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Difference between revisions of "Flag ideas"

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|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
 
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
 
|Tank always moves forward or backwards, it can not stop
 
|Tank always moves forward or backwards, it can not stop
 +
|-
 +
|Fly Swatter (FS)
 +
| -
 +
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
 +
|Your tank is equipped with a gigantic fly swatter, which falls down when you fire. Swat tanks, bullets, GM's, etc
 +
|-
 +
|BackFire (BF)
 +
| -
 +
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
 +
|Shots fire to rear of tank instead of front.
 +
|-
 +
|FrienD flag (FD)
 +
| +
 +
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
 +
|Your shots don't kill friendly tanks (Your own richocets are harmless!!!).
 +
|-
 +
|Flip Out (FO)
 +
| -
 +
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
 +
|Out of window view is upside-down.
 +
|-
 +
|Sensor Echo (SE)
 +
| -
 +
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Maybe, not a bad idea.''
 +
|All tanks show up twice (or more) on radar. Echos behave like the tank they mirror, down to the flag.
 +
|-
 +
|Delayed Shot (DS)
 +
| -
 +
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
 +
|Shots wait some prescribed amount of time (2s?) between clicking and actually firing.
 +
|-
 +
|Extra Shot (ES)
 +
| +
 +
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
 +
|Player gets one more shot
 +
|-
 +
|SlowMotion (SM)
 +
| -
 +
|style="background-color:#a14141;"|''Yes.''
 +
|Tank moves and turns with half speed.
 
|}
 
|}

Revision as of 20:23, 18 February 2007

Some simple guidelines:

READ THIS FIRST


  • First, check that your idea isn't already here. Chances are someone else has already come up with your flag.
  • Next, think carefully about your flag. Come up with a short and succinct description. Not only will a short description will make it easier for the project management team to make a decision about the flag, but it usually also indicates the quality of the idea. Chances are if a flag requires more than a short sentance or two, it's too complicated for the game.
  • Make sure your flag idea isn't overpowered or stupid.
  • Finally, add your flag to the section with the blank 'status' field. Use the teal background color and leave the status blank!
  • Note that getting your flag approved to a "yes" does not mean it will happen. Everything done is what the developers want to do - if a flag requires significant changes to the codebase and isn't the most brilliant idea ever, it'll probably sit here for quite some time before being implemented, if ever.

This is NOT a list of flags that are being considered. Discussion/imlementation of these is encouraged, but does not mean any of these flags are going into the game.



If you do implement a flag keep these things in mind:

  • All powerful flags aren't fun.
  • Flags that ensure your immediate destruction aren't fun.
  • Flags that aren't useful aren't fun.
  • Flags boost/modulate tactical trait of tanks
how do i edit? a new flag?

Based on these observations we have the following rules:

Flag power must be limited.
For example, BZFlag has stealth and cloaking flags, but no stealth-and-cloak flag. Such a tank would be virtually impossible to destroy. Nobody likes to play against someone who can't lose.

The guided missile and laser flags are both exceptionally powerful flags, but neither make the owner invincible. Laser takes twice as long to reload and a guided missile can be dodged while still firing on the owner. You've gotta be good, but it can be done.

Flag powers can counteract/balance each other.
Some flags are handily defeated with another kind of flag. The oscillation overthruster can be destroyed by a super bullet or a shock wave (or a genocide). Cloaking is effective against laser and stealth is good against guided missile. Ricochet is useful against ricochet.

Consider adding counterbalancing flags together. Or consider adding a flag that acts as a counterbalance to an existing flag or flags. Also consider making your new flag counterbalanced by an existing flag; superbullet is often a good choice.

Don't add flags that (almost) instantly kill the owner.
I considered adding a Death flag that would instantly kill the tank that grabbed it. I changed my mind because that's not fun and seriously dampens interest in picking up flags. Mines are similar. You're driving around and *boom* you're dead. Nothing you could've done to avoid it, no mistake you made. You're just dead. People don't mind losing so much if they know it was because they did something wrong.

Even worse is a flag that disables your radar and vision. You're basically dead. You can shoot at random and hope to get lucky, but no amount of skill can save you. And what's worse than the Death flag is that you have to stagger around waiting for someone to kill you.

A flag that seriously disables a tank is not as bad because the player can still use skill to defeat as many enemies as possible before getting shot. Thus we have flags like left turn only and obesity.

Flags should require new skills
Flags that require new skills keep the game interesting. If there's still more to learn about using ricochet or guided missile, or more to learn about fighting against them, then people will keep playing.

Some flags seem pretty dull to some players. The steamroller and the phantom zone come to mind, or quick turn. These aren't the most powerful flags, but they do have their uses and some people enjoy them. However, i think i should have removed SR and PZ. Steamroller's usefulness is very limited and looks pretty weak compared to shock wave. PZ tends to encourage very defensive play, which slows the game down. But quick turn can be very effective when used well; put it in a tight furball and it'll do serious damage. You just have to learn how to take full advantage of it.


Name +/- Status Use
Low Gravity(LG) + Yes, a good idea. Gravity is reduced to a large degree alowing the tank to jump very high in the air.
Long Reload (LR) - Yes. Reloading weapon takes twice as long.
HoVer (HV) - Yes. Tank hovers one tank-heighth above the ground. Jumper fodder.
UnSteady(US) - Yes. Tank gets an random angular momentum when jumping, like you accidently moved your mouse when pressing jump.
Don't Stop (DS) - Yes. Tank always moves forward or backwards, it can not stop
Fly Swatter (FS) - Yes. Your tank is equipped with a gigantic fly swatter, which falls down when you fire. Swat tanks, bullets, GM's, etc
BackFire (BF) - Yes. Shots fire to rear of tank instead of front.
FrienD flag (FD) + Yes. Your shots don't kill friendly tanks (Your own richocets are harmless!!!).
Flip Out (FO) - Yes. Out of window view is upside-down.
Sensor Echo (SE) - Maybe, not a bad idea. All tanks show up twice (or more) on radar. Echos behave like the tank they mirror, down to the flag.
Delayed Shot (DS) - Yes. Shots wait some prescribed amount of time (2s?) between clicking and actually firing.
Extra Shot (ES) + Yes. Player gets one more shot
SlowMotion (SM) - Yes. Tank moves and turns with half speed.