Dustbowl (Training)

Dustbowl (Training) has multiple variations, including Attack/Defend.

Dustbowl (Training)
Basic Information
Variants:	Attack/Defend
Developer(s):	Unknown
Map Info
Environment:	Desert
Setting:	Daylight, sunny

“

Get with the program! Click to listen — The Soldier

”

Dustbowl (Training) is a map designed to familiarize new players to the concepts of Attack/Defend gameplay. Valve initially released this map training mode with the Mac Update. Its purpose was to provide an environment that new players could practice in without the confusion and difficulty curve of some public servers.

In Training Mode, the player experiences normal game situations, but competes with and against bots instead of human players. The bots are set by default to a relatively low difficulty level, as they often move in straight lines and stand still while they shoot. They will not capture a point until the player begins to do so; if the player is away from the point they will simply repeat the "Go! Go! Go!" voice command until the player stands on the point. They will not use their melee weapons if they run out of ammo.

Overview of the map.

Introduction video

Dustbowl (Training) uses the exact same introduction video as the original Dustbowl.

Differences from standard Dustbowl

• Team switching is disabled. Players are forced to play on the BLU team, the attacking team.
  • Teams have uneven numbers at some points, but autobalance does not occur.
  • Bots are dynamically added as the game state changes.
• There is no timer, making it impossible for the RED team to win no matter how long the player stalls.
• There are a few extra health and ammo pickups, such as directly in front of the building housing Control Point 1A.
• The side route out of the BLU spawn area for stage 3 is blocked off.
• The player spawns as Soldier and is unable to switch classes through the change class menu. However, the mode is still able to be completed through the join_class command.
• Only the stock loadout is available.
• If one manually changes team with mp_switchteams, certain health packs are unavailable and the level cannot be completed.
• The map consists of training bots.
• Killing a bot on stage 1 removes the bot from the game until a point is captured, or until the next stage is loaded.
• If the player has not completed the Basic Training mode, finishing the three stages as any class except Spy completes the active Basic Training mission. The teams are not swapped, but the mission can be replayed.

Round 1

The first round introduces the player to the basic mechanics of gameplay, specifically the capturing of control points. The round is also intended for the player to apply the skills learned in Target.

The teams change as a player captures the control points.

Teams at Control Point 1

BLU (3 players)	RED (5 players)
Player Soldier Heavy	Soldier Soldier Heavy Scout Scout

Teams at Control Point 2

BLU (3 players)	RED (3 players)
Player Soldier Heavy	Soldier Demoman Scout

Round 2

This round introduces the Medic and explains the basics of his abilities. The Medic on the player's team focuses almost entirely on healing the player throughout the match.

The teams do not change during Round 2.

Teams at Control Points 1, 2

BLU (5 players)	RED (4 players)
Player Soldier Pyro Heavy Medic	Soldier Demoman Scout Heavy

Round 3

Round 3 introduces the Engineer and demonstrates the functions of his buildings. Initially, the player and the friendly Engineer are the only characters present. Once the player joins the Engineer above BLU's spawn area, RED bots are spawned to show the abilities of the Sentry Gun. The player is then taught how to deal with an enemy Sentry Gun, which guards the first point. The game then progresses as normal. Capturing the final control point wins the game and completes Soldier Training.

Teams before Control Point 1

BLU (2 players)	RED (3 players)
Player Engineer	Soldier Scout Sniper

Teams after destroying Sentry

BLU (9 players)	RED (5 players)
Player Soldier Soldier Heavy Heavy Scout Medic Sniper	Soldier Heavy Scout Pyro Engineer

Control Point timing

All control points have the same capture times.

Control Point	Multiplier	Seconds
All control points	×1	6 .000
	×2	4 .000
	×3	3 .273
	×4	2 .880

Unused content

• Switching to Spy triggers a cut training sequence where the game instructs the player to kill all opponents while disguised and then capture the first control point.
  • Most of the instructional boxes are not completed, and only contain filler text.
  • Completing the first stage of the map as Spy ends training mode.

Gallery

• 

  The caption above the control point ownership HUD.

Update history

June 10, 2010 Patch (Mac Update)

• Added Dustbowl (Training) to the game.

See also

• Dustbowl (Attack/Defend)
• Target