* * /*\ *** * *** * ** *** ** ** *** ** ** *** ** ** *** ** ** *** ** *** *** *** **** *** **** ************* *** ************* ********* *** ********* *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ** *** ** * *** * *** \*/ * ============================================================================== Quake III Arena (patch V1.27), for PC (Gameplay FAQ) by: Jim Mazurek e-mail: JChops@versusbooks.com FAQ VERSION 3.6 (Updated 1-1-01) ============================================================================== ===TABLE OF CONTENTS========================================================== ============================================================================== 1. Disclaimer 2. Quick Intro 3. General Tips & Tactics 4. Weapon Breakdown/Analysis 5. Power-Up Breakdown/Analysis 6. Level Breakdown/Analysis (under construction!) 7. Item Re-spawn Times 8. Secrets/Easter Eggs 9. Useful Console Commands 10. Personal Setup 11. A Little Bit O' Respect 12. Q3A Web Resources/Links 13. Credits, Special Thanks ============================================================================== 1.)DISCLAIMER================================================================= ============================================================================== Most of you know this stuff by now, but I'll repeat it for the numbskulls who insist upon stealing other FAQ writers work. Unauthorized use this FAQ ANYWHERE besides www.GameFaqs.com is absolutely NOT permitted. I had previously listed this as a "notify-me-before-you-use-it-anywhere" kinda thing, but no one seemed to care. It's not that I don't want my work published anywhere else, but because I INSIST on keeping my FAQs in the most current and updated form possible. When FAQs are just being copied and pasted all over the place, versions get screwed, the info gets misunderstood, and I get tons of e- mails asking me questions that I've already addressed in newer versions of the FAQ. Just use common sense -- and have a little respect for my work, will ya? ============================================================================== 2.)QUICK INTRO================================================================ ============================================================================== I'll be the first to admit that Quake III Arena doesn't really need a gameplay FAQ. As such, you should know that this FAQ certainly isn't designed to be your ultimate resource on Q3 -- there are plenty of web sites for that. What this FAQ does do is cover a wide variety of interesting topics that most beginning/intermediate players should find both helpful and amusing. Try to keep in mind that I designed this FAQ to be both informative and helpful to new players while still remaining hardcore enough for experienced players to enjoy. ============================================================================== 3.)GENERAL TIPS & TACTICS===================================================== ============================================================================== ARMOR/HEALTH INFO Taking damage is treated a bit different when you have both health and armor as opposed to having health only. The inflicted damage will always distribute 2/3 to armor, and 1/3 to health. In other words, if you have 100 health, and 100 armor, a direct rocket blast will still take off 100 points of damage, but will now be distributed as 66 points of damage to your armor, and 34 points of damage to your health. This ratio is the same for all weapons. Make a mental note of this, and turn the armor into one of the most sought after items on the map. Statistically, once you get the armor advantage (or get "tanked up"), you're ahead of the game. Every shot your opponent lands can only do 33% damage, where as your own will do 100%. Keep the armor flowing in on your side, and your opponents the hell away from it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ROCKET JUMPING Rocket Jumping isn't something you'll want to do in place of regular jumping, but you'll need to use it as a method of getting to otherwise inaccessible areas. There are spots on almost every map that can be rocket jumped to, with some levels actually requiring you to rocket jump for a certain item (specifically, Q3DM15 for the BFG10K). To do a rocket jump correctly, you'll need to look straight down, and hit a rocket blast right as you hit the jump button. If done correctly, you'll fly far higher than a normal jump could ever take you. Also note that you'll suffer damage from this technique, which is why I previously stated that a rocket jump shouldn't replace your regular jumps. Practice it, and use it to find shortcuts on your favorite levels. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RE-SPAWNS If only I had the official 3D rendered maps where I could point out each of the re-spawn points... Man, what a gem that would be. Without the maps, at least you can be aware that there ARE a certain number of re-spawns for each map. This is actually a bigger deal for TDM games than it is for DM/1V1 games, although some of the smaller levels lend themselves quite well for some re- spawn fragging fun. Take Q3DM1 for example, where there are only four or five possible re-spawns on the whole map. If you're playing this game one on one, you've got a pretty good chance that your opponent will re-spawn quite close to your current position after you've fragged him. Make a point to take him out before he has a chance to get to the RL or RA and you'll be golden. Don't feel like you're "cheaping" your opponent either. Believe me, everyone has had their own fair share of re-spawn frags. It's all part of the game. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPLOSIONS THROUGH THIN WALLS/FLOORS Certain levels have areas with walls and floors that are thin enough to let weapons with splash damage penetrate right through them (with small amounts of splash damage only). Experiment around each of the levels to find these helpful locations. [Note: If you are playing version 1.27, this so called "bug" has been removed from the game. I thought it was a cool technique, but oh well.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AURAL INDICATORS (PART I) One of the more commonly overlooked elements in Q3 is the sound effects. Yeah, they sound good and all, but it's those very same sounds that can tip a good player off as to what's lurking around that corner. Footsteps are a dead giveaway in a one on one, and you should be aware that a good player will always know where you are if you're click-clanking around the level. Try using the walk/run toggle to sneak up on unsuspecting players every once in a while (when you walk instead of run, there is no footstep sound). Another big part of the sound game comes from the re-spawn noise. It's a distinct sound, and a good player will be able to dial right in on it. Like I said in one of the previous tips -- it's always to your advantage to frag a freshly re-spawned opponent. So make use of your speakers, and crank 'em up! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AURAL INDICATORS (PART II) Did you know that you can actually gauge your opponent's health by the audible distress signals they give off? That's right, you can actually tell if your opponent is ready to kick over and die just by the actual sounds they make when you hit 'em. Each model has what's known as a "warning" sound. Most notably are the Sarge with his "Errrawwh!" when he's about to die. Try starting up a game with a friend and then get him close to death. Hear how the character makes different sounds as they are about to die? I often find myself engaging my opponent (subconsciously listening to the sounds they make), and then working my offensive/defensive strategy depending on how hurt are. Listening to the sounds isn't something most players even pay attention to, let alone consider strategy. Oh, the horror... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TO RUN... OR FIGHT? Most players go in with a simple Rambo-strategy: "Attack 'em until either they die, or I die!" There is no doubt that this works, but you'll need to use a little more brainpower against advanced players. It's easy to find yourself running prematurely, therefore opening up to an ass-kicking from behind. What you should be doing instead, is holding out until the last possible second, hoping that your opponent will turn and run before you do. The problem with this strategy is that it depends on many different factors: current health & armor status, current weapon, opponent's weapon, opponent's health & armor status, aim, etc. Learning this delicate balance between running and fighting is a staple technique of any advanced player, and often, one of the main strategies that separates a great player from an elite. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MIND GAMES 101 A 15 minute tourney match isn't much time to "feel" out your opponent, and one would argue that it isn't even much time to try much of anything when it comes to really deep, and involving strategy. The one thing a 15 minute match does do however, is lend enough time to adjust to your opponent (with ADJUST being the key word here). If you're fighting the ultra-aggressive-attack-at-all- costs type of player, you need to find a counter strategy -- and find one FAST. If you're fighting a guy who got three quick kills, and then spends the rest of the game running and hiding -- you had also better find a solution. Be creative, and try to come up with things that might frustrate your opponent. Whatever you do, don't play into their hands. Example: if your opponent expects you to continually come out of the warper on Q3Tourney2 (where he can just hop around and kick your ass with rockets), surprise him by NOT using it. Ingenious, eh? Why be so utterly predictable like the vast majority of Q3 players out there. If you can manage to frustrate your opponent, you can probably also manage to change his/her strategy altogether. THIS IS IMPORTANT! You might not beat 'em, but at least it won't be a case of total ownage. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ USING WARPERS EFFECTIVELY If you go through a warper, you better freakin' learn how to use it. Lets take Q3Tourney2 as an example. If you're being chased by someone through the main room with all of the bounce pads in it, why not run for the warper and do an immediate 180 degree turn once you pass through it. This gives your opponent the idea that you're running away, when you're really just leading him into a trap. Once you're through, start throwing rockets directly at the warper hoping (or knowing) that your opponent is on his way through it. As he steps through, he'll get a rocket-in-da-face, either pushing him back through the warper, injuring him severely, or killing him. This is just ONE example of what you can do; there are many more situations where this sort of technique is applicable. Just the other day, I fell victim to my own trap and followed a guy through the teleporter and WHAM! He was waiting right there with the Gauntlet-a-buzzing! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTROLLING THE LEVEL One of the most effective tactics when playing a one on one is commonly called controlling (or running) the level. It's referred to as this because the player will be hovering around the best items on that specific map, whether it's the Red Armor, Rocket Launcher, or Power-up. Your main objective should not only be to keep yourself stocked on particular weapons and/or armor, but to keep those very same weapons OUT of the hands of your opponents. It's definitely an entirely different technique from camping, since you'll be moving from place to place instead of just sitting in a designated spot waiting for opponents to show themselves. So make sure to explain the difference to anyone on your server that's whining that "you're cheap because your just hogging all the items & weapons." What would they like you to do, stop and hand them a RL so they could fight you with more efficiency? The fact of the matter is, a very good player will "control" a level without the opposing player ever knowing about it. Every time you go to get the Red Armor, it's gone! The Rocket Launcher? Gone! And the Quad? Forget about it! You can simply do "loops" around certain areas, while staying within seconds of your guarded item (i.e. Red Armor, Rocket Launcher). It's as annoying as it is effective. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AMMO COUNT It's happened to all of us, that fatal "Click!" just as you were about to let loose with a rail that would've killed your opponent. But now, you're just sitting there with your thumb in your ass. The moral of the story is to keep your eyes on your ammo, even when in the heat of battle. Just make a habit to glance at it every so often, and soon, it will become second nature. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ USING BOUNCE PADS EFFECTIVELY Without a doubt, one of the weirdest things to deal with in Q3A is the bounce pads. Sometimes they're your best friends (when trying to get out of a messy situation), and sometimes they're your worst enemies (when a railgunner is just sitting there waiting to put one up your, er...nevermind). It's very important to remember that when you hit a bounce pad, your movements are fairly predictable, making for a somewhat scrumptious railgunner target. Your only alternative to becoming railbait is to use air control and try to trick the player as to where you're going. Since Q3 doesn't have much air control, you'll often find yourself getting whacked around by experienced railers. Don't just hit the pads and let them push you in the default direction. Use a little technique to get the weird angles going. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ QUAD DAMAGE TACTICS Of all the power-ups in Q3A (i.e. Haste, Invisibility, Battle Suit, Personal Teleporter, Stimpack), the Quad is the only one that will HEAVILY change the outcome of the match in favor of the bearer. In other words, if you get one of these in a FFA or TDM (and you're somewhat skilled at staying alive), you'll rock the house. Quad RL and PG are the best for FFA, but don't overlook the Quad LG or the Quad SG when your ammo runs dry. Some players insist on using the built in game timer to help them time the re-spawn. This can be toggled on or off with the command: cg_drawtimer 1 or 0. Watch when the Quad initially pops up, and then just add 2:00 to the time when it will re-spawn once more. Also be aware that the elite players will always know when it's ready to pop up, so you should take the appropriate counter measures to keep players from being Quad Whores. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PERSONAL TELEPORTER USAGE When falling off a ledge, into a lava pit, or into a foggy void, use the Personal Teleporter to warp yourself back onto solid land. This is why it helps to have your "use item" key setup as a key that's easily accessible. This is useful on Q3DM18, and Q3DM19. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STRAFE-JUMPING Ever wonder why certain players (usually the really good ones) always seem to be jumping around like rabbits, and usually, at accelerated speeds? Well, it's not just for show. You get two distinct benefits from doing this. First off, you'll be much harder to hit if you're good at doing it intermittently. Jumping will almost immediately make you a much harder target, when used to make your movement more random. The second and more prevalent benefit from Strafe Jumping is that you can actually move faster from point A to point B by doing it correctly. *The Method* To do a set of strafe jumps, you'll need to hit jump and strafe at the same time as you move forward. The more of these you do in a row, the faster you'll get moving. You'll notice a VERY significant speed increase if you do them correctly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE CROUCH PUMMEL Try standing next to one of your friends with Gauntlets equipped. Both of you should face each other, but one of you should duck, while the other just looks straight. The guy who is crouching should just press forward into the other guy with his Gauntlet. Nine times out of ten, the guy who is crouching will win. Why? Because the guy who's looking straight can't hit the guy who is crouching without looking down with his mouse. In battle, this happens very quickly, so be ready to get into crouch position asap. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE BOTTOM LINE (Important!) I can't TELL you how to become a better Q3A player. In fact, it doesn't matter how many Q3A FAQs you read on how to get better. Nor can I or anyone else SHOW you the techniques to make you a master. Sure, all this technical info and weapon data helps, but it won't make you any better at aiming, will it? And it surely won't make you learn the levels. And what about your instincts? Do you have what it takes to predict what other players are going to do? You see what I'm getting at here. If you want to get good (or better yet, GREAT), you're gonna need to play. And play a LOT! I've been playing Q3 since the first beta test came out (1.05 I think), on average of about 20 hours per week, and I still get smoked all the time! And still, I see far too many players out there saying things like "I suck!" or "How'd you get so good?" Instead of tossing out phrases like that, why not just take that whooping as an incentive to get better, and further your finesse and technique. And don't consider practice against the bots as your only method of learning, either. You need to play people to get good. Get connected, then get online and start "fRaGginG sOme lLaMa aSS!" :p ============================================================================== 4.)WEAPONS BREAKDOWN/ANALYSIS================================================= ============================================================================== Every weapon has its strengths and weaknesses, just as every weapon has its time and place. The more you play, the more you'll find ways to implement each and every weapon into any given situation. You should always take things like range, speed, damage, and even the skill/patterns of the opposing player into consideration when thinking about weapon tactics in game. Q3 isn't just a mindless blast-fest. It's meant to be both a deeply strategic and tactical game by its very nature. You can take the level of strategy in Q3A as far as you'd like to take it -- knowing that the farther you push yourself, the odds are your opponents will too. Remember that certain guns have "unwanted" effects in the place of sound and color that make them more detectable by good players. These effects are noted next to each weapon by the Equipped Sound and Visibility stats respectively. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GAUNTLET- You'll need to be up close and personal for the Gauntlet to hit, and when it does, you'll do 50 points of damage per smash. When it connects, you'll notice that you'll be repelled quite a bit by the hit, making it tough to connect with a follow up unless you have your opponent pinned up against a wall. It's especially useful when players are chasing you around a corner, and then you quickly duck behind a wall and equip your Gauntlet. Immediately run back around the corner and you'll give them a little something to think about. :) This weapon should only be used as an absolute last resort (unless you can find tricky ways to implement it like the aforementioned technique). In TDM games, you'll find yourself using it quite a bit. DEFAULT AMMO: N/A SPEED OF PROJECTILE: N/A MAX AMMO: N/A DIRECT DAMAGE (one hit): 50 points RANGE: In your face! SPLASH DAMAGE: N/A RATE OF FIRE: N/A VISIBILITY: N/A EQUIPPED SOUND: N/A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MACHINE GUN- This is probably the most useful default weapon in FPS history. It's hitscan, meaning that it hits from any distance instantaneously, and it deals out A LOT of damage in a very short period of time. It's useful in FFA or TDM matches to "pick up the scraps." Because of its high rate of fire, it's easy to get the final hit on a group of weakened opponents who have been dueling with one another in the center of the arena (easy frags). Don't be afraid to dish out major damage with a rail or rocket, then grab the frag by following up with 10-20 machine gun rounds afterward. DEFAULT AMMO: 100 SPEED OF PROJECTILE: Instant Hit MAX AMMO: 200 DIRECT DAMAGE: 7 (FFA), 5 (Teamplay) RANGE: Infinite (pattern disperses) SPLASH DAMAGE: N/A RATE OF FIRE: Very High VISIBILITY: Low (muzzle flash) EQUIPPED SOUND: N/A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SHOTGUN- This weapon is a one-shot kill on an unarmored man at close range, and gives the term "streetsweeper" a whole new meaning when used in heavy crowds. The farther away your target, the less likely you are to hit them with one of the 11 pellets in each shot. The patterns for each shell are random, and if you don't believe me, just try shooting 20 shells at a wall to see if there's any correlation. Because of this, it's absolutely critical to get center-mass hits for the Shotgun to inflict massive damage. This can take some getting used to, which is what makes the Shotgun one of the toughest weapons to use against high-level players. Some players swear by the Shotgun and it's ability to inflict instant hits while others despise its inconsistency. One thing's for sure though -- you can't argue with 110 points of damage at point blank range! DEFAULT AMMO: 10 DIRECT DAMAGE (up-close): 110 points MAX AMMO: 200 10 ft. away: 100 points (avg.) RANGE: Infinite 20 ft. away: 50 points (avg.) RATE OF FIRE: Slow 30 ft. away: 10-30 points (avg.) SPEED OF PROJECTILE: Instant Hit VISIBILITY: Low (smoke/muzzle flash) SPLASH DAMAGE: N/A EQUIPPED SOUND: N/A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PLASMA GUN- The Plasma Gun has an extremely high rate of fire, and does 20 points of damage with each ball (on direct hits), making it great as a room clearer. Its only drawback is the fact that the projectiles themselves are easy to dodge at medium to long ranges. One thing to keep in mind when using the Plasma Gun is to find alternate patterns of dispersal. Try using the infamous "S-pattern," or even the technique where you shake your mouse (left to right) to get a larger spread. The plasma balls are also very vibrant (visually), giving away your position almost immediately to all players around you. The Plasma Gun shots do give off splash damage, so be extra careful when rounding corners and the like -- it's very easy to kill yourself with the excess splash. DEFAULT AMMO: 50 SPEED OF PROJECTILE: Moderate MAX AMMO: 200 DIRECT DAMAGE (one ball): 20 points RANGE: Infinite SPLASH DAMAGE: 1-19 points RATE OF FIRE: Very High VISIBILITY: High (bright purple balls) EQUIPPED SOUND: N/A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GRENADE LAUNCHER- The GL isn't so great for offense, but works wonders for defense. It lobs projectiles that are more powerful than rockets, although the rate of fire is somewhat slow. You'll gain an advantage with the GL from increased elevations, as the grenades will naturally try to find the lowest possible ground. I like lobbing grenades into a large lot of players during a FFA, accumulating splash damage on the whole crowd. You can also try using the GL when you're being pressed by an extremely aggressive opponent. They'll think twice about rushing after you make 'em eat one of these puppies... DEFAULT AMMO: 10 SPEED OF PROJECTILE: Very Slow MAX AMMO: 200 DIRECT DAMAGE (one shot): 120 points RANGE: 75-90 ft. maximum SPLASH DAMAGE: 1-119 points RATE OF FIRE: Moderate VISIBILITY: Moderate (smoke trails) EQUIPPED SOUND: N/A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ROCKET LAUNCHER- If you're going to practice