Multiplayer tactics
If it's your first visit to a server, stay in observer mode for a while
and watch the other players in action. You'll pick up quite a few hints
that way.
If your PING time is substantially higher than other players on the server,
you'll be playing at a disadvantage. If you're playing via the Internet,
it's most likely to be a network problem (e.g. congestion) rather than any
hardware deficiencies at your end. Either try again at another time (when
the congestion may have eased) or else find another server.
Some players lurk near the deathmatch start spots. Get ready to run out of
the way as soon as you respawn. It's a good idea to get clear of the start
spot anyway, to avoid being telefragged by someone respawning after you.
The best time to send messages to other players is when you're dead.
Failing that, find a quiet spot to hide in: remember you're a sitting duck
while you're composing a message.
In teamplay, remember that it's the TROUSER colour that determines which
team you're on. Some devious players change their SHIRT colour to that of
the opposing team: the more gullible won't notice the deception until it's
too late.
From andrew_mcp:
Good tactics involve stuff like...
- Keep moving (running!) at all times
- When reincarnated don't pause to gather your wits
- Don't run in straight lines
- Jumping confuses people... or makes them laugh and lose
concentration :-)
- Learn the common DM levels. Find a route which gets you the good
gear as quickly as possible.
- Never miss picking up a backpack
- If necessary hide until you've got a decent weapon.
- Take out decent life insurance
- Ignore all the above and like, go with the flow, man :-)
From John Romero and American McGee of id Software (via Brandon Fish):
- Never stop running- Never be anything less than a quick erratically
moving target to your opponents.
- Learn to Strafe and attack simultaneously- This keeps you out of
harms way while you rack up the frags.
- Learn each level and establish a path that lets you collect all the
weapons, health, and armor- Stick to this path, but vary it once in
a while in order to avoid being ambushed by observant foes.
- Listen closely to your surroundings- Learn which sounds come from
which parts of the level. Then when you hear a certain sound or
pattern of sounds, you'll know exactly where your foes are and
you'll be prepared for them. Your buddies will swear you have ESP.
- Learn free-look and make it a second nature- Remember that Quake is
true 3-d, and your buddies can jump you from above as well as attack
you from below.
- Develop proficiency with the rocket launcher- This is the most
powerful weapon in Quake, aside from the lightning gun. If you can
use it well, you're guaranteed to score many frags.
From the list compiled by Brandon Fish:
Welcome to Quake
The red armour (200) is available on the Welcome to Quake Deathmatch level.
You simply fall into the pool at the fourth episode entrance backwards, and
sitting in front of you is the red armour in a little alcove. - Chuck Dale
E1M1 - The Slipgate Complex
As soon as you materialize, run to the biosuit! Avoid invitations to
battle for now, your goal takes priority. (If a 100 health powerup is
between you and the biosuit, take the time to get it). As soon as you get
the biosuit, jump in the slime. This will discourage pursuit. Swim for the
secret area in the slime. When you get there, scoop up all the powerups you
need and take the slipgate to the kick-butt sniper ledge. Notice that
Pentagram next to you? That's the ace up your sleeve. So don't use it yet!
Wait until someone a) teleports beside you or b) engages you or c) goes for
the quad. You should use the Pentagram only when you have your prey in
sight. This will ensure that you get at least one frag outta that powerup.
When the urge to battle finally entices you off of that ledge - after you
gib your silly victim, go for the quad damage quickly. There's nothin like
quadding with 666 armor! Use this special time to make cameo appearences at
other places on the level. Go get the lamer who is hogging the rocket
laucher! He'll be there, he _always_ is. When you start to sober up, make
your way back to the biosuit as fast as your fat little feet will carry you.
Start another iteration of the cycle of death! - (Ted_Koppel)
E1M2 - Castle of the Damned
There is a location where two underwater tunnels lead up into a small room,
from which there is a small flight of stairs. This location has a
respawning rocket launcher, bullets, and two health packs. My favorite
strategy is to grab everything in the room, and then back into a corner and
wait. This room is also an area for people to teleport into the game or
teleport after they have been killed. You can usually spread their various
body parts around the room without much trouble. Players will also pop up
from the two underwater tunnels. Unless they have a nail gun or a rocket
launcher themselves, it usually not too hard to annihilate them with the
rocket launcher, also. Since the rocket launcher is respawning, you
shouldn't run out of ammo, and the health packs are available to mend any
damage done by either the rockets or the other players. There are
really only four ways to be forced out of this location: (A) Telefrag
(B) Being attacked by two or more armed people at once (C) Having the rocket
launcher respawn and the other person grabs it before you do (D) Having
someone pop up with a nail gun or rocket launcher and your first four shots
don't hit them. - Virginia Eveland
E1M5: Gloom Keep
Right above the only rocket launcher, there is the highest platform which
has a elevator leading up to it. I've devised a strategy that gave me 20+
kills in under 5 minutes. Get the rocket launcher and ride that elevator up
to the highest level. Then wait for people to try to get the rocket
launcher, or on the bottom, if I see people fighting, I just intervene and
kill them both by aiming down and kill them like sitting ducks. Then when
somebody rides up the elevator to get you, simply shoot them right when they
come up, simple but efective! - (mjarecki)
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