User:Tiagoquix/Sandbox

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America wins again! Click to listen — The Soldier celebrating democracy at work

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Voting is a game feature added in the Hatless Update on April 14, 2011 Patch. It enables any player to call a vote to enact a change on the server. The various voting options enable players to vote on a map change, to kick a particular player, or to scramble the teams. Any player can initiate a vote by clicking on the checkbox icon in the main menu. A vote type can then be selected and the vote is put to all players present in the server, unless the vote is to kick a player in which case it will only be broadcast to the same team as the target player.

The voting system was first introduced into the Team Fortress 2 Beta on March 9, 2011 Patch (Beta). Two later updates that included tweaks to the system were made available in the beta, before the system went live in Team Fortress 2 on April 14. Before this feature was added, the only way to change maps, kick, or ban players was via console commands, or using server mods.

The voting system can be disabled by setting the server command sv_allow_votes to 0. Particular voting types can also be disabled by specific server commands.

Using default values, votes require a minimum of 60% of the team to vote "Yes" for the vote to succeed. This is controlled with the server command sv_vote_quorum_ratio (and specifically sv_vote_issue_extendlevel_quorum for the Extend Level vote).

Voting types

There are eleven types of votes that can be called:

• Kick: Kick a selected player out of the server and bans the player from joining the server temporarily. The ban time is determined by sv_vote_kick_ban_duration. Only players on the vote-initiator's team can be voted upon.
• Restart Game: Restarts the current round. If this comes to pass, then a notification will be given out to all players that the round will restart. A set number of seconds pass before a new round begins, neither team getting any points.
• Change Level: The current map changes to the selected map.
• Next Level: The next map is changed to the selected map. Unlike ChangeLevel, the current map doesn't end.
• Extend Current Map: The current map being played will have more time added to it.
• Scramble Teams: The players are put in a random team. Note that this will immediately scramble the teams, rather than wait until the end of the round. A notification is given to all players that a scramble will commence before it happens.
• Disable Team Autobalance: Prevents the server from automatically changing players to the other team if there is an imbalance.
• Enable Class Limits: Prevents the quantity of classes from going over a certain amount.
• Eternaween: Allow Halloween-restricted items for two hours.
• Pause: Vote to pause the game for a specified amount of seconds.
• Change Mission: Changes the current mission to any other available for the map.

Client commands

F1

Votes "Yes" on the current vote or chooses a map in a level vote. Client command is "vote option1".

F2

Votes "No" on the current vote or chooses a map in a level vote. Client command is "vote option2".

F3

Chooses a map in a level vote. Client command is "vote option3".

F4

Chooses a map in a level vote. Client command is "vote option4".

F5

Chooses a map in a level vote or extends the current map in a NextLevel vote. Client command is "vote option5".

"callvote"

Opens the dialog to call a vote. It is not bound by default.

Server commands

Server-side variables can be set to adjust several elements of the voting engine. The following commands are made available:

sv_allow_votes

Enables or disables the voting system entirely. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

sv_vote_allow_spectators

Allow spectators to participate in votes. Defaults to 0 (disabled).

sv_vote_creation_timer

Cooldown time (in seconds); the time between votes if previous is successful. Defaults to 150 (2 minutes and 30 seconds).

sv_vote_failure_timer

Cooldown time (in seconds); the time that must pass after a vote fails for another to be initiated. Defaults to 300 (5 minutes).

sv_vote_holder_may_vote_no

Allows the holder of the vote to have the chance to vote "Yes" or "No" on votes they call. Defaults to 0 (disabled).

sv_vote_issue_autobalance_allowed

Allow a vote to toggle autobalance to be called. Defaults to 0 (disabled).

sv_vote_issue_autobalance_cooldown

Cooldown timer (in seconds) the time between successful autobalance votes. Defaults to 300 (5 minutes).

sv_vote_issue_changelevel_allowed

Allow a vote to enable changing the map to be called, changing immediately if vote succeeds. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

sv_vote_issue_classlimits_allowed

Allow a vote to enable class limits to be called. Defaults to 0 (disabled).

sv_vote_issue_classlimits_cooldown

Cooldown timer (in seconds) the time between successful class limits votes. Defaults to 300 (5 minutes).

sv_vote_issue_classlimits_max

Set the maximum amount of each class that is allowed. Cannot control individual class limits; affects all 9 classes simultaneously. Defaults to 4.

