Challenge Games

What are Challenge games?

A challenge is basically a skirmish game with pre-defined settings.

At it's most basic level, a challenge will define:

• The map to use (either a custom map or any existing map)
• Starting position of human player
• Which AIs to use, and their starting positions

However, more advanced settings can also be defined:

• Alliance mode, and which teams/alliances players are in
• AI difficulty levels
• Base type
• Power level
• Scavengers
• etc.

In fact, the Challenge can define any of the settings found on the Skirmish Game Screen and Players Panel, and even lock those settings so the player can't alter them.

How do I install a Challenge?

Well, it depends on the way the add-on was developed. First, locate your Config folder, and then follow these guidelines:

Most challenge games are quite basic:

•  /maps – add-on filename starts with "Nc-" (where N will be a number between 2 and 10) and ends in ".wz"
•  /challenges – add-on filename ends in ".ini" or ".wz"

If those don't work, try:

•  /mods/autoload – more advanced Challenges (eg. that contain their own map or AIs) go here

The person who made the challenge will usually say where to install it – if not, ask them to!

How do I play an installed Challenge?

Challenge games are always accessed from the Single Player Menu → Challenges screen.

If you've installed a challenge but don't see it listed on that screen, the chances are you've installed it to the wrong place (try one of the other folders listed earlier).

How do I make a Challenge game?

Well, that depends on what version of Warzone you're working with and how advanced you want the challenge to be!

• Warzone 2.3.x – Undocumented, so take a look at an existing challenge to see if that helps?
• Warzone 3.1 – see: <challenge>.ini 3.1
• Warzone 3.2 – you can use a 3.1 style .ini file, or a newer format (which isn't formalised yet)

If your challenge is basic, all you need is the .ini file. If you want to include it with one of your maps, take a look at NoQ's challenge maps.

Examples

One of the best examples of an advanced challenge is NoQ's "The Paradigm" challenge, in which the player takes on the role of a New Paradigm base commander that's under heavy attack by The Project and their close allies, The Venture.

Not only does the challenge have a custom-made map, but it also has custom versions of the NullBot AI, one of which has been converted to create a scavenger ally.