Gritnights Tank Me Up?

Discuss all things related to our custom map 32 player ONS server
airs0ft3r
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:26 pm

Hey,

Gritnights Tank me Up is no longer a map we can select. Can you restore it?

Also, for OSR-Tanks-A-Lot, can we use the Ion-tank version?
Jon!
1337 Haxor
Posts: 489
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:02 am
Xfire: jonk27

if you mean it is greyed-out in the voting box that is normal it will be un-greyed after a set number of other maps.
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airs0ft3r
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:26 pm

Sorry, but that wasn't it. It literally wasn't available. It wasn't on the map selection screen.
Skyline
1337 Haxor
Posts: 257
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 3:13 am
Xfire: 40shards
Location: UK

Some people aren't happy with the number of tank maps on the server right now (http://www.clandw.org/distribution/view ... =19&t=2521), which I can only assume is the reason it was pulled. IMO it wasn't the worst of them, but the matches were usually longest on it, which didn't really help its chances.

In the old Tanks-A-Lot, the only two people who really mattered were the players in the Ions, which made for some very poor gameplay. I personally am very grateful to the person who had the sense to remove it...
DW_BrainPan
DW Clan Member
Posts: 647
Joined: Thu May 31, 2007 11:00 pm

Grit TMU is on vacation for a while, and many people like the SVE version of Tanks alot better but the ion version may come back at some point.
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There are only 10 kinds of people in the world. Those who read binary, and everyone else.
4013 is only a FAD
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Skytech13
Killer in Training
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 12:00 am
Xfire: skytech13
Location: Arizona

ya im weird, Grit TMU and Minus TMU are 2 of my favs, I never get tired of them.
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-goose-
Camper
Posts: 79
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:00 pm

In the old Tanks-A-Lot, the only two people who really mattered were the players in the Ions, which made for some very poor gameplay.
This isn't true at all, in fact when it comes to actually winning the map the two ions usually just cancel each other out. For inexperienced players and people new to the map, yes it can be very frustrating. However, with a little understanding of the map and some good tactics, everyone can make a contribution even the "lowly" footsolider. I'm regularly in the top 4 score without ever using the ion or levi.

The problem with the map now is there is really only one good path to victory - the levi. The levi path was superior in the ion version as well (for reasons I won't get into here), but the ion path added a sharpness to the map. It allowed for dramatic comebacks, last ditch efforts to make a stunning turn around. Now it is just secure the levi node and play defense... weeee.

But, I can understand the frustration many players felt toward the ion, so allow me to pass on a couple of tips to help.

1) You don't have to spawn at the primary nodes the ions spam, just click a different node or the core when the map comes up after death.
2) You can even actually set a preferred spawn point, just bring up your map and click on a currently controlled node.
3) Stick to the high ground - get to the middle and use the lifts to get up top... then you have the upper hand on the tanks.
4) Use all your resources - armor, mines, keg 'o health, redeemer
5) If you are in a goliath or paladin, don't take on the ion or levi... instead try to camp a key position/
6) Fastest way to take down a tank on foot: tri-rox for initial shot followed by flak primary... if far away lock rox, avrils, or lg (lg is superior to shock vs tanks)

Perhaps I should record a demo of me playing the map sometime and post it... fwiw, I hated it with a passion originally, and now I love it b/c it is one of the few maps that requires skill, teamwork, tactics, and strategy to be successful.
DW_BrainPan
DW Clan Member
Posts: 647
Joined: Thu May 31, 2007 11:00 pm

-goose- wrote:in fact when it comes to actually winning the map the two ions usually just cancel each other out.
This isn't true at all. The fact the the map was won (often in under 5 mins) by an ion taking control of that lower primary shows that the ions often didn't cancel each other out. Also (due to the linking) if you lost that lower primary and couldn't get it back quickly (because there was an ion tank spamming the entrance to the tunnel) you lose your ion tank node.
For inexperienced players and people new to the map, yes it can be very frustrating.
The frustrating part was when inexperienced players and people new to the map got into the ion (and those are the ones who usually flock to it).
The problem with the map now is there is really only one good path to victory - the levi.
I've seen it won many times by the other route.
Now it is just secure the levi node and play defense... weeee.
If a team chose to play defense after securing the levi node it was actually much easier with the ion, as it took only one person spamming an ion to defend one of the routes.
But, I can understand the frustration many players felt toward the ion, so allow me to pass on a couple of tips to help.

