Realm Wars Game Type Suggestions
To ensure Realm Wars is a success, there need to be reasons for the player to associate the game with specific areas of enjoyment. Rather than relying on gameplay, there also is a need for new/improved game types that will act as an addiction. CTF is a common example. The purpose of this document is to creatively inspire new varieties amongst the traditional game types. More game types will be added as they are contributed.
Author: Eli McClanahan
Combat Types
Retrieval Types
Objective Types
Tactical Types
Combat Types
Death Match
Possibly the oldest game type in existence, Death Match is very simple: using the stock rules that come with the game, you must set out on a quest to kill as many people as possible while remaining alive as long as possible. The more you die, the smaller your score. The more you kill, the larger your score.
Duel Combat
Duel Combat is a game type specifically designed for organized battle. A player may enter a circular ring and wait for an opponent. When one arrives in the ring as well, a challenge is issued to him. If accepted, other players are prevented from entering the ring, and one on one combat ensues. Whichever player falls out of the ring or is killed first is the loser, and the winner receives points for his success. This system also works for team combat. Two or more players may claim a ring as a team, and wait for an equal number of opponents to face them. When an equal number of players have agreed to challenge them, combat begins. The conditions are the same, except in team format: whichever team loses all of its members from falling out of the ring or being killed is the loser. Team and individual combat could hypothetically take place on the same server, with points only being rewarded for individual merit (no team points).
Gods and Mortals
This style of play is like an alternating version of TDM in some ways. At the beginning of the match, the first player(s) to spawn are granted "godhood." Preferably, there is a ratio of "mortals" to "gods" of about ten to one. For every "god" there are ten "mortals." The difference is that mortals are normal players with average abilities, whereas gods are players with advanced abilities. Their defense is increased by five times what it normally is. Their attack power in melee and magical combat also becomes five times its normal power. This makes killing these players extremely difficult, although the gods are greatly outnumbered. When a god is finally killed, the player that struck the deathblow becomes a god himself, although his health and mana, if applicable, remains the same. For every mortal killed, a player earns five points, whether he is a god or mortal. For every god killed, the player earns ten to fifty points, depending on the server scoring options. This game mode can work as either a DM or a TDM. In the DM version, every player may kill one another: mortals may kill gods and mortals, and gods may kill mortals and other gods. In the TDM version, when a player becomes a god, he is allied with other gods only, if there are any; mortals' only enemies are gods. The game ends after a set time limit, or when a player, mortal or god, reaches a set score.
Team Death Match
A variation of DM, TDM is simply a Death Match using teams. You still have a personal score, but your score is pooled with your other teammates to create a team score. Victory is determined by the team score: your individual efforts can be meaningless without an evenly skilled team to back you up.
Retrieval Types
Capture the Flag
Probably one of the most popular game types in existence, CTF has a variety of areas for people to play. The objective is to assault the enemy base and retrieve their only flag, and then return to your own flag. Contact of the carrier of the enemy flag upon his own flag gives him a set number of points, and his team a single point. The game is won when a certain number of team points are amassed. A player in a CTF server may either assault the enemy to steal their flag, defend his own base, or focus on providing cover for his teammates on the field. There are a variety of positions to play in CTF.
Flag Raid
Yet another CTF variant, instead of two flags, there is now only a single flag resting an equal distance between the teams' bases. There is no base defense in this game - only a consistent assault upon the flag and the defense of your teammates, especially the flag carrier. A point is rewarded when the neutral flag is returned to the player's team flag. The game is won by gaining a set number of team points.
Grab the Pig
This is a variant of Capture the Flag. Instead of two team flags, there is now a single, neutral objective to capture. Instead of a flag, there is an AI-controlled pig, or other small, agile animal. The objective here is to first actually grab the pig. The pig will evade capture as best as it can, while both teams fight one another over said pig. Injuring the pig will slow it down, but killing it will lower the player's individual points. Once the pig has been grabbed, it must be returned to the player's base. Once returned to base, the pig is released, or perhaps "cooked" and another pig released. A point is awarded to the player's team, and the process begins again until a set amount of team points is reached.
