Mod Play_Q_rev.14.1 by Ash1980 (18.04.25) for QSS+vkQ

A

Andrew

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Dec 17, 2023
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Modification "Play_Q revision 14.1" of 18.04.25 (based on the mod "TribalFX ver.01U")
(the mod works stably on the "QSS 0.96.0", "vkQuake 1.32.1" engines and higher)​

WARNING:
- In newer versions of the engine «QSS» (0.96.0 and higher) there are problems with shadows, part of the map and all the text on the screen disappear, so you need to disable them in the console or config (r_shadows 0).
- Since the «vkQuake» engine, starting from version 1.32.1, fully supports all models and textures, you can use the mod in it.

This mod expands the visual capabilities of the vanilla game on maps that do not use the modified "progs.dat" file, as in "Alkaline", "AD", "DP", "Q1.5", "Q2021" on the "QSS" engine. The mod has been constantly changing since August 2021, after the release of "Q2021".

Tested on engines QSS 0.96.0 + vkQ 1.32.1

Download link for the update from version 14 to version 14.1 (copy the "pak1.pak" file to the mod folder):

Mod Play_Q_to_14.1_update by Ash1980 (18.04.25).zip

drive.google.com drive.google.com

Download link for the full version 14.1:

Mod Play_Q_rev.14.1 by Ash1980 (18.04.25).zip

drive.google.com drive.google.com
Play_Q.jpg


Changes in version 14.1, which adds visual variety to the game:
Enforcer:
- the repeated "SUB_Check Referer" attack for the nightmarish difficulty level has become more frequent (reduced by 6 frames for smoother shooting animation), the monster has become more dangerous;
Hell knight:
- fixed the position of launching lightning and fireballs, increased their speed;
Knight:
- added missing kneeling animation (5% chance of walking animation);
Ogre:
- added missing animation and the sound of the saw turning on when an enemy is detected (before the running animation), except when the ogre collided with the player face to face.;
- the concept of saw smoke has been changed, it appears only when the saw is turned on for the first time or when it collides with the player face to face;
- the position of the grenade launch and its trajectory have been changed, now it flies out of the barrel of the ogre gun;
Soldier:
- added missing animation and reload sound when attacking (20% chance of attack animation); - the repeated "SUB_CheckRefire" attack for the nightmarish difficulty level has become more frequent (reduced by 3 frames for smoother shooting animation), the monster has become more dangerous.
 
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Thanks Andrew !

Note that vkQuake (1.32.1 now) supports MD5 models fully, and also true-color images (.png, tga, .jpg) used as either skyboxes or external textures for skins.

It also supports external textures for .bsp, to my own suprise, seen with armor ???

There is no longer model vertices limits (almost, max is 32K) for models as well.

To sum up, I tried the QSS pack with vk, and it worked out of the box.
 
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vso said:
Thanks Andrew !

Note that vkQuake (1.32.1 now) supports MD5 models fully, and also true-color images (.png, tga, .jpg) used as either skyboxes or external textures for skins.

It also supports external textures for .bsp, to my own suprise, seen with armor ???

There is no longer model vertices limits (almost, max is 32K) for models as well.

To sum up, I tried the QSS pack with vk, and it worked out of the box.
Click to expand...
It's just wonderful! Thanks for the advice! I didn't test on the latest version of vkQuake, there were just questions from users who used an older version and I applied simplified models.. I think that many fans of old-school quake will use exactly the models from vkQuake. I don't even understand why these boxes were made when creating the Q2021, but the developers didn't use them in the game? They are in mdl files, but they have not been replaced in BSP files. They are very suitable for the lore of the game.

All the changes take a very long time to make. I'm not a modeler and I can't draw fast, so it took a month for the bloody skins (mostly adapted from the Alkaline mod), a couple of days to combine the nail gun from DP with muzzle flashes from a regular game, etc. I'm slowly analyzing the improvements from all sides and putting them together.
 
I know exactly how the vk Quake engine differs from QSS. It constantly says that the wav file was recorded in stereo format and does not use it. In the vk Quake version, all files are converted to mono audio.

Yes, indeed, everything works in the new version of vkQ (jpg, md5). But remember about the mono sound.
 
I know exactly how the vk Quake engine differs from QSS. It constantly says that the wav file was recorded in stereo format and does not use it. In the vk Quake version, all files are converted to mono audio.
Click to expand...

I've noticed that also, I will compare vkQ with the QSS code and try to make a fix out of it for vkQ, if possible.
 
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I made sounds in mono mode for both engines so that I could use both without the appearance of an inscription on the screen in "vkQ". I have updated the links, please download those who have already done this.
 
I think sounds are supposed to be in mono mode. The player expects to be able to hear the direction the sound is coming from. So the engine have to convert the stereo sound back to mono in order to be able to locate the sound in the game world.
This may not apply to newer engines with a 3D spatial sound implementation, not sure.
 
I think sounds are supposed to be in mono mode. The player expects to be able to hear the direction the sound is coming from. So the engine have to convert the stereo sound back to mono in order to be able to locate the sound in the game world.
This may not apply to newer engines with a 3D spatial sound implementation, not sure.
Click to expand...

Yes, the sounds are supposed to be in mono because spatialization is done later by the engine, so (pre) stereo sounds would fucked up that phase. The only thing QSS does for such sounds is to convert them back to mono silently, with the following coment in QSS sound code:

//crappy approach to stereo - strip it out by merging left+right channels

So I don't think I'm going to touch vkQuake, I prefer the explicit error :)

Anyway converting those sounds to mono is the correct thing to do here.
 
