Quake 4
Encyclopedia
Quake 4 is the fourth title in the series of Quake
first-person shooter
computer games. The game was developed by Raven Software
and published by Activision
. Raven Software has collaborated with id Software
, the creators and historical developers of preceding Quake games. In this case, id Software supervised the development of the game as well as providing the Doom 3 engine, now referred to as 'id Tech 4', upon which it was built. Quake 4 went gold in early October 2005 and was released on 18 October 2005 for Microsoft Windows
and later for Linux
, Xbox 360
and Mac OS X
. A special DVD Collectors Edition also exists, including promotional material and the game Quake II
with its expansions, The Reckoning and Ground Zero. The Xbox 360 version of Quake 4 is based on the Special Collectors Edition, and therefore also includes Quake II. On 4 August 2011 the game was made available through Steam.
Plotwise, the game is a sequel to Quake II
and takes place during the same war as Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
. Quake II, Quake 4, or Enemy Territory: Quake Wars do not share story lines with Quake or Quake III Arena
; their only relation is their names and logos. Compared to other titles in the Quake series, Quake 4 has an increased emphasis on the single-player portion of the game. A multiplayer mode is available, but it does not involve playable bots like Quake III Arena, without 3rd party modifications.
, Team Deathmatch, Tourney, Capture the Flag
, Arena CTF and DeadZone. Players at QuakeCon
reported the multiplayer gameplay to include elements similar to those in previous Quake games such as Strafe-jumping
or Rocket jumping
. Notable new additions to play are the ability to send shots through the teleporters
and the advancement of the game physics provided by the new technology including the ability to bounce grenades and napalm fire off of jump-pads.
Like the previous Quake games the multiplayer has a client-server architecture. The network code has been altered from Doom 3, allowing for larger numbers of players on each server (Doom 3 has a four player restriction, whereas Quake 4 has a standard 16 player limit).
One of the changes to the network code is a move from the per-polygon hit detection system used in Doom 3 back to using hit-box system like most other online first-person shooters such as other Quake games and Half-Life
. In the 1.4.x point release, these "axis aligned bounding boxes" were replaced with axis aligned octagonal "cylinder", to make the hit-boxes more representative of the model shape.
and Quake Live
, but with the additions of ramp jumping and crouch slides. Crouch slides give players the ability to maintain speed by sliding around corners. Ramp Jumps allow players to gain extra height from jumping as they reach the top of an inclined object, which while present in the original Quake, was not included in Quake 2 or Quake III Arena
, although mods such as DeFRaG
added it.
In the 1.3 point release, there is an increased amount of air acceleration in multiplayer mode, making the game feel faster than the original release. In the 1.4.1 / 1.4.2 releases, there were further changes related to the way sliding on angled surfaces worked, with the introduction of the new "power slide" code, which makes the game feel even faster.
by pitting the player against a cyborg
alien race known as the Strogg. The game follows the story of a Marine named Matthew Kane who is a member of the fabled Rhino Squad
. Following the success of the protagonist of Quake II in destroying the Strogg's leader, the Makron
, the Rhinos are tasked with spearheading the mission to finally secure the aliens' home planet Stroggos. In the course of the invasion, the squad ship is shot down and crashes in the middle of a battle zone, separating Kane from his companions. Kane eventually rejoins his scattered team members and partakes in the assault against the Strogg.
After performing a number of tasks, such as destroying and capturing Strogg aircraft hangars and defense systems, Kane and his remaining squad members make it to the USS Hannibal. There they are given their next mission: infiltrating one of the Strogg's central communication hubs, the Tetranode, with an electromagnetic pulse
bomb in the hope that it will put the main Strogg Nexus in disarray. Kane is tasked with defending the mission convoy, which takes heavy casualties. After many setbacks, including the destruction of the EMP device by a Strogg ambush, Kane is left to complete the mission, assisted only by Private
Johann Strauss and Lance Corporal
Nikolai "Sledge" Slidjonovitch. Strauss figures out a way to destroy the core by shutting down its coolant systems. As Kane reaches the entrance to the Tetranode, however, he is greeted by two rocket-equipped network guardians – as well as the newly constructed Makron. The Makron easily defeats Kane and knocks him unconscious.
