Bro Someone Make Extraction

cool. yeah, at least at the time of that video, it seems like Haven was 3 plots for 1-site. It appears in H4 they prioritized having them all in the central or middle part of the map so that each team had equal chance of traveling to them at similar travel times. I guess each map creator will need to decide how they should be distributed... will be interesting to test!

 

Thanks for confirming that one was only three. Note, we will not be able to "shift" the points from side to side, but will have to appear in the exact same place each time. I'll try to make it even for each team, though.

 

I'd like to chime in here if I may. I took a hiatus from Halo 5 from awhile and never finished a Generator Defense gametype I was working on (and am going back to finish it). I also ran into your same problem of too many damn overlapping nav points, specifically, having 2 for each one.

My generator defense gametype actually utilizes a script that alternates a single nav point between 2 different names over and over. So my Alpha generator for the Offense team will say "Alpha" in Blue, and then after 3 seconds says "Destroy" in blue, and then reverts back in an endless loop. It actually goes very seamlessly and hasn't seemed to create many if any hiccups. You can also use that same script to apply the Defenders a red "Alpha" that alternates to a red "Defend" or whatever. It keeps clutter under control very well and is appealing like an official gametype would come across as.

 

Thanks. Ive done the same on my prefab for red v blue enforcement, so it can definitely work. It alternates every second between 2 colors Nd just says "GO TO" (as well as killing them)

Ill definitely see if that can work here too! I dont remember if a had a specific reason for not doing that or if i just didnt consider it.

By all means, do chime in!

 

Well, I like toying around with different options to try. I was looking at doing Extraction as well and had been waiting for a chance that someone else would get to a starting point.

The main hooks are the arming, converting, and scoring, as you both described. The hardest part by far would be the arming, because converting will be a direct correlation to the arming as well. I haven't tested, but was hoping that maybe there was a way to go about the actual arm function, but I may play a little bit with that stuff tonight once I get some stuff taken care of on my end.

 

I actually have all that working. I just need to install it, essentially. Stay tuned...

 

This is a video of the first ever games of Extraction on Halo 5...
(WIP, note - sometimes the timing to capture the points was not consistent, will fix)

Congrats to the 10-12 people who randomly stumbled upon this gem on PC Customs Browser (which appeared to be totally empty (0 games) when I started my lobby).

Map Thread - Test version of Mercy variant

(2nd game is a full 4v4)

 

• The main fix is to make sure that when each site becomes available, it is reset to only needing approx 2.5-3sec to cap versus needing the full 5 sec. Also, sometimes that 5 sec cap requires an extra button push that it shouldn't require. There are some numbers that are not always being rest to zero, I think. Not a hard fix, and doesn't stop anyone from playing this within the next several hours and just making note of that bug while evaluating it.
• The Navs scheme could change, but also may not change. We could go the route that @TAxxOUTBR3AKxx suggested, but there is no necessity at the moment to do so, IMO. See below, this may change with 2-site, as Navs may interfere with one another and may need more special care.
• I may also add some sort of finishing effect on the beacon that does something fancy as it scores, or just after... not sure cuz I am already using a lot of scripts and items...

In terms of the overall project, there are two big things left to do...

1. Consolidate some scripts/items (wiring) so that it could possibly be more efficient. (may not be necessary, but just nice)
2. Develop variation of the mode that makes 2-site possible.

I believe this can go into full testing mode, run through the rigors, and have its **** beaten out of it

Go play it!

 

Also, I will repeat the list of requirements and document what was done for each:

