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Who the hell are you and why should I listen to you?
Help, my Quake has fallen down and can't get up! Where can I go for help?
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How should I set up my controls?
What is an autoexec and how do I make one?
How do I set my skin and add cool colors to my name?
Where do I put maps that I've downloaded?
Where do I put models I've downloaded?
I downloaded a cool mod. What do I do with it now?
I've installed 1.27g and now my mods don't work
Why does everyone look the same?
Why does Quake 3:Arena keep asking me for my CD key?
I get the error message 'Server wants Protocol 4X'. What do I do?
I get the error message, "Quake II cannot install on this language of ..."
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What's a grapple and how do I get one?
How do I bind a button to multiple weapons?
How do I do those cool jumps?
How do people do those incredible mid-air rails?
How do I change my rail trail colors in 1.30+?
How can I send pithy messages like 'STFU' without typing it everytime?
How can I get rid of the HUD but keep the crosshair?
How are the keypad keys named in the config file?
How do I add bots?
Where can I get better crosshairs than those that came with game?
How does handicapping work and why would I want to use it?
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My FPS never changes, what's up?
How do I check my framerate (FPS)?
My connection sucks, what can I do?
I've installed the 1.25 patch. How do I get rid of it?
For other game tweaks and tips, visit Tech Tips or Gamepower. I'll work on bringing some of the basic Q&A from those sites to here.
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How do I make .bat files to automatically launch a game?
How do I set up shortcuts on my desktop?
How do I set up server map rotations?
For a dedicated server site, visit GameAdmins.com
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How do I record demos in Quake 3:Arena?
How do I watch my demo?
How do convert demos into RoQ, .avi, or Real Media (.rm) format?
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What maps exist in both Quake 2 and Quake 3:Arena?
How do I create .pk3 and .pak files?
How do I take screenshots, where can I find them, and how do I view them?
What's with all the numbers? Doesn't anyone know how to spell?
What do all these abbreviations mean?
What are clans and how do I join one?
Who the hell are you are why should I listen to you?
I play under the name "Ifurita" and I still consider myself a newbie. I hang out at the Planetquake forums quite often and have asked most of the questions documented in this FAQ. I've tried to collect a the most commonly asked questions and the answers provided by fellow forumers or from additional research I have done. This FAQ is primarily targeted at newbies who need answers to the basic questions. Hope this helps.
My best source for information has been the Planet Quake Forums. The group as a whole is very knowledgable and helpful. However, you gotta help us help you.
If you don't have one, create it by opening notepad and typing "seta model "mynx/blue" for Quake 3:Arena OR set skin "female/venus" for Quake 2. Save it to your /baseq3 or /baseq2 directory as:
Encase the filename within the quotes. Notepad has a nasty habit of adding a .txt extension on files. Verify that te .txt extension did not get tagged on. Make sure you have "hide extensions of files with known file types" turned off so you can see what type of files it is.
This is the preferred way to make changes to your setup. Quake 3:Arena does not modify this document. It does modify the q3config.cfg file in Quake 3:Arena and the config.cfg file in Quake 2. Also, in Quake 2, the config.cfg will not save any aliases that you write. If you want to use them, they must go into the autoexec.
Lastly, the maximum allowed size for an Quake 2 autoexec file is 7 Kb.
Download a copy of my Q3-autoexec.cfg or Q2-Autoexec.txt if you want to see how mine is set up. You will have to remove the q2_ or q3_ if you want to use it.
Open your autoexec.cfg and add the following lines:
You can also use these codes directly in the Setup:Player line where you first entered your name -- I just like to manage everything though my autoexec.
Go to the Portable Name Caddy for a nice tool to format your name. As you select characters and colors, you will see the coding for this appear in the top-most window. When you are done, copy and paste this line of code into your autoexec.cfg at the line seta name "(paste your code here)".
The second line sets your model, headmodel, and skin. If you go to Setup:Player:Model, you can see all the models and skins which are recognized by your game. Choose the one you like best and enter the model/skin in your autoexec. I use the Spitfire model with the red skin, so my line is "spitfire/red".
Point Release 1.27 adds the option of choosing different head and body models. Specify the primary (e.g., body) model first, then specify what model should be used for the head, using the seta headmodel line.
