Multiplayer in Poland

[Enguzrad]

Recently I realised that because our little czech community played OW in our own little world for past few years, I have no idea how does situation look at the other side of the barricade.
So I would like to ask few simple questions :

What rules or maps are usually played today? Do you have enough players which can host or do you stick to hamachi / Evolve / other VLAN tools?

Are there any Clans left?

Does anyone use Throwback or other multiplayer focused mod?


You don't have to necessarily answer in english, with a little help from a translator I can chew through polish just fine .

[Marcinszabla]

I realised that because our little czech community played OW in our own little world for past few years,

I remember that the members of Czech XR clan sometimes played with Polish players about two or three years ago, so I think that little Czech community wasn't isolated that much in past years.

[Enguzrad]

As far as I'm concerned, XR clan is probably the only community left here, and it's in a bad state (most of the players just don't have much time to play anymore). And even though some our players played with Polish players (I think Drajdr did it quite often, but he didn't play in a really long time) it was mostly just us playing against each other. Mainly because we shifted towards more open maps than alien base and we stoped using any rules or build up time.
I think it was for the better though, I personally really hate alien base for how cramped it is .

Not to mention that during summer, we changed quite a lot in Throwback mod in terms of balance. And now we play practially only with Throwback.

[Serpent]

Everybody play CB on AB

[Enguzrad]

So, nothing changed in multiplayer? That's sad, I don't feel like coming back to "you can't build this and you can't build more than two of that and don't even think about rushing!" .
Not to mention those damned morphlings, which we nerfed in Throwback for a good reason.

[artur]

I dont play AB i hate this map

[Heike Steyer]

Usually if I play a map other than AB, my friend and I would play on throwback and usually without any set rules. We actually prefer not to instantly rush but instead wait a few more minutes before attacking. I think being able to actually play around with some other aspects of the game such as playing defensive or researching everything is much more entertaining. To be honest, the usual 10 minute games played on AB which are always the same, everyone being american and HG Rushing, gets a bit boring after a few games.. Just my opinion

[Enguzrad]

Usually if I play a map other than AB, my friend and I would play on throwback and usually without any set rules. We actually prefer not to instantly rush but instead wait a few more minutes before attacking. I think being able to actually play around with some other aspects of the game such as playing defensive or researching everything is much more entertaining. To be honest, the usual 10 minute games played on AB which are always the same, everyone being american and HG Rushing, gets a bit boring after a few games.. Just my opinion

Yes, some players here had the same opinion. That's why Tactical War rules has been made. They simply banned heavy guns, later we just started to use everything, including siberite bombs (But it doesn't turn every game into nuclear war like some people would think, researching that beast takes time and you just can't do it even if you have team members backing you up, unless your team is just much better than te opposite. Still it's great for breaking stalemates on maps with good defensive positions.)
Even that I said that we do rush, usually people builds medium vehicles with guns/lasers/rocket launchers and attacks starts at about 6 - 10 minute from the start. Noone usually just takes his soldiers and rushes enemy base right at the start (although one or two times I did it and managed to capture enemy base , but it makes the game much shorter).

[stucuk]

I think it was for the better though, I personally really hate alien base for how cramped it is .

Has no one thought of making a larger version of it? In my opinion the main reason people would play AB rather than other maps is because its more balanced. When it comes to official maps you don't get ones that can support a good amount of people and are maps which are balanced (As in each players starting area is similar).


I would like to note that since 2005 no mod author has sent me any maps. Maps are one of the things that can easily be added to the main game, the only requirement is community approval and permission from the mod author. Basically it would be done like the Arabian layout which was donated from a mod (I think throwback but my memory is crap. It was a Czech mod iirc).

P.S Random people have asked for Throwback maps to be added to the main game over the years, but without the Mod author and a public forum poll on the matter i can't do anything (I am not going to steal peoples work).

