It always starts the same way. You’ll be playing some TF2, everyone is being competitive, trying to win the round. Then, maybe a map comes around that no one really wants to play (knowing my friends, it’s 2Fort). Maybe a bunch of people all suddenly exit the server at once, leaving you not enough players for a real game. Maybe one team is just getting rolled so bad there’s no point in trying to win.
But it always starts the same way. It always starts with a Heavy, charging the enemy, with his comically meaty fists held up. No minigun. No shottie. He wants to brawl.
Generally, he’ll get shot a few times, but if he stays his course, swinging his fists at anyone who comes near, someone will accept the challenge. Perhaps a pyro, chopping wildly with his axe. A Scout isn’t going to pass up the chance to bat a fattie. The demoman is happy to get a chance to pull out his bottle. Soon, the gunfire dies down and there is only the sound footsteps, the thudding of blows, and the agonized screams of those who have perished due to a shovel to the head or a bonesaw to the back or a giant fat fist to the face.
It’s melee time! It’s what happens when people are tired of playing TF2 but are unwilling to logout and do something else, and it’s good fun. Thing is, what do you do when you’re not only tired of TF2, but are tired of melee time, too?
Here are five other games you can play inside TF2 for those times when TF2 is not enough.
1) Taunt wars
It’s just like regular TF2, but after every kill you make, you have to taunt. Taunting happens all the time in TF2, but when it’s mandatory, it tends to get you killed. A lot.
As a pyro, you’ll rush in and burn, say, a scout. They’ll fall, you’ll hit your taunt key and raise your flamethrower over your head, chortling. Unfortunately, just behind the scout was a soldier. He takes advantage of your taunt and blows you to smithereens. He then stops and salutes with his taunt, leaving him wide open to the medic that was following the pyro. The medic bonesaws the soldier and plays his weapon like a violin. Behind him, a spy materializes and drives his knife into the medic’s neck. The spy taunts and is chewed up by a Heavy’s minigun, and the Heavy, hugging his beloved Sascha, is quickly wrenched to death by an engie, who then stands there laughing as sticky bombs pile up around his feet.
And so on, until there’s simply a massive pile of burning bodies and gooey limbs. Good times. I’ve been on some servers that enable auto-taunting, but you can just do it manually as long as everyone plays.
2) Rushin’ Roulette
I’m ashamed to admit I can’t recall which of my friends taught me this one, but it was fairly recently.
Two Scouts with full health meet up somewhere on the map and stand about five paces apart (out of bat range). One player spins his mouse wheel for several seconds, and then winds up brandishing a random weapon, which he then fires, once, at his opponent. It’ll either be a scattergun blast (pretty serious), a single pistol shot (fairly mild), or the bat (swing and a miss, sort of like getting an empty chamber).
Once he’s taken his shot, the other player does the same spin-and-shoot. They take turns at this, and the last one standing wins.
3) Kill for the Cycle
I played this a bit just for fun, myself, on a full server, but it could work as a mini-tournament of sorts if everyone plays along. It’s sort of like the enjoyable “gun game” mode on Counter-Strike.
When the round begins, everyone selects the Scout class (the furthest class to the left on the selection screen). Everyone selects the primary weapons (scattergun). Then, as soon as you get a kill with the scattergun, you switch to the next weapon, the pistol. Get a kill with that, you go with your bat. Once you’ve gone through the Scout’s weapons and gotten a kill with each, you race back to the spawn, and pick the next class from the selection screen, and get a kill with each of his weapons. The idea is to be the first one on the map to get a kill with each weapon of each class, sentries excluded.
4) Third-Person
Haven’t tried this, but I’d like to. With the server set to sv_cheats 1, and the “thirdperson” cheat enabled, everyone plays in third-person perspective, just like in those console games the kids today seem to love. I’d personally love to try sniping and spying in third person.
5) Random Class
Pretty simple, but still a fun way to play a round. Everyone chooses the random class button each time they spawn, so, like a box of chocolates, you never know how you’re going to get to kill someone.
Got more games? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
41 responses so far ↓
1 The Linker // May 28, 2008 at 8:09 am
I’d LOVE to play some of those modes, but I could never see me getting a whole server to agree, even it wasn’t very many people. Could be a thing for the 1fort server to do, cycle through those games.
Also, I’m assuming when you put ‘excluding sentries’, you also mean excluding all the other engineer buildings. I mean, it IS possible to get telefrag kills or to blow up a dispenser in someone’s face, but not being allowed to do anything else until you get a kill… the fun quotient may be lowered significantly. ;)
2 Ev // May 28, 2008 at 8:14 am
Great ideas. It’ll probably be easy to cheat at most of ‘em, though.
- If Fast Weapon Switch is disabled, you can’t verify if the Scout instantly picks the scattergun or not in Rushin’ Roulette.
- People could just walk on without taunting after a kill in Taunt Wars.
- You can get 3 kills with a Scattergun, then continue as a Soldier in Kill for the Cycle. Hell, you could just skip a class if you’re a Scout while you see a Sniper running around.