If you play Quake 3:Arena team games (e.g., Team DM, CTF, TA), you might want to add two other lines:
These lines define what body model and head model you will use when playing team games. Are you confused yet? You don't have to specify a skin since the game will automatically choose the appropriate red or blue skin based on what team you're on.
Just remember that others will see the skin you are wearing only if they a) have the skin loaded on their machine and b) the line seta cg_forceModel in their configurations is set to 0.
where [mapname] is the name in your maps folder but without the .bsp extension. For example, if I wanted to play the map 'Serenity' by Mr. Clean (SERENITY.BSP), the command would look like:
If you downloaded maps while playing on a server, the maps will can be found the 'maps' folder of whatever mod you were playing
In Quake 3:Arena
where [mapname] is the name of the file in /baseq3 with without the .pk3 extension. For example, if I wanted to play the map 'Beat Box' by Ztn (ZTN3DM1.PK3) the command would look like:
Each new model and skin you download for Quake 2 should get unzipped into their own folder in /Quake 2/baseq2/players. Each .zip file should contain a README.txt which explains what folder needs to be created for your new skin. Check first to see if a folder structure is specified in the .zip file and adjust accordingly
New skins can then be selected by going to the Multiplayer:Player Set Up menu or by writing the appropriate lines in your autoexec.cfg.
If you still don't see the skin, go back and doublecheck that no folder structure was specified in the .zip file. If one was, take this into account when selecting a directory to unzip your files into.
You can access your new skin by opening the Multiplayer:Player Setup menu which will give you the option of choosing a model and skin.
For Quake 3:Arena
Files should be unzipped to the /Quake3/baseq3 folder. Once done, you should be able to find the new skin in the Setup:Player menu. If you still don't see the skin, go back and doublecheck that no folder structure was specified in the .zip file. If one was, take this into account when selecting a directory to unzip your files into.
You can access your new skin by opening the Setup:Player menu then choosing model which will present you with all the models and skins currently loaded on your HDD.
A mod is an alteration of the basic game. It can be as complicated as a total conversion which takes the basic Quake engine and creates what amounts to be a completely different game or a simple change which alters certain aspects of the game, like rail only, instant kill, superpowerful weapons etc.
There are two types of mods, server side and client side. Server side means that 100% of the necessary files are on the server and therefore no downloading is required to play. You only need to download the mod if you want to run a server with this mod from your machine. Client side mods are a little different. These require that the server have certain files installed and that each client has a set of files installed too. You will have to download and install the client files before you can play.
Mods in general should have a README!.txt file attached which will give you more details on where to put it. Generally, for both Quake 2 and 3:Arena, each mod will go into a unique folder in the /Quake 2 or /Quake 3 directory. Once the packs are installed, you should be ready to play. You can create a simple desktop shortcut to launch the mod but I won't go any further to address launching or configuring mods here.
Visit the links page to see a few of the mods I've tried.
If you want to play both 1.17 AND 1.27, search planetquake.com for a conversion program or look in the PHHortress for instructions how to create a set of batch files that will also let you switch back and forth between versions.
Set to 0 to allow all players to look like the skins they have selected (if you have the skins loaded on your HDD)
Only Quake 3:Arena generates protocol errors. Protocol errors mean that the server is running a different version of Quake 3:Arena from your machine. You can only play on machines running the same version as you. Check the following protocol number to figure out which version the server is running:
To install a patch, go to Fileplanet, then download and install the patch.
When installing the 1.17 patch, make sure you both have pak0.pk3, pak1.pk3, pak2.pk3, and pak3.pk3. If you are missing pak2 and pak3, the Point Release did not install correctly. Reinstall and pay close attention to the directory that it installed to.
If you are missing pak0, then you need to do a full install.
After verifying that the Point Release is installed correctly, you should reinstall any mods that you have added.
The 1.27 (downloaded version) adds pak4.pk3 and pak5.pk3. If you upgrade to 1.27 from the Team Arena CD, for some reason you will only get pak4.pk3. The only thing you might need from pak5 is the demo that comes with it, demo127.
The 1.29f patch adds pak6.pk3.
Here's what you can do:
Once you have it running, download and install the 13 Mb version of the 3.20 patch
Quake 2
Quake 3:Arena
All of this goes out the door if the server you're playing on has not enabled the grapple or if the mod does not have a grapple. Pretty much stands to reason that if they ain't givin' it to you, then you can't use it, regardless of how many keys you have bound to it.
