Pt.1: Game Play / Scoring - Soaker Combat Rules

[isoaker]

Rule Set
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1: Game Play / Scoring / General Rules
- all key game information should be given to all participating Team Commanders and/or all Players prior to the start of any game (this includes but is not limited to game location, duration, game type, allowed Team sizes and permissible equipment)
- use of Referees or not should be agreed upon by Team Commanders and/or all Players prior to the start of the game
- in the event of an minor accident or Player injury, a local (any Player within visible/audible range) timeout must be called to assess the situation
- in the event of a major accident or Player injury, the entire game is stopped and injured Player(s) are treated and/or sent for treatment; depending on the nature of the accident, it becomes the decision of the Team Commanders and/or remaining Players whether or not to complete the remainder of the game minus the injured Player(s)


1.1: Location / Boundaries
- chosen location should be either a public area or a private grounds for which permission to use the area has been obtained
- locations used should be free of extreme hazards and/or dangerous areas
- boundaries should be set, particularly if a large expanse is used, in the event that a game Player fails to report at the end of the game; this will define the first area a lost Player would be searched for
- any actions that occur beyond the game boundaries will not count towards scoring
- maps should be distributed to all Players prior to the game outlining the extent of the playing field


1.2: Duration
- different game types have different recommended durations
- all participants should be informed of game duration prior to the start of the game
- only points scored during allowed game time will count towards final score


1.3: Game Types / Scoring
1.3.1: Definitions
Hit / Tag:
- a hit / tag is defined as a continuous fist-sized area (approximately 4 inch / 10 cm diameter circle or 12 sq inches / 80 sq. cm area if extended) hit by water
- Option A: a hit / tag can occur on any part of a Player's body
- Option B: a hit / tag can only occur on the chest/back and thigh area on a Player's body
Team Tagging:
- to tag a teammate in games requiring friendly tagging:
- Option A: a handshake and/or high five counts as a friendly-tag
- Option B: a Hit / Tag from a soaker counts as a friendly-tag
- Option C: both Options A and B apply

1.3.2: One-Hit-Kills (OHK/1HK) / One-Hit-Scores (OHS/1HS)
- for every successful hit / tag, the attacking Player is awarding a point
- OHK/1HK games use Total Elimination Rules
- OHS/1HS games use the Temporary Elimination Rules
- Players on the same Team tally up points at the end of the game to determine the Team's overall score
- if playing as individuals, the Player with the highest score/number of kills is declared winner
- the Team with the larger total score is declared winner
- in the event of a tie, a Sudden Death round would occur

1.3.3: Capture the Flag (CTF)
- The game follows 1HS rules. Should you shoot someone in the chest/back, and they have a fist sized (or larger) splash on them, your team gets 1 point. Should you capture their flag and make it back to your territory, your team gets 5 points.
Once a flag is captured and point awarded, game play is temporarily suspend to allow the captured flag to be moved back into its original territory
Added note, the flag must be somewhat visible from every angle, so you can't hide it underground, for instance, unless it isn't completely buried.
- Recommendations:
- Use Temporary Elimination Rules


1.4: Elimination / Respawning (optional)
1.4.1: Total Elimination
- If a Player hit, that Player is no longer considered in play and must exit the battlegrounds until the start of a new game; a tagged Player can neither gain additional points nor be used to gain additional points

1.4.2: Temporary Elimination / Respawning
- If a Player is hit, that Player is considered out-of-play for a set amount of time (recommended count-to-10 seconds to 5 minutes), after which he/she can rejoin game play; time should be set prior to start of game:
- Option A: Players must sit out for a set amount of time no matter how large the teams are (i.e. count-of-ten to 5 minutes)
- Option B: If the Teams are two Players per side, you exit for 30 seconds +15 seconds per person on your Team (if there are 5 Players on your team, a hit Player must exit the game for 1 min. 15 seconds) for a maximum of 3 to 5 minutes.
- Option C: Players must go to a designated jail area; jails can either be a designated common "neutral" ground or a specific area with an opposing Team's territory; to be freed from jail, a Player must be tagged by a fellow Teammate who is not also in jail
- Option D: Players must remain where they were hit until tagged by a teammate; once tagged, they can resume game play
- Recommendations
- Players who are respawning based on time should count aloud and/or count down from 10 seconds prior to their rejoining of game play (i.e. if a 1-minute out-of-play time was set, a respawning Player must begin counting down from 10 once 50 seconds had elapsed, thus respawning when his/her count reaches zero); this notifies all other Players to when a tagged Player is then back in the game
- for long games, longer respawning times are advisable

1.4.2.1: Respawning Location
- Option A: Players spend out-of-play stationary and simply respawn where they were tagged
- Option B: Players cannot attack during their out-of-play time, but can move to a new location from where they were tagged
- Option C: Players must return to a respawning point; if they reach the point prior to their time out, they must wait at the respawning point until the time-out completes; players cannot respawn at any other points
- Option D: Players must return to their own territory to respawn, but can respawn anywhere within their Team's occupied territory
- Option E: If Jails are used, respawning can only occur when tagged by an Team ally when in the Jail area of the opposing Team

