trendpreneur

One of the coolest things I find about multiplayer gaming is emergent play — when players change the rules of the game, creating mods or even just rulesets that turn the tables on the developers’ vision. From zombie-rules to no scope, MMO achievement races and self-imposed hard-modes… when players are left alone long enough with a game, something tends to happen that makes you sit up and think.

I’m ashamed to admit I’ve not actually played Team Fortress 2 — I missed the boat when it first came out. But this player-created mod, “Prop Hunt”, is nothing short of awesome. One set of players spawns as ‘normal’ objects and attempts to ingratiate themselves with the scenery before the other team spawns and burns them all to death.

Cue hilariously-soundtracked video (Benny Hill wouldn’t go amiss) of people trying to burn down perfectly ordinary barrels, moving chairs and the occasional “Oh god, I’ve spawned as a frog…” moment. Almost makes me want to play the game, now.