Digital Media Concepts/Valorant

Valorant is a free to play first person shooter created by Riot Games. The game was officially launched on June 2nd, 2020 for PC. Valorant is currently reaching 14 million active players within the first year of its release.

Gameplay
Valorant is a first person tactical shooter. Players begin by choosing between 16 different agents. Each agent has different abilities and an ultimate ability that can only be acquired through a point system (kills, planting spike, defusing spike, and ultimate orbs). After choosing between the 16 unique characters, players are placed on a team of five either defending or attacking site. In the first round players are given a free signature ability as well as a default gun called the "classic pistol." Within the game, players are able to buy abilities and different guns such as shotguns, assault rifles, and snipers. The players in-game economy are dependent on how each round is played out. For example, gaining kills, defusing/planting spike, and winning the round can increase the players economy.

Unrated
Unrated is a non-ranked game mode where the first team to win 13 rounds wins the game. On the attacking team, the goal is to plant a bomb called a "spike". Players must plant and detonate the spike or eliminate the enemy team in order to win the round. On the defending team, the goal is to prevent the opposing team from planting the spike. Defense players win if the enemy team is completely eliminated, they are unable to plant with the 1 minute and 40 second round, or if the defending team defuses the spike. If both teams reach 12 rounds, players are put into a sudden death mode where whichever team wins the round wins the entire game. Players have two chances to surrender, once as attacking and another as defending. The surrender must be a majority vote and if a team decides to forfeit then the opposing team automatically wins all 13 rounds.

Competitive
In order to play a competitive match, players must win ten unrated matches before they are eligible to play the ranked game mode. Competitive matches are similar to Unrated where the same rules apply with an incorporated ranking system starting from Iron to Radiant. If both teams win 12 rounds they are put into "overtime", each team takes turns attacking and defending. The first team to secure a two-point lead wins the entire game. During overtime, players have the opportunity to continue the game or end in a draw, first requiring 6 players to vote, then 3, and lastly 1. If players win the match they receive points to rank up and alternatively, players will lose points if the match is lost. If the players ranked reaches 0 out of 100, the next game they play will determine if they de-rank.

Deathmatch
Deathmatch is essentially a free-for-all game mode that lasts for 9 minutes with a maximum of 14 players. Players are randomly assigned to characters and spawned in game with no economy restriction. They are able to purchase any weapon but are unable to purchase abilities, Deathmatch relies solely on aim. The first person to reach 40 kills or whoever has the most kills wins the match. When a player kills someone a health package is dropped, retrieving the health package results in the player receiving maximum health and a full shield.

Spike Rush
In Spike Rush, each round players are given the same weapon and the basic abilities for free. Everyone on the attacking side are given a spike but only on spike needs to be planted. The first team to win 4 rounds wins the entire match. Asides from being assigned the same weapon, there are random power up orbs that spawn within the game.

Some of these power ups include:


 * Paranoia - Enemies are given tunnel vision with decoy footstep audio that only lasts for 10 seconds.
 * Golden Gun - Player receives a golden gun with one bullet but more accuracy. Each kill grants additional bullets.
 * Twin Hunters - Upon retrieving, two hunting wolves are spawned and track down the two closest enemies. Enemies are nearsighted and slowed once found.

Escalation
Escalation is similar to Spike Rush where everyone spawns in as random agents with the same weapon. Call of Duty's "gun game " is what inspired Escalation. Players are given the same weapon or abilities but after each kill, the player is able to pick up the health pack and advances to a new weapon.

Replication
In Replication, every player votes for an agent to play. The game cycles through those agents and chooses based on that. Everyone on the team will be playing the same agent and each round will have a set amount of money. Players are still defending or attacking the site with spike and the first to 5 wins the match.

Snowball Fight
Snowball fight is a seasonal game mode where every player has a snowball launcher as a weapon and spawned in as a random agent. There are no spikes or abilities in this game mode. There is a rift that randomly appears on the map and drops presents, within the presents are power ups such as skates that help you jump higher and faster, "grow ball" which enlarges the players snowball, a faster firing rate, and more. The first team to reach 50 kills wins.

Agents
There are 16 playable agents in the game and every agent has a different role. When starting out, players begin with 5 different agents: Brimstone, Jett, Phoenix, Sage, and Sova.

There are four roles:


 * Duelists
 * Sentinels
 * Controllers
 * Initiators

Duelist
Duelists are "self-sufficient fraggers" as Riot describes. They are known for creating space and challenging enemy sites. Typically, a duelists goal is to clear out sites first, getting enemy picks, and information on the enemy team. A duelists play style tends to be more aggressive and better on offense. Most of their abilities consists of blinds or mobility utilities to enter a site easier.

Sentinels
Sentinels are experts on defense, many of their abilities are to catch flanks or slow down enemies. When attacking, duelists are best for catching wanderers, slowing down enemies, or getting intel on where the enemies are. They are also good at locking down sites once the spike is planted to ensure the round is won. As for defense, Sentinels are best at preventing the enemy team from pushing onto site.

Controllers
Controllers are good at dominating a certain area on the map, they are good at both offense and defense. Their abilities (like walls and smokes) are best for blocking off the enemies vision and making it easier for the team to enter the site.

Initiators
Similar to Controllers, Initiators are good at setting their team up for offensive pushes. Their abilities consists of flashes, stuns, and informational use. Initiators are best at getting information and revealing the enemies locations. For offense, they are good at getting their team onto site while on defense, they are good for site retakes.