with a specific weapon, then make sure to invest some time with the RL. Not only will you need to learn to effectively use it, but you'll also need to learn to take counter measures against it. Since it's not a hitscan weapon (it's actually rather slow), a good player will learn to dodge and avoid rockets on a regular basis. Try shooting a rocket at your opponents feet, bouncing them up in the air, and then hitting them on their way down with a follow up rocket for the frag. Now sit back and watch your frags rack up faster than an overclocked Celeron 300A! DEFAULT AMMO: 10 SPEED OF PROJECTILE: Slow MAX AMMO: 200 DIRECT DAMAGE (one shot): 100 points RANGE: Infinite SPLASH DAMAGE: 1-99 points RATE OF FIRE: Moderate VISIBILITY: High (smoke trails) EQUIPPED SOUND: N/A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LIGHTNING GUN- The LG (or "shaft") is great as a concentrated follow-up weapon. Hit an opponent with a well-placed RL shot, then immediately switch to the LG for the last few bits of health they have remaining. If you have a great aim, and are able to track on to players with ease, the LG is for you. One cell from this gun will do 8 points of damage, although the longer you keep it focused on the enemy, the more damage it will inflict (obviously). Be aware that it DOES have a limited range, which we measured out to be around 75 ft. in-game. The one problem with the LG is its lack of appearance in most of the Tournament maps. It seems like iD software made it unnecessarily tough to get good with the LG by keeping it away from most of the maps in the game. My favorite weapon... DEFAULT AMMO: 100 SPEED OF PROJECTILE: Instant Hit MAX AMMO: 200 DIRECT DAMAGE (one cell): 8 points RANGE: 75 ft. SPLASH DAMAGE: N/A RATE OF FIRE: Constant VISIBILITY: High (electric stream) EQUIPPED SOUND: Electric buzzing ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RAIL GUN- Several of the tourney maps have Rail Guns on them, so expect to face a lot of players who know how to handle rails if you plan to compete. The Rail isn't just a sniper weapon though; it can be almost as useful in a heated duel if your aim is good enough. The Rail Gun takes the most practice of all weapons to master, but once you do, server domination against even expert level players will be that much easier. Don't overlook weapon combos like the Rail/RL, or the Rail/LG. The initial hit from the Rail often throws the enemy back, giving you the necessary time to switch to a different gun and follow up for the frag. DEFAULT AMMO: 10 SPEED OF PROJECTILE: Instant Hit MAX AMMO: 200 DIRECT DAMAGE (one shot): 100 points RANGE: Infinite SPLASH DAMAGE: N/A RATE OF FIRE: Slow VISIBILITY: High (thin tracer beam) EQUIPPED SOUND: Distinct "Hum" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BFG 10K- Much better than any of the BFGs from previous Quake (and Doom) games, the new and improved 10K is basically a cross between a Rocket Launcher and a Plasma Gun. Combined with the Quad Damage, it feels reminiscent of the Quad/RL from the original Quake where you could frag anything that moved in less than a second. The projectiles move as fast, if not a bit faster than a plasma shot, but have the direct and splash damage of a rocket! Obviously, you can see that this is THE weapon of choice when dueling in the arenas (albeit totally cheeseball), so make it a point to find them when they're available. Personally, I like to play levels without the BFG10K -- it's just more fun without a weapon of such power. DEFAULT AMMO: 20 SPEED OF PROJECTILE: Very Fast MAX AMMO: 200 DIRECT DAMAGE (one shot): 100 points RANGE: Infinite SPLASH DAMAGE: 1-99 points RATE OF FIRE: Fast VISIBILITY: High (bright blasts) EQUIPPED SOUND: Low-Freq. Resonance ============================================================================== 5.)POWER-UP BREAKDOWN/ANALYSIS================================================ ============================================================================== Each of the Power-Ups has its own set of properties that make it desirable. This list is meant to clarify those elements, and stress how important the roles of these items actually play during Tournaments, FFA, and TDM games. Each Power-Up lasts for only 30 seconds (as noted by your timer on-screen), but the last two *'ed items are actually holdables. Holdables can be held then activated on command with the "Use Item" skill. Don't forget that certain maps offer the chance to hold more than one Power-Up at a time, in which case both of the special abilities will be activated at once. It's also very possible to have a combination of both Power-Ups and Holdables. *The Overall Ratings are meant to give the reader an idea of how useful the specific item is in-game, with 0 being the worst and 10 being the best. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BATTLE SUIT- When holding this Power-Up, you'll be immune to any and all forms of splash damage (i.e. lava, acid, cratering, rocket splash, plasma splash, and even drowning). Because of this, your opponent will have to hit you directly with both rockets and plasma shots to damage you. If your opponent is a resident rocket-jockey, this can be a HUGE advantage. If you're good with rockets, and somewhat talented at keeping your opponents at short/medium range, then this Power-Up should be a big help to you. PRIMARY EFFECT: Invulnerability from splash damage VISIBLE EFFECT: Glowing orange shield around player OVERALL RATING: 7 MAPS: Q3TOURNEY3, Q3DM15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FLIGHT- The Flight Power-Up is ridiculous. It's a novelty that's only used on one level. That level (Q3DM19) sucks anyway, so it doesn't really matter much. Other than the ability to avoid splash damage by flying around, I don't understand its practical use, therefore I won't even try to explain it. HAH! PRIMARY EFFECT: To make your player fly like a canary VISIBLE EFFECT: Player trying to "walk" as he flies through the air OVERALL RATING: 0 MAPS: Q3DM19 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ HASTE- Haste is arguably the second best Power-Up in the game, next to the Quad Damage of course. It considerably increases both the rate at which you move, and the rate at which you fire. Even weapons like the Gauntlet can now dish out damage twice as fast! If you use weapons that already have high rates of fire, expect to throw lightning fast trails of projectile thunda' at your opponent in seconds flat. It's best coupled with weapons like the PG, or MG which already have a decent rate of fire at normal speed. Hasted, these weapons can cause fear in even the most skilled opponents. One of the most overlooked Haste abilities is the hit and run. If you're in trouble health- wise, the Haste will let you play "keep away" from your opponent while scoring an occasional hit as you run backwards. PRIMARY EFFECT: Speeds up both rate of fire and player movement VISIBLE EFFECT: Smoking trail left behind players feet OVERALL RATING: 8 MAPS: Q3DM2, Q3DM11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ INVISIBILITY- The Invisibility Power-Up isn't so much about domination as it is about sneakiness. You can knock out a whole room full of players in a FFA with just one of these - but unlike the Quad Damage, you'll need to be a bit more devious about it. Since you won't be completely transparent when you hold the Invisibility (a blurred image is still visible at close range), enemies may still home in on your position. Also remember that the only other primary visible effect will be from your muzzle flash/projectiles. If you mix and match other Power-Ups with the Invisibility (like Quad or Regen), the effect will be completely visible. So yes, it's impossible to be Invisible with Quad Damage. D'oh! I found the Invisibility most useful on players who insist on camping or guarding important areas in FFAs. Sneaking up on them while unleashing a Shotgun storm will finish their reign real quick. PRIMARY EFFECT: Makes player nearly invisible VISIBLE EFFECT: "Predator-like" motion blur OVERALL RATING: 7 MAPS: Q3DM8, Q3DM10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ QUAD DAMAGE- The highly coveted Quad Damage reigns supreme in the world of Q3A power-ups. Strangely enough, the Quad only grants 3X damage. You'd be with the rest of us if you thought that Quad should equal 4X, but apparently this isn't the case. Damage aside, it's a wicked power-up that takes control of FFAs quickly, and can switch the flow of a Teamplay event in seconds flat. Make sure to turn the Quad locations into one of the most important things to memorize in Q3A, along with the timing of the power-up itself. WHEN BEARING THE QUAD A.) Although Rockets seem tempting, the self-inflicted splash damage can sometimes be too damaging for comfort. It takes a wide open map and some decent rocket control to deal death with Quad-RL. Once you get this control down however, you'll notice a considerably higher frag count in FFAs. B.) The Railgun also seems like a tempting weapon to use when you pick up the Quad (300 damage, anyone?), but the low rate of fire and precise control actually make it one of the worst. You'll find yourself fiddling around with the aim when you should be more concerned with getting some flak into your opponents faces. Remember, you only have 30 seconds to get as many frags as you can get with this thing -- so make use of that time! C.) The BFG is another weapon that almost fares better without the Quad. Sure, it can inflict massive amounts of damage in the blink of an eye (Quadded up, it can do about 1,800 points of damage per second). But can't the BFG inflict massive damage without the Quad? Heck yeah! My advice is to save your BFG until your Quad expires, and all the freshly re-spawned players will be throwing hundreds of little Machine Gun bullets at you. Revenge! D.) Realize that when you have a Quad in a FFA, you're basically one big glowing target. Most players don't know what's best for them and they decide to attack you instead of running or hiding. This isn't a problem when it's only one or two guys, but when five or six dudes are ready to go with Machine Guns plinking away, it can be over for you REAL quick. Just make sure to be aware of this in wide open levels. E.) So just what weapons should I use when I have the Quad, you ask? The Quad- Plasma Gun or Quad-Lightning Gun are god-like -- equally so is the Quad- Shotgun. These weapons tend to deal out massive damage without being harmful in any way to the bearer. Don't be afraid to use the Quad-Machine Gun if you're completely out of ammunition with your other more powerful weapons! WHEN PLAYING AGAINST QUAD A.) If your opponent picks up the Quad in a level that lends itself well to hiding, by all means -- DO IT. This is in no way considered cheap or stupid to do, since the person with the Quad should be able to find you within the 30 second time limit of the power-up. B.) Get armor fast! If you don't, and the guy with the Quad has some, he'll be dealing out 9X more damage than you! With the armor absorbing 2/3 of the damage you can deal out on him, plus his 3X quad damage. C.) If all else fails, RUN LIKE HELL! PRIMARY EFFECT: 3X damage for all weapons VISIBLE EFFECT: Glowing blue orb around player OVERALL RATING: 10 MAPS: Q3DM4, Q3TOURNEY1, Q3DM6, Q3DM7, Q3DM8, Q3DM10, Q3DM11, Q3DM12, Q3DM13, Q3DM14, Q3TOURNEY5, Q3DM15, Q3DM17, Q3DM18, Q3DM19 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ REGENERATION- Nabbing the Regeneration will grant the bearer between +5-15 health per second for 30 seconds. It will still max out at 200 health (like the Mega Health), although it will keep you up there without degradation until the time expires. So if you have more than 100 health, it will add 5 health per second. And if you have less than 100 health, it will add 15 health per second. In both situations, this can be crucial for building up the necessary power (and confidence) for a strike on your