Escape Maps in FC4 Multiplayer
Far Cry is, and has always been about freedom. It's what separates it from the other shooters. You simply give players more choices than the other guys, and we like that.
If Ubisoft truly does care about making a better Multiplayer experience for Far Cry 4, then please dont hamper and weaken the Course/Escape/Race part of this community. Far Cry 2 had more Escape games going on then actual Deathmatch/Capture the Diamond after the first year. Instead of embracing this new community someone thought it would be wise to patch out Barrels/Boxes/Objects from moving. Was this to make the game more like some other shooters in the genre? I'm not sold on that idea. Yes, we worked around the patch, but its sort of disturbing to think of the thought process behind that patch, and then a continued pattern of isolating that community with Far Cry 3.
There are plenty of basic UI and server related issues that need to be addressed from Far Cry 3, but the most important factors of keeping this part of the community are as follows...
1. An easy to use lobby system. We want to choose what map to join, and what the mode is, and what the rules for the match are. With Far Cry 3 we had almost no say in what we were playing.
2. Infinite game time. I can't stress how important this is. Yes, it falls under the options for a proper lobby system, but it is THAT important. It allows players who have exited the match for personal reasons to come back and catch up to where their friends are in the escape map. Some escape and course maps can take a whole day to figure out and complete.
3. The editor gameplay needs to be the same as the multiplayer gameplay. This is a no brainer. In Far Cry 3, the single player gameplay was attached to the editor, and the MP gameplay was completely different. Which meant testing platforming sections was a true nightmare.
4. Get rid of the downvoting and upvoting marks to rate maps. Here is how a lobby system filters out bad maps... they dont get played. Over time the good maps will rise to the top of the lobby. You do not need an artifical system for this. A combination of the two is not out of the question. After you play a map, let the player give it a */5 rating. Show the overall rating next to the games name on the lobby system, like this...
Deathmatch Games Being Played
Steps of War 5/16 Players------(4.3/5 rating)
Jungle Blockade 13/16 Players------(4.6/5 rating)
Carnival Carnage 2/8 Players-------(3.1/5 rating)
This gives players a choice of which maps to join and a rating to boot.
5. So you have infinite maps being created by the users, how do you sell them DLC? Make DLC for the editor. New objects, New weather effects, New Vehicles, New terrain textures, etc. I would have literally paid 60$ in Far Cry 2 for a winter tileset and objects.
Honestly, just give the players and mapmakers as many options humanely possible, there is no downside to that. If the developers do not want new players to get confused trying out the MP section by jumping into a NO KILLING escape map than maybe offer an "Custom" multiplayer mode.
Join a Multiplayer game...
-DEATHMATCH
-TEAM DEATHMATCH
-CAPTURE THE DIAMOND
-CUSTOMS
Give the community these changes and options and we will be very happy.
Now, should I work on escape map number 71 in Far Cry 2, or should I wait and plan for Far Cry 4?