This script toggles a button between 2 weapons. The example here binds MOUSE2 between the Railgun and Rocket Launcher.
Put the text below into your autoexec, replacing the 'X' key with the button of your choice (the last line of each group).
If you want some insight into why this script works, visit my Basic Scripts page which is just one click away.
For both Quake 2 and 3:Arena I find the following to be helpful:
To change rail colors in Rocket Arena 3, the command is 'setu' instead of 'seta' but I believe the color assignments are the same.
Unfortuantely the color codes aren't the same as the ones used the names. They are:
If you only want to chat with your team (obviously only relevent if you have a team) about a super secret strategy that you don't want 'them' to know about, use the messagemode2 bind. This will send your message only to those on your team.
If you want to pre-script messages that you know you will use often, then add the following lines into your autoexec:
I will not take on the moral discussion around this -- remember, this is a newbie FAQ. However, most people are willing to overlook getting hit once or twice while chatting. Everyone understands that you are under tremendous stress and have an itchy trigger finger. On the other hand, it is simply not cool to stand in front of the chatter feeding them their fill of rockets. To many, this would mark you as a lamer.
Conversely, it is not cool to hide behind your chat balloon and shoot someone in the back after they've extended you some common courtesy.
If you choose to chat, understand the risks you are taking and face into a corner or something, and don't get too pissed off if you do catch a rocket in the back, or two, or three.
This will turn off health ammo, etc., but not the crosshair.
Alternatively, if you want to add bots from the console, you can exercise a little more customizability over the bots you play with. Start a skirmish game, open your console and then type the following:
The final line will look like this:
This would spawn a bot named 'weiner' that uses Ranger's profile, plays at nightmare skill, is assigned to the blue team (ignored if playing FFA or DM) and simulates a 100 ping. ping-like movements.
If you want to build a server rotation for single player play, add the same lines after your map rotation for each bot you want to add. These bots will spawn on all of your maps, allowing you to customize a nice little frag fest to enjoy at home. An example would look like:
// Maplist
// Botlist
Save this file as 'server.cfg' and place it in your /baseq3 folder. Start a game, open your console, and then type:
This would set up a map rotation of three maps with two bots for me to fight against.
bullseyecrosshairs.com has custom crosshairs for Quake 2 and 3.
You can either set your handicap from the Setup:Player menu in the same screen as you select your player model, or you can edit the following line in your autoexec.cfg:
1) You might have a cap of FPS in the game. Type cl_maxfps and see if you get a number back. If it's at 60, set it higher and see if you get better FPS.
2) Turn off v-sync in your video cards control panel. The options should be there in the video card information in the Display properties. You might have to root around for it.
You have a couple of options here:
For Quake 2
Open your console (use the ~ key)
Type Timedemo 1, ENTER
Type Map demoname.dm2 ENTER. Demoname is the name of the demo you want to run (e.g., crusher)
Your computer will now run through the demo as fast as it can. Once it is done, call down your console again and it should show the total frames generated, time, and average frames per second
For Quake 3:Arena
The standard benchmark for 1.17 (as far as I can tell) is demo001 demo that comes with the game. Be sure that the demo you are trying to run was recorded under the same version as your current game. Quake 3:Arena will only run a demo of the same version as your game.
If you want to timedemo the 1.27 point release, you should find Demo127 which was included only with the downloaded 1.27 point release files. It is contained in Pak5.pk3 and did not come with the Team Arena CD. If you need to extract the demo from the downloaded 1.27 patch simply istall the 1.27g point release to a temporary folder and copy "pak5.pk3" to your baseq3 folder. Once you've done this, you can run the demo by opening the console and typing:
Tips:
Before your run your demo, make sure that your maxfps is not capped. Look in your /baseq3/autoexec.cfg file and change the settings for the following line:
you could also turn the sound off for the test by editing the following line in your autoexec:
set s_initsound 0
With the release of the 1.31 PR, there is a new problem. 1.31 uses a new protocol (67) and will not run older demos. Demos recorded under protocol 67 will have a .dm_67 extension while the demo (four_dm66) typically used for timedemos is a .dm_66. However, there is a workaround. Here's what you can do:
In your autoexec,look for the line 'cg_drawFPS 1' and set the value to 1. This enables the in-game FPS counter. Setting it to 0 turns it off. Unfortunately, there is no such setting in Quake 2.
