RealCTF-C Details
Advanced Topics
The way of RealCTF
mouse from Squirrelsoftware, who was responsible for the code part of RealCTF told me that RealCTF was originally inspired mainly by QuakeWorld Threewave CTF and QuakeWorld Creeper CTF. This explains for example, why a capture limit was originally not implemented, simply because this was not the way CTF was played.
The Tractor Beam is probably the first novelty to notice when starting the game. It is a "weapon" which is placed at the same spot as the Dispersion Pistol, though "weapon" might not be the adequate word, actually it is some sort of "Grappling Hook". With primary fire, a blue beam shoots straight out. Once it hits a wall, you will start being pulled towards the point where the beam has attached to the wall. Secondary fire does the same, however, instead of pulling you towards the wall you have hit, it will PUSH you away from it. So you might try to aim straight down to the floor, and hit alt-fire for a big jump for example. In addition to the normal beam, there exists the offhand beam which can be used without switching to the beamer (so you keep your current weapon selected). All you have to do is assign a key to it (see Keybinds and Settings). The offhand beam can only pull you, not push you, and it's not exactly as fast as the normal beam.
Many RealCTF maps rely on the Tractor Beam as additional standard item which every player gets, for example to reach certain sniper towers (defensive positions) or to acquire items which are normally out of range. The RealCreeper game type included with RealCTF drives the flexibility of the Tractor Beam even further. But Creeper games are a matter of its own, check them out at the official online help page, here is the link directly to the Creeper topic.
Artifacts also play a special role. Details should also be read at the official RealCTF page, but the normal CTF artifacts are as follows: You can carry only ONE at a time, its effects will last untill you drop it (or you die). Existing standard artifacts are
STRENGTH doubles all damage you do RESIST halves all damage you receive REGENERATION automatically gives you back health and armor HASTE doubles your firing rate and increases your running speed
TeamPlay is critical. A good mixture of defenders, people on patrol and attackers (going after the enemy flag) are a good start. You will even be rewarded in your score for teamplaying. For example you get extra points when you defend your flag carrier who tries to return the enemy flag but gets under fire on the way... Extra points are also awarded when you assist a capture in another way, such as returning your own flag or killing the enemy flag carrier so a capture for your team is made possible immediately after your flag is returned.
Known Bugs with RealCTF
Players can enter teams GOLD or GREEN. When this happens, they can pick up both flags (one at a time) but not score captures. Also their kills are invisible, and they wear a false texture/skin Fixed in RealCTF-C patch) If you shoot your Dispersion Pistol empty (down to 1 ammo, to be precise), you will not be able to shoot any more or switch weapons until you die. This does NOT seem to happen when you run out of energy with the beamer. (it MIGHT be possible to fix the problem should it be tracked) Offhand Beamer sometimes stops working. It seems that with such special keybinds, there simply are problems. Infiltration actually has the same problem with the Reload. You have to exit and rejoin the server to fix this. Artifacts will not spawn under very rare conditions... harmless... Bots do not capture flags... Actually they DO, at least sometimes, but it appears that the Unreal AI was not made elaborate enough. However there is new code for Botplay, still you will not find CTF matches with bots very entertaining on large maps. Invisible Flag Carrier: That's a funny bug which seems to happen when a flag carrier enters a dark area. Actually the lighting calculations simply seem to ignore the glow the flag carrier is emitting on itself, and since the mirror skin effect is also in place for a flag carrier it might be totally impossible to see it in dark spots, even though it is surrounded by a blue or red glow. (Fixed in RealCTF-C patch)
RealCTF-C patch - release 3/4/5
RealCTF-C patch - release 3/4/5 This patch is a general enhancement for RealCTF and RealCreeper, NOT FOR ANY OTHER GAME MODE which RealCTF brings along!
