CVARS
CVAR stands for 'console variable' and is used to store settings that configure how your Q3F client acts in certain situations. We've added six special Q3F CVARs to allow you to personalise your Q3F experience. When you use a CVAR you can chose to only use it for that session with the SET command, or you may set it permanently with the SETA command.
To set a CVAR in the console for the current game only (until you exit from Quake 3) type:
\SET <cvar name> <value>
Here's the complete list of Q3F specific CVARs available to players and server administrators:
cg_no3DExplosions
Q3F now includes a number of advanced 3D visual effects that may effect people on lower specification systems. The cg_no3DExplosions CVAR is used to control how many of these new effects are used.
CVAR | Description |
cg_no3DExplosions 0 | Show all Q3F explosions in full glory |
cg_no3DExplosions 1 | Show only the HE Charge explosion, other explosions are shown as simple 2d |
cg_no3DExplosions 2 | No special explosion effects |
cg_noFallingBob
Within Quake 3 you are able to control many of the 'bobbing' effects on your player using CVARS such as cg_bobroll, cg_bobpitch and cg_bobup. The cg_noFallingBob CVAR extends the suite of commands available by allowing you to also control how solid feeling the effect is when you land from a jump or fall. Contrary to popular opinion, the new cg_noFallingBob has nothing whatsoever to do with whether or not a guy called Bob will fall past your screen shouting "ahhhhhhhhhh!" :).
CVAR | Description |
cg_noFallingBob 1 | This option will disable the 'bob' effect when you land from a jump or fall. |
cg_noFallingBob 0 | This is the default option, causing falling bob to work just as in vanilla Quake 3. |
cg_ScoreSnapshot
This CVAR ensures that a screenshot will be taken of the end scores of all games automaticaly.
CVAR | Description |
cg_ScoreSnapshot 1 | Enable automatic score screenshots |
cg_ScoreSnapshot 0 | Disable automaticscore screenshots (default) |
ui_backColor
One of Q3F's many features is a completely new Menu System, including new art, models, music and sound effects. We reaslised early on that our choice of setting the background color to bright green might not appeal to everyone, and so we've provided this CVAR to enable you to chose alternate colors.
CVAR | Description |
ui_backColor <color> | Default = Green - Options are Red, Green, Blue and Black. |
cg_autoReload
By default, when you're weapon clip is empty, the weapon will automatically start to reload. With the use of this CVAR you can enable and disable this option, allowing for example a Soldier to switch to a double barrelled shotgun, when he's finished firing 4 rockets, without having to wait for the Rocket Launcher clip to reload first. This CVAR is useable by all classes that have reloadable weapons.
CVAR | Description |
cg_autoReload 1 | Automatically reload weapon when clip is empty (default setting) |
cg_autoReload 0 | Dont automatically reload the clip. Users of this option will need to ensure that they have a key bound to the RELOAD command so that they can reload manually. |
cg_drawMem
This CVAR can be used for debugging purposes.
CVAR | Description |
cg_drawMem 1 | Will display ammount of free memory left |
cg_drawMem 0 | Turns of the drawMem display |
cg_sniperDotScale
The Sniper dot in Q3F scales depending on your distance from the object that you're infra-red is striking. You can adjust this feature by using the following (or values in between):
CVAR | Description |
cg_sniperDotScale 0.4 | Scaling dot |
cg_sniperDotScale -4 | Non-scaling dot |
cg_sniperHistoricalSight
Q3F provides two options for the way in which the sniper dot is displayed:
CVAR | Description |
cg_sniperHistoricalSight 1 | Sniper dot interprets latency between the client and server and inidcates where the shot *should* hit. |
cg_sniperHistoricalSight 0 | Sniper dot stays under cross-hair at all times. |
cg_impactVibration
When a grenade goes off near you, or similarly if a rocket strikes an object in your location Q3F has an effect that causes your display to shake in a realistic way. You can enable and disable this feature like this:
CVAR | Description |
cg_impactVibration 1 | enables the impact vibration effect |
cg_impactVibration 0 | disables the impact vibration effect |
cg_sniperDotColors
In Q3F, when a Sniper pulls the trigger on his Rifle, an infra-red dot is cast on any object he's currently aiming at until he releases the key/button and fires the round. By default this dot is shown in the team colour of the Sniper - for example a red dot for a red team member and a blue one for a blue team member.
