Halo 4 CTF

[Spectral Jester]

 

We recreated CTF as an all-new experience for Halo 4. Our goals early on were to create a fresh and exciting experience, focusing heavily on team play and being the flag carrier. If you didn’t get a chance to play the new CTF over the weekend at PAX, here are some elements of the new CTF experience.

 

 

Flag Carrier Experience – Picking Up the Flag

 

This is easily the biggest addition to CTF in Halo 4, and we’ve made it a huge focus and priority to develop. Before we run through the changes, let’s talk about becoming the flag carrier, which is an experience in and of itself.

 

The first thing you’ll notice about being a carrier in Halo 4 is you’ll automatically pick up the flag. Unlike a weapon, you won’t need to hold or press a button to take the flag. We extensively tested different flag pick-up methods and settled on this one as it gets you into the action very quickly. While there will be occasions when you accidentally pick up the flag, we feel this is worth it as you can now easily grab the flag from a tough-to-reach location with just a touch, and there’s a very natural feel to the transition. We’ve also carefully tuned the flag pick-up radius, so you’ll need to be right on top of the flag to grab it.

 

 

Flag Carrier Experience – The Flagnum

 

The moment you pick up the flag, you’ll hold the flag in your left hand and draw a Magnum in your right. The Magnum allows you to defend yourself in combat and joust other flag carriers. We’re still working with the exact tuning of the flag carrier’s Magnum, but we’re hoping to give the flag carrier a slight damage boost. As in previous Halo games, your melee attack will still instant-kill. You can’t switch weapons while holding the flag, and there are unlimited reloads on the Magnum. We’ve also added a brand new assassination called the “Flagsassination”.

 

 

Flag Carrier Experience – Movement Speed

 

Unlike previous Halo games, you’ll move at full speed as a flag carrier, including jump and strafe. One difference to regular movement is you can’t sprint. However, a huge advantage to the Magnum is forcing enemies to stop sprinting – so in most encounters, you’re on a nearly level playing field.

 

 

Flag Carrier Experience – You are the Objective

 

As soon as you pick up the flag, your HUD will change to highlight the point of delivery. Each player in the new CTF has a special presentation layer that changes based on the current game state. The new HUD features clear navpoints and verbs that let you keep track of the objectives and flag locations with just a glance. When you’re holding the flag, you’ve got a job to do – deliver it! You’ll become the center of attention as your teammates are charged with escorting you, and enemies with stopping you. To help reinforce this, you can’t drop the flag; this makes you the centerpiece of encounters as you move the flag to the delivery point, with teammates escorting you along the way.

 

 

Rule Changes – Scoring

 

One of the biggest rule changes to CTF is your team flag is no longer required to be at home to score; we found this keeps the flags moving across the maps through the flag lanes, and helps focus the flag defense, escort, and capture objectives. In a tie game with one point to win, flag carriers and teammates will have a tough decision of running the flag or stopping the enemy flag carrier. We’ve seen this lead to epic carrier vs. carrier battles that were so exciting we even created special rewards for them (more on this later).

 

 

Rule Changes – Defending and Returning the Flag

 

When the enemy team drops your flag, the return timer will start. The timer is now clearly integrated into the flag’s navpoint, so it won’t be a surprise when it returns back to your base. Unlike previous Halo titles, standing on the flag will not speed up its return timer. We found this greatly improved the flag attack and defend scenarios as players can use more of the play space around their flag to defend it. It also helps to think of the flags as moving entities across the map, and your job is to keep the enemies moving, and yours in one place. So many games come down to the final moment, and defending your flag for even a few seconds can make all the difference.

 

 

Rule Changes – Overtime

 

Overtime is also new and improved for Halo 4, and you’ll get there if time runs out in CTF and the score is still tied. Overtime is now 60 seconds long, and the first team to score wins the match. We’ve added some intense dynamic music in OT to keep the pressure on.

 

 

Scoring

 

As in Infinity Slayer, you’ll be earning points in CTF not only for your team by scoring flags, but also for yourself by contributing to your team. Each medal in CTF awards you with medal points, which determine your place on the scoreboard compared to other players. Here’s a quick summary of the medals just for CTF.

 

 

 

 

Medal Name Description Points

 

Flag Capture Deliver the opponents flag to your base 100

 

Flag Carrier Kill Kill an opponent who is carrying a flag 5

 

Flag Kill Kill an opponent while holding a flag 5

 

Flag Defense Kill an opponent close to your flag, or help return it 5

 

Flag Runner Capture 2 flags in one game 15

 

Flag Champion Capture 3 flags in one game 25

 

Flag Assist Help a teammate score a flag 10

 

Flag Driver Drive a Flag Carrier close to your capture point 5

 

Flag Joust Kill a flag carrier while holding a flag 15

 

Flagsassination Perform an assassination while holding a flag 15

 

 

 

 

In addition to CTF medals, you’ll still earn the standard medals you earn in Infinity Slayer. CTF also supports a custom game option that allows you to turn Infinity Ordnance on or off, allowing you to earn Infinity Slayer-style rewards in Capture the Flag. Team scoring is much simpler; the first team to three scores wins.

 

 

Playlist Specifics

 

We’re incredibly excited to host our CTF hopper at launch, on November 6th. Here’s a preview of our planned settings.

