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Quake

Quake is a first-person shooter (FPS) game that was published by id Software in 1996. It introduced several major advances in the 3D game genre: it uses 3-dimensional models for players and monsters instead of 2-dimensional sprites; and the world in which play takes place is created as a true 3-dimensional space, rather than a 2-dimensional map with height information which is then rendered to 3D. It also incorporated the use of lightmaps and real-time light sources, as opposed to the sector-based static lighting used in games of the past. Many consider believe that it kick-started the independent 3D graphics card revolution, "GLQuake" being the first application to truly demonstrate the capabilities of the 3DFX "Voodoo" chipset at the time. The impact of the Quake engine is still being felt to this day.

The majority of programming work on the Quake engine was done by John Carmack. Michael Abrash, a program performance optimization specialist, was brought in to help make the software rendering engine feasible with regards to speed. The background music for the game was done by Trent Reznor, of Nine Inch Nails.

Table of contents
1 The Story
2 Network Play
3 Modification
4 History
5 Jumping in Quake
6 Games using the Quake engine
7 Games using a modified Quake engine
8 Replacement Quake I Engines
9 External links

The Story

The story to the game follows the usual format for id Software's FPS games: Portals to a realm of evil beings have opened up, and you are the only person who can journey through them to close the rift. In the specific case of Quake, the other realm is inspired by several influences, notably that of H. P. Lovecraft (the end game nasty being Shub-Niggurath herself).

Network Play

Quake includes a multi-player mode to play over the Internet with or against other humans. The network play uses a client/server model, where the actual game runs on the server only and all players "log in" there to participate. Different clients get different ping times - someone playing on the server PC gets a substantial advantage due to essentially zero lag.

Modification

The game itself can be heavily modified. Users created their own maps and models, and coded some changes to the game itself using QuakeC, an interpreted scripting language with a syntax similar to the C programming language. The QuakeC code runs on the game server alone. The ease of modifying the game led to the rise of "mods" such as the popular TeamFortress mod.

History

Quake was given as a title to the game that id software was working on shortly after the release of Doom 2. The earliest information released described Quake as focusing on a Thor-like character who wields a giant hammer, and is able to knock away guys by throwing the hammer (complete with real time inverse kinematics). Early screenshots showed medieval environments and dragons. The plan was for the game to have more RPG-style elements. However, work was very slow on the engine, since Carmack not only was developping a fully 3D engine, but also a TCP/IP networking model (Carmack later said that he should have done two separate projects which developed those things). Thus the final game was very stripped down from its original intentions, and instead featured gameplay similar to Doom 2. Praised throughout the gaming community, it quickly dethroned previous FPS titles and revolutionized the way multiplayer games were developed.

To improve the quality of online play, id software released QuakeWorld, a build of Quake that featured significantly revamped network code including the addition of client-side prediction. QuakeWorld soon became the platform most people played on because it was much more friendly to those with high pings (also referred to as High Ping Bastards or HPBs). The TeamFortress mod was based on the QuakeWorld platform.

The source code of Quake was licensed under the GPL in 1999.

Based on the success of the first Quake game, id later published Quake II and Quake III Arena; Quake IV is planned to follow in the future, utilising the DOOM³ engine.

It is also interesting to note that Quake was the game primarily responsible for the Machinima phenomenon of films made in game engines, thanks to edited Quake demos like Ranger Gone Bad and Blahbalicious.

Jumping in Quake

In the Quake computer game there are several ways to make one's character move by jumping. Some of them are exploits of bugs rather than designed features of the game. Note that some of these "features" have been included in later FPS games, like Half-Life.

Rocketjump

The rocketjump can be done in every quake game.

Using the rocketjump you can jump into unbelieveable heights.

In order to do a rocketjump, you have to get yourself a rocket launcher. Then you have to look down on the ground almost vertically. Now you have to press the jump button and immediately after pressing the jump button you have to fire a rocket on the ground. The splashdamage of the rocket hitting the ground should push you up very high.

Using the rocketjump you can often reach items much faster, you can rescue yourself from the lava and you can also use it in fights with your opponent in order to distract him.

You can also do a similar jump using the grenade launcher and in Quake II with the BFG. The grenade launcher can be even used in order to intensify your jump ! You just need to a rocketjump while the grenade is exploding.

Strafejump

The strafejump can be done in the Quake computer game and in Quake II.

It is a bug the players make use of in order to jump farther.

Strafejump includes the word strafe, to strafe is essential for doing the jump.

You can't strafejump forward. Only to the left or right side. It's practical to bind one button to strafe left and one to strafe right. You have to go forward, then you have to strafe to the side you want to jump to, and you have immediately to turn your view (with the mouse) to the side you want to jump to and press jumpbutton.

good practice maps for the strafejump :

Circlejump

This jump can is mostly used in Quakeworld, but it can also be done (very difficult) in the normal Quake computer game.

You make use of the aircontrol. You really do a "U-turn" in the air. You can practise it in dm2 near the shotgun.

Doublejump

This jump is only possible in Quake II in the later versions. It's a bug that lets you jump two times in a row. You have to jump directly at an edge and then you have to jump again. You can for example use it in Q2DM1 at the megahealth. You can reach the upper spot at the bagpack by doublejumping. Then you can jump normally to the megahealth.

Bunnyhopping

Bunnyhopping is possible in Quakeworld and in Quake II. Bunnyhopping increases your movementspeed.

In order to do bunnyhopping you need first to do a strafejump and then you need to jump the whole time while moving forward and you get faster and faster ...

In Quakeworld you can even make use of the aircontrol in order to get around corners, it's similar to the circlejump. In Quake II there is practically no aircontrol you only can move straightforward.

It's also useful in Quakeworld when doing the Speedjump (see below) in order to keep up the movementspeed.

Speedjump

This jump was founded by the Quakeworld community. It is similar to the rocketjump. Instead of firing the missile on the ground you do fire it on the wall.

You make use of it in order to gain movementspeed.

You have to get yourself a rocketlauncher. Best place to test it is dm6 or dm2. Go close to the wall, shoot the rocket, do a quick 180 turn and jump forward, the splashdamage should catapult you then. Now you have the speed. In order to keep this speed up you have to do bunnyhopping (see above), that means jumping all the time forward.

This can be useful in order to surprise your enemy.

The speedjump can also be done in Quake II, but it's of no use at all, because you don't have enough aircontrol in order to get around the corners.

Plasmajump

This jump is only possible in Quake III Arena

Games using the Quake engine

Games using a modified Quake engine

Replacement Quake I Engines

External links