QGL's very own Bad managed to score a copy of Quake 4 two days in advance of the release (release dates just aren't what they cracked up to be!), and he's not only recorded some cool gameplay movies but he's taken the time to put together some impressions of what we think is the most important part of the game - the multiplayer. Check out Bad's multiplayer review for a closer look, including details about the game modes, weapons, and more. There are a couple of new screenshots as well showing off some of the visuals.

Edit: Word on the street is EB are now at least calling people with pre-orders to let them know they can pick it up - if you've pre-ordered you can probably get it early, and if you're a smooth talker you might be able to nab it anyway.

I was in EB about an hour ago and saw people picking up their copies of the Special Edition.

i had to ask staff to get a copy from GameWizards, but i'm told they now have them all out on the shelves (GW Belconnen, Canberra).

IMHO, the all-important thing - that reviewer Bad prolly hasn't had a chance to find out yet - is has the D3 engine netcode been fixed? If so, fab! If not, Q4 Multi is Doomed (pun intended).

Doom 3 has a surprisingly active multiplayer community - I don't think there are too many problems with the engine netcode wise, but I never played it myself so can't really comment - I'm always surprised though when I look on GA and see heaps of people playing Doom 3

trog,

can we get a normal DM server please in place of Team DM?

thanks

if you say please

Damn bastards releasing it before uni finishes.

so are powerups in normal ctf perminant until death or are they timed as per Q3 ctf? Also, can you drop ammo in ctf?

thanks

can we get a normal DM server please in place of Team DM?

last edited by natslovR at 17:37:42 18/Oct/05

so are powerups in normal ctf perminant until death

Yes

Also, can you drop ammo in ctf?

No

I already put one up!

Boo, the game just quits to desktop for me straight after I try to launch it

sucks to be you!

We played some 4 player free for all for a couple of hours this afternoon. My generalised impression is that is has a lot of potential, but it's going to need a lot of work from the community to acheive multiplayer greatness. If the community can step up and fufill the following list, it would be an awesome game.

• At least 10 more well designed maps, even if they're just remakes of past greats, that can develop some quick notoriety and be added universally to server rotations.
  
• Threewave style CTF, this arena stuff isnt going to cut it for me.
  
• Some good tweaked out configs to maximise frames and visibility.
  
• Some brighter player models and colourful weapon models for tourney play.
  
• RA4, nuff said.
  For an arcade paced shooter, I found a lot of the weapons hard to distinguish at a glance and the default player models are nasty with the level camoflauge.
  
  Basically, all the deficiencies could be fixed with Raven embracing the community and implementing some hardcore gamer targetted tournament features like the above and commissioning some of the past proven map designers or picking the best user maps and including them in an official point release.

I don't like the idea of using past maps. They never work as well and u just get this "re-hashed, 2nd hand" feeling when playing them.

New maps!

I look forward to playing this when uni is over.

How much will Q4 be at the shops?

U can buy Q4 special edition on ebay for $68-75 too btw..

Yeah not the same goddamn maps again please, defeats the whole point of having a new game. I'm kind of disappointed that they ended up including the ones they have, but at least they've moved the items around on The Edge by the look of it.

Jim already hates it, its got a rail gun!

needs new maps to breathe new life into a remake of q3, ra4 can diaf really, and the way arena ctf now is aight

yeah i'm bored, but there's nothing else that i enjoy just droning out to

long live quake zombihood

If you unleash a full round into someone it will surely hurt them a lot. The Grenade Launcher does not have a very long range at all; however a direct hit from a grenade will be sure to hurt. Bringing back the Hyperblaster from Quake 2, this gun should probably just be thought of as the Plasmagun from Quake 3 as it is very much like that.

lol, awesome review.

Okay, so question - Where on the Gold Coast could I find an EB to pick it up before I head back to Melbourne? (I'm in the Marriot at the moment - has to be within walking distance of either the Marriot or Gold Coast Convention Centre).

Surprised that it's out already - thought it wasn't out for another week.

nexus6, can you get the console down? try pb_cl_enable from the console maybe?

I mean, a tank that can sidestep?!

Isn't it a hover tank ?

The Bad
Multiplayer sticks too close to Quake III's blueprint

How can that be bad!?! What are they going to do, re-invent the wheel?