opponents position. You'll be able to tell who has the Regeneration Power-Up from the red flashing pulse that illuminates from the bearers body. PRIMARY EFFECT: Slowly adds between 5-15 health per second VISIBLE EFFECT: Flashing red pulse as player gains health OVERALL RATING: 8 MAPS: Q3TOURNEY1, Q3DM10, Q3DM12 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MEDKIT*- The Medkit will restore you back to 100 health no matter what your current value below 100. Knowing that, it's only natural to want to get the most out of it (and more often than not, you end up screwing yourself by waiting too long). I found that many players spent too much time watching their health instead of trying to concentrate on the battle at hand when they have a Medkit. This is bad. Most players who use it during a duel tend to delay its use until the last possible second, therefore getting the advantage on their less fortunate opponent. This can be dangerous, since there are a lot of weapons that can kill an unarmored man on the first shot - let alone a guy with only 50 or 60 health. Pick it up as a precaution, and remember that it won't change the outcome of battle for you. It's a last resort, and you should use it as an insurance policy to bring you back up to 100% health when you're in trouble. PRIMARY EFFECT: Brings user back to 100% health on command VISIBLE EFFECT: N/A OVERALL RATING: 6 MAPS: Q3DM11, Q3DM13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PERSONAL TELEPORTER*- The Personal Teleporter can be cool in Teamplay events, but can also be rather annoying during a tournament game. For Teamplay or FFA, these can save your life. If you're falling into a bottomless void or lava pit, use the Teleporter! If you're outnumbered by three or four members of the opposite team (take a guess) teleport! As for tourneys, anyone who tries to convince you that it's useful is an idiot. It's stupid to spend a minute or two just to find your opponent, then just watch him teleport himself out of danger when he feels like he's in trouble. Cheap and tasteless -- much like a bottle of MD 20/20. PRIMARY EFFECT: Teleports user to a random location on command VISIBLE EFFECT: N/A OVERALL RATING: 6 MAPS: Q3DM6, Q3DM7, Q3DM12, Q3DM14, Q3DM15, Q3DM18, Q3DM19, Q3TOURNEY6 ============================================================================== 6.)LEVEL BREAKDOWN/ANALYSIS=================================================== ============================================================================== This section was designed as a resource (item & stat wise) for each of the levels in Q3A. All info is based on the FFA version of the map (not the TDM one), although TDM level breakdowns may be coming in the future. This section is helpful to those aren't entirely familiar with a specific map, and sometimes it just helps to look it over on paper before you actually enter it with a strategy. Try to use this info when planning strategies for Tournament games, or even FFAs. An occasional TDM tactic or two have been thrown in for good measure, but this will change as the new sections arrive. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM1-ARENA GATE* A somewhat simple (and small) level overall, so any more than two players and this map turns into a nightmare. There's only one level, so elevation won't play a factor. And there really aren't any good hiding spots (less the two statues in the RL room as cover). WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 6 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Plasma Gun 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Rocket Launcher HEALTH POWER-UPS 5 Yellow Health (25 points) N/A EXTRAS 1 Box Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 1 Box Shotgun Shells (x10) 1 Box Plasma Cells (x30) QUICK TECHNIQUES 1.) Re-spawn frags are a must on this level, as there are only four possible places you can re-spawn. Use footsteps/re-spawn sounds to your advantage. 2.) Red Armor is the king of the level, proving itself even more valuable than the RL. If you're somewhat talented with the Plasma Gun, then this is your room to guard. 3.) Collect those armor shards too! If not to boost your own armor bonus, just do it to keep them away from your opponent. Remember the 2/3 damage rule with armor? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM2-HOUSE OF PAIN* A decent beginner map for one on one, this map is very well balanced. Because of its small size however, a good loop can let you pick up most of the good items within just a few short seconds. The RL is in a room of its own (a dangerous room to get trapped in), and the Plasma Gun is in the center of the map. Just jump around... :P WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 7 Armor Shards (5 points each) 1 Plasma Gun 1 Yellow Armor (50 points) 1 Rocket Launcher 1 Red Armor (100 points) HEALTH POWER-UPS 4 Yellow Health (25 points) 1 Haste 1 Gold Health (50 points) EXTRAS 3 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 5 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 1 Box Plasma Cells (x30) 1 Box Rockets (x5) QUICK TECHNIQUES 1.) Trap opponents in the RL room. It sucks to be in there when someone outside has the RL, trust me. 2.) Place random rockets down the water hallway. You just might hit someone. 3.) Hoard the Red Armor, for without it you are at a serious disadvantage. Use the little blocks alongside the wall to get back up onto the main deck of the level (as opposed to running through the water hallway and leaving yourself both noisy and open for attack). 4.) Haste is a powerful power-up when combined with the Plasma Gun. Make a point to time the subsequent re-spawns. Sweep the main areas with Haste/Plasma, and watch for turtling opponents who hide in the crevasses of the RL room during a Haste rush. 5.) Don't overlook the Armor Shards! Each shard gives you 5 points to your armor bonus, which can rack up after a few minutes on the map. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM3-ARENA OF DEATH* A weird level, partially due to the somewhat freakish RL/PG re-spawn. It seems random, with occasional RLs popping up right after one another. It pays to wreak havoc from the bridge in a FFA, especially with all those grenades flipping around down below. In a one on one, you'll want to cover the Red Armor (as usual) as you swing down to pick up the clump of four armor shards. WEAPONS ARMOR 2 Shotguns 4 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Grenade Launcher 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Plasma Rifle (shared spawn) 1 Rocket Launcher (shared spawn) HEALTH POWER-UPS 6 Yellow Health (25 points) N/A EXTRAS 2 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 3 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 1 Box Plasma Cells (x30) 1 Box Grenade Rounds (x5) TECHNIQUES 1.) If you see the Red Armor from below, then by all means rocket jump up and grab it! Taking the long route up and around the steps might let someone else get to it before you. If you don't have an RL, try out the GL. It's entirely possible to do a grenade jump as well. 2.) There is no rocket ammo on this level, and due to the wacky re-spawn of the RL/PG, you might be stuck without rockets for a while. As an alternative, make use of the Shotgun (ammo is abundant). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3TOURNEY1-POWERSTATION 0218* A good tourney map for beginners, albeit a bit simple overall. The addition of the shared spawn Power-Up is nice (Quad/Regen), and makes for some interesting equalizers and/or dominators depending on how you look at them. WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 1 Yellow Armor (50 points) 1 Rocket Launcher HEALTH POWER-UPS 4 Yellow Health (25 points) Regeneration (shared spawn) 1 Gold Health (50 points) Quad Damage (shared spawn) EXTRAS 2 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 2 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 3 Boxes Rockets (x5) TECHNIQUES 1.) Having only ONE piece of armor should make it the focal point of this map. Along with some control of the Power-Ups, some decent shotgun skills, and a little luck on your re-spawns, you're set. 2.) Control of the Power-Up room is absolutely essential on such a small level. There's no hiding from that Quad unless you back yourself into the RL room and pound rockets against the wall. Even then, you're asking for trouble against a good player. The Regen can be annoying as hell when you're trying to finish someone off, as they run and/or avoid you only to get all of their health back. Keep pressure on someone bearing Regen, since hiding from it only makes it stronger (until they cap at 200 health). 3.) I haven't figured out if the RL owns this level or not. It seems like some players can do really well with it, while others only get themselves killed by continually trying to get it. Be well-rounded, and have a reliant back-up weapon/strategy if you can't get to the RL. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM4-THE PLACE OF MANY DEATHS* A kick-ass looking map overall, especially with those weird snakeoid thingies hanging from the ceiling and all. It plays slow, due to the fact that the RL is up and out of the way. The Red Armor is key for one on one tourneys (what else is new?), just as the RL is important for the FFA. WEAPONS ARMOR 2 Shotgun 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Plasma Gun 1 Rocket Launcher HEALTH POWER-UPS 5 Yellow Health (25 points) Quad Damage 1 Gold Health (50 points) EXTRAS 2 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 2 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 2 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 2 Boxes Rockets (x5) TECHNIQUES 1.) Watch out for telefrags in FFAs. People are constantly running through that damn warper, and people always seem to be cluttered in that central hub area at the wrong times. Do yourself a favor and stay clear of that center hallway unless you're in a critical situation. 2.) It is possible to make the rocket jump up to the RL for more ammo - make sure to do it if your armor/health situation is decent. Since seconds count in a FFA, this might be the best choice for a guaranteed refill. 3.) In FFAs on DM4, the Quad-Plasma Gun rules! Especially since most players act like chickens running around with their heads chopped off (most of them just wander right into your stream of Plasma shots). Just control that self inflicted splash damage and you'll be golden. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM5-THE FORGOTTEN PLACE* This map is great for intermediate one on one tourneys. The RL is probably the focal point of the map, along with the Red Armor. The back-half of this level doesn't seem to get much use (by the bounce pad), since most players try to guard both the Red and Yellow Armor while staying close to the RL. Elevation plays a HUGE role here, so expect to see the better players wow you with their finesse up top. WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 6 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Plasma Gun 1 Yellow Armor (50 points) 1 Grenade Launcher 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Rocket Launcher HEALTH POWER-UPS 4 Yellow Health (25 points) N/A 2 Gold Health (50 points) EXTRAS 2 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 2 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 1 Box Grenade Rounds (x5) 2 Boxes Rockets (x5) TECHNIQUES 1.) Fall down from above to get the RL (the bottom route gets far too predictable in a one on one). Then just rocket jump out of the hole (through the corner) and grab the health above. 2.) Avoid the bounce pad in the back room when skirmishing, but don't overlook the Gold Health that lies nearby. 3.) Rocket Jump (or Grenade Jump) for the Red Armor when the opportunity arises. It's also possible (albeit a bit tougher) to do a Plasma Jump from the high ledge to the Red Armor. Your best bet is to just do what you feel most comfortable with, and make sure you can do it on a moments notice. 