When Kane finally awakens, he finds himself strapped to a conveyor belt in the Strogg "Medical Facilities", a structure used for turning those captured and killed by the aliens either into protein food or additional Strogg units. In a long and gruesome first-person cutscene, Kane is taken through this stroggification process which violently replaces much of his anatomy with bio-mechanical parts. Before the final controlling neurochip
implanted in his brain can be activated, though, Rhino Squad bursts into the facility and rescues Kane. After escaping through the Strogg medical facility and Waste Disposal plant, fighting off zombie-like half-stroggified humans along the way, Kane is forced to combat his former commander, Lieutenant Voss, who has been fully stroggified into a powerful mechanized monster. (Voss nevertheless retains his own consciousness long enough to warn Kane.) After defeating this threat, Kane and the remaining marines finally make it back to the Hannibal.
The commanders realize that Kane's Strogg physiology has opened up new possibilities for defeating the Strogg, as he can be used to infiltrate locations previously impenetrable to human forces. The new plan is to directly target the Strogg Nexus Core, a huge centralized brain-like
structure which controls the alien forces. The Marines are tasked with infiltrating the three data towers adjacent to the Nexus: Data Storage, Processing, and Networking. There, they will deactivate the Nexus' shield and power up the teleporter used to access the Nexus and send Kane in. Once inside, Kane will travel to the center of the Nexus to destroy the Core Brain and its guardian.
After infiltrating the facility and realigning the data nodes powering the teleporter, and destroying its fearsome "Guardian" creature, Kane finally reaches the Nexus core. There he meets the Makron in a final showdown and kills it. This done, he destroys the Core and returns to the Hannibal.
Celebrating with Rhino Squad afterward, Kane receives word that he has new orders.
multiplayer, Quake 4 was used in a number of professional electronic sports
tournaments.
The following competitions have held Quake 4 events:
, and Quake 4 Fortress (the Quake 4 version of Team Fortress
). Q4F was abandoned before its creators considered it complete- instead they released an alpha version complete with source code.
In the competitive gaming scene, there were two principal mods, Q4Max and X-Battle. The online Quake 4 competitive community was split between the two mods. A number of the online leagues switched between X-Battle and Q4Max, such as ClanBase EuroCup
and GGL. Despite this split in the online community, the offline professional LAN tournaments run by CPL, ESWC, WCG, QuakeCon, and WSVG all used Q4Max.
Members of both the Q4Max and X-Battle teams joined forces with Adam 'SyncError' Pyle of id Software
and developed another mod, Delta CTF, which brought Quake II
style CTF to Quake 4.
Another notable mod is SABot, which successfully implemented multiplayer bots in Quake 4 less than a month after the SDK was released, despite this being a feature that some reviewers criticised Quake 4 for not including.
This was followed by the first major patch, 1.1 which introduced features such as ingame downloading of maps, and SMP support. This release was quickly withdrawn and replaced by the 1.2 release, due to an issue found during QA by Activision.
The 1.3 release incorporated changes from Ritual Entertainment
, including a new weapon (Napalm Launcher), a new gametype (Deadzone), and a number of maps. This was also the first release to have Mac support.
The 1.4 release was tagged "beta" and was developed by id software rather than by Raven / Activision. This incorporated a number of community requested changes such as the introduction of Q4TV, and unlocked framerates. This was followed by 1.4.1 beta, and finally by the "1.4.2 final" release, which is not a beta version. The 1.4.2 release also includes the "Community Map Pack", which are the winning maps entered into a competition run by id software.
The original demo version of Quake 4 was based upon version 1.0, however due to the number of changes made to the multiplayer gameplay, there is an updated demo specifically for multiplayer, based upon the 1.4.2 release.
version of Quake 4 was released at the launch of the Xbox 360
and is Xbox Live
compatible. There have been major issues with framerates for the console adaptation, earning it the award for Most Aggravating Frame Rate/Best Slideshow in the GameSpot.com Best and Worst of 2005 list.
In addition, the Xbox 360 port of Quake 4 has very long load times and Xbox Live glitches that result in problematic multiplayer experiences, as documented by game review sites as well as on Activision's support pages for the Xbox 360 version. This version was initially priced the same as the PC Special Edition DVD and features the same content. Unlike the PC version, however, as of November 2008 the Xbox 360 version has not received any patches to fix its numerous problems.
