While circuity may create some entertaining gun play, it doesn't necessarily guarantee that you do get to take part in it. You may find yourself spawned on the other side of the map alone with no one to kill (or be killed by), running in *ahem* circles like headless chickens until you find your would be next target. Adding in a focal point of combat that everyone can clearly identify creates larger and more hectic firefights at the least and a semblance of unity and teamwork at the most. A front line of sorts creates this definite point (or line) of contention among the two factions in a game. One example of this would be in Team Fortress 2 in a game mode call Attack and Defend Control Point. The objective of this game mode is for one team to capture control points and for the other to hold off the attackers until the timer runs out.
Now Team Fortress 2 is unique in a sense that the classes in it are completely distinct from each other. Now how does this factor into the frontline system you may wonder? In brief, one class in particular, the engineer is capable of defining the front line. His primary ability is to construct a powerful stationary turret as well as a dispenser which heals and resupplies allies. This is the focal point I've been talking about, anything within the turret's line of sight and range is vulnerable, its an area where you as the attacking team does not want enter because surely you're going to get ripped apart and it is an area where you as the defending team wants to stay in because you have the advantage in it. Now the sentry gun in Team Fortress 2 is somewhat similar to the one in Modern Warfare 2, it allows you to lock down an area with superior omni-directional firepower. However the importance of the sentry gun is much more evident in Team Fortress 2 because it can hold back more people because it isn't easily flanked as it would have been if the map was circuitous in design.
Sentry is circled, note how the players on BLU try to stay on their side to avoid being slaughtered by the sentry |
Space, always spacious. |
Sure the things like openness, cover and verticality tend to have greater importance in circuitous map design and is overshadowed when people tend to congregate on a single point but this is where player mechanics start to come in. Both tenets of map design utilize the same things, just that in circuity it is a greater picture with particular areas being more advantageous to a certain aspect like tops of buildings in favela for verticality. The frontline, compacts everything into a singular arena where every style of play will have some sort of participation.
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