So, how do you delete 1.25 once you've installed it? Easy. First, open your Quake3/baseq3 folder and delete the file called Pak4.pk3. This is the new .pk3 that 1.25 installed. Next, reinstall the 1.17 patch. That's it. You should be back to normal now.
Pay attention to the location of quake3.exe. This will vary from computer to computer depending on where your quake3.exe is located.
There are a couple of other things you can add, but I don't mess around with them. Check out gameadmins.com for more information on server administration.
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Set up a shortcut on your desktop with the same information.
as for the mapcycle...this is all you really need:
set be_nprotate 1
set randomvar vstr 1 17
For more information on setting up servers, visit GameAdmins.com
To record demos, you will need to know three commands. They are:
Start by opening the console (~ key) and type /set g_synchronousclients 1. g_synchronousclients only needs to be enabled to begin recording. I don't really know what this does, just that you need it enabled. Next, type /record [demoname] and pick a simple easy-to-remember name for your demo. When you're finished recording, type /stoprecord in the console and your demo will stop recording.
If you forget to set g_synchronousclients back to 0 before you start recording, the play action will be very choppy.
The full sequence would look like:
Play game you want to record
/stoprecord
Here's a simple script that can be added to your autoexec.cfg to easily record a couple of quick demos.
set demo1 "record gamedemo1; set nextdemo vstr demo2; echo Recording Demo #1"
If you want to record a game from several perspectives, then you can switch to spectator and then use the fire button to 'scroll' through different players. Demos are all recorded from the first person perspective, but you can toggle to third person when viewing the finished product. Here is a simple script for switching between spectator and play mode:
There, you're all set to go. I typically have H bound to the toggle back and forth between spectator and play mode, J to record a series of 5 demos, MOUSE2 to take screenshots, and MOUSE1 to shift between players. All you need now is a game that's worthy of recording.
To view the demo, open the console and type /demo [demoname] and it should run through everything you just recorded. PR 1.27 has a bug that prevents you from launching demos straight from the menu, that's why you have to go through the console.
Alternatively, you can download a demo tool such as Geekplay. I've just started playing with and I must say it is a very cool application. Geekplay also comes loaded with a 1.17 to 1.27 converter.
One of the really neat features about Geekplay, besides being able to launch demos by double-clicking on them, is the ability to change the speed at which the demo plays. You can choose from slow motion, fast, and super fast forward in addition to pausing demos. Geekplay also lets you rotate your point of view and zoom in and out. This is very cool if you are trying to take screenshots. I've included my modification to the config file that comes packaged with the Geekplay app. I commented out the screenshot and third person binds since I already have them in my autoexec, but if you don't, just uncomment them and you're ready to go. I also have a separate key bound to exec geekplay.cfg since I only use these commands when viewing demos so they don't get in the way during normal play.
To get really great screenshots, activate your timer and watch the demo you just recorded. When you get to an action sequence that you want to capture, note the timestamp on the timer. Later, when your watch your demo again, watch the timer and when you get to the right timeframe you want to capture, go into slow motion and then take individual screenshots when the action is right.
Now load up your demo. From the console, type \demo [demoname] to load the demo. [demoname] is the specific name of the demo we just recorded. Now type \cl_avidemo 30 (30 being the frames per second, this number can be changed to your preference but probably no lower than 30). To make things easier we can bind a button to this.
Here's a simple script to toggle the cl_avidemo function on and off:
Before you start this operation, you might want to first delete or move any screenshots currently in your target folder. The cl_avidemo function is now going to take a screenshot for every single frame of your demo. This will take some time depending on the size and length of your demo. After the demo has been complete, it should take you back to the main screen and we might as well just quit Q3:A now. Let's take a look in our screenshots directory and review our screenshots. If your using Paint Shop Pro you can simply look at the thumbnail and see which ones need to be deleted. If you want a free image viewer, you can download Irfanview. However, Irfanview cannot create .avi files.
You will probably see a few screenshots with the console screen since we started the recording while we were in the console. This goes back to the problem of "we should have bound a button to this". So either delete these or delete them all and bind a key to \cl_avidemo 30 and try again. The only editing that needs to be done to the .tga files is that it must be in 512 x 256 resolution, but only if you wish to do RoQ compiling. 512 x 256 was the only resolution tested by Worthless and it worked. I personally have never used RoQ so I cannot vouch for any other resolutions that might work.