How can that be bad!?! What are they going to do, re-invent the wheel?

Yer, you know, put a few more spokes on it. Put those little sound maker bead thingies on the spokes. Maybe make the rim gold or something..

screenies look good. but it needs a bit of Picmip 5 to make it look so much nicer......

The Bad
Multiplayer sticks too close to Quake III's blueprint

I wouldn't view it as bad myself, maybe they were expecting something more along the lines of the multiplayer modes and gameplay in UT2k4 but i think thats going to be more what Quakewars is going to cater for.... the only downfall for me with Quake 4's multiplayer modes (and im only going from what I've heard because i haven't played it yet) but the fact that theres no bots out of the box, i'd be happy if they even just used the A.I code from the bots in Q3 and stuck it in there with a few of the models out of the single player campaign but you can't have everything.... no doubt someone will get a mod or patch out soon enough to stick some bots in there.

Played a few games this arvo, thumbs up

:]

apparently the guy who made oak bots for q and q2 is going to make some for q4

Did they release the sdk and the mod tools on the cd with the game?

also if you want a picmip like setting and make it look like

http://www.ausimages.com/view/2005-10-19/picmip.jpg

put the following in your autoexec.cfg

seta image_downsizelimit "16"
seta image_downsizespecularlimit "2"
seta image_downsizebumplimit "16"




last edited by BoBa at 20:25:24 19/Oct/05

last edited by BoBa at 20:25:48 19/Oct/05

Cant see anything on the DVD-Edition in terms of SDK khel :(

Single player totaly rocks, got my copy today so much fun.

Also noticed this runs lot smoother then doom3 did on my box on high details 3d engine has been optimised well..

Tryed multiplayer on node server fark it was laggy dont like the netcode >:|

That could be also due to the server running out of mhz...dunno ill try GA server soonish hope to see some of ya there. :)

EDIT: Boba why do that? i mean looks like Q2, sifnt have all eyecandy :P

last edited by 0z at 20:40:38 19/Oct/05

Just Found some graphic tweeks if anyones interested.

This one seems to work good with my x800XT PE with multiplayer. :)


image_usePrecompressedTextures "1"
image_useCompression "1"
image_downSizeLimit "1024"
image_ignoreHighQuality "1"
image_downSizeBumpLimit "1024"
image_downSizeSpecularLimit "256"
image_downSizeBump "1"
image_downSizeSpecular "1"
image_downSize "1"
image_forceDownSize "0"
image_roundDown "1"
simage_lodbias "0"
image_preload "1"
r_useCachedDynamicModels "1"
r_skipBump "0"
r_skipPostProcess "0"
r_skipParticles "0"
r_skipSpecular "0"
r_skipNewAmbient "0"
r_multiSamples "0"
r_shadows "1"
r_useOptimizedShadows "1"
r_useTurboShadow "1"
g_projectilelights "1"
g_skipParticles "0"
g_bloodEffects "1"
g_decals "0"
g_showBrass "0"
g_muzzleFlash "1"
g_doublevision "0"
g_showPlayerShadow "0"
image_anisotropy "2"
image_filter "GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_NEAREST"




last edited by 0z at 22:56:28 19/Oct/05

single player runs like ass for me *go my gf ti 4200* but multi is ok due to those small map sizes.

im pretty impressed overall, single player has been pleasing though i havent played alot of it, multiplayer has been fun and everything i expect from a quake game.

i cant wait to have a minor upgrade to play the single player more indepthly

I'm running a duel server on a spare Athlon 2500+, 1500/256 ADSL:

dais' server of dedicated Tourney (QLD.AU)
220.253.84.237:28004

Should be up for a few days at least.

Don't mean to sound like a spoiler, but I reckon the game is f***ing s***. Single player is pretty cool but Multiplayer is not what it should be... It's just not as crisp and smooth gameplay like the other quakes were. Also there is soooo much eye candy in the mp maps that it all gets a bit confusing and spammy. Models are a bit more difficult to see and blend in a bit to the surroundings... Quake 4 is not a strong contender for serious MP game play....

They probably knew that and didn't release a demo, and relied on their good rep for previous versions as a selling point.

I'm thinking about selling it actually.... any offers for the limited edition DVD set? I'm in Brisbane btw.

