all inclusive guide to the quake soure ports

[cowgod]

i played quake back in the day all the time and i am just getting back into it now. there are so many different engines out there that it is very difficult for someone just coming back to quake (or new all together) to know where to start. i've been reading these forums for hours and i feel i have barely scratched the surface.

would anyone here be interested in a full guide on installing and customizing all the various source engines out there that is completely inclusive (no need for outside sources with an endless maze of links to external sites)? if there is a high enough demand for it, i will do my best to make it a reality. i have the big picture on how to do it in my head, but it will be a serious undertaking because i want to cover all aspects of quake.

please let me know your thoughts (newbies as well as veterans).

[scar3crow]

I think this could be best done by the authors of the engine all using a basic format of listing the engines features, common usage and ways to quickly customize it... DarkPlaces has pretty robust documentation on its site, and if LordHavoc isn't up for it, I'm sure one of the engines enthusiasts would be interested in contributing to this.

R00k might be interested in doing such for Qrack, as might metlslime for fitzquake, but I can't say for sure, for those are strange people.

However what you suggest would really ease re-introduction to Quake and is by far one of the best ideas I've heard in a while.

[golden_boy]

Isn't this what the EZ Installers (Proquake etc) are for?

Installing standard (Net)Quake is simple because there are only a few important files. (Darkplaces is not standard Netquake, for this purpose.)

In short: You have a folder named Quake, and inside that:

- one or more Quake exe's (engines), like Proquake etc.
Try some and see what you like (look at screenshots.)

- a folder named id1 (not optional) containing:
the "pak files" pak0/1.pak
progs.dat (QuakeC code)
your config, normally autoexec.cfg
optionally "maps", "demos" etc. folders
+ some cruft (ignore for the most part.)

- mods' private folders (optional), like the mission packs'
Contain the mod's data, mostly pak files.

- maybe your engine's private folder (Joequake does this)
Contains custom graphics etc.

That's all... no rocket science...

Console and command line options can be found at Planetquake, and all over this forum, and on the Joequake site (link to the left), and via Google. Many people post their configs, get some and use them to make your own.

Configs really just contain a list of console commands, like a DOS bat file. The engine parses them on startup, or you can load them with 'exec myconfig.cfg.' You can use any text editor or word processor to modify them.

Which engine to use? Well, test several and then decide which ones you want to keep. You can have more than one installed. I have Joequake, Proquake and Fuhquake living happily together.

It's possible to make things easier for people, but they still have to do a little of the searching and all of the deciding.

Sorry if I stated the obvious a bit.

[R00k]

Scarecrow is correct, we are strange. Strange in the fact that documention eludes our efforts when making custom clients.
Most clients simply only require you to unzip the file into the /Quake folder and double click the .exe. Creating shortcuts for the exe help you customize by adding commandline parameters, yet more advanced engines allow all setting to be changed in game via menus and save these changes for later without the use of any parameters on the commandline.
It would be interesting to outline the basics for settings up and create subsections per setting for each popular client. For example,

Maximizing your frames per second
Standard Quake by default limited the maximum fps to 72. Yet in newer clients this has been lifted by a console setting.

ProQuake: PQ_MAXFPS

FitzQuake: HOST_MAXFPS

DarkPlaces: CL_MAXFPS

Suggested values range from 75 - 125.

EzQuake has a VERY extensive manual and launcher to set up right out of the box. And DarkPlaces has detailed descriptions in the cvarlist. Learning how to set up a couple of these engines can be applied to setting up the other engines as well.

[spooker]

its a great idea. but having the original coders make it is i think a poor idea. its better to have a user perspective than someone who is all about the technology. i fear the original coders would be excited for all the little obscure things they've done that excited them because it's their hobby but no one else really cares about. the position of the original coder is vastly different from the perspective of the user, and this guide would be aimed at aiding the user

[cowgod]

its a great idea. but having the original coders make it is i think a poor idea. its better to have a user perspective than someone who is all about the technology. i fear the original coders would be excited for all the little obscure things they've done that excited them because it's their hobby but no one else really cares about. the position of the original coder is vastly different from the perspective of the user, and this guide would be aimed at aiding the user

this is exactly my point. i never suggested that the authors of the various engines give a detailed list about every single console command and feature that their engine has. i want to be the guide author and i want to detail the steps involved with installing the various source ports and where you can take it from there via customization.

please keep this going. i'd like more ideas on the concept.

[Tei]

Installing clients is a easy to unzip the zip file into the quake folder.
Often is only a new exe file. whatever.exe
Often also create a new folder, where some data is unzipped (some customized particles textures, config files, help, etc).
Once you unzip the client, double click on it. Done.

Is more easy to do, than to explain. Maybe a flash movie can be done with "Wink" to show it.

The console thing is powerfull, but deep. And newer engines like Darkplaces/ezQuake are designed to show a easy interface, but include like zillions hidden console commands for deep options. If you want to. Dont need to.