1.4.2.2: Camping:
- in most cases, camping out at respawning points is not permitted nor tactically sound; to prevent camping, a respawned player cannot be shot right away until either he/she has attacked again or a grace-period has elapsed. The grace-period must be agreed upon prior to start of the game (recommended 15 to 30 seconds)


1.5: Penalties:
1.5.1: Out-of-Bounds:
- Players who wander out-of-bounds are considered out-of-play with points awarded to the opposing Teams or Players
- Option A: an out-of-bounds Player is out-of-play for the remainder of the game
- Option B: an out-of-bounds Player can respawn according to the respawning rules agreed upon (this may mean going to the opposing Team's jail if jail rules are in effect)
- Recommendations:
- When boundaries are difficult to mark, distribute maps to Players with the out-of-bounds lines drawn. Satellite maps allow for accurate designing of the game boundaries.


1.6: End Game:
- all Players / Teams must report to a common ground at the end of a game for final scoring purposes, to complete a head count, and deal with any minor accidental injuries that may have occurred during a game

1.7: Other Optional Rules
1.7.1: Capturing Territory

1.7.2: Capturing / "Stealing" Equipment



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Note: set will be expanded and modified as members contribute ideas and rules.

[mr. dude]

1: The game is CTF
1.1: Anywhere that can afford to get wet, preferably a park or forest, to hide the flag.
1.2: Your choice.
1.3:The game follows 1HK. Should you shoot someone in the chest/back, and they have a fist sized (or larger) splash on them, your team gets 1 point. Should you capture their flag and make it back to your territory, your team gets 5 points.
1.4: If you are shot, you exit the game for a set amount of time. If the teams are two people per side, you exit for 30 seconds. For every added person, add an extra 15 seconds (if the teams are 5 vs. 4, you must exit the game for 1 min. 15 seconds), for a maximum of 3 minutes.
Added note, the flag must be somewhat visible from every angle, so you can't hide it underground, for instance, unless it isn't completely buried.
Enjoy

[isoaker]

@ mr. dude: Added in your rules and tweaked some things slightly... Thanks for the rules and hope the rewording looks ok.

[DX]

- Option B: If the teams are two people per side, you exit for 30 seconds. For every added person, add an extra 15 seconds (if the teams are 5 vs. 4, you must exit the game for 1 min. 15 seconds), for a maximum of 3 minutes.

I'd suggest against that if the battlefield and/or teams are large. There can be quite some confusion during heavy fighting, especially in two engagements taking place at the same time. It is sometimes impossible to know how many players are left on a team in those situations where kills are rapidly exchanged in separate locations. Either that, or possibly add a clause for an automatic timeout after multiple exchanges.

I'd also suggest adding an option for respawning points: a player may respawn anywhere in territory currently held by their own team. AKA, you can only respawn behind the current position of your team, though it can be anywhere behind the line. If your team moves during your waiting time, then the available space moves as well.

[isoaker]

Duxburian raises some good points though I think is misinterpreting at least what I interpret about the time-out Option B. I'll edit the info into the listing and try to clarify some things. I currently have a MS Word file I'm using to also store the info (makes it easier to track changes).

[WaterWolf]

What about balloons? They tend to spray water in all directions, so a fist size splotch would be difficult to achieve without a direct hit.

[mr. dude]

Another option if you're shot at:
You must go to 'jail' (predetermined area in your opponent's territory). You wait there until you get tagged by a teammate, or you shoot an opponent (giving your team aa point and sending the person you shot to your jail).
To prevent people from simply avoiding the jail, i suggest making it the perimeter of your opponent's territory.

[HBWW]

I don't like the idea of using jails for CTF, and prefer a more FPS style approach to CTF. Anyways, I'll put in my ideas.

If everyone knows the battlefield well then no boundaries should really be necessary, just make a few rules regarding going around neighboors' houses and/or using their hoses.

Depending on the situation, a max duration isn't always necessary and can be done once a team reaches a certain objective, though it's usually better to limit that time in case it goes too far.

I would prefer moving to a respawn point. If the game involves many players and takes longer than a few minutes, pure elimiation isn't a good idea. Players respawning should count it clearly and loudly. The spawn points are better at refill stations, so the player can refill and pressurize freely, but once the spawn time is up they are in. A spawn time of at least 10 seconds should work well, but no more than 30 seconds, unless the game mode would work better with it or if the battlefield is relatively small compared to the number of players.

[Croc]

You must go to 'jail' (predetermined area in your opponent's territory). You wait there until you get tagged by a teammate, or you shoot an opponent (giving your team aa point and sending the person you shot to your jail).

Or the "jail" could be a central location where you have to stay, following the other rules in this option. They couold be seperate bases though...0 :p

[isoaker]

What about balloons? They tend to spray water in all directions, so a fist size splotch would be difficult to achieve without a direct hit.

