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Quake II ReadMe File CONTENTS I. Story II. Installation III. Setup a. Goal of the Game b. Game Structure c. Main Menu d. Game e. Multiplayer Menu Selection f. Video Menu Selection g. Options h. On-Screen Information During Gameplay IV. Getting Around Stroggos a. Movement b. Dying V. Multiplayer Quake II a. Join Network Server b. Start Network Server c. Player Setup VI. TCM Intel Brief: Classified VII. Technical Information a. System Requirements b. Release Notes c. About Direct X d. What is OpenGL? - About the Quake II 3D Accelerated Engine e. More on Quake II Video VIII. Customer Support IX. Credits ==================== == I. The Story == ==================== Long shadows claw desperately away from your dusty combat boots, fueled by the relentless sun of a late Texas afternoon. Shading your eyes against the glare, you squint for the thousandth time at the line of soldiers ahead of you. It stretches on endlessly across the rubble, disappearing at last into the cool shadows of a troop carrier. Soon you'll walk up the ramp into the ship, climb into your one-man cocoon, tear through the interplanetary gateway, and smash down light-years away from the blowing sand and blasted ruins that surround the Dallas-Metro crater. "What the hell is taking so long?!" you snarl, slamming the battered barrel of your side arm, the blaster, against your scarred palm. "I've waited long enough. Time to kick some Strogg ass." Slightly rocking back and forth under the sweltering August sun, you spit out of the side of your mouth, rub your eyes, and think back to the day when the wretched creatures first attaced. Like flaming meteors, their crafts pounded into the Earth and unbelievably, these bio-mechanical aliens... these hideous cyborgs... swarmed out while their ships still sizzled with reentry heat. They killed or captured anything that lived. We figured that the Strogg were after our planet's resources: minerals, metals, and water: things like that. But their onboard storage facilities did little to disguise what they considered to be resources: fleshy limbs and organs for new cyborgs, and of course, food. The line moves. And moves again. Into the cool shadows at last. The assembled armies branch off into new lines divided by corps and unit. "I can't deal with this shit - what's the friggin' hold-up?" "Cool your jets, marine," Tokay mutters and smiles over his shoulder. "We'll all get a few Strogg heads to take home as souvenirs. I promise you that." "Yo, soldier, 3585." The medtech's voice startles you. "You in or out?" Competent hands guide you into the coffin-like opening of your Mark 9A drop pod: sleek, dark, and invisible to the Stroggos defense systems. One of the techs begins to drop the reinforced pod door. "Sleep tight, soldier. You'll see sunlight in less than six and a half hours. Not our sun, mind you." <SLAM> Pitch black except for the mild glow of your video readout system in front of you. You've done this a dozen times in the sim classes. No sweat. Just a few short hours to sleep, recharge, and then the moment of glory. But this time it's for real. It's also time to think. You recall your first official day of training, your unit commander discussing how these damn parasites made it to Earth and other nearby colonies in the first place. By employing our best satellites and long-range scanners, we learned how they traveled light years so quickly - the Strogg used these black hole-like gateways as their highway to heaven. We still don't know if they created these rips in the fabric of space and time, or if they simply discovered them by accident. Either way... it's just like opening the door to an all-you-can-eat restaurant for these bastards. In about two hours, we'll be entering the same interstellar portals, to hit 'em where it hurts... on their own turf. You close your eyes and relish this thought. Eventually, you nod off to the low hypnotic hum of the troop carrier. *Crackle* ... *fzzzz* ... "Greetings to the people of the Coalition. This is Flag Admiral Crockett, speaking to you from the bridge deck of Phobos. We are entering the outer orbits of Stroggos, the alien's home system. As we had postulated, Stroggos' atmosphere is harsh but breathable. We expect to make planetfall soon. Now is the time to switch on your debriefing panel if ya need it." "Boomer?" the voice crackles through every soldier's headset. "Drop X-ray squad in 30 on my mark. You copy?" "Roger that!" In another pod, your sergeant snaps back. "OK boys and girls, you see the clock on your heads-up. Two demerits for anyone who up-chucks during bounce and roll!" *Shthunk!!* Your drop pod is shot from the side of the carrier and hurtles downward. *Wheee-oooooo!* Incendiary atmosphere howls past the pod's rapidly heating shell. *Ka-WHUMP! * The pod wall suddenly buckles to your right, but stays intact. Another pod must have clipped yours on its way in. ECM didn't indicate enemy fire. Shit. Thrusters and stabilizing gyros are fading. Based on the pings, the other pods are pulling away. Below you, the large alien city roars into focus on the screen. But where are the other pods? They were there a minute ago. Suddenly, distorted radio chatter lights up, "Mayday! Mayday! Lost all power... shielding failed... missed dz... some kind of EMP is... kzzzt... us out. We're dropping like fli... zzzzkkkzzzt". Silence.damn! If the Strogg have electromagnetic pulse defenses and we failed to detect them... all of us are in the shitter. That HUGE blip has to be the Big Gun. You do a slow dogleg left as your navcomp finds a place to land when all of a sudden retros kick in and propel you south. "What the...?" Before you know it you skip across the lip of a crater and slam into a structure, a good distance away from your target. Dazed and bleeding from a head cut you toggle open the labeled arsenal bins and reach for where your gear ought to be stowed. Damn. Nothing but your sidearm. Damn again. You leap out the crushed pod door, alone, with blaster in hand, and tear off into the room with the bittersweet stench of vengeance coursing through your veins... ======================== == II. Installation == ======================== To install Quake II on your system, insert the game CD into your CD-ROM drive and: 1. Double-click on Setup.exe at the root level of the CD, or 2. Go to Run... in your Start Menu and type d:\Setup.exe (substitute your CD-ROM's drive letter if different from "d:") Follow the on-screen instructions as they guide you through the installation process. ** Note: It is required that the Quake II CD be in the drive whenever you start a Single Player game. For updates to Quake II, please refer to www.idsoftware.com. =================== == III. Set Up == =================== a. Goal of the Game -------------------- The goals of Quake II are divided into a series of complex missions or objectives. During the game your field computer provides you with each new objective. It is important to regularly review this information. The Intel Brief section of this manual describes general information on your missions, environment, weapons, special items, and alien profiles. b. Game Structure ------------------ Quake II contains eight large units, each with a number of levels to complete in order to proceed to the next unit. It is likely you will have to go between levels