The patch delivers the following enhancements:
1. Hardcore Damage fixed 2. BUGFIX: Green/Gold teams disabled (you could enter them by typing a command) 3. added preferences 4. added CAPTURE LIMIT 5. added team killer punishment (can be disabled) 6. Server set up teams now OPTIONAL (you will now remain in the team YOU HAVE CHOSEN) 7. new command admin ids: display ids of players with ids 8. new command admin kickid <player>: kicks player by id (as in HbG's UCop) 9. new command admin kicklast: kicks last player who entered (as in HbG's UCop) 10. new command killid <player>: Punish a player (if you feel you must but don't want to kick him/her... 11. HUD will now display CAPTURES instead of TEAMSCORE in the flag icons 12. Scoreboard now has more space between name and score 13. 2 optional Network Replication Enhancements
Flags are now always relevant Flag Carriers are now always relevant
14. NOTE: "Always Relevant" means, that the position of these actors will ALWAYS be updated at any time, such actors are easier visible around corners, they are always visible through transparent portals or transparent fences (glass walls etc...) 15. new command admin putteamid <player> <0/1>: Administrator can put a player in a team (0=red, 1=blue) 16. Restricted beamer: the new beamer will consume more energy and its PULLING speed is slower (the REPULSOR speed is still faster, though)
RELEASE 4: added *.int GameType entries so you can start a ctfc server from multiplayer menu (disabled by default, read instructions carefully) added choice of Capture music/souund effects added some extra code to destroy duplicate flags (though RealCTF should handle that all alone already) - experimental added an insane amount of admin commands...
RELEASE 5: Fixed flag carrier invisibility bug Changed font on HUD displaying the current captures
This patch is final and will not be further developed by me.
Download? The server installation file is right here (RealCTF-C 5, no source, 23 kbs). For studies and mod writers, I am also releasing the Source Package (31 kb)
RealCTF keybinds
You can normally use the ingame menu of RealCTF to configure your new keys. However, should you want to, or need to, because the menu is not working for you (e.g. you are an Unreal 226 / GOLD user), then you must set them up manually.
There are 2 ways to manually bind commands to keys:
You can go to the advanced preferences and seek out the raw key bindings. Then just look for for a suitable key and enter the command you wish to bind to it. Unreal 226 / GOLD users will have to type (hit TAB) the command preferences in order to access the advanced options.
Alternatively, you can edit your user.ini manually. Just open it with an ASCII editor, look after a suitable key, write your commands and save it.
Binding | Effect |
Button bExtra1 | Selects EightBall multiple fire mode as long as the key is held down. |
Toggle bExtra1 | Toggles between EightBall multiple and continuous fire modes each time the key is pressed. |
SwitchWeapon 0 | Button bFire | FireOnce | Selects and fires the Beamer as long as the key is held; returns to your last weapon when released. |
Button bFireOffhand | FireOffhand | Fires the offhand Beamer as long as the key is held. |
ThrowArtifact | Discards your current artifact. |
ThrowAmmo | In RealCTF, it is not possible to throw away your GUN, only your ammo :-) |
RealCTF map issues
Normal DM maps do not have flag starting points (no team bases), and do not have any of the other advanced RealCTF-specific map features. So it's logic, that you want to play on RealCTF specific maps. You can recognize a RealCTF map fairly easy, because they all start with real in the name, such as real_keetor.unr.
Right then, what happens if you start a normal DM map with RealCTF? Does it mess up the game? Does it crash?
The worst thing that can happen is, that the game won't be funny :-) RealCTF searches the map for the flag bases, and should they be missing as in a normal DM map, RealCTF will calculate 2 points in the map which are very far away from each other, and create the flag bases there.
So in theory, you could play RealCTF with any DM map, but you will soon find it pretty boring. Not only are the flag bases often hard to find or at very odd locations, they might even obstruct lifts or cause other problems on normal maps. However, some DM maps play EXTREMELY well with RealCTF. This is why }TCP{ has decided to leave some very special DM maps installed on their RealCTF server, but of course careful judgement has to be taken whenever a standard map is "misused" in such a way. You MUST TEST EACH MAP INDIVIDUALLY and this takes a lot of time and only yields very few maps which are really good. Especially frustrating are large maps, you will not find many large DM maps playing well with RealCTF, and the small ones - even though playing well - are... umm... too small (DUH!).
But test yourself, and try to play a 3vs3 RealCTF match on Deck16 (one flag will spawn at the Rifle near the lifts, the other at the Flak down at the slime...) and you will be surprised how fine it does - but really NO MORE players!
Thanx go to (in no particular order)
Smirftsch for putting the whole RealCTF section up on Oldunreal HbG for some nice code tips :-) }TCP{ for support Rewind{KDS} for setting up this powerful USA server Tam for permitting the vote on the IUF Server (even though it was finally rejected...) FoxLeader for converting the UT maps for RealCTF mouse for the permission to use the RealCTF logo Squirrelsoftware as a whole for making such a cool mod Epic Megagames for making the best 3D Shooter ever :-)))
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