While I don't disagree with the gamemode in principle, there are other gamemodes that I'd much rather we put the time in effort into, for example a good broly gamemode. The thing is with gamemodes, is that quite a bit of work goes into making a balanced and well designed gamemode, from specific maps to character balance, a lot needs to be considered. I don't find last man standing as original as other suggestions I've happened upon, and therefore I don't believe its work the time and effort myself, though I'm sure others would disagree.
Plus with esf and the huge maps at the moment, there's nothing stopping one guy from consistently running away from combat avoiding any conflict until the last person has finished fighting, which I do not see any real way of solving. Gamemodes in esf that encourage pure survivability encourages running, if you want a proper gamemode for esf, it needs to encourage combat.
True, true, balancing costs a lot of time. But thinking of how to balance is shouldn't be
too hard. We've got an entire community of people here, involve them into thinking (and balancing of course) about new game modes. Make it a Forum Competition, or what-have-you. Best 2 get chosen. Livens up the forums a bit while your at it.
At the mapping problem. Well, if I remember correctly Natural Selection had a neat system for this. Either you had NS maps (ns_blabla) which started the NS game mode, or you had a ...combat map I think it was (co_blabla) which started a different game mode. Basically, if you want to create a LMS server you choose an esf_lms map. These maps could be created by the community (along with a couple of modified versions made by the team) which are either unique LMS maps, or resized original maps. For example, if Layne creates his Namek map, he cuts out a part that he sees is large enough for the LMS mode, cuts away the rest so he'll be left with a relativly small map and calls that esf_lms_namek.
Of course, the risk of someone in the community making a map that is too big for this game mode will always persist. But it is the server-starters own choice if he wants to use that map. Besides, that risk is already there with even the normal deathmatch modes. Someone might make a map that is too big for normal play as well.
Now the question is, is there enough demand for a LMS game mode. Or would the community rather have a Broly mode (a very nice mode as well). That, and how many extra modes are the team willing the add into the game.
I say, make a new Forum Competition, let's all think of well balanced and good new game modes. And let the team decide which ones are good, and which ones
may be added.