So as well as being brought up in the recent thread by chewz, I was having a chat with some people in Milton's stream chat recently about this, and it's also something I've felt should exist ever since I first began to play this game. I used nQuake for a little while, but then I decided to just go and make my own personal package because I wanted something minimal, easy to customize, high performance, and easy to use out of the box if I shared it with someone else who I'd just sold trying the game out to with my tales of how elegant and hardcore and customizable and FUN it is.

I'm happy to do all of this myself if somehow NOBODY wanted to contribute, but I know there are a lot of you out there with much better capabilities in many areas than I have (especially configs). What's really important is having a strong direction with it!

I'll start with listing what I think is important / needed in this new package, or rather what I want to put in my own package idea. If you agree with these concepts, I hope you can help me. Everything I'm listing here, I could happily (and lazily, and slowly) do myself, but I know there are others that have greater abilities than me, so I wanna see who chimes in. If you fundamentally disagree with too much of this, I don't think you are interested in doing what I want to do:


- No installer. You download the package, unzip it where you want it, run the executable and play. If you want it gone, you delete the directory. If you want a shortcut and you can't work out how to do that yourself, that's outside of the scope of this package

- Easy to customize and clear instructions on how to do so. This means no storing anything away in PK3s for a start. The beauty of QuakeWorld (at least with the ezQuake client, I've never tried anything else) is that it's incredibly easy to personalize the hell out of it. You save an image with the correct name in the correct directory to replace a texture, and you can delete things you don't want just as easily. You have so many console commands / cvars at your fingertips to wildly change the appearance and behaviour of your game. The question is... where do you start? I learned the hard way by starting my own install from scratch, and to this day it's an archaic mess, and it would be a lot more beautiful if I had a primer on what I'm doing from the start. A nice little readme with a list of the most fundamental of commands and cvars, and a small explanation as to how custom assets work would be an incredible boon to anyone that has an interest in tweaking things.

- An optimal graphical config (performance). Out of the box, the game must run as well as possible. No compromises. This package should have no intention of appealing to people through eyecandy, or dressing itself up as looking 'modern'. It's all about running lightning fast and smooth for even the worst setups.

- An optimal graphical config (visuals). Now, assuming we have already done the above to lay a foundation, this part is all about clarity and being easy on the eyes. Not eyecandy. I'm talking making everything as visible as possible, reducing visual noise, eyestrain, general visibility / enemy recognition issues from as objective (within reason) a standpoint as possible.

- Sparingly using custom assets where they can really contribute while following the package philosophy. Examples of this are having bright rocket / nade projectile textures, very readable font + number set, a small and practical selection of basic custom crosshairs, and MAYBE even custom map textures if someone is talented enough to make some really damn good ones that fit the package philosophy (Milton may have been onto something with his custom textures, but I'm talking a few steps further into thinking about the design).

- A nice little explanation on keybinds and basic bread and butter weapon scripts. Not everyone will want to use individual weapon bind + fire, or weaponhide if they're not interested in 4on4, but it's a pretty unique concept to QW from my experience, and it's a beautifully elegant system. Similar to my first point about giving a clear asset + config customization primer, one for keybinds would also be nice.

I really hope you guys have some feedback / ideas of your own to expand on what I've said (or argue with me). I really think this package is something QW needs.

Could you post a few screenshots of how it looks in-game? I mean your actual set up. It sounds like you already have something you plan to build this installer upon.

We just need the default nQuake configs removed, the frogbot configs re-added, and then everyone will be set.

Would be cool to include some well known players configs in the package so people can try them out.

That's not what DOG_SACRIFICE seems to be after. I agree with him that it would be very helpful to include these (among other things):

I would say this is where changes to the client should be made to make this easier, where necessary. For example with huds, add a /hud_clear command, removing all hud elements, then in a huds/ directory, have that on the first line, then add all the hud variables. Have a folder for hud configs like that, then add hud_load <name>, let user load huds from a folder.