- Random Class. No chance to verify if you actually picked it.
This probably won’t work on random servers, unless you’re on the Facepunch server. They nearly never play serious.
This would either need to be implemented with a couple of serverside scripts or done with good friends you can trust.
3 RC-1290'Dreadnought' // May 28, 2008 at 8:16 am
Very interesting game types. I just don’t think I’ll be playing them any time soon. Usually I quit the game once I get bored.
4 Ev // May 28, 2008 at 8:22 am
Also:
6) Hide ‘n’ Seek:
One team hides. The class doesn’t matter, but I’ve done it as a Scout before. Anything except a Spy will probably do well. Playing Captain Invisible when the other team passes by works well in serious matches, but is plain cheating in this game.
The other team (or one person if you can disable Team Balance somehow) will then search the missing team. If that team (or person) finds someone, they kill him and the uncovered Hidden Guy must stay in the respawn room. (Or join the Seeker if Balance is gone.)
5 landon // May 28, 2008 at 8:50 am
when things calm down in melee after people stop using their weapons, its fun to play baseball. Have a Red Demo shoot stickies and a Blue Scout can hit them with the bat.
6 Newt Pulsifer // May 28, 2008 at 9:18 am
Omg, is it possible to hit stickies in the air?
That would be awesome! :b
Hide ‘n’ Seek is nice. There’s a map of this sort on DoD:S… the seekers are super-zombies! It starts with only one guy. Upon death you’re automatically switched.
7 Draco_2k // May 28, 2008 at 9:18 am
Class rushes are always a good thing.
A full team of Medics VS team of Spies is quite something.
8 Punjabi Fury // May 28, 2008 at 10:03 am
Melee only Goldrush is a lot of fun.
9 Wossname // May 28, 2008 at 10:24 am
My friends and I do Bridge Jousting down the 2fort bridge. Pretty much just what it sounds like — each person begins at one end of the bridge; run at each other with melee weapons drawn; score as many hits as possible during the run forward; if you are both still standing by the time you hit the other end of the bridge, turn around and repeat.
10 Trid3nt // May 28, 2008 at 10:54 am
7) One Class Army
The Top player for each team selects a random class, each player for that team must play as that class. After a point is scored by a team, the top players are allowed to either do another random, or keep their current class.
11 ZomBuster // May 28, 2008 at 11:09 am
I always play scout duel on 2fort servers.
Both capture the intel, then meet up at the bridge. After a duel to the death the winner can take the intel home.
Fun!
12 ZomBuster // May 28, 2008 at 11:10 am
I always play scout duels on 2fort servers when there is only 1 person left with me.
Both capture the intel, then meet up at the bridge. After a duel to the death the winner can take the intel home.
Fun!
13 DIE // May 28, 2008 at 11:11 am
Golf with sticky bombs and an axe :D
14 ChaosFenrir // May 28, 2008 at 11:14 am
Medic duos are fun. If you and another Medic both have Ubersaw you can infinite chain ubers and it’s fun if a lot of other people join in on this.
15 DIE // May 28, 2008 at 11:17 am
Those guys at mine-dog have nice ideas :3
16 Mr brit // May 28, 2008 at 12:23 pm
8. One Class Teams
Nine people per team and each person is a different class, one of each. It takes quite a while to mastermind and enforce but when it works it plays really well. PS3 only allows 16 player matches so I’ve never tried a full team game but usually the sniper gets left out.
It leads to some different combinations and tactics than those you usually see and is usually pretty fun, unless you wind up as a class you suck at…or the rest of your team has poor classes…or the enemy team cheats and you get scout rushed…otherwise fun! :)
17 Manray // May 28, 2008 at 12:51 pm
9) Sentry Wars
This goes without explanation. Red and Blu engies build dispensers, then sentries immediately behind them. One engie destroys their sentry and see which one is the last gun standing.
18 mr. Brit // May 28, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Manray, don’t you mean one engie destroys their dispenser? Otherwise I’m not sure about what you mean…
19 pope guilty // May 28, 2008 at 2:29 pm
The best thing I ever heard was Fight Club on Well, though it would also work on Granary.
Both teams line up at the central capture point. The first in line step forward and melee. When one of them dies, their next in line steps forward to combat their killer. Once one team has run through all of its players, they allow the other team to capture the point and everyone proceeds to the next point. Lather, rinse, and repeat.
20 Anon // May 28, 2008 at 3:09 pm
They should create a mode for “Kill for the cycle” so it’s automatic, like gungame.
That would be awesome
21 Nyarlathotep // May 28, 2008 at 3:10 pm
IG (Imperial Guard) vs. ORKZ
This is based on a Dawn of War scenario. The IGs team plays only as scouts, while the ORKZ are all heavies.
Two rules;
1) IGs must be crouched at ALL times, and may only use their pistol.
2) ORKz can only use their fists.
Believe me, it’s great fun.
22 Lack_26 // May 28, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I have had fun playing ‘long jump’, basically you play as Demo man and you stand (and another demo man) at a point near a ledge and run at the edge fire a sticky-bomb and see how far you go.
