PS3 BF3 Server standard rotations vote

[Martok]

We've now been running the server for a few weeks and for most of the time we're running one of two standard rotations (Standard1 & Standard2), which can be seen here:

Battlefield 3 Rotations & Maps

We've run the other rotations on Fridays, our variation day plus changed to the Squad rush rotation when numbers have been low.

The standard rotations have 15 maps each comprised of 7 Conquest, 5 Rush and 3 TDM maps.

So, are these standard rotations just right or should we change them?

On the one hand, folk seemed to like the mix of Conquest, Rush and TDM when we set them up. Have we got the balance right though? In the BF3 world not everyone likes Rush or TDM and I know that some of our Allies prefer to play on servers with more Conquest maps in. This may also be the case with the general public. Should we maybe have more Conquest maps e.g. 10 Conquest, 3 Rush & 2 TDM maps or some other combination? Or is our set-up just fine as it is?

Personally I think an all-Conquest rotation is a bit dull, I do like the variation but I'm happy to play on whatever set-up we have. What's important to me is that the Seniors are happy with the set-up and enjoy playing on it. It would be nice to attract the general public to our server too and hopefully gain some new members through this.

I've set up a poll which is open for 7 days for you to vote in based on a few choices. Please do express your opinion too so we can have standard rotations that you are happy with.

Thanks.

 

[ColSonders]

I've voted - I picked to add a higher percentage of Conquest into the mix.

I personally really like Rush and I wish that this game had servers including the major game type from the off so that I wasn't so drastically low on ribbons for the other game modes. But I think having so much rush a TDM in the mix is probably off putting, particularly for less skilled players who are used to games like CoD where working as a team is of no benefit.

Perhaps run a 15 map rotation with 2 rush maps, but played each way back to back and perhaps 2 TDM, leaving the other 9 maps as Conquest.

As previously we'd have to try to optimise and use maps that work well in certain modes, but we could make a much larger rotation, say 30-40 maps/modes and remove the first 7 or 8 maps from the beginning of the rotation every week as we've been doing so that we do get a better variety over time.

 

[Acegadgets]

I would go for 9 conquest, 3 rush and 3 tdm. Played tdm on wake island last night and it was excellent. Also would like wake island as a starting map for the conquest match that has 5 bases to capture. It would be a good practice map to start on when there are not many players around. Lots of vehicles to play with

 

[ColSonders]

Also would like wake island as a starting map for the conquest match that has 5 bases to capture. It would be a good practice map to start on when there are not many players around

That is a truly bad game mode on that map though, plus I think we'll stick with rotating the maps/modes every week so we don't fall into the boring routine of same maps/modes at roughly the same time of night for months/years without change.

I understand you wanting to practice with Heli's/Jets but Wake Island is just bad on conquest.

 

[Acegadgets]

I suppose everyone likes differernt things but I think Wake Island is the best map on BF3 and it plays really well as a conquest assault map. I also think it plays well in team death match . I know that starting maps are supposed to be rotated, but i cant remember us having rotated them very often, its been metro and seine crossing most of the time. I can understand the thinking behind having a smaller map as the opening map as once they get going they are easy to play with small numbers but they are not the most exciting maps and offer nothing to do for anyone who joins on thier own and then invites a friend or two in. If you dont get 2 or 3 friends in to start the game off then you end up getting bored and moving to someone elses server as no randoms joins a room with just a couple in and stays for very long on metro or seine crossing.
I personally think that the maps on Battlefield 3 are very poor for rush. Bad company maps such as Harvest day, Arica harbour, Valparirro, Oasis, etc were really good infact most of the bad co maps were good for rush, the only good one on BF3 is damavand peak. It would be hard to pick another one or two to play on Rush in Battlefield 3. Possibly Seine crossing and Metro? I probably wouldnt bother though and just have the one Rush map in the rotation.
Suprisingly I've enjoyed TDM a lot more than Rush and could happily play 4 or 5 in a 15 game rotation.
My favorites are Wake Island, Nosharh, Seine Crossing, Gulf of Oman
All the rest of the maps I would stick to conquest.
So having thought about the rotation I would go 10 conquest, 4 TDM and one rush map, something like,
Conquest assault large map Wake island
Conquest small map ******
TDM Nosharh canals
Conquest Large map *******
Conquest small map ********
TDM Seine crossing
Conquest large map ******
Conquest small map ******
Rush Damivand Peak
Conquest large map ******
Conquest small map ******
TDM Wake Island
Conquest large map ******
Conquest small map ******
TDM Gulf of Oman

Rather than rotate them every week. Change them compleatly every couple of weeks or whenever they become stale . Use this forum for people to sugest the maps and modes that they like to play and go from there.

 

[ColSonders]

Each to their own, but I suspect you're alone Ace in wanting to play Wake Island conquest assault with low numbers.