Monster Harvest
In this game type, each team must set out on a quest to capture wild animals and return with them to their base. Each animal has its own point value, determined by its ferocity and ease of capture. Teams may kill one another, but this results in no points won or lost for either side, although killing the tamer of an enemy beast will allow you to take it for yourself. The side with the most points after a set amount of time, or the team that reaches a set amount of points is the winner.
Scavenger Hunt
The name is not entirely accurate, but the premise remains the same. This type is much like Monster Harvest, although there are significant differences. Throughout the level, there are several objects that must be retrieved and returned to your team's base. For example, they could be granite blocks required to complete a section of a defensive wall. These blocks are extremely heavy, and if lifted, can only be moved at a very slow rate. For this reason, each team is given a transport wagon for the purpose of transporting these blocks. The wagon and the beast that pulls it are undamageable, whereas the player controlling it can be killed. One team may not take possession of another's wagon, although they may manually move its transported granite blocks from the wagon and carry them, or move them to their own wagon. The object of the game is to gather a set number of these blocks and return them to your base. Only enough blocks exist for one side to win (say, 9 blocks on the map and 5 wins the game). Each wagon can only hold a limited number of blocks, so a return trip will be necessary. Each wagon is slower than any person, but since carrying them by hand takes so long, it is a necessary evil. Points are granted by kills and blocks delivered. (Since the driver cannot defend himself, he is awarded approximately twice the amount of points a kill would bring for his efforts.) The team to gather the set number of blocks first is the winner.
Objective Types
Capture and Hold
CNH, or Capture and Hold, is a game based on objectives, which are areas on the map. A team must either hold all these spots at once to score, or they are rewarded with individual points for each area, depending on the server's scoring system. An area is captured by clearing the enemy presence of a specified area, and occupying it for yourself or your team, if it is a team server. You may leave the area in search of other capturable areas, but this allows enemies to potentially claim your area without opposition.
Hold the Flag
Hold the Flag is also known as Hold the Briefcase, as well as many other names. In this type of game, there is a single objective that must be found and held to acquire points. The flag, or whatever the objective is, is placed randomly on the field of play. Once a player locates the flag, it becomes part of his inventory. For every 30 seconds, or whatever the interval of time is set to, that the player holds the flag, he earns a point. If the player keeps the flag for two minutes, for example, he has earned four points. When the carrier of the flag is killed, he loses the flag and ceases to earn points as time passes. Depending on the style of play, the killer can either immediately gain possession of the flag himself, the flag can be left where the original carrier was killed, or the flag will be spawned at another random location on the map. The game ends once a set amount of points have been attained, or once time runs out. The winner is the player with the most points.
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is very similar to CNH. However, there is usually only one capturable area. The area rotates to random areas around the map whenever it is captured, and becomes neutral. When a player enters this area, he claims it for his team/himself. He must then hold the area for a specified amount of time. If he can survive inside of this area's boundaries until the time is up, he/his team receives a point. If the player leaves this area, the area is neutral territory once more, until someone else claims it. If the game is team-based, then any teammate may hold the area: as long as a member of your team is within its boundaries, it is claimed as your own. To steal the area from an enemy, all the enemies in the area must be killed, and you must be standing within its boundaries. The game ends once a set number of points received from these captures has been reached.
Siege
In this style of play, one team acts as the attackers, and the other as the defenders. The defenders are given a base, in which exists structures they must defend. The attackers must invade this base and destroy said objectives. The game ends once all the objectives have been destroyed (attackers win) or when the time limit for the game runs out (defenders win). In some variants, there are rounds of play. The defenders must repel the attackers for as long as possible, and once they are overcome, the time taken for the attackers to have won is recorded. In the next round, the defenders become the attackers and the attackers the defenders. The new attackers must vanquish the new defenders in a shorter amount of time than the enemy took the last round. Whoever beat the defenders in the shortest amount of time is the winner. In other variants, the rounds are not limited to only two.
Twin Siege
Twin Siege is a variant of Siege. Instead of one team attacking and one defending, both are given asymmetrically equal objectives inside of their bases. Each team must not only attack and try to cripple its opponent's base, but also defend its own from destruction. The game ends only once one team has been crippled.