^^ I felt the exact same way about q3 when it first came out. People learn to adapt.

I'm interested Marty. (probably shouldn't spam up this thread with offers :P)
msn: farseeker@gmail.com (same email)

can't wait to get into this..uni :(

too many spammy guns

Here's footage of a whole duel from last night, tight game with BoBa :)

Q4tourney.boba.vs.dais.(dais).avi
165MB, 15:20

There is so much that still needs to be tweaked with a mod like OSP, but I think it's at least as good as Q3 was on release.

any chance that can get stuck on gamearena, actually seeing a duel would be awesome.

Also there is soooo much eye candy in the mp maps that it all gets a bit confusing and spammy. Models are a bit more difficult to see and blend in a bit to the surroundings...Quake 4 is not a strong contender for serious MP game play....

Was thinking the exact same thing when I saw a few of the updated cs maps like inferno and train.

I think games like cs and quake remain popular over a long period of time due to their simplicity and dont really benefit to the hardware upgrade cycle the way more single player and non-competitive games do.


Edit- I guess this belongs in the other thread after I read it lol.

last edited by Lunch at 18:33:19 20/Oct/05

Quake 4 is not a strong contender for serious MP game play

neither was q3 until the community got stuck into it and made mods such as OSP. Hopefully the same will happen to Q4

Here's footage of a whole duel from last night, tight game with BoBa :)

i'll upload the netdemo when I get home (3mb) of that duel. I run around like a dork running into walls and jumping around like a f*****. The physics is so different and hard to get used to compared to q3

Hahah yeah right, meanwhile I'm like "f***ing s***, gotta control that armour!@$!"

Well, I bought Q4 today. Only played it for a short while though as I still have assignments due. First impressions:

- I like the movement speed. Seems faster than Q3.
- Air movement (or lack of) blows.
- Loving the fact that I CAN SEEEE! WHEEEHEEHEEHEENOOFLASHY... ... *ahem*.
- Forward jump/speed pads look s***.
- I need an upgrade. So does my brother apparently, too, because a 2.8HT w/6800+3GB RAM still shows slowdowns at 800x600. At least it runs faster than Black and White 2.
- HTF do I bring up the console?! BAH!

HTF do I bring up the console?! BAH!

make an autoexec.cfg and put in seta com_allowconsole "1". And while your at it put seta g_fov "between 90 to 110 are the limits if you don't like default" and also put +disconnect in your q4 shortcut to get rid of the intro movies

HTF do I bring up the console?! BAH!

~ + ctrl + alt

for those having issues with quake not loading install this

http://developer.creative.com/articles/article.asp?cat=1&sbcat=31&top=38&aid=46

worked for me.

Q4tourney.boba.vs.dais.(dais).avi
165MB, 15:20

Here is a netdemo you can play in q4 if you have the game and don't want to download 160mb

^^ omfg that was 1337.

too, because a 2.8HT w/6800+3GB RAM still shows slowdowns at 800x600.

What the f***... ahahaah looks like my game playing days are over if this is the case

Now I am really tempted to go out and get a copy of it this weekend.

Here's my config, I'm always mucking with it but meh,

seta image_ignoreHighQuality "1"
seta image_usePrecompressedTextures "1"
seta image_useCompression "1"
seta image_downSize "1"
seta image_forceDownSize "0"
// set downSizeLimit to ~quadrouple your video ram
seta image_downSizeLimit "512"
// set downsizebumplimit to ~double your video ram
seta image_downSizeBumpLimit "256"
seta image_downSizeSpecular "1"
seta image_downSizeSpecularLimit "64"
seta image_downSizeBump "1"
seta image_downSizeSpecular "1"
seta image_roundDown "1"
seta image_anisotropy "0"
seta image_preload "1"
// try switching between LINEAR and NEAREST
seta image_filter "GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR"
seta image_useCache "1"
// change cache megs to around half your system ram
seta image_cacheMegs "512"
seta image_cacheMinK "20480"
// switch between -1 and 0 if you have wierd fps probs
seta image_lodbias "-1"

seta g_decals "0"
seta g_projectileLights "0"
seta g_doubleVision "0"
seta g_muzzleFlash "0"
seta g_skipParticles "0"
seta g_bloodEffects "0"
seta g_showBrass "0"
seta g_showPlayerShadow "0"

