Garry's Mod / Game modes

Garry's Mod game modes: Sandbox, TTT, Prop Hunt and DarkRP

Understand what common community modes ask you to do and which rules belong to the server rather than the base sandbox.

Edition covered

The PC sandbox first sold in 2006, covering the shipped Sandbox tools and basic interface. Facepunch screenshots are staged sandbox scenes. Community modes, add-ons and servers can replace controls, models and rules.

Choose a mode before choosing a server

The Face Poser interface appears beside a character model with an exaggerated expression.

Sandbox centers on construction and experimentation. Other modes replace that loop with hidden roles, disguise or role-play. A server listing's mode name is therefore more useful than its map name for deciding what to expect.

Mode overview
Mode	Typical goal	Main difference from Sandbox
Sandbox	Build, pose and experiment	No required campaign objective
Trouble in Terrorist Town	Identify opposing hidden roles	Round-based social deduction
Prop Hunt	Hide as scenery or find hidden players	Teams have different abilities
DarkRP	Play a job within a server's role-play rules	Rules and economy vary by server
Murder	Survive or identify a hidden killer	Short hidden-role rounds

Read role information at the start

Trouble in Terrorist Town gives players different roles and uses deduction; Prop Hunt divides hunters and disguised props. Acting on Sandbox assumptions can break the intended game. Read the introduction and server rules before joining a round.

Before entering a server
Check	Why it matters	Useful action
Game mode	Defines the main activity	Read the mode description
Required content	Models and maps may need add-ons	Read the listed dependencies
Server rules	Allowed behavior varies	Read the rule panel before playing
Ping and region	Affects responsiveness	Choose an appropriate connection
Player count	Changes the pace and crowding	Start with a manageable session

Expect variation between community servers

A mode name does not guarantee identical jobs, weapons or scoring on every server. Administrators can install add-ons and custom rules. Use the server's own instructions when they disagree with a broad mode overview.

Return to local Sandbox for building practice

A heavily modified multiplayer server is a poor place to diagnose a stock-tool problem. Reproduce the action in a simple local session, then add the relevant mode or add-on once the basic behavior is understood.

Useful tip

References

Guide references
Reference	Website
Garry's Mod publisher listing	store.steampowered.com
Facepunch Sandbox guide	wiki.facepunch.com
Facepunch tools guide	wiki.facepunch.com
Facepunch player guides	wiki.facepunch.com