Team Fortress Classic/Getting Started

Game types
Unlike most deathmatch games of its generation, players in Team Fortress Classic join one of two or more teams. Typically there are two equal teams, Red and Blue, although certain game modes may allow for more. Players select a 'class', such as Sniper or Medic, which determines important attributes such as equipment and special abilities. Players who are killed reappear at their team's respawn point, and may select a different class each time they spawn, as tactically appropriate. The game relies heavily on teamwork between players of different classes.

Although TFC is arguably best known for its Capture the Flag game mode, the game supports numerous types of play.

Capture the flag
Capture the flag (CTF) is a simple mode where players must take a flag from the enemy base and return it to a capture point in their own base. Bases are typically identical for fair play, and the game lasts for a specified amount of time or until a certain score has been achieved by one team. The game's most popular map, 2fort, is a two-team capture the flag scenario. Variants on CTF exist, such as where players instead have to take their flag to the enemies' base, and modes with multiple flags.

Territorial control
Territorial control maps consist of several command points that must be captured, typically either by standing on the command point or bringing a flag to the command point. Teams are awarded points at set intervals for each command point they control. Most maps reset once a team has captured all command points, which earns the team bonus points.

Attack and defend
For attack and defend maps, one team defends a base and another team tries to capture that base by bringing a flag to multiple capture points situated deep inside the base.

Hunted-style
The players are split into three teams - Assassins, Bodyguards and VIP (or Civilian). The VIP team consists of a single player who must traverse the map to reach an escape zone. The Assassins win if they manage to kill the VIP and prevent him from reaching the escape zone. The Bodyguards must defend the VIP, and win if the VIP manages to successfully escape.

Shutdown CTF
Shutdown is a variation of capture the flag where the players must first complete an objective (such as disabling a laser by pressing a button) before gaining access to the flag. The flag-blocking objective typically resets at regular intervals. (For example, the laser reactivates.)

Practice maps
Practice maps, also called skill maps, are designed for perfecting certain skills, such as concussion grenade jumping, rocket jumping, strafe-jumping, and climbing. They are not used for normal competitive play.

Fun maps
Fun maps are levels created as novelties and usually have no real goals other than exploring the environment created by the map author. Such maps often take advantage of the Half-Life engine's powerful entity scripting language to create unique minigames that can mimic other games such as tic-tac-toe, Pac-Man and skee ball. Fun maps may also contain secrets hidden by the map authors.

Team deathmatch maps
In team deathmatch maps (in Team Fortress parlance, DMs), players are split into two or more teams, introducing Yellow and Green teams if necessary, who have no objective other than to kill as many opponents as possible. Most regular Half-Life DM maps can also be played as TFC deathmatch maps. They can make for an enjoyable change of pace and also allow players to sharpen their combat skills without worrying about flags or other objectives.

A variation of this mode is Sniper Wars, in which each team consists only of snipers. These maps may feature barriers and obstacles to prevent the teams from closing to use weapons other than scoped rifles.

A less common form of deathmatch is one-on-one duelling where players agree to one-on-one combat using agreed rules. Such rules may include using the same classes (usually Soldier), signalling the start of combat by jumping twice, and refraining from the use of secondary grenades. Duelling in this manner can be referred to as "Mulching" or "Mulch Deathmatch", named after a map designed specifically for this purpose.

Sports war maps
These maps are based on popular sports, often substituting a ball for the game's usual flags. "Push", for instance, is a soccer game where teams compete to bring a ball to the enemy's goal. In Murderball, four teams compete to hold the ball for as long as possible, earning a point for each second their team has possession of the ball.