• I see there are two types, 1 - Site and 2 - Site. Would these both need to be compatible on the same map? That might be a problem. Would only address this if absolutely necessary. Otherwise, there may end up being two variants of this which someone could decide which to use on their map. This is designed for 1-site currently, but I have left it so that it should not require a major re-write for 2-site. Each site is completely independent from one another, so having two running simultaneously should not complicate things (except maybe for navs)
• Item floats in air with some animated Fx - prototype may not have Fx, but just a placeholder piece. Prototype does have Fx complete with sounds as well! Will accept feedback on how well it works or if people just odn't like it. But know that options are limited while also making it look really cool and professional.
• Item has gray nav - we can definitely do A,B,C or at least Alpha etc. Each site starts out with two grey navs, one for A, B, C, and one showing "Extract". A sound also plays of "Requisition" to notify of the availability of a new site.
• Item appears to take 5 sec to arm. H5 has no "Hold x" feature for differentiating between a normal press, so we are going to make the player press it three times with it making them wait between each press, so that the fastest time is 5 sec. If they don't press it at the right interval, it could take longer than 5 which might be a cool dynamic of added skill? It was clarified that initial capture should only take 3 seconds, while a conversion should take 5. That is now essentially done. Initial cap requires two presses of the button, which has a 2.5 sec wait time in between presses. If you take 3 sec to press it, it will reset just as if you were holding it the whole time. The conversion cap takes 5 sec, and so with the 2.5 sec wait time, that means the 3rd press should convert it.
• Sounds voice warning "Enemy Team Armed X" (not sure yet what options are here) If you find better VO to use, please suggest a change. Currently, when your team captures the point, it says "Stronghold Captured" and conversely, if you lose one or the enemy team gets the initial, it says "Enemy captured..."
• When captured Nav changes color to match team. Team sees "Protect", enemies see "Convert". Options available (again, suggest something better if you find it) seemed like this would be best... "Protect" for team that possesses the site, and "Capture" for the opposing team. This could be changed to "Steal" or similar.
• 60 sec (or is it 45?) to fully capture. If so, 1 team point. Move to next zone. Done. Set to 60 sec for 1-site, sounds VO "Teammate (or Emeny) Scored". match will progress through Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and then back to Alpha (to mimic Haven's setup)
• Q: Is order of extraction spots predetermined or random? Answered: Predetermined, in alpha order. Implemented.
• Each extraction triggers a new one opening up, even if all have already been played. What is the point limit if there is one? Match ends at five points or 12 min, with 3 min overtime if tied up. (8 sec respawn, so that slaying has a benefit to capping)
• Initial cap should be shorter than conversion. Done, by using a temporary item to take action toward arming site sooner when initially made available. Despawns afterward, so conversion is automatically longer.
• Countdown to scoring should pause when conversion is attempted. Each press of the button adds 3 sec to the amount of time required for scoring, so if they get two presses, it could lengthen it by 6 sec max. Or, a team could sit there and lengthen it as a strategy while waiting to slay a nearby enemy so they can actually go convert it shortly later.
• Conversion should notify opposing team their site is in the process of being captured. Rather than repeatedly blinking the nav, I opted for making the press of the buttons play a sound for the enemy team.
• A site nearly Extraction/Scoring should provide notification so enemy can make a last effort to convert, and so both teams can move to next location in anticipation of its availability. In final 10 seconds of countdown, Nav for controlling team changes from "Protect" to "Success" and a sound is played. Nav for opposing team changes from "Capture" to "Hurry" and a more negative sounding sound played.

That's all I could think of at the moment. IF I think of more detail, I'll add it here.

 

Posted about this over at Beyond to get more feedback. Got a suggestion from @Sitri to change it from a button you press, to a hill you sit in.

 

I was thinking somewhat the same thing. But what you can do is have the hill increment a numeric by +1 for every second and then at 5 seconds that numeric can activate an invisible switch to spawn or something, requiring 1 button press to activate. Leaving the hill resets the numeric to 0.

 

so that's where all the traffic was coming from! thanks

(to all) on the idea of a hill... wouldn't that make it a lot closer to strongholds (or KOTH) where you can shoot while capturing? Would it then really be all that different? Scoring is different, and one hill at a time, but what else? Even if a small hill, you will not have the same amount of disadvantage to possibly dying if you hold the button. The way it is now, as I've experienced in the games included in the video, you get this really cool "can I get my button presses in before that kill happens?" moment. Truly epic when it works, and still kind of epic when it doesn't.

**I've also noticed you can get away with holding the button to a degree, which makes it much easier. A game or two, and anyone will grasp it.

A change like this is huge, not hard, but big in terms of minute changes and perhaps some bigger ones too. A lot of the mode's components are driven by the switches, and so all of that would need to change.

This is still a potential change down the road if the current system turns out not to work well enough for most people. As it stands now, there have been zero games played on this that weren't me, (unless someone bookmarked, played a game, and then un'd) so I would probably wait for at least a week's worth of playtests before doing this big of a re-write, and if most players agreed it should be done.

Good news - is that I believe I have fixed the issue of inconsistent timing for captures/converts. It was extremely easy to fix in 10 min this AM. So, I would think that the increased consistency (as well as actually playing it) will show how well the current system can work. Not saying I'll never change it, but probably not yet...

Thanks guys!

 

Personally I prefer the button press, for exactly the same reason. Being mostly helpless when capturing is part of what makes Extraction what it is.

 

Point by point:
Two waypoints down to 1 - I would rather wait to see what others think too, but sure, this is a possibility. The object that the "A, B, C" navs are tied to, does need to stay for another reason, though. IMO it still looks pretty clean, and I don't know if losing the reference for new players on a map to start to learn where "A, B, C etc. are located as they play is worth gaining a little more cleanliness. Constantly updaing/rotating the labels between an alpha char and a word may be a little disruptive, as it constantly pops in and out of existence, rather than appearing to be something that is just "there" until it isn't. Let's wait and see on this.

Final countdown 5 instead of 10 sec - I thought about this as I was fixing timing this morning, and the 10 sec really does pass quickly. I'd also wait to see if others concur that it should be shorter. 10 sec gives you time to hear something, look around, notice that the nav label has changed, and possibly even do something about it.

Changes to labels of navs - I do like "Incoming". I am sort of "meh" on "Warning". I like that "Hurry" conveys that they have a lasat chance to stop it.

VO - I really wish they would have given us "Scoring imminent" rather than just "Victory Imminent"...

Beacon visuals, sequence - I agree it would be nicer if it were a little smaller. This is the coolest looking (IMO) Fx that is small enough, though. I will look at the list of items under the "Covenant Monitor elements" section and see if any combo of those would look good enough when combined with the light that is there or something else. I defintely want "wow" factor. Replacing Sound Fx are not a big deal either. I'll look for something with a beep, as well as something to convey that it is being Uploaded or extracted elsewhere... like "beaming up".