Aspyr Media published and released Quake 4 for Mac OS X
on 5 April 2006, initially only for PowerPC
based Macs
, but then later as a universal binary
compatible with both PowerPC
- and x86-based Macs
.
id Software
continued its tradition of supporting Linux
, with Timothee Besset
of id releasing a Linux version of the Quake 4 binary executable. The game can be downloaded for free from id's servers, though it requires a licensed copy of Quake 4 for Windows or Mac in order to run. The Linux installer was made available two days after the release of the game itself.
. The international uncensored version did not receive a USK classification and was subsequently indexed by the German Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien
.
There are other localized versions of Quake 4 that are compatible with the international version.
At the spring 2007 IDF exhibition Intel Corp. demoed Q4RT, a raytraced version of Quake4, running on a blade server composed of four Core 2
Quad based machines.
version of the game, with game databases Metacritic
and MobyGames
giving the game aggregate review scores of 81/100 and 79/100 correspondingly. Websites and magazines such as IGN
and UGO praised its single-player campaign, graphics and Hollywood voice-acting, but complained that its multiplayer was too much like Quake III's. GameSpot
gave Quake 4 an 8.0 and it also said: "The single-player is great fun, but the uninspired multiplayer leaves a lot to be desired." PC Magazine gave Quake 4 a good review for both singleplayer and multiplayer gameplay.
The Xbox 360
version of the game fared slightly worse with critics when it was released but still received generally positive reviews, scoring 75/100 on Metacritic
, and 72/100 on MobyGames
averaged scores. Electronic Gaming Monthly
gave a mixed rating to the Xbox 360 port, claiming that the single-player campaign was not creative enough to compete with other games such as Half-Life 2
and that the game ran poorly on the 360. IGN scored Quake 4 8.1/10 saying "Quake 4 is one of those games that will appeal to console gamers who haven't owned a PC for years. The single-player campaign is varied and pretty interesting, getting better after you're Stroggified. The enemies go from dumb and running right at you to diverse and more interesting in the second half of the game, and there are a few cool boss fights worth your while. The gory graphics and excellent lighting are well done and they'll appeal to many gamers looking for a fast, shiny game to just let loose on." GameSpot
gave it a worse rating than the PC version: 6.6. They also wrote, "There's a good game in Quake 4, but it's buried under several layers of highly disappointing graphical performance issues." X-Play
gave the Xbox 360 version a 3/5 and the PC version a 4/5.
Quake (series)
The Quake series is a line of first-person shooter video games produced by id Software.-Overview:The Quake series is somewhat unusual in that its focus changes frequently; the story of Quake II has nothing to do with Quake, and Quake III Arena has little to do with either of its predecessors...
first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
computer games. The game was developed by Raven Software
Raven Software
Raven Software is an American video game developer. The company was founded in 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel. In 1997, Raven made an exclusive publishing deal with Activision and was subsequently acquired by them...
and published by Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
. Raven Software has collaborated with id Software
Id Software
Id Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack...
, the creators and historical developers of preceding Quake games. In this case, id Software supervised the development of the game as well as providing the Doom 3 engine, now referred to as 'id Tech 4', upon which it was built. Quake 4 went gold in early October 2005 and was released on 18 October 2005 for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and later for Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
. A special DVD Collectors Edition also exists, including promotional material and the game Quake II
Quake II
Quake II, released on December 9, 1997, is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Id Software and distributed by Activision. It is not a sequel to Quake; it merely uses the name of the former game due to Id's difficulties in coming up with alternative names.The soundtrack for Quake II...
with its expansions, The Reckoning and Ground Zero. The Xbox 360 version of Quake 4 is based on the Special Collectors Edition, and therefore also includes Quake II. On 4 August 2011 the game was made available through Steam.
Plotwise, the game is a sequel to Quake II
Quake II
Quake II, released on December 9, 1997, is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Id Software and distributed by Activision. It is not a sequel to Quake; it merely uses the name of the former game due to Id's difficulties in coming up with alternative names.The soundtrack for Quake II...
and takes place during the same war as Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is a first-person shooter video game, and is the follow-up to the 2005 title Quake 4. It is also the first game in the series to be rated T by the ESRB...
. Quake II, Quake 4, or Enemy Territory: Quake Wars do not share story lines with Quake or Quake III Arena
Quake III Arena
Quake III Arena , is a multiplayer first-person shooter video game released on December 2, 1999. The game was developed by id Software and featured music composed by Sonic Mayhem and Front Line Assembly...
; their only relation is their names and logos. Compared to other titles in the Quake series, Quake 4 has an increased emphasis on the single-player portion of the game. A multiplayer mode is available, but it does not involve playable bots like Quake III Arena, without 3rd party modifications.