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It also supports external textures for .bsp, to my own suprise, seen with armor ???
Click to expand...

Correction : armor is a MDL model + high-res skin : armor.mdl + armor.mdl_0/1/2.jpg, and MDL model with external skins are NOT supported in vkQuake (https://github.com/Novum/vkQuake/issues/777), while MD5 definitly are.

Those MDL were still working because the MDL has already an embedded skin with the same design, but in lower resolution.

On the other hand BSP models (including the World !) indeed support external textures, as we can see with ammo boxes and explosive barrels.
 
Guys, check out the description inside the mod.
Armor models and other models do not require external textures, if necessary. I tried to make the internal skins of the models as high-quality as possible. The latest version of "vkQ" supports MD5-models, sky, and textures in "jpg" format. Verified by me personally.
 
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Will all these improvements in the vkQ engine be included in the new version? What an interesting problem I've raised. There is no limit to perfection! :)

I've known for a long time that shadows are buggy on the "QSS 0.95+" engine (that's why I'm using version 0.94.7.), holes appear on the map as if you're standing outside the zone and all text disappears, but I don't know why shadows and the "r_shadows" command were removed from "vkQ".
 
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Will all these improvements in the vkQ engine be included in the new version?
Click to expand...

Andrew, you do realize I'm a maintainer of vkQuake and that I released the last version myself ? :) Of course those improvements will be in the next version. I don't know when, though.

but I don't know why shadows and the "r_shadows" command were removed from "vkQ".
Click to expand...

Novum the main author of vkQuake thought they were buggy and looked like crap, that is why it was removed. I'm not going to add them back. I wouldn't know how to do it anyway, this is a much harder problem.

Instead, vkQuake has "Raytracing Shadows" if you have a RT-capable GPU but I don't know how it looks like I don't have this kind of GPU.
 
vso said:
Instead, vkQuake has "Raytracing Shadows" if you have a RT-capable GPU but I don't know how it looks like I don't have this kind of GPU.
Click to expand...

here are some examples
https://github.com/Novum/vkQuake/pull/611
github.com

RT Dynamic Shadows · Novum vkQuake · Discussion #668

Maybe I am oblivious but I don't see a difference enabling "Dynamic Shadows" in the menu or "r_rtshadows" in the console with the newest vkQuake release. I usually use rerelease content but origina...
github.com github.com

rtshadows also prevent that dynamic lights are visible through a wall. e.g. lava balls close to the wall emitting a light through wall ( id1/start map )
 
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I wonder what RT shadows looks like while using the Flashlight from this mod ? Immortal and MeatJam also have a flashlight. Does it make realistic shadows on occluding objects ?
 
r_dynamic 1
r_rtshadows 1

With my mod "Play_Q":

Rocket light works the way it usually works with dynamic shadows. The light from the flashlight works strangely - as if it were a laser pointer, everything is visible on the video, the effect "self.effects = EF_DIMLIGHT;" is used.

For some reason, dynamic shadows are not applied to monsters and objects. Even if the light is coming from the player when using "Quaddamage".

vkQ 2025.03.16-1.mp4

drive.google.com drive.google.com

vkQ 2025.03.16-2.mp4

drive.google.com drive.google.com

The issue of ammoboxes and medkits is closed. They cast shadows, but somehow incorrectly. My boxes are "MDL" models that have been renamed "BSP". This engine does not respond to "MDL" models and they do not cast shadows.

vkQ 2025.03.16-4.mp4

drive.google.com drive.google.com

With mod "Quoth":

The same mistakes are made when drawing shadows when using a flashlight, the light is incorrectly scattered in space and reflected in niches as in spherical mirrors.

vkQ Quoth 2025.03.16-3.mp4

drive.google.com drive.google.com
 
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Thanks, that is interesting !

The issue of ammoboxes and medkits is closed. They cast shadows, but somehow incorrectly. My boxes are "MDL" models that have been renamed "BSP". This engine does not respond to "MDL" models and they do not cast shadows.
Click to expand...

I think RT shadows works only on BSP geometry, (so mainly for the world) casting shadows for real models is not supported.
 
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Were you able to make dynamic shadows in "vkQuake" look like in "Dark Places"? After all, did they somehow create their "RT WORLD" mode without using RTX? However, if I turn on all the effects of smoke, reflection, light and fog, then any computer will turn into a pumpkin (as in the Cinderella story). Nothing has been uploaded, but the frame rate per second is 35-60. :ROFLMAO:

DP 2025.03.16-1.mp4

drive.google.com drive.google.com

DP 2025.03.16-2.mp4

drive.google.com drive.google.com
 
Were you able to make dynamic shadows in "vkQuake" look like in "Dark Places"?
Click to expand...

Ah Darkplaces ! I remember trying it, more than 10 years ago, including with shadows. Alas no, I'm not able to re-create those shadows this is much beyond my ability. If you want that kind of eye candy you are better using FTEQW nowaydays.

A have a couple of questions :

- Can you provide the source code for that progs.dat / TribalFX, in case someone want to improve it, or make a derivative work ? (and for archival purposes)
- Have you considered adding AD alternative huds (CSQC) that would be supported on FTEQW/QSS/vK to the mod ? (AD source code is available)
 
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