1) You don't have to spawn at the primary nodes the ions spam, just click a different node or the core when the map comes up after death.
2) You can even actually set a preferred spawn point, just bring up your map and click on a currently controlled node.
3) Stick to the high ground - get to the middle and use the lifts to get up top... then you have the upper hand on the tanks.
4) Use all your resources - armor, mines, keg 'o health, redeemer
5) If you are in a goliath or paladin, don't take on the ion or levi... instead try to camp a key position/
6) Fastest way to take down a tank on foot: tri-rox for initial shot followed by flak primary... if far away lock rox, avrils, or lg (lg is superior to shock vs tanks)
Your tips are good, but none of them really help against a spamming ion (other than #1, and if they don't know that one then I don't see them taking a tank down on foot)
it is one of the few maps that requires skill, teamwork, tactics, and strategy to be successful.
The thing is, it requires no skill, teamwork, tactics or strategy to spam an ion tank down a tunnel (yet this often lead to success on that map).
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There are only 10 kinds of people in the world. Those who read binary, and everyone else.
4013 is only a FAD
And 2989? Well that's just BAD
DW_BrainPan
DW Clan Member
Posts: 647
Joined: Thu May 31, 2007 11:00 pm

Here's the rest of my post (had to leave before i finished).


I didn't hate it before, but I like it better now. I agree with you that it's unbalanced toward the levi route now (I think the map would be better if the levi were removed too). The problem I have with that map and others like it (e.g. darksideofthemoon, any 3 enemy to 1 primary node map) is this. Teams in ONS are seldom even skill wise, but sometimes if your on a losing team, and hold out long enough, a good player will join your team and you can make a comeback. But that seldom happens on that map. If you get pushed back to a certain point it doesn't matter who joins, because at that point it's the map that is beating you not the other team. It's the same if I'm on a winning team and the other team gets new, good players. I like it more if I can prevent the imminent come back in OT, but I'd almost rather lose than win only cuz my team could just spam these better players with an ion and a levi.
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There are only 10 kinds of people in the world. Those who read binary, and everyone else.
4013 is only a FAD
And 2989? Well that's just BAD
-goose-
Camper
Posts: 79
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:00 pm

if you lost that lower primary and couldn't get it back quickly (because there was an ion tank spamming the entrance to the tunnel) you lose your ion tank node.
You can shoot that node from the top of the tunnel through the bars... as long as you can deny the other team the node its no big deal. Yes, it can be hard if you lose that node, but it is far from hopeless. Sneaking goliaths and infantry around back works well (tactics) but people rarely do it.
If a team chose to play defense after securing the levi node it was actually much easier with the ion, as it took only one person spamming an ion to defend one of the routes.
You missed my point I think, the levi path has always been the better path... played correctly once a team gets the levi the map should be over. However, with the ion the other team could take down a levi much easier giving them hope. Additionally, the levi had to actually press for the win in the ion version because of the risk of an ion counter in the tunnel. Now, the levi can just deploy, camp the primary, and grind out the OT win.
The frustrating part was when inexperienced players and people new to the map got into the ion (and those are the ones who usually flock to it).
Yes, it is frustrating... like inexperienced players taking the mino, or not helping up top in deathdome, or not linking teammates, nodes, or vehicles, etc...
The thing is, it requires no skill, teamwork, tactics or strategy to spam an ion tank down a tunnel (yet this often lead to success on that map).
I don't think the spamming leads to success, rather it is a symptom of the skill level of the players on a team. If the enemy ion spammer is racking up spawn kills, this indicates several inexperiened players are on your team. That is the source of the success - not the spawn rape... people respawn instantly after all. It is just like manta whores... when they score high points it isn't a reflection of them helping their team, but the fact that their enemy is less skilled - i.e. they would win regardless of whether they manta/ion whored or not. If people just stop spawning at that node, ion whoring quickly becomes the most boring job in the map and often scores very few points. The map is fine - it is how people play it that is flawed. Would have been better to just tell people how to spawn at a different node on death in the MOTD.
(I think the map would be better if the levi were removed too).
It would certainly be more balanced... but even less exciting. The fun of Tanks-A-Lot is that you can go from losing horribly to a win in ~30 seconds. Taking the superweapons out just makes it another grind out a victory map.
If you get pushed back to a certain point it doesn't matter who joins, because at that point it's the map that is beating you not the other team.
Strange I see it exactly the opposite... down to 0 nodes left, ion still up, reclaim ion primary, push enemy ion primary, they deploy levi, 5 teammates rushing enemy primary w/ ion, take down and build enemy node before their ion can get back in position, levi is taking down core, hit enemy core with ion, direct damage vs splash, ion wins race, wins round and map in dramatic comeback... priceless. Next up.. bitchslap an hour of futility and another default blue win, esc, disconnect.

I guess it comes down if you prefer maps like Battlefront or Masterbath... obviously, I'm firmly in the Masterbath camp.
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