So you’re ready to take the plunge? You were like so many of us when you purchased Quake 2 and were quickly drawn into its enveloping 3D environment and atmosphere. Perhaps now, though, the single player missions are growing tired and familiar. You’ve played the computer until your joints ached and you want something new. You’ve heard that multiplay over the Internet is the way to go, but you’ve also quickly realized that it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Fear not!

This site has been designed to dispel any and all fears you may have about Quake 2 multiplayer. I’ll cover all the basics and even go beyond the basics. With my assistance you’ll be forging your way into the jungle in no time. But first, we’ll need to make sure you have all the proper equipment.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
This part you most likely already have taken care of. If you’ve bought Quake 2 and it runs fairly well on your computer then you shouldn’t have any trouble on the system side. Just to cover all our bases though here are the minimum system requirements for Quake 2, as recommend by id Software (the creators of Quake 2):

English Language version of Windows 95 or NT 4.0 with 100% compatible system
Pentium 90mhz processor (130mhz recommend)
16 megs RAM (24 recommend)
100% Sound Blaster Compatible sound card
Quad speed CD ROM
25 - 400 MB hard disk space

MULTIPLAYER REQUIREMENTS
The fact that you can play Quake 2 on your PC does not guarantee that you can play it over the Internet. If you don’t meet all of the requirements I list below then it may be unlikely, or impossible, for you to play Quake 2 multiplayer.

Modem
The minimum speed recommend for playing Quake 2 over the Internet is a 28.8 kps. This is a very average modem speed nowadays. If you’ve got a 33.6, 56k, ISDN, or a cable modem all the better, but if all you have is a 28.8 then that will be enough.

Networks
What if you don’t access the Internet through a modem? I’m speaking to those people who get their Internet connections through a network at work or school perhaps. Instead of a modem you use a Ethernet card to connect to your network. As long as your connection is fast enough (we have T1 access at my college) you shouldn’t need to worry about speed; in fact you’ll probably be the envy of most modem players!

ISP
For those of use who don’t get net access through work or school there’s ISPs, which stands for Internet Service Provider. The only thing that need concern you about your ISP is its quality. Do you frequently have speed and connection problems when surfing the net? Those problems might also translate to trouble playing Quake 2 over the Internet.

Make sure you have a quality ISP. If local ISPs aren’t to your taste then there are several National ISPs that have dialups in most American cities. Some well known national ISPs are ATT Worldnet, Mindspring, & Earthlink. (I personally use Worldnet and have had little or no trouble with them). Local ISPs may also be a good choice if you prefer more personal, homegrown service. You can find an ISP in your town by checking with The List.

One VERY Important Note!
If you are accessing the Internet through one of the big on-line services like America On-Line or CompuServe, then generally you CANNOT play Quake 2 multiplayer. These services are different than ISPs because they do not provide a "true" connection to the Internet. They can be fine for e-mail and web surfing but when it comes to shooting it up with 32 of your favorite friends over the net they don’t make the cut. If you are a member of these services then I recommend either switching to an ISP or subscribing to an ISP and keeping your on-line service subscription. For example, AOL has a billing plan that lets you access their service through an ISP and pay only $10 a month for accessing AOL (since you use your ISP for dialup and Internet access).

I should note that it is technically possible to play Quake 2 over AOL - but it is generally so sloooooow it's not worth the effort. However, I have heard from AOL users who had 56 and even 33.6 connections who said they could get satsifactory speeds over AOL, so you might want to give it a try.

I should also add that I have recieved e-mail from an MSN user who says that he (with a 56k modem and using Dial Up Networking) has had no problems playing Quake 2 over MSN.

HOW THIS SITE WORKS
Before we continue I should make some mention about the layout of this site and how to best use it. The navigation bar to your left is essentially a user’s guide for this tutorial. All of the pages in this tutorial are linked to inside the blue navigation box. It is laid out in sequential order just like a table of contents. Thus you should follow the guide in sequential order. For example, you should read all the pages in Part 1 before preceding onto Part 2.

Also, the navigation bar contains a few links to other pages that aren’t part of the tutorial itself, such as the help section. You are free to visit them at your leisure.

Now that we know how this site works and that we have what it takes (computer-wise) to play Quake 2 over the Internet, let’s start preparing! Click the link below to go to the next page in the tutorial.