Rules and Gameplay:
-This would be Splatoon 3's exclusive battle mode that can be played both offline and online.
-6 or so total maps to choose from. (These stages would be separate from the other modes, more akin to Shifty Stations in their design, but perhaps still within the game's rotation)
-Stages would be relatively small, pretty much arena scale. (A typical laser tag/paintball canvas)
-This mode is primarily a spin on paintball and laser tag, with a hint of deathmatch. Each player would spawn wearing a vest at the beginning of a match. The main objective of Moshpits would be to try and destroy the other players vest before the other, making them vulnerable. Then, you must splat that exposed player in order to win the game. This is kind of like a contrast to turf war in a way within the objective, as instead of inking the floor for points, you are focusing on ink coverage towards your opponent's vest. This is the aspect of paintball that Splatoon was conceptualized from. Once in a while during the length of a game, there will be mini icons that pop up on your opponent's vest. These serve as weak points, and if you hit these difficult targets with immense accuracy, you will be granted a point bonus in additional ink that lowers your opponent's vest barrier further. The weak spot mechanic is the laser tag element I was referring to. The higher the point values, the faster the targets fade, show smaller hitboxes, are placed in more difficult areas of an inkling's anatomy to target, and can even move around unpredictably and periodically, making you have to guide your shots like projectiles.
-Gear, although something that can still be worn from Multiplayer, will NOT gain any advantages in Moshpits. Basically, abilities are disabled. These fights are encouraged to be fair, which in the case of Moshpits, are unique to both this mode specifically, and for Splatoon, as all the other modes allow complete gear loadouts and weapon kits. This is good ol' classic ink carnage!
-Players would carry the same weapon into battle, demonstrating an "equal starts" philosophy. The starting weapon would likely be a Splattershot.
-There are specials with icons of cans (as seen in the story modes) that would be placed around a stage in specific positions and platforms, which are protected by Zapfish pods. (as seen from prior campaigns at the very end of a mission when you break them open and collect the Zapfish) Specials being protected in these pods will incentivize players to have to fight or work for by breaking the pod open in order to gain such an advantage.
-On top of stored Specials laid out conservatively across the stage, there are also sub weapons that are scattered around a stage, divided by quantity from your base, your opponent's base, and around the center of the map. These won't have a protective bubble around them like Specials do, and will be one time use, preventing sub spam from your ink tank. Because unlike multiplayer, subs don't consume any of your ink to throw or deploy, but rather by how many you pick up on the stage, which can be capped by a certain number if too many are taken by one player.
-There are even some main weapons lying around each stage that have limited ink, and can't be refilled via being submerged in your own color. (Take this from the Octo Expansion challenges that require you to clear stages with limited ink, which carried over into Splatoon 3's campaign!) The amount of ink for these weapons won't necessarily be a whole tank, but just enough to give the chance of weakening an opponent's vest. EX: Rolling twice and a few shots with dualies, a flick from a dynamo roller, one full charge with a splatterscope, etc.
Stage Identity:
-The devs can really use Moshpits as an experiment for future level design in their more popular game modes. With this in mind, these maps really need to standout as their own. This also needs to feel like a separate experience from ranked, leagues, and regular, hence the equal starts tone.
-One way to really make the level design pop out is to incorporate environments and assets from the campaign. EX: Balloons with ink filled in them could be a vital piece of a map, in which methodically placed, could speeden up traversal, or serve as a means of landing large amounts of ink at an opponent, increasing your chances of breaking their vest. Targets that rotate, fold out, hide platforms. Hazards, like slick mud, that players on either team can't ink like a "no man's land" area. An 8 ball that can be guided into a pod, creating a missile launcher. A siren that could somehow be alarmed from creative sound design, triggering AI blimps that block off an area, etc.
Overall, the devs can really get creative with the sandbox, allowing multiple different ways of attacking and approaching within the Moshpit gameplay. And, given the resources, players could figure out how to break their opponent's barrier quickly and splat them. Done right, this would be, "playground warfare".
