New modes inside "SnD"

[Woaxa]

Hi, so I've had this idea for a little while that I've brought up in some vc's and people showed some interest so I thought I'd compile my thoughts here for some extra feedback.

The concept is that right now Search and Destroy is modeled after a Call of Duty mode called "Search and Destroy"(wow) now Call of Duty (CoD) has plenty of other modes and I was thinking how other gamemodes from other FPS games would play out utilizing Athios' kits. There's so many modes from so many different games and to name a few would be Domination, Capture the Flag, Payload, King of the Hill, etc.

Something a few people brought up was that "we don't have the player base to support so many modes". What I mean by adding these new "modes" wouldn't be for a separate portal or lobby, you would just enter the "SnD" portal and it would randomize the gamemode the same way you get a random map after the lobby. I also think most maps could end up working with the new modes without needing changes, and future maps could also be tailored for a specific mode, or multiple.

"I like SnD, what is there to even gain from adding more gamemodes"
The original reason I was thinking of this was because I play a game called "Team Fortress 2"(i know i play a 14 year old game still) in the game there's plenty of modes and in each mode you always see different strategies or class combinations, I feel this would translate into SnD very well since every kit has a unique scenario where it shines. What about a mode that is less attack and defend and more about controlling zones for points? You would likely see less juggs and more ninjas.

I know I listed quite a few different gamemodes up top but I don't intend for SnD to become a mash of 30 different modes, no one would understand what is going on and no new player would stay since its changing every game. I just want to propose the idea of 1-2 new modes alongside SnD. I think the best potential stands with Domination and Payload. Something talked in the "athios-feedback" channel was having a graphic update for SnD, if that does go into motion it would lessen the additional learning curve multiple modes would have just by having simple tooltips letting newer players know what they're suppose to be doing.

Spoiler: Potential Modes

Domination
In this mode there are multiple zones throughout the map, typically 3. Standing in these zones will capture them, your team gains points every X seconds for holding a zone, your team would win by hitting the point cap before the other team or having the most points before time runs out.

Payload
One team has to push a cart across the map while the other team tries to prevent them from doing that. The cart would move forward if there are any attacking players nearby. The attackers win by pushing the cart to the final capture point, while the defenders would win by stalling the attackers until time runs out.

Now these new modes pose the question "They're clearly built around having more than one life" and while "respawns" in SnD are quite a touchy subject, I think these new modes would give the opportunity for respawns to be utilized without changing what we all know SnD to be.

"I hate Domination, why can't I just play SnD"
Introducing voting!!!! During the lobby you'll be able to vote for your preferred mode similar to how the old map voting system was, if we have 10 players online and 7 of them vote for SnD, 2 vote for Domination, and 1 votes for Payload, there will be a 70% chance for SnD to be selected 20% for Domination and 10% for Payload.

 

[Dave_X]

I'm not a fan of diluting SnD with more generic gamemodes.

Adding a new gamemode based on other PvP styles? Sure, something to talk about. But this is just a series of games loosely based on bombs. None of these are Search and Destroy.

This idea feels very confusing to new players, particularly with respawning on some games and not others. You'd need to lock certain modes to player counts for balance purposes. At this point you'll also need a new name for the gamemode, since SnD is just one of the possible game types.

I'd rather see us focus on developing more distinct, unique gamemodes to hook players. Watering down our only mode feels like the opposite of that. Hell, I'd be down to recreate some other popular minigames, but let the flagship remain.

Side note: I dislike the voting system. People complained about it when it was just for maps, imagine the pain when it decides what game you're going to be playing. There's a strong reason why we have random map selection.

 

[Onett]

This is a really dope idea. It'd really help keep the game fresh without the need to code completely new gamemodes. Personally, I also think it'd help make the gamemode more attractive to new players.


From a game balance standpoint, I don't think there would be any huge issues. I think there is plenty of counterplay you could employ with the kits already in the game.

(i.e. explosive would be very strong in Domination, but there's explosive-resistant kits like centurion that can counter it. I think tweaks to the kit would still be necessary but even still, its not a game breaking issue)

It'd be really cool to see how the kits we are so used to using only within the context of the standard SnD gamemode be applied in new gamemodes. For example, Teleporter is pretty niche in standard SnD, but I definitely see it becoming a very important kit in payload and domination.


From a new player's perspective, I don't think it should be too confusing either. Like you said in the main post, new aesthetic revamps could be utilized to make it clear what the objective is. I think the gamemodes you suggested are pretty easy to understand too. If they've played these types of gamemodes before, it might even help convince them to try it out.

If anything, I feel like these new gamemodes would help new players be less confused about SnD, as they allow for respawns and thus, allows them to understand the different kits and what they do much quicker. If a new player dies in SnD, they just have to wait in confusion until the game ends. It'd be more effective to maximize the time that new players can actually play the game and learn through their own experience, which is what these gamemodes help do.

SnD as it is rn honestly is not easy for new players to pick up and learn and these new gamemodes would definitely make learning it much easier. Hopefully we can see something like this implemented in the future :)