[PapaSmurf]

Installing clients is a easy to unzip the zip file into the quake folder.
Often is only a new exe file. whatever.exe
Often also create a new folder, where some data is unzipped (some customized particles textures, config files, help, etc).
Once you unzip the client, double click on it. Done.

No, you're not done. Now you're playing the game using some weird default settings that might not work great for your system or the lighting might be off or just some of the settings aren't what you're used to. What I don't like about trying out a new client is that they have all this stuff that's new and great, but a lot of the times, it's not so easy to turn it all off.

Recently I was trying out Qrack, and when I first loaded it up, it had some weird triangle particles thing going on for the rocket smoke. I talked to R00k, and he gave me his config, which fixed that, and since then i've manged to figure out the settings I like. However, I ran into another problem with the screen not flashing correctly when I got hurt; I needed to set gl_hwblend to 0. I don't even know what that variable does, but it fixed my problem.

My point is that it is somewhat intimidating trying to configure a new client with so many new additions and neat graphics, especially when you're used to standard quake and the minimal effort it takes to set it up. Although there are some standard quake commands that everyone should know about and use, ie, v_kicktime, cl_rollangle, cl_bobup, cl_bob.

[Tei]

No, you're not done. Now you're playing the game using some weird default settings that might not work great for your system or the lighting might be off or just some of the settings aren't what you're used to. What I don't like about trying out a new client is that they have all this stuff that's new and great, but a lot of the times, it's not so easy to turn it all off.

But, this is something a newbie will need?
It sounds like something a hardcore player need.

when you're used to standard quake and the minimal effort it takes to set it up. Although there are some standard quake commands that everyone should know about and use, ie, v_kicktime, cl_rollangle, cl_bobup, cl_bob.

In new engines I only need to change sensitivity to some high value, and contrast, brigness or whatever the engine use to light it up. Very dark is hard on eyes.

[golden_boy]

It would be good if engine coders could agree on standard names for new variables. For example, all console variables or commands that do the same thing should have the same name.

The other side of the coin is the fact that most console variables are useless to newbies.

I maintain that Quake is very easy to install and start playing, but maybe hard to totally configure to your liking. A part of the problem is that many people are uncomfortable editing config files and getting their hands dirty (an effect of a certain well-known OS catering to stup... I mean laziness.) But everybody who ever tweaked his AUTOEXEC.BAT back in DOS times, will be fine with a Quake config, as will 99% of Linux users.

It's a case of RTFM, even if that sounds harsh. However, when you progress from a newbie to a more interested player, you will inevitably go through a learning phase, during which you will WANT to RTFM. When you start competing in car races or rallyes, you better know your car inside out and thus you must inevitably RTFM and get your hands dirty. And every make of car is different, so you need to R several FMs.

You don't expect volunteers to maintain your racing car, do you.

Methods to make it easier on people that I can think of:

1) Provide standardized WASD configs for all major clients.

They should be well commented so it would be easy to make changes.

2) Make a Windows program where the user can create and modify a Quake config for all major clients, and every option is explained. User would just mark everything he wants, multiple choice style, and the program would translate that to cvars and save the config.

There is something like this available to set up the X server in Linux (i.e. create a config file.) IIRC the program is called xorgconfig. It creates a sample config, then takes the user step by step through several aspects. User just needs to either answer "yes" and "no", or enter values (numbers), for example his screen resolution, color depth, what kind of mouse, keyboard, graphics card etc.

You could do the same with Quake configs:

Do you want to

1. Create a new config
2. Modify your config

Please select your client:

1. Proquake
2. Qrack
3. Joequake
4. ...

Do you use hardware acceleration? (y/n)

Do you want to use standard WASD keys? (y/n)

Press the key you want to use for (...) (repeat as necessary)

Select your mouse sensitivity (explanation, slider)

Select brightness and contrast (explanation, slider)

Press a key for your Quick Grenade bind

You can now select from the following options:

(multiple choice list of cvars, explained)

Press OK to save your config

It could be that simple. I think it sounds like something Baker might do. It is probably really easy to implement.

The configuration programs for Baldur's Gate etc. are very similar, everything is explained and you can bind keys, all arranged in tabs (graphics/keys/game options/...) For Quake, you would just have the user select his client first, because every client is slightly different.

[Spirit]

If you are too dump to setup your config, then you won't have much fun with the game.
A program to create configs? Yeesh, you can do that ingame, can't you? Does anyone bother reading a fucking manual nowadays? Many cvars and the usage is explained in the old text files that come with every Quake installation (techinfo.txt etc).

[Grim]

Does anyone bother reading a fucking manual nowadays?

Only time I read one is when I need some reading material for the "little boys room".

[scar3crow]

Most people are disinterested in education that will be directly applied. Even on matters as simple as reading documentation.