Trackmania Game Modes

Trackmania Game Modes

Trackmania dedicated servers support five game modes, set via the <game_mode> value in your match settings XML file.

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Mode 0 — Rounds

Players compete in multiple attempts on each track. Points are awarded based on finish position (1st = most points, last = fewest). The first player to reach the point limit wins the map, and the server advances to the next track.

Best for: Competitive servers where skill ranking matters.

Key settings:

<game_mode>0</game_mode>
<rounds_pointslimit>50</rounds_pointslimit>

• <rounds_pointslimit> — total points a player must reach to win the map.
• Players who time out or retire still receive points based on their current position.

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Mode 1 — TimeAttack ⭐ (Most Popular)

All players race simultaneously on the track. There is no round end — players can improve their times continuously until the time limit expires. Best time wins.

Best for: Public servers. Players can join and immediately race without waiting for a round.

Key settings:

<game_mode>1</game_mode>
<timeattack_limit>300000</timeattack_limit>  <!-- 5 minutes in ms -->

• <timeattack_limit> — time per track in milliseconds before the server advances to the next map.
• Common values: 180000 (3 min), 300000 (5 min), 600000 (10 min).

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Mode 2 — Team

Players are assigned to Blue and Red teams. Points are accumulated collectively per team. The team that reaches the point limit first wins the map.

Best for: Organized team events and clan wars.

Key settings:

<game_mode>2</game_mode>
<team_pointslimit>50</team_pointslimit>

• Teams are assigned automatically or by admin command.
• Requires at least two active players to function properly.

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Mode 3 — Laps

Players race a set number of laps on the same track. Fastest total time wins. The track must support laps (have a checkpoint loop) or the mode falls back to a normal race.

Best for: Endurance races on looping tracks (stadium/stadium-style maps with lap checkpoints).

Key settings:

<game_mode>3</game_mode>
<laps_nblaps>5</laps_nblaps>
<laps_timelimit>0</laps_timelimit>  <!-- 0 = no time limit -->

• <laps_nblaps> — how many laps each player must complete.
• <laps_timelimit> — optional wall-clock time limit in milliseconds (0 = race until all finish).

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Mode 4 — Stunts

Players score points by performing tricks — jumps, drifts, and airborne maneuvers. Higher, more complex tricks score more points. The player with the highest score when the time limit expires wins.

Best for: Casual, fun servers on trick/jump-focused tracks.

Key settings:

<game_mode>4</game_mode>
<timeattack_limit>300000</timeattack_limit>  <!-- Stunts uses the TA time limit -->

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Choosing a Mode for Your Server

Scenario	Recommended Mode
Public server, anyone can join mid-game	TimeAttack (1)
Competitive/ranked server	Rounds (0)
Clan event or 2v2 league	Team (2)
Endurance racing series	Laps (3)
Fun / trick driving event	Stunts (4)

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Switching Modes Live

If you have an XMLRPC controller (XASECO, PyPlanet), you can switch the game mode without restarting the server using admin commands. The new mode takes effect at the next map change.