4.) Locking down the upper tier of this level plays an important role against expert players. I've seen quite a few players do an excellent job keeping opponents at bay while still picking up 90% of the armors on the map. The Red and Yellows aren't all that far from one another, so keep your timing set and your reflexes sharp. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM6-THE CAMPGROUNDS* A large level, Q3DM6 is an absolute top quality map for either one on one or TDM games. With multiple levels of elevation, tons of weapons and extra items, this is one of the best "out of the box" maps that Q3A has to offer. WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 1 Yellow Armor (50 points) 1 Plasma Gun 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Rocket Launcher 1 Rail Gun HEALTH POWER-UPS 5 Health Bonuses (5 points) Personal Teleporter 6 Yellow Health (25 points) Quad Damage 1 Gold Health (50 points) 1 Mega Health (100 points) EXTRAS 5 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 3 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 5 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 5 Boxes Rockets (x5) 3 Boxes Rails (x10) TECHNIQUES 1.) You CAN rocket jump from the Yellow Armor to the ledge above, then just do a regular jump to get on top of the second level. To do it, just stand right from the Yellow Armor itself and rocket jump. If you push toward the wall, you'll catch on the small ledge above. Then just jump up and grab all the goodies around the corner. It's also a good shortcut to lead you into the room with all the pillars. 2.) In a FFA, the room with all the pillars is key. You've got a Red Armor, a Mega Health, and a ton of ammo all in one room. If there's a place where people are going to camp out, odds are they're thinking about coming here. Make the best of it and be ready for 'em. 3.) With so many open spaces and arena like rooms, the Rail Gun is a huge favorite with the camping crowd. Not only is the map horizontally large, but it sprawls out vertically as well. Sitting up atop a perch with the Rail can rack up frags quickly, but don't rely too heavily on it. 4.) During Teamplay, the Red Armor area is guarded heavily. Take the top route and reign terror from above on the unsuspecting armor hogs below. Always keep one player on top of this situation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3TOURNEY2-THE PROVING GROUNDS* My absolute favorite map since the early days of Q3Test, Q3Tourney2 boasts some very simple level design along with some really well-balanced gameplay. The warper plays a huge role in the map, as it allows easy access to both of the Yellow Armors in a matter of seconds. WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 14 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Lightning Gun 2 Yellow Armors (50 points) 1 Rocket Launcher HEALTH POWER-UPS 3 Yellow Health (25 points) N/A 1 Gold Health (50 points) EXTRAS 4 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 1 Box Lightning Cells (x60) 2 Boxes Rockets (x5) TECHNIQUES 1.) The RL dominates this map since the Lightning Gun has been tweaked down from QTest 1.07. As such, keeping your rocket ammo full while keeping it away from your opponent should be a focal point to gain control. The RL itself is in a somewhat vulnerable spot, forcing the player who picks it up to react very quickly to the seven or eight possible ways he can be shot at. Keep pressure on players when they try to pick it up, and you're bound to cause some damage every now and again. 2.) Controlling the two Yellow Armors is key, along with the 50 points worth of armor shards that lie right outside the warper. A talented player can get up to 200 armor in no time. 3.) This is one of the two tourney levels in the game that plays home to a Lightning Gun. Not only should you get good with it, but you should also learn to keep adept "shafters" out of range. It's only active to about 75 ft. in game, so keep them at a distance and the LG is useless (much easier said than done). 4.) Implement warper tricks! Depending on what type of player you're up against, you should have a different set of warper rules that you'll adhere to. If you severely wound an opponent, and he runs through the warper, do you chase him, or do you go around the long way? It could be a trap if you go through the warper (as he will be waiting with an RL pointed at the gate), or he might just suck and keep running with his back turned to you. You need to decide by "feeling your opponents out" in the first couple minutes of the match. Once you think you have them figured out, outsmart them by mixing up sneaky warper tactics like "double-backing" as you pretend to go in with the intent of continuing onward. 5.) A tricky jump that has made its place in recent tourneys is the one where you hop from the ledge right outside the main warper onto the adjacent ledge near the pillar. It's tough to do -- you need a really high frame rate (above 80FPS) to give you that extra advantage. It's really just a matter of timing when you come through the warper. Just try to hit a strafe jump the millisecond you pop out and you'll be golden. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM7-TEMPLE OF RETRIBUTION* A solid level for Teamplay or FFA, DM7 has become what DM6 was to Q1. It's the level that everyone plays, ALL the time. You'll find lots of elevation changes, wacky staircases, and a few rooms that have only one way in. Camp the RA!!! WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 4 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Plasma Gun 3 Yellow Armors (50 points) 2 Rocket Launchers 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Rail Gun HEALTH POWER-UPS 4 Health Bonuses (5 points) Personal Teleporter 9 Yellow Health (25 points) Quad Damage 6 Gold Health (50 points) 1 Mega Health (100 points) EXTRAS 6 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 5 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 3 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 2 Boxes Rockets (x5) 2 Boxes Rails (x10) TECHNIQUES 1.) If you play a one on one here, plan on a long and tedious battle. It's very easy not to see each other for long periods of time, especially if the two players have opposing strategies for controlling the level. Because of its size, it's very difficult to control the whole damn thing when facing off against only one player. This map definitely lends itself to either Teamplay or FFA. 2.) The Red Armor is the most desirable area to hold during a TDM game. If your team doesn't have control of the RA, then you should quickly reorganize and get to the RL. The RA room is close to both the Plasma Gun and the Mega Health, while the RL room is close to the YA and the Quad Damage. 3.) There are several places to rocket jump, and some more useful than others: A.) From the RL bridge to the hanging lanterns. B.) From the ground below the RL bridge up to the bridge itself. C.) From the pit under the RL room back up into the RL room. D.) At the foot of the stairs in the Plasma Gun room (to get up top) E.) Up onto the platforms near the Rail Gun (to the sides and behind it) F.) Up onto the corner ledge across from the YA room with the bounce pad G.) Across the main pit in the Rail Gun room (horizontally) H.) Up onto the back of the Gargoyles in the main Rail Gun room 4.) Get the Mega Health from behind the warper in a FFA. People tend to forget about it in the heat of battle, just as they do with the Red and Yellow Armors. Use free time to get "tanked up," so that when you finally do enter a room with three or four players, you'll have no problem cutting them down to size. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM8-BRIMSTONE ABBEY* Both the Quad and Invisibility share a spawn point, so it's advisable to keep your eyes open as to what's available in the main room. It's a fairly large level that offers competitive play for both one on one, FFA, and TDM. WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 15 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Plasma Gun 1 Yellow Armor (50 points) 2 Grenade Launchers 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Rocket Launcher 1 Rail Gun HEALTH POWER-UPS 3 Health Bonus (5 points) Quad Damage (shared spawn) 8 Yellow Health (25 points) Invisibility (shared spawn) 4 Gold Health (50 points) 1 Mega Health (100 points) EXTRAS 8 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 4 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 2 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 2 Boxes Grenades (x5) 3 Boxes Rockets (x5) 2 Boxes Rails (x10) TECHNIQUES 1.) The Red Armor is underwater, and it's a pain to constantly be guarding and watching it. It can be quite difficult to go for the traditional "get-in get- out" technique that you're probably accustomed to when guarding armor spawns. When you're underwater, it's nearly impossible to dodge rockets from a seasoned player (the water seriously affects your twitch skills). The best bet is to equip a weapon like the Plasma Gun that can throw a lot of flak toward the opponent as you get out of the water quickly. 2.) Invisibility can be crucial in a one on one. Most of the time, the best technique against it seems to be to just hide and wait it out. Trying to hit a nimble player with invisibility is like trying to catch a fly with chopsticks - not easy. To locate players with Invisibility, try watching for smoke rings and/or other muzzle effects on the individual weapons themselves (important!). This should reveal the bearer's position. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM9-HERO'S KEEP* This level seems to give most players trouble when it comes to system performance (it runs notably slower than most other maps), and the map is somewhat lackluster for FFA. WEAPONS ARMOR 2 Shotguns 14 Armor Shards (5 points) 2 Plasma Guns 2 Yellow Armors (50 points) 1 Rocket Launcher 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Rail Gun HEALTH POWER-UPS 6 Health Bonuses (5 points) N/A 8 Yellow Health (25 points) 3 Gold Health (50 points) 1 Mega Health (100 points) EXTRAS 3 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 4 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 3 Boxes Rockets (x5) 2 Boxes Rails (x10) TECHNIQUES 1.) In a tournament, try rocket jumping across the main chasm from ledge to ledge. You'll have quicker access to both Yellow Armors, and a wide variety of ammo refills as well. 2.) The Red Armor room seems like an easy room to guard with a Rail Gun (perched up on the far wall), but it's actually quite difficult if you include the little bounce pad that can get opponents up into range within a second or two. I found it best to stay on the move, and try to cover all three armors instead of just the one RA. 3.) The bounce pads make up the majority of the map, so remember to use discretion when bouncing all around. Especially in a FFA, where players just like to camp and wait for people to land into their target area. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3TOURNEY3-HELL'S GATE* This map is probably my least favorite tourney map in the game (next to Q3Tourney6). Why? Personally, I don't like the whole "one-room-makes-up-the- entire-map-kinda-thing." What ever happened to creeping around corners? Or plotting out a strategy? Nine times out of ten, this map turns into a railfest with the victor being the guy with the better aim (or lower ping). WEAPONS ARMOR 2 Plasma Guns 4 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Rocket Launcher 1 Yellow Armor (50 points) 1 Rail Gun 1 Red Armor (100 points) HEALTH POWER-UPS 2 Yellow Health (25 points) Battle Suit 2 Gold Health (50 points) EXTRAS 2 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 1 Boxes Rockets (x5) TECHNIQUES 1.) This technique is the same as above, except you'll be playing the role of the other guy (showing you how to get the Battle Suit away from him). If nothing else, try not to engage in rocket battles. This is exactly what the opponent will want you to do if he/she has a Battle Suit. Instead, stick to long range attacks with the Rail Gun until the Power-Up wears off. If nothing else, be prepared for a hasty opponent who would do almost anything to engage with you at close range. If nothing else works, just hide and be patient - it only lasts for 30 seconds. 