 

 

 

 

Mode 2 Flag CTF Only

Teams 5v5

Time Limit 12:00

Score Target 3 Captures

Overtime 60 seconds

Ordnance Initial and World

Maps 5 non-forged maps, tuned for CTF

 

 

<information courtesy of BSANGEL @ Waypoint>

Edited September 15, 2012 by Absolute Dog
Pinned by Absolute Dog

[Azaxx]

This sounds amazing, one thing that caught my eye was the inability to drop the flag. This will suck if people take the flag and go afk with it :/

[skummgummigubbe]

This sounds amazing, one thing that caught my eye was the inability to drop the flag. This will suck if people take the flag and go afk with it :/

 

well just kill them then, it's that simple

and it sounds great i will maybe play CTF more now than in reach

[Azaxx]

 

 

well just kill them then, it's that simple

and it sounds great i will maybe play CTF more now than in reach

team killing = booting

[mACca431]

well just kill them then, it's that simple

and it sounds great i will maybe play CTF more now than in reach

Definately espesially these changes paired with the faster pace of war games capture the flag might actually be fun

[killerdude1635]

 

team killing = booting

AFK = AFK

..

[fzdw11]

AFK = AFK

..

Or they're playing under the Reach mentality that "I don't want to score, we won't get as many credits if I end the game now". I'm with Azaxx on this.

[skummgummigubbe]

team killing = booting

 

that don't work right for me if i team kill there is 90% chance i will be booted

if i get team killed there is les than 5% i can boot them and most time i get that there is mostly an accident

[fpstactic]

getting excited..

couple of notes I found interesting:

1)"flags ass ination" lol

2)flag carrier speed, moving slower had some definite strategical challenges to it, so if its not adjustable, it might be a safe play to make it so

3)you can't drop the flag... again, there were strategical challenges to that, eg passing the flag, throwing it into low and open ground so you could kill opponents trying to return it, pulling out your power weapon

4)no longer need the flag to be at home, you didn't always anyway, but it should be adjustable

5)standing on the flag to return it gave some strategical opportunities, eg forcing the other team out of hiding by dropping it, trying to return your flag from a predicted position and enteriing battles at a disadvantage and so forcing you to play perfectly

6)overtime music sounds epic

 

can't wait to try this new style and develop strategies for it

 

7)afk flag team kill, if he was holding the flag and he went afk in any halo game you would have to kill him, and at the higher levels of play the fault would be on the guy who went away, not the guy who killed him, so there would be no boot

[Choot 'em]

I never cared too much for CTF. Played it mostly because that was the gametype voted on. Looks like 343 made some drastic but very good changes, especially the ability to defend yourself with a weapon, albeit the magnum. Better than no weapon at all, lol! CTF actually sounds interesting now and I will definately give it a try!

[Tallgeese]

I never used to carry the flag, and I still probably wont, but this sounds like the flow of the game will be continuous and fun, so I am looking forward to it!!

[Quantum]

So does this mean it's a whole seperate playlist? I love this! I love CTF, its classic! I'm definitely looking forward to Flagnums and Flagsassinations!!

[Ryu♥Hayabusa]

Magnum with unlimited ammo+skilled marksman=many kills and points=farming. Maybe just double the normal cap?

[fpstactic]

really good observation ryu! I definitely will be farming lol

[Tallgeese]

The only problem with farming kills as the flag carrier is if the enemy player is even remotely good, they can kill you from a distance with the DMR, Carbine, BR, grendaes, etc. Also if their temmates sho up a pistol will not win lol

[Ryu♥Hayabusa]

The only problem with farming kills as the flag carrier is if the enemy player is even remotely good, they can kill you from a distance with the DMR, Carbine, BR, grendaes, etc. Also if their temmates sho up a pistol will not win lol

They stated it is balanced to allow you to kill effectively with it. The Flag is technically a whole new weapon itself.

[Tallgeese]

Yeah I know it is effective, but it is still a pistol, if I stay back and use the DMR or BR etc. I can kill the flag carrier faster than he can kill me

[Hᴜᴍᴘsᴛʏʟᴇs]

I plan on being flag carrier from now on. Love the magnum.

 

I wonder if you'll still be able to use the magnum if you climb into a Warthog or on a Mongoose...normally it just reverted to 3rd person mode.

[RoosterTeethFan]

are betrayals back in halo 4 someone please answer. but cant wait for capture the flag always loved it and it souns better then ever.

[Tallgeese]

You know thats a good question...in a new vid I saw, BravoMLG was betrayed by a teammate in the banshee a couple of times but never let him boot. Now that could be because it was a demo so they dont want people to be booted, but who knows. I am guessing the option to boot is still in the game

[Cooliest]

I think I'll really appreciate having a magnum out with the flag. It adds a whole new level of strategy to the flag carrier. All of this info sounds pretty awesome. I think it will be more played in halo 4 than reach or halo 3. I can't wait to give it a try.

[killerdude1635]

I don't like how i can't drop the flag anymore...

Kinda kills off about every good strategy ever devised!

[RoosterTeethFan]

I don't like how i can't drop the flag anymore...

Kinda kills off about every good strategy ever devised!

not really it just opens up new strategies.

 

You know thats a good question...in a new vid I saw, BravoMLG was betrayed by a teammate in the banshee a couple of times but never let him boot. Now that could be because it was a demo so they dont want people to be booted, but who knows. I am guessing the option to boot is still in the game

but at e3 it wasnt there could it be that you an only betray while in a veichel?

[killerdude1635]

not really it just opens up new strategies.

 

but at e3 it wasnt there could it be that you an only betray while in a veichel?

No..

Not really, infact I see no benefit from it.

[Tallgeese]

Im pretty sure that for all of the events 343i removed the option to boot because they didnt want people booted and taking up time in lines. I am pretty sure the option to boot people is still in the final build of Halo 4.