# Multiplayer — Maps & Game Modes

## Maps

- **10 maps total** at launch
- Design philosophy: **CSGO-tight** — intentional lanes, clear sightlines, no wasted space
- Subspace Continuum's Trench Wars maps were too large and too open — avoid this
- All maps are 2D top-down space environments (asteroid fields, space stations, nebulae, etc.)

| Map Size | Used For |
|----------|----------|
| Small | Ranked 5v5 |
| Medium | Ranked 5v5 / Casual 25v25 |
| Large | Casual 25v25 only |

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## Ranked Mode — 5v5

> **Status:** design ideas only — not implemented. The matchmaking API's ranked
> queue path was built and then deleted (`CLAUDE.md` item 15) once it became
> clear no client would hit it before casual was solid; it's absent from the
> main menu entirely (not just disabled) until it's built for real.

Competitive, skill-based, MMR/ELO ladder. Penalty for leaving mid-match. Small–medium maps only.

### Ranked Mode Ideas

| Mode | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Flagship Assault** | Each team has a Flagship (large ship). Destroy the enemy Flagship while defending yours. *(Recommended starting mode)* |
| **Control Point** | One central point on the map. Hold it longer than the enemy to win. First to X seconds wins. |
| **Deathmatch** | First team to X kills wins. Clean, simple, easy to understand. |
| **Relay Capture** | A neutral carrier drifts across the map. Escort it to the enemy base to score. |

> **Suggestion:** Start with **Flagship Assault** only. It's unique, has natural tension (offense and defense), and maps can be designed around it. Add modes later as seasons.

---

## Casual Mode — 25v25

No penalty for leaving. Larger maps. Chaotic and fun — you can drop in mid-match.

> **Status:** **Team Deathmatch** is implemented for real — a 7-minute timed
> "most kills when the clock runs out wins" mode, plus a 30s pre-match
> countdown, live kill/death tracking, a Tab scoreboard, and a winner banner
> (see `overview/map1.md`, `CLAUDE.md` item 26). It's built through a
> `GameMode` abstraction (`spacewar/world/game_modes/`) specifically so the
> other 3 rows below — Domination, Conquest, King of the Hill — can each
> become a fully-realized `GameMode` subclass later without changing the
> match-phase/timer/scoreboard/banner machinery around them. As of
> `CLAUDE.md` item 27, all 4 modes below exist as real `GameMode` subclasses
> and are wired up end-to-end via a "category" tag on each map
> (`world.gd`'s `MAPS`, `World._pick_map()`) — but Domination/Conquest/King
> of the Hill are still scoring stubs (kills, same as Team Deathmatch) until
> each grows its own zone/point/capture mechanic.

### Casual Mode Ideas

| Mode | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Team Deathmatch** *(implemented)* | Most kills when the match timer runs out wins. |
| **Domination** *(category stub)* | Map divided into multiple capture points. Hold more of them than the enemy at the time limit. Ties to galactic war meta. |
| **Conquest** *(category stub)* | Contested capture points bleed the losing team's respawn "tickets"; first team to zero tickets (or fewer tickets at the time limit) loses. |
| **King of the Hill** *(category stub)* | One contested zone in the center. Hold it to rack up points. |

> **Suggestion:** Build out **Domination** next — it ties into the galaxy meta (Helldivers-style), encourages teamwork without hard requirements, and naturally scales to 25v25.

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## Galaxy Meta (Helldivers-Style)

- The galaxy is divided into **sectors**
- Casual 25v25 matches determine which race controls which sector
- Ranked 5v5 results also contribute to sector control
- A live galaxy map on the main screen shows the current war state
- This gives low-stakes players (casual) real impact on the ongoing war