Enemy Territory: Quake Wars - Insights, Analysis, Intelligence
Welcome to Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
This guide doesn’t aim to be the end all and be all of Quake Wars. It is intended to be a quick summary to help W:ET, RTCW, and Battlefield 2/2142 players quickly make the transition to Quake Wars and start the discussion around some subtle nuances of the game. If you’re a new player, then maybe this guide can help you get a better handle on what each class does, how the objectives work, and some of the dynamics of class-based, team games. If you can get into the game and start playing at a higher level, in less time, then I've done my job.
The site is fairly deeply layered. Using the Weapons section as an example, if you want a quick overview of how weapons and accuracy work, the top-level write up is available. Want a summary table of how each GDF weapon performs, that's there too. Really want to know the detailed stat lines for the N80 Assault Rifle, that's there too. The information is presented so that you can click through to the level of information you want. In the words of one SD developer, I hope that I've given you what you don't yet realize you want.
What is Enemy Territory: Quake Wars? The 30-second Overview
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (ETQW) is a new Multiplayer First Person Shooter (FPS) being developed by Splash Damage for id Software. In terms of the Quake universe timeline, ETQW is Quake Zero, coming before Quake II and IV. In the early days of the Strogg invasion of earth, the alien, cyborg Strogg are battling the human Global Defense Force (GDF) to decide the fate of the human race. Choose a side and join the battle!
ETQW is objective-based. It takes Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory’s dynamic objectives gameplay and adds drivable air and ground vehicles, deployable radars, defense turrets and artillery. Players wage war in teams as either the GDF or Strogg in a series of maps linked into campaigns. ETQW is a Team Game which rewards teamwork and co-operative tactics. ETQW 's maps can be played in a variety of ways, but mainly involve constructing, destroying, hacking or capturing objectives.
You can play as one of five unique character classes, each of which has its unique set of missions, weapons, vehicles, and deployable resources. You’ll need to dynamically cooperate and coordinate with fellow players, in real-time, to achieve the objectives. Player development is captured through a semi-persistent experience (XP) system which provides incremental bonuses and weapon unlocks during the course of the mission or a 3-map campaign. At the end of a campaign, player XP bonus reset.
Most of the information you’ll need to play the game is provided through your Heads Up Display (HUD), the Command Map by hitting (N), or the Limbo Menu by hitting (L). Maps vary in terms of terrain and environment but all involve one team attacking while the other defends. The objectives must be completed in the set order which helps every player know where to go, and what needs to be done there. Each map has a time limit: if the attacking team completes all the objectives before the clock runs out, they’ll win the game. If the attackers are prevented from completing all the objectives, the defending team will win.
| The HUD gives you all the game information you need | The Limbo Menu lets you choose classes, weapons, and spawn points |
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Players can suffer damage from enemy weapons (and their own team's, depending on server settings), being hit by vehicles, and from falling from heights. GDF Players can be healed by picking up Health Packs, either from a Medic or from a Supply Crate; Strogg players get Stroyent from Technicians or, once upgraded, transfer their ammo into health.
If a player runs out of health, they die. GDF players can be revived by a Medic (GDF) or just wait to respawn automatically, or go back into the Limbo menu and choose another team, class or weapons load-out. Players in Limbo will respawn in the next reinforcement wave at the Spawn Point they've specified in the Command Map. Strogg Technicians can also create new spawn points from fallen GDF by using the Stroyent tool so that the next wave of Strogg reinforcements can spawn straight into the heat of battle.
I’m a Complete Noob to First Person Shooters. What Should I Do?
First off, don't feel bad or overwhelmed. We all had to start somewhere. Below, I've offered up a step-by-step guide on getting you quickly into the basics of the game without totally overwhelming you.
- Watch the Splash Damage video mission walk through to understand how the game flows
- Watch GreasedScotsman's most excellent Video Tutorial. It's a little long, but a very good walkthrough. You can view the low quality version here
- Read the article on Being A Good Newbie
- If you're coming from the Battlefield series, get a quick run down of some key differences.
- Review the information presented on your HUD and command map
- Read the Completing Objectives article to familiarize yourself with the different types of missions in ETQW
- Read the Valley map summary to understand how the missions are linked together
- Read the class summary and click on any specific class to understand what their key functions and roles are
- Read the 2-part series on how to play Soldier in the Valley map by [SD]Bongoboy
- Hop onto a server, join the GDF team as a soldier, and have fun.