Game-Over.Net: Expert CTF Guide for Quake 2 – Info and Strategies by Radfaraf

By: radfaraf

Expert CTF for Quake 2 – Info and Strategies

Expert CTF is a server side CTF mod for Quake2. It tries to balance out the gameplay so that the team with the most skill will be the winner. To play it you need Threewave CTF for Quake 2 and an expert CTF server which can be found using Gamepsy (www.gamespy.com). The expert CTF web page can be found at http://www.planetquake.com/expert/. Here’s a list of a few Expert CTF servers you can try: quake.internexus.net, quake3.internexus.net:27800 and 209.176.104.90:60000

Now lets talk about the differences and similarities between Expert and normal CTF. In both you get a grappling hook, but in Expert you get an offhand grappling hook. The offhand grappling hook allows you to grapple while using another weapon. This way while you are flying through the air you can be shooting at other targets at the same time. You can also hang from the ceiling in Expert CTF if it is enabled on the server. The new hook features make for very interesting and fast paced game play. The offhand feature takes away the disadvantage of having to switch between grapple and weapon all the time, which can be frustrating. Unlike most normal CTF servers, in Expert CTF you can only hang on to a wall for a few seconds to prevent camping. If you stay attached to a wall after a few seconds the hook will automatically disengage.

Another important feature is that you start with all the weapons but with just a small amount of ammo for each gun. The BFG is not included. The Expert CTF web page says that you still can find and use the BFG, but it has less power then the BFG in deathmatch/normal CTF games. Thus far I have never seen the BFG on any Expert CTF server. When you pick up ammo, health packs and armor you get more then in normal Quake 2. For instance when you pick up rockets normally you get 5 but in expert you get 10. Getting more ammo/health/armor per pack up helps you get back to the game play, and takes away the hoarder’s advantage. Another difference between Expert and normal CTF is that there are no tech powerups, which give the people using them unfair advantages. The power shield in expert CTF only last for 30 seconds as does the quad damage. Quad damage also has a different function then in normal CTF it has a vamperic property that gives you back 1/2 the life you take away from someone when shooting them. Another cool feature is that in the bottom middle is it says the name of the person you are looking at. Each gun power is more balanced out. It takes normally 3 rocket hits to kill someone will full life and armor, 2 rail gun shots, or 4/5 supershot gun hits. This is one of my favorite features because people can not kill you with just one lucky shot as in normal ctf.

There are many other features in Expert CTF that make it different from normal CTF but I have told you most of them. Now go download Expert CTF and prepare to die. If you see me I will be radfaraf[mish] and I am usually one of the servers I have mentioned above.

Strategies:

This is divided into three sections. Section one discusses offense and special things offensive players should do. Section two explains defense strategies as well as unique things defensive players should do. Section three concludes with strategies for both defense and offense.

Offense:

Grapple around a lot in 3 dimensions not just forward to avoid getting hit.
Try to avoid combat with other players as much as possible, especially when low in health.
Whenever you lose health, get more immediately, even if it is a very small amount.
Bind a key to say “Base Overrun!!” so that you can get your teammates to protect you at your base. Type “bind [key] say_team Base Overrun!!!” to do this.
If you get to your base and it is overrun, press the base overrun message key a few times. Then, grapple around to keep from getting hit. While doing this, pick up armor and health when needed and shoot at the other team with the supershot gun from the air. If you keep running low on health abandon the base and come back when it is safe.
Kill the other players only when you need to, concentrate on getting the flag. Avoid fighting the opposite team when carrying the flag, you want to stay alive at all costs.
Fool players by flying up where you can not be seen or turning back into their bases or other places they least except you to be.
Change directions frequently so that people can’t aim at your grapple destination to kill you. Change your direction in midair always before you hit whatever your grapple is pulling you towards.
Learn the levels because there are shortcuts in every level that make returning the flag faster.
Staying in your base when you have the flag and your flag is missing is a good idea since you can capture the flag quickly when your flag is returned. If you are constantly under attack, leave the base and hang around the entrance to the base. Many people never think to look there and they will just sit and wait at your base. Press the base overrun key a few times so your team will clear it for you then come back when it is safe.

Defense:

Stay stocked up with ammo to use when defending the flag. The Rocket Launcher, Super Shotgun, Hyperblaster ammo are the most important to have.
Your main goal is to keep the flag from even being touched. Shoot the other team the first second you see them.
Shoot down at the ground where the player is most likely to move next. If you shoot where they are standing you will miss most of the time. Shooting down also gives you splash damage when using the rocket launcher even when you do not hit the other player.
Block exits to your base when a player carrying the flag is fleeing so that they can’t get away. When a player is going to an exit make sure they don’t get out.
If your flag is stolen, mad rush the player with rockets if they are on the ground. The super shotgun or hyperblaster will work if they are in the air.
Use the railgun or super shotgun if you have good aim.
Too many people use the rocket lanucher when the flag carrier is flying in the sky. Don’t use it the rockets fly too slow. Use the super shotgun, chaingun, machinegun, or hyperblaster.
Sometimes it a good idea to race in front of the guy who steals the flag and block off a exit. When they come surprise them and kill them.
When defending, aim where the players grappling hook hits a surface beacause they will eventually get there unless they change direction. This can be use to shoot them with the railgun or rocket launcher if you have good timing. Otherwise when they are flying around it is next to impossible to hit them with these.
When trying to get the guy with the flag at there base it if often hard because they aways keep refilling there life. The solution to this is getting it before then. Sometimes you may have to shoot yourself with the rocket launcher to do this. If you have full life you can’t pick up more life so this is when this is used. Our you can stand by the life like a easy target and when they come shoting you pick it up and then go attack them.

Both:

First thing you must do before playing Expert CTF is to bind a key to the grapple. Binding a key (for those of you don’t know) is simply telling Quake II what a key does. To bind a key to the grapple you type “bind key +hook” in the console (replace key with whatever key you would like to use to grapple). The most common binding for this is “bind mouse2 +hook”, this sets the grapple to the second mouse button. All you have to do is press the button now and the grapple shoots out.
I can’t over emphasize the use of the grapple. Grappling makes you move much faster and harder to kill, so it is extremely important to use for all your movements, especially when running for safety. The grapple is useful whether you are a flag carrier, defender, or offensive player.
Use the mouse or you will never win :). For 3 button mouse set one key as shooting, 1 key as next weapon and, 1 key as grapple. For 2 button mouse set 1 as grapple, and 1 as shooting.
Bind a key to “messagemode2” (I suggest Y). This binds a key to a different message mode which messages only people on your team. Use this instead of T so the other team won’t know your plans.
Learn to play both defense and offense, because switching is often necessary. If you are on defense and someone steals your flag sometimes it is good to grapple straight to their base and steal their flag so they do not score. If you are on offense and someone else has the flag you should go back to defense, or escort the carrier, so the flag carrier can score.

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