several times to accomplish a particular goal. Remember that once you leave a unit you cannot return unless you reload a saved game from that unit. Therefore it is important to review your field computer to be sure you accomplished all of your goals for that unit. ** Note on Units: If you wish to play a particular unit, without working your way through all the levels preceding that unit, you can. We do not recommend that you jump into the middle of the game or skip any levels, since Quake II was designed in a progressive manner, and each level is important to the unfolding of the entire game. However, if you want to just play through a particular unit, you can 'exec' a file which will launch the level and give you the appropriate weapons and ammo to start with for that unit. To do this, simply pull down the console by pressing the tilde ( ~ ) key, and type the following command for the respective unit you wish to start: To play : Type this command: Warehouse Unit exec warehouse.cfg Jail Unit exec jail.cfg Mine Unit exec mine.cfg Factory Unit exec factory.cfg Power Unit exec power.cfg Biggun Unit exec biggun.cfg Hangar Unit exec hangar.cfg City Unit exec city.cfg Boss Levels exec boss.cfg c. Main Menu ------------- When you start Quake II, a demo sequence of the game will begin. At any time, press the Escape key to pull up the Main menu. Use the up and down arrow keys to navigate, and press the Enter key to select. Each Main menu function brings up a list of secondary menu items. If you have problems using the secondary menu selections, please refer to the message banner at the bottom of the screen or the online manual for technical details. GAME: Start a new game with a specific skill level, load, or save a game. MULTIPLAYER: Start a network server, join a network server, or change your character information. VIDEO: Select either Software only or one of several OpenGL modes, and adjust screen modes and settings. OPTIONS: Customize your keyboard, mouse, or joystick controls, adjust your audio, and change your game play control options. QUIT: Exit the game from here. d. Game -------- Under Game, you can select a variety of skill settings that range from really easy to nearly unbeatable. Each skill setting adjusts reaction, health, power, and number of the monsters you'll face. Easy: This is meant for kids and grandmas Medium: Most people should start Quake II at Medium skill Hard: Here at id, we play Hard skill, and we think you should too, once you're ready. Load Game: Select Load Game to pull up the load game menu. The first name on the list is an auto-saved game. Selecting this puts you back at the start of the last level you entered. Use the arrow keys to move down to the game you wish to load and press the Enter key. Save Game: Select Save Game to access the save game menu. Using the arrow keys, move down to an empty slot, or one you don't mind writing over and press the Enter key to save. Quake II will generate a name for you with title of the level and the current time. d. Multiplayer Menu Selection ------------------------------ There are two main ways to play Quake II with other people: LAN or TCP/IP over the Internet. This menu provides three options: Join Network Server, Start Network Server, or Network Server Player Setup. Please see the detailed multiplayer section below (V.). f. Video Menu Selection ------------------------ Here are controls for changing your video driver, screen resolution or video mode, brightness, screen size, window or full screen mode, texture quality, and translucent settings. To change an option, simply arrow to that option, then press the right or left arrow keys to adjust. Then, after making all of your adjustments, arrow to 'apply' and press ENTER. You can also press enter when on an individual setting to make that option take effect immediately. When changing video settings, Quake II may blink from the screen, or the game console may appear. This isn't unusual. After a moment of this, the game should resume normally. Once you hit 'apply' to commit all of your changes, the game will reload the map to incorporate the new settings, and this will take some time as well. Video Driver: You have four choices under Video Driver. These are Software, 3Dfx OpenGL, PowerVR OpenGL, and Default OpenGL. As you can see, generally this breaks down into two choices: Software or some form of OpenGL. ***IMPORTANT: Your system may not support many of the video driver options provided by Quake II. If a selected video driver is unavailable Quake II will return to your previous selection or to a safe software mode. Software: If you are running under Windows 95, and do not have OpenGL supported hardware acceleration, Quake II will use this setting. OpenGL: With the assistance of OpenGL drivers, Quake II runs in 16 or 24 bit color, with colored lighting effects, cleaner graphics, and improved translucency. Please refer to the file 'release.txt' or 'Release Notes.doc' in the '\quake\docs' directory on your hard drive for the latest required driver numbers. 3Dfx OpenGL: Use the 3Dfx OpenGL driver on systems that possess a 3Dfx Voodoo and Voodoo Rush accelerator. PowerVR OpenGL: Use the PowerVR OpenGL driver on systems running Windows 95 with a PowerVR PCX2 board installed. System OpenGL: The System OpenGL driver allows Quake II to render using the default OpenGL driver installed in the system. Select this if running under Windows NT when using a 2D/3D accelerator other than those specifically supported in this menu. ***IMPORTANT: We do not recommend using OpenGL on systems that do not have hardware acceleration of OpenGL installed. Video Mode: Many video modes are available to you through this menu. Your system may not support many of the video modes provided by Quake II. Screen Size: The screen size slider controls the size of the game area on the screen. Reducing the screen size will usually result in higher performance. Brightness: The brightness slider controls the brightness of the screen. Its effects are immediate under software. When using OpenGL, select Apply after modifying the brightness. Fullscreen: This selects fullscreen or windowed rendering. Fullscreen mode availability is dependent upon the type of graphics adapter installed. Fullscreen software rendering requires the presence of Microsoft DirectX. Under OpenGL, fullscreen rendering uses the current color depth of the desktop. Texture Quality (OpenGL only): The texture quality slider determines the overall crispness of textures with OpenGL renderers. Better quality often results in lower performance. 