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  • The respawn spots
  • Respawn abuse

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    The respawn spots  









    Whether or not you are playing on a server with random respawns, learning the respawn spots is the easiest way to get easy kills. First of all, learn the spots, and then learn the order. On DM4 there are only six spots, so its easy to commit them to memory. After killing someone, if you are within line-of-sight of a respawn spot, immediately spin around and point your rocket to the respawn spot and wait for a second or two. Remember there is a one-in-six chance that he'll respawn right before your crosshairs, so it's worth pausing for a few ticks.

    Even better, if you get into one of the positions shown in the two large pictures, you will be able to see two respawn spots, for a one-in-three chance of an easy kill.

    In the second large picture, the other guy could respawn right in front of you, or all the way on the other side of the level in the little corridor. If he respawns on the other side of the level, wait. If upon seeing you, the other guys decides to run back into the little room, he may be silly enough to run through the tele, and teleport right in front of you!

    Also remember, after killing someone, you can use your knowledge of the respawn locations to avoid being telefragged by the other guy respawning.

    If you happen to be playing normal Quake, where respawning hasn't been randomised, learn the order and practice the fine art of respawn abuse!
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    Respawn abuse  
    Respawn abuse has to be one of the funnest ways to rack up the frags. It's basically where, after being lucky enough to kill your opponent as he respawns, you quickly run to the next respawn spot and kill him again just as he respawns. The aim is to keep this going for as long as possible. Obviously, you need to be playing on a server where respawns aren't randomised, to be able to do this.

    There seem to be some people that are very against this type of fragging. I would like to say, if I happen to know the order of the respawns, am I suppossed to pretend like I don't know, and ignore that part of my brain that's telling me, "he'll be appearing over there in a second", to make the game more "fair"? Or take for instance, this scenario, where you are in the single player start room and just before you head down the stairs, the other guy respawns right next to you and you frag him. Now he will respawn at the base of the stairs, but are you obliged to not head down the stairs because you know he will respawn there? I think not. Besides which, there is nothing saying the other guy can't do it to you. Plus it does take quite a high degree of skill to pull off, AND it is a reward to the dedicated Quaker that puts effort into learning how to do it. I mean, are we gonna outlaw rocket jumping? Its quite similar to respawn abuse in that not everyone can do it well, it takes knowledge and skill to be able to apply it at its best, it gives those people that put the effort into learning it a great advantage over those who didn't, AND id did NOT intend EITHER rocket jumping or respawn abuse to be a part of deathmatching. Think about it.

    Anyway...

    The best-best case situation you could come across would be something like this:

    (1) Frag the guy that respawns in the spot in the first picture. This is in the single player start room.

    (2) Run down the stairs and frag the guy respawning in the spot in the second picture. Try to get as close to the other exit of this room as possible before actually killing him. This is to make it easier for step 3.

    (2b) Instead of running down the stairs, turn to face towards the stairs, and shoot grenades or rockets against the wall, trying NOT to kill him. You are aiming to get your opponent to run out towards the thunderbolt area, so you can run out the single player start room via the top exit and shoot him underneath you as he comes out.

    (3) The other guy has now respawned in the red armour room, which is too far away, BUT he may be silly enough to run through the teleporter. So... from step 2, run out of the room, heading towards the thunderbolt. As you are coming out, launch grenades into the small room on the lowest level where the nailgun is. This is where the RA teleporter will take the other guy. You'll need the grenades 'cos you may not make it in time if the other guy went through the tele very fast. If luck is on your side, one of the grenades will fling the just teleported guy into the lava. Otherwise, the grenades will stop him from running away too far. If the other guy is waiting for the RA or RL to respawn, then that's even better, giving you time to set up to smack him from above. In any case try to kill him while he is on the bottom level, and if you can get him to die slowly in the lava, it makes it easier for the fourth kill.

    (3b) Your opponent may rocket jump out of the red armour area. If you have balls of steel, and feel like taking on a 100H/200A+RL guy on equal ground, then rocket jump up and wait for him to come out the corridor. Besides, you'll need to rocket jump up here in step 4 anyway.

    (4) After the third kill you'll probably be standing around the thunderbolt. He will be respawning above you, so you will need to rocket jump up to get up there quick enough. This should be an easy kill.

    (5) The next respawn is in the Mega-Health room. Drop down to the second level and jump to the Quad room, setting up to knock him off the walkway as he comes out of the corridor. Obviously now is a good time to grab the Quad if it's there.
    (6) Now jump out to the ledge right in front of the quad room. Turn to your right to face the corridor. He will be respawning right in front of you. Kill him. If you didn't jump quickly enough, he may have just rounded the corner and nicked off towards the teleporter. While still standing on the ledge, spin around 180 and start firing rockets to the tele destination. If he doesn't tele for a long time, he probably knows what you are doing and is waiting just in front of the tele for you to stop shooting rockets. So, keep firing rockets as you backup into the corridor, then turn quickly to your right and kill him.

    (7) What happens after that is a bit iffy. The respawn sequence starts again in the single player start room. You probably won't make it back in time to see him respawn. However, since you are placed in a very good position after the sixth kill, you are still in control of the next kill. Initially, get yourself into this position at the top of the stairs. Therefore, you are ready to kill him if he comes out from the top or bottom. But if you hear the teleport sound, drop off the stairs onto the middle level near the GL and get ready to knock him off the walkway. If he doesn't run out onto the walkway, but instead you hear another tele, rocket jump back up to the single player start room and kill him there.

    (8) If you managed to stay around that area in step 7, you are in a good position to kill him in the next respawn in the DBSG room.


    (9) Repeat from step #3. :)

    Alot to think about huh? But if you have memorised the respawn sequence already, then that's the hard part done with. The method by which you follow your opponent around the level will come naturally to you once you know your shortcuts and tele destinations. The example I have described is a highly idealised situation, although not impossible. You'll probably find that in actual deathmatch, you'll at most execute small chunks of the sequence. As you can see, if you master this, you can absolutely obliterate your lesser opponents, and make some easy kills on your tougher opponents.
    If you are the recepient of this onslaught, you will have to know how to break out of this cycle. You'll want to keep in mind these four rocket jumps and the silent fall trick. Combine those with some luck, and you should be able to break the sequence. Jeez, almost an essay, but you get the idea, doncha?
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