That's the problem with balloons, but then a direct hit is an instant point as well.

@C-A_99: good points, but your talking about a specific game as opposed to a flexible rule set. All valid concerns for a CTF game preference, but not for organized games in general

Adding in Jail ideas shortly and now starting to keep a tab on contributors for acknowledgement purposes.

[mr. dude]

I will now try soakfest :O

To Score a point, one must be hit once (as is normal with 1HK), however, for 5 points, one must have no dry spots whatsoever on their shirt.
Option 1: Should you get completely soaked, you're eliminated.

Option 2: Should you get completely soaked, you are out of the game until you have a dry spot on your shirt. You may still wait so the dry spot grows.
No-one in the war may enter the respawn area, or shoot at anyone in it. If someone breaks one of the two rules, they are out of the war for a little while.

[DX]

I did mis-interpret "time-out". I was suggesting an automatic battle-wide time-out if there are multiple kills really quickly, so it could be assessed how many players are still in play. I was confused by your use of time-out to describe a single player's respawn period. Locally, it is a very sensitive word that is only used for a complete halt of all action for whatever reason.

Formal boundaries are very important. Rarely does everyone know the battlefield well, and often the boundaries are not that obvious looking. It is easy if you've got a neighborhood, but difficult if you've got a park and have to deal with possibly over a mile of irregular shaped terrain.

Jails work as an option, then again, that also depends on your battlefield type and size. At the Goffle and at Waterbridge, it takes about 10-20 minutes just to walk from one end to the other, and 1 mile battlefields are not even in the largest category. Having to travel to single places for anything would be time-consuming there.

10-30 seconds is a really fast respawn time. Even the RM-WB standard 2 minutes goes by really fast. Depends on the tempo of the game and whether you've got a time limit. You'd want faster respawns in a fast-paced war with a short time limit. You'd want slower respawns in a slow-paced war with a long or no time limit.

[HBWW]

iSoaker, I was refering to any game, typically where 2 bases and 2 teams are present, which isn't limited to CTF.

As to boundaries, they should try to stay generalized and not be strict, in case an engagement happens to carry on out a boundary. Once it's settled, players involved go back.

I kind of like mr dude's idea of waiting until dry, even if it doesn't work in any weather. I might try that out.

[isoaker]

@C-A_99: I was reading too quickly.. too many updates. Your other suggestions are being worked into the rule set. As for boundaries, I really don't like the idea of having flexible boundaries. In the event of an engagement near a boundary, as in other sports, if a Player is pushed out-of-bounds, that Player and/or Team is penalized. What I fear to see is an engagement near a boundary leading to a group of Players heading deep out-of-bounds though still during their "engagement". That could lead to lots of problems.

@Duxburian: wording is tricky... working on it.

[DX]

An engagement should not protect you from anything. If you step across an OB line, you are out, plain and simple. I've been in situations where the defense had to literally stand on the OB line during a battle, but everyone has known what would have happened if they took another step back.

[mr. dude]

When we say a teammate tagging you, does that mean with water, or like a high-five? I use the latter.
And how about the second way to get out of jail, will we use that? If you don't know what I'm talking about, I mean shoot an opponent.

[isoaker]

@mr.dude: good point; wording needs better defining. For freeing someone, a high-five or handshake would be more in line as opposed to shooting a teammate

[HBWW]

In order for strict boundaries to work, you, in most cases, need tape or spray to clearly define them. Yet what if one foot is out the line? In most fps's, you either have 10 seconds to return or you die, or the bounds are blocked off. If the bounds are blocking something dangerous, that's really the only time there's reason to go strict. War games are not like other sports where a relatively small, definate area is required to be defined. In many cases, a boundary is defined amounst an open area, and blocks off cover, which especially fits the case for where I play. Plus, a lot of people who do neighboorhood wars are not going to go around making lines, yet if they don't do that, there's really no strict way to define the bounds.



Edited By C-A_99 on 1170540444

[isoaker]

In neighborhoods, edges of sidewalks, fences, roads, etc. make great pre-existing boundary lines. In parks and such, edges of trails, rivers, streams, lakeshores, fences, etc also work very well.

Of course, depending on the group and the terrain, a little bit of flexibility could help make game play much smoother. That said, writing terms to describe how flexibility should be handled is difficult.

[DX]

When boundaries are difficult to mark, you can distribute maps to players with the OB lines drawn there. Satellite maps allow you to pinpoint the exact locations for where you want the lines.

I always look for obvious barriers, though when there are none, common sense prevails. For example, the OB "line" of the East Bank at the Goffle parallels a row of houses where some property lines extend further into the park than others. It is often up to individual judgment for deciding where to stop. Our southern boundary on the other hand is an obvious fence and the western OB line is an obvious railroad cut. We offer greater flexibility for the North side since Kings Pond cuts in at an odd angle. Generally, we are quite lax about accidentally crossing an OB line, both teams do it quite frequently. Purposely crossing a boundary, however, will still land you a quick life penalty.