Teamplay Game Variation - HogBall
by Dave Sanders · in General Discussion · 05/23/2002 (10:48 pm) · 15 replies
Posting up a teamplay variation for inclusion, deliberation, wherever. This is not fully bent towards implementation in the game, its more of a "sketch" and background of the possible game.
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HogBall (or any other bizarre orkish name, like LeatherGutz, SmashBall, Run The Squig, and so on) is a team based game. I imagine this being squad based (teams of 10 or so), but would find it wholly entertaining to see 100 players at once.
Game is simply "Orc Rugby". It occurs on a field roughly 400 feet long by 100 feet wide. A team scores by simply getting the HogBall into the opponents goal, which consists of a small cauldron, stone pit, or some other, similarly hard on the head item. The first team to score 10 goals, or is the last team standing, wins.
Each team lines up at the start of play at their end of the field. Play starts with all players on the field from each team. Teams do not neccessarily need to be even, as casualties could occur.
HogBall is dropped, carefully, in the middle of the field. The teams rush the ball, and simply claw, fight and run the ball to the other team's goal. The goals are usually guarded by the meanest, ugliest orcs in the clan.
There are few rules. Blunt weapons only, but they could be LARGE blunt weapons. (Some Regional playoff match winners have been reported to having small catapults and ballista on the field, which usually were set fire before the final goal.) There aren't really out of bounds, but players running too far away are likely to be taken out by the spectators.
Players would take damage from attacks and such. For gameplay purposes, being completely incapacitated in a fast pace struggle type match, would be anti-fun. But a "wounded" delay might be good.
Historical Background
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The game is reported to have started when GreenSnot lost his pet pig, Squeezey. A rival clan member spotted the pig in a field, and gave chase. GreenSnot and his clan happened upon the chase and took to it as well. The rival clan member, calling on his fellow clansmen for protection, managed to stow the pig in a small pit near the end of the field. Of course, that didn't last long, and it is rumored that both clans chased the poor pig for nearly a full day's light before finally losing the pig for good.
Of course, both sides blamed the other over the loss of the pig. A large inter-clan war errupted for several years until finally an outside force attacked and they were required to fight together. After that was all done, they looked back upon the "Day of Hog Chasin" and decided to give it another go, just for the fun of it.
Not horribly original, but it fits the Orc mood. Extra points if you make the "HogBall" move on its own, erratic, accord.
==================================
HogBall (or any other bizarre orkish name, like LeatherGutz, SmashBall, Run The Squig, and so on) is a team based game. I imagine this being squad based (teams of 10 or so), but would find it wholly entertaining to see 100 players at once.
Game is simply "Orc Rugby". It occurs on a field roughly 400 feet long by 100 feet wide. A team scores by simply getting the HogBall into the opponents goal, which consists of a small cauldron, stone pit, or some other, similarly hard on the head item. The first team to score 10 goals, or is the last team standing, wins.
Each team lines up at the start of play at their end of the field. Play starts with all players on the field from each team. Teams do not neccessarily need to be even, as casualties could occur.
HogBall is dropped, carefully, in the middle of the field. The teams rush the ball, and simply claw, fight and run the ball to the other team's goal. The goals are usually guarded by the meanest, ugliest orcs in the clan.
There are few rules. Blunt weapons only, but they could be LARGE blunt weapons. (Some Regional playoff match winners have been reported to having small catapults and ballista on the field, which usually were set fire before the final goal.) There aren't really out of bounds, but players running too far away are likely to be taken out by the spectators.
Players would take damage from attacks and such. For gameplay purposes, being completely incapacitated in a fast pace struggle type match, would be anti-fun. But a "wounded" delay might be good.
Historical Background
=====================
The game is reported to have started when GreenSnot lost his pet pig, Squeezey. A rival clan member spotted the pig in a field, and gave chase. GreenSnot and his clan happened upon the chase and took to it as well. The rival clan member, calling on his fellow clansmen for protection, managed to stow the pig in a small pit near the end of the field. Of course, that didn't last long, and it is rumored that both clans chased the poor pig for nearly a full day's light before finally losing the pig for good.
Of course, both sides blamed the other over the loss of the pig. A large inter-clan war errupted for several years until finally an outside force attacked and they were required to fight together. After that was all done, they looked back upon the "Day of Hog Chasin" and decided to give it another go, just for the fun of it.
Not horribly original, but it fits the Orc mood. Extra points if you make the "HogBall" move on its own, erratic, accord.
About the author
#2
Maybe an idol?
Thoughtless worshipping is something all races can do!
/me goes back to worshipping his computer
05/23/2002 (11:30 pm)
I dunno. A head would work perfect for the less "civil" types like Orcs or Goblins, but not make much sense with elves or humans.Maybe an idol?
Thoughtless worshipping is something all races can do!
/me goes back to worshipping his computer
#3
05/24/2002 (2:45 am)
heh, I thought of a live baby pig when I read the title. 
