Game Mode Ideas and Variations

[Zero Meddler]

You know, I've been thinking a lot about what more Splatoon can have game mode wise. These are just some ideas I've come up with. Feel free to add anything you feel could work.

Game Modes

Free-for-All: A 6 player Splatter Fest.

-Players are put into an arena (some altered with climb able walls and extra platforms like to get to the usual spawns on Saltspray Rig) and duke it out. First to 25 splats wins.
-Ink could be one color for all or different colors but anyone can swim through any color ink. The ink disappears after a short time however.

Capture the Zapfish: First to 3

-Both teams have a Zapfish that the other must capture. In order to score, teams must have their Zapfish at their base.

-Once someone grabs a Zapfish, they cannot go into squid form without dropping it, can't use any weapons, and suffer a bit of slowness. However, by pressing R, they can throw the Zapfish.

-There's also a marker placed over them and carriers can be seen on the map. Maps would need to be altered a bit so the carrier can actually make it to their base.

Variations to Gametypes

Splat Zones

Multi-Zone: Multiple zones to capture

-3 to 5 zones (depending on the map) 1-2 closer to spawns one in the middle

-Counter slowly goes up to 100 or 150 and no penalty is earned when all zones are lost.

Capture the Zapfish

Energize: Bring Zapfish to your base to power some sort of machine.

-Power meters for both teams is displayed on screen. First to fill it up wins.

-An odd number of Zapfish spawn and teams must get them and bring them to their machines located a little bit away from spawn.

-Players can turn into squids with the Zapfish but markers ate still displayed over their heads and cannot fire their weapons or use subs without dropping the Zapfish. Zapfish can still be thrown.

-Zapfish can be stolen from enemy machines.

Tower Control (That Tower game that was shown in the direct)

Dual Towers: Both teams have towers which they must bring to the other side.

-Teams can push the enemy tower back to mid (if it reached that point), or a quarter of the ways (If it hasn't) by splatting everyone on it and by covering it with their own ink and leaving it on for a short period of time.

Other Additions

Big Team Battle: 6v6
Playlists (That way we don't have to completely rely on rotations to play the modes we want, assuming that's how it will work).

So what do you think? Yay? Nay? I'm curious to know what you all think.

 

[Cereal]

I'd definitely love to see these modes in the game :D

 

[iNinja5567]

These modes would be a great addition to the game!

 

[Gamer_The_Spirit]

I've seen capture the flag mentioned in miiverse as those "Yeah this if you want capture the flag" messages before and the zapfish sounds like a really good way to do it.
These other gamemodes sound pretty cool too! I honestly would love to see some of these put in.

 

[Joseph Staleknight]

Capture the Zapfish sounds pretty neat. I'm hoping they put that in the game soon.

 

[ILikeKirbys]

I've seen it mentioned before (and probably said this then, too), but Capture The Zapfish really needs to be a thing, especially if it's the way you described it, that sounds like it'd be really fun. Though perhaps just throwing the Zapfish into your spawn point (I'm assuming that's what you mean by base) could score points? It might make this possible to do without changing the stage on, for example, Kelp Dome (Are there any other stages where you can't walk back into your spawn point after leaving? Kelp Dome's the only one that comes to mind).

Free For All? Well, 6-player makes it more doable, though I'm still not 100% convinced it would work (mostly because some stages, like Walleye and Mackerel, could be too small). I guess I'd have to see it in action before coming to any definite conclusions on this one.

As for modes I'd suggest (and I know I've discussed this one before), some sort of mode where you start in the center of the stage with a Splat Zone-type thing that's already your color and maybe 4-6 players (4 generally, maybe 6 on larger stages), and you have to fight off waves of Octarian troops spawning from where the teams normally spawn from (and maybe other spots too, like the corners that don't have spawn points on Kelp Dome) trying to cover your zone (and splatter you, of course, but mostly ink the zone); if they cover it, you have a certain amount of time to get it back (maybe 50-60 seconds) or you lose; regaining the zone does not refill the timer (so if it's down to 1 second, you lose pretty much automatically if they retake it), but beating waves could give you a few seconds back. Respawning could just be appearing a short distance from the zone with a few seconds of invincibility that go away immediately if you attack.
Maybe you could have waves composed mostly of (regular and Twintacle) Octotroopers/Octobombs/Octoballs/Octocopters, with some Octobombers/Octodivers/Octosnipers-Riding-Flooders/Octolings for more difficulty (not as many as the Octotroopers and such though), maybe have an Octostriker or other specialized enemy (like a regular or Elite Octoling with a Charger/Roller/Blaster/Inkzooka(VERY RARELY), or male Octolings that move through ink like they have Ninja Squid, or Octobombers that rapid-fire Splat/Burst/Suction Bombs, or an armored Octotroper that takes far more damage than normal ones) for an occasional difficulty spike (every 2/3/4 waves), maybe throw in miniature modified versions of the Octo Valley bosses (Thanks for this idea @Friendan) every 10-15 waves too.
You could bring whatever weapons you want; not sure if you could bring your own gear or you'd be stuck in preset clothes (maybe different-color Hero Suits?).

