The FAQ is divided into the following sections:

General Questions
Gameplay & Control
Features
Technology
Editing/Modding
Miscellaneous

What is OMF:Battlegrounds?
Battlegrounds is the first on-line, 3D multiplayer fighting game. We've created "What Is One Must Fall: Battlegrounds?" to introduce you to the game and its key features.

What are the PC-version system requirements?
To play the game with low detail settings, you'll need a 500MHz CPU, 128MB of RAM, and a recent 3D accelerator. To fully enjoy the game, we recommend an 800MHz CPU, 256MB of RAM, an advanced 3D accelerator, and a sound card that supports 3D audio. To phrase it differently: if you're playing other recent games, you'll be able to play Battlegrounds without any trouble.

Do I need a T&L-enabled accelerator?
No, but it'll make the game look better if you do.

Are you planning to release a version for X-Box / PS2 / Gamecube / Mac / Linux / etc?
We have plans to port Battlegrounds to the X-Box. We are also considering ports to other platforms.

Gameplay & Control

How exactly does the combo system work?
Many of your robot's punches and kicks are "linked". After performing your first move, use a linked move and it'll execute sooner than normal. (It's up to you to figure out which moves are linked, but in general they're the ones that flow together physically).

As for counting the number of hits in a combo, it works as follows: any quick series of hits against a single opponent is considered a combo. These hits could be hand-to-hand attacks, special moves, objects, or even hazards. The player who deals the last hit in the series is awarded the combo and any bonuses that go with it. (Yes, this means you can "steal" combos, but it's not as easy as you might think).

Why can't I use "mouse-look" controls?
Many "shooter" or action games use the mouse to move the player's view quickly and aim their weapon precisely. Mouse-look is appropriate for those games because their weapons can be fired using the 2 mouse buttons.

In Battlegrounds, your entire body is a weapon. Besides firing long-range weapons at your opponents, you also attack them with your feet, fists, and special abilities, and perform evasive and counter-attack maneuvers. Controlling all these movements while looking are you in all directions would make the game very difficult to play. Furthermore, because aiming your weapons plays very little part in the action, the precise control of mouse-look is not necessary.

Features

How many robots are there?
Battlegrounds includes 8 robots: Jaguar, Force, Pyros, Mantis, Chronos, Katana, Warlord, and Gargoyle. To read about each robot's abilities and see pictures of them in action, check out our robot previews.

Can I customise my robot's appearance?
Yes. You can pick from three "paint jobs" (patterns) for each robot, and your pilot or team will determine the colours used to paint that pattern. We are also considering the possibility of stamping team or personal logos on the robot's body.

How many arenas are there?
Battlegrounds includes 12 arenas: Blade Pit, Canyon, City, Desert, Fire Pit, Iceberg, "Pharaoh's Fire", Power Plant, Space Station, Volcano, and 2 unannounced arenas. You can learn more about each arena in our arena previews.

How many pilots are there?
Fifty (50), each with their own background, personality, colour scheme, and story.

Will Battlegrounds use slow-motion effects like Max Payne or The Matrix?
No. It's a cute gimmick, but it wouldn't work in a multiplayer game - who wants to have the action slow down because some other guy, off-screen, is using a finishing move? The effect would be unpredictable and annoying.

Can I record my fights to show my friends?
Yes. In fact, Battlegrounds allows you to record any match, play it back, change camera angles, view the action in slow-motion, and even save the recording as an AVI (video) file.

Will Battlegrounds use an on-line ranking and stats system?
Some form of stats system is planned - we're currently investigating the possibilities.
Will the game feature hidden robots or arenas, cheat options, or other secrets?
No... *cough*.

Will single-player mode feature a unique story and ending for every pilot?
Every principal character will have a unique story and ending. If time permits, we will create unique stories for secondary characters as well.

Does Battlegrounds support multiplayer over LAN?
Yes!

What about serial link, or 2-player split-screen mode?
No!

Can we import our own clan logos for use in team battles?
We're currently considering this feature.

Can gargoyle fly?
Gargoyle has limited flying and gliding abilities, but cannot fly freely around the arena or remain airborne for extended periods.

Technology

How many players can join a server?
The number is limited only by your hardware. Adding too many players will result in choppy performance. We are planning for 16 players to be a feasible number. However, everyone's tastes and performance demands are unique, so you may find your "personal limit" is higher or lower.