8-Bit Textures (OpenGL only): 8-bit texture support is available on some graphics chipsets such as the 3Dfx Voodoo. Enabling 8-bit textures reduces visual quality in exchange for better overall performance. ***IMPORTANT: We recommend you use this setting if you have the appropriate hardware and want to increase the performance of Quake II. Stipple Alpha (Software only): Enabling stipple alpha results in faster performance when rendering transparent surfaces such as windows, water, and lava, but also results in reduced image quality when rendering transparent surfaces. Apply: Selecting this option "applies" any modifications you make to your video configuration. g. Options ----------- Here you can adjust your audio settings, change your mouse options, customize your keyboard settings, and restore all your control settings to their defaults. SFX Volume: Using the left and right arrow keys moves the slider bar to increase or decrease the volume of your sound effects. Sound Quality: Select low quality for 11 kHz sound and high quality for 22 kHz sound. Using low sound quality may increase the performance of Quake II on your machine. CD Music: Use the left and right arrow keys to turn CD music on or off. Turning the CD off will not change the performance of the game. Mouse Speed: This allows you to adjust your mouse sensitivity. The higher you set this the faster your character will turn in relation to mouse movement. Always Run: Set this to Yes if you do not want to hold down the Run button in order to move quickly. Invert Mouse: This gives your mouse "airplane-style" controls. This means that pushing the mouse forward "noses down" and pulling it back "noses up." Some people prefer this control technique. Lookspring: Returns your view immediately to straight ahead when you release the look up key, look down key or mouse look. Otherwise, you must move forward for a step or two before your view snaps back. Lookspring does not work while you are underwater. Lookstrafe: If you are using the look up or look down key, then this option causes you to sidestep instead of turn when you try to move left or right. Freelook: With this option enabled you no longer have to press the mouse look key to look up and down while using the mouse. Disable Alt-Tab: This will disable moving from Quake II to your Windows desktop by pressing the Alt and the Tab key. Customize Controls: Selecting this option will bring up a second menu that lists all of the game controls. Use the arrow keys to move through the list. Press the Enter key to select a control to change. Press the appropriate key or mouse button that you wish to use for that control. If you want to go back to the original controls, go to the previous menu and select Reset Defaults. h. On-Screen Information During Gameplay ----------------------------------------- Status Bar: Your status is shown as icons floating in your view at the bottom of the screen. There is an indicator for your health, armor, ammo for the current weapon, and currently selected or readied item or weapon. When you pick up something new, an icon will briefly appear at the bottom of the screen with a picture of that item. To view all of your inventory, press the Tab key. Maximizing the screen (+ key) may remove the Status Bar from your viewing area. To get it back, simply press the - key. Messages: Quake II will talk to you from time to time. Some messages appear at the top of the screen. These are non-critical, and tell you that you've picked up an object, or you've died in an interesting fashion (multiplayer games). Certain messages will appear in the middle of the screen. These are always important, and you do not want to ignore them! Examples are "You Need the Red Key" or "Crouch Here," etc. Field Computer: Press the F1 key to access the field computer. This details your unit location, your primary objective, secondary or current objective, kill ratio, goals completed, and number of secrets found. When your field computer receives an update an icon will appear at the bottom of the screen. Be sure to regularly check the computer for information on progressing to your next objective. Console: Pressing the tilde key (~) will pull down the Console window. This is a special area that lists all of the game messages, and allows you to give Quake II commands that cannot be entered through the menu. For more information on the Console, please refer to the online manual. Inventory: Press the Tab key to access your inventory. Use the bracket ([ ]) keys to move through the list. Your status information will update to show an image of the currently selected item. Press the Enter key to use a highlighted item or press the single quote key ( ' ) to drop an item. (Dropping items is only useful for multiplayer games.) Weapons and items are "readied" in this manner. For example, you can select or ready an item before engaging the enemy. Then at the appropriate time you can quickly use that item by pressing the Enter key. =================================== == IV. Getting Around Stroggos == =================================== a. Movement ------------ Walking: Use the four arrow keys or the mouse to walk around. To walk steadily forward, hold down the forward key (the up arrow or center button on the mouse). Turn left or right with the left or right arrow keys, or by sliding your mouse in the desired direction. Running: To run, simply hold down the left Shift key to increase your speed. If you prefer to always run during the game, open the Main menu, then the Controls menu, and select Always Run. Shooting: Tap the Ctrl key or the left mouse button to fire. Hold the shooting key down to keep firing. Looking Up and Down: The letters A and Z allow you to look up and down, respectively. Start walking forward and your line of vision will automatically readjust to the center position. You may also choose to select Free Look under the Controls menu which will allow you to move the mouse around as if it was your head movement. Swimming: While underwater, aim yourself in the direction you wish to go and press the forward key to go in that direction. Unfortunately, as in real life, you may lose your bearings while underwater. Use the jump key, normally the Space Bar, to kick straight up towards the surface. Once on the surface, tread water by holding down the jump key. To get out of the drink, swim toward the shore and you can either jump up onto the land or walk straight out if it is shallow enough. There is always a way out of water, but you may have to submerge even deeper in order to find it. Ducking: Press and hold down the C key to duck and move forward to crawl. When you release the C key, you will return to an upright position. It is also possible to avoid rockets in this manner. You may notice some aliens have learned this trick. Jumping: Tap the space bar to jump. You jump farther if you're moving forward at the time or if you're running. You jump higher if you're moving up a slope. Strafing: Hold down either Alt key while the left or right arrow key is pressed and you will side-step in that particular direction. This is perfect for avoiding incoming missiles, rockets, or gun blasts from enemy Strogg. Picking Up Objects: To pick up items, weapons, and power-ups, simply walk over them. If you are unable to pick something up, it means you already have the maximum amount possible for that object. Selecting Items in Inventory: Use the square bracket keys ([ ]) to cycle through items in your inventory. Press the Enter key to select a highlighted item. Dropping Objects: To drop an item, tap the square bracket keys ([ ]) to scroll through your belongings. When the desired object is highlighted, press the single quote ( ' ) key to drop it. Giving Items to Other Marines: To give an item to another player simply select it from your inventory and press the ' key. The item will then be tossed out for anyone to pick up. Talking: To communicate with other players in multiplayer, press the T key and type in your message. Press Enter when finished and your words will appear at the top of the screen. Look for a reply, unless your fellow troops have been disemboweled. b. Dying --------- Each time you enter a level Quake II automatically saves the game. When you die, press the Enter key to pull up the Load Game menu. Select the first game name on that list to restart at the beginning of the last level you entered. =============================== == V. Multiplayer Quake II == =============================== Quake II's "Multiplayer" allows multiple players to enter a game together, over the Internet or on your local area network. The most popular way to play Quake II Multiplayer is a Deathmatch, which has no monsters, just player versus player! The goal of the game is to kill your opponents more often than they kill you. Each kill counts for one "frag", and if you kill yourself then you loose a frag, thus it's not a great idea to go swimming in the lava or juggle your own grenades. After you die, press the Space Bar to reappear, or "respawn", in the game. You'll be brought back at one of several random respawn locations. Throughout the map you will find different artifacts, such as weapons, ammo, health and powerups, that are needed to be successful at destroying your enemy. When starting a Quake II Multiplayer Server, you have the option of making weapons disappear when you pick them up and respawn after time (length of time depends on item), or they can be made to stay put at all times so your Deathmatch experience is a true fragfest! MULTIPLAYER MENU JOIN NETWORK SERVER - Allows you to search for and join a game. START NETWORK SERVER - Allows you to launch your own server. PLAYER SETUP - Allows you to customize your appearance. a. Join Network Server ----------------------- Under the "join server" menu are two options that will help you locate and join in network games. The first is "address book", which is used to store and recall the IP addresses or hostnames of Internet servers. A good starting place for finding servers to add to your address book can be found at http://www.idsoftware.com/quake2/deathmatch. The second option you have is "search for servers", which will display a list of servers running on your local area network as well as any you have entered into your address book. To add servers to your address book, simply move down to an available spot and type in the hostname or IP address of the server. To join a server that is listed in your address book highlight that server and hit ENTER. To search for and connect to a server on your local area network simply select SEARCH FOR SERVERS, then press ENTER on any of the servers that appear under "connect to...". b. Start Network Server ------------------------ The start network server menu option is for configuring and launching a Quake II server. There are many options in Multiplayer Quake II, which make the game behave differently. When you have finished choosing all the options listed below, hit ENTER on BEGIN to launch your server. Once the server is running other players can join your game. INITIAL MAP: This allows you to select first map for your Deathmatch server. The server will advance to the next map. What causes it to advance depends on the following two options. TIME LIMIT: Set the number of minutes that the game will run before advancing to the next map. FRAG LIMIT: Once any player attains this number of frags the game will automatically advance to the next map. FALLING DAMAGE: This determines whether or not you take health damage when falling from high places. WEAPONS STAY: Setting this to YES will make the weapons stay available, even after being picked up a player. This does not apply to other artifacts, such as ammo, health and powerups. INSTANT POWERUPS: Powerups take effect the moment you pick them up when this is set to YES. ALLOW POWERUPS: This option toggles whether powerups show up in the map. ALLOW HEALTH: This option toggles whether health shows up in the map. SPAWN FARTHEST: Switches between random spawning and spawning players in the furthest position relative to other players. SAME MAP: When the fraglimit or timelimit is reached, the map will not advance to the next map, but will start the current map over. FORCE RESPAWN: Forces the player to respawn 5 seconds after being killed. c. Player Setup ---------------- These options will allow you to personalize your player character, thus changing how other players see you in the game. Once you are satisfied with your player settings hitting ESC will move you back up a level to the Multiplayer Menu, saving your player setup. NAME: This sets the name of your player. This way when you frag someone, they'll know who did it! MODEL: This allows you to select whether your player is a male or female. SKIN: Skins give your player a unique look. Quake II provides 10 female and 15 male player skins to choose from. HANDEDNESS: Switches your weapon between right and left hand views. Also allows a center aligned mode where no weapon is drawn. Center is often easier to aim, and because no weapon is drawn the game will run faster. A note on SERVERINFO: If you pull down the console (hit the ~ key) and type SERVERINFO you will get back a list of the current settings for the server you are connected to. This list includes such things as map name, server name, time and frag limits. NOTE: There is no cooperative multiplayer in Quake II. This may be implemented at a later date. ======================================== == VI. TCM Intel Brief: Classified == ======================================== INCOMING MESSAGE FROM TCM MARINE COMMANDANT JAMES: We have cleared the interplanetary gateway between Earth and Stroggos. In exactly three hours operation Alien Overlord will commence. As I speak to you, your pods are being fueled and all systems brought online. Activate your field computers. The following intel brief will provide you with your military objectives, terrain information, arsenal and equipment details, and enemy analysis. Never before has there been a greater challenge to life, liberty, and civilization. This is a crusade in which we will accept nothing less than victory. No matter how long it may take us to overcome the Strogg's barbaric assault, the people of Earth in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. Today we will make very certain that this form of barbaric treachery shall never endanger us again. With confidence in you, and with the unbending determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God. So go forth and kick ass, soldiers! OPERATION ALIEN OVERLORD: [Geography] The core of the Stroggos civilization is the capital city of Cerberon. The highly defended complex is built into the base of an enormous crater named Crater Majoris. Between the northern plains and the southern sea of Stroggos, Cerberon contains the major defense, communication, and political controls for the Strogg civilization. At the southern tip of Majoris is a second crater called Crater Minor. Crater Minor contains the defense base complex for the city of Cerberon. [Political Structure] The Strogg civilization is governed through a system of Warlords. Each is given strategic locations to command and control. A single leader, called the Makron, is chosen from the Warlords. He commands Stroggos from within the palace city located at the northern end of Cerberon. Losing him would leave the Strogg confused and in turmoil as the Warlords battle internally to determine a successor. This would remove any chance Stroggos has for