Moshpit Variations:
Boss Battles: I could see a sort of boss fight type of thing within Moshpits, where you are pitted up against progressively challenging AI, with a tier type of ranking system. There could be a few phases to these fights, similar to how boss fights typically are in the octo campaigns. A certain amount of armor destroyed from the boss could complete a phase. Other bosses could just be a 1 on 1 fight, without any phases, with the rules of my health system applying to this. I'd imagine that there would be ability chunks, gear, coins, sea snails, badges, and splash tag titles as incentivized rewards for defeating various bosses within this game-type.
Moshpit 2v2: Players are given less health in their vests, as they now work in numbers. Because of this, the game type would be split up into 3 separate rounds. This is more of an elimination style game-type. Due to each player having weaker armor, as well as the existence of a teammate in this Moshpit variant, there is a heavy emphasis on teamwork. It’s almost as if your team shares armor, as two vests in 2v2 make up the HP of one in a regular 1v1 Moshpit. To increase cooperation, there would be two-four quotes that your character has at its disposal. "this way" "hold on" “challenger approaching” (A Smash Bros. reference
and one more. *Need help on the last one!* With this variant's matchmaking, you can group up with a friend and play together in every game vs other pairs of friends, or solo que and find a random. This game type is a “best of 3 rounds”. (2-0 wins, or 1-1 with a 3rd round)
Suggestions:
-Time limit is undecided for every Moshpit variant. I would love for anyone to help me think of game time in the comments for 2V2, 1V1, & Boss Battle!
-I would also love suggestions on how a victor would be decided in both 2v2s by round, as well as an entire match in 1v1's when nobody has their vest armor broken, or both teammates are at a vulnerable state but not splatted... (Most ink coverage wins for the armor vest? Sudden death for vulnerability?)
-I don't have an exact number on vest HP for 1V1 or 2V2 battles, so feel free to come up with some health values down in the comments!
Definitely feel free to comment on anything! Thank you all!
-This would be Splatoon 3's exclusive battle mode that can be played both offline and online.
-6 or so total maps to choose from. (These stages would be separate from the other modes, more akin to Shifty Stations in their design, but perhaps still within the game's rotation)
-Stages would be relatively small, pretty much arena scale. (A typical laser tag/paintball canvas)
-This mode is primarily a spin on paintball and laser tag, with a hint of deathmatch. Each player would spawn wearing a vest at the beginning of a match. The main objective of Moshpits would be to try and destroy the other players vest before the other, making them vulnerable. Then, you must splat that exposed player in order to win the game. This is kind of like a contrast to turf war in a way within the objective, as instead of inking the floor for points, you are focusing on ink coverage towards your opponent's vest. This is the aspect of paintball that Splatoon was conceptualized from. Once in a while during the length of a game, there will be mini icons that pop up on your opponent's vest. These serve as weak points, and if you hit these difficult targets with immense accuracy, you will be granted a point bonus in additional ink that lowers your opponent's vest barrier further. The weak spot mechanic is the laser tag element I was referring to. The higher the point values, the faster the targets fade, show smaller hitboxes, are placed in more difficult areas of an inkling's anatomy to target, and can even move around unpredictably and periodically, making you have to guide your shots like projectiles.
-Gear, although something that can still be worn from Multiplayer, will NOT gain any advantages in Moshpits. Basically, abilities are disabled. These fights are encouraged to be fair, which in the case of Moshpits, are unique to both this mode specifically, and for Splatoon, as all the other modes allow complete gear loadouts and weapon kits. This is good ol' classic ink carnage!
-Players would carry the same weapon into battle, demonstrating an "equal starts" philosophy. The starting weapon would likely be a Splattershot.
-There are specials with icons of cans (as seen in the story modes) that would be placed around a stage in specific positions and platforms, which are protected by Zapfish pods. (as seen from prior campaigns at the very end of a mission when you break them open and collect the Zapfish) Specials being protected in these pods will incentivize players to have to fight or work for by breaking the pod open in order to gain such an advantage.
