Maj
10-24-2005, 02:07 PM
Quake 4 released and Ive been going strong, put in 57 hours in the last 4 days which I hope to increase this week which has less distractions.
First impression is that you need a monster system to run the game. Even with graphics turned to an absolute minimum in 640x480 my computer has trouble reaching the FPS limit which is 60 (yes the game is capped at 60fps).
The netcode seems extremely good with no visable lag up to about a 90-100ping area.
At first (for a couple days) I had a hard time enjoying it. It felt extremely slow and clunky. However after a week of practice Ive started to master to movement and learned the weapon timing as well as many of the release maps.
Also the only 1v1 mode they released is a fairly interesting "Tourney" mode which sets a standard tourney ladder up at the begining of each game which you compete in 1v1 matches. If you win then you move on in the tourney. If you lose then you have to sit there and watch the rest of the tourney until it starts over again. Sometimes this felt like playing for 10 min and watching for 30. Frustrating to say the least.
Now however I have my own private 8 man server hosted in Chicago that runs extremely well and came with its own free 10 man vent server. This has allowed me to get a constant streem of 1v1 competition.
Currently Id rate my skill level at about a 7 on the ten scale. There are still alot of players that give me a hard time and some that Im not even competition for. However in the last few days Ive been making vast improvements in my skill and its showing in the matches.
For those quake junkies, movement in Q4 is more complex then games in the past. There is ofcourse Strafejumping as well as Ramp Jumping (strafe jumping onto a ramp gives you a height boost and is fairly important in competition. There is also a new technique which is driving me nuts which has been coined "Crouch Sliding". This technique is done by strafe jumping up to a certain speed then jumping while holding forward while in the air you crouch and let off forward then when you land you begin a "Slide" as if you were on ice. This is then directed by using strafejumping techniques. Sounds simple but its timing is impossibly hard to master. Its used for turning to keep your strafe speed (there is very limited air movement in Q4) as well as getting into strange angles for ramp jumping.
Fun fun.
First impression is that you need a monster system to run the game. Even with graphics turned to an absolute minimum in 640x480 my computer has trouble reaching the FPS limit which is 60 (yes the game is capped at 60fps).
The netcode seems extremely good with no visable lag up to about a 90-100ping area.
At first (for a couple days) I had a hard time enjoying it. It felt extremely slow and clunky. However after a week of practice Ive started to master to movement and learned the weapon timing as well as many of the release maps.
Also the only 1v1 mode they released is a fairly interesting "Tourney" mode which sets a standard tourney ladder up at the begining of each game which you compete in 1v1 matches. If you win then you move on in the tourney. If you lose then you have to sit there and watch the rest of the tourney until it starts over again. Sometimes this felt like playing for 10 min and watching for 30. Frustrating to say the least.
Now however I have my own private 8 man server hosted in Chicago that runs extremely well and came with its own free 10 man vent server. This has allowed me to get a constant streem of 1v1 competition.
Currently Id rate my skill level at about a 7 on the ten scale. There are still alot of players that give me a hard time and some that Im not even competition for. However in the last few days Ive been making vast improvements in my skill and its showing in the matches.
For those quake junkies, movement in Q4 is more complex then games in the past. There is ofcourse Strafejumping as well as Ramp Jumping (strafe jumping onto a ramp gives you a height boost and is fairly important in competition. There is also a new technique which is driving me nuts which has been coined "Crouch Sliding". This technique is done by strafe jumping up to a certain speed then jumping while holding forward while in the air you crouch and let off forward then when you land you begin a "Slide" as if you were on ice. This is then directed by using strafejumping techniques. Sounds simple but its timing is impossibly hard to master. Its used for turning to keep your strafe speed (there is very limited air movement in Q4) as well as getting into strange angles for ramp jumping.
Fun fun.