Four Players, One Keyboard: Setting Up Gun Mayhem 2 for a Room Full of People

Where everyone sits

The four default clusters are spread across the keyboard on purpose. Player 1 has the arrow keys with Z and X below them, player 2 has WASD with T and Y above, player 3 has numpad 7-8-9 and slash with * and minus, and player 4 has numpad 1-2-3 and 5 with 0 and the decimal point. That means two people at the left and centre of the keyboard and two on the numpad, elbows permitting. On a laptop without a numpad you can rebind players 3 and 4 in Options, but three human players is a more realistic ceiling there.

Setting up the match

Custom Game, then pick a mode. For four humans who have never played, Last Man Standing with the lives set to 5 and crates on is the right first match: short enough that a bad round does not sting, random enough that the newcomer can win. Last Team Standing in two pairs is the best format once people know the keys, because it removes the problem of three players ganging up on the one who is winning. Jetpacks is chaos with four people and the game itself suggests lowering the lives; take that advice. 1 Hit 1 Kill is the pick for a quick decider, since every exchange ends in a fall.

Character and loadout

Each slot gets a hat, a face, colours and a name, and then a starting weapon and a perk. New players should take an automatic starting weapon: it is forgiving of poor aim and keeps them in the fight while they learn the double jump. Experienced players can take the sniper, but only on a map with edges to use it on.

Rules that keep it civil

Agree a map rotation rather than letting the winner pick, use Random (all maps) if nobody can agree, and keep pickups on: the heart drops are the comeback mechanic for whoever is losing. If one player is far ahead, set them a handicap by giving everyone else an extra life in the next match rather than reducing theirs, which the game does not support.