-On top of stored Specials laid out conservatively across the stage, there are also sub weapons that are scattered around a stage, divided by quantity from your base, your opponent's base, and around the center of the map. These won't have a protective bubble around them like Specials do, and will be one time use, preventing sub spam from your ink tank. Because unlike multiplayer, subs don't consume any of your ink to throw or deploy, but rather by how many you pick up on the stage, which can be capped by a certain number if too many are taken by one player.
-There are even some main weapons lying around each stage that have limited ink, and can't be refilled via being submerged in your own color. (Take this from the Octo Expansion challenges that require you to clear stages with limited ink, which carried over into Splatoon 3's campaign!) The amount of ink for these weapons won't necessarily be a whole tank, but just enough to give the chance of weakening an opponent's vest. EX: Rolling twice and a few shots with dualies, a flick from a dynamo roller, one full charge with a splatterscope, etc.
Stage Identity:
-The devs can really use Moshpits as an experiment for future level design in their more popular game modes. With this in mind, these maps really need to standout as their own. This also needs to feel like a separate experience from ranked, leagues, and regular, hence the equal starts tone.
-One way to really make the level design pop out is to incorporate environments and assets from the campaign. EX: Balloons with ink filled in them could be a vital piece of a map, in which methodically placed, could speeden up traversal, or serve as a means of landing large amounts of ink at an opponent, increasing your chances of breaking their vest. Targets that rotate, fold out, hide platforms. Hazards, like slick mud, that players on either team can't ink like a "no man's land" area. An 8 ball that can be guided into a pod, creating a missile launcher. A siren that could somehow be alarmed from creative sound design, triggering AI blimps that block off an area, etc.
Overall, the devs can really get creative with the sandbox, allowing multiple different ways of attacking and approaching within the Moshpit gameplay. And, given the resources, players could figure out how to break their opponent's barrier quickly and splat them. Done right, this would be, "playground warfare".
Moshpit Variations:
Boss Battles: I could see a sort of boss fight type of thing within Moshpits, where you are pitted up against progressively challenging AI, with a tier type of ranking system. There could be a few phases to these fights, similar to how boss fights typically are in the octo campaigns. A certain amount of armor destroyed from the boss could complete a phase. Other bosses could just be a 1 on 1 fight, without any phases, with the rules of my health system applying to this. I'd imagine that there would be ability chunks, gear, coins, sea snails, badges, and splash tag titles as incentivized rewards for defeating various bosses within this game-type.
Moshpit 2v2: Players are given less health in their vests, as they now work in numbers. Because of this, the game type would be split up into 3 separate rounds. This is more of an elimination style game-type. Due to each player having weaker armor, as well as the existence of a teammate in this Moshpit variant, there is a heavy emphasis on teamwork. It’s almost as if your team shares armor, as two vests in 2v2 make up the HP of one in a regular 1v1 Moshpit. To increase cooperation, there would be two-four quotes that your character has at its disposal. "this way" "hold on" “challenger approaching” (A Smash Bros. reference
and one more. *Need help on the last one!* With this variant's matchmaking, you can group up with a friend and play together in every game vs other pairs of friends, or solo que and find a random. This game type is a “best of 3 rounds”. (2-0 wins, or 1-1 with a 3rd round)Suggestions:
-Time limit is undecided for every Moshpit variant. I would love for anyone to help me think of game time in the comments for 2V2, 1V1, & Boss Battle!
-I would also love suggestions on how a victor would be decided in both 2v2s by round, as well as an entire match in 1v1's when nobody has their vest armor broken, or both teammates are at a vulnerable state but not splatted... (Most ink coverage wins for the armor vest? Sudden death for vulnerability?)
-I don't have an exact number on vest HP for 1V1 or 2V2 battles, so feel free to come up with some health values down in the comments!
Definitely feel free to comment on anything! Thank you all!
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