How to Make Capture the Flag More Fun

          The Overwatch Year of the Rooster Event ended a week ago. It was nice to see this holiday celebrated as most games stick with Easter, Halloween, and Christmas. Thematically, the event was wonderful. New skins and emotes fit the occasion. However, I have a problem with the new game mode they introduced: Capture the Flag. It was not implemented well. The idea could have worked, but every match I joined had either one team grabbing a flag and then beefing up defenses or neither side would get a flag and the match ends in a draw. This is common in Capture the Flag (CTF) type games. The main reason these games end in draws is due to limitations on getting flags in the first place. CTF is built to be fair, but it’s so defensive on both sides that it’s almost rare that a flag is taken at all. If no progress is made, the game mode can become disengaging quickly.

          Wildstar had an interesting take on the CTF game mode. Players could take one flag at a time, but multiple team members could take multiple flags. Instead of having only three flags to steal, there was five to take. Increasing the number of flags doesn’t necessarily make it more fun, but with the changes made to the formula it made sense to do this. Enemy teams could steal back flags taken from them. One flag was generated every so often in a different location away from either teams’ bases. After a flag had been taken from the spawn, another flag would be set on a timer to spawn somewhere else. Both sides could take flags and didn’t need to be the only ones holding a flag in order to capture. If both teams have a flag, just let them score. It might end in a close match, but whoever caps the flag first is in the lead.

          Inhibiting the flag bearer is not good. This makes players hesitant to even go for the objective in the first place. It’s easier for them to decide to support the flagbearer by attacking the enemy. Just let them keep all of their buffs and move at normal speed. You don’t need to give them extra buffs, but certainly don’t take anything away. 

The rest of the players on both teams could have a unique buff that is applied when someone gets the flag. Let’s say Player 1 of Team A grabs the flag and starts running back to their base. All other players of both Team A and Team B get a movement speed buff so they can reach their ally/enemy faster and provide support/impede progress. Team A can help their teammate with healing, shields, or speed buffs if they wish. The enemy can do whatever they can to slow down or eliminate the enemy. 

          Picking up the flag itself shouldn’t be a hassle either. Don’t put a delay timer on the flag that’s easily interrupted by so much as a sneeze. Have the player take the flag instantly at their own risk. Maybe someone guarding the flag can intercept the player on their way back to base. If the flag falls for any reason, anyone can pick it up instantly and go where they need to. There’s no need to respawn the flag back to the center. It’s more exciting to keep the action where the group already is. While you’re at it, have the next flag spawn during the time the current flag is being taken to a team’s base. This gives teams something else to think about: Do they all stay with the group and risk letting the new flag be taken by the enemy? Or do they send a small party to go and grab the new flag? 

          Overwatch can do better with their CTF. They may have had some ideas for this mode, but it didn’t work out as planned. They’ll improve it and make it exciting to play sometime. But for now, it needs some serious work.