Failure of capture the flag

General Discussion
1

The initial iteration of capture the flag was by far the most popular of the game mode.Ever since they got rid of being able to use movement abilities while holding the flag the game mode died and it’s nearly impossible to get a queue. CTF had potential to literally be in the normal competitive playlist if done correctlY. Now by far the most effective strategy is to stack tanks and play some goats like composition but that completely defeats the purpose of what makes CTF fun. Split objectives should force small skirmishes all over the map and encourage movement/self sustaining heroes. Why do you choose to dumb down your game instead of embracing what made it fun in the first place.

2 Likes
2

It was really much more fun when you had to cap the flag before you could run off with it.
Sure, Sym and Torb were a bit problematic, but since then Torb lost his LvL 3 Turret and Sym is due for a massive rework anyways…

I loved this mode when it first came out, but now I only play the 10 placement matches for competitive points once a year :disappointed:

It would probably also have profited greatly from 2/2/2 Role Q, but it seems like they have completely forgotten it after the rework.

They didn’t even bother fixing obvious flaws like going into overtime when the leading team has the flag or griefing through not turning in the flag, which is kind of sad…

3

Doesn’t this new playstyle match up closer to the rest of the game modes in the standard comp formats? I enjoy it much more now that you have to do actual team fights instead of some random Lucio sneaking in and out

4

Literally the case in every non RQ mode. But original ctf was much worse than we have now. Was a draw so damn often, and every game required a torb or sym to defend flag, since picking it up was pretty much a cap. The hard part was ever being able to pick it up.

3 Likes
5

Og ctf was hella hated I remember.

1 Like
6

Taking damage resetting the cap made torb beyond annoying.

7

And beyond required. The worst were the teams that picked both sym and torb, and just played for a draw as it was so hard to ever get a cap vs that.

8

I agree with draco though that modern ctf is much better now that there’s team fights instead of sneak caps.

1 Like
9

It was bad at beginning specifically because Genji or Pharah could abuse terrain with their movement superiority and run away. Before Lucio wall-ride ban it was even worse than that, especially on maps like shanghai tower.

Dunno how it works now, can Genji still wall climb with the flag?

10

devs should try capture the pachimari, more ppl would play that

11

Genji/Hanzo can still wall climb and Pharah can use hover.

12

Do you have any idea how easily a good Lucio would be able to just yoink the flag and roll out straight to cap?

13

That didn’t happen because it took like 3-5s to pick up the flag, and taking damage reset that timer. So teams always had a torb there. Winston was probably the best at having a chance to pick it up because of his bubble. Games very frequently ended at 0-0.

14

Ahh the good old days of playing winston and just going “The flag is mine, goodbye nerds.”

15

Sounds like you’re wanting to play something like Domination/Territories rather than an actual CTF game.

Some other games give the flag holder a penalty (i.e. reduced movement, unable to use regular weapons), I honestly think the way OW handles CTF is pretty decent. The problem is that the maps just aren’t designed for it. The one map that is purposely made for it is, imo, too narrow to fully support a 6v6 CTF mode.

16
  1. Replace the flag with a pachimari
  2. Only lúcio with speed aura can be picked
  3. Maps with no floors, just random floating walls
  4. Have some Lúci-oh-ohs!
17

Lucio pretty much ruined the entire game mode. I’d rather allow all other movement abilities than have him in literally every single game because of speed boost since there’s no other way to go faster.

18

thats why I thought allowing only lucios would make it fair and balanced

19

Here is how I would try to fix the mode:

  • 2/2/2 Role Q
  • picking up the Flag takes a short moment, but doesn’t get interrupted by damage
  • movement abilities drop the Flag (including Hover, Wall Climb, etc.)
  • Lucio’s Speed Boost doesn’t affect the Flag Carrier
  • no Overtime if the leading team has the Flag
  • the Flag gets automatically returned after 90 seconds to avoid griefing
  • match goes into Overtime instead of ending in a Draw or starting a Sudden Death
20

I remember going invisible to cap the flag and translocate right back to base.

The good ole days…