The big issue with helping people with nquake (from developer point of view) was:

• Autoexec.cfg seemed to change where the 'default' config had to be saved
• Built-in config files executed automatically based on different states, this leads to "ezquake resets my config" complaints
• nquake-defaults override ezquake-defaults, so when ezquake saves a small config (based on its defaults), executing that config won't get desired result
• Can't get back to standard assets without tricks (this affected Locktar at Quakecon - we had to create invalid 0-byte .jpg files to trick the client into using defaults)

None of this is helped by the mass of special cases that ezquake has hiding away in the background (i still use /exec, /cfg_load seems to try to be clever). nQuake is very good at getting someone playing Quake very quickly, but troublesome as a base for people to start customising, there's definitely room for both.

Dog_Sacrifice, I am in so much agreement about your recent posts that they might as well have sprung forth from my own brain.

nQuake is, indeed, a minimalist nightmare. It has lots of content , but the content is a mess under the hood. It takes too damn long to configure a fresh install, even for an expert.

I would be happy to bring some minor contributions to your project if there is anything a non-programmer could do. Let me start by pointing out a few changes I think would gel with your design philosophy.

Simplify the directory structure. All maps should be in quake/maps. All textures should be in quake/textures/mapname. Same with skins, sound, screenshots, crosshairs, configs, demos, etc. Files should not be buried in pak files or deeper directory structures such as quake/qw/ in most circumstances. And they should certainly not be stored in multiple places. Tweaking is a fact of life in QW, so file locations should be intuitive and easily apparent. I acknowledge that this might be an issue with some mods, but ease with standard multi-player deathmatch should be prioritized.

Ezquake should not create new directories by default. It should not force a quake/ezquake/configs directory every time it starts, nor should it create a config.cfg there unless I tell it to. It might be better if quake/ezquake didn't exist. Keymaps/sb/configs should all be merged into /quake . The .ezquake_history file should be stored in the base dir. I am unclear about how useful ezquake/qwprogs.dat and spprogs.dat are.

HUD controls should be simplified, and there should be a quake/HUDS directory with a few solid hud configs, per Meag.

The console background should be blank (or some solid color) until the user customizes it.

The startup welcome message (if there is one) should not erase the initialization info (GL_VENDOR, etc etc).

Menus and console fonts should be plain and to the point. No need for the gothic love fest.

Consider abandoning the ID pak files. We have the popular maps open-sourced. I'm not sure how much remains from those pak files that is still needed.

Fewer maps and loc files should ship with the package. Maps can be downloaded during play as needed. Support for client-server loc downloads should be considered.

I also like the idea of a minimalist's QW package but I don't think new players would appreciate it. I assume new players would want eye candy. And It's only the hardcore players that crave very high frame rates and high visibility of opponents and map features.

It would be cool if we could come up with some way of making QW have high visibility settings while also looking aesthetically nice.

nQuake is great for new players but it does need to be open to customization. At the moment the autoexec.cfg file is hidden away inside .Pak3 file.

As a returning player I eventually ended up having to abandon nQuake and created and new install of Ezquake. But then I realized lots of things from nQuake were missing and so I then copied all the nQuake files over to my ezquake folder and I was back to square one. So anyway, after nearly two years of fiddling around I've finally got a decent config again. So yeah, it only takes two years to learn how to configure QW. Easy peasy!!

I actually wasn't planning on basing it on mine much at all. Aside from having gl_max_size on something low, yellow enemy models and brightly colored projectiles, my install is not inline with what I want this one to be really. Either way, the beauty of it is (or will be) that it's not very far from a bone stock ezQuake anyway.


I'm going for something completely different to nQuake. More like an ezpzQuake, if you will :-D
I want it to be as close to a stock ezQuake as possible, except with all the objectively good optimizations / tweaks we can cram in while keeping it as low profile as possible.


Nice idea, but how would we include them? In a zip? Just in the configs directory? My only worry is that the scope could start to creep with too many 'goodies' included, but a few bonus configs can't hurt... right?


