I have a objective target that is located randomly in the map.

But is this reccomended? It's like in Nerbwefer Hunt in MOHAA multiplayer, where the 88flak is randomly located. It's truely a Search and Destroy premise but should be still under the category of Destroy/Capture Objective(s) found in the DoD manual. The manual never mentioned objectives couldn't be randomly located.

Or would that be too un-newbie-friendly and would frustrate new players?

What about random spawn areas? You spawn randomly in diff areas, kinda like Natural selection, or the players spawns initally in a specific area and gets to set up permanant spawn point area (kinda like bivoacing in real life or setting up an encampment). They lose it, they lose their spawn points. I've tested this out and you don't get buggy gameplay. You just don't spawn, but the system continually polls for the availalabilty of spawn points. Once there are spawn pointss, yoou can respawn again! it would b nice for teh germans to spawn in 1 of da 3 hives and u must kill da germans. Get scouts ahead to spot their encampement, mark it on da map, shout out the coordinates in voicecomm clearly eg. Baker Easy 2 - 5, and start bashing them and seizing that area and maybe bazookaing the bunch of tanks/anti-spawn turrets defending the spawn!!!

Randomness adds to fun ;)

go for it :) but remember to use overview maps with ? on them instead of the actual objectives : and of course there would be some balance elements (ie sometimes it spawns to close etc) so this could put clans off it

nah...it all depends on how u lay out the map. You are just assuming "anyhow-o random"....of course not. Think of pre-defined random areas of equal distance from your starting position! How's that?

I think it sounds like a really cool idea.

It could be hard to lay out the map so that all random locations were equal and good battle locations, might also add a frustrating degree of luck to the map. I think its basically a good idea but I don't know if its gonna be implementable.

I suggest you employ limited randomness: the object is in a certain disputed area, but exactly where is random. I'd definately advise not to make the randomness move objectives a large distance away. Random spawns is basically the same issue...it can lead to huge balance problems, but it can mix things up if done right.

it would be very noob un-friendly but if someone is downloading a custom map and playing it on a server im sure they're smart enough to figure out the objective....do i give people too much credit?

I recommend this as maps can get boring quickly. I am thinking about some randomity in layout in my map.
About noobie-unfriendliness - I wouldn't care. I think the only person which isn't capable of playing quite simple game (learning it after some hours even without manual) as DoD1 are old grannies.

PS. Glidias, your sig rules :D

Sounds very cool, it is a bit like "our targets are somewhere in this area but intel has ****eded up so we don't know exactly where". This is war, there is no such thing as "noob friendly" ;)
Really like it.

I also like the "spawn points" idea.

Go for it!

Originally posted by Glidias
nah...it all depends on how u lay out the map. You are just assuming "anyhow-o random"....of course not. Think of pre-defined random areas of equal distance from your starting position! How's that?

thats what i ment :)

but unless you make a giant symetrical map it aint gonna be perfectly balanced :D
only testing will tell.

infact how about this:
the random team spawns in a small area sectioned off from the world. there is a jeep model, a path into some woods and a plane. they walk towards one of the 3 options and enter the main map in one of 3 places (ie a road, a woods area or a LZ) : this is only an example ;)