// change video ram to your card's ram size
seta com_allowconsole "1"
seta com_fixedTic "0"
seta com_videoram "128"

// settings a few skips to 1 may help
seta r_shadows "0"
seta r_gamma "2"
seta r_useCachedDynamicModels "1"
seta r_skipBump "1"
seta r_skipPostProcess "0"
seta r_skipParticles "1"
seta r_skipSpecular "0"
seta r_skipNewAmbient "0"
seta r_multiSamples "0"
seta r_useOptimizedShadows "1"
seta r_useTurboShadow "1"

seta pm_bobroll "0"
seta pm_bobpitch "0"
seta pm_bobup "0"
seta pm_runroll "0"
seta pm_runpitch "0"
seta pm_runbob "0"
seta pm_walkbob "0"
seta pm_crouchbob "0"

seta pm_bobroll "0"
seta pm_bobpitch "0"
seta pm_bobup "0"
seta pm_runroll "0"
seta pm_runpitch "0"
seta pm_runbob "0"
seta pm_walkbob "0"
seta pm_crouchbob "0"

pitty these are server side on settings

pitty these are server side on settings

And no-one ever starts a server.

I prefer playing FPS's on a team. I don't really like free for all frag sessions much. My flatmate has the game but he's not gonna play it until he gets his video card back from the shop. I'll prolly buy q4 during the hols if it's worth it.

I miss the good old days where you had a spawn install for games like Star Craft so you could have multiplayer LAN with one version of the game. Or like in settlers you could have 1 player per CD (With settlers 3 + the expansion, that meant you could get 3 players going). That was the s***.

Edit: Also, has anybody tried Q4 on an FX card, particularly a Fx5900?

last edited by Crizane Tribal at 11:36:18 21/Oct/05

Or the Q2 days where you'd just copy someones whole directory to your drive. Change the congif around and off you go.

8-)

Also, has anybody tried Q4 on an FX card, particularly a Fx5900?

I run a 5200, runs fine.

Or the Q2 days where you'd just copy someones whole directory to your drive. Change the congif around and off you go.

Pretty sure you can still do that :-P

Dais, how do you record a demo like that??? not the ingame demo but the big one you play in Mediaplayer!

Dais, how do you record a demo like that??? not the ingame demo but the big one you play in Mediaplayer!

http://www.fraps.com/

I played back my netdemo and captured with fraps once the game started, easy as. Avidemoing in the game is kinda broken and would take hours of stuffing around by comparison.

I'd post my demo but I started recording ages before that game and just let it run. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any way to re-record the part you want, and using timescale to fast forward is disabled in baseq4.

Simple question:

Whats the command to hide the weapon from my view?

Nevermind, it's "ui_showGun 0" :)

I played back my netdemo and captured with fraps once the game started, easy as. Avidemoing in the game is kinda broken and would take hours of stuffing around by comparison.

How did you go about doing that, as when I use fraps, it records for about 30 seconds and automatically ends itself and the file is like 100+ MB... :(

Anyone feel like helping contribute to a list of local servers? (post here)

You can only record 30 seconds with the demo version of Fraps, as far as encoding the movie that is a whole other topic in itself. A good place to start would be reading the guides at doom9 man.

Will do champ thanks...
You may remember me from Qauke2. My nick was joekool.. I remember we had a few games together :)

If you wanna hookup some quake4 slaw, let me know: msn: marty83@hotmail.com

Cheers

I'm guessing you got it working, trog? If not, see above.

Or the Q2 days where you'd just copy someones whole directory to your drive. Change the congif around and off you go.

or better yet, just play straight off that persons pc over the network.

sup limps.

heh nf, if I recall correctly, didn't we do that with the orginal Unreal as well at a LAN many many moons ago? I seem to remember we were quite chuffed that it ran over the coax network at 2-3 fps :P

I need an upgrade. So does my brother apparently, too, because a 2.8HT w/6800+3GB RAM still shows slowdowns at 800x600

play around with your config. the game runs fine on the P4 2gig / NVidia 5700Ultra pc next to me atm.