IMO nQuake is not exactly ideal for getting people playing very quickly either, it's just the only real option right now. QW is a pretty no-bullshit game, and when I convince someone to play it by telling them that, I want to be able to link them a no-bullshit package. Whenever I've referred anyone to nQuake, they've basically been immediately asking me how to turn on fullbrights, how to edit the HUD, how to edit their binds, how to get started with that nice weapon bindfire script I told them about etc.


I agree with everything you've said here, but I'm not knowledgable to say how much of this is in the scope of this package and how much is for guys like meag on the ezQuake end. But you're definitely getting my idea!



I'm a new player (been playing for perhaps a year now on and off, but I abandoned nQuake within a month or two), and this is what I want from the game. I'm trying to appeal to people that are like I was when I discovered this game myself, but weren't as inspired by it as I was to stick with building my own install up from scratch (which is still a mess because I'm learning as I go). I know many potential new players that were put off by nQuake. If you want eyecandy, you don't want QW in 2017, it's as simple as that IMO. Don't try and appeal to people that aren't in the potential demographic. Not everyone that hasn't already heard of QW is looking for a relevant blockbuster movie-game or overproduced eSport, there are plenty of arena shooter guys that simply haven't been clued into QW despite being disillusioned with modern offerings such as Reflex.

All that aside, eyecandy out of the box is what nQuake is there for IMO.



IMO, the two go hand in hand. Making a game easy on the eye is naturally pleasing aesthetically I feel. TF2 is an example of this really being mastered. That said, the goal here is a single-minded pursuit of making the game as objectively free of visual noise and as visually efficient as possible without regard for aesthetics at all.


For someone like me (or evidently like you :p) that enjoys fiddling with stuff, this is fine, but to many people, life's too short. As I said, I know people that do like this game, but didn't like the nQuake experience. I also have friends ask me about it sometimes, and I'm always having to give them a boring primer on the pros and cons of nQuake or using my personal clusterfuck install. Every time this happened, I came 1 step closer to making this damn thread

I think this is one of the main problems. I never found a way to make my QW aesthetically pleasing in a sense of keeping the original style and atmosphere of the game and just introduce the most basic enhancements to the visibility in-game (fullbright skins and changed item textures). Most of us are used to the look by now, but if you take a step back and look at the game with somehow faithful level textures and then fullbright skins. It just looks appalling. Therefore, I would vote for a consistent look. Meaning, faithful level textures with matching items and no fullbright models. The aim should be a well aged looking game. And then offer an easy second step for adding fullbright stuff and customization in general, for when the new player is hooked.

This is a really bad idea. New players would just end up getting even more raped and quitting the game with higher frequency.

I think FB skins make no difference to the amount of rape new players will endure. They will have a difficult time ahead no matter what. Having addiitonally off putting visuals is just another bump in the road.

The highly customizable nature of QW is its blessing and curse at the same time. And sooner or later you have to dive into config writing and exchanging files if you want to get YOUR QW setup. I see no way, sparing new players from this experience and it kind of is part of the game. Fact is, that most new games have very limited or regulated customization, to present a coherent game world and atmosphere. Having lovecraftian maps with detailed textures + 2d items + shining unicolored FB skins will just be eye cancer. if the people stick to the game and are interested, they will sooner or later start modying their setup themselves.

What's the point of creating just a new nQuake? nQuake tries to do what you propose; be visually appealing rather than competitive, and according to me (and others) it's one of the biggest issues with it.

A competitive, easy-to-use and setup package straight out from the box, that's what I'd like to see. In reality, doing a package that's visually appealing just to attract new players (or have them stay a bit longer) is almost like lying to them. IMO it's better to be honest and just show what it's all about and give just that. If they don't like it then they don't like it, but lets make it simple for those who want to try (and lets make their journey easier but not having them reconfigure everything after a while just to be able to be competitive).

You are right. I kind of side tracked myself there. I was arguing from a point of view of how to get players into the game and not what OP wanted. Sorry about that. Ignore my posts and continue the discussion.