2.) After playing this level quite a bit, it seems like the whole thing is based on mind games with the Rail Gun. Once you've acquired it, the idea is to keep it away from your opponent while staying full on ammo (there are no ammo boxes, so you'll be forced to hang by the Rail Gun itself for refills). Right below the Rail Gun is the Red Armor, which is also very important. Overall, it seems like the side with the RG and the RA is much better to control, especially because you have more than one outlet to the center room without having to rely on a bounce pad for means of exit. 3.) As usual, try to stay off the bounce pads if your opponent is good with the Rail Gun. Hitting them makes you a very predictable target. Sometimes, you'll have no choice. But if you do, it's better to be safe than sorry. 4.) Ever lose track of where your opponent goes on this level? I have. And once, I seriously thought that the guy was invisible! Little be known to me that you can actually rocket jump up to the small ledges above the main walls. On the side with the rocket launcher, you can actually tuck into a little hole and keep yourself entirely hidden. Of course, he was winning by one point with only a minute to go, and he hid himself to secure the victory (damn turtle!). If only I had known about that little spot... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM10-THE NAMELESS PLACE* Unique in several ways, DM10 starts all players with 50 points to their armor bonus (even when you're fragged, you'll respawn with 50), along with a weird "recharging" device that fills up players with both armor and health as they stand in its beam. The recharger is in a very high risk area (as it should be), but people still insist on camping there in hopes of getting the full 200/200 thing going. I find this level boring after one or two minutes... WEAPONS ARMOR 2 Plasma Guns 3 Yellow Armors (50 points) 1 Lightning Gun 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Rocket Launcher HEALTH POWER-UPS 6 Yellow Health (25 points) Invisibility (shared spawn) 2 Gold Health (50 points) Regeneration (shared spawn) Quad Damage (shared spawn) EXTRAS 6 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 5 Boxes Lightning Cells (x60) 4 Boxes Rockets (x5) TECHNIQUES 1.) The Power-Up spawn shares three distinctly different items, the Invisibility, the Regen, and the Quad. The order in which they appear is random (so it IS entirely possible to see two or three Quads in a row). 2.) In a one on one, try knocking your opponent into the small fiery pits next to the recharging device in the main hallway. If he/she falls in, odds are they aren't getting out (the lava will make quick work of them). A well placed RL shot can get them bouncing in no time. 3.) There's an awful lotta armor spread around this level, and trying to run around and guard it all is ludicrous. I suggest that you stick to the RA along with the YA right under it. This will keep you hovering right around 150 armor for the entire match (don't forget about your starting 50 point armor bonus). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM11-DEVA STATION* One of the largest maps in Q3A, DM11 (or "devastation") is littered with narrow passages and shortcuts throughout. Lots of elevation changes, warpers, and bounce pads make this level one that requires some "spot-on" tactics to control. Great for FFA or TDM, but a bit too large for Tournaments. WEAPONS ARMOR 6 Shotguns 9 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Plasma Gun 1 Yellow Armor (50 points) 1 Lightning Gun 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Grenade Launcher 1 Rocket Launcher HEALTH POWER-UPS 18 Yellow Health (25 points) 1 Medkit 5 Gold Health (50 points) 1 Haste 1 Mega Health (100 points) 1 Quad Damage EXTRAS 4 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 4 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 4 Boxes Lightning Cells (x60) 2 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 2 Boxes Grenades (x5) 2 Boxes Rockets (x5) TECHNIQUES 1.) The only RL and RA on the entire level are both in one room, making it THE place to guard for FFAs. The Medkit and the Quad/Haste aren't very far from this room either, so keep an eye on your respawn times for the Power-Ups as well. 2.) Because of all the cracks and crevasses, it's best to stay on the move when traversing thee hallways in this level. Never stay in one area for too long (unless you're guarding the RA/RL room). All the little hiding spots make good camping areas for players to ambush you from. 3.) There are two ways to access the Quad Damage, one by switch and one by warper. To access it by switch, you'll need to blast the red button in the middle of the room preceding the Quad. This will open the double-door and give you access. To get there by warper, you'll need to walk up the stairs near the Lightning Gun, and follow them backward through the small passage that leads to a warper. Either way, when you get the Quad, be prepared for a trap. A series of Grenade Launchers will activate and begin lobbing grenades at you! Get in, get the Quad, and get out of there fast! 4.) Don't forget about the secret room with the gold health right across from the shotgun/teleporter! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM12-THE DREDWERKZ* This map is great for TDM and FFA, but doesn't lend itself well for a one on one skirmish. DM12 is another one of those sprawling maps (both vertically and horizontally), so guarding the whole map can be quite a chore. Doors play a huge role in this level, as they can give away someone's position by the very distinct open/close sound that they make. Be aware... WEAPONS ARMOR 4 Shotguns 8 Armor Shards(5 points) 2 Plasma Guns 4 Yellow Armor (50 points) 1 Lightning Gun 1 Red Armor (100 points) 2 Grenade Launchers 1 Rocket Launcher 2 Rail Guns 1 BFG-10K HEALTH POWER-UPS 12 Yellow Health (25 points) 1 Personal Teleporter 6 Gold Health (50 points) 1 Regeneration 1 Quad Damage EXTRAS 5 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 4 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 1 Box Plasma Cells (x30) 2 Boxes Lightning Cells (x60) 2 Boxes Grenades (x5) 2 Boxes Rockets (x5) 1 Box BFG Cells (x15) TECHNIQUES 1.) The BFG is the focal point of the map, and being in its own little room makes it quite easy to guard effectively. There are only two ways into the room. First, is to swim through the underwater passage. And second, is through the warper in the room with the Red Armor. During Teamplay, I've seen guys just camp in there, waiting for the other team to come wandering in. Every single time, the team that stormed the BFG got wasted. It's tough to fight a BFG with only RLs or PGs. The best bet is to get armored up and get a Quad before rushing that room. Even then, it's best to have one guy take the water route while the other guy heads through the warper. Overall, the BFG totally ruins this level... 2.) It pays to be well-rounded and have a back-up weapon strategy in case you can't get to the BFG. Don't forget about the Rail, LG, or RL on this stage. All of them have their time and place. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3TOURNEY4-VERTICAL VENGEANCE* Named quite cleverly, Vertical Vengeance is a great one on one map that plays both fast and furious. There aren't any hiding spots, and there's only one piece of armor located in the center of the map. Make sure to use your rocket splash through floors! Strategy strategy strategy... WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 4 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Plasma Gun 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Rocket Launcher 1 Rail Gun HEALTH POWER-UPS 4 Health Bonuses (5 points) N/A 6 Yellow Health (25 points) 1 Mega Health (100 points) EXTRAS 2 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 1 Box Shotgun Shells (x10) 1 Box Plasma Cells (x30) 1 Box Rockets (x5) 1 Box Rails (x10) TECHNIQUES 1.) As the name implies, vertical combat plays a huge role on this map, and so does the Rail Gun. Since the level is laid out as one big room (broken up with multiple layers of cover), you'll need to learn how to predict enemy position. Railing from awkward angles that you never dreamed possible seems to be the trick to getting good at this map. 2.) Remember that you don't have to run all the way around the outside of the level when you want to pick up a specific item. The middle section of the map is a key area to use during a one on one, since it offers health while providing a shortcut to the other side. If you're at the RL, and you're curious about the Mega Health, then take a shortcut and use the middle section instead of wandering across the whole damn level. 3.) Don't forget about the splash damage through thin walls/floors. On this stage, you can actually blast the floor above or below you and inflict damage on your opponent (with rockets). Sometimes, it's even enough to bump them from their current position and off onto the lower levels. This is great for setting up a one-two rocket combo. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM13-LOST WORLD* Probably one of the best "out-of-the-box" maps for one on one, Lost World has plenty of caverns, hallways, and chasms to keep even the hardcore Deathmatcher happy. Check out the tips below for some cool tricks. WEAPONS ARMOR 2 Shotguns 7 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Lightning Gun 1 Yellow Armors (50 points) 1 Grenade Launcher 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Rocket Launcher HEALTH POWER-UPS 4 Health Bonuses (5 points) 1 Medkit 6 Yellow Health (25 points) 1 Quad Damage 4 Gold Health (50 points) 1 Mega Health (100 points) EXTRAS 1 Box Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 3 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 1 Box Lightning Cells (x60) 3 Boxes Grenades (x5) 1 Box Rockets (x5) TECHNIQUES 1.) This map offers shortcuts aplenty. Try and plan out a good loop where you can get at least two pieces of armor, a couple weapons, and swing by the Mega Health in one swoop. Even if you bump into your opponent during the middle of your run, you'll have plenty of power to keep you going. If you can "bring" the battle to your area (that is, the area with all of your planned out goodies), you'll have the edge. 2.) You can nab the Medkit without having to go all the way back up and around the side passage. Just hit the bounce pad (below it) and push over to the right wall. If done correctly, you'll just make it over the edge and be able to grab it. This will save you those valuable seconds when in a one on one situation. 3.) Since there are so many crevasses and cavernous rooms, the Grenade Launcher can be a bit more important than usual. I often lob grenades into areas that I think my opponent may be running around in. This is key when testing to see if anyone's hiding below the main deck alongside the Red Armor (a campers dream). RL works well too, but you'll need to be up on top the main platform to see down that far. 4.) If you're in a FFA, and someone is perpetually camping the Red Armor, try an alternate approach (as opposed to repeatedly falling to your death using the little hatchway along the wall). Instead, fall all the way to the bottom of the level (near the lava) and rocket jump up to the second floor. Usually, this is enough to startle the player and induce them to make a silly move (whether it be blasting themselves with a rocket, or simply falling off the edge). 