sv_vote_issue_extendlevel_allowed

Allows a vote to be called to extend the current map, instead of going to the next one. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

sv_vote_issue_extendlevel_quorum

Controls the percentage (in decimal) of the minimum amount of people needed for the Extend Level vote to succeed. Defaults to 0.6 (60%).

sv_vote_issue_kick_allowed

Allow kick votes to be called. Defaults to 0 (disabled).

sv_vote_issue_kick_namelock_duration

How long to prevent kick targets from changing their name (in seconds). Defaults to 120 (2 minutes).

sv_vote_issue_mvm_challenge_allowed

Allows votes for difficulty level in MVM. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_allowed

Allow the next level to be determined by vote. Defaults to 1 (enabled). If called during a round, the map will change on round end, not at the end of the timelimit for the map. Disabling this also disables the automatic end of map vote.

sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_allowextend

Should allow the next level vote to include an 'Extend' option but doesn't seem to do anything. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_choicesmode

Should allow players to be presented with a list of lowest playtime maps to choose from but doesn't seem to do anything. Defaults to 0 (disabled).

sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_prevent_change

Not allowed to vote for a nextlevel if one has already been set. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

sv_vote_issue_restart_game_allowed

Allow a vote that restarts the round to be initiated. Defaults to 0 (disabled).

sv_vote_issue_restart_game_cooldown

Controls cooldown (in seconds) between successful restart game votes. Defaults to 300 (5 minutes).

sv_vote_issue_scramble_teams_allowed

Allow a vote that scrambles the teams to be initiated. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

sv_vote_issue_scramble_teams_cooldown

Controls cooldown (in seconds) between scramble teams votes. Defaults to 1200 (20 minutes).

sv_vote_kick_ban_duration

The length of time (in minutes) of the ban on the player if the kick vote is successful. Defaults to 20. Set to 0 to disable the ban entirely and instead only kick the player.

sv_vote_late_join_cooldown

Controls the length of a cooldown (in seconds) applied to players joining a match in progress preventing them from creating vote kicks. Defaults to 300 (5 minutes).

sv_vote_late_join_time

Controls the grace period after the match starts before the cooldown is applied. Defaults to 90 (1 minute and 30 seconds).

sv_vote_quorum_ratio

Controls the percentage (in decimal) of the minimum amount of people needed for the vote to succeed. Defaults to 0.6 (60%).

sv_vote_ui_hide_disabled_issues

Suppress listing of disabled issues in the vote setup screen. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

MvM Voting

sv_vote_issue_kick_allowed_mvm

Allow kick votes to be called. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

sv_vote_issue_changelevel_allowed_mvm

Allow a vote that changes the map to the next level immediately to be initiated. Defaults to 0 (disabled).

sv_vote_issue_classlimits_allowed_mvm

In Mann vs. Machine, allow a vote to be called that enables class limits. Defaults to 0 (disabled).

sv_vote_issue_classlimits_max_mvm

Set the maximum amount of each class allowed in Mann vs. Machine. Defaults to 2.

sv_vote_issue_kick_min_connect_time_mvm

Sets the minimum connect time a player needs to have before issuing votes. Defaults to 300 (5 minutes).

sv_vote_issue_kick_spectators_mvm

Allow the kicking of spectators. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

sv_vote_failure_timer_mvm

Cooldown time (in seconds); the time that must pass after a vote fails for another to be initiated. Defaults to 120 (2 minutes).

sv_vote_issue_mvm_challenge_allowed

Allow to change MvM game mode difficulty level. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

sv_vote_issue_restart_game_allowed_mvm

Allow a vote that restarts the round to be initiated. Defaults to 1 (enabled).

Sounds

The voting system uses a few sound clips to help show the progress of the voting, taken from The Art of War.

• A vote was started
• A player has voted "Yes"
• A player has voted "No"
• Vote passed successfully
• Vote failed to pass

Bugs

• Being votekicked (or kicked in general) may sometimes result in the game freezing or crashing to desktop.

Gallery

• 

  A picture of the "Scramble Teams" voting dialog.

