Generic Mutator ReadMe
Installing the UMOD
In a perfect world, anyone double-clicking the UMOD file would be guided through the installation process. Unfortunately, it's not a perfect world and some seem to encounter problems at this stage. If the UMOD file extension is unassociated, you should associate it with:
<path to your Unreal Tournament folder>\System\Setup.exe install "%1"
Now, try double-clicking the file again - hopefully, it'll work now.
What's a Mutator?
A Mutator modifies the standard game play in various ways. It is not as powerful as a true mod, yet can handle stuff such as tweaking the default properties of classes (for instance, turn all the lights in a level blue), modify the players a bit, replace items on the level and so forth. Any Mutator should be compatible with any game type, so that you could for instance use "MyMutator" in combination with the Assault game type.
Furthermore, there are two basic types of Mutators - client-sided mutes and server-sided ones. Client-side Mutators requires that the client (the machines joining a game) has the Mutator installed. If not, it will generally be downloaded to the client. Such Mutators will usually have features not possible to code when dealing with server-side Mutators (e.g. custom graphics and sounds, custom items and so on). Server-side Mutators are somewhat more limited, but you can join any server using these Mutators without having to download a single byte. Whee!
Using the Mutator
When you've installed the Mutator, launch Unreal Tournament. When starting a new match, click on the Mutators button and browse through the list. If everything went well, the new Mutator should show up somewhere in the list. Double-click on the Mutator, or drag it to the right-hand box to include it in the match.
Some Mutators are configurable - if so, they should show up in the "Mods" menu item in the Menu bar (this item is invisible by default and will only show up if you've got a Mutator or mod installed that makes use of it)
Cheers!
Bane