OpenArena Game Modes
A full reference of all 12 OpenArena game modes (g_gametype 0–12), their descriptions, map compatibility requirements, and how to switch modes at runtime.
OpenArena Game Modes
OpenArena supports 12 distinct game modes, controlled by the g_gametype cvar. Note that value 2 is not used — the list jumps from 1 to 3.
Game Mode Reference
| g_gametype | Mode Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Free For All (FFA/DM) | Everyone versus everyone. First to reach fraglimit or highest score at timelimit wins. Standard deathmatch. |
| 1 | Tournament | 1v1 duels. Other players wait in a queue and face the winner. Classic arena showdown format. |
| 3 | Team Deathmatch (TDM) | Two teams compete for kills. Team with the most frags at fraglimit or timelimit wins. |
| 4 | Capture the Flag (CTF) | Two teams each defend a flag base and attempt to capture the opposing team's flag. First to capturelimit wins. |
| 5 | One Flag CTF | A single flag starts in the center of the map. Teams fight to carry it into the enemy base. |
| 6 | Overload | Each team has a central obelisk. Destroy the enemy obelisk to score. The obelisk regenerates health over time. |
| 7 | Harvester | Players collect skulls dropped by killed enemies and deposit them at the enemy base. Most skulls deposited wins. |
| 8 | Elimination | Round-based mode. Players do not respawn mid-round. The last team alive wins the round. First to win enough rounds wins the match. |
| 9 | CTF Elimination | CTF combined with Elimination rounds — no respawns until the round ends via capture or team wipe. |
| 10 | Last Man Standing | Similar to Elimination but every player for themselves. Last player alive wins the round. |
| 11 | Double Domination | Two capture points on the map. A team scores by controlling both simultaneously for a set duration. |
| 12 | Domination | Multiple capture points. Teams score continuously while holding the majority of points. |
Map Compatibility
Not all maps are designed for all game modes:
- FFA/DM maps (
oa_dm*,aggressor,kaos, etc.) — designed for modes 0, 1, 3, 10 - CTF maps (
oa_ctf*,ctf_*) — required for modes 4, 5, 9 - Other team modes (6, 7, 8, 11, 12) — work best on maps specifically designed for them; using FFA maps may result in missing spawn points or imbalanced layouts
If you start a CTF mode (4, 5, 9) on an FFA map, the server may log errors about missing flag entities. Always match the map type to the game mode.
Setting the Game Mode
In server.cfg:
seta g_gametype 0
On the launch command line:
./oa_ded.x86_64 +set dedicated 2 +set g_gametype 4 +map oa_ctf1 +exec server.cfg
Switching Game Mode at Runtime
Use RCON to change the game mode without restarting the server:
\rconpassword yourpassword
\rcon g_gametype 4
\rcon map oa_ctf1
A map change is required after changing g_gametype for the new mode to take effect. Setting the cvar alone does not reload the game rules mid-map.
Votes
If g_allowvote 1 is set, players can vote to change the game mode. The g_voteGametypes cvar lists which modes players are allowed to vote for:
seta g_voteGametypes "/0/1/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/"
Remove a value from this list to prevent players from voting for that mode.