KoTH with different objective?

The game mode is dead.

Why did it die?

quote: - In current state such modifications modify elo of participants, so anyone who only cares about his elo hates them by default. - Random game play features provoke others (who can code) to do something instead of things that are needed (bug fixes, optimizations, kudos, promotional stuff). - Game modes are hard to understand for new players and may turn them away. - The development is stopped, because of personal conflict with sfireman and neonstorm.

Possibly the most complicated game mode modification for Zero-K.
(not for playing, but rather it was tough for me to code it alone)

Screenshots are available in the guide DEAD.

Latest news:
Latest game mode version: 0.2.1. (stable)
Latest development version: DEAD. (testing)
22 July - I announce that 0.1.1 is in the works.
24 July - 0.1.1 scrapped, some major functions need rewrite.
26 July - 0.2.0 is released in zero-k testing trunk.
27 July - fixed all known 0.2.0 bugs in trunk.
28 July - fixed more bugs and changed version to 0.2.1, back button implemented.
4 August - Developing stopped. It's dead. Say thanks to trolls.

Description:
What would happen, if instead of instantly winning the game - your team and you would get a unit of choice, in order to dissipate your enemies to tiny little bits?
Meet the Takeover, a dangerous mix of Koth and CTF&Escort mechanics.
There is objective that is decided through the nomination system. Players may nominate game mode's rule sets and vote for them.
Vote ends, as soon as game begins. You may capture the unit(s) and annihilate enemy, or you may ignore objective and try to annihilate enemies without securing objective.
It all depends whether objective is worth the effort, but then again, it is decided by voting, so pay attention what you vote for.

What is the point of takeover? It's goal?
The reason why I created this game mode... well, there are two:
- Increase zero-k re-playability.
- I want to make normal match - harder and more serious for both teams and ffa.
Though it is also possible to make lol maps with takeover even more lol.

Tl;dr how to cap unit:
Bring forces inside circle around unit. Your forces must have bigger metalcost, than anyone else's inside the circle. Wireframes do not count.
Contested time is dynamic for every unit type.

How to host:
Join a regular zero-k autohost. Say in chat "!setoptions zkmode=takeover". Vote yes, if you are not boss and there are other players present. Done.

What's new between 0.2.0 and 0.2.1?
- Back button added.
- Re-implemented immortality.
- 42 units, previous actually has 41. And 2 units weren't working at all.
- Some other GUI tweaks.

What's new between 0.1.0 and 0.2.0?
- Resurrected units (objectives) are put back on status panel.
- Morphing units is allowed.
- Implemented up-votes and down-votes for nominations.
- Neutral objectives are now peaceful.
- Neutral carriers no longer spawn hostile drones.
- Added crusader, brawler, trident, flea, bandit and glaive to the unit list (42 units, or 48, if you count morphing in).
- Unit list sorted by class and cost.
- +1 location choice: 5 units around the map.
- "undead" label for invincible objectives.
- Contest indicator: capture progress label over objective.
- Dominatrix can assist objective capture (speeds up capture progress).
- Emp-heal bug fixed, also some other bugs were fixed/squashed/annihilated.
- Water units are now being spawned on land, without terraforming small water box for themselves.
- No more "I nominate!" spam, each player announces only 1 choice per 15 sec.
- Spectators are be able to nominate.

What's new between 0.0.3 and 0.1.0?
- Unit is always capturable. You must escort it with your army, if you intend to keep it.
- Nomination system, rather than vote cluttering.
- Minimalistic GUI, no more window covering 2/3 of your screen.
- A lot more GUI information - status panel with unit(s) stats.
- +2 more options to vote for: 3 spawn position choices and immunity to physical damage choices.
- 33 units/structures to choose from. Your objective can be anything you want!
- It doesn't matter anymore, if unit spawn position is lava, water or land.
- Code was rewritten almost entirely.

