Noob's Guide to Strafejumping

Strafejumping is probably the first skill I learned while playing the Quake series, because it comes at no self damage, and in actuality it's not all that hard to do.

Simply hold the forward key as well the left or right strafe key, all while continuously jumping. Now during these jumps, you must move the mouse toward the direction of the strafe key that is being used, which is essential for gaining maximum the speed and acceleration. It's also really good to alternate between the two strafe keys for every jump, this is yet another technique that will allow you to utilize the full power of strafejumping. Just be careful not to bump into any walls, or else friction will take into effect, thus slowing you down immensely.

Once you've mastered the basis of this technique in Quake 3, now it's time to move onto circlejumping, which is often used to begin a set of strafejumps. It's useful to gain a sudden burst of speed that, when combined with strafejumping, allows you to unleash your inner speed demon. Firstly, turn your character 90 degrees away from the direction you plan to move in. You then hold forward and either the left or right strafe key (depending on the direction you wish to take), while turning your character to face ahead. From that instant, begin your strafe jumping and you are all set. The 90 degree turn is essential for maximizing your starting acceleration.

Tutorial video is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOffE5_k2f0

Clan Arena is Truly Awesome

Clan Arena (CA) is a gametype in Rocket Arena 3, a modification for the Quake 3 Arena, and is also found as a default gametype in Quake Live. This team-based gametype starts each player off with all core weapons, extra ammo, and full health/armor. It takes every item off of the map, even ammo and health pickups, so there is no way to improve your condition. Each player only has one life, and self-damage is removed.

I really like this gametype. I'm usually against anything that lacks on-map resources (as it takes away the gameplay element of map control), but something feels different in this gametype. It feels...even. Even more even than the standard Duel. Most games that lack map control tend to have some feature that destroys the even playing field, usually customizable classes. In the case of Clan Arena, however, the lack of map control actually enhances the experience. While I still prefer traditional FFA or CTF compared to this, I still really like this gametype, and it's somehow equally as good for competitive play as it is for casual play. On a side note, one thing I also really like about Clan Arena is that there is no self-damage, allowing you to perform rocketjumps and plasmaclimbs without hurting yourself in the process, although there's less of an incentive to do so, mainly due to the lack of on-map items, but hey, it's still pretty cool...I guess.

I typically like to play Clan Arena for warmups. What do you guys think about this gametype? Please let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear what you guys have to say.

Dueling in Quake: Aggressive vs. Defensive

Having learned from the skills of many professional players, including the likes of Fatal1ty, ZeRo4, Dkt, Rapha, Strenx, Evil, and Cypher, I know one thing when it comes to Duel: when to play defensively, and when to go full-on aggressive. If you want to learn a thing or two, please read the post below!

Defensive

Defensive play in Duel centers around fleeing and avoiding confrontation, all while trying to build up your gear. You should play defensively in three major situations: (a) when you have respawned after getting killed, (b) when you have survived a confrontation and lost a good portion of your health/armor in the process, and finally (c) when you have a significant point advantage and you want to avoid damage at all costs.

Aggressive

On the other hand, go fully aggressive when you have achieved full armor, so you can maintain map control and continuously frag your enemy. Use brute force to dominate the power positions, and constantly chase after the fleeing player to rack up some quick kills, allowing you to add to your point advantage or simply catch up to your opponent.

Quake Live Weapon Guide

Here is where you'll learn about each of Quake Live's core weapons (these do not include the BFG, HMG, or any of the TA weapons).

Gauntlet (Gaunt)

The standard-issue melee weapon. It's only really good for humiliating lesser skilled opponents, so I sincerely advise you not to use it for a competitive match. It deals 50 damage a hit, and there's not much else to say about it, other than the fact that your enemy will fly back upon getting hit.

Machinegun (MG)

Your starting weapon. Perfect sidearm and finisher. It deals 5dmg per shot (7dmg for HellHaus and VQ3 settings) and fires ten times a second, resulting in 50dmg a second (70 for HellHaus). It's hitscan, meaning that it can hit targets instantly at any range, but it also suffers from being overall weakest weapon in the game. It is really useful for cleaning up weakened and/or unarmored targets, and is also good for holding off enemies at mid-long range until you've managed to find a better weapon. Not to mention it also has low spread. However, you need to keep consistent aim on your targets to deal any damage.

