8 replies to this topic

[baghead]

Falcon and I have come up with several new game types to keep things from getting stale here in SoCal, but by far the best is the concept of SPAWNBALL. Our new game.

What is Spawnball you ask? it's a variant on CTF that has the unique function of having only ONE spawn point, the Spwanball, and only the team holding the spawnball is allowed to respwan.

The Goal like all versions of Capture the flag is to capture the opponent's flag, but if your team's unable to respawn, you're gonna be in bad shape rather fast. It should encourage new strategies, shorter rounds and fast gameplay.

We were going to wait to share this with you guys when we had the instructional video shot, But Someone rudely spilled the beans...

What you need.
2 Flags
2 teams of 6 or more (this will work better with a large group of players, as small teams make for short elimination rounds, rather than actual CTF like gamplay)
1 Spawnball: just about any Ball can be used for this, we're using a Phlatball

Goal:
Capture the other teams flag, or eliminate the opposing team while holding the spawnball.

SPAWNBALL RULES Amended 3/24/08

1) Flags are posted at each end of the field for capturing, in a KNOWN location.

2) One Spawnball is placed at the center of the field at the start of the game.

3) Whichever team holds the spawnball is able to respawn with a count to 15 and touching the spawnball carried by their teammate.

4)The team that does NOT hold the spawnball cannot respawn until their team acquires it, and when hit, each player must wait to return to play, they are allowed to wait somewhat near where the opposing team is holding the spwanball, so that they may return to play if their team re-captures the ball.

5) If the player carrying the spawnball, or spawnballer, is shot, they are frozen and can only pivot on one foot like in basketball. The player who shoots the spawnballer must not only make sure their opponent is aware they are hit, but they must also say loudly "Dead Ball."

6) When rendered immobile, the spawnballer must count to ten, ALL out loud. Once they have counted to ten, they may move again. If they are shot again before the ten is up, they are dead and must drop the spawnball where they stand.

7) consecutive shots upon the spawnballer by an automatic or multi-shot blaster do count, eliminating the need for the spawnballer to shout aloud a countdown, the ball is immediately rendered dead. Effectively this means that while everyone else has a hit count of "One" the spawnballer has a hit count of "Two"

8 ) When the spwanball is captured, all “dead” members of a team can Instant respawn, this is the only situation where this may happen.

9)If the ball is on the ground, neither team can respawn.

10) the spawnballer can toss or hand the spawnball to a teammate while mobile OR while immobile.

11) One is still allowed to defend themselves by any standard manner while carrying the spwanball, this includes the use of a manta ray as a shield, or shooting back even when rendered immobile.

12) The first team to either have both flags at their base regardless of which team possesses the spawnball, or to eliminate the entire other team while having possession of the spawnball, wins.

Additional Rules for alternate Small team Play: (apply these changes to the existing rule set)

* In Small team Spawnball, to keep things more balanced, and to allow for one team to not just simply grab the spawnball and shoot everyone on the opposing team instantly ending the round, the team not holding the spwanball has 2 lives. And a 15 count to take their one respawn.

* The team Holding the spawnball respawns after a 20 count, longer than the other team.

* When A team captures the spawnball, the team that formerly held the spawnball automatically has a life count of 2

*so this switch of elimination hit count of 2 or unlimited lives happens on every time the ball changes teams, regardless of if a player was completely “killed out” when their team didn't have the spawnball.


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Sound awesome or what?

-Bags

Edited by baghead, 24 March 2008 - 11:43 PM.

[Green Riptide]

Star Wars: Battlefront with a single, moving respwawn point? Do Want. Sounds like this would turn into tournament-paintball-style CTF where the actual flagging action is minimal until all or nearly all of the other team is downed anyway.

Edited by Green Riptide, 11 March 2008 - 03:53 PM.

[imaseoulman]

So, I have a couple of quick questions to make sure I understand:
1.) Does the team with the ball respawn by touching the ball or what?
2.) Is there normally a respawn count time?
3.) Is the only way to acquire the ball to shoot the spawnballer twice and wait for him to "ground" it and then grab it?