I know i'd be bored of having both helicopters and struggling to kill the one or two players running between capture points on the ground with nothing in the air to threaten me.

 

[Acegadgets]

Once an interesting map kicks off numbers on it soon rise. We want to attract more players onto our server so playing the more interesting maps would in my opinion do the trick. I tend to play on our server earlier than most and we rarely get randoms in when theres just 2 or 3 and when we do they often leave either before the game starts or just after it starts.

 

[ColSonders]

Ace I feel it's the game mode rather than the map. A lot of people simply can't play Rush and because we have so much of it on our server I think that's what puts people off.

Out of interest though are you saying Wake Island Conquest Assault is an interesting map? Just that I would consider it the polar opposite of interesting when you've got low numbers.

An example would be that recently when we've had less than 8 players on and played conquest it's basically been boring, running from point to point, but those same less than 8 players on a rush map and all hell breaks lose, it's certainly not boring.

Bottom line - most players don't like Rush because they find it too difficult playing towards an objective that the whole other team is also playing towards.

 

[HaloJ]

I've voted for more conquests although personally I rather like the mixed up rotations we currently have. It's just the rest of the Battleverse doesn't seem to agree.

Wake Island conquest assault as a starter I feel is a no go; it's gargantuan! With a 4 player match start limit you'd be rattling around like peas in a drum. Plus the attacking team get's the lovely ticket reduction due to the lack of bases owned. Whilst I understand Ace's "maps with toys" suggestion there must be a better option than Wake Island. Wake I feel should always be mid mix so that you get the peak numbers on it. Damavand has little birds and tanks but ends up with heavy spawn camping due to the position of the capture points. Noisehair I think has heli's both sides but no jets.

Let's look to make a list of the vehicles on each map to aid us in this dilema. Toys are a benefit but huge maps aren't unless we can guarantee the early numbers. I was also going to post up a thread with regards to peoples availabilities as numbers have been low on the Friday/Sunday's and wondered if another day would garner greater interest.

Abs

 

[Acegadgets]

If you can think of any other maps with some aircraft on as an opener, it would be better than not having any at all. I just think that Wake island is the best map on any mode, you are right though it does play better with more players.
Back to topic, I used to like Rush on Bad Co, but I dont think these maps on battlefield 3 are suited. On the other hand TDM seems quite good so I vote to play more Conquest and TDM at the expense of Rush.
As a foot note what about reduced tickets such as 70%?

 

[ColSonders]

Reduced tickets is something we've toyed with before and can work well.

The only real issue with reduced tickets is that it can make Rush difficult on the attacking team if you're low on tickets.

It's a shame the number of tickets doesn't scale with the number of players in the room.

I'd be happy with replacing some of the Rush games with Conquest and carrying on, most people like conquest and so it should attract more players in, but a bit of rush and TDM just make for a nice change and keep you working towards ribbons and stuff.

 

[ExUser01]

I voted to keep it the same but if I was totally honest I would love to see more Rush purely because of the number of people, Conquest on small maps is OK with low numbers but the bigger maps its just too empty. Rush seems to be working better than Conquest, people just seem more involved with Rush. I've never really liked TDM but its a laugh, especially when you can hear your team mates laughing their heads off as you detag someone.

 

[Jkrohn1]

I voted to keep it the same but if I was totally honest I would love to see more Rush purely because of the number of people, Conquest on small maps is OK with low numbers but the bigger maps its just too empty. Rush seems to be working better than Conquest, people just seem more involved with Rush. I've never really liked TDM but its a laugh, especially when you can hear your team mates laughing their heads off as you detag someone.

I agree

 

[Spruijt]

Voted for more conquest. I like the balance we have now, the GU doesn't agree for some reason. To get more numbers in on our server, we have to make sacrifices.

 

[shadstah]

I too voted for conquest.

Wake island map is terrible for conquest/assault, probably the worst map for it tbh

 

[Jkrohn1]

We need to pull people in, maybe looking at the rotation of the most popular servers would be a good idea

 

[Martok]

We need to pull people in, maybe looking at the rotation of the most popular servers would be a good idea

If you mean look on BF Stats - BF3 Servers (click on PS to show just PS3 servers) then I don't think it helps much. This shows servers that are currently full but they may not be so tomorrow or in a week's time. Also looking at that list, there's a 500% servers and some with just a small selection of maps. I'm sure we wouldn't want our server set up like these? Yes we want to attract folk to play on our server but we also want it to be somewhere that we want to play too.

 

[Spruijt]

I agree. It's the SNR server, not a GU server. We could take the general public's wishes into account, but don't overdo it I say.

 

[Acegadgets]

most of us don't like 200% ticket games . What about a trial week of 80% ticket mainly conquest maps? Also putting this in the server description. (Snr)80% tickets, quick conquest games

 

[HERMAN_JELMET]

The only thing that really springs to mind Is changing the TDM maps now and again.