If you would prefer all sniper dots to appear in a singular colour, you can do so with the cg_SniperDotColors command as follows:
CVAR | Description |
cg_sniperDotColors 1 | enables team-coloured sniper dots |
cg_sniperDotColors 0 | disables team-coloured sniper dots |
cg_execClassConfigs
Have you thought that it might be convenient to write a different script for each class? Maybe you use the arrow keys for movement - but you'd like 'shift' to be reload when soldier, but zoom when sniper? This is exactly what cg_execClassConfigs is used for.
If you create a class script file for each class that you wish - for example agent.cfg, flametrooper.cfg and engineer.cfg, all you need do is place these in the Q3F directory and then set the CVAR value as required:
CVAR | Description |
cg_execClassConfigs 2 | Automatically execute class CFGs on every espawn, class and team change. |
cg_execClassConfigs 1 | Automatically execute class CFGs only on class and team change. |
cg_execClassConfigs 0 | don't automatically execute class CFGs |
If enabled when you join a server, or change class, the relevant CFG will be automatically executed.
cg_grenadePrimeSound
Sound to play when priming a grenade.
CVAR | Description |
cg_grenadePrimeSound sound/misc/q3f_gren_timerXXX.wav (where XXX is the timer you wish to use) | Sets preimeone, primetwo. +gren1 and +gren2 so that they play the timer set by this CVAR Note that this will only cache the sound once - if you change it again before the map ends, you'll hear the original sound. |
cg_teamChatBigFont
Make teamchat HUD double-size
CVAR | Description |
cg_teamChatBigFont 1 | Make teamchat HUD double-size so that text is easier to read at higher resolutions. |
cg_teamChatBigFont 0 | use default font size. |
cg_lowEffects
Certain special effects in Q3F (for example the smoke the Minigun creates) can make visibility very difficult on certain video cards. If your machine suffers from this (or you'd just like clearer vision at the expense of special effects) use the cg_lowEffects CVAR as follows:
CVAR | Description |
cg_lowEffects 1 | enable low effects mode |
cg_lowEffects 0 | Use normal Q3F effects |
g_suicideDelay
The g_suicideDelay variable effects how long a player stays dead after using the \kill command. Setting this variable will define the number of seconds prior to respawn. The default is 7 seconds and it is set as follows:
CVAR | Description |
g_suicideDelay 0 | no suicide delay |
g_suicideDelay 20 | players must wait 20 seconds before respawn |
cg_execMapConfigs
The cg_execMapConfigs variable toggles whether a CFG file named after a map should be exec'd on map start (or on joining the server with current map).
CVAR | Description |
cg_execMapConfigs 1 | exec <map>.cfg if it exists (default=1) |
cg_execMapConfigs 0 | don;t exec <map>.cfg |
cg_menuSlideTime
The cg_menuSlideTime sets the time it tales for menus to slide out from the side of the HUD.
CVAR | Description |
cg_menuSlideTime 250 | This is the default time in ms |
cg_menuSlideTime 0 | No delay (menus apear instantly) |
cg_teamChatSounds
While playing on public servers, you may find that certain people 'spam' the inbuilt WAV communications in Q3F a little too much. Using the cg_teamChatSounds CVAR you can set the level of WAV communication that you wish to receive.
CVAR | Description |
cg_teamChatSounds 0 | Dont play any team sounds |
cg_teamChatSounds 1 | Play only communications WAVs |
cg_teamChatSounds 2 | Play all WAVs (comms and speech) |