Some people running PR 1.27 have experienced problems with initiating the cl_avidemo function while the demo was running, like having demo shut down and getting kicked back to the menu. My workaround was to start a skirmish game, start the avidemo recording, and then launch the demo from the console. Extra frames showing the first game or console can be edited out later.
Now I'm going to explain how to make an .avi file. We have a directory full of screenshots, all of which are in .tga format. That won't do while we try to make an .avi, so you can either go through each file individually and save as a .jpg or use Irfanview or Paint Shop Pro's Batch Conversion and save some time. Now that we have our .jpgs, let's make our .avi. Open up Paint Shop Pro, or your personal graphical editor, and go to File. Under File go down to Run Animation Shop. From there, go to File and find the Animation Wizard, because I truly don't know much about Paint Shop Pro. From my continuous plugs of PSP you would probably think that I actually liked the program. Nope, can't stand it but it does have some options that my personal Graphical Editor does not have. So it's either that or doing it the hard way.
I (referring to Ifurita) am a total newb to animations. I had a 25 second demo which came out to 132 Mb. I am sure there are ways to make this smaller -- at this point, I just don't know how, but would welcome suggestions.
If you want to produce this as a Real Media (.rm) file, you can download Real Producer Basic, a free demo product, from realnetworks.com and follow the instructions there. I think you have to start off with an .avi first before you can convert it to a Real Media file. However, the same 25-second demo was reduced to 800Kb in file size but I lost a lot of detail.
Again, I am no video/PSP/Real Producer/demo recording wizard so I am sure there are ways to produce this more efficiently. Suggestions and tips are welcome.
While this method is probably faster than the first method, the downside is less flexibility and control over the finished product.
To edit your .avi files and stitch multiple demos together, I've been told that Smacker Tools is an easy application to use.
Here's an example of the final product. This one is compressed using Divx, so you'll need a Divx codec. If you don't already have one, you can get one ---> here
Help, my Quake has fallen down and can't get up!
What is an autoexec and how do I make one?
The autoexec is a way to customize all of your settings, bindings, and scripts and have them all load whenever you start a game of Quake.
"autoexec.cfg"
How do I set my skin and add cool colors to my name?
Seta name "^1Ifurita"
The first line sets your name. The color for each letter is denoted by a "^" and number. My name, "Ifurita", is all red letters so I only use a "^1" in front of the first letter. The numbers corresponding to the other colors are:
Seta model "spitfire/red"
Seta headmodel "mynx/red" //only used with Quake 3:Arena, PR 1.27 and later
0 - Black (in order to use black names in Q3:A, you will need to add an additional ^ in front of the letters you want to be black so my name would look like ^^0Ifurita. If you want to make your name black so that it's harder for others to see you, cheat properly and call yourself '.' otherwise be prepared for people to give you a little grief)
1 - Red
2 - Green
3 - Yellow
4 - Blue
5 - Cyan
6 - Magenta
7 - White
seta team_model "janet"
seta team_headmodel "*callisto"
Where do I put maps that I've downloaded?
For the next three sections, I've made annotated snapshots of my Quake 2 and Quake 3 directories to help you better understand where everything goes.
In Quake 2
Create a new folder called /maps in your baseq2 folder and unzip all of your new maps there. You can access the new maps by pulling down your console and typing the command
map [mapname]
map serenity
Unzip all of your new maps into the /baseQ3 folder. If you've done it correctly, you should see a snapshot in the map in the in-game menu. If you are having problems, look to see if any folder were specified in the .zip file. If so, pay attention to this and unzip again
To play a map, start a game in Single player:Skirmish or Multiplayer and you should see a thumbnail of your new map as you scroll through map choices. Similarly, you can start a map from the console by pulling down your console and typing the command
/map [mapname]
/map ztn3dm1
Where do I put models I've downloaded?
For Quake 2
I downloaded a cool mod. What do I do with it now?
I installed 1.27g and now my mods don't work
There are many mods which have not been recoded for 1.27. This means that many of the mods you used to play and love in 1.17 will not work. I think that you get kicked back into the main menu if you try this. In any case, you should visit the mods author's page (the links page can help you with this) to see if it has been updated for 1.27.