5.) Now here's a weird one, and it even has it's own console command. First off, you'll need to type in \com_maxfps 120 at the system console. This will raise the setting from the default of 85. Once you've typed it in, try jumping up to the Mega Health with a regular jump (not a rocket jump). With a little practice to get the feel for it, you should be able to get up to the ledge without having to go all the way up and around for it. 6.) There's a nifty little shortcut when trying to climb that twisty flight of stairs near the LG. Instead of running all the way around them, try jumping through the back of it, then boosting yourself up onto the stairs on the other side. Just a time saver, that's all... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM14-GRIM DUNGEONS* DM14 is a very complex level, and it's also one of the few levels that's home to a BFG10K. Without the BFG, it is wicked for Teamplay, FFA, and one on one. DM14 is an instant classic in my book. WEAPONS ARMOR 2 Shotguns 5 Armor Shards (5 points) 1 Plasma Gun 3 Yellow Armor (50 points) 1 Lightning Gun 1 Red Armor (100 points) 1 Rocket Launcher 1 Rail Gun 1 BFG10K HEALTH POWER-UPS 4 Yellow Health (25 points) 1 Personal Teleporter 8 Gold Health (50 points) 1 Quad Damage 1 Mega Health (100 points) EXTRAS 6 Boxes Machine Gun Bullets (x50) 2 Boxes Shotgun Shells (x10) 5 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 2 Boxes Lightning Cells (x60) 4 Boxes Rockets (x5) 3 Boxes Rails (x10) 1 Box BFG Cells (x15) TECHNIQUES 1.) In TDM, the best room to camp is the RA room (without a doubt). You've got RA, two boxes of Plasma Cells, and the Quad respawn all in one little area. This room is so good, that once you're tanked up, it even lends itself to FFA camping. Right outside the main door is access to a whole slew of health, more armor, and tons of ammo refills. The only problem is the amount of entrances into this area. There are the two bounce pads, and the two doors. Four entrances into one little room. So yeah, it WILL be tough to hold effectively. Once you get the Quad though, it turns into a killing spree in your favor. 2.) In a FFA, don't overlook the BFG ammo pack right outside the Quad room. It gives you 15 shots and is prone to far less traffic than the BFG itself. Once you get a BFG, return to the ammo pack for refills instead of the gun itself. 3.) Plasma kicks ass on DM14, especially since there are 5 boxes of cells spread throughout the level (giving you 30 shots each). You can pretty much run around everywhere with your fire button depressed and still have ammo left over to frag MaStAH kiLLa! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3DM15-DEMON KEEP* The Demon Keep reminds me of a somewhat freaky-ass fortress on one half, with the wide open courtyard area on the other. The weirdo swinging cross thingies are right out of the movie "The Pit and the Pendulum." Hehe... you learn to appreciate Quake for this kind of weird stuff. WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 9 Armor Shards (+5) 1 Plasma Gun 3 Yellow Armor (+50) 1 Grenade Launcher 1 Red Armor (+100) 1 Rocket Launcher 1 Rail Gun 1 BFG10K HEALTH POWER-UPS 7 Yellow Health (+25) Battle Suit 7 Gold Health (+50) Quad Damage 1 Mega Health (+100) Personal Teleporter EXTRAS 2 Boxes Machine Gun bullets (x50) 2 Boxes Plasma Cells (x30) 4 Boxes Rockets (x5) 2 Boxes Rails (x10) 4 Boxes BFG cells (x15) TECHNIQUES 1.) To get up to the BFG10K, you'll need to rocket jump from the center platform up onto the bounce pad above. If you're centered when you hit it, you'll be thrown back at the castle and you'll pass through the BFG and then land on the Red Armor. Not a bad reward for a single rocket jump... 2.) Take notice of the little doorway out on the lava in the main room, as it leads to a small room housing 3 packs of BFG ammo (that totals 45 cells for those of you who can't add). Seriously though, if you have a Battle Suit (which protects you from lava damage), then make sure not to forget about this little passage. 3.) In FFAs, the RL can be a dangerous thing to go for. It's located in the central room on the map, with tons of different ways that lead in. Try hitting the bounce pads out in the main room, then falling on the RL from the upper level. At least you won't be so predictable. 4.) It is possible to rocket jump up to the Red Armor. So if you feel like you'll be railbait when you try to rocket jump using the bounce pad, approach the Red Armor from a different angle. Sneak up to the side and rocket jump. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Q3TOURNEY5-FATAL INSTINCT* I'll be the first to admit that this level isn't really that fun. It's designed to be a competitive tourney map, but it falls short in just about every category. It's a good looking map, don't get me wrong. I just think it could've used a few more rooms or something, that's all. WEAPONS ARMOR 1 Shotgun 4 Armor Shards (+5) 1 Plasma Gun 1 Yellow Armor (+50) 1 Rocket Launcher HEALTH POWER-UPS 3 Gold Health Quad EXTRAS 1 Box Machine Gun bullets (x50) 2 Boxes Plasma cells (x30) 1 Box Rockets (x5) TECHNIQUES 1.) Since this map isn't played competitively, it's kinda tough to come up with advanced tactics. There's really no where to hide (except maybe up on top of the main arches), and there's really nothing to guard and/or camp, leaving me with little to say about this map. The one thing that you'll definitely need to do well, on this map is precise rocket control, and some good enemy prediction. Use the sound effects to your advantage, and don't forget to use the Run/Walk toggle to eliminate your footstep noises! ============================================================================== 7.)ITEM RE-SPAWN TIMES======================================================== ============================================================================== It pays to know how often items will be reappearing, especially when locking down a certain area of the map will be absolutely essential to retain control. In a 1v1, keeping the items out of the hands of other players is usually just a timing issue. If you get there first, it's yours. If not, then they get it. It's as simple as that. It's a little more complicated in TDM events however, but even then, it all boils down to timing. The only exception to the list below is any or all of the Power-Ups (i.e. Quad Damage, Haste, Invisibility). When you first start a map, the respawn time is randomly set between 40 and 60 seconds for these items. After that, it proceeds with the regular 120 second delay in between subsequent spawns. WEAPON 5 seconds ARMOR 25 seconds HEALTH ITEM 35 seconds AMMO BOX 40 seconds HOLDABLE ITEM 60 seconds MEGA HEALTH 120 seconds (on certain levels this varies) POWER-UP 120 seconds Also notice that when you're in a TDM game, the weapon re-spawn will be much higher than it is in a normal FFA map. TEAM WEAPON 30 seconds ============================================================================== 8.)SECRETS/EASTER EGGS======================================================== ============================================================================== HIDDEN MAP- BIG BOX Type in \map test_bigbox in the console, and you'll be warped to a level reminiscent of a scene from the movie "The Cube." You'll be fighting in a small 15x15 ft. square with no items permitted, only Gauntlets and Machine Guns. Make sure to practice this one hard... Q3DM11- THE DOPEFISH Yeah, he's a Dopefish. Big deal. You'll find it located 180 degrees from the Shotgun right next to the main teleporter. Approach the wall, and you'll see it open up to reveal the secret. A Gold Health and the Dopefish are inside. Q3DM15- SEVERED HEAD If you look in the corner the small hallway that leads back up to the main floor (near the lava), you'll notice a small head in a pool of blood. Apparently, this is the head of Eric Webb, id's Q3 e-mail support jockey. It's a shame that Ash wasn't there to clean things up a bit... Q3DM16- DUST PUPPY Join the map as a spectator, and fly down to the underside of the main platform. Check out the weird looking little furry dude! He's Dust Puppy, from the online comic known as User Friendly. Check out the archive at www.userfriendly.org for some decent content, including one about Q3! Q3DM19- DUST PUPPY 2ND DOSE/OLD MAN MURRAY If you grab the Flight power-up and hover beneath the center of the arena, you'll notice Dust Puppy (from Q3DM16) painted on the bottom of the platform. I guess the boys over at id really dig the little dustweed and everything he stands for. Also, notice the weird logo on the back of the antenna lift? That's Old Man Murray taken from www.oldmanmurray.com! Hehe, you gotta love crusty old guys... ============================================================================== 9.)CONSOLE COMMANDS=========================================================== ============================================================================== To get to the system console, just hit the ~ (a.k.a. tilde) key. Once it's down, you can hit the ~ key again to exit out of it. For those of you who know this already, I'm sorry. You wouldn't believe how many e-mails I just saved myself. :-) Below is a list of some of the more useful console commands, along with an explanation of what each one does and/or how it effects your system. Note: Always type the command exactly as I have it listed here on the page. Once done typing it in, just hit the ENTER key for it to begin working. You should also know that the command "0" means OFF, while "1" means ON. It's that ultra complex computer jargon, ya see? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ \cg_thirdperson 1 or \cg_thirdperson 0 This command toggles on or off the third person view (a la Tomb Raider), making it almost impossible to fight with any accuracy. I don't know who the hell would want to play like this. I find it especially nice to be in this mode when you're using the Gauntlet however, as you tend to be able to see around corners. \r_fullbright 1 or \f_fullbright 0 No hardcore Quaker is complete without the r_fullbright command turned on. This takes every single level and absolutely brightens the living hell out of them, making the actual player models "pop out" from the background. Nice for those "dark and dreary" levels. Err wait, EVERY level is dark and dreary... \vid_restart This is the quick way to implement your video changes without going out to the menu and losing your connection. Just type in this command, and your changes will be made upon restart. \cg_drawgun 1 or \cg_drawgun 0 Wanna squeeze out a few more FPS? How about getting rid of your gun models? I can't stand not having mine on the screen, but some players insist that you need to have this off for maximum frame rate. Toggle this on with 1, or off with 0. \cg_gibs 1 or \cg_gibs 0 This command will toggle the gibs on or off (gibs are those blood trails with all the little parts flying everywhere, derived from the word "giblets"). By taking them off, you'll squeeze a few more FPS out of your system. \cg_draw3dicons 1 or \cg_draw3dicons 0 This is just another way to boost a couple more FPS our of your system. Essentially, it gets rid of the 3D character heads down at the bottom of your HUD (heads up display). I like the 2D ones better anyway. :-) \cg_shadows 0 or cg_shadows 1 You can toggle on or off the volumetric shadows that follow your characters. They slow things down a bit when they're on, but they are worth checking out. \cg_fov xx This command will change your viewing area on-screen to a designated number of degrees. The default setting is 90, but you can replace the xx with an increased number to gain even more viewing area. Note that everything gets distorted and skewed a bit as you change from the default setting (just so you don't think your comp is wigging out). I wouldn't suggest going any higher than 120. \callvote map Q3xxx This command allows you to change the current map on a server without