Race

A screenshot of a multiplayer Race netgame.

Race is a multiplayer gametype in SRB2 that is usually played on Single Player maps. The objective is to reach the goal as fast as possible, and the player with the fastest time wins. In addition to Single Player maps, SRB2 also supports Circuit maps for Race mode. These maps have a circular layout in which the players need to complete a certain number of laps to finish the stage. Race mode is enabled for a map by adding the keyword Race to the TypeOfLevel parameter of its level header.

Gametype format

Each round starts with the players standing still and unable to move at the spawn point of the map. After a countdown of three seconds, the time starts running and the players can start moving. For Single Player maps, the level then progresses normally until the first player reaches the exit. In Circuit maps, the players must activate every Star Post in the right order to complete a lap. If a Star Post is left out, all following Star Posts will not activate. The number of laps needed to complete the stage (4 by default) is set by the console variable numlaps – if usemaplaps is turned on, the level header parameter NumLaps determines the default number of laps for a particular Circuit map. Players are given infinite lives in Race mode and will respawn at the last Star Post if they die.

Once the first player finishes the map, a countdown of 60 seconds starts. All players that have not finished the map by the time the countdown reaches zero will receive a Time Over and automatically place last. All players that finished the map are then ranked according to time on the intermission screen and the player with the fastest time wins. The length of the countdown in seconds is set by the console variable countdowntime.

Circuit levels

See also: Level Design 101/Circuit

While SRB2 no longer features Circuit maps in its official level roster, custom Circuit maps can still be made. In order to make them work correctly, a few things need to be held in mind:

The finish line, which as acts as the lap counter and the starting point, needs to have the Circuit Finish Line sector type. Although not required, the black-and-white checkerboard texture SPEC2 as well as its flat counterpart SFLR08 are typically used to designate this sector in some way. The Star Posts should have a Star Post Activator around them that spans across the whole width of the track to make sure players cannot miss a Star Post.

When played in Race mode, any map containing a Circuit Finish Line sector will automatically play in Circuit mode; no additional steps are required.