creating a well-organized strike or defensive position. [Defense Systems] Guarding Stroggos is a defense system we refer to as the Big Gun. This defense system detects and destroys any ship over a few meters in length. Also, to protect against ground assaults, a deadly laser security grid surrounds the entire capital city. [Energy Resources] Bluish crystals called Steedium are the source for most of the energy that powers Stroggos. The energy gained from processing these crystals provides them with the power run their entire civilization as well as their planetary defense weapons systems (a.k.a. the Big Gun). Military Objectives Your primary objectives are to establish a communications uplink, destroy the planetary defense systems, disable the interplanetary gateway, and assassinate the Makron commander. Once the communication link is made, subsequent communications will guide troops to their primary targets, destroy targets of opportunity, and provide necessary ground support for the follow-up air strike. [Communications Uplink] Your first objective is to establish an uplink between command and the Strogg communication computers. These are in the exterior military base south of the main capital of Cerberon. This will enable continued communications, location information, and combat analysis beyond the base complex. Failure to establish this uplink is not an option. Once on the planet, the combat situation may change quickly. It is imperative that you regularly check your computer systems for updated orders. [Destroy the Big Gun] From the base make your way past the security systems and move north to destroy the Big Gun located on the southern outskirts of the city. Further intel will provide information to achieve this objective. [Disable the Gateway] Disable the interplanetary gateway between Earth and Stroggos. Shutting down the gateway will prohibit the Strogg from launching further attacks against Earth. It may be a long sleep back. [Assassinate the Makron] Finally, locate the Strogg commander somewhere within the capital palace. The Stroggos Environment The Strogg environment is in some ways like earth, but in many ways much more hostile. The Strogg use a number of standard systems for activating machines, opening doors, and using elevators. Their interface is easy to adapt to: walk to it, over it, or shoot it. Other elements of the world are much more hazardous and can be deadly. Buttons, Floorplates, and Levers: There are three ways to activate a switch.Touch it, walk on it, or shoot it. End of Unit Complex Symbol: The Strogg marked off areas to indicate a one way passage. Once you leave a unit complex you cannot return. Secret Doors: Some secret doors conceal secret passageways or military supplies. Most secret doors open when shot. Others open by activating floorplates, buttons, or levers. STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS Doors: The majority of doors on Stroggos open as you approach them. If one doesn't open automatically, seek a button, floorplate, or key. Area Doors: Specific symbols indicate the exit to a given area. Secret Areas: The Strogg have concealed military supplies in different locations within the city. Recon your surroundings closely. Sometimes the slightest variation in the environment could mark the entrance of a secret area. Slime: All over Stroggos are pools of toxic waste from their refineries. This slime eats away at your flesh unless protected by an enviro-suit. Lava: Stroggos has large amounts of volcanic activity. Don't go anywhere near lava unless it is absolutely necessary. An enviro-suit won't help you much. Water: The water on Stroggos is safe enough to enter without needing an enviro-suit, but remember to come up for air periodically. Be careful of water currents. ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS Traps: We know very little about the internal defense systems on Stroggos. Given their warlike nature and the importance of Cerberon to the Strogg, expect the environment to be deadly. Explosions: Found all through the city are explosive radioactive containers. Stay clear of them in a fire fight or you'll up in 46 little body bags. They're light enough to move, and short enough to jump on. Their explosive power can blow through weak areas in walls. Arsenal Explosions: Found all through the city are explosive radioactive containers. Stay clear of them in a fire fight or you'll up in 46 little body bags. They're light enough to move, and short enough to jump on. Their explosive power can blow through weak areas in walls. Press a number key or use the inventory to select a weapon. Blaster: This is the standard issue rechargeable energy side-arm. It does not require ammunition. Useful for taking down Guards as well as exploding barrels and setting off shootable buttons and secret doors. Keep one on you at all times. Shotgun: This uses shells for ammunition. The spread of the shotgun blast makes close combat more damaging, but long range attacks easier. Perfect for the less than proficient marksman. The shotgun is effective against Strogg Guards and Flyers. Super Shotgun: This is the uncompromising big brother to the Shotgun. Choose your shots effectively. The slow firing rate may only give you a few chances to bring down the enemy before he's able to engage you up close. It eats more shells than the Shotgun, but the show is well worth it. Machine Gun: Although this weapon is easy to use, its light weight allows for considerable kickback that will push your gun up. Fire in short burst until you can effectively steady your aim. Chain Gun: The chain gun makes mince meat out of your enemy, but requires an insane amount of ammunition. The long spin up and spin down time makes the chain gun most effective for sustained attacks. Hand Grenade: Twist the grenade to activate the fuse timer. The longer you hold an active grenade, the farther you'll throw it. Just remember to throw at some point. Throwing the hand grenade does not make a sound. Therefore the aliens can't easily trace it back to you. Grenade Launcher: The grenade launcher is useful for delivering firepower into hard to reach areas or clearing out potential ambushes. We do not recommend using the grenade launcher in confined areas. Rocket Launcher: The rocket launcher delivers heavy fire power to your target. Be careful not use this weapon in close combat. Hyper Blaster: A hyper blaster is an energy chain gun with no spin up delay. Its high rate of fire is incredibly effective at destroying the enemy and depleting your energy cells. Rail Gun: The Rail Gun fires depleted uranium slugs at super high velocities. Take note of the distinctive blue corkscrew trail of smoke caused by the projectile - or better yet, see how many scumbag Stroggs it goes through before it hits concrete. BFG: Big, uh, freakin' gun. This weapon redefines the word "wallpaper." Simply fire the BFG into a small room of unsuspecting Strogg and observe the new red paint job. Military Supplies Pick up these helpful items whenever possible. Some items take effect when picked up. You must select and use other items before taking effect. Ammo: There are five major ammo types: shells, cells, bullets, grenades, and rockets. Except for the blaster, you must have ammunition to use a weapon. Each ammo type has a maximum you can carry. Armor: There are three armor types: Flak Jacket, Combat