going back to the level selection screen. Just replace the Q3xxx with the numerical level name (Q3DM3 for example), and it will ask everyone to vote YES (F1) or NO (F2) to change to that specific map. The map is changed only if the majority of the votes are YES. (Note: the server needs to have this feature supported in order for it to work.) \timedemo 1 or \timedemo 0 This command toggles the timed demo command on and off. When on, it will tell your system that you are ready to get a FPS rating. After you pull down the console and type in the command, go to the "Demos" tab (on the main menu), and start the Demo001. After it's finished running, pull down the console again to see your average FPS. Tweak your settings then try it again. \cg_drawfps 1 or \cg_drawfps 0 This toggles the real-time FPS counter that shows up in the upper right hand corner of your screen. Good to watch multiplayer frame rates. \connect xx.xxx.xx.xxx This command allows you to directly connect to another player via the Internet, using the IP address to directly communicate with one another. Just replace the xx.xxx.xx.xxx with the IP that you want to hook up with, and you're ready to go. \iamacheater This will unlock all of the cinemas (including the ending cinema) from the get go. A good code if you can't earn 'em yourself... :p ============================================================================== 10.)PERSONAL SETUP============================================================ ============================================================================== Although personal control styles differ from one player to the next, I have seen quite a few players playing Q3 like they used to play the original Doom, which is with the keyboard only. This is bad, man! So bad! I'm not one to preach about playing styles and why my way is the best way, but I will tell you that the mouse/keyboard setup IS the way to go for competitive level play. Just take a look around at the next CPL event and see how many people in the top 128 are using keyboard only, or joysticks, or trackballs. Yep, that's right: ZERO! Everyone uses the mouse/keyboard setup. And although using this setup may seem awkward at first, don't get frustrated. Stick with it! Once you get used to it, this setup offers both tremendous speed and accuracy over the keyboard when used by itself, and it leaps and bounds better than any joystick, keypad, or trackball. Per request of many e-mails, here's a quick analysis of my basic setup/config: Mouse 1(left): Attack Mouse 2(right): Run/Walk Mouse Wheel Up: Switch Weapons Up Mouse Wheel Down: Switch Weapons Down Mouse Speed: about 10% (sensitivity 3.5 on Q3 V1.27) W: Forward S: Backward A: Strafe Left D: Strafe Right C: Crouch E: Rocket Launcher Q: Gauntlet 1: Lightning Gun 2: Rail Gun 3: Shotgun 4: Plasma Gun Spacebar: Jump Shift: Use item F1: Show Scores Other than the standard controls, I went ahead and made a set of text binds to all of my function keys. Primarily used for Teamplay, it's kinda nice to be able to quickly say something in the middle of a heated battle without wasting precious time to stop and type. To make a text bind like this, all you need to do is drop down the console, and type: \bind X1 say_team X2 X1 is the key of your choice, and X2 is the text you want to be displayed. My text binds are as follows: F2: "<---I'm Here!" F3: "Quad Soon -- Get There!" F4: "Affirmative!" F5: "Need Weapon!" F6: "Weapon Here!" F7: "Need Health/Armor!" F8: "Health/Armor Here!" F9: "Enemy @ RA! F10: "Enemy @ Mega!" F11: "Enemy @ RL!" F12: "Enemy @ Quad!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *System Tweaking/Gaming Setup* With a little system tweaking, my average after five consecutive tests on timedemo 1 came out to be 80 FPS, which is VERY playable by almost any gamer's standards. Not bad for a Celeron 500, eh? It IS possible to get more frames out of your system by bumping down your texture detail to the lowest possible setting, and by playing the game in 512x384 resolution, turning on vertex lighting, and tweaking the console a bit more. But then again, you really wouldn't be able to tell what the hell you were shooting at, right? :-P I think that the key is to find a comfortable median right in between "pretty graphics" and "maximum frame rate." Although I'll admit that I hedge toward maximum frame rate if I want to win. Remember that a higher frame rate means that you can be more precise when aiming/moving in the heat of battle. It should be your priority to get it at least up into the 60-80FPS range on timedemo 1. A good modem (DSL/Cable/T1) is necessary for lag-free gaming, and you should have no higher than a 50ms ping if you want the game to be playable. If you really want to get picky, don't overlook the mousepad or the mouse. Any hardcore FPS'er will recommend that you stick with a high-end gaming mouse, and also a solid gaming mousepad. For mice, the WingMan is solid, as is the Boomslang. And for mousepads, you'll want to stick with either the EverGlide or the 3M Precise Mousing Surface. Either of these mousepads will give you a much better sense of control and aiming when dueling in the arenas (due to their unique textured surface). Other Recommended Mice: Logitech, WingMan Gaming Mouse ($30) Microsoft, Optical Intellimouse ($40) Razer, Boomslang 1000DPI ($100) Other Recommended Mousepads: 3M, Precise Mousing Surface ($8) EverGlide, Giganta ($15) Func Industries, sUrface 1030 ($20) ============================================================================== 11.)A LITTLE BIT O' RESPECT=================================================== ============================================================================== It's common to play a game so long that you actually become concerned with the growing amount of ignorami that actually play the game with you. This happened with me and Q3, so I felt somewhat compelled to lead the "newbie" players down the path of light instead of the road to darkness. You just knew I had to throw this in, especially with the release of the DC version of Q3 on our doorstep. The newbies are pouring in by the thousands! :-) *NEVER COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR PING...* ...no matter how crappy it may be -- no one will listen to you. It just makes you look foolish, somewhat immature, and you're much less likely to be taken seriously. We've all been a HPB at one time, so don't think you're the only one on the planet to get lag-fragged. Trust me, you will get WAY more respect for playing well with a high ping than for whining about it all day. Someone will notice you if you are indeed a good player. *IF YOUR PING IS TOO LOW TO COMPETE AT A FAIR LEVEL...* ...then you better freaking make sure to say something before the darn game starts. It doesn't do you any good to whine and complain after you start getting your ass handed to you on a silver platter. Like what -- your ping changed from what it was before the match? Get real, guys. It's already too little too late. Speak up and suggest possibly switching to a new server BEFORE the match starts. *IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE SLANG, PLEASE DON'T USE THAT CURSED Q3 LINGO.* Everyone's sick of hearing "Owned!" or "j00 suXors!" a thousand times over during a match. There are are over 55 million already existing words in the english language -- use 'em. *IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE AN ALIAS...* ...then you better have the respect to use it for the entire match. Don't fall into the category of "I'm-using-an-alias-in-case-I-lose... but-if-I-win-I'll- show-everyone-my-dope-ass-clan-tag-because-I-want-to-show-the-world-that-my- clan-is-l33t." It makes you look very insecure as a player, and totally ridiculous to anyone that notices. *IN TDM, LOSERS SIT.* Yes folks, it's part of the game. Winners stay and losers sit. Don't like it? Go play Unreal Tournament. *LEARN TO COUNT.* I'm simply stunned by the amount of educated (or uneducated) spectators who can't count the number of players on a OSP or Q3COMP TDM server. You all know exactly what I'm talking about. You get on a server, and there's a really good 4 on 4 TDM going on. There's 4 minutes left to play and there's like 10 people spectating waiting to get next game. But there lies the inherent problem. Ten players waiting to take four spots? Everyone knows that the first four people are the only ones who will play, and that the players on the list are shown according to the amount of time spent waiting on the server. But it never fails. Time after motherfreaking time I see all 10 morons hopping on the losing team as if no one will notice and the game will magically start up. Be respectful, Q3 dummies, and learn to count. ============================================================================== 12.)WEB RESOURCES/LINKS======================================================= ============================================================================== Since most of the big Q3 sites were nice enough to link to my FAQ, I figured that I could only do the same right back at 'em. http://www.bluesnews.com Along with Stomped.com, this is THE place to go for current and extremely accurate FPS news. The clean and easy to read page layout is one of my favorites on the net. It allows me to find what I'm looking for, plain and simple. :-) http://www.stomped.com Like Blue's News, Stomped has a dedicated staff that's all about the current FPS scene. While you're surfing, you'll find cool stuff like: archived Q1 and Q2 files, a comprehensive Q3 cvar list, interesting interviews with developers, and so on and so forth. Make this one of your daily stops if you want to stay current on the FPS scene. http://www.shugashack.com Just like the previous two, Scary's Shugashack is always up to date with current FPS news. If you're one of those people that needs to know EVERYTHING about Q3, then this should be one of your daily stops. http://shod.gamers.com Stayne's House of Demos (SHODS to everyone familiar with it) is the place to go if you're looking to download demos of your favorite player and/or clan. It is no less than amazing, as Stayne always keeps a HUGE archive on hand. The sheer number of available demos is insane! Use it as a resource, and learn from some of the best players in the world. http://www.challenge-us.com Another one of the "pro-sites" as I call them, Challenge US covers the hardcore side of the competitive FPS scene. Focusing primarily on Q3, they do occasionally dabble with UT and other FPS games. Their staff turnover is incredibly high however, so don't expect to get any consistency from 'em. http://www.cached.net Cached is the place to go for current Q3 Tourney information. If there's a tournament going on ANYWHERE, these guys will know about it. They usually have the results posted before anyone else, along with demos. Player Trackers, famous player interviews, you name it -- it's probably on Cached. http://www.teamplay.net If TDM or CTF is your thing, why not take a stroll down to Teamplay.net. Here, you'll find complete QIL coverage of Q3's biggest and best clans, along with complete and up to date info on the "who's who" of Q3. ============================================================================== 13.)SPECIAL THANKS============================================================ ============================================================================== Spaceman, for his TDM contributions and all-around helpful tips Yim Yum, for being the best damn TDM'er that I've ever seen Andrew, for his help with the console commands, and for getting me into Q3 David Hannson, for his info on item re-spawns Jeff Veasey, for running the best damn video game FAQ site on the web 100 other people, for e-mailing me with corrections to my Easter Egg section To the fact that no one got my "Jump Around" joke on Q3DM2-House of Pain :-) And always remember the golden rule... "Frag everything that isn't you."