Quake3 config file settings?

[SkaarjMaster]

Anyone see any problems with these settings for Quake3: Arena? I used some from my last setup on my old computer (WinXP SP2, P4 3.2, 3 GB RAM, ATI 9800Pro256MB) for this new computer (WinXP SP2, E8600 3.33GHz, 3.25 GB RAM recognized, Nvidia GTX 280):

seta cg_fov "90"
seta cg_zoomfov "22.5"

seta com_hunkMegs "256"
seta com_maxfps "200"

seta r_ext_texture_filter_anisotropic "16"

seta r_mode "-1"
seta r_fullscreen "1"
seta r_customwidth "1920"
seta r_customheight "1200"
seta r_customaspect "1"

seta r_subdivisions "5"

seta com_soundMegs "32"

seta com_zoneMegs "32"

ABOVE SETTINGS EDITED BASED ON COMMENTS TO FOLLOW

I'm figuring everything looks good, except maybe I could possibly increase the hunkMegs to 256 or 512. Online with a google search they say if you RAM is 256+ MB, then set hunkMegs to 128.

I also don't know if we need to limit the frame rates in Q3 as we have to do for UT with newer hardware (any ideas on maxfps?). Thank you.

 

[Kaleena]

You can set hunkmegs to a very high value (even 1024 would work) but it doesn't really make much of a difference anyway. My zonemegs, soundmegs, and modelpoolmegs are all at 128, but I dunno how much of a difference it makes, really.

Set your maxfps at 125, no matter how much your hardware can handle (not a speed problem like in UT, but some framerates give better jump physics than others). Also framerate of 333+ will give you "connection interrupted" when playing online. And the framerate can be capped only at certain values which are clean divisors of 1000 (180 would give you 200fps for example, but 125 will give you 125). If you're playing offline you could play at 250 or 333 though (333 makes the jump physics really messed up).
But at 125 you have a guaranteed rock-stable framerate (turning threaded optimisation off in the nvidia control panel gives a massive framerate boost in Q3 engine games btw).

You could try messing around with the fov a bit too, if it doesn't feel "right" for such a resolution.

 

[SkaarjMaster]

- maybe I'll bump hunkMegs to 256 and just leave it there. I may just leave the others (zoneMegs, soundMegs, etc.) at 32 or try 64.

- I had maxfps at 400 on my old machine, but i can't remember why. I did read that web site that said the only maxfps settings that make sense are 200, 166, 142, 125, 111, 100, etc. and I didn't know it had to be a "clean" divisor of 1000. Maybe I'll set this to 166, 200 or 250.

 

[SkaarjMaster]

I just realized something. Is there any way to set AA and/or AF in Quake 3? I did it in Unreal and UT, but I don't think I have it set in Q3.

 

[NeoNite]

I had my com_hunkmegs set higher than 128/256 (as an experiment) and I tried loading this map Good map to test your quake3.

It crashed my quake3, but when I set my hunkmegs to 128 it loaded fine.

Setup:

E8400
Core2 duo 3 ghz
Radeon 4850 512 mb gddr3
2 gigs ram

 

[SkaarjMaster]

Is there a bug in that map that causes this? I wonder what map is the most graphics intensive for Q3 these days?

 

[NeoNite]

Try that one.

Tigs very important notes: You will require the latest video card drivers from your video card maker (for example, ATI or NVIDIA) AND a video card that is better than a GeForce 4 Ti (128MB). I have been able to reproduce the loading issue with a GeForce 4 Ti (128MB), and this was even after compressing all the textures. The issue appears to be related to the fact that over 700 textures are in use and the texture memory (texels) is more than 4 times that of most maps. If you are having an issue loading this map, please include your video card details and driver version. (28th Dec, 2008)

I used to run a map called chartres, but that was back in 2001. You should get excellent framerates on it.. these days... I suppose.

 

[SkaarjMaster]

I get this error with hunkMegs at 256 and 192:
"Z_Malloc: failed on allocation of 4194328 bytes from the main zone"

This really does not make any sense as I have 3.25 GB of main RAM and 1GB on the video card. Sounds like a case of bad coding somewhere. I'll try some lower numbers now.

EDIT: nevermind, I did a google and then read the comments about the map at lvl. It said you need to set the seta r_subdivisions command to 4 or higher, but I tried hunkMegs at 256 and 192 and it didn't work with the subdivisions already at 4. I set it to 6 and the simpsons map and chartres both work with the hunkMegs at 192 or 256. Here's what I have now for those commands:

seta r_subdivisions "6"
seta com_hunkMegs "256"

 

[SkaarjMaster]

OK, now that we got that all straightened out, what are the best maps released for Q3 for 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009? I know that's asking a bit much, but it would take me forever to search the lvl site. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[NeoNite]

Well, you can go to "browse -> top maps - refined options" and take your pick from all gametypes.