Multiplayer
Multiplayer modes are DeathmatchDeathmatch (gaming)
Deathmatch or Player vs All is a widely-used gameplay mode integrated into many shooter and real-time strategy computer games...
, Team Deathmatch, Tourney, Capture the Flag
Capture the flag
Capture the Flag is a traditional outdoor sport generally played by children, where two teams each have a flag and the objective is to capture the other team's flag, located at the team's "base," and bring it safely back to their own base...
, Arena CTF and DeadZone. Players at QuakeCon
QuakeCon
QuakeCon is a bring-your-own-computer computer gaming event with a competitive tournament held every year in Dallas, Texas, USA. The event, which is named after id Software's game Quake, sees thousands of gamers from all over the world attend every year to celebrate the company's gaming dynasty...
reported the multiplayer gameplay to include elements similar to those in previous Quake games such as Strafe-jumping
Strafe-jumping
Strafe-jumping is a form of trickjump used to increase a player's speed in computer games based on the Quake engine and now the Doom 3 engine...
or Rocket jumping
Rocket jumping
In first-person shooter computer and video games, rocket jumping is the technique of pointing a rocket launcher or other similar explosive weapon at the ground or at a wall then firing and jumping at the same time. The rocket's explosion propels the player to greater heights and distances than...
. Notable new additions to play are the ability to send shots through the teleporters
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
and the advancement of the game physics provided by the new technology including the ability to bounce grenades and napalm fire off of jump-pads.
Like the previous Quake games the multiplayer has a client-server architecture. The network code has been altered from Doom 3, allowing for larger numbers of players on each server (Doom 3 has a four player restriction, whereas Quake 4 has a standard 16 player limit).
One of the changes to the network code is a move from the per-polygon hit detection system used in Doom 3 back to using hit-box system like most other online first-person shooters such as other Quake games and Half-Life
Half-Life (series)
The Half-Life series of video games share a science fiction alternate history. Nearly all of the games are first-person shooters on the GoldSource or Source engines, and most are linear, narrative, single-player titles....
. In the 1.4.x point release, these "axis aligned bounding boxes" were replaced with axis aligned octagonal "cylinder", to make the hit-boxes more representative of the model shape.
Movement
The movement of Quake 4 is similar to Quake III ArenaQuake III Arena
Quake III Arena , is a multiplayer first-person shooter video game released on December 2, 1999. The game was developed by id Software and featured music composed by Sonic Mayhem and Front Line Assembly...
and Quake Live
Quake Live
Quake Live is a first-person shooter video game by id Software designed to run on x86-based computers running Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X or Linux that is downloaded and launched via a web browser plugin. It is a variant of its predecessor, Quake III Arena .Quake Live is free to download and play...
, but with the additions of ramp jumping and crouch slides. Crouch slides give players the ability to maintain speed by sliding around corners. Ramp Jumps allow players to gain extra height from jumping as they reach the top of an inclined object, which while present in the original Quake, was not included in Quake 2 or Quake III Arena
Quake III Arena
Quake III Arena , is a multiplayer first-person shooter video game released on December 2, 1999. The game was developed by id Software and featured music composed by Sonic Mayhem and Front Line Assembly...
, although mods such as DeFRaG
DeFRaG
DeFRaG is a free software modification for id Software's first-person shooter computer game Quake III Arena . The mod is dedicated to player movements and trickjumping.Trickjumping is an integral part of the game allowing a player to jump higher, farther and move faster...
added it.
In the 1.3 point release, there is an increased amount of air acceleration in multiplayer mode, making the game feel faster than the original release. In the 1.4.1 / 1.4.2 releases, there were further changes related to the way sliding on angled surfaces worked, with the introduction of the new "power slide" code, which makes the game feel even faster.
Story
The Quake 4 single player mode continues the story of Quake IIQuake II
Quake II, released on December 9, 1997, is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Id Software and distributed by Activision. It is not a sequel to Quake; it merely uses the name of the former game due to Id's difficulties in coming up with alternative names.The soundtrack for Quake II...
by pitting the player against a cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
alien race known as the Strogg. The game follows the story of a Marine named Matthew Kane who is a member of the fabled Rhino Squad
Squad
In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries following the British Army tradition this organization is referred to as a section...