Suit, and Body Armor. Each one provides a certain amount of protection against both normal attacks and energy weapon attacks. If you take enough hits, your armor strength depletes down to nothing. So seek out unused breast plates. Pick up and salvage armor that is not as good as your current armor to improve your armor health. Armor Shards: Special remnant of armors, which add a bit more durability to your existing protection. Energy Armor: This provides improved protection against energy weapons. While it is being used, it drains energy from your cells when damaged. Health: There are two types of standard health kits: First Aid and Medkits. Stimpacks: These provide an additional boost to your health. Silencer: This silences the discharge of any weapon. Bandoleer: Increases your carrying capacity for all ammunition except grenades and rockets. Heavy Pack: This allows you to carry more ammo on your back. Underwater Breather: This provides oxygen when submerged in liquids. Enviro-Suit: This protects you against damage from hazardous liquids, such as Slime. Quad Damage: The quad temporarily multiplies all your weapon's strengths by four times. Let the gibbing begin! Invulnerability: The invulnerability item renders you temporarily indestructible. Super-Adrenaline: This slightly increases your health permanently. Mega-Health: This provides a temporary but significant boost to your health, but will wear off after a minute or so. The Enemy Unlike humans, the Strogg aren't just one race. They represent a combination of captured and processed races; a bloody marriage between bone and metal, flesh and machine. Light Guard Description: Weakest of the three processed humans, armed solely with a simple blaster. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Easy Comments: Although their weapons may only sting, they may attack in packs or summon help from the big dogs. Shotgun Guard Description: These loyal troops have an automatic scatter gun prosthetic. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Easy Comments: He goes down easy, but packs a punch. Machine gun Guard Description: Bigger, meaner, and deadlier than above... with a machine gun for a right arm. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Easy Comments: They tend to charge in droves and have a sharp eye. Enforcer Description: Strong, muscle-bound warrior who dishes out chain gun speed damage. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium Comments: These bullies have one objective in mind, marine - to fill your body with as much lead in the least amount of time. They can take a beating, and are effective at ducking your ammo. Also watch out for post- mortem spray from their chain gun caused by a spasm in their arm. Split once you see one fall to its knees. Gunner Description: The fighting elite for the Strogg, outfitted with a powerful machine gun and an automatic grenade launcher. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium Comments: This cybernetic terror eats Mutants for breakfast before coming to work - on you. He does have one weakness, though. It takes a second for his hand to open up into the machine gun so take advantage of the brief delay. Berserker Description: He has a metal spike as one arm, a hammer as another, and moves very quickly. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium Comments: This bald mutha is one deadly freak. He may hit the dirt easy, but he'll get up and is relentless in his pursuits. Iron Maiden Description: Equally as powerful as the Gunner, this femme fatale has both an arm-mounted rocket launcher and flesh tearing claws. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium Comments: The cyber-bitch from hell... not the kind of girl to take home to mom. GLadiator Description: With two massively mechanized legs and one shoulder-mounted railgun, the Gladiator is the daddy of all the adapted humanoids. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium/Hard Comments: Once targeted, you have less than a second to sidestep or you're toast. Also watch for his lethal left-handed clamp grip. Parasite Description: Four-legged beast with a probe on its back. Once fired, it attaches itself and literally sucks the life from you. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium Comments: The Parasite makes Cujo look like Lassie on Prozac. Medic Description: As the name suggests, this threatening organism has the ability to awaken dead Strogg from eternal sleep. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium Comments: When he is not healing, the Medic moves about on two hydraulic legs, and is armed with a laser blaster that shoots at hyper speeds. Brains Description: A vicious cyborg abomination with life-stealing tentacles protruding from its chest during attack. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium/Hard Comments: Stay out of range of his dangerous tentacle attack. Barracuda Shark Description: The only creatures indigenous to water on Stroggos. Their blade-like teeth and spiked tail are capable of disemboweling you. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium Comments: They attack in packs, but generally go down easy. Just don't become too occupied with them that you forget to take a breath. Technician Description: An almost completely robotic brute, controlled by a brain that floats around inside it's metal body in a red preserving fluid. This creature moves about by hovering on four jets that sit under its body and is equipped with three weapons: a shocking prod, a flesh-ripping claw, and a laser blaster. Use energy armor if you've got any. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium Comments: The Technician is easy to hit, but takes a lot of damage. A good slap from your super shotgun at close range will make him keep his distance. Mutant Description: The Strogg refineries have spewed toxins into the ecosystem for untold decades causing this once docile creature to mutate into a fierce, fast, flesh tearing beast. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium/Hard Comments: Run. Flyer Description: A small two-winged monster, comprised of a controlling brain and a cyborg body that allows it to levitate. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium/Hard Comments: The Flyer moves fairly quickly, travels in packs, and each wing is a laser blaster. Icarus Description: Relies on a huge jet packed attached to its back, with laser blasters mounted into his shoulders. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Medium/Hard Comments: With its durable shell, swift maneuverability, and insatiable appetite for destruction, the Icarus is an aerial nightmare. Tank Description: Tanks have three weapons they use at random: an arm-mounted machine gun, an arm-mounted laser blaster, and a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Hard Comments: Get in, take your shot, and get out. Repeat as often as necessary. These metallic beasts can endure massive gunfire. Tank Commander Description: These Tanks are a special class, designed to secure the Inner City from infiltrators. Defense/Weapon Analysis: Hard Comments: Consider planning your means of attack beforehand, rather than running into their view with your weapons blasting. ================================= == VII. Technical Information == ================================= a. System Requirements ----------------------- General Requirements * English Language Version of Windows 95 or NT 4.0 with 100% compatible computer system * Pentium 90 MHz processor (133 MHz recommended) * Memory: Win 95: - 16 MB RAM Required (24 MB recommended) Win NT 4.0 - 24 MB RAM Required * 100% Sound Blaster-compatible sound card * Joystick and mouse-supported (3-button mouse recommended) * Supports LAN and Internet play using the TCP/IP protocol Minimum Install Additional Requirements (Play from CD-ROM) * Quad-Speed CD-ROM drive (600k/sec. sustained transfer rate) * Hard disk drive with at least 25 MB of uncompressed space available Normal Install Additional Requirements (Play from Hard Disk) * Quad-Speed CD-ROM drive (600k/sec. sustained transfer rate) * Hard disk drive with at least 250 MB of uncompressed space available Maximum Install Additional Requirements (Play from Hard Disk) * Dual-Speed CD-ROM drive (300k/sec. sustained transfer rate) * Hard disk drive with at least 400 MB of uncompressed space available GLQuake II Additional Requirements * 24 MB RAM for all operating systems * GLQuake II supports some OpenGL 3D accelerator cards. Consult your hardware manufacturer to determine compatibility. Latest version of Glide (2.4x) drivers can be found at www.3dfx.com. b. Release Notes ----------------- Please refer to the file 'release.txt' or 'Release Notes.doc', in the 'quake2\docs' directory on your hard drive, for last information regarding Quake II. c. About DirectX ----------------- Please note: Before installing Direct X, be warned that doing so has been known to do unusual things to computer it's being installed on. Direct X is a MICROSOFT product and is an extension to your Operating System, Windows 95 or NT, it is not an id Software product. During the Quake II installation process the installer will determine if Microsoft DirectX 5 needs to be installed on your computer. If so, the Microsoft DirectX 5 setup program will ask you whether you would like to install the appropriate files on your computer. If you choose not to install DirectX 5, and you find that later you need to install DirectX 5, follow these directions. With the Quake II disc in your CD-ROM drive, install Microsoft DirectX 5 by right mouse clicking on the Quake II CD icon to get the Context menu. From that menu, select Install DirectX. Quake II utilizes the DirectDraw and DirectSound components of DirectX. CERTAIN FULL-SCREEN VIDEO MODES IN QUAKE II ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IF DIRECTDRAW IS INSTALLED ON YOUR SYSTEM. Who makes DirectX and how can I contact them? Microsoft created DirectX. If the answer to the question you are looking for is not found on this page, you may want to contact Microsoft via mail at: Microsoft Customer Sales and Service One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA Microsoft can also be reached in the USA at (800) 426-9400, or internationally at +1(206) 882-8080. What is DirectX and why do I need it? Microsoft's DirectX 5 is an API (Application Programming Interface) set that increases the speed at which games play under the Windows 95 operating system. These APIs allow direct access to the enhanced features of hardware under Windows 95. With DirectX 5, a program has instant access to the hardware, allowing for advances in graphics, sound, video, 3-D, and network capabilities of games. Since Windows 95 and DirectX 5 are relatively new in the computer world and have not achieved compatibility with some older video cards, many manufacturers are releasing updated drivers for Windows 95 to meet the DirectX standard. If you are not sure about your video card's compatibility, consult the company that makes your video card. If the Microsoft DirectX Installer does not detect DirectX 5 on your computer, it can install DirectX 5 for you. After installation is complete, you will need to restart your computer in order for DirectX 5 to take effect. If you have other Windows 95 games on your computer, chances are you already have an earlier version of DirectX installed on your computer. In this case, if you choose to install DirectX the Microsoft Installer will overwrite that version with DirectX 5. The DirectX installation process will then be complete. You will need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect. If you already have DirectX 5 installed on your computer, the Microsoft DirectX 5 installer will detect it and not overwrite any DirectX 5 files. You will not need to restart your computer after installation in order to run Quake II. DirectX 5 should not affect any titles designed for the original version of DirectX. Should you encounter difficulties with DirectX 5, please contact Microsoft for further information. How do I check to see if my computer supports DirectX? 1. Place the disc in the CD-ROM drive and exit from any AutoPlay screens. 2. Double-click on "My Computer". 3. Right-click on your CD-ROM drive and choose Install DirectX. If any of the components of DirectX are not certified, please call your hardware manufacturer for the updated drivers that support DirectX. Here is a list of common questions and answers people have regarding Direct X. Q: I am having problems running Quake II and think it might be related to my Direct X installation. What should I do? A: If you experience problems running Quake II, try turning off the "Enable 3D Acceleration" option in the DirectX setup program. To disable 3D Acceleration, double click on the dxsetup icon located in Program Files\DirectX\Setup. Uncheck the option for 3D acceleration in the middle of the DXSetup window. Q: I have heard DirectX is not compatible with some video cards. What can you tell me about that? A: Windows 95 and DirectX are relatively new in the computer world and have not achieved compatibility with some older video cards. Many manufacturers are releasing updated drivers to meet the DirectX standard. Q: If I don't have DirectX, will Quake II install it for me? A: Yes. If the Microsoft DirectX Installer does not detect DirectX on your computer, it will give you the option to install DirectX. After installation is complete, you will need to restart your computer in order for DirectX to take effect. Q: If the DirectX Installer copied over a previous version, will the UnInstaller remove DirectX 5? How will this affect my other Windows 95 games? A: DirectX 5 will remain on your computer and you will be able to run other Windows 95 games that use Microsoft's DirectX libraries. DirectX 5 should not affect any titles designed for the original version of DirectX. Should you encounter difficulties with DirectX 5, please contact Microsoft for further information (address and phone number listed above). Q: How do I restore my video and/or audio drivers once DirectX has been installed? A: 1. Place the disc in the CD-ROM drive and exit from any AutoPlay screens. 2. Double-click on "My Computer". 3. Right-click on your CD-ROM drive and choose Install DirectX. 