 

[Friendan]

Dual towers would be cool, and I could see it being added in the future, I'm guessing it would play like tf2's payload race (agh sorry for all these tf2 references).
I don't think playlists would be too good in Splatoon because it's not uncommon for me to have to wait 5 minutes for people to join (it might just be that I play before 2pm and after midnight usually).

 

[Superjustinbros]

(Are there any other stages where you can't walk back into your spawn point after leaving? Kelp Dome's the only one that comes to mind).

Saltspray Rig also has a platform exclusive to the members of the team that spawns there; the other six maps are fair game.

Additionally, I'd like to propose the following, which I described elsewhere on the forums:

Inklings vs. Octolings: A 4 vs. 4 variation of Splat Zones with a small hint of Capture the Zapfish.

-One team plays as Inklings and another team plays as heavily-altered Octolings (to enable male Octolings, alternate ink colors, and gear). One team is on offense, another is on defense. Somewhere in the center of the map is an object the offense must capture and take back to their base (inb4 Zapfish, but it'd be the most logical choice) by flooding what's guarding it with as much ink as possible. Meanwhile, the Defense must protect the object and time out the match to score a win, and can slowly repair the protector with their own ink. If the protector is destroyed, the object is up for grabs by the offense, who then must navigate back to their spawn point with the object in their hand. To accommodate for certain maps requiring squid/octopus travel, if you have the goal object in your possession, you can still become squid/octopus form to swim up steep ledges/walls, but you're 100% visible and the goal object is held right ontop of your Inkling/Octoling as they swim. Super Jumping is not allowed, and while you hold the goal object, your Inkling/Octoling is slower and you don't shoot out ink as much.
The mode is loosely based on Invasion from Halo Reach.

 

[Zero Revolution]

Capture the Zapfish sounds really fun and interesting! It seems like they don't want to add normal shooter modes, but a different variation like that would be cool. I'm hoping something similar at least is added.

 

[Zero Meddler]

Saltspray Rig also has a platform exclusive to the members of the team that spawns there; the other six maps are fair game.

Additionally, I'd like to propose the following, which I described elsewhere on the forums:

Inklings vs. Octolings: A 4 vs. 4 variation of Splat Zones with a small hint of Capture the Zapfish.

-One team plays as Inklings and another team plays as heavily-altered Octolings (to enable male Octolings, alternate ink colors, and gear). One team is on offense, another is on defense. Somewhere in the center of the map is an object the offense must capture and take back to their base (inb4 Zapfish, but it'd be the most logical choice) by flooding what's guarding it with as much ink as possible. Meanwhile, the Defense must protect the object and time out the match to score a win, and can slowly repair the protector with their own ink. If the protector is destroyed, the object is up for grabs by the offense, who then must navigate back to their spawn point with the object in their hand. To accommodate for certain maps requiring squid/octopus travel, if you have the goal object in your possession, you can still become squid/octopus form to swim up steep ledges/walls, but you're 100% visible and the goal object is held right ontop of your Inkling/Octoling as they swim. Super Jumping is not allowed, and while you hold the goal object, your Inkling/Octoling is slower and you don't shoot out ink as much.
The mode is loosely based on Invasion from Halo Reach.

I like this. Definitely an interesting mode to that can work. It could also be used to give a little more backstory to the Inkling and Octarian rivalry.

I do like how Reach had an influence here. XD

 

[ILikeKirbys]

Saltspray Rig also has a platform exclusive to the members of the team that spawns there; the other six maps are fair game.

Ah, thanks man. Maybe they could put stairs from Saltspray's spawn point platforms to that southmost area then? Good to know there are only two problematic maps for now.

Additionally, I'd like to propose the following, which I described elsewhere on the forums:

Inklings vs. Octolings: A 4 vs. 4 variation of Splat Zones with a small hint of Capture the Zapfish.