War
War is an upgraded version of Twin Siege. The gameplay is the same, but now each objective affects the status and capabilities of its respective team. The variety of what each area controls is endless. Destroying a water tower may cause its team to be restricted with a spawn wait time. Destroying a barn may cause it to lose the ability to use monsters/beasts. Destroying a tower may cause its NPCs to no longer sell wares. There are a great number of affects to consider, and each plays a vital role to each team. In Twin Siege, it is possible to focus your efforts on protecting a single objective rather than many; in War, each objective is very important and can potentially cripple a team. The game ends when all objectives on one team have been destroyed, which declares the other team as the winner.
Tactical Types
Construct and Conquer
Construct and Destroy is a team-based game type. Each player begins with a set pool of cash from which to purchase materials to construct buildings and weapons. His team has a larger pool of money from which individual players' money pool is divided equally. Buildings increase the amount of money gained per round, and can also potentially serve as storage areas or tactical points. Assault and Siege weapons can also be built, if resources are great enough. Buildings may only be built within a team's team area. Assault and Siege weapons, if mobile, can be moved outside of the team area. Individual points are gained by destroying other teams' constructed equipment and players using normal methods and by utilizing weapons that have been built. These points are pooled together to increase money flow to the team. The more destruction you cause, the more money your team's pool will receive at the beginning of the next round. Money is awarded to each team at the beginning of every round. Each round lasts from five to thirty minutes. Once a round ends, assault and siege weapons are destroyed on both sides, although structures remain. Enemy players are removed from a team's territory (to prevent spawn killing) and the process begins anew.
Command and Destroy
Command and Destroy resembles chess in a variety of ways. The game operates a system of rounds, in which commands are issued, ranging from attacking, defending, charging moves or moving. Each player is designated three players of his choice (playable and AI characters), each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Each of these characters has a set amount of AP, or ability points it may use during its round. The player issues orders to his three characters during each of these rounds to move, attack, defend, or charge a magical/physical attack. The more players on a team, the more characters it has. Each round allows all members of a team to issue their commands. Once a round is over (about a minute to five minutes), the player is shown his characters' actions, which he has chosen. If he has not selected his commands by the time the round is over, his characters will only perform actions he has chosen. The object of the game is to strategically work with other teammate's characters and slay the enemy team's characters. The game is won depending on the conditions of the server. The game can be won by eradicating all the enemy team's characters, destroying a set objective, or by amassing a set amount of points.
Gladiator Gambling
In this game type, players take on one of two roles: spectator or fighter (gambler or gladiator). You start as a spectator, inside of a coliseum, overlooking a Roman era-like ring. You may go to one of two booths: one to register as a fighter or one to bet on a fight that's about to take place. As a gambler, you may only bet on one fight at a time. The bets are free, unlike in real life. As soon as you have placed your bet on the match and the gladiator you predict will win, you are sent to the outskirts of the ring the fight will take place in. If the gladiator you selected as the winner wins, you are awarded a set number of points (a lower number than gladiators, such as 25, or an evenly divided number of points from a pool, if the server wants to be realistic and complicate their scripts). You are sent back to the main area to register as a gladiator or a gambler once again. As a gladiator, you select the type of fight you want to participate in. There are several: 1 on 1, 2 on 2, 3 on 3, 2 on 1, beast vs beast (play as a tamer), and wild beast(s) vs player. Fighting AI-controlled beasts is actually harder than fighting players to compensate for the fact that they are AI. Also, if you choose to go 2 on 1 (you as the "1") and win, you receive double the normal amount of points. After you select your type of preferred battle, your match is counted down from a minute, enough time for gamblers to place their bets. Once the minute is up, you begin your match. If you lose, you gain nothing and respawn as an observer, ready to register again. If you win, you gain a large number of points (say, 50) and are given the option of doubling your score. If you decide to try to double your score, you are placed in the same format match and must win again to double your current score. If a player wins ten fights in a row he becomes a Champion Gladiator, and earns double the amount of points he normally gets (quadruple the original by going for double or nothing), although if he is beat the new victor receives ten times the normal amount, and the Champion becomes a normal player again. If you lose, your points are lost as well. The game ends under one of two conditions: time runs out on the server, or someone, gambler or gladiator, reaches a set score total. 
