Getting About: Basic DM Techniques

If you are relatively new to Quake II; you're probably still a little uncomfortable with using the strafe-left and strafe-right keys - if you use them at all. This is something you'll have to get over fast; so start practicing in single-player mode strafing from left to right and shooting at an enemy. Once you're comfortable with this, try strafing one direction while turning in the other - you'll notice yourself moving in a circle. This is known as circle-strafing; one of the primary techniques used in deathmatch. Get familiar with it by practicing circle-strafing around an enemy while keeping your crosshair on them - you should, with practice, be able to complete a full circle around an opponent with the chaingun never leaving your target. From here; start experimenting with more and less turn when you strafe, and begin to use it in everyday Quaking.

For example; instead of walking up to a corner, turning, then walking again practice walking up to it and strafe while turning around it - this will enable you to see what's around the corner before your body actually comes into view. You will, after a while, start to use strafing as part of your normal movements in Quake II.

The next important basic technique is being able to dodge and attack at the same time - it's not much use stopping dead and just moving your mouse to attack someone because you leave yourself wide open to fire. Instead, practice dodging enemy fire while at the same time letting off some ammo yourself - again, this will come with experience but it's a necessary skill to learn in becoming a better player. Practice this by placing yourself in a roomful of Strogg, and try to kill just one opponent while dodging everyone else's fire. Here, strafing is essential, as you need to be able to move without taking your crosshair off your target.

Don't get too stressed if you're not an instant expert at strafing and concentrating on more than one thing at the same time - it will all come naturally soon :).