Cooperative

Cooperative mode is standard mode of play in Doom. It pits one or more players against monsters.

Survival Cooperative

This modes behaves largely like the vanilla cooperative mode. However, when you die, instead of being able to respawn and pick up where you left off, you stay dead until all of your friends die, or one of them successfully exits the map. If all players fail to successfully exit the map, all players are respawned at the beginning of the map, all weapons and keys are taken from the players and placed in their original spots, Doors and crushing ceilings are reverted to their original states, and monsters are respawned to where they were standing originally. This mode emphasizes survival, and makes the game much more dramatic!

Invasion

Invasion mode is a mode new to Skulltag v0.97b. It is a cooperative mode where the players have to fight off waves of monsters. The amount of monsters spawned each wave is determined by the skill level and the number of waves already played. In the default maps, which are labeled D2INV*, a new area opens after each round, which gives the player access to new weapons and new equipment spawn points. Equipment is respawned after a short time in this game mode, though the number of spawns of each item is limited.

There are several server console variables that affect invasion games when Skulltag is run in multiplayer mode.

wavelimit: Wavelimit controls the number of waves to be played before the map is considered completed, and then ends.

sv_usemapsettingswavelimit: This controls whether or not to automatically get the wavelimit setting from the single player campaign information for this map when the map loads. This is helpful when playing through invasion maps that the author intends to end after a certain wave (especially when playing multiple maps, so you don't have to manually set the wavelimit each time a map changes).

sv_invasioncountdowntime: This sets the number of seconds that takes place between the end of the previous round, and the start of the next round.

Deathmatch

The classic mode of play we all know and love. Simply put, players run around and attempt to kill (frag) each other. When a player dies, he respawns, and resumes trying to frag other players. Generally, a fraglimit is set, and when a player reaches that amount of frags, the level ends.

Deathmatch modes that are played in teams should not be confused with Teamgames. Those are discussed in more detail later in this article.

Teamplay Deathmatch

Simple variant on the free for all (FFA) deathmatch, in which everyone splits up into two teams (red and blue). Instead of trying to frag anyone, players try only to frag members of the opposite team. Each time that happens, a frag gets added to the individual's frag total, as well as the team total. If a fraglimit is set, the level will end when a specific team reaches the fraglimit, as opposed to an individual player reaching the fraglimit.

Duel

One-on-one deathmatch, in which two players battle while everyone else spectates. The two players are given a small warmup period, and once that time expires... FIGHT! The loser is sent to the spectators, and the winner plays the next in line.

Terminator

It's "smear the queer" for Doom! At the start of the level, a terminator ball is spawned at a random deathmatch start. When players pick up this ball, they receive 200% health and 200% armor (like a megasphere), and then do permanent QUAD DAMAGE! The player with the terminator ball is highly noticable, with the terminator ball icon appearing above his head, and his name being marked red on the scoreboard. Once the terminator is killed, he drops the ball, and then whoever picks it up next, becomes the terminator. ... oh, and did I mention that players receive 10 frags for killing the terminator?

Last Man Standing

Each game is divided into rounds. At the start of each round there is a brief warmup period, and then the players are respawned. They receive all of the weapons (except the BFGs) and a megasphere. If a player dies he is forced to wait until the next round and spectate; the last player standing wins! The player with the most victories wins the game.

Team Last Man Standing

In Team Last Man Standing, the players are split into teams. When all players of one team have died, the opposing team wins.

Possession

Possession introduces a new powerup, the hellstone, which is spawned at a random Possession start or Deathmatch start if played on a standard map. Players try to possess the hellstone for as long as possible to score points. When a player picks up the hellstone, everyone is notified and a timer is started. The length of the timer varies per map. If the possessor survives to the end of the countdown, he scores a point. If not, he drops the hellstone and timer is cleared. Players lose all their weapons when in possession, so nimbleness is important!

Team Possession

Team Possession plays just like Possession but in teams. The object of the game is for someone on your team to get possession of the Hellstone. When someone obtains the Hellstone (which appears in a random Deathmatch start or a certain area using TID 6001) a timer counts down and the team members have to defend the bearer of the Hellstone from opposite team members. If the person holding the stone dies, the Hellstone is dropped, the timer stops, and anyone can pick it up. If the enemy team has the stone then it is your team's job to obtain it back from them. The only way for you to get points is for the Hellstone bearer to keep possession of the Hellstone without dieing until the timer reaches zero. The first team to reach the pointlimit or have the most points when the server clock strikes zero, wins.

The default possession timer is 30 seconds, but it can be changed by the server.

Capture The Flag

The mode we all know and love. CTF is a variant of the teamgame mode, in which players on one team attempt to steal the flag of the opposing team, and return it to their base.

One Flag CTF

Very similar to CTF mode, except a third (white) flag spawns in the middle of the map. Instead of bringing your opponents' flag back to your base, the objective here is to bring the white flag to your opponents' base.

Skulltag

Skulltag, commonly abbreviated "ST," is a game mode very similar to CTF. However, there are a few key differences. First, skulltag uses skulls instead of flags as the main possession of each team. Second, instead of bringing the opponent's skull back to your skull to score a point, the skull must be placed, or "tagged," on a score pillar located somewhere throughout the map. This decoupling of flags and return spots creates an interesting, complex gameplay experience. Multiple score pillars for a single team can be placed, score pillars can be worth varying numbers of points, and score pillars can belong to either team, or both teams.

The idea of the skulltag game mode is what originally lead to the creation of the port, Skulltag. For more on this, see the section on Skulltag's history.

Modifiers

Buckshot

This modifier restricts players to use only the Super Shotgun! Fast paced close combat is guaranteed. Should be used with infinite ammo on.

Instagib

This beloved Q3A mod finally makes its way into Doom. Everyone starts with a railgun, without anything else spawning on the level. Of course, in this mode, the railgun is so powerful, it will kill you in one hit! Not only that, but it will do so much damage when it hits you, will you gib instantly! (thus the name, "instagib") Quick reflexes and high accuracy are essential for winning in this fast-paced mode!

Teamgame

Standard vanilla modes where players are broken apart into teams.