8.0.0 - Troubleshooting & Bug Reporting

8.1.0 - Where to report bugs

We completely welcome any and all bug reports and suggestions you may have. Please post what you find or what you suggest on the RQ3 Forum we have devoted to feedback from the players:

http://www.reactionquake3.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=2

Although we'd like to pretend that no one will have any problem with RQ3, we realize there will most likely be a few things that crop up. Once we have more information on what problems players experience this section will be greatly expanded with resolutions to those problems.

8.2.0 - My mousewheel doesn't work?!@

Find the \in_mouse "1" cvar and change the "1" to "-1"

8.3.0 - ASE (All-Seeing Eye) filter?

quake3/other/reaction, I believe. I have heard that ASE has issued some update that adds full support for RQ3!

8.4.0 - How do I use "alias" in Q3?

Basically, you change "alias" with "vstr". The following website may prove to be helpful:

http://ucguides.savagehelp.com/Quake3/aliasreplacment.html

8.5.0 - How do I toggle my "special weapon"?

In the UI, options->controls->reaction->Special Weapon Cycle

8.6.0 - Zooming sensitivity?

cg_RQ3_ssgSensitivityAuto [0/1] (default 1)

Toggles the use of automatic (default) Q3-zoom style sensitivity adjustment or manual adjustment via the sensitivity cvars. Set this to "0" if you want the sensitivity to stay the same when zooming.

8.7.0 - Custom packs/skins/scopes?

Due to Q3's sv_pure, you cannot modify your RQ3 files and still play online at most servers. This is done to help prevent cheating in servers. It ain't perfect but it does its job relatively well. RQ3 will eventually support user-made weapon and scope replacements. We did not have time to implement this for 3.0 but rest assured that this IS something we are looking into. For those who just want a different sniper scope:

/cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "0"

The default is "0" and the sniper crosshairs included in 3.0 are:

/cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "0" | /cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "1"
/cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "2" | /cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "3"
/cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "4" | /cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "5"
/cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "6" | /cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "7"
/cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "8" | /cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "9"
/cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "10" | /cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "11"
/cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "12" | /cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "13"
/cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "14" | /cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "15"
/cg_rq3_ssgCrosshair "16" |

8.8.0 - How do I find RQ3 servers?

You can use the in-game server browser. Or, if you prefer something else, please look at some of the alternative Quake 3 server browsers at the link below. There are browsers for Windows, Linux, and Macintosh and they should be able to find Reaction servers for you to play on!

- http://www.bluesnews.com/quake3/ - Useful Quake 3 programs and links, scroll down to the Server Browsers section

8.9.0 - The SSG is inaccurate! (no it's not!)

There was a problem with the SSG code in the pre-2.25 releases. Basically, our sniper rifle piggybacked on the Quake 3 railgun code. The problem existed in the Q3 code as well. We have since corrected that issue and the SSG as of version 2.25 (and 3.0) now shoots exactly where you aim for. There's one catch in 2.25 (and 3.0), though. The weapon impact marks are still using the inaccurate determination method for figuring out where to draw the bullet mark. If you zoom in with the SSG to 4x and aim for someone on the side of the head, the person will get shot but the bullet impact might look like it is shooting too far to the side.

Just be aware that in testing with a wall and the SSG alone on a server, you WILL appear to be missing ever so slightly where you are aiming for while zoomed with the SSG--because the bullet impact is not matched up with where the actual shot went. If you're actually shooting at someone, though, the bullet really WILL be hitting where you are aiming for. So while it might be a little disconcerting, trust us--you will be able to hit accurately when it counts. Just ignore the impact effects... they will be a tad off. The hit determination, though, which is separate, will be spot-on.

8.10.0 - How do people run/jump so fast/far?

This is a technique from Quake 2 called "strafejumping" and it entails using the strafe key (or moveleft/moveright) while jumping and turning ever so slightly. Using this method you can build up incredible speed and perform trick jumps you otherwise never could! There are other techniques as well called "doublejumping", "ramp jumping", and "ledge jumping." In a future revision of the manual we will try to include a tutorial on how to do these trick jumping techniques. It is like learning to ride a bicycle--you fall at first and it is hard to learn but once you learn it you never forget it!

8.11.0 - How do I update PunkBuster (PB)?

PB updates itself automatically when you join a server. You need to make sure you have PB enabled, of course. You can do that in the RQ3 config screens. Or you can set it manually by typing /pb_cl_enable in the console. Or put it in your shortcut like thus:

"C:\Program Files\Quake III Arena\quake3.exe" +set fs_game rq3 +set cl_punkbuster 1

If your computer cannot update PB properly in-game and you've tried one or two different servers, the first thing you need to try is to go to EvenBalance's Q3A downloads page and get PBWEB. Place it in your quake3\pb folder and run it from there. If it works properly it will have a screen like the following:

- http://www.evenbalance.com/index.php?page=dl-q3a.php - EvenBalance's Q3A PunkBuster Downloads Page

If that doesn't work, go back to that page and manually download the pbsec.htm file and both the client and clientA files and place them where they tell you to place them. Then try connecting to servers or try PBWEB once again.