To try and get the ball rolling, there are 2 things I need help with before I can do much else:

- Where should this be hosted / organized? I want a nice way that I or anyone that decides to help can add / change things in the package. Alternatively, I have no problems just putting it all together myself and adding what I deem appropriate that others contribute. I'm not experienced with such projects. GitHub?

- Best performance config possible. 100% no compromises pure FPS. Appearance and even practicality comes later, I want this as a foundation to build upon, not intended yet to be played with as-is.. This is something I really don't feel capable of doing myself, I know there are people around that could do something infinitely better.

Exactly right dimman. The nQuake package is fine. It just needs some decent configs that dont kill fps and fix the frogbot configs (they are now somehow missing), used to work fine so you can use /bot_1on1 /bot_4on4 etc. I even made a /bot_pov one that works quite well.

I get it, nQuake is fine if this, or fine if that. I want to make something else. I just want some help with the assets and things I want for it that others are more capable at producing. If you want to fix nQuake or argue as to if it makes my idea obsolete, please make another thread or vote with your bumps and don't post in this one. I'm not doing this to try and convert people that don't want it, I'm doing it for the people that I already know from the experience of talking to them DO want THIS and NOT nQuake.

Now, can someone please help me with my coveted perfect FPS config?

Go to the quakeworld.nu front page. It says dirtbox.cfg. Use that and experiment with the /eyecandy /noeyecandy commands in that config. Once you find one you like, put your own fov, sensitivty etc in the config. done.

Lower the default viewheight

Just a few things I notice after being away from qw for awhile and coming back,

-that default outline of quaded player looks awful and a new player wouldn't even know he had quad. Go back to oldskool quad glow.
-I had major fps issues, only realised before ezquake has a refresh rate option in menu, changed to 144 and butter smooth. not easy to spot for someone new?
-default red enemyskin looks bad, should at least be white
-binded weapons or weapon script?

I'd say keep qw looking faithful it's part of its charm. Font could be changed maybe. You can keep quakeworld with 0 picmip using faithful textures and white enemyskins, it looks and plays perfectly fine at a 1920x1080 res (have an installer and let them choose monitor refresh rate to avoid crappy fps issues)

They are all small things I noticed first time coming back.

I'd say you need an installer too - what's wrong with that? new people don't drag and drop folders from rar files?

If someone chanes the default weaponscript I think y'all should remove the No Weapon. message and try and change the behavior where, if you switch weapons while holding mouse1, the weapon won't switch until release firing key.

these are all just settings which can be changed... download my config from the qw.nu front page and type /eyecandy
this will enable graphics with nice textures and also dynamic lighting so it looks good but also gets fast fps. then you just need /enemyskin 2_white

This. Instead of making quake look modern, players should learn to appreciate the 1996 graphics. People should know how it all started, learn of quake's huge legacy AND how it still holds up today. Functional changes like brightskins and 2D/bright items are good and needed. But do not touch textures and particles and stuff.

Whoever maintains nQuake... please contact me and give me access to fix it.

I will go through each of the config presets and fix the horrible FPS lag issues.
I will re-add the missing frogbot config files.
I will make it great again.

It has been going on for too long now in such a horrible state. nQuake is the path to new players and they are presented with garbage sample configs. If they are given smooth configs out of the box, they will improve quicker and uninstall slower.

Dirtbox, who maintains nQuake is Mushi and who controls it is Qqshka.

Dog_sacrific, i talked with Qqshka on discord 1 year or more ago about nQuake and i mentioned all the things you and others say here and he showed me he had no interest in making any more changes to the package.
I had already modified and created the necessary files/folders for all of it but then i deleted everything due to his lack of interest.
The pak's are a mess with lot's of duplicate files. I only have ezquake.pk3 with files related with the menu, particle effects and location (locs).
If you want help/ideas to organize/configure your qw just say so.

(Edited 2017-09-11, 05:30)

I thought it was Empezar who maintained it.

I said Qqshka but i meant Empezar, my mistake.
Empezar delegated maintenance to Mushi.

I haven't made any changes to nQuake packages in more than 2 years. Meanwhile, with Empezar's permission, i gave access to Dirtbox.