Official forums for BZFlag.org

I was thinking about how frustrating it can be to be a newbie and to be constantly blown up by more experienced players.

If players got a free super flag if they had a ratio of wins to losses of 1:3 or higher (1:3 would give you things like V, A. 1:4 would be like CL, ST, T, or N. 1:5 could be L or GM)

That way, they would at least have a chance. Ideas?

Could be done with a plugin fairly easily, I guess, judging by other plugins of a similar nature - this is pretty much a reverse of the progressive mode plugin. (I dunno if that's been officially released or not?)

There already are various handicap server variables. All you need is for these options to be set properly.

I think the idea is an o.k Idea, but there's some things you should be thinking about first :

• I'm pretty sure that the players that get these flags wouldn't want to be thought of as "newbies", right? If I was given this flag, it would seriously lower my self-confidence as a BZFlag tanker.

• If BZFlag had this "super-flag" in the game for a long time, the players proclaimed "newbies" would be only succeeding on an advantage. The only way to grow and play better in BZFlag is to get shot a few times, learn from the mistakes you made before, and try to fight back.

• And if you really want to continue with this idea, like A Distraction said,
"There already are various handicap server variables. All you need is for these options to be set properly."
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Zaa

Zaa wrote:• I'm pretty sure that the players that get these flags wouldn't want to be thought of as "newbies", right? If I was given this flag, it would seriously lower my self-confidence as a BZFlag tanker.

This brings up a good point, as well as the fact that there really is no solid definition of a "newb". There is only score, and how that is interpreted is different for many players. Incidentally, this would mean that anyone could receive automatic super flags just by lowering their own score enough. With the current handicap variables, the advantage given to people with lower scores does not make a huge impact on the game, or at least not as huge as a super flag would.

Also, as Zaa pointed out: If you give the newbs super flags, you are not helping them get better. In many cases you may just lower their own expectations of themselves, and they may start expecting to receive a super flag. This does not give them a good incentive to try harder, and they will remain newbs forever. The current handicap variables also have the advantage here: They are so subtle, the newb will often not even notice them.

I wish someone would update the progressive plugin for me.
It has only one bug, now, but it's a pretty annoying one. Sometimes you just dont get your flag.

Tropican8 was saying i should use progressive in the opposite direction of the way I use it now, You start with a good weapon, and get a "worse" weapon the more kills you make.