. Following the success of the protagonist of Quake II in destroying the Strogg's leader, the Makron
Quake (series)
The Quake series is a line of first-person shooter video games produced by id Software.-Overview:The Quake series is somewhat unusual in that its focus changes frequently; the story of Quake II has nothing to do with Quake, and Quake III Arena has little to do with either of its predecessors...
, the Rhinos are tasked with spearheading the mission to finally secure the aliens' home planet Stroggos. In the course of the invasion, the squad ship is shot down and crashes in the middle of a battle zone, separating Kane from his companions. Kane eventually rejoins his scattered team members and partakes in the assault against the Strogg.
After performing a number of tasks, such as destroying and capturing Strogg aircraft hangars and defense systems, Kane and his remaining squad members make it to the USS Hannibal. There they are given their next mission: infiltrating one of the Strogg's central communication hubs, the Tetranode, with an electromagnetic pulse
Electromagnetic pulse
An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...
bomb in the hope that it will put the main Strogg Nexus in disarray. Kane is tasked with defending the mission convoy, which takes heavy casualties. After many setbacks, including the destruction of the EMP device by a Strogg ambush, Kane is left to complete the mission, assisted only by Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
Johann Strauss and Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
Nikolai "Sledge" Slidjonovitch. Strauss figures out a way to destroy the core by shutting down its coolant systems. As Kane reaches the entrance to the Tetranode, however, he is greeted by two rocket-equipped network guardians – as well as the newly constructed Makron. The Makron easily defeats Kane and knocks him unconscious.
When Kane finally awakens, he finds himself strapped to a conveyor belt in the Strogg "Medical Facilities", a structure used for turning those captured and killed by the aliens either into protein food or additional Strogg units. In a long and gruesome first-person cutscene, Kane is taken through this stroggification process which violently replaces much of his anatomy with bio-mechanical parts. Before the final controlling neurochip
Neurochip
A neurochip is a chip that is designed for the interaction with neuronal cells.- Formation :It is made of silicon that is doped in such a way that it contains EOSFETs that can sense the electrical activity of the neurons in the above-standing physiological electrolyte solution...
implanted in his brain can be activated, though, Rhino Squad bursts into the facility and rescues Kane. After escaping through the Strogg medical facility and Waste Disposal plant, fighting off zombie-like half-stroggified humans along the way, Kane is forced to combat his former commander, Lieutenant Voss, who has been fully stroggified into a powerful mechanized monster. (Voss nevertheless retains his own consciousness long enough to warn Kane.) After defeating this threat, Kane and the remaining marines finally make it back to the Hannibal.
The commanders realize that Kane's Strogg physiology has opened up new possibilities for defeating the Strogg, as he can be used to infiltrate locations previously impenetrable to human forces. The new plan is to directly target the Strogg Nexus Core, a huge centralized brain-like
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
structure which controls the alien forces. The Marines are tasked with infiltrating the three data towers adjacent to the Nexus: Data Storage, Processing, and Networking. There, they will deactivate the Nexus' shield and power up the teleporter used to access the Nexus and send Kane in. Once inside, Kane will travel to the center of the Nexus to destroy the Core Brain and its guardian.
After infiltrating the facility and realigning the data nodes powering the teleporter, and destroying its fearsome "Guardian" creature, Kane finally reaches the Nexus core. There he meets the Makron in a final showdown and kills it. This done, he destroys the Core and returns to the Hannibal.
Celebrating with Rhino Squad afterward, Kane receives word that he has new orders.
Competitive play
In part due to the similarities to the Quake III ArenaQuake III Arena
Quake III Arena , is a multiplayer first-person shooter video game released on December 2, 1999. The game was developed by id Software and featured music composed by Sonic Mayhem and Front Line Assembly...
multiplayer, Quake 4 was used in a number of professional electronic sports
Electronic sports
Electronic sports comprises the competitive play of video games. Other terms include competitive gaming, professional gaming and cybersports...
tournaments.
The following competitions have held Quake 4 events:
- Cyberathlete Professional LeagueCyberathlete Professional LeagueThe Cyberathlete Professional League , founded on June 27, 1997 by gaming entrepreneur Angel Munoz, is a professional sports tournament organization specializing in computer and console video game competitions....
(2005) - Electronic Sports World CupElectronic Sports World CupThe Electronic Sports World Cup is an international professional gaming championship.Every year winners of national qualifier event around the world earn the right to represent their country in the ESWC Finals...