Shotgun (SG)

A close range weapon that fires a powerful spread of multiple hitscan projectiles. It's the easiest weapon to hit with and the hardest weapon to dodge, but deals piss-poor damage at anything except point blank. Other than being the go-to guy for close quarters combat, it's also often considered to be a noob weapon due to the general lack of accuracy being required. But do not be fooled, as although it may be easier to hit with when compared to other weapons, it's not overall easy to use like a COD shotgun (due to Quake being much faster paced), not to mention it also has a very situational use during competitive matches. The weapon's reload time (aka the delay between shots) is exactly 1 second. 

To dodge the Shotgun, simply keep your distance, but always keep in mind that no matter how far you are, you're very likely to get hit by at least one pellet.

Grenade Launcher (GL)

Not really designed for direct combat, rather it's meant for covering your tracks and holding off enemies while retreating. It has similar damage and reload time when compared to the Rocket Launcher (which is described in next paragraph), but has a larger blast radius. It's projectiles are affected by gravity and do not explode on impact, rather they bounce off surfaces and take a moment to detonate. With Grenades, you can easily transform any chasm, hallway, or staircase into a complete deathtrap, which is perfect when you really need to delay your pursuers.

Rocket Launcher (RL)

A really good jack-of-all-trades weapon. It's actually the most powerful weapon in the core sandbox (minus the BFG, but that isn't included for competitive play). It deals 100 damage on direct hit, and up to 85 with splash damage. The weapon's reload time is exactly .8 seconds. The slow projectile speed requires you to lead your targets, so although it has 1sk potential, you need great skill to use it effectively. Typically I recommend that you aim around your target's feet so you'll hit them with the explosion. Aiming for a direct hit is usually a bad idea, as your enemy will typically be able dodge. 

You can also rocketjump by launching a rocket down at your feet as you jump; the explosion will enhance your upward acceleration, allowing you to reach greater distances at the cost of self-damage. The better your timing, the farther you'll go and the less damage you'll take in return. Rocketjumping takes quite a bit of practice to master, but doing so will allow you to have an easier time with traveling from place to place. I highly suggest practicing your rocketjump on Clan Arena (CA), as you start with full ammo and you take no self-damage.

To dodge the Rocket Launcher, first you must stay clear of nearby surfaces (except for the ground, of course). You must then try to stay on higher ground, as your enemy won't be able to make use of splash damage and the ledge will provide you with some great cover. If you can't get to higher ground, stay on your enemy's level and try to get some decent distance, The longer distance you are, the harder time your enemy will have with aiming at the floor around you. Also try to move in a figure-8 pattern, as this will constantly change your position for both the X and Y axes, thus making it harder for the enemy to hit you with splash damage. Keep in mind that you should never jump, because the enemy can easily aim where you're going to land.

Plasmagun (PG)

A rapid fire, high damage per second projectile weapon. It's perfect for spamming into tighter areas like halls and doorways, particularly due to its fast projectile speed, high rate of fire, and large "plasma balls" (yes I said it) making the weapon hard to dodge when your movement is restricted. It is, however, easy to dodge in more open areas, which is due to the fact that the weapon deals little to no splash damage, and also because of its super tiny blast radius. Really, this weapon should not be considered as an "explosive" under any circumstance, as it's explosive properties do not affect combat in the slightest, and only makes it good for trickjumps. It has the same exact firing rate as the MG, but is significantly more powerful, dealing 200 damage a second. There is one last tip for this weapon, and that is to lead your shots.

Plasmaclimbing uses Plasmagun knockback to propel your player upwards along a wall. To plasmaclimb, stand against a wall and look down at where the wall meets the floor. Jump as soon as you start firing the Plasmagun and hold down the forward key. Release the jump key as you take off. This technique requires a ton of practice and patience, even more so than rocketjumping. If you want to plasmaclimb sideways, all you have to do is adjust your aiming angle and continuously hold down the strafe keys, although you may want to learn the normal way first.

Lightning Gun

Also known as the master of mid-range, the Lightning Gun performs well in more open areas (in contrast to the PG) where your enemy would have an easier time dodging other weapons. It fires a continuous hitscan beam of electricity, dealing 6dmg every 50 milliseconds, making for a total of 120dmg per second. It can be perceived as weak, however it has extremely high knockback to compensate, making it perfect for area denial. The beam also has limited reach, so don't attempt to use it at long range.