By best do you mean raw playability, looks (test your system) or combination of both.

 

[SkaarjMaster]

combination of both and must be playable offline as well. I'll try the search and see what happens.

EDIT: ok, that should do it. Any idea how to set AA and AF in Quake3? I decided to let applications activate AA/AF this time around (it's forced on my old computer).

 

[Kaleena]

You can set AF in Quake 3 with r_ext_texture_filter_anisotropic "16". AA has to be forced via the drivers (I strongly recommend 8xQ).

The simpsons map is very heavy yes, but it loads on my rig with hunkmeg 512 or even 1024. And I have just a 8800GTS v2 (512mb), 3.5 gb of ram (due to XP) and an e8400 at 3.9ghz.

Also, higher r_subdivisions = lower quality (curves won't look as good). 4 is the best setting (too low doesn't look good either for some reason, while lowering the framerate).

 

[SkaarjMaster]

OK, I got AF set and I changed the divisions to "5" instead of "6" as "4" did not work for some odd reason. Why does AA have to be forced? Is it like this for all OpenGL/Q/D games (Doom3, Quake4, etc.)? If so, this might be where I need to set up profiles because I don't want to force AA this time around.
EDIT: Don't worry, I'll be changing AF to 8X or 16X at some point, but for now I'll leave it at 4X.

EDIT: WTF is with the CHAR map (with Q3 symbol) in the Free For All map directory menu? I think there might have been a DISP map there at one time also.

EDIT2: I know why some maps don't appear in the menu, but others say they should appear and they don't while others don't say either way in the text file. Anyone seen these maps in the menu at all or know why they don't appear?
Junk Data - bal3dm5
Citadel Fantasia - cf
The Forlorn Hope - jof3dm2
JUL16 - jul16
The Black Realm - map-13black
The Black Realm SE - map-13black_se
Unbalanced - map-acid3dm5
Unbalanced II - map-acid3dm7
Ostentatiously Organometallic - lae3dm3 (this last one I believe actually says it does not appear in the menu and must be started from the console, just posted here to confirm).

Thank you.

 

[SkaarjMaster]

I just installed some more maps and now 147 files (only 135 extra pk3 files) are in my baseq subdirectory, but I think there must be a limit as to how many maps appear within the in-game menu because I have more maps installed than are showing up and the strange Q3 symbol keeps changing in the FFA maps area described above. Now it says PLDU, which makes me believe it is trying to generate a screenshot for the p1duel1 map.

Is there an in-game maps limit? Obviously an overlap but here's how many maps show up within the in-game menu right now for each map type:

FFA - 87 maps
TDM - 40 maps
Tournament - 60 maps
CTF - 22 maps

Also, it appears that most maps appear in-game from the end of the alphabet and less from the beginning for some odd reason. Any ideas what is going on and if it can be fixed?

 

[NeoNite]

Well, you could use an utility such as UIarena

Should display all your maps, and 15/page.

You could also try this: I have 150 maps in my quake3 dir. About 80 in the baseQ3, and the remaining ones in seperate dirs (such as "classics" f.e. maps I really enjoyed playing back in the day, well I've placed them in a new folder. Releave the load from the standard folder.)

 

[SkaarjMaster]

So I guess that Q3 symbol in the map menu is telling me I can't fit anymore maps and it shows the first 4 letters of the next map.

I'll try UIarena and see how that goes. Does it work fine with 132c? Of course, I haven't even tried all the maps I downloaded yet so I may be deleting some anyway. I'll see how many are left after deleting some and then how the menu looks. Thanks.

 

[NeoNite]

Yeah, it should.

Some maps won't even show up due to the lack of an .arena file in the .pk3
Mostly of course among old maps.

Mind you, UIarena isn't perfect either. You might experience, I say might, a few problems. But the very fact that there's a larger display of maps/per page etc. well, it's tempting isn't it.

Maybe there are equally good (or even better) tools out there, but I wouldn't know any though. I've uses UIarena since 2000 and it's always been a help to me, rather than a nuissance so to speak.

Definite keepers, as for old(er) maps are:

- overkill
- bloodrun
- let's drink beer and shoot things
- Bal3dm2
- Coriolis storm

Well, those are some of my favourites but there are quite a few good classic maps. Check the LVL mappacks section.

 

[SkaarjMaster]

I read the Quake World Q3 section and the UIarena explanation on FileFront, so I'll download that tonight but I probably won't try it just yet until I try the new maps. I have those maps you listed, except I'm not sure about "let's drink beer and shoot things"........I'll have to check that one out.

AKA lun3dm2....I'll check my computer tonight, I might already have it.
EDIT: now I have it!

Is there any truth to the phrase at quakeworld that says .pk3 files cannot have any capital letters in them or they will not be detected by the game? does this include the PK3 part also?

 

[SkaarjMaster]

Just changed the settings to 8XQ AA and 16X AF for Quake3!