(2006 / 2007) - QuakeConQuakeConQuakeCon is a bring-your-own-computer computer gaming event with a competitive tournament held every year in Dallas, Texas, USA. The event, which is named after id Software's game Quake, sees thousands of gamers from all over the world attend every year to celebrate the company's gaming dynasty...
(2005–2007) - World Cyber GamesWorld Cyber GamesThe World Cyber Games is an international competitive video-gaming event operated by South Korean company World Cyber Games Inc., and sponsored by Samsung and Microsoft...
(2006) - World Series of Video GamesWorld Series of Video GamesThe World Series of Video Games was an international professional electronic sports competition. It held its first season in 2006, with competitions in six different games and six events held around the world including the finals of the event. The total prize purse of the season was US$750,000...
(2006 / 2007)
Modifications
Like its predecessors, Quake 4 can be heavily modified. This led to Quake 4 versions of popular mods from previous versions of Quake, such as Rocket ArenaRocket Arena
Rocket Arena is a free modification for the multiplayer first-person shooter games Quake, Quake II, Quake III Arena and Quake 4. There are also ports for Half-Life and Unreal Tournament...
, and Quake 4 Fortress (the Quake 4 version of Team Fortress
Team Fortress
Team Fortress is a team- and class-based online multiplayer video game mod based on id Software's Quake. Team Fortress was designed and written by Robin Walker, John Cook and Ian Caughley in 1996. The mod's gameplay has caught on with a large following of fans, which has spurred many developers to...
). Q4F was abandoned before its creators considered it complete- instead they released an alpha version complete with source code.
In the competitive gaming scene, there were two principal mods, Q4Max and X-Battle. The online Quake 4 competitive community was split between the two mods. A number of the online leagues switched between X-Battle and Q4Max, such as ClanBase EuroCup
ClanBase EuroCup
The ClanBase EuroCup is a competitive online esports event that occurs twice a year, and sometimes includes prize money and a LAN final. The EuroCup began in 2000 with the game Quake 3 Arena. Fall season 2008 is the 18th season of the eurocup featuring six different games...
and GGL. Despite this split in the online community, the offline professional LAN tournaments run by CPL, ESWC, WCG, QuakeCon, and WSVG all used Q4Max.
Members of both the Q4Max and X-Battle teams joined forces with Adam 'SyncError' Pyle of id Software
Id Software
Id Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack...
and developed another mod, Delta CTF, which brought Quake II
Quake II
Quake II, released on December 9, 1997, is a first-person shooter computer game developed by Id Software and distributed by Activision. It is not a sequel to Quake; it merely uses the name of the former game due to Id's difficulties in coming up with alternative names.The soundtrack for Quake II...
style CTF to Quake 4.
Another notable mod is SABot, which successfully implemented multiplayer bots in Quake 4 less than a month after the SDK was released, despite this being a feature that some reviewers criticised Quake 4 for not including.
Point releases
The initial release of Quake 4 on the PC was version 1.0, and there were small updates to this in 1.0.4 and 1.0.5, which accompanied the linux and SDK releases.This was followed by the first major patch, 1.1 which introduced features such as ingame downloading of maps, and SMP support. This release was quickly withdrawn and replaced by the 1.2 release, due to an issue found during QA by Activision.
The 1.3 release incorporated changes from Ritual Entertainment
Ritual Entertainment
Ritual Entertainment was a computer game software developer established in 1996 by Robert Atkins, Mark Dochtermann, Jim Dosé, Richard 'Levelord' Gray, Michael Hadwin, Harry Miller and Tom Mustaine...
, including a new weapon (Napalm Launcher), a new gametype (Deadzone), and a number of maps. This was also the first release to have Mac support.
The 1.4 release was tagged "beta" and was developed by id software rather than by Raven / Activision. This incorporated a number of community requested changes such as the introduction of Q4TV, and unlocked framerates. This was followed by 1.4.1 beta, and finally by the "1.4.2 final" release, which is not a beta version. The 1.4.2 release also includes the "Community Map Pack", which are the winning maps entered into a competition run by id software.
The original demo version of Quake 4 was based upon version 1.0, however due to the number of changes made to the multiplayer gameplay, there is an updated demo specifically for multiplayer, based upon the 1.4.2 release.
Non-Windows platforms
The Xbox 360Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version of Quake 4 was released at the launch of the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and is Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
compatible. There have been major issues with framerates for the console adaptation, earning it the award for Most Aggravating Frame Rate/Best Slideshow in the GameSpot.com Best and Worst of 2005 list.
