What do you like best about a zone?

[Russky]

Hey, I am thinking of having some sort of a project, I've got 3 months to kill. I'd like to know everyone's opinions on what is their favorite thing in the zone you play(ed)? I am doing this because I see a bunch of zones or staff (no names; I do not hate you) that do not look at the player aspect, they take very little from player recommendation, and sometimes ignore it altogether.

 

I guess I'll start off by saying that one of my favorite zones is Halo (obviously; don't hate) and I liked it because the dueling in it was unique. I can safely say that I've spent countless hours there dueling and playing pub, and it appealed to me that I only really had to play one ship at all times, but if I ever got bored others were available.

 

Looking from this I am looking to either help a zone; or hopefully move forward in creating my own. I am currently have a very keen eye towards having a zone that is stats intensive, but also somewhere you can just fool around. A map with 3 stationary flags (sort of a triangle) and 1 flag that is movable (for flagging). I am still sort of working on the design, but I think I got a decent idea in my head. I'd like to have a multipurpose pub, with dueling, but also various game modes that can be played when a mod allows it so. Things such as: Elim, Team Battle, King of the Hill, Balling.

 

By the way if anyone wants to make suggestions on my idea, I am open to all suggestion because I am looking to building a zone for the players.

 

Here are some things I'd like to see in the main arena:

1. 3 frequencies, because I think it will slow down team stacking and if one team is too stacked the other two can co-operate to crush it. (Yes, I do freqhop but I also wish there wasn't a need to)

2. An overall experience people can enjoy, those that enjoy basing and bouncing bombs and rushing there will be miniature bases with stationary flags to defend/attack

3. No safe zone spawning (king of like tw)

4. A bunch of mods that are going to allow us to play Team Deathmatch or FFA, or a ball game. (in the pub arena)

5. I like squad competition so I am looking to promote all sorts of squads

 

So in short, what makes a zone fun for you?

Edited June 12, 2009 by Russky

[»Lynx]

The zone, no matter how cool it is probably only matters 30%, while the community the zone has is most important... To me.

[Requiem.]

I have to agree with lynx. The Community makes the Zone.

[candygirl]

The Community makes the Zone.

[Dr Brain]

Ship customization is what makes a zone fun for me. Trying different combinations to see what works the best.

[Incomplete]

The community and ship settings.

[L.C.]

The Community makes the Zone.

Edited June 12, 2009 by L.C.

[Samapico]

The community indeed... which explains why a high percentage of players just like to log in to sit in pub spec and chat.

 

Also, original stuff, things that tend to push the limits of the client to the edge... These things appeal to me because I always wanted to develop these kinds of things, like subarenas with non-standard gameplay (see ?go sepang; canada; australia; brazil in 17th). Mystic Kingdom comes to my mind, and Hyperspace. It's these kinds of places that make the game more than an online asteroid game.

I also enjoy the technical side of doing things with things that were not intended to do things (if that makes any sense). Only example I can think of right now would be to use invisible flags to produce local sounds when a ship passes over them... That kind of stuff.

[Chambahs]

Ill agree with community and settings, and ill throw in uniqueness is a big plus for the zones that have it.

[Audry]

I'd say as long as the owner isnt russian.

 

<3 russ mouahaha

[L.C.]

What do you like best about a zone?

Audry. <3

[Hakaku]

To me the community is important, but it's not the hook factor itself. As a newbie to a zone, I don't honestly care who's in it or what people are saying in pub, those are just things that become a plus later on. More specifically, what gets me liking a zone is its uniqueness, and the activeness of the players in it.¹ A zone full of speccers is not only dull, but a huge turn off.² When it comes to smaller zones, what I like is the friendliness of the people & staff.³ If you're never greeted in any form, it makes you feel as if you're unwelcomed to their apparent closed group.⁴ Settings and balance also play an important key role to the gameplay; if I never make a single kill and end up with a kill-death ratio of 0:20,⁵ or if I'm spec-hunted by people with a huge advantage over me as a new player,⁶ then I'm not inclined to return anytime soon (there's a difference between making it competitive, and having settings/upgrades/buyables that render the gameplay impossible for newcomers). When it comes to soccer/powerball style zones, I prefer the action to be more fast-paced, and the map a little smaller, with settings that aren't dull.

 

1. Trench Wars, Hyperspace, Extreme Games, Death Star Battle, Metal Gear (back in the day)

2. Desert Storm, Metal Gear

3. 17th Parallel, Devastation, Alpha West SVS, & a few others

4. Halo, Fusion, A Small WarZone

5. T3 The Gauntlet

6. Mystic Kingdom

[»Lynx]

To me the community is important, but it's not the hook factor itself. As a newbie to a zone, I don't honestly care who's in it or what people are saying in pub, those are just things that become a plus later on. More specifically, what gets me liking a zone is its uniqueness, and the activeness of the players in it.¹ A zone full of speccers is not only dull, but a huge turn off.² When it comes to smaller zones, what I like is the friendliness of the people & staff.³ If you're never greeted in any form, it makes you feel as if you're unwelcomed to their apparent closed group.⁴ Settings and balance also play an important key role to the gameplay; if I never make a single kill and end up with a kill-death ratio of 0:20,⁵ or if I'm spec-hunted by people with a huge advantage over me as a new player,⁶ then I'm not inclined to return anytime soon (there's a difference between making it competitive, and having settings/upgrades/buyables that render the gameplay impossible for newcomers). When it comes to soccer/powerball style zones, I prefer the action to be more fast-paced, and the map a little smaller, with settings that aren't dull.

 

1. Trench Wars, Hyperspace, Extreme Games, Death Star Battle, Metal Gear (back in the day)

2. Desert Storm, Metal Gear

3. 17th Parallel, Devastation, Alpha West SVS, & a few others

4. Halo, Fusion, A Small WarZone

5. T3 The Gauntlet

6. Mystic Kingdom

 

Mm, good reply.

[rootbear75]

The Community makes the Zone.

[»Purge]

I'd want replayability... if I come into the zone today to check it out I'd like to come back the next day without getting bored with the same repetitive gameplay. I think Hyperspace is a good solution to this, but the newbies still get left out from all the stacked veteran players.

[Audry]

What do you like best about a zone?

Audry. <3

 

awwwww <3

[Kilo]

You forgot "having the staff kiss your feet."

[kid]

as neat as "community is the most important" sounds, i have to disagree. to me, progression is the most important factor in a zone. while i do enjoy the community based aspect of this game (i think the chat system lends itself to easy communication), a definite pattern of progress not only ensures that the zone will constantly be improved upon, it also guarantees that it will never be boring. hyperspace emulates this on the player side, which is the opposite of every other zone, which depends mostly on the developers to move the game forward.

 

if you look at most zones that die, it's because a lack of progress. their ideas weren't bad; their pace was.

[No_Remorse]

Definitely the trash talk and online molestation is where it's at.

[spiderman]

as neat as "community is the most important" sounds, i have to disagree. to me, progression is the most important factor in a zone. while i do enjoy the community based aspect of this game (i think the chat system lends itself to easy communication), a definite pattern of progress not only ensures that the zone will constantly be improved upon, it also guarantees that it will never be boring. hyperspace emulates this on the player side, which is the opposite of every other zone, which depends mostly on the developers to move the game forward.

 

if you look at most zones that die, it's because a lack of progress. their ideas weren't bad; their pace was.

agreed.

[Kat]

More intelligent people or less ignorant people. Unfortunately, since that's merely a pipe dream, I'll say settings and graphics.