Always keep in mind that the Lightning Gun has massive beam sway: this means that the beam will bend around when you turn while firing. The best way to compensate for beam sway is to simply aim with your movemeny as much as possible. Mirror your enemy's movements to keep your reticule on target. Now to dodge the Lightning Gun, all you have to do is move opposite to your attacker, so he will constantly turn in attempt to keep his aim on you, thus causing beam sway to kick into effect.

Railgun (RG)

This is the sniper of Quake. It delivers a powerful hitscan bolt of radiation, and has no spread whatsoever. A single shot deals 80dmg, but it comes with the longest reload time of any weapon in the game, amounting to 1.5 seconds. The weapon is also very useful against airborne targets, due to its pinpoint accuracy, hitscan properties, and high damage. It's also quite frequently used as a "hit n' run" weapon, as it's good for dealing quick damage in the middle of a retreat, with the reload time over by the time you pop out of cover again. While it may not be as useful as the other weapons at closer range, it's definitely the number one choice for long range combat, and for good reason.

The best way to dodge the Railgun is to first memorize the weapon's reload time. As soon as you know the weapon's about to fire, quickly jolt to the side to throw off the enemy's aim. While it may be harder to dodge than the Rocket Launcher, it's not impossible.

Quake Live Destroyed

id Software has released a patch for Quake Live not too long ago, essentially destroying the majority of the game. Thankfully Duel, CTF, and CA are mostly unaffected, and Pro subscribers are still able spawn custom servers with classic settings (allowing Quake Live to remain as my number 1 favorite FPS), but still, these changes are severely plaguing the game, and it is my duty as a passionate, competitive gamer and critic to personally let id Software know how bad they fucked up.

Loadouts

Oh yes they did. This is the addition I hate the most. It makes me want to rip out someone's intestines and strangle them with it. You can now choose two starting weapons: a primary and a secondary. Both categories consist of four different weapons. Primaries include the Heavy Machinegun (a new weapon), the Rocket Launcher, the Lightning Gun, and the Railgun, while Secondaries include the Machinegun, the Shotgun, the Plasmagun, and the Grenade Launcher. With this change, you no longer have to search for a good weapon at spawn, because you already start fully armed with your favorite gun.

Part of the skill in Quake is that when you spawn, you have to avoid confrontation, memorize weapon spawn locations, plan your routes, and know when to rush out of cover to get the weapon(s). Now that you spawn with a good weapon, there's really not much of a need to memorize the weapon spawns aside from the BFG on certain maps (which is now the only weapon you can't start with). Another way this ruins the game is that you are no longer penalized much for dying. Whenever you died in classic settings, you lost all of your weapons and you were then stuck with the shitty ass Machinegun, which only functioned well as a long-range finisher weapon and sidearm. This meant whenever you managed to kill someone, you'd also be slowing down your victim, as they would have to gather each of their weapon(s) all over again which takes some time to do. Here, death had more meaning. Now when you kill someone, they can easily jump straight back into combat and score some quick kills without any delay at all. It's stupid and makes Quake more mindless than it's ever been.

Heavy Machinegun (HMG)

This is an all-new weapon they added in this patch. It's essentially just a buffed-up Machinegun that fires every .75 seconds and deals 8 damage per shot, approximately dealing 112 damage per second (give or take 8 damage). It's borderline overpowered despite it's higher spread, and is way too powerful for a hitscan weapon. At least the LG sways when you turn while firing, restricting you to simply aiming with your movement. With the HMG you can just spray and pray without any strategy required. Not to mention it doesn't even have its own unique niche/role. Every role you can think of to give this weapon is already filled by another gun. I wouldn't even want it as an extra weapon for unranked servers, it's not even balanced enough for that. Personally, I'd rather have them just buff the MG to 7 damage per shot, for a total of 70 damage per second, to make it more useful in it's role without overpowering it (just like vanilla Quake 3).

Spawn Timers

Yes, you no longer have to memorize spawn times either. This goes for all "major" items, including yellow armor, red armor, powerups, etc. The game used to take a lot more skill when you had to memorize the spawn time and keep track of the timer in your head during all of the chaotic, fast-paced action. Need I say more? Without emphasis on memorization, you're taking away a huge chunk out of the skill gap.

Auto Bunnyhop

You can now hold space to continuously jump and gradually gain speed over time. The longer you keep jumping forward, the faster you go, with a maximum of 640ups (twice the standard running speed). This I don't really have much of a problem with, because it takes quite a while to gain any speed using this method. You'll always rather be strafejumping like the pros instead of auto-bunnyhopping like the noobs. The only situation where you'll want to auto-bunnyhop is when you don't know how to properly strafejump, which is why it isn't really a big deal for me.