#4
05/24/2002 (4:30 am)
That would be very funny, having a 'live' ball. That means if it's fumbled or something it runs off :)
#5
Just a though,
--Aaron
05/24/2002 (7:35 am)
Or something like a Hedgehog or armadillo so that it look's like a ball, but when dropped it un-roll's and tries to run away (if it gets off the field both team's get a penalty)Just a though,
--Aaron
#6
But that not-with-standing - I do understand your point. Do we really think that a team of Elves would go after a team of Orcs without just outright fighting to the death? Well, the gamer may just half to suspend disbelief for a little while. Mostly I'm looking at this as a fun sidebar to all the war and destruction.
PLEASE keep picking apart the idea though... debating this stuff is great fun.
05/24/2002 (10:11 am)
Matt: As far as "civilized" goes, remember, the genre is fantasy. Even today, humans play games like these. Some as brutal, some are "civilized" only because they have things like advertising, uniforms, coaches, etc. And when the World Cup is starting up, we are often reminded that the spectators themselves aren't that "civil."But that not-with-standing - I do understand your point. Do we really think that a team of Elves would go after a team of Orcs without just outright fighting to the death? Well, the gamer may just half to suspend disbelief for a little while. Mostly I'm looking at this as a fun sidebar to all the war and destruction.
PLEASE keep picking apart the idea though... debating this stuff is great fun.
#7
There are many similar types of ball game. Most involve horseback riding too.
Phil.
05/24/2002 (10:34 am)
You guys do know that football (soccer) started by roman legionaries playing ball with decapitated heads wrapped in a pigskin bladder arent you?There are many similar types of ball game. Most involve horseback riding too.
Phil.
#8
www.afghan-network.net/Culture/buzkashi.html
05/24/2002 (10:50 am)
Buzkashi is a game in Afganistan that involves men riding around on horseback using a dead calf as a ball.www.afghan-network.net/Culture/buzkashi.html
#9
05/24/2002 (11:09 am)
Phil and Joe: yes thats exactly where I was going. :) Thats what sparked this whole idea, along with wanting to see a another variant of QPong - a largely underrated Quake 2 mod that I still want to see come back. :)
#10
something like that... ;)
d
05/24/2002 (8:31 pm)
i had thought of a cyberball-style game, where the ball was a smallish creature, with fangs. much like cyberball had the ball blow up (and damage/take-out someone) if you held onto it for too long, the creature would chomp whomever was holding it. creature could also run loose on a fumble, etc.something like that... ;)
d
#11
A traditional team sports game would definitely be a good addition to the RW world, but if you want to continue the Games Workshop influence you could always go for Blood Bowl ;)
05/24/2002 (9:26 pm)
There's now quite a few people (myself included) in the process of doing ball-related tomfoolery with the TGE. My TGE project is a series of mini-games, so I won't be going all-out, but I want to recreate some of the fun I had playing the Q2 Kick mod (http://www.planetquake.com/kick/main.html).A traditional team sports game would definitely be a good addition to the RW world, but if you want to continue the Games Workshop influence you could always go for Blood Bowl ;)
#12
05/24/2002 (9:40 pm)
All the round ball like animals talk just reminded me of Critters....damn that's a swell movie (can't speak for the sequel(s) though, never saw it/them). I would dig playing one of those shape-shifting bounty hunters.
#13
05/28/2002 (5:49 am)
I tought that football(soccer) was come from China where they played with balls made of hair...
#14
05/28/2002 (7:30 am)
Hogball, headball, headball, headball. It seems to be if I remember right that the people who did Rune did a mod in their "gold" edition that was called headball which was very similiar to the hogball concept, if I read things right. Might check it out, if you have a copy of Rune, for inspiration.
#15
There could be monster hazerds you have to get by too. Like tentilce things jumping out of a well in the middle of the field. Or maybe a field on the back of a sleeping dragon, and randomly the dragon snorts and fireballs rain from the sky.
Then for different games, have a "Hid the Goblin" round. Two teams of trolls face off. A goblin is droped in the middle. Each team tries to capture it. The longer a team has it the more points they get. If dropped, the goblin will try to run away from everyone. If the goblin runs to fast you can wack it with a club to slow it down.
06/05/2002 (6:43 pm)
You could have the ball dependant of the field of play. If it is an orc arena, have a head, elves have a leather ball, the Deamon Spawn arena has the baby( and when you throw it to another player it says "Mama" like the doll in planet of the Apes. There could be monster hazerds you have to get by too. Like tentilce things jumping out of a well in the middle of the field. Or maybe a field on the back of a sleeping dragon, and randomly the dragon snorts and fireballs rain from the sky.
Then for different games, have a "Hid the Goblin" round. Two teams of trolls face off. A goblin is droped in the middle. Each team tries to capture it. The longer a team has it the more points they get. If dropped, the goblin will try to run away from everyone. If the goblin runs to fast you can wack it with a club to slow it down.
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