 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Quake III Arena Bryan Leech bryan@melbpc.org.au |
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Quake III Arena is the latest game from id Software, the company that sourced the earlier Quake games and such history making challenges as Doom and Rise of the Triad. This latest product continues the general game style of the earlier epics, but with great advances in all aspects. This is a game to test the muscle of your computer, and the reflexes and nerves of the player.
The game is split into six tiers, each containing four arenas. You must emerge victorious in each arena to be able to progress to the next tier. The aim is to "frag" (i.e., kill) every creature you meet. If you get fragged yourself, you come back to life, but with only basic reserves. You can play in single player mode, but the game is equally aimed at playing over a network or over the Internet. In single player mode you can choose a Skirmish option in which you select both the arena and the gladiators that will oppose you. This option is nearly the same as creating a multiplayer server, only you are playing against the computer instead of other, human-controlled, opponents.
In all, there are 32 computer-controlled gladiators, each with its own skill level and abilities, and some of them display almost human intelligence. There are nine weapons which you can collect, ranging from the gauntlet which combines a saw blade with a powerful electric charge, through to the BFG-10K - a plasma gun of extraordinary power. Beware, in confined spaces, some weapons may injure YOU!
Of course, there is the usual collection of various types of armour, health packages, powerups and items you can carry, namely a Medkit and a personal Teleporter. Gameplay difficulty can be set at one of five levels, ranging from "I can win" for the beginner or player who, like me, is out of practice, to "Nightmare" for the dedicated game player who wants a REAL challenge.
Quake III allows a high degree of customisation. You can choose any name for yourself (at times, the computer may address you by name) and a "skin", chosen from a suite of 89 characters. About two thirds of these are male, and range from vaguely handsome through very ugly to skeletonic. This is how you will be seen if you confront a mirror, or by another player in a multiplayer game. All controls (and there are quite a few to remember) can be customised to your taste. Resolution, colour depth, texture mapping and lighting can all be controlled (independently of your Windows display setup) so that a suitable compromise can be made if your machine lacks the power to run this game at its best.
Subjectively, Quake III Arena is a superb showpiece. If you want to show off the graphics and sound of your latest high-power computer acquisition, as I have been doing, you can't go past this. The 3D graphics, action and sound equal or better anything I have seen and heard from any other game, on PC or Playstation (although there is one space-action game I have seen in pre-release form - no names yet - which does have even better graphics). The arenas show great detail, wonderfully textured skies (when in the open), and excellently rendered sprays of blood and clouds of smoke (beware the crimson Fog of Death).
Detailed cinematic sequences link between each level, and, although computer drawn, nearly look like live action.
At the least challenging level of game-play, you meet only a few villains and are offered plenty of weapons, health, armour and ammunition. There is plenty of time to develop your skills in manoeuvring your character and exploring the current arena. I have only just obtained the game so have had little opportunity to get my skills back into practice and get very far in the arenas. The first arena seems to be essentially a learning area before you get to the "real" levels. At the "Nightmare" level, your skills and reflexes need to be very sharp - no time to think about which control is which, their use needs to be second nature. Gladiators are thrown at you at high speed, and resources are not plentiful.
In playing the game, there is tremendous variety in environment, obviously a lot of variety in computer-controlled opponents, and a great deal to excite the eye and ear. Many players will be attracted by the opportunity to play against human-controlled opponents over the Internet. The floor plans are extensive, and three-dimensional in that you climb stairs and ramps and jump up onto ledges. I can see that honing my skills and conquering each arena is going to keep me amused for quite a long time; something I would wish when you consider the cost of these games. For me, this game has elicited great enthusiasm, and I can readily recommend it as being among the best of the current crop of shoot-em-ups. If your computer has the grunt, go out and buy Quake III Arena!
Tested on a Pentium III 500 MHz motherboard with Intel 440BX AGP chipset; 128 MB 60ns memory; nVidia TNT2 Ultra AGP 32 MB video card with Open GL drivers (supplied with the game); SoundBlaster Live sound card and Labtec LCS-2514 surround speakers. Minimum requirements are PII 266 (with a 4 MB video card), 64 MB RAM, 70 MB to 530 MB hard disk space (the latter is recommended) Open GL compliant 3D video card, Windows 95/98 with Direct X.
Ratings:
Graphics 9/10, Sound 9/10, gameplay 10/10, value for money 9/10.
Classification: MA15+
RRP: $89.95. Street price, around $75.
Reprinted from the April 2000 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