-One team plays as Inklings and another team plays as heavily-altered Octolings (to enable male Octolings, alternate ink colors, and gear). One team is on offense, another is on defense. Somewhere in the center of the map is an object the offense must capture and take back to their base (inb4 Zapfish, but it'd be the most logical choice) by flooding what's guarding it with as much ink as possible. Meanwhile, the Defense must protect the object and time out the match to score a win, and can slowly repair the protector with their own ink. If the protector is destroyed, the object is up for grabs by the offense, who then must navigate back to their spawn point with the object in their hand. To accommodate for certain maps requiring squid/octopus travel, if you have the goal object in your possession, you can still become squid/octopus form to swim up steep ledges/walls, but you're 100% visible and the goal object is held right ontop of your Inkling/Octoling as they swim. Super Jumping is not allowed, and while you hold the goal object, your Inkling/Octoling is slower and you don't shoot out ink as much.
The mode is loosely based on Invasion from Halo Reach.

That sounds pretty cool too, and I doubt there'd be any stage-based problems with that (besides Kelp Dome and the aforementioned Saltspray. Having said that, you might not need to alter the Octolings that much, just make male ones and hide their hairtacles under hats or helmets or whatever headgear you use. But yeah, that sounds cool, hopefully that or something like it gets added at some point.

 

[Superjustinbros]

They could be fit with inkable walls to ascend upwards.

 

[Friendan]

Out of everything, I would say that custom gamemodes (like Halo 3) and a map builder would be cool. If those were added, there could definitely be some interesting maps to mess around on especially with ink being in this game.

 

[ILikeKirbys]

They could be fit with inkable walls to ascend upwards.

Yeah, that could work too.

Out of everything, I would say that custom gamemodes (like Halo 3) and a map builder would be cool. If those were added, there could definitely be some interesting maps to mess around on especially with ink being in this game.

Oh wow, I hadn't even considered a stage builder, but now I think I'd like it.
They might have to release that as a separate thing though, like a Splatoon Maker of some sort that could maybe import a few stages to the full game to play with friends.
How did custom gamemodes work in Halo 3 though? I remember reading about Forge or something (in Electronic Gaming Monthly, waaaaaay back when that was still around, so I don't recall it that well), is that what you mean?

 

[Zero Meddler]

Oh wow, I hadn't even considered a stage builder, but now I think I'd like it.
They might have to release that as a separate thing though, like a Splatoon Maker of some sort that could maybe import a few stages to the full game to play with friends.
How did custom gamemodes work in Halo 3 though? I remember reading about Forge or something (in Electronic Gaming Monthly, waaaaaay back when that was still around, so I don't recall it that well), is that what you mean?

You had to set the game type up in Forge so it can actually be played (like placing the hills for KotH in the spots where you'd want them. Then you'd have to set them to some particular setting so it would appear in-game).

I agree with the map editor thing though. Having user created maps in Custom games can really extend the map variance and amount without having to wait X amount of days for a new one. Plus, the clever people could make minigames making unique maps and gametypes to make them possible. A lot of possibilities open up when a map editor comes into play.

 

[ILikeKirbys]

You had to set the game type up in Forge so it can actually be played (like placing the hills for KotH in the spots where you'd want them. Then you'd have to set them to some particular setting so it would appear in-game).

I agree with the map editor thing though. Having user created maps in Custom games can really extend the map variance and amount without having to wait X amount of days for a new one. Plus, the clever people could make minigames making unique maps and gametypes to make them possible. A lot of possibilities open up when a map editor comes into play.

Ah, I see.
Sounds cool, would definitely be fun to mess around in. Not sure how it'd work for Splatoon, but I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem (though implementing it might).
Also a single-player level editor, with levels shareable through the Internet. That would be neat too.

 

[Lyn]

Definitely want a CTF or Infection type gamemode.

 

[Superjustinbros]

I'd be game for an Infection mode where eight Inklings are put into an arena all with the same color Ink, give them a few moments to run around and spread ink, and when the time comes, one of the Inklings becomes zombified and shoots mucky green "zombie ink". If an Inkling gets coated in Zombie Ink, they shape shift into a Zombie Inkling and join their ranks.

Zombie Inklings have a very short-ranged shooter from one of their arms and run out of ink faster, along with only having a fraction the health of a normal Inkling, but they have higher speed and jump height.

I should also note that instead of spawning at a base, in this mode the Zombie Inklings have standard spawns in this mode (where they spawn the furthest from the nearest Inkling as possible).