More uses for Max Active Players

The tourny game types I posted previously are based on the Player Options : Max Active Players setting in custom Slayer games. But, you can also change just about any game to play like this. A few ideas:

A multiplayer game of Oddball where only two players are active at a time. 1-v-1 is one of my favorite way to play Oddball, but this would allow more people in the game.

A King of the Hill game like this would definately change your strategy. It might be better to breifly leave the hill to kill your opponent than just squat there and wait for them to come to you..

A Juggernaut match where the juggie only has to worry about one person a time. Might want to reduce the number of power ups that Juggernaut has. You'd also avoid those machine-gun juggie changes:

New Juggernaut!
New Juggernaut!
New Juggernaut!
New Juggernaut!

I'm going to have to try a few of these out and post the results.

Elimination Tournaments

In a previous post, I'd described a way to set up a sort of tournament in a custom Slayer game. One way tweak this is to set a limit on the number of lives each player has. So, it becomes an elimination tournament.

Thinking about calling a 1v1 touney w/ elimination "Royal Rumble". In the WWF, the royal rumble would start with two men in the ring and then send another person in every two minutes. In this game type, two players would start the match and fight until one was fragged. Then another player jump in. Who ever was left at the end of the match would win.

See this post for additional uses for the Max Active Players setting.

Slayer : Megadeth

AKA "How many bodies can you jam into a small space?"

This game type is just for thrills. FFA slayer with random weapons, grenades and no shields with ghosts and turrets thrown in just to be completely absurd.

Match Options

• Number of Rounds=1
• Score to Win Round=100
• Round Time Limit=10 minutes
• Rounds Reset Map=Off
• Resolve Ties=Off

Player Options

• Max Active Players=16
• Lives Per Round=Unlimited
• Respawn Time=3 seconds
• Suicide Penalty=None
• Shield Type=Off
• Motion Sensor=On
• Active Camo=Off
• Extra Damage=On
• Damage Resistance=Off

Team Options

• Team Play=off
• Team Scoring=N/A
• Team Changing=N/A
• Friendly Fire=N/A
• Respawn Time Modifier=N/A
• Betrayal Penalty=N/A
• Force Even Teams=N/A

Vehicle Options

• Vehicle Respawn Time=Map Default
• Primary Light Vehicle=Ghost
• Secondary Light Vehicle=Ghost
• Primary Heavy Vehicle=None
• Banshee=Off
• Primary Turret=Random
• Secondary Turret=Random

Equipment Options

• Starting Weapon=Random
• Secondary Weapon=Random
• Starting Grenades=On
• Weapons On Map=Random Set
• Weapon Respawn Time=Map Default
• Grenades On Map=On
• Overshields=Off
• Active Camouflage=Off

Slayer Options

• Bonus Points=On
• Suicide Point Loss=Off
• Death Point Loss=Off

Values

• Fun

The value of custom games

I'm going to start adding what I'm call values to my custom games. This is to communicate the goal I was trying accomplish when coming up with the game.

I got this idea after listening to an interview with Overswarm on the Podtactular! pod cast. He talked about how if you want to be good on multi player, playing Big Team Battle, Team Skirmish or even Team Slayer isn't going to help you. You need to play Rumble Pit if want to rule the school. Once your skills are thoroughly honed, then you can move on to bigger and better things. So, this identified for me a value in individual ability.

For example of how values would work, take a look at the game I just posted, CTF: Swarm. It has the values "Stealth", "Ranged Weapons" and "Map Knowledge". Hopefully, playing this custom game will not only be fun, but also improve the participants' skill with rifles, increase their sneakiness and teach them how to make better use of the game environments.

Also, this will also help to categorize the game types. So, suppose you're looking for custom game types to improve team work. One of the values I'm going to use is "Team Work" and one of the games that would be marked with this value is Weakest Link.

Of course, "Fun" is a value and some of these game types will be marked as such.

CTF: Swarm

Idea:
A single person or a very small team must defend the flag against overwhelming odds. The attackers have to move on foot across a large map with only short range weapons. Defenders have long range weapons. Attackers must capture three flags in 10 minutes. Defenders must simply prevent capture of the flag.

Rules:
Set up the teams so that there is one or two people on the defending team and
everyone else on the attacking team. The attacking team may only use the shotgun. The defending team may use anything they can get their hands on.

Match Options:

• Number of Rounds: 1
• Score to Win Round: 3
• Round Time Limit: 10 minutes
• Rounds Reset Map: Off
• Resolve Ties: On

Player Options:

• Max Active Players: 16
• Lives Per Round: Unlimited
• Respawn Timer: 5 seconds
• Suicide Penalty: 5 seconds
• Shield Type: No shields
• Motion Sensor: On
• Active Camo: Off
• Extra Damage: Off
• Damage Resistance: On

Team Options:

• Team Changing: On
• Friendly Fire: On
• Respawn Time Modifier: None
• Betrayal Penalty: 10 seconds
• Force Even Teams: Off

Equipment Options:

• Starting Weapons: Shotgun
• Secondary Weapons: None
• Starting Grenades: Off
• Weapons On Map: Rifles
• Weapon Respawn Time: Map Default
• Grenades on Map: Off
• Overshields: Off
• Active Camouflage: Off

Capture the Flag Options:

• Flag Type: 1 Flag CTF
• Sudden Death: On
• Flag At Home To Score: Off
• Flag Touch Return: On
• Flag Reset Time: 10 seconds
• Slow With Flag: Off
• Flag Hit Damage: Massive
• Damage Resistance: Off
• Active Camouflage: Off
• Vehicle Operation: Off
• Flag Indicator: Always On

No vehicles, turrets, etc

Maps

• coagulation
• containment
• relic
• burial mounds
• waterworks

Values

• Stealth
• Ranged Weapons
• Map Knowledge