Update history

April 14, 2011 Patch (Hatless Update)

• Added a new vote system.
  • Server convars to control the vote system:
    • sv_allow_votes : Allow voting?
    • sv_vote_failure_timer : A vote that fails cannot be voted on again during this period.
    • sv_vote_allow_specators : Allow spectators to vote?
    • sv_vote_issue_changelevel_allowed : Allow votes to change levels?
    • sv_vote_issue_kick_allowed : Allow votes to kick players from the server?
    • sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_allowed : Allow votes to set the next level?
    • sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_allowextend : Allow votes to extend the current map?
    • sv_vote_issue_restart_game_allowed : Allow votes to restart the game?
    • sv_vote_issue_scramble_teams_allowed : Allow votes to scramble the teams?
    • sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_choicesmode : Present players with a list of maps with the lowest playtimes to choose from?
    • sv_vote_kick_ban_duration : How long should a kick vote ban someone from the server? (in minutes)

April 15, 2011 Patch

• Fixed a server crash caused by the server triggering a nextlevel vote.

May 25, 2011 Patch

• Fixed a server crash caused by the vote system.

June 8, 2011 Patch

• Added a convar to prevent voting on the next level if one has already been set (sv_vote_issue_nextlevel_prevent_change).
• Fixed scrambleteams resetting how many rounds have been played.
  • Updated mp_scrambleteams to support a parameter of 2, which prevents resetting the number of rounds that have been played.
• Fixed the server automatically creating votes while in training or using itemtest.

June 23, 2011 Patch (Über Update)

• Added new voting sounds.

June 27, 2011 Patch

• Fixed a problem with clients seeing the incorrect vote options after changing servers.

June 28, 2011 Patch

• Added an entry for "Call Vote" to the Options->Keyboard Settings, so you can bind a key to it.

July 1, 2011 Patch #1

• Fixed a case where the client-side voting dialog would have an incorrect list of items.

March 1, 2012 Patch

• Fixed being able to call server votes for training maps.

April 18, 2012 Patch

• Vote caller history is now tracked by SteamID to prevent vote cooldown exploits.
• Fixed players being able to disconnect before a successful kickvote to avoid being banned.

June 27, 2012 Patch

• Votes created by a dedicated server no longer trigger a failed vote cooldown.

October 9, 2012 Patch

• Allow kicking of connected players that haven't joined a team in Mann vs. Machine.
• Added sv_vote_issue_kick_spectators_mvm (default 0) which allows players to kick anyone that isn't team invaders, as long as they've passed the sv_vote_issue_kick_min_connect_time_mvm timer, if enabled.

October 26, 2012 Patch (Spectral Halloween Special)

• Mann vs. Machine:
  • Fixed server crash on vote to restart mission.

May 13, 2013 Patch

• [Undocumented] Player avatars will now appear in the Voting menus.

May 14, 2013 Patch

• Notes missed from yesterday's update:
  • Added player avatars to the votekick menu.

July 10, 2013 Patch

• Renamed mvm_coaltown_event to mvm_ghost_town to fix a problem with voting for challenges in MvM when on Coal Town.

November 11, 2013 Patch

• Halloween event notes:
  • The Eternaween server enchantment can now be used to call a server vote to enable Halloween items on that server for a two-hour period.

November 12, 2013 Patch

• Added a server cooldown period for Eternaween votes.

February 11, 2014 Patch

• Fixed a case where players that are the target of a vote kick would not be banned from the server.

August 7, 2014 Patch

• Updated the Restart Game and Scramble Teams votes to always have a mandatory cool-down period.

September 10, 2014 Patch #1

• Updated the Eternaween vote so it cannot be initiated by clients without using the Eternaween.

September 15, 2014 Patch

• Fixed an exploit where players could circumvent successful kick votes.
• Default value for convar sv_vote_issue_scramble_teams_cooldown has been increased to 20 minutes.

September 16, 2014 Patch

• Fixed a server crash related to the vote kick system.

October 1, 2014 Patch

• Added "Enable/Disable Auto TeamBalance" votes.
  • Successful votes will enable/disable team player count balancing.
  • Use sv_vote_issue_autobalance_allowed to control if this vote is enabled on the server.
  • Votes not allowed in Mann vs. Machine, Medieval mode, Arena mode, Tournament Mode, or Training.

October 15, 2014 Patch

• Fixed team-specific vote sounds/notifications playing/showing for the ineligible team.
• sv_vote_issue_restart_game_allowed default changed to off.
• Added sv_vote_issue_restart_game_allowed_mvm (on by default).
• Added "Enable/Disable Class Limits" vote.
  • Controlled by sv_vote_issue_classlimits_allowed (off by default).
    • Limit controlled by sv_vote_issue_classlimits_max (default 4).
  • Controlled by sv_vote_issue_classlimits_allowed_mvm in Mann vs. Machine (off by default).
    • Limit controlled by sv_vote_issue_classlimits_max_mvm in Mann vs. Machine (default 2).