Technical info (TODO):
In the works (wait for it in 0.2.2):
- +1 more location choice - "9 units".
- @Nober bug reported that sumo and jack have no jump buttons, forgot to edit jump defs...
- "Also agree" was removed, need to add that tooltip info back.
- Lesser the democracy, choice with most upvotes should no matter what be considered most voted, not the top 60% (removes random and hijacking votes).
- Units that have >=20000 hp should be possible to make mortal, any other unit should be unconditionally immortal, no matter what silly unit it may be.
In the works (wait for it in 0.3.0):
- Pressing on unit's icon will move camera to unit location, and select it, if you are the owner.
- Unit Smart AI is not applying to objective units. Fix it.
- Berserk mode will be re-implemented as vote-able option.
- Objective(s) spawning position should be visible to players, while they choose their own spawning position.
Major (will be done soon, someday):
- Detect asymmetrical maps and change unit spawn positions.
- Players should probably lose objective ownership, if they don't have any allied units near it for X amount of time.
- Anni and DDM, as well as behemoth should require no E to operate. Otherwise they make little sense to summon unless godlike.
- Help window should contain small pictures containing instructions what to do, rather than text.
- Terraform code was stolen from zkdota. Need rewrite/improvement, to be more smooth.
- Area pick up (transport) will try to pick up unit, need to prevent that (though you get punished for trying to steal unit, while it's dormant).
Minor (no specific roadmap for these):
- Single player support (right now vote doesn't wait more than 3 seconds in single player).
- Unit is movable - forbid pushing, forbid terraform. Still considering.
- Config file support, by both game and maps.
- Skasi wants more "mini" version of the status panel.
- Show objective position on minimap.
- Ability to force some rule(s) set in lobby via modoption instead of giving it a chance (might be useful sometimes).
- Objective icon tooltip should show how awesome current owner is (metalcost dmg done with unit).

Once game mode reach version 1.0.0 I will probably drop version numbering.

Though most of all, I need your input. Comment and tell me what you think. As well as play it!

"Last team to deal emp damage to the unit before timer runs out gets it"
That sounds like everybody will make a stiletto army and it's going to be a coin flip who wins...

Probably better to make it a take-and-hold type thing, where the player with the most metalcost near the unit gets it. You can also have it change hands if another player has more metalcost (perhaps + some fraction to stop it toggling constantly) nearby, the unit flashes for 10 seconds before reverting to their ownership. This means you need to support the unit when fighting.

quote: Probably better to make it a take-and-hold type thing, where the player with the most metalcost near the unit gets it. You can also have it change hands if another player has more metalcost (perhaps + some fraction to stop it toggling constantly) nearby, the unit flashes for 10 seconds before reverting to their ownership. This means you need to support the unit when fighting.

This sounds way better than emp capture

GUI:
I think moving the options from modoptions out of lobby into the game is a good idea. No more typing !commands and nobody knows what to type.
Still after testing is over decide on fewer options and only keep these otherwise it is a bit messy. Spring ideas tend to be far too flouncy instead of straight to the point.
For example a vote that goes from 0 to 9000 is not good. Keep in mind unless players have played the gamemode a lot nobody will know what settings are best so the voting will just be random. Better to find some good defaults.

quote: Figure out which is the most-fun form of KOTH, and make that into the KOTH.

Do you know about Halo 2's custom game modes? Bungie must have decided that slayer (deathmatch) was the best type of slayer. I decided that the powerups broke the game and made a custom game mode that did not have them. It would be a lot less fun if I had to play with powerups.

I think that this applies to all game modes in all games.

Version 0.0.3.
- Krow can now be spawned on water center.
- Status timer and EMP timers are synced.
- Player names are resized and team colors should work now.
- Absurd delay options removed.
- Here and there code was simplified and some functions rewritten.
- Many more cosmetic changes and few game play bug fixes.

i read it but dont post

the really interesting stuff will start when there are options for pre-stockpiled Silencer and Starlight in the list - and if they know how to rampage (as suggested, using attack orders instead of fight to randomly annihilate stuff on map).

New version is coming in less than 24 hours. (If I don't find any more drastic bugs, while I'm testing new version alone)

What's gonna be new:
4 options (unit, spawn pos, grace period, immortality, so it doesn't die while you can't use it). And minimalistic gui with awesome status bar displaying all unit pics, their health, and owner team.
And the way vote choice is decided is gonna be changed, too. Though I will not make config file support just yet.