How do I browse servers or join a match?
Battlegrounds incorporates Gamespy™ technology. This means you can browse through a list of servers to find one that is running your favourite match-type and mods, or list the servers by connection quality to get the optimal experience. Connecting to a server is as simple as clicking on its entry in the list.

Which graphics API's will be supported?
Battlegrounds will support Direct3D and OpenGL.

What if I have a slow modem?
All other matters aside, a faster and more reliable internet connection will always result in better gameplay (for any on-line game). Having said that, Battlegrounds uses a number of tricks to keep the game playing smoothly when "hiccups" occur. For the optimum experience we recommend a high-speed connection.

How secure is Battlegrounds against cheating/hacking?
No game is "cheat-proof". However, the networking technology used in Battlegrounds should limit cheating to a minimum.

How powerful is the AI?
We're still developing the AI, but our plan is to associate a "personality" with each pilot that will greatly affect the way they fight. This will allow for a wide variety of AI tendencies and fighting styles.

Editing & Modding

I've heard you can edit almost any part of Battlegrounds. Is this true?
Yes. You can change nearly anything using the Editor that is included. You can make modifications to existing content, or import your own creations!

Can you give me some examples of what I can modify?
Sure - robots, arenas, pilots, power-ups, hazards, sounds, music, mods (a.k.a. "mutators"), game types, single-player tournaments, computer AI, and the list goes on... Basically all game elements are open to modification.

What editing tools will be included with the game?
Editing tools will be released several months after the retail release of the game. Our in-house editor will allow you to alter all scripts and game variables, as well as import content such as models, animations, and music.

What other tools might we need?
3DS MAX (or possibly GMax) for creating models; Microsoft DirectMusic Producer for creating music; whatever graphics and sound editing tools you prefer to use.

How easy is it to create new content?
This depends on the type of content. New pilots are very easy to create. Simple scripts, sounds, and other basic content can be created by most players familiar with game technology. Other content, such as models and music, require specialised knowledge and may be too involving for the average player.

How easy is it to import and integrate new content?
The design of our engine makes this very easy to do.

How would I create a new robot?
A robot is composed of a model (shape), paint job(s), animations, and scripts for its attacks and special moves. Each of these elements can be imported from outside the game, or borrowed from existing robots. So, for example, if you were creating a new robot, you could import your model from 3-D Studio, borrow animations from Jaguar and Katana, and script your own special effects. Any mix of imported and borrowed content is possible.

How would I create a new arena?
An arena is composed of a model, textures, light-map, hazards, power-ups, and sometimes special scripts. As with robots, each element can be imported, or borrowed from existing arenas. There are also facilities for re-using prefabricated objects (such as walls, pillars, force-fields, etc) from other arenas.

How large can custom arenas be?
As large as you like. However, you will find that excessively large arenas result in slow or boring gameplay.

Can I create pick-ups without creating a new arena?
Absolutely. You can insert your pickups into any existing arena to test them.

How would I create new music?
Battlegrounds uses a special dynamic music system that responds to action in the arena. To create your own music, you must use DirectMusic Producer (a free download from Microsoft), and follow our music format. (Details and a tutorial will be included on the game CD).

What's to stop people from creating mods that unbalance the game?
Nothing. It's up to the person running each server to decide which mods to use or not use. In general, a mod that ruins the game will be fairly unpopular, while a fun, well-balanced mod will be run on many servers.

Will you include support for GMax?
We're investigating this possibility.

Miscellaneous

This FAQ file didn't answer my question. What now?
You should consider joining our message board and asking your question there. The message board community includes some veteran members who know a lot about the game, and can answer questions that aren't covered here. The development team also reads the forums on occasion, and may post an answer to your question.

Will you link to my OMF fan-site?
Only if it meets the following conditions: it is OMF-oriented, is updated regularly, contains a sufficient amount of content, and is suitable for a general viewing audience. To submit your site for review, please e-mail a URL and short description to steven@gmxmedia.net.

What the heck is OMF:2097?
OMF:2097 is the prequel to OMF:Battlegrounds, and was released for PC in 1994. Battlegrounds takes place approximately 20 years after the events of 2097, and revisits many of its principal characters.