Power Weapons can make or break you map IMO. Too many and it becomes one of those noob versions of the pit with every weapon placed and default spawn times. They can be placed in the wrong position and give a sided advantage, or they can be whored and ruin the map as well. What are you opinions on Power Weapons? What weapons are "power" weapons? How many is too many? What do you do to equalize them? When I test my maps, I can never tell how exactly the weapon placement is going to play out on average. My friends have the same play styles and so I don't get the variety of hmm, other people playing my maps. For instance I have a map with 3 snipers, a Laser, Rockets (0 extra clips), 2 shottys, 2 brute shots, 4 BRs, maybe something else? lol. This seems like a large amount to me, but when I play it, the set up seems perfect. Everyone is on an even field. The long respawns on the weapons don't cause to constant whoring on one power weapon. But since it's just with my friends I'm not sure. Sorry for the long post.
It is VERY difficult to balance the power weapons, which is why lots and lots of testing is necessary. I try to just make sure each team has an equal chance to get to each weapon, or are closer to one but farther from the other. It just helps if everything has a longer respawn time IMO
In my opinion, a power weapon is something that can give a 1-shot kill; Sniper Rifle, Beam Rifle, Shotgun, Sword, Rocket Launcher, Gravity Hammer, Missle Pod - sort of and the Flamethrower. To equalize them you could give them less clips, put them in a vulnerable area, fusion coils near them, make sure its not in a part of the map where it'll dominate (Rockets above a spawn area, Flamethrower in a tight short hallway where a lot of people travel, Shotgun in a box thats entry is blocked by a Shield Door.)
A power weapon could be any weapon. If you had a map with only pistols and one assault rifle, the assault rifle would be a power weapon. Really I think we are all a bit too scared to use power weapons. The Pit default has two shotguns, two maulers, two snipers, a sword, a rocket, os and overshield. They don't dominate and ruin the gameplay though.
Thats exactly what I think of when building my maps. The Pit is perfectly balanced, and thus there isn't an overwhelming power weapon. Sure theres alot of fighting by rockets, but the rocket wielder is easily countered. 1 sniper is a power weapon, but 2 kinda negates its dominance. As with the shotgun, 1 makes it stand out, but 2 equalizes it.
The rush for rockets mentality is quite strange on The Pit. I can't really think of a game where it has played an especially important role for the team controlling it like the epitaph shotgun or Last resort sniper often do.
I agree, and that is why it is my favorite map. But, if I had all those weapons on a map that is bigger then The Pit, I would get 0 downloads because of everyone thinking it would be unbalanced.
The pit does play pretty much perfectly. Its not at all about racing to a weapon and trying to control it. If you want, you can use a BR the entire game and still come out +10. Try doing that on Epitaph against Rockets/Hammer/Shotty campers. No matter how good your BR skills, you wont be able to wreck them easily. And your right, rockets on the pit are pretty much a non-important weapon. I just love the chaos of rocket hall when I snipe people from down in shotty corner lol. I mainly look for your guys' opinions on thing before I release a map because, like nitrous' post about the newer members feeling..uh hostility? towards them said, I am alitte worried I will be shunned, or given a harder time due to my minute amount of posts.
Yeah, people were pretty nice to me when I first came here, so it shouldn't be too bad. Also, another thought on the power weapons. I think the are neutralized a little more if they are placed in long lines of sight (like the snipers on Narrows, the rockets/shotguns on the pit, lockout/blackout weapons.
I know what you mean, i have trouble when it comes to power weapon placement. I believe that a power weapon is a weapon that can neutralise a standard shield (or kill) in one shot. It may be a good idea to put it up for map testing to get other peoples opinion.
Your weapon load sounds a little overboard but it could work ... testing is definately the way to go to firgure out balance.
In my opinion for the lazer and rockets are to have them in a mid sized map or large map. If you have a power weapon in a small map it just ruins it all. For example if you wanna put rockets in a small map it would just give a very unnfair advantage to the guys using the smgs and or the battle rifle. And if you wanted to make it fair by placing 2 rockets then that would just F everything up... Now on a mid and large size map I would just place 1 in the middle that way anyone has the chance to get it first and doesn't F it up...
I think power weapons should be balanced. There is not really a certain amount thats too many as long as there is a counter weapon. EX: Sniper Countered by Rocket. Splaser Countered by Needler. Sword countered by Shotgun. I found that if you place say a sniper you should place a counter weapon like a rocket or needler
I've found that power weapons make or break the map. For example if there s only one power weapon on a map all you or a team has to do is hold that spot. But if there is more than one power weapon (a sniper and rocket launcher) you have to keep on the move or you will get sniped or blasted away. If you have too many(depends on the size of the map) like others have said all you do is run around with rockets or shotguns getting mad becuase you think you shot first or how didn't that kill you. So anyways you should have power weapons more than one but not too many.