Why does everyone look the same?
Add the following line to your autoexec.cfg to force all other players to look the same:
seta cg_forcemodel 1
Why does Quake 3:Arena keeps asking me for my CD key?
Open your Q3:A q3key file in Notepad. The location should be /Quake III Arena/baseq3/q3key. Put your Q3:A CDkey in there, remove any other wording, and then make the file Read only. Copy this file to all mod folders.
I get the error message 'Server wants Protocol 4X'. What do I do?
Error Message Version on Server Protocol 67 Version 1.31 Protocol 66 Version 1.29f and 1.30 Protocol 48 Version 1.27g or h Protocol 46 Version 1.25 - evil beta, stay away Protocol 45 Version 1.17 Protocol 43 Version 1.16n and earlier I get the error message, "Quake II cannot install on this language of ..."
What's a grapple and how do I get one?
Think of the grapple as Spiderman's web shooter. It shoots out a red laser (e.g., Coliseum, Lithium II), lightning beam thingy (e.g., Excessive, PwrWeapons), or a hook on a line (3Wave CTF). Once it makes contact with a solid object, like a wall or another player, it starts pulling you towards it. This could result in you getting to place otherwise not accessible by normal means -- which is kind of the point. If a grapple is mentioned to "off-hand", it means that you can shoot while grappling.
To use the grapple in Quake 2, write the following line in your autoexec.cfg:
bind x "+hook" or bind x "use grapple"
If the mod you're playing on supports the grapple, then you'll have to check to see which one you need to use. As far as I know, only 3Wave CTF uses the command 'Use Grapple'. Everything else should be fine with '+hook'.
In Quake 3:Arena, write the following line in your autoexec.cfg:
bind x "+button5" or bind x "weapon10"
I believe that the grapple in Quake 3 is pretty much standardized to +button5 so you never have to worry about alternative bindings.
How do I bind a button to multiple weapons in Quake 3:Arena?
Toggle Weapons Script by [f0o.Tick]
//Mouse2 Multiple-Weaponbind Script
set rl "weapon 5; weapon 7; set weapongroup vstr rg"
set rg "weapon 7; weapon 5; set weapongroup vstr rl"
set weapongroup "vstr rl"
bind x "vstr weapongroup"
How do I do those cool jumps?
What are all the these neat jumps that people keep talking about? There are many flavors of jumps that get you extra height or distance. Depending on the game, there are strafe, circle, rocket, rocket-grenade, rocket-gladiator, (you get the picture) jumps. I won't try to teach you how to do them, but Jump Centre has nicely laid out collection of Quake 2 jumps. Team Shambler also has an extensive collection of Quake 1-3 jump demos.
How do people do those incredible mid-air rails?
First off, I am no rail stud. Railguns are fairly specialized weapons, but in the right hands, they are deadly. Major Strengths Excellent damage per hit and the beam is nearly instantaneous -- no dodging rail shots. Major Weaknesses Long reload time, easy to spot rail trail, and no splash damage. This means that in order to use the railgun effectively, you have to learn how to hit your target.
How do I change the color of my railtrail in 1.30+?
The lines you want to add to your autoexec are:
cg_oldRail 0 //enables the new rail effect)
seta color1 "7" // core color
seta color2 "4" // spiral color
1 - Blue
2 - Green
3 - Cyan
4 - Red
5 - Magenta
6 - Yellow
7 - White
How can I send pithy messages like 'STFU' without typing it everytime?
Let's start with basics. Ensure you have the following binds in your autoexec:
bind x messagemode
The messagemode bind calls up a prompt that allows you to type a message for everyone to see. Hit the bound key, craft your witty message, hit enter, and then your wisdom will be shared with the world.
bind x messagemode2
bind x "say I gotta take a bathroom break, I'll be right back"
The 'say' or 'say-team' commands are followed by your message, then the entire piece is encased in quotes.
bind y "say_team You guys are on your own, I gotta let the cat in"
In Quake 3:Arena, When someone is in messagemode (this also occurs when a person's console is down), this little chat balloon pops up over their head. If you see this, you have two options
How can I get rid of the HUD but keep the crosshair?
Add the following line to your autoexec.cfg:
seta cg_drawStatus "0"
How are the keypad keys named in the config file?