We’ve also tried bunny-hopping with demomen, sticky jump forward, then fire another sticky where you think you are going to land and detonate. All this with a gaggle of medics making sure you don’t die.
Also works well with pre-planned jumps. Demo stick bomb jumps forward, then enemy demos have bombs in places he might land and detonate them to keep him in the air.
23 jordan // May 28, 2008 at 5:56 pm
i have tf2 on the 360, so i didnt know what all you were talking about because you cant play it without xbox live. then i got it, and i love tf2 now!!!! scoutz rule!
24 chris12 // May 28, 2008 at 7:43 pm
i say its fun
25 Doodles // May 28, 2008 at 8:06 pm
“8. One Class Teams
Nine people per team and each person is a different class, one of each. It takes quite a while to mastermind and enforce but when it works it plays really well. PS3 only allows 16 player matches so I’ve never tried a full team game but usually the sniper gets left out.”
The Lost Continent servers play this, only they call it Highlander. (There can be only one.)
26 nmanguy // May 28, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Has no one ever done instant-spawn, Medic only, Melee only, CTF_HallofDeath?
27 C.V. Soul // May 28, 2008 at 10:54 pm
In a one-class team game, the best strategy is to have everybody go spy before disguising as the same friendly class.
Otherwise, it’s nice to have a Containment game where one team (probably smaller than the other) plays as Engineer, building thier fortress immediately outside of the opposing spawn. If an opponent gets into neutral territory, he wins.
28 Mike // May 28, 2008 at 11:49 pm
‘The Highlander’ is a great name. For anything, really.
29 David McLaren // May 29, 2008 at 12:35 am
10) The Human Ladder
When we’re bored on our server we usually start human ladders, with scouts obviously (although the base can be anyone.
It requires a lot of teamwork to get everyone on top and the best part is you can fit two people onto one person so you can have inverted Pyramids.
Get everyone jumping synchronized and it’s hilarious. Since you’re just standing there you can taunt while others jump on you :D
30 Punjabi Fury // May 29, 2008 at 2:45 am
I had a really fun game once on trainyard_brawl. It was 10 a side I think, and everyone went medic except one person on each team went heavy. All the medics healed the heavy and the heavies duked it out.
It usually ended with one team getting mowed down by a train.
31 Gimpy // May 29, 2008 at 3:54 am
haha some of these are great and ill give em a go
what i find that works really well and can be serious fun especially if your bored of normal game play
only works on sudden death maps and requires whole server cooperation, when sudden death rolls around everyone ditches there weapons and melees on
32 PsyWarrior // May 29, 2008 at 9:04 am
I’ve played on several servers where upon sudden death, everyone in the game is automatically swapped to a certain class and stripped of their weapons. Usually everyone runs into the middle where mass-bludgeoning commences. It might be quite interesting to reduce everyone to 1 HP as well :P
33 Duca // May 29, 2008 at 1:15 pm
@PsyWarrior
Yea there are some servers that when sudden death begins, it picks a random class for everyone to be, and only melee weapon. It’s really fun cuz its a different class everytime.
the scout ladder sounds pretty cool too.
Team Roomba griefing!!
34 Viktor // May 30, 2008 at 10:57 am
That reminds me… does join_class civilian still work? A number of different scenarios crop up in my head…
35 Mashakosha // Jun 1, 2008 at 7:35 am
sadly viktor, they removed it. I don’t know why though. It was great fun just to watch a whole team of un-animated scouts run out with 50hp and just get mown down.
36 scrimpy // Jun 1, 2008 at 10:42 am
That’s why they removed it
37 Anonymous // Jun 2, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Civil War Reenactment: Sniper rifles only, no zooming allowed.
38 Grigoriy // Jun 2, 2008 at 11:17 pm
We did “Least Played Classes” before.
Oh wow, it was hilarious. A lot of Heavies, engies, a couple spies, snipers, and a stray pyro.
Of course, everyone was godawful. I got stuck being a sniper and just decided to screw it and ran around with my machinegun and machete. I know for sure I dominated the Pyro like that.
39 Super Jesus // Jun 3, 2008 at 7:29 am
Yeah, me and a friend made an altered version of rushin’ roulette with the demoman. Same rules, except with the stickies, you plant on 1 win, then the second time you get the sticky launcher, you blow it.
I thought of one called “Spinnaz”. As Heavy, using only the minigun, spin it and try to accomplish the game. You have to stop where you are until either the map is over or someone wins “Spinnaz”. You also cannot shoot. So, you can’t shoot, and you spin the minigun all over the map and try to win.
40 Super Jesus // Jun 3, 2008 at 7:32 am
Aww, I meant to say “stop where you are if you stop spinning.”
41 Gothic // Jun 3, 2008 at 8:06 am
“Civil War Reenactment: Sniper rifles only, no zooming allowed.”
That could work pretty well.
Also, I thought of one: soldiers and demomen only, and the only mode of locomotion (once out of spawn) is to use sticky and rocket jumps. There can only be one medic a team.
Also, obligatory “all spies” game mode.
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