And just a question about gameplay:
4.) If you can toss the ball at any time (even when you're immobile) wouldn't the spawnballer throw the ball as soon as he's in danger? Is it difficult to get the spawnball back?

Sounds like a lot of fun. I can seriously see myself designing integrations with this game scenario in mind.

[baghead]

So, I have a couple of quick questions to make sure I understand:
1.) Does the team with the ball respawn by touching the ball or what?
2.) Is there normally a respawn count time?
3.) Is the only way to acquire the ball to shoot the spawnballer twice and wait for him to "ground" it and then grab it?

And just a question about gameplay:
4.) If you can toss the ball at any time (even when you're immobile) wouldn't the spawnballer throw the ball as soon as he's in danger? Is it difficult to get the spawnball back?

Sounds like a lot of fun. I can seriously see myself designing integrations with this game scenario in mind.

good questions:

Questions 1&2 are answered in rule number 3: Yes, you have to respwan by both touching the ball and counting to 15, therefore the spawnballer can't be protected by a wall of teammates just infinately respawning in front of him.

To answer #3, the spawnball when rendered "dead" or as you termed it "grounded", is free game for anyone "in" to pick up, so a team can suddenly recapture control of the ball and bring back all their teammates by killing the spawnballer, but they have to remember that they can still be shot by their opponents. It's kinda tricky.

In terms of number four, that kinda depends on the player but it could indeed make things tricky, but the ball cannot be passed to a "dead" or "respawning" player, it has to go to someone still "In" so it keeps things interesting.

Edited by baghead, 11 March 2008 - 04:15 PM.

[Retiate]

Whoa.
I like it. A lot.
I think being able to pass the ball off might make it too hard to gain possession of the ball over the other team.
I am definitely trying this. I even have a Phlatball.

[d0nk3y k0n9]

I think the only forseeable problem is that having only one spawn might promote camping. What I'm envisioning happening is that one team grabs the ball and runs back to their base, where they then keep the ball safely with their flag and heavily guard them, sending out smaller amounts of offense to try to take the opponents flag. Eventually, because only your team can respawn, you will wear down the enemy's defense to the point where they can no longer effectively defend their flag, and you win.

In other words, if only one team can respawn, and both teams pick off opposing team members, you run into the problem of one teaming having an overwhelming numerical superiority over the other.

[baghead]

In other words, if only one team can respawn, and both teams pick off opposing team members, you run into the problem of one teaming having an overwhelming numerical superiority over the other.

that's kind of the point, because a team starts running low on members, it forces them to do something drastic. it shouldn't promote any more camping than a standard flag defense, because the battle for the ball should keep things interesting.

[baghead]

Bump: Trust me, it actually means something.

Alright, after trying to play a small game of spawnball at the last YANO, (4 on 4) I have decided that the minimum required number of players needs to be much larger(like say 6 per team, if not waaay more), and that there needs some modification to game rules if it is to be used in smaller teams, I'm thinking that one way to do that would be perhaps giving the "The Sans-Ball team" gets some sort of limited lives, or timed respawn, while the spawnball team gets unlimited lives and a longer count to respawn upon touching the spawnbal.

Also, reguardless of size of the game, if your team "Captures" the spawnball and you're out, you immediately can come back in to play upon touching the spawnball. of course, this also leads to modifying the rule about where "out" players stay, now, they are expected to remain "vaguely near" the spawnballer, because otherwise, they probably wouldn't' even know that their team has recovered the ball.

we'll be doing some tests on trying to improve the overall quality of this game type at the next couple of wars (Nano is looking like it will have a big enough turnout to play this better), so that we may play it in it's finest form in time for Armageddon.

-Bags

Edited by baghead, 24 March 2008 - 11:46 PM.

[pustulio]

... WELL I LOVE THIS IDEA! however u should have it a biut more north. lol not sure my parents want to by me a plane ticket from portland to whereever in SoCal this is... im a thirteen year old btw.