Here are all the keys I can think of:
bind KP_INS ""
bind KP_HOME ""
bind KP_UPARROW ""
bind KP_PGUP ""
bind KP_LEFTARROW ""
bind KP_5 ""
bind KP_RIGHTARROW ""
bind KP_END ""
bind KP_DOWNARROW ""
bind KP_PGDN ""
bind KP_MINUS ""
bind KP_PLUS ""
bind KP_ENTER ""
bind UPARROW ""
bind DOWNARROW ""
bind RIGHTARROW ""
bind LEFTARROW ""
How do I add bots?
(Paraphrased from the Q3 Basic Server Guide by Dekard from gameadmins.com)
How can I add new bots to a map I've started? If you're running 1.27, it's easy. You can hit ESC to bring up the menu and choose Add Bots from the menu. You will be presented with a list of bots you have loaded in your game. Choose one, select a skill level, and hit 'Accept'. Repeat the process with each new bot. When you're done, hit 'Back' and then resume game.
/addbot [botname] [skill 1-4] [team] [msec delay] [altname]
/addbot ranger 4 blue 100 weiner
// sample single player server config
seta m1 "fraglimit 20; map q3dm3 ; set nextmap vstr m2"
seta m2 "fraglimit 20; map keep ; set nextmap vstr m3"
seta m3 "fraglimit 20; map 69pickup1 ; set nextmap vstr m1"
vstr "m1"
addbot grunt 3 blue 100 Bitchin'_Bob
addbot crash 3 blue 100 Sonja
exec server.cfg
Where can I get better crosshairs than those that came with game?
How does handicapping work and why would I want to use it?
Handicap works in two ways:
I do not believe that you can set a handicap >100. Obviously there is no game advantage to setting a handicap <100 but it can make the game more enjoyable and even-up the field if you're playing with more inexperienced people. It makes it easier to kill you while giving them a fighting chance when you hit them,
Set handicap "X"
Alternatively, add the following script to allow you to toggle back and forth between handicap settings:
// Scrolls through handicap settings
set hcap1 "handicap 100; set nexthcap vstr hcap2; echo Handicap set to 100 ..."
set hcap2 "handicap 80; set nexthcap vstr hcap1; echo Handicap set to 80 .."
set nexthcap "vstr hcap1"
bind x "vstr nexthcap"
My FPS in Quake 3:Arena never changes, what's up?
Two things to look at:
How can I check my framerate (FPS)?
demo demo127
seta com_maxfps (value - set a high number like 300)
My connection sucks, what can I do?
Check out the following sites for more information on getting the most out of your connection:
I've installed the 1.25 patch. How do I get rid of it?
If you've installed the 1.25 patch, you've probably noticed that none of your mods work anymore. This is because the 1.25 is still in beta (test) phase and has not been released in its final form to the mod developers.
How do I make .BAT files to automatically launch games?
How do I set up a shortcut on my desktop?
I've found that the easiest way to launch games is to create a shortcut on your desktop. Here's how you do it (the process for Quake 2 is the same):
How do I set up server map rotations
Create the following batch file:
quake3.exe +set dedicated 2 +set fs_game beryllium +exec (yourcfgname).cfg +map q3dm1
set 1 "map q3dm1 ; set nextmap vstr 2"
The last 2 lines are supposed to enable random map rotation....sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't!
set 2 "map q3dm2 ; set nextmap vstr 3"
set 3 "map q3dm3 ; set nextmap vstr 4"
set 4 "map q3tourney1 ; set nextmap vstr 5"
set 5 "map q3dm4 ; set nextmap vstr 1"
vstr 1
How do I record demos in Quake 3:Arena?
Recording demos and taking screenshots are a great way of recording your games and showing everyone else what they missed out on. Demos are also a great tool for objectively reviewing your style of play to help you improve your gameplay. Once you know how, recording demos is pretty easy and straightforward and won't really get in the way of playing games.
set g_synchronousClients 0 or 1
record [demoname]
stoprecord
/g_syncronousClients 1
/record
/g_syncronousClients 0
// Start and Stop a group of demos
set toggle1 "g_synchronousClients 1; vstr nextdemo; g_synchronousClients 0; set nexttoggle vstr toggle2"
set toggle2 "stoprecord; set nexttoggle vstr toggle1; echo Stop Recording ..."