I gotta say I'm loving the Q4x mod. I just haven't figured out how to only enable the railgun (for instagib servers) yet though. There's a forum on the dude's site - but you haveto sign up for it :/

last edited by koopz at 15:30:46 30/Oct/05

ok question, anyone that has these (or close to) specs can tell me how fast Q4 runs? im getting to tonight and would like just a general idea

AMD64 3000
730mb ram (whatever that number is)
Geforce 6800 ultra 256mb
K8NS-Ultra 939 MoBo

Sounds like I might be buying this before FEAR, gotta love MP and apparently fear got some very s***ty reviews in that regard. Plus this is Quake!!

:)

F.E.A.R has awesome multiplayer IMO. if you get sick of the guns, you simply hit H and go around melee only. nothing quite as satisfying when you bicycle kick someone in the head and get a "Dm killed **** with an unarmed headshot"

http://www.game-monitor.com/search.php?qry=&game=quake4&order=players&country=AU

good to see GM is doing well keeping upto date with Q4 online servers :D

scratch that.

Q4 Echelon ftw


1.6mb download

Koopz. is that server query program good because I heard the ingame browser was the worst design ever? d/loading it now in preparation.

I so want to give this a bash now but I cant drive at the moment, might have to get it delivered from Games market or Games wharehouse this week.

See any old schoolers online at all? especially that faggy trog used who used to own bigtime with the railgun in Q2/3.

:P

that faggy trog used who used to own bigtime with the railgun in Q2/3.

surely you jest...

And I thought the Battlefield 2 game browser sucked balls...

K.I.S.S

Keep
It
Simple
Stupid

get owned you mean.

is that server query program good because I heard the ingame browser was the worst design ever? d/loading it now in preparation.

yeah it's pretty much like Nat's server query - except focussed soley on Q4 internet servers. The Quake 3 World forums have lots of good current info if yer keen :)

credit where it's due - Fear MP is owning atm. I seriously don't want to goto work this week. Too many awesome games on atm.

:(

ok i just hired this out and i gotta say wow, its so much fun! i love all the new weapons and the team AI is pretty good. as for multiplayer, *sigh* i clicked No to installing punkbuster by mistake and now i have to spend another 15 min with 4 cds just to get a 2mb file (guessing its around that much?) since it cant be installed seperatly. god that sucks.

hmm what can i say about multiplayer ...

dice > november 1997 to november 2005, 8 years and out.

that should cover it.

sp on the other hand, fairly cool, enjoying it ++

(reason for mp drop out: what made quake so enjoyable in the first place for me was high speed movement, well adjusted weapons, good rj'ing ability in q3, grapple and techs in q2ctf ... without them, i have no motivation to play)

< /bitter > < /whinge > < /cry >

last edited by dice at 02:59:23 31/Oct/05

obviously your not pr0 dice if you can't adapt to a new game. Go have a cry and live in the past!

Quake > *.exe

Interesting bug I found on the weekend in q4, if you rocket jump straight into a light on the ceiling (I mean real straight, may take 2 or 3 attempts) you get stuck to the light. I found this when rocketing up a pad in the rose (can't remember) mp level with a light directly above the pad. May have something to do with the OB they apparently tried to put in ?

to many pr0's like boba about in MP, noobs have no chance in hell for a fun game.

PS. i am noob in q4, played a bit of q3 rocket arena in its day was fun.

/me looks at current aus servers atm all empty.

Its because the population of quake players, have jobs, mostly full-time jobs, and not jobless cs kiddies who still live at home with their parents and dropped out of school.

The servers were all packed last night, was awesome

Q4 sucks move along.

your momma sucks but she sucks good so you don't see me moving on

Just cos you got slapped by Saint LOLS

Its because the population of quake players, have jobs, mostly full-time jobs, and not jobless cs kiddies who still live at home with their parents and dropped out of school

I work from home casa,so yer get to play anytime pitty you bastards stuck in a office cubicle cant slaw at Q4 during the day. :)

i can't get used to new games that's why i didn't even play quake 3 boba

Been playing the single player on a mates copy but just bought my own. Does anyone have a cd key changer they can point me to? Or is there a registry value? thanks

Does anyone have a cd key changer they can point me to?

Go into Quake4/q4base/ and open the file quake4key in a text-editor and edit the key there.

thanks

http://multigaming.net/~afc/crush/32910-fatality.jpg