Introducing Random Slot Games

We have added a new setup option for custom games - Random Player Slots

When a player joins one of these games, they are not immediately given a position to play. Instead, they will wait for the game to fill, at which point all of the players that have signed up will automatically be assigned to a random player slot and the game will begin.

This will be convenient for game hosts setting up games with random race assignments and other variations, and these games will also play a significant role in the upcoming Planets Nu League games (we are finalizing the details on those so more info coming soon, we promise!)

Overall the feature is pretty straightforward, but a couple things to be aware of:

• Even though you may not have been assigned a position yet, random slot games you have joined will still count towards your maximum public game limit.
• You can, of course, remove yourself from a game before it has started without any penalty. After it has begun it runs as any other game and the usual penalties will apply for quitting.

Also, since the slot you will play in is not known at the time you join, there are a few details that are different from normal games:

• Campaign mode is not allowed
• For rank-restricted games, the rank used for a player will be the maximum they have achieved with any race. So game hosts might want to set the rank limit a level or two higher than you would in a similar normal game.
• If the race for a slot is set to "Unknown" or "User chooses race" it will be assigned a random race when the game begins. The player will not actually get to choose their race.

The setting can be found on the Players tab of the game design screen. You may need to refresh your client to make sure you have the latest code. Enjoy!