If you STILL have problems, load up your RQ3 and try updating it as a server. Load a map locally and, making sure you already have PB enabled, go to the console and type: /pb_sv_update

If all of this fails to work, well, contact EvenBalance's tech support and consult their online help, FAQs, and docs. Good luck!

8.12.0 - My ping is higher in RQ3 3.0 than in previous versions! Why?

RQ3 3.0 has integrated some bits of the Unlagged/Alternate Fire source code. One of these bits is a more accurate representation of your effective ping. Here's a basic rundown of it.

It's because we got Q3 to stop lying about ping. Ok, here's the deal. You're pinging 20 to 30 ms more, right? Q3 used a very simple and rather inaccurate method to determine ping. Thus, everyone's ping had been under-reported by 20 to 30 ms. You just never knew it. You thought it was "normal". One of the parts of the ping-compensation code that we DID use was one that used a more-accurate ping determination method. So the in-game ping you see is now more accurate to what your real ping is.

So if you're seeing worse connections by only looking at your in-game ping, that's what you're seeing. If you're feeling more laggy or see more PL on your netgraph, well, that's probably something else.

But the in-game ping being higher, that's a feature, not a bug. The connection is the same--the reported ping is different, that's all. We have a cvar that allows server ops to make Q3 lie to you again, if that's what y'all really want.

RQ3 is now displaying the ping it takes for you to reach the server and get your input processed, not for you to reach the server, get your input processed, and then get results. However, you are aware of the sv_fps setting, right? Q3 defaults to 20. Q2 defaulted (hard-set in code, I believe) to 10. That basically means that Q3 works in 50 ms time slices. Q2 works in 100 ms time slices.

I believe, depending on what part of the timeslice you get your update in, your ping can be something like 10 to 40 ms above the "simple" time it takes an UDP packet to get sent one-way. This is because Q3 will wait to process everything at once every 50 ms. If you get your input in 10 ms after the last processing (frame/snap, I believe is the term) and your opponent gets it in 40 ms after, well, you BOTH wait until the next frame which is 50 ms after. So I guess for you, your effective ping was PING + (50ms - 10ms) while your opponent's effective ping was PING + (50ms - 40ms). So you had an effective ping, relative to when you sent in your input, of 40ms extra. Your opponent had an effective ping of 10ms extra. All this due to the way Q3 processes server state. I hope that kinda makes sense.

Thus, if you want pure ping, use ASE or a command-line based "ping" tool/utility. If you want a truer indication of how long it will take for the server to process your input, use the in-game ping indicator--because it will be taking the server's "sv_fps" into account when determining your ping.

I believe cl_maxpackets, cg_snaps, and sv_fps can all mess with this stuff. And, depending on if you're using the alternatefire network code, sometimes messing with these can have negative affects. Also, if you're using baseq3 the wrong combination of this stuff can mess with your ping and stuff. Hrm.

http://www.ra.is/unlagged/

There's a FAQ further down. Some of it is code-crap, some of it is reasonably-easy-to-understand explanation.

Basically, the upshot is that the Q3 network model is full of insanity. I kinda know what's going on but I'm sure I've messed up some of the details. We took what was useful and didn't make the "feel" of RQ3 all funky. That's why we left out the ping compensation part, it "felt" like... ick, just no good.

8.13.0 - Why can't I set cl_timenudge to -30?

RQ3 3.0 has integrated some bits of the Unlagged/Alternate Fire source code. One of these bits is a built-in compensation for cl_timenudge in-code. This is similar to what CPMA and I believe OSP do. Thus, "cl_timenudge 0" in RQ3 3.0 is effectively the same as "cl_timenudge -30" in previous versions of RQ3 and in baseQ3. Setting cl_timenudge to -10 or -30 or any negative number in RQ3 3.0 will not provide any increase in responsiveness. Anything you think it will do is illusionary. I supposed we could allow people to set things to -30 just for the heck of it but that might cause players to appear more jerky--one of the consequences of using a negative cl_timenudge. The Unlagged code we use helps smooth out the player movements with a more advanced interpolation but 'eck, it can't work miracles. Thus, we limit cl_timenudge to 0. Don't worry, though, it's not stopping you from getting the extra performance/lower ping that you could have gotten in the old versions of RQ3. Truuuuuusst us.

8.14.0 - It is too hard to see players!

Get the Bandolier and use the IRVISION. That's what it's there for. There have been improvements that allow you to use it AND figure out who is on your team and who is on the opposing team. Try it. You'll like it. We don't mind adding submissions of tastefully-done bright skins to future releases. We DO mind adding glowskins and poorly-done player skins. Contact us and show us your "bright" skin if you really want to see it in a future RQ3 release. We'll give you feedback and help you to refine it, if need be. Until then... use IRVISION!

Here are some examples. Poor image quality, I apologize, but you can clearly see the differences in your teammates and your opponents both up close and far away. The red blob is the enemy, the sorta-red blob is your teammate. :)

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Last updated: April 26, 2003