Here's a list of things that can be done in Special Maps.

Spawn any monster that exists in the game
In your Magicka folder go to Content\Data\Characters to see the full list.

Give an item to all players once or recurringly, for example to keep them from possessing another wapon and/or staff.
The whole list of items can be found in your Magicka folder: Content\Data\items\Wizard

Cast weather or global magicks
For example make it so that there's rain or blizzard the whole time. It could also be at random times.

Boost/Enhance monsters and players by regenerating their health or casting magicka such as haste on them. You can also grow and shrink units.

Disable/enable elements and cast types temporarily, permanently recurringly. Whatever you like.

Unlock magicks for all players to use.

Kill units. These units can be a single player or a single monster or a whole faction of monsters.

Some conditions on which the abovementioned things can be done:

• Does a unit, monster or player, exist/is it alive?
  
• How many units of a faction are alive?
  
• How much health does a monster or player have?
  
• Does any player have any status effect (wet, burning, chilled)?

Some snippets:
Spawn Tornados at certain positions (haven't quite figured out how the positions work though)
<magick position="-30,0,0" magicktype="Tornado" delay="1"/>
<magick position="0,-30,0" magicktype="Tornado" delay="4"/>
<magick position="0,30,-30" magicktype="Tornado" delay="8"/>

(~~)QEFAAA + ASRSA (or any other beam with R)
(~~)EARAR + QFQFASA (or any other beam with QF)

EFDFF + ASFSS
EARAR + QFQFQFQF

One song? This is downright impossible for me, so I tried to compile a list containing one song of each of my favourite bands... which turned out to be impossible as well. Gave up halfway through. Too many good songs.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvKcxnmQTUun6lte7kgb5k1KgAorwZLHF (WIP)

Actually, favourite song might be this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfuxWfVapqw

Thinking about buying HELLDIVERS and Gauntlet. Both by Arrowhead Game Studios and great games, MP too.
https://psteamproxy.yuanyoumao.com/bundle/11869/Arrowhead_Ultimate_Coop_Collection/

https://psteamproxy.yuanyoumao.com/app/258970/Gauntlet_Slayer_Edition/

https://psteamproxy.yuanyoumao.com/app/394510/HELLDIVERS_Dive_Harder_Edition/

(relevant up until version date 2020-12-20 (current))
I think I will replace Hard Mode and Super Hard Mode with "advanced" versions at some point because the vanilla challenges just can't be made much more interesting by just increasing the quantity of monsters.

For now, if you play with people from this group, I recommend playing the Advanced Hard Mode maps. If you play with random people (who are usually not as proficient), I recommend choosing Hard Mode.

If you come across any waves that feel too hard or too easy compared to earlier waves, please let me know; PM me directly or comment here.

Back in 2014 (original thread) I created a tool that lets you host and play lightly modified challenge maps with other players without them having to download anything. Now with updates.

• Hard Mode
  same as the vanilla challenge but with roughly 3 times more monsters
  
• Super Hard Mode
  same as the vanilla challenge but with roughly 6 times more monsters and tweaked spawn delays to avoid completely overflooding the map
  
• Advanced Hard Mode
  roughly 3 times more monsters and changed wave compositions which I tried to make trickier and more interesting than the vanilla version

I recommend turning off magicks because on each map about 13 will be unlocked throughout the waves. Most "Too Advanced" magicks (Vortex, ...) are never unlocked though, so feel free to enable those.
Players who join your game won't see when magicks are unlocked. Therefore you should tell them during the game when new magicks are available.


>>> Download it here <<<[drive.google.com] (version date 2020-12-20)
First, open your Magicka folder: rightclick the game in your Steam library, open properties, click Local files, click browse local files.
Move the content of the zip-archive into the Magicka folder. Done.

1. start the game (windowed mode highly recommended) and host a challenge lobby
   
2. start the batch file called challengeloader
   
3. follow the very simply instructions in the command prompt window
   
4. once you've loaded the challenge, start the level
   
5. don't forget to tell players about unlocked magicks while playing

When Magicka starts it checks the integrity of all the files. If a level file is modified it will be marked as such, and you will only be able to play that modified level with people who have the exact same file.
However, level files that get modified after the game has started won't be recognised as modded and you're able to play them with others.
All this tool does is replace the original file with the modded one, and once you're done playing it restores the original file again.



Long post but it's really super duper simple.

Magicka is fun but not 24/7, so post other multiplayer games you like playing here and discuss. Bonus internet points for providing a link to Steam store page or GOG or whatever.
The text channel "Other MP games" in the group chatroom can be used to organise playing together.

Malfegor https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/profiles/76561198051404607

Vesuvius https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/profiles/76561198006245632