Update: Project Reality v0.874B Open Gameplay Beta

[[R-DEV]Jaymz]

During the month of November, the Project Reality Team will be hosting a public beta test on a select number of community servers to test gameplay changes to the spawning mechanics of the mod. These changes will be made server side, so joining these servers will be the same as any other (all you need is PR v0.874).

There will be a few alterations made, however, they will all revolve around one primary change: the removal of Rally Point spawning. We are well aware that the mere thought of this change may scare a lot of you, but we must insist that everyone understands nothing here is written in stone. We want to find out the exact effect this will have on gameplay, and a public test is the best approach.

There are multiple reasons as to why we would like to experience PR without Rally Points:

• RPs enable squads with little or no cohesion to continue to have a presence in battle, even when their presence near their RP is hampering the rest of the teams objectives. This means that you often see squads doing their own thing, instead of working as a team, towards the same objectives.
  
• For many arcade orientated players, RPs provide a quick and easy way to play PR with almost no thought towards tactics. Spawn in, point straight at where the bad guys will be, sprint towards bad guys, shoot, die, rinse and repeat. With this, squad members often just "trickle" off the RP one by one, instead of working with their squad as one unit.
  
• As opposed to the original intention of being a metaphor to their real life counterparts (a squad regroup point), RPs are frequently used as a "siege weapon" that "launches" troops at an objective in 30 second intervals. In many cases, this overwhelms even the most formidable defenders and makes the role of "defence" itself, unappealing.
  
• RPs greatly diminish the role of both squad and squad reinforcement transportation. There are countless PR players who thrive on ferrying troops to and from objectives. Whether it's a "TRANS APC" or "TRANS HELO" squad, these types of players deserve a more important role in PR.

Below is a list of the server-side adjustments that will be made for this test:

1. Removed Rally Point spawning.
   
2. Lowered the spawn penalty for death by 25% (maximum of 45 seconds instead of 60 seconds).
   
3. Raised the maximum number of Forward Outposts available from 4 to 5.
   
4. Forward Outposts can now be built with one supply crate instead of two (all other deployables still need two).

As mentioned in the beginning of this announcement, the primary change is RP spawn removal. However, the primary goal is to see the average player's focus shift from Rally Point placement to Forward Outpost placement, something that the entire team will benefit from. We feel that RPs greatly diminish a team's need for the Forward Outpost deployable system. As you can clearly see, these changes include adding another available Forward Outpost to deploy as well as making their initial placement easier.

We really encourage everyone to give it a thoughtful try, and think about the overall team benefits listed above. Also think of ways your gameplay will need to change for this to work, and how you can help others, especially with land transport. Always have a medic in your squad, and keep him alive, as he can keep your squad alive.

You can try out these changes by joining the following participating servers:

• Tactical Gamer - North America
• Tactics & Teamwork - UK
• GSA - BigD - Australia

These servers will have the version "0.874B" in their server name during the test. The test will begin within the next few days.

We would like to encourage all our players to try and join these servers during the month of November, and report their feedback in the appropriate forum.

Edit: And please when giving feedback in the aforementioned thread, make it factual while describing the good and bad points you've experienced with this change. All other posts will be deleted to keep this up to point. Thank you.

- The Project Reality Team

[gazzthompson]

brilliant work testing out new game play mechanics, cant wait to see how it pans out in gameplay.

[Silly_Savage]

How will these changes affect the minimum distance required to place a FOB from another one on particular maps?

Will two opposing enemies still be able to "overrun" the FOB and prevent anyone from spawning, or has the players needed to "overrun" the base been increased?

[bahlye]

GSA server #2 has been updated , The IP is in my Sig.

This is our Teamwork server so please keep that in mind if you wish to take part in the testing on our server .
See BigD Server Rules for our server rules.

Our Forums can be found here BigD Gaming Community ,if you have any questions relating to the server or wish to contact an admin.



(relevant thread re the Beta testing = http://www.bigdgaming.net/showthread.php?t=8514)

[ChiefRyza]

Good on you guys! I can't wait to try these changes out. I completely agree with the points made and I hope they are proved right by the testing.

[WeeGeez]

Interesting.

Although surely if you made it harder for squads to create RPs in the first place (not just 1 player with SL but 3, like how it was before).. then It would somewhat prevent rambo missions and promote team work.. no?

I'll give this a try though

[Lord.Helmet]

Sounds good to me for AAS but I only have one question: How about skirmish mode without rally? Are you planning to leave the rally in skirmish??

[VMP]

My only question is will we have more assets at a Forward outpost? Meaning 1 more machine gun nest or anti air. Cause now a defending team can push back, meaning the attacking team must defend a forward out post.

I will say I really like the idea and ready for more teamwork!

[RUMSMURMEL]

good one !!
but i would say that it should a minimum of a whole squad (6 Soldiers) to overun a firebase and the range should be less than 70 meters !

[Nick_Gunar]

Very good idea, I am looking forward how it will be. Without RP's, It will force squads to act as a whole, in a total cohesion (and no solo squads doing their thing across the map far from a flag).