New voting system for pubs

[guy]

Ok most servers don't have map voting or ability to kick players without admins. Let build a default feature into the client side like L4D2:

[KubeDawg]

There already exists one via Sourcemod, though it's kind of buggy in that it prevents weapon switching while the vote menu is up. It would be nice to have something natively built into FF that just works out the gate though.

[squeek.]

Can you expand on how that's 'buggy,' Kube? How is it possible to get around that when weapon switching and voting use the same key?

[KubeDawg]

Well with the current SDK, it's not possible. However, with newer SDKs I think starting with 2007, it allows for flash-based content and might be able to be used to make a better voting system.

Are the keyboard options currently capable of having key pad numbers separate from the top row numbers? Maybe those can be used to vote rather than the existing method, and those who don't have a key pad would be able to use the normal method?

[squeek.]

Flash-based meaning...? Do you use your mouse or the keyboard to select options? I am stuck in 2006, so I ain't know nothing bout games and how they work.

[R00Kie]

Seems that L4D is using the F Keys, Most of the F keys in FF are unbound. maybe we could switch our voting to that.

[KubeDawg]

Yeah I believe CSGO does the same with their flash voting menus.

[Iggy]

Ok, so how do you guys propose to keep this from being abused?

[KubeDawg]

Keep what from being abused? the issue with the current system? There's not really a good way to do that other than recompiling the sourcemod script to use different keys for the vote system. The only person in FF who I know of that has a good grasp on sourcemod is hlstriker. In any case, it's not really abusable per-se as it happens every map vote. Map vote begins, and until you vote, you cannot change weapons unless you use the right click option some classes have to switch between 2 weapons. lastinv, nextwep, prevwep also doesn't work during this time.

So for right now, it seems to be a necessary evil.

[FDA_Approved]

Originally Posted by KubeDawg

Keep what from being abused? the issue with the current system? There's not really a good way to do that other than recompiling the sourcemod script to use different keys for the vote system. The only person in FF who I know of that has a good grasp on sourcemod is hlstriker. In any case, it's not really abusable per-se as it happens every map vote. Map vote begins, and until you vote, you cannot change weapons unless you use the right click option some classes have to switch between 2 weapons. lastinv, nextwep, prevwep also doesn't work during this time.

So for right now, it seems to be a necessary evil.

By abuse I think he meant the "player kick" part of the suggestion.

But anyways, yeah F keys for voting would be cool.

[WiFiDi]

the same way they are in source mod by giving the ability for the server owner to choose the gate in which a successful vote is achieved.

[caesium]

As I see it, the current main problems with map voting on public servers are:

1) Voting uses weapon slots (so people often vote accidentally or have it interfere with their game).

2) Votes get split over too many map options (this is a huge issue imo).

3) The list of maps to vote for is often very poor.

4) Not all servers have it and it's often not consistent across the ones that do.


Possible solutions:

1) Use keys that aren't used by FF (e.g. the F-keys as suggested by others) or do the voting after the map ends. I prefer the former.

2) Have the map voting display remain visible after you vote (along with a countdown timer) and show in real-time how many votes each map has so that people can easily press just one button to re-vote when they see how the votes are being distributed.

3) Have a tight list of "good" maps*, have all of those maps on the vote list every time (no matter when they were last played), and then also allow anyone to nominate (any time before the vote starts, or perhaps even ends) any map that's not already on the vote list. This needs #2 implementing in order to work well.

4) Make something good, include it with FF and enable it by default.

* Clearly this is very subjective, but I mean maps which are more likely to be enjoyed by more people on average (even though that may not include your and my personal favourites!) for which I'd suggest:
- CTF: monkey, destroy, schtop, sd2, openfire, 2fort, bases.
- Non-CTF: ksour, dustbowl, palermo, napoli, warpath.


While I'm at it, I also feel that public servers should have:
- At least 30 seconds prematch.
- 20 minute timilimit.
- No weird sounds that must be downloaded to join the server then play until I can't stand it any more and quit. If you enjoy them and want them then great, but please have an option to enable them that's disabled by default.

[KubeDawg]

I'd personally like to see map categories, like when the voting system comes up, it will ask what map type you want, such as CTF, AVD, Payload, Sports maps, Skill maps, Escape maps, etc, depending on what type of server you are running. Then once the category is selected it would only show a list of that type of map to choose from, along with convenient Previous Menu so you can choose a different map type than what you originally chose, Next Page/Previous Page and Vote Extend.

I tried the 30 second prematch, hell I even tried a 10 second prematch on my server for a while and it turns out people don't really like prematch all that much in pubs. The only real reason to include it was to make sure those stragglers who take a while to connect to a server get a better chance at connecting before prematch ends so there's less chance for a free cap at the beginning of the map. With that said, it's more of a nuisance in pubs than it is helpful.

20 minute vs 30 minute timelimit is good but it's already been changed to 20 minute map times by default for servers.

Finally, for the custom sounds, you can easily disable them by typing "!sounds" in my server or whoever uses the same sounds plugin. For servers that use different sound plugins, I'd suggest discussing with an admin there to find out if they can be disabled.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by FDA_Approved

By abuse I think he meant the "player kick" part of the suggestion.

But anyways, yeah F keys for voting would be cool.

"Kick Player" is exactly what I was referring to. Yeah, it can be used to kick a griefer, but there's nothing to stop them from coming right back(except admin intervention).

Originally Posted by KubeDawg

I'd personally like to see map categories, like when the voting system comes up, it will ask what map type you want, such as CTF, AVD, Payload, Sports maps, Skill maps, Escape maps, etc, depending on what type of server you are running. Then once the category is selected it would only show a list of that type of map to choose from, along with convenient Previous Menu so you can choose a different map type than what you originally chose, Next Page/Previous Page and Vote Extend.

THAT is a brilliant idea! Could even make that "server wide", with the map style being chosen first, then a second vote for the map itself.

I tried the 30 second prematch, hell I even tried a 10 second prematch on my server for a while and it turns out people don't really like prematch all that much in pubs. The only real reason to include it was to make sure those stragglers who take a while to connect to a server get a better chance at connecting before prematch ends so there's less chance for a free cap at the beginning of the map. With that said, it's more of a nuisance in pubs than it is helpful.

20 minute vs 30 minute timelimit is good but it's already been changed to 20 minute map times by default for servers.

Finally, for the custom sounds, you can easily disable them by typing "!sounds" in my server or whoever uses the same sounds plugin. For servers that use different sound plugins, I'd suggest discussing with an admin there to find out if they can be disabled.

There's a 30 second "Pre-Match" on Drippy-'s, to allow everyone to get connected, select team and class. I've never seen anyone complain about it, but if you've seen people drop because of it.... we can live without it.