[Enguzrad]

Well, I pretty much made a bigger version of it, sort of. You can take a look at Shrubs map in Throwback. Swastika is also similar in layout to Alien Base. Both maps are bigger than AB.
I don't think that people play AB because it's balanced, but because without Flags it's the only map for more than 4 players. I believe that's the main reason.

Anyway, owner of Throwback is SaliSakal. As far as I know he wouldn't have problem with adding maps from Throwback into main game. It's just a matter of contacting him and making a poll for which maps could be added.
(Just be aware that for the current version of Throwback, the shipment density on most maps is really off. So either wait a few weeks till I fix it, or use script from Flags or something.)

[Gravitr]

Some more maps with quite balanced sides and for at least 6 players: Florikha lake, Kasyr, Rocky Pass.
When playing these maps, tactic could be at least slightly similiar in style of AB.

You can check TB maplist (actual to ver. 6.7.4) for all TB maps.

[Bren]

I don't think that people play AB because it's balanced, but because without Flags it's the only map for more than 4 players. I believe that's the main reason.

You are goddamn right.
We need AB 2.0. Similar strategies, but another map. HG rush 4ever <3

AB > Flags, because AB is... easier map. You can learn strategies after few games. Also, matches on AB are more spectacular. It isn't just HG rush. Okay, it is, but it has many variants. You can HG rush in 10th minute. You can rush with 15x comp HG and 15x manual in 50th minute. You can build a base with barracks next to your opponent's base and HG rush after. You can make snipers to get some vision to your HG rush.
What's about Flags? Matches end with rush too, but not HG rush. I played Flags few times and mostly it ends in unbreakable campfest in middle bot/top (I mean sync lost) or rocket/double gun rush in 10th minute which is impossible to defend, because map is open.

[Gravitr]

@Bren
Yes, AB is much easier to play (/learn), because you only have to build HG's. Flags are different, because you can make a choice about your tactic: play as arabian and try to mine enemy base, try to camp and build a sib. bomb as russian, or go rush (, etc.)...


By the way

What's about Flags? Matches end with rush too, but not HG rush. I played Flags few times and mostly it ends in unbreakable campfest in middle bot/top (I mean sync lost) or rocket/double gun rush in 10th minute which is impossible to defend

These middle top/bot positions are mostly taken when more than 6 players are playing. And if someone camp really hard and he cannot be destroyed by vehicles, we just build a bomb.

[Enguzrad]

AB > Flags, because AB is... easier map. You can learn strategies after few games. Also, matches on AB are more spectacular. It isn't just HG rush. Okay, it is, but it has many variants. You can HG rush in 10th minute. You can rush with 15x comp HG and 15x manual in 50th minute. You can build a base with barracks next to your opponent's base and HG rush after. You can make snipers to get some vision to your HG rush.

That is exactly my problem with that map. It's so cramped and simple that only thing which works here is to make heavy guns, and make more of them than the enemy has.
And that's pretty much it. There is not much of a room for different tactics, which makes the skill ceiling low.
And the map puts even more emphasis on being an american than the original game already has. Tell me, does an arab stand a chance in CW on AB? I don't think so.

What's about Flags? Matches end with rush too, but not HG rush. I played Flags few times and mostly it ends in unbreakable campfest in middle bot/top (I mean sync lost) or rocket/double gun rush in 10th minute which is impossible to defend, because map is open.

Well when we play it, unless one side horribly lost the initial fight, the game goes on.
Open map makes it hard to defend yourself with barracks and towers, but it is still perfectly defendable with vehicles. If you don't have any when attack comes, you just didn't build fast enough.
And camping in middle position is no argument against this map. You either forbid players from starting there or you enable siberite bomb. (And even without it, it can be breached with russian rockets)
And best thing is, on open map arabs can finally do some good old sabotage .

[stucuk]

Have you thought about looking at multiplayer maps from other games and copying their "footprint"? Total Annihilation had some good map designs for example (Granted alot won't work as there are no ships or air transports in OW). There are also some good ones from CNC games.