4. Choose the button that satisfies your need (e.g. Restore Audio drivers). This process will install your previous drivers and prompt you to restart Microsoft Windows. If you need further assistance, please contact your video card manufacturer directly. Quake II is designed to take advantage of whatever enhanced video, sound, and input capabilities (such as DirectX or VESA VBE video modes) are present, but has fallback functionality so it can run on any Win95 or NT 4.0 or later system, even if neither DirectX nor VESA VBE is available. You may experience problems running Quake II on some systems, because video driver and operating-system support for game functionality are not yet mature under Win32, and many bugs and incompatibilities remain in those components. d. What is OpenGL? About the Quake II 3D Accelerated Engine ------------------------------------------------------------- The hardware world is changing so fast that it is impossible for us to test, or even list, every 3D accelerator card with GLQuake II support. While some cards work extremely well, we cannot guarantee that your card will work as expected. What is OpenGL? OpenGL is a low-level API (Application Programming Interface) that works with a compatible 3D video chipset to render top quality 3D graphics. Some of the features you will see while using OpenGL, and a compatible 3D hardware video accelerator, are 16-bit graphics, colored lighting, improved translucency and increased game speed. How GL Works: When you choose one of the GL options in the video selection menu, the executable relies on an OpenGL library created for a OpenGL supported chipset. In the video menu you can choose the 3Dfx GL library, the PowerVR GL library, or the default GL library that was installed with your card's drivers. If you would like to learn more about OpenGL check out: http://www.sgi.com or http://www.3dfx.com. If you are uncertain whether your card supports OpenGL or not, please consult your video card manufacturer. e. More on Quake II Video -------------------------- Drivers The video menu currently allows you to select one of four rendering subsystems: software, system OpenGL, 3Dfx OpenGL, and PowerVR OpenGL. The software driver is available on all systems. The default OpenGL driver allows Quake2 to render scenes using the default OpenGL driver installed in the system. Typically this will be selected under Windows NT when using a 2D/3D accelerator such as an Intergraph Realizm or accelerators based on the Nvidia RIVA128, ATI Rage Pro, and Rendition V2200. Users should avoid using the default OpenGL driver if their particular system does not support hardware accelerated OpenGL operations. The 3Dfx OpenGL driver should be used on systems that possess a 3Dfx Voodoo or Voodoo Rush accelerator, including the Canopus Pure3D, Diamond Monster3D, Orchid Righteous 3D, and the Hercules Stingray 128. The PowerVR OpenGL subsystem should be used on those systems that are running Win95 with a PowerVR PCX2 board installed, such as the Matrox M3D. Future versions of Quake2 may support other rendering subsystems. At this time Quake2 does not support the Microsoft Direct3D proprietary API. Video Modes Quake2 supports the following video modes: * 320x240 * 400x300 * 512x384 * 640x480 * 800x600 * 960x720 * 1024x768 * 1152x864 * 1280x960 * 1600x1200 Availability of video modes will be determined by the type of graphics adapter installed and available system and video RAM. For example, boards based on the 3Dfx Voodoo chipset typically only support video modes of 512x384 and 640x480. ============================== == VIII. Customer Support == ============================== Before contacting customer support, please consult the technical help file. It contains the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions and may quickly and easily provide a solution to your difficulty. If after reviewing the technical help file you are still experiencing problems, please feel free to contact us through any of the services listed. So that we can better help you, please be at your computer and have the following information ready: 1. Complete product title 2. Exact error message reported (if any) and a brief description of the problem 3. Your computer's processor type and speed (e.g. 486 DX2/66, Pentium 90) 4. Video and sound card make and model (e.g., Diamond Stealth 64 video, Sound Blaster 16 sound) Online Services with Activision Forums, E-Mail and File Library Support: * Internet: support@activision.com or http://www.activision.com * America Online: Use keyword "Activision" to locate the Activision forum. * CompuServe: 76004,2122 or [GO ACTIVISION] * Activision BBS: (310) 255-2146 Up to 33,600 Baud; Settings: 8 Bits, No Parity, 1 Stop Bit (8, N, 1) Note: Support for the multi-player component is provided on-line only. In the U.S. Fax: (310) 255-2151, 24 hours a day FaxBack: (310) 255-2153, 24 hours a day Mail: Activision, Customer Support, P.O. Box 67713, Los Angeles, CA 90067 Phone: Call our 24-hour voice-mail system for answers to our most frequently asked questions at (310) 255-2050. Or contact a customer service representative at the same number between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) Monday through Friday, except holidays. Game Hints: To get all the hints for Quake II, just call (900) CALL-2-ID* or (800) ID-GAMES. Calls are 90¢ per minute (must use credit card via 800- ID-GAMES). *You must be 18 years of age or have parental/guardian permission to call 900-CALL-2-ID. id Stuff: Call (800) ID-GAMES to order other outstanding id Software games. In Australia & the U.K. For Technical Support: In Australia, please call 1902 962 000. In the U.K., please call 0990 143 525. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions about this game, or any other Activision product, you can contact us in the U.K. on 0181 742 9400 between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. (U.K. time) Monday through Friday, with the exception of holidays. For Technical Support and Customer Service in areas not listed, please contact your local distributor or Activision via online. (Please note that online support is available in English only.) =================== == IX. Credits == =================== QUAKE II BY ID SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING John Carmack John Cash Brian Hook ART Adrian Carmack Kevin Cloud Paul Steed LEVEL DESIGN Tim Willits American McGee Christian Antkow Paul Jaquays Brandon James BUSINESS Todd Hollenshead Barrett (Bear) Alexander Donna Jackson SPECIAL THANKS CINEMATIC SEQUENCES Ending Cinematic by Blur Studio - Venice, California Environment models for Introduction Cinematic by Karl Dolgener Assistance with environment design by Cliff Iwai SOUND EFFECTS AND MUSIC Sound Design by Soundelux Media Labs. Music Composed and Produced by Soundelux Media Labs. Level Music by Sonic Mayhem www.sonicmayhem.com "Quake II Theme Song" (C) 1997 Rob Zombie. All Rights Reserved. "Climb" by Jer Sypult Voice of computers by Carly Staehlin-Taylor ACTIVISION Producer: Marty Stratton Marketing Product Manager: Henk Hartong QA Project Leads: John Tam, Doug Jacobs, Tim Vanlaw Quality Assurance Testers: Steve Rosenthal, Mike Spann, Winnie Lee, Steve Elwell, Derek Johnstone, Igor Krinitskiy, Ian Stevens, David Baker, Chad Bordwell Manual Written by: Marc Saltzman Thanks: Mitch Lasky, Sandi Isaacs, Michael Rivera Manual Design: Jackhammer, Dallas, TX QUAKE IIT c1997 Id Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Distributed by Activision, Inc. under license. QUAKEr is a registered trademark of Id Software, Inc. QUAKE IIT, the Id Software name, the Q IIT logo and the idT logo are trademarks of Id Software, Inc. Activisionr is a registered trademark of Activision, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.