March 12, 2015 Patch

• Fixed a bug with the vote system UI when sv_vote_ui_hide_disabled_issues was set to 0.

July 2, 2015 Patch #1 (Gun Mettle Update)

• Updated Mann vs. Machine:
  • Fixed an exploit related to vote restarting and canteen specialist.

July 23, 2015 Patch #1

• Fixed Mann vs. Machine maps not resetting properly after a successful vote to change the challenge.

August 18, 2015 Patch #1

• Map votes now work with workshop^(sic) maps.
• A known issue is that the full workshop^(sic) map name is currently shown instead of the friendly name.

September 24, 2015 Patch #1

• Updated the vote system so player can extend the current map using the "Extend Current Map" vote in the Vote Setup menu.
  • Server admin can configure this new feature using the convars sv_vote_issue_extendlevel_allowed and sv_vote_issue_extendlevel_quorum.

January 7, 2016 Patch

• Updated the server log entry for kick votes to include the ID of the vote initiator.

February 29, 2016 Patch

• Vote kick events now display that target player's Steam avatar.

July 14, 2016 Patch #1

• Added the Vote Kick option.
  • Players that are kicked will receive partial experience after the match ends.

July 28, 2016 Patch

• Fixed players being able to avoid a vote-kick by reconnecting to the server at the right time.

September 27, 2016 Patch

• Players can now re-queue into Casual Matchmaking during the end of a match.
  • Players who decline a rematch or simply don't vote in the rematch voting period will automatically be re-queued.

October 21, 2016 Patch #1 (Scream Fortress 2016)

• Fixed a bug with the vote-kick timer in Mann vs. Machine mode.

December 21, 2016 Patch #1 (Smissmas 2016)

• Matchmaking Improvements:
  • At the end of a Casual match, players are automatically formed into a new match with the same players and teams.
    • Players get to vote on which map the new match will take place on.
      • There are 3 maps to vote on, chosen based on the maps everyone in the match had selected when they began searching for a match. The current map is always the first option.
    • This replaces the Rematch system.

February 14, 2017 Patch

• Updated the logic used to pick the maps players can vote on in the end-of-match map vote on Casual servers to help maintain healthier game mode representation across regions.
  • Casual servers were often rotating to unrelated game modes during votes, resulting in partially filled servers in certain regions.

May 15, 2017 Patch

• Fixed the vote menu erroneously hiding itself when the main menu is opened.

June 2, 2017 Patch

• Players who are vote-kicked from a Casual or MvM match cannot be re-matched into the match in question for several hours.

August 2, 2017 Patch #1

• Fixed a server crash related to vote-kick.

October 20, 2017 Patch #1 (Jungle Inferno Update)

• Players who are vote-kicked from a Mann vs. Machine match cannot matchmake back into that same game for several hours.
• The "Vote for the next map!" dialog can now be minimized to view the top scoring players.

March 28, 2018 Patch #1

• Updated the match-end map voting to only vote on maps for the current game mode (if you are playing Payload, you will only vote on Payload maps).

May 17, 2018 Patch

• Fixed matchmaking players being able to sit at the MOTD so they can't be kicked by players in the match. They will now show in the scoreboard on their assigned team and will be valid vote-kick targets by members of their team.

March 28, 2019 Patch

• Improved how vote kicks work in matchmaking to reduce potential for abuse.
• Fixed a case where vote-kicked players could rejoin a match.

July 3, 2020 Patch

• Updated the vote kick process to automatically vote Yes for anyone who hasn't already voted if the target for the vote leaves the server.

June 22, 2021 Patch #1 (Summer 2021 Pack)

• Added a cooldown before a player can create a vote when they join a match already in-progress.
  • sv_vote_late_join_time controls the grace period after the match starts before the cooldown is applied: default 90 secs.
  • sv_vote_late_join_cooldown controls the length of the cooldown: default 5 min.
• Kick votes will end early and automatically pass if the vote target leaves the match during the vote.
• Updated the player list in the vote-kick dialog to show the time each player has been connected to the server.

June 21, 2022 Patch

• Updated vote system:
  • Both teams can have a kick vote running at the same time.
  • Can have a global vote running at the same time as a kick vote.
  • Fixed sometimes not being able to vote on maps at the end of the round.

June 23, 2022 Patch

• Fixed sv_vote_holder_may_vote_no ConVar to work with the recent vote changes.

References

Category:Gameplay