is definitely not possible to make it perfect.
Picking side and maps have nothing to do with this subject 'cause they only occur during playoffs and according your score for the regular season.
“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
Iots
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29 September 2014 - 09:17 CEST
#52
Just for the sake of saying it, if you're going to start counting "votes" you might want to actually make a proper poll instead of bickering between yourself about merits of such a small number of people who've written to this topic. I'm pretty sure there's more people involved in the league than you guys are counting.

Personally, in respect to the fixed spawns i can agree with the argument that every team should be able to change their strategy accordingly to the spawns, in a perfect world.

But there are some clear differences to this, as mentioned in regards to lower divisions there will be harder times for teams who get horizontal spawns on descent, or those who get atrium on summit. If those teams that are struggling for whatever reason, would know in advance their spawns they would be able to pull more effort and solify their teamplay. I would see that a gain for the sake of a "good game", rather than a negative .Not just from their perspective, but for those potential spectators.

Ultimately, people should have the choice.

Vindaloo
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29 September 2014 - 13:00 CEST
#53
This bickering is pointless. Back to the topic:
I actually kinda agree that random brings something unique to every game, but also random is random, which is inherently bad in comp imho. Some spawns are really a bit worse and can snowball easier than others, atrium, server, .... What I would like to see is the same spawns for teams in 1 match. Problem is how to achieve that. I think it's not only yes random, no random, but also no random but how to do it. Announce with each week, let teams pick before the match, sv_reset 2nd round until same as spawns as first? Some of these are obviously not so smart, but what would be so bad about if teams could choose starting side and enemy would choose spawns (Maybe not even we want shipping spawn, but say pair of spawns).
So say Tram will be played, 1st team likes to finish with aliens, so they pick marine to begin with, other team, chooses warehouse/shipping pair of spawns, because they don't wanna deal with server cause their early engagements are not strong enough. On the other end this would lead to some spawns never being played. Should we force teams to play on the spawns they don't want tho?
As some said, it could help lower div teams in this regard. I guess it shouldn't matter to div1+, but it's still RNG and I don't like that.
Iots
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29 September 2014 - 14:02 CEST
#54
Uhm, or you make it very simple and add poll's for separate weeks, and you go by them.

example;
Summit spawns
Option1 Alien Atrium vs Marine Sub
Option2 Alien Sub vs Marine Atrium
Option3 Alien Data vs Marine Flight
Option4 Alien Flight vs Marine Data

Then you have the options to go with w/e wins for the first time the map is played, the second most voted for next time, etc. This would negate the same way played all the time, and at the same time have the spawns played that "people" want.

This is assuming people want fixed spawns, you should really ask that first. And yeah, not for all divisions, i wouldn't mind playing with fixed spawns personally but i don't really care either way. :p
Mega
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29 September 2014 - 14:44 CEST
#55
i might be a bit much fantasie but:

What if each team can chose the Spawn like Fighter selection on Street Fighter.

Like that the Commander gets even more influence at the start
and the team can actualy prepare a tactic but has to adopt to a new situation pretty fast

also its a +1 to make ns2 unique ;)
east
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29 September 2014 - 16:32 CEST
#56
Mega says
i might be a bit much fantasie but:

What if each team can chose the Spawn like Fighter selection on Street Fighter.



xD
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30 September 2014 - 16:32 CEST
#57
Mega says
i might be a bit much fantasie but:

What if each team can chose the Spawn like Fighter selection on Street Fighter.

Like that the Commander gets even more influence at the start
and the team can actualy prepare a tactic but has to adopt to a new situation pretty fast

also its a +1 to make ns2 unique ;)


Throw a coin, the winner chooses spawns, the looser gets the ball...

oh wait. Wrong sport... need something new:

One team, eliminates a spawn, from all the possible spawns. Afterwards the other team chooses the spawns from all possible leftover spawns, secretly.

--> More planning for both parties, still a surprise for the viewers and one of the teams. It gives the game another tactical element and no RNG involved. All happy.

On maps, which only have two possible spawn locations it will be kept random. (so, not all happy... MORE SPAWN OPTIONS ON JAMBI!)
joshhhy
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1 October 2014 - 18:06 CEST
#58
tudy says

Throw a coin, the winner chooses spawns, the looser gets the ball...

oh wait. Wrong sport... need something new:


Make a small 1 room custom map.
Turn on full damage and have a gorges vs gorges death match single-life akin to the CS knife round.

Winner gets choice of map or alien/marine first.

GG WP
Durkmons
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1 October 2014 - 19:14 CEST
#59
Just do random spawns, fixed spawns seem boring as fuck and people who bitch about it just need to man the fuck up.
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