Wednesday, March 15, 2023

How Quake 3 trickjumpers showed violent video games are not necessarily about violence

 The Quake 3 trickjumping scene was a phenomenon that took the gaming world by storm in the late 1990s and early 2000s. At the time, Quake 3 was one of the most popular first-person shooters around, featuring powerful guns such as the BFG and the rocket launcher, and was known for its intense, fast-paced gameplay. However, it was the trickjumping community that emerged around the game that demonstrated that videogames were not all about violence, even in games with powerful guns.

Trickjumping is a form of gameplay that involves using advanced movement techniques to navigate through levels in unconventional ways. In Quake 3, players discovered that they could use rocket jumps, strafe jumping, and other techniques to reach areas of levels that were not intended to be accessible, and even to complete levels without firing a single shot. As players became more skilled at trickjumping, they began to create custom maps that were designed specifically for trickjumping, featuring obstacles, ramps, and other challenges that required players to use advanced movement techniques to complete.

The trickjumping scene in Quake 3 quickly grew into a vibrant community, with players sharing tips and tricks on online forums and hosting competitions and events to showcase their skills. What was most remarkable about this community was that it was not focused on violence or competition, but on creativity and exploration. Trickjumping in Quake 3 was not about defeating enemies or winning matches, but about pushing the limits of what was possible within the game's mechanics and exploring the intricacies of its level design.

The impact of the Quake 3 trickjumping scene on the gaming industry was significant. It demonstrated that even in games that were known for their violence and fast-paced gameplay, there was room for creativity and exploration. It also showed that games could be more than just entertainment, and that they could be a medium for self-expression and community-building. The trickjumping scene in Quake 3 inspired other games to incorporate movement-based gameplay, such as Mirror's Edge and Titanfall, and paved the way for the emergence of esports and other competitive gaming communities.

In conclusion, the Quake 3 trickjumping scene demonstrated that videogames were not all about violence, even in games with powerful guns such as the BFG and the rocket launcher. It showed that games could be a medium for creativity, exploration, and community-building, and inspired a new generation of players to push the limits of what was possible within the games they played. The impact of the Quake 3 trickjumping scene on the gaming industry is still being felt today, and it serves as a testament to the enduring power of videogames to bring people together and inspire them to achieve great things.

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