See my screen shots page, with sw/hw rendering comparison page

This page is about the 3D computer game " quake" and " quake 2" by id software.   (and quake 3 is out now too)

Resources/links: •  Gameaholic and IronMan still have quake1 server lists (links for GameSpy: 1 and 2 ) •  Stomped.com •  Frag.com •  PlanetQuake •  GameSpy •  Glide underground •  GameDev.net (also has the game dictionary) •  FiringSquad •  Telefragged.com (down?)

Keyboard and mouse controls

Executive summary

If you only use the keyboard, you're at a disadvantage in how quickly and accurately you can turn around and aim.  Instead you should use the mouse to turn and aim, and simultaneously use the keyboard to move "across the floor" - - usually walking forward, but also dodging to the right or left, away from that incoming rocket.  (ow)

I use a keyboard cluster for movement (with the left hand), and use the mouse for "looking" (yaw/pitch) with the right hand.

W A S D

W/S is forwards/backwards,   A/D is dodge left/right.

Also, I use Q/E to switch weapons (down/up), in addition to the number keys.

Quake 1 : autoexec.cfg

With quake 1, there's no "freelook" feature (as in Q2), so you need to bind the right mouse-button to "+mouselook", and hold it down all the time, so that rolling the mouse forward and back makes you look down and up, instead of moving you forward and back.  In my opinion, you need to turn on "invert mouse" to get it to work the "right" direction (pushing the mouse forward should make you look down, not up). You can do that from the options screen, or you can type it on the console as:

bind MOUSE2 "+mouselook"
m_pitch -0.022

So here's what I use for the new movement controls:

// left hand key cluster  (w/s/a/d) movement controls
bind w +forward
bind s +back
bind a +moveleft
bind d +moveright

// weapon up/down on "e" and "q"
bind e "impulse 10"
bind q "impulse 12"


// crosshair toggle is backslash "\"
crosshair 1
alias cross_toggle cross_off
alias cross_off "crosshair 0;alias cross_toggle cross_on"
alias cross_on "crosshair 1;alias cross_toggle cross_off"
bind \ cross_toggle

// Toggle "zoom in" or "magnifying glass" mode.  F11, or middle mouse
//  (if you change mouse sensitivity, it needs to be updated here too)
alias zoom_toggle zoom_in
alias zoom_in "sensitivity 4;fov 60;wait;fov 30;alias zoom_toggle zoom_out"
alias zoom_out "sensitivity 7;fov 60;wait;fov 90;alias zoom_toggle zoom_in"
bind F11 zoom_toggle
bind MOUSE3 zoom_toggle

// Make messages last for 10 seconds instead of 3.
con_notifytime 10
// Fast scrolling of the console window
scr_conspeed 1000

// some (ctf) servers, last checked Jul-99
alias hating "connect quake.hating.com"
alias lucasweb "connect quake.lucasweb.net"

Quake 2

// quake2/baseq2/autoexec.cfg

// Toggle view zoom with F11 or middle mousebutton. dependent on sensitivity.
set my_sens 8
alias zoom_toggle zoom_in
alias zoom_in "fov 60;wait;fov 30;alias zoom_toggle zoom_out;set sensitivity 4"
alias zoom_out "fov 60;wait;fov 90;alias zoom_toggle zoom_in;set sensitivity $my_sens"
bind f11 zoom_toggle
bind mouse3 zoom_toggle
sensitivity $my_sens

// Toggle macro for crosshair:  <backslash>
crosshair 1
alias cross_toggle cross_off
alias cross_off "crosshair 0;alias cross_toggle cross_on"
alias cross_on "crosshair 1;alias cross_toggle cross_off"
bind "\" cross_toggle

// General aliases:
alias disc disconnect
alias tr timerefresh
alias s cmd info
alias ss status
con_notifytime 10

alias hating connect quakes.hating.com

//////// CHEAT KEY (BACKSPACE):
alias gimme "give ammo; give machinegun; wait; give rocket launcher; wait; give hyperblaster"
bind backspace "give health; gimme; give quad damage"

// ------- key bindings
// (saved in config.cfg)

// Left hand movement:  w:+forward s:+back q:+moveleft e:movedown
//  (displaces: v:use quad damage, f:use environment suit)
// also use mouse2:+movedown
alias rebind1 "bind w +forward; bind s +back; bind a +moveleft; bind d +moveright; bind mouse2 +movedown"
alias rebind2 "bind v use quad damage; bind f use environment suit; bind q weapprev; bind e weapnext"
alias rebind3 "bind mwheeldown cmd help; bind mwheelup mapname"
alias rebind "rebind1; rebind2; rebind3"


// for q2ctf:  r:+hook
//  or also    r:use grapple

// ------------ startup
menu_loadgame
// It'd be nice to avoid the load menu when run by gamespy(?)

//can't stop demo at startup?
//set nextserver dedicated_start
//demomap base1

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