In addition, the Xbox 360 port of Quake 4 has very long load times and Xbox Live glitches that result in problematic multiplayer experiences, as documented by game review sites as well as on Activision's support pages for the Xbox 360 version. This version was initially priced the same as the PC Special Edition DVD and features the same content. Unlike the PC version, however, as of November 2008 the Xbox 360 version has not received any patches to fix its numerous problems.
Aspyr Media published and released Quake 4 for Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
on 5 April 2006, initially only for PowerPC
PowerPC
PowerPC is a RISC architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM...
based Macs
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
, but then later as a universal binary
Universal binary
A universal binary is, in Apple parlance, an executable file or application bundle that runs natively on either PowerPC or Intel-manufactured IA-32 or Intel 64-based Macintosh computers; it is an implementation of the concept more generally known as a fat binary.With the release of Mac OS X Snow...
compatible with both PowerPC
PowerPC
PowerPC is a RISC architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM...
- and x86-based Macs
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
.
id Software
Id Software
Id Software is an American video game development company with its headquarters in Richardson, Texas. The company was founded in 1991 by four members of the computer company Softdisk: programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer Tom Hall, and artist Adrian Carmack...
continued its tradition of supporting Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, with Timothee Besset
Timothee Besset
Timothee Besset is a software programmer currently employed by id Software who is most well known for creating and supporting Linux, as well as some Macintosh, ports of id Software's products. He has been involved with the game ports of various id properties over the past ten years, starting with...
of id releasing a Linux version of the Quake 4 binary executable. The game can be downloaded for free from id's servers, though it requires a licensed copy of Quake 4 for Windows or Mac in order to run. The Linux installer was made available two days after the release of the game itself.
Other versions
The German version of the game was not just localized but heavily censored and is not multiplayer compatible to any other release. This version was rated 16 and older by the USKUnterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle
Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle is the organization responsible for computer game ratings in Germany.- Ratings :...
. The international uncensored version did not receive a USK classification and was subsequently indexed by the German Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien
Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Medien
The Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons is an upper-level German federal agency subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. It is responsible for examining media works allegedly harmful to young people and entering these onto an...
.
There are other localized versions of Quake 4 that are compatible with the international version.
At the spring 2007 IDF exhibition Intel Corp. demoed Q4RT, a raytraced version of Quake4, running on a blade server composed of four Core 2
Intel Core 2
Core 2 is a brand encompassing a range of Intel's consumer 64-bit x86-64 single-, dual-, and quad-core microprocessors based on the Core microarchitecture. The single- and dual-core models are single-die, whereas the quad-core models comprise two dies, each containing two cores, packaged in a...
Quad based machines.
Reception
Quake 4 received positive to generally favorable reaction for the PCPersonal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
version of the game, with game databases Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and MobyGames
MobyGames
-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
giving the game aggregate review scores of 81/100 and 79/100 correspondingly. Websites and magazines such as IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
and UGO praised its single-player campaign, graphics and Hollywood voice-acting, but complained that its multiplayer was too much like Quake III's. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave Quake 4 an 8.0 and it also said: "The single-player is great fun, but the uninspired multiplayer leaves a lot to be desired." PC Magazine gave Quake 4 a good review for both singleplayer and multiplayer gameplay.
The Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version of the game fared slightly worse with critics when it was released but still received generally positive reviews, scoring 75/100 on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, and 72/100 on MobyGames
MobyGames
-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
averaged scores. Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
gave a mixed rating to the Xbox 360 port, claiming that the single-player campaign was not creative enough to compete with other games such as Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
and that the game ran poorly on the 360. IGN scored Quake 4 8.1/10 saying "Quake 4 is one of those games that will appeal to console gamers who haven't owned a PC for years. The single-player campaign is varied and pretty interesting, getting better after you're Stroggified. The enemies go from dumb and running right at you to diverse and more interesting in the second half of the game, and there are a few cool boss fights worth your while. The gory graphics and excellent lighting are well done and they'll appeal to many gamers looking for a fast, shiny game to just let loose on." GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
gave it a worse rating than the PC version: 6.6. They also wrote, "There's a good game in Quake 4, but it's buried under several layers of highly disappointing graphical performance issues." X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
gave the Xbox 360 version a 3/5 and the PC version a 4/5.