Unified Ammo

Weapon-specific ammo boxes are now replaced with unified ammo boxes, which give you ammo for all of your weapons rather than just one. I have a couple problems with this. Firstly you no longer need to memorize ALL of the ammo spawns, rather all you need to do is keep coming back to the same one over and over again, seeing as it refills all of your weapons' ammo. There is no more need to move between different ammo spawns, rather you can just keep sitting at the same exact spot until your entire arsenal is completely refilled. There's way less incentive to move around, once you've collected all the weapons on the map. My second problem is that there are too many. If these items are going to supply so much ammo, there should be less of them around and the respawn time should be made longer. Overall it's not as big as a problem as the first three, but it's still a problem nonetheless.

Conclusion

These changes were made to make the game more accessible to newcomers, as id Software feared that beginners would get their asses kicked and leave the game. This is undeniably horrible. You see, I don't mind them making the game more accessible, but I don't want that getting in the way of competitive depth. A shooter without competitive depth is only a mere toy rather than a professional eSport, and the former isn't something that Quake should turn into. I personally hope they revert the update.

It's not like they HAVE to reduce the skill gap, rather there are simply better ways to go about making your gaming more accessible. Include CPMA bots, which had a wider set of difficulties compared to Vanilla Quake 3's (CPMA has 99 difficulties, VQ3/QL only has 5 and they're all completely dumbass to the point where a 6-year-old could actually put up a fight against the hardest one). I never grew up with Quake but when I started practicing against CPMA bots, I began doing halfway decent in standard matches. They should also improve the skill-matching so newbies aren't pitted against high-level players (lol problem easily solved). Last but not least, include some "newbie" servers for lower-ranking players, which would have a good portion of the lobby filled by bots, so there'd be easier kills for those who aren't yet skilled enough to kill average players. All of this would make the game more accessible without screwing over the core gameplay.

Later on, I'll also be starting competitive servers every Saturday/Sunday using the Turbo ruleset, with a 7dmg MG and no HMG to be found. Gametypes will usually consist of FFA, CTF, CA, and Duel, and will be named "CPM [gametype]". I'll post an announcement the first week these servers begin.

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Regenerating Health, Good or Bad?

Despite a good amount of competitive games believing the oldschool medkit system is superior to regenerating health, I personally believe both ways have their own pros and cons, and that it ultimately depends on the pacing of the game as to whether or not regen health truly belongs. The following two paragraphs will further explain my reasoning.

Regenerating Health

In a slower-paced arena FPS such as Classic Halo or Unreal Tournament 2004, I feel that regenerating health would benefit these games more, as the slower movement speed would make the hunt for medkits extremely long, drawn out, and just plain aggravating, the former two being horrible traits for competitive play. Wouldn't it suck to have survived an enemy confrontation, and then having to slowly jog your way a couple miles to get to the nearest medkit? It'd be stupid and annoying. This is the main reason why I feel that regenerating health (or shields, whatever you want to call it) fits best with Halo's overall pace. This is also why I feel that Unreal 2K4 should've adopted regenerating health in a similar manner to Halo. As much as I liked Unreal Tournament 2004, I personally felt that the conventional medkit system really only served as a major pacebreaker. 

Some people say that regenerating health encourages camping, but this isn't always the case. Camping also has to do with poor map design. Look at Halo 2 compared to Reach, it was definitely harder to camp in the former, simply because the maps were better designed against it. With this system you also have to know the map well. You need to learn which areas have the best cover, and you also need to memorize all of the sight lines, while constantly keeping track of the enemy's positioning.

Non-Regen Health w/ Medkits

A speedy game like Quake or Classic Doom, on the other hand, seems to benefit more from the conventional medkit system. In these games, you move ridiculously fast, so the hunt to regain health doesn't take an eternity to finish. The way you have to rush for these medkits really seems to complement the insanely fast movement speed, and makes it so players are almost always moving. Not only that, but it also adds a great tactical element in that you have to know when to rush, and which route you're going to use. Mindlessly charging out into your enemy's line of sight will cause you to die when you're low on health, no doubt about that, rather you are encouraged to use patience, planning, timing, and map knowledge to your advantage. You must also memorize where the health spawns, and in Quake's case, you have to be pretty skilled at trick jumping in order to outrun your pursuer.