World of PADMAN Server Game Modes and Map Rotation (g_gametype)

On a World of PADMAN server the game mode is set by g_gametype: 0 is Free For All, 3 Spray Your Color, 4 Last Pad Standing, 5 Catch the KillerDuck, 6 Free For All Team, 7 Freeze Tag, 8 Capture the Lolly, 9 One Lolly Capture, 10 Spray Your Color Team and 11 Big Balloon. The map rotation is built in rotation.cfg with Quake III style vstr chains, where each line loads a map and points to the next. The official rotation.cfg already cycles through every mode and map, so the easiest path is to copy it and cut it down to what your group plays.

WoP's modes are the reason to run it rather than another arena shooter. A server that only ever runs Free For All misses most of what makes the game fun.

Every game mode number

These come straight from the game's source code for 1.7:

The point limits are the ones the official rotation uses, each with a 16 minute time limit. WoP uses pointlimit rather than Quake's fraglimit, since most modes score points rather than kills.

Which maps work with which mode

Not every map supports every mode. The official rotation is a good guide:

• Capture the Lolly and One Lolly Capture need the CTL maps: wop_colorstageCTL, wop_fridgeCTL, wop_journeyCTL, wop_trashmapCTL, wop_westernsetCTL, plus wop_padasiaCTL, wop_padbaseCTL, wop_padboxCTL, wop_padcloisterCTL and wop_padcrashCTL for CTL.
• Big Balloon uses the BB versions, such as wop_backyardBB, wop_dinerBB and wop_padkitchenBB.
• Last Pad Standing has dedicated LPS versions of some maps, such as wop_padatticLPS and wop_padkitchenLPS, alongside regular maps.
• Free For All, Spray Your Color, Freeze Tag and Free For All Team use the main maps: wop_backyard, wop_padkitchen, wop_padgarden, wop_padship, wop_padshop, wop_trashmap and others.

Loading a mode on a map that does not support it, like Capture the Lolly on a plain deathmatch map, gives you a broken round. Stick to these pairings unless a custom map says otherwise.

How rotation.cfg works

Quake III engine games have no rotation file format. Instead, configs store commands in variables and chain them with vstr. When a match ends, the server runs whatever is in nextmap. WoP's rotation sets one chain per mode:

set map_ffa0 "map wop_backyard;   set nextmap_ffa vstr map_ffa1"
set map_ffa1 "map wop_padkitchen; set nextmap_ffa vstr map_ffa2"
set map_ffa2 "map wop_padship;    set nextmap_ffa vstr map_ffa0"

Each line loads a map and sets which line comes next. Then a second chain switches modes:

set gametype_ffa "set g_gametype 0; set pointlimit 32; set timelimit 16; vstr nextmap_ffa; set next_gametype vstr gametype_ft"
set gametype_ft  "set g_gametype 7; set pointlimit 8;  set timelimit 16; vstr nextmap_ft;  set next_gametype vstr gametype_ffa"

The official file ties the two together:

set nextmap    "vstr nextscript"
set nextscript "vstr next_gametype; set nextmap vstr nextscript"

So every time a match ends, the server moves to the next mode and plays the next map of that mode's list. That is how the shipped rotation visits all ten modes in turn.

Example: a two mode party server

A compact rotation that alternates Freeze Tag and Spray Your Color Team on four maps each:

// Freeze Tag maps
set map_ft0 "map wop_backyard;   set nextmap_ft vstr map_ft1"
set map_ft1 "map wop_padkitchen; set nextmap_ft vstr map_ft2"
set map_ft2 "map wop_padgarden;  set nextmap_ft vstr map_ft3"
set map_ft3 "map wop_padship;    set nextmap_ft vstr map_ft0"

// Spray Your Color Team maps
set map_tsyc0 "map wop_airplane; set nextmap_tsyc vstr map_tsyc1"
set map_tsyc1 "map wop_diner;    set nextmap_tsyc vstr map_tsyc2"
set map_tsyc2 "map wop_jail;     set nextmap_tsyc vstr map_tsyc3"
set map_tsyc3 "map wop_padshop;  set nextmap_tsyc vstr map_tsyc0"

// Modes
set gametype_ft   "set g_gametype 7;  set pointlimit 8;   set timelimit 16; vstr nextmap_ft;   set next_gametype vstr gametype_tsyc"
set gametype_tsyc "set g_gametype 10; set pointlimit 512; set timelimit 16; vstr nextmap_tsyc; set next_gametype vstr gametype_ft"

// Wire it up
set nextmap_ft    "vstr map_ft0"
set nextmap_tsyc  "vstr map_tsyc0"
set next_gametype "vstr gametype_ft"
set nextmap       "vstr nextscript"
set nextscript    "vstr next_gametype; set nextmap vstr nextscript"

Save it as your rotation file, exec it from your server config, and finish the server config with vstr nextmap to load the first map. The official server-allgametypes.cfg does exactly that: it execs the settings, then runs vstr nextmap.

Single mode servers

If you only want one mode, the team ships per mode configs in the wop folder, such as server-freezetag.cfg, server-bigballoon.cfg and server-capturethelolly.cfg. Exec one of those instead of server-allgametypes.cfg. A single mode server is easier for newcomers to understand from the browser, since the mode never changes under them.

Handy extras

• set g_LPS_startlives "10" sets lives in Last Pad Standing.
• set g_instaPad "1" turns on the InstaPad variant. The official rotation sets it to 0, so try it on a fun night before making it permanent.
• g_allowVote 1 lets players vote a map or mode change, which keeps small groups happy.

On a hosted server

A GamezServers World of PADMAN server generates its main config (named in the Config File Name setting) and execs rotation.cfg from it. Edit both in the file manager, restart from the panel, and watch the live console load the first map. To switch to a single mode setup, set Config File Name to the mode's file. With an RCON password set in the panel you can skip maps with rcon vstr nextmap mid game. New to running WoP? Start with our World of PADMAN setup guide, and see the guide to custom maps on a WoP server to extend the rotation.

FAQ

What is g_gametype 8 in World of PADMAN?

Capture the Lolly, WoP's version of capture the flag. It needs one of the CTL maps.

Why does my game mode not change right away?

g_gametype takes effect when the next map loads. Run vstr nextmap or map <name> after setting it.

Where is rotation.cfg?

In the wop folder of the game or server install, next to server-settings.cfg.

How do I skip to the next map?

Run vstr nextmap in the server console, or rcon vstr nextmap in game after logging in with rconpassword.