set nexttoggle "vstr toggle1"
bind j "vstr nexttoggle"
set demo2 "record gamedemo2; set nextdemo vstr demo3; echo Recording Demo #2"
set demo3 "record gamedemo3; set nextdemo vstr demo4; echo Recording Demo #3"
set demo4 "record gamedemo4; set nextdemo vstr demo5; echo Recording Demo #4"
set demo5 "record gamedemo5; set nextdemo vstr demo6; echo Recording Demo #5 - last demo"
set demo6 "echo no more demos"
set nextdemo "vstr demo1"
// Spectator-Player Switch based on original by SDSC_Envy
set view1 "team s; set viewtoggle vstr view2"
set view2 "team r; set viewtoggle vstr view1"
set viewtoggle "vstr view1"
bind h "vstr viewtoggle"
How do I watch my demos?
How do convert demos into RoQ, .avi, or Real Media (.rm) format?
I have only found one guide, which really provides a step-by-step walk-through of the conversion process from demo to .avi. This assumes that you don't have a means of directly outputting video through dedicated video capture equipment. Credit goes to Worthless for the original post. I've edited and added my comments to his original post where appropriate.
Step 1 : The Demo
In order to make or RoQ or Avi files we first have to have a demo. Visit the previous section for a short tutorial on recording demos. Now do what ever you wish to have done in your demo. This step is best done with two or more people working together to create a much better look. On to step 2.
Step 2 : The Boring Part
Just as the name implies this is going to be boring. You will have to select what game settings you want to record. If you use the highest settings possible, you're going to end up with a very short demo clip. If you want to stream a video clip, you may want to select a screen resolution and video settings that are much lower. This is because we are going to write screenshots for every single frame of your demo. The constraining factor you should keep in mind is the number of screenshots you want and the amount of storage space on your hard drive they will consume. For example, at 1024 x 768 resolution, each screenshot is ~2.3 Mb. Reducing screen resolution to 800 x 600 reduces the size by 40%, to ~1.4 Mb, so think about your (recorded FPS X minutes of demo X file size per screenshot) = space required, and you should get an idea of what you can physically record. Going to 300 x 200 will result in .tga files that are only 226 Kb each.
//set demoAvi recording
set avion "cl_avidemo 30; set nextavi vstr avioff"
set avioff "cl_avidemo 0; set nextavi vstr avion"
set nextavi "vstr avion"
bind x "vstr nextavi"
Step 3 : The Compiling
From this step we should have all of the screenshots we plan to be use in our RoQ, .avi, or Real Media file. Now we decide which one we want to do. I am going to explain all three ways in this step.
Converting to RoQ
We will start with the RoQ compiling first. We are going to need Id Software's RoQ compiler or for easier usage, Inolen's RoQ Creator. Worthless has put together everything you need in once nice package right --> here. . It is a very easy to use. Not to mention this guide will be based on using it. Extract the .zip of Inolen's RoQ Creator into the same directory that has the screenshots and then start the RoQ Creator. Go to File then Add TGAs, and then highlight them all. This is assuming that you have gone through and determined which screenshots you want kept. This will fill in the information in the fields on the right; RoQ Directory and RoQ File Name, the only thing that needs to be done now is to name your RoQ file. Under RoQ File Name and after the backslash, type in the your RoQ filename. I suggest using idlogo.RoQ. And then click on Make RoQ at the bottom of the window. This is another boring part and can take a very long time depending on the length of your demo. So leave, grab a bite to eat, and just wait till it's finished.
Converting to .avi
Converting to Real Media files (.rm)
Step 4 : The Finished Product
If you chose the RoQ path, you will now have a compiled version of your demo ready and waiting to be seen. Now all we have to do is do the appropriate steps in order to see it. The more professional thing to do is to make a .pk3 out of it but we can simply take the easy path on this one. Make a folder called video and put the idlogo.RoQ in it. Now most people have not gone through the pak0.PK3 in the Baseq3 folder and deleted the idlogo.RoQ so lets put our video folder into a different mod, preferably in a different Mod's folder. And simply start up that Mod and your done.
Alternatives to compiling screenshots into .avi files
Another shortcut you can use is to use screen capture software to record a demo as it is being played on your desktop. For the sake of an example, I'll go through the process of recording a small demo in 300 x 200 resolution using Hypercam: Here are the steps:
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