Generations Arena Overview
One of the greatest qualities of games like QuakeIIIArena
is their open-ended architecture that lets anyone with
sufficient coding and artistic talent add on to and
expand the game. These modifications, or
"mods," can take a game above and beyond its
original gameplay.
Generations Arena is a class-based modification. The
warriors of Quake3 are divided into five classes, or
generations. Each class has their own strengths and
weaknesses, such as running speed, weaponry, armor, and
physics. Players select one class and fight against other
players, who may be using totally different classes.
Generations Arena, at first glance, appears to be a
typical class-based mod. But the similarities end at
choosing a "class". While every gun is unique
to every class, the other generations may have a similar
weapon that works better or worse in certain situations.
Ranger's Rocket Launcher may outperform Grunt's in almost
every category, but his Super Nailgun is no match for
Grunt's massive Chaingun.
Every generation spawns with only its basic weaponry;
often no more than a pistol, small machinegun, or simple
shotgun. To get to the big guns, players must do what
they've done since the beginning of deathmatch: hunt them
down. The weapons in the arenas alter themselves to fit
their user's preferences; where Grunt sees his beloved
HyperBlaster, Doom sees a freshly loaded Plasma Rifle. Of
course, if Sarge gets there first, he'll likely grab his
trusty Napalm Launcher to start up a barbecue. If Doom
manages to defeat Sarge, he'll pry his Plasma Rifle from
Sarge's dead grasp.
Even the powerups in the Arena have changed due to the
generation gap. Invisibility, for example, is now a hotly
contested item. Arena Gladiators such as Visor gain a
Predator-style cloaking; Grunt and the Strogg Troopers
become mere shadows of their former selves. Ranger's
Slipgaters pull a Ring-Of-Shadows disappearing act,
leaving behind only a pair of floating eyeballs. Doom
Warriors pull some real shadow fragging, becoming nothing
more than a Blur. Sarge and the rest of the Earth
Soldiers try for total invisibility, but tend to flicker
back into existence every few seconds.
There also exist some new powerups. The Bezerker provides
a super-adrenaline rush, restoring a player's health to
full, and giving them amazing strength. Doom's mighty
left hook, Sarge's knife slash, and Ranger's axe to grind
become fearsome tools when they go Bezerk. The new
Pentagram gives players 30 seconds of total
invulnerability; however, Doom players watch their entire
screen invert, turning the world into a negative reality.
With all the options for each generation, players
inevitably ask which generation is the best. Thankfully,
in Generations Arena, the answer is a resounding
"ALL of them." Each class has their own
strengths and weaknesses, both by themselves and against
other classes. While a generation fighting against itself
provides a fight as close as possible to the classic
gameplay that generation is known for, each generation
can defeat each other generation, simply by selecting a
correct fighting style and strategy.
With over 40 different weapons, five unique generations,
near-infinite combat possibilites, full skin and multiple
model support for each generation (in an upcoming
release), support for all modes of play from DM to CTF,
and arenas that will remind you of your first deathmatch,
only better than ever, Generations Arena is quite simply
a mod that has to be played to be experienced.
WHAT'S
DIFFERENT
Here are some key areas that change from one Generation
to the next.
Class Speeds: Each class runs at
slightly different velocities. The classes' speeds, in
order from slowest to fastest, are: Earth, Strogg, Arena,
Slipgate, Doom. The Arena and Slipgate classes travel at
standard Q3A speed. Earth, while the slowest class, can
still make the jumps required to traverse the standard
Q3A levels. While Doom was initially clocked at 90MPH,
his speed has been reduced to Q3A-Haste levels, leaving
him quite fast, but still controllable under a high ping
(even with a Haste of his own).
Physics: Slipgaters, true to their
roots, have a different form of air control than the
other classes. This new physics system should give
QuakeWorld fans a good dose of deja-vu. However, players
should take care on jumppads and other areas that were
constructed with the Arena Gladiators in mind. Virtually
any jumppad you come across will shoot you in the right
direction… if you don’t push the opposite
movement direction as you go flying. Consequently, when
approaching a jumppad that will send you backward, jump
into the pad and release the Forward key. Slipgaters can
turn in flight for some really crazy movement!
Strogg Troopers have developed slightly alternate physics
as well, giving them the double-jumping and
circle-jumping tricks of yesterday, along with much more.
Doom Warriors have also adapted their physics, providing
a classic feel while gaining the jumping, crouching, and
jumppad-hitting potential that the Arena has to offer.
They are also unique in that their special grav boots
allow them to fall almost infinite distances without
getting hurt. Emphasis on “almost”. Boots
won’t save you from space voids or Fog of Death.
Class-Based Weapon Switching: This is
still under construction. Slipgaters at present do have
instantaneous switching. Strogg, Doom, and Earth
switching will later be altered to provide unique feels
for each class. Note that these switching times do not
“look” correct, due to a lack of fine-tuned
hand animations at this time.
Armor Systems: Additional game balance
between the classes is provided via class-based armor
systems. Doom players will find the weakest armor in the
game (50% absorption for blue). Slipgaters will gain
large amounts of armor, but armor will be easily denied
to them with a bit of control. Strogg Troopers will
obtain progressive layers of armor that, unlike
Slipgaters, can stack with his existing armor. Earth
Soldiers will increase their tank nature by wearing the
toughest armor in the game (90% absorption) and take the
largest benefit from available armor shards. The changes
alter gameplay, particularly teamplay. (For example, a
two team Earth/Doom unit will find the Earth player
grabbing most of the armor, and Doom grabbing most of the
health.)
New/Class-based Powerups: Generations
features several new powerups, such as the new
Invulnerability artifact, and changes to existing
powerups. Some powerups have different effects for each
class, such as Invisibility. The Berzerker pack works as
a healing pack, and gives a super-power boost to every
melee weapon until the player is killed. Note that Strogg
players do not have a melee weapon, and neither the Doom
Chainsaw nor the Arena Gauntlet is considered a
“true” melee weapon.
The Personal Teleporter alternates spawns with the Lost
Soul of Vengeance. Activating this starts a 15 second
timer. Dying while the soul is summoned will send it out
after your killer, while you look through its eyes as it
hunts the offending player down. The skull CAN be shot
down (this is tougher than it sounds). If you do not die
within the 15 second countdown, the skull turns on you
and claims you for its victim, taking out anything else
nearby in the process. If you’re almost toast,
summon the skull and charge in kamikaze style!
CTF techs are available in any gameplay mode by setting
dmflags to include 2048 in the value. CTF techs will
spawn randomly around the level and occasionally move if
not picked up. At present only one of each tech is
available on a level at a given time, and once picked up
stays with the player until dropped or the player dies.
The techs include:
Damage Amplifier: A yellow spike icon that gives you 2x
the normal damage. It makes a distinctive droning when
fired.
Time Accelerator: Can’t find a Damage Amp? How about
doubling the weapon speed instead? Look for the golden
wings. Note that this only affects weapon speed, not
player movement.
Disruptor Shield: For when you need some added protection
from the above two items. Look for the blue gear icon.
Will make a metallic sound and the player will briefly
glow when taking damage.
Autodoc: Left alone defending the flag? Leave health and
armor to the Autodoc while you concentrate on those pesky
flag runners. Will rapidly regenerate health and armor if
you have any.
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