Difference between revisions of "Beginner's Guide"

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==Introduction==
 
==Introduction==
  
Welcome to Fortress Forever! This little tutorial should give you an overview of the game and provide a link to a more detailed description of the abilities, tactics and features in FF.
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Welcome to Fortress Forever! This tutorial will give you a general overview of the game before you proceed to more detailed articles.
  
==Basic Gameplay Overview==
+
==Gameplay Overview==
  
In Fortress Forever, 2 teams (averaging 5-10 players on each team) compete to capture each others flag (and other [[Game Types|gameplay types]]). Each player can choose his character class, out of nine possible classes. Each class has different speed, armor, health, weapons and abilities. If you die in fortress forever, you can respawn back into battle immediately - no waiting around like other games! In addition to using a primary weapon, players can simultaneously throw grenades. Each class has a different set of grenades with different abilities, and most classes have primary and secondary grenades. In Fortress Forever, maintaining speed is key for some attacking players. You can speed yourself up by 'Weapons Jumping', which means shooting the floor, and the explosion propels you forwards. Since Fortress Forever is not a realistic game, you take little damage from such explosions. Another key feature is that, if you jump as soon as you hit the floor, you will maintain some of your speed (if you are going fast from a weapons jump). The most powerful weapons jump is the concussion grenade, which medics and scouts both posess, and can send themselves flying high into the air with little damage. This, combined with the ability to turn in the air, makes moving around Fortress Forever fun in itself, even when there are no enemies to shoot.
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Fortress Forever is a team-based game where two or more teams compete for a specific and common objective. Each player may choose from one of up to ten unique classes that they find appealing to their style of gameplay. Each class has its own strengths and weaknesses, health and armor stats, and weapons and abilities. These classes can often be played either offensively (attacking the enemy base, moving their flag, capturing their flag, amongst other gamemodes) or defensively (preventing the offense from doing the forementioned) allowing for more diverse gameplay even past the general choice of class. Fortress Forever prides itself on providing a very exciting and fast-paced game, so keeping up with the flow may be quite an interesting challenge.
  
Summary:
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==Essential Controls==
  
* 2 teams (usually), competing to capture each others flag (more on CTF and other gametypes)
+
There is a great deal of customization one can do within both the options menu and the more elaborate Fortress Options menu, but there are some 'essential controls' one must be aware to immediately get the best out of the experience. These keys are the default values, so they should work ''out of the box'' unless you have changed them. Consult the general options menu under 'Keyboard' to access and reassign these keys and many others.
* 9 Classes of player - each with strengths / weaknesses (e.g. Spy can turn invisible, Engineer can build sentry guns)
 
* Instant respawning - If you die, you can respawn instantly back inside your base. no loss of time getting back to the action
 
* Using grenades whilst firing (different from other FPS's)
 
* Weapons jumping, movement techniques (maintaining speed)
 
  
==Basic Controls==
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{| class="wikitable" border="0"
 
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|-
By default Fortress Forever has basic controls which are similar to other Half-life / HL2 games where WASD moves you, control ducks, and space jumps. There are however a few extra controls that have been added to Fortress Forever:
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| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | Communications
 
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| The '''Y''' key will allow text communication with everyone on the server. '''U''' will limit your message to only being visible to your team. '''K''' allows for microphone usage and broadcasts your audio input to the entire server (by default, unless the server variable ''sv_alltalk'' is set to 0)
* To talk: [Y] to everyone, [U]: Team-only chat, [k] Team Voice Chat.
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|-
* A few weapons have two modes of fire. [mouse1] Primary fire, [mouse2] secondary fire.  
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| style = "background: #eeeeee;" align="center" | Weapon Abilities
* Throwing grenades: [F] Frag Grenade (or caltrop for scout), [G] Special class grenades. Most characters have two types of grenades, which can be primed and thrown at any time. Depending on your setup you either hold down the button, then release to throw the grenade, or if you wish to free up your fingers for movement while the grenade is primed, using 'Toggle grenade' means one press to prime, press again to throw.  
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| Many weapons have alternative modes of fire! You can use '''MOUSE1''' for primary fire and '''MOUSE2''' for secondary fire, if the weapon permits one.
* Change class / team: [n] Change team, [b] Change class. Remember auto-select is your friend!
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|-
* Selecting weapons : [1] - [6]. The higher the number, the more powerful the weapon, in general. For example, the demoman's detpack is weapon [6] (kills everyone it hits in one shot), and his crowbar is on [1]. The most powerful weapon in the engineer's arsenal is the Sentry Gun, which is built by weapon slot [5].
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| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" | Grenade Usage
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| By default, holding the '''F''' key and '''G''' will prime fragmentation grenades or class-specific secondary grendes respectively. A four-beep timer will begin, and the grenade will explode on the fourth beep. Priming the grenade allows you to delay the explosion so that it hits enemies at the right time. Don't hold the prime too long! The grenade doesn't hesitate to blow up in your face. If holding these keys becomes too much of a hassle or detriment, one may rebind the grenade keys to ''Two-Tap Toggle Primary'' and ''Two-Tap Toggle Secondary'' in the keyboard options to have one tap of the key prime the grenade and another release or throw the grenade.
 +
|-
 +
| style = "background: #eeeeee;" align="center" | Class & Team
 +
| '''N''' will allow you to change your team. '''B''' will allow you to change your class. Make use of the auto-assign button if you fear accidentally disturbing the balance of the teams!
 +
|-
 +
| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" | Weapon Selection
 +
| The number keys provide quick access to your weapon loadout. In theory, the lower the number, the less powerful the weapon. Therefore, melee weapons usually reside on the '''1''' key, secondary weapons on the '''2''' key, and primary weapons on the '''3''' key. Some classes may carry weapons that extend to the other keys, so be sure to check and get used to them through playing each class.
 +
|}
  
 
==Advanced Controls==
 
==Advanced Controls==
* Throw the flag [C]
 
* Discard ammo [X]
 
* Call for medic [Z]
 
* Bring down console [~]
 
 
Note, while by default reloading is done automatically, you can switch to manual reloading by opening up the console by pressing [~] and type "cl_autoreload 1".
 
 
==Game Types ==
 
There are potentially an unlimited amount of game types in Fortress Forever, limited only by mappers imaginations. However, here are some of the main types that are available at this point:
 
 
* CTF - Capture the Flag - Your team must go into the enemy base, steal their flag, and bring it back to the capture point in your base. All while preventing the enemy team from doing the same with your flag. Different to other CTF games (e.g. quake 3), in Fortress Forever, you cannot return your flag by touching it. Rather, the flag returns on its own after 60 seconds of not being touched. - eg. ff_crossover
 
** Security - Some maps may have additional security placed in the enemy base which needs to be turned off before you can access the flag. - eg. ff_shutdown2
 
 
* AD - Attack & Defend - The attackers must bring their flag to the capture point to advance through the map. The defending team tries to prevent the attackers from doing this until the time runs out. - eg. ff_dustbowl
 
 
* Push - Fight against the opposing team to bring the ball from the center of the map to the capture point inside of their base. - eg. ff_push
 
 
* RCTF - Reverse CTF - Bring the flag from your base to the capture point inside the enemy base, while keeping the enemy team from bringing their flag to the capture point in your base.
 
 
* ID - Invade and Defend - Invaders must capture each point sequentially, while the defenders try to stop them. Once the invaders capture all the points the map rests and the teams switch roles. - Eg. ff_cornfield
 
 
* Hunted - The bodyguards try to escort the civilian to the escape point, and the assassins try stop the civilian from getting there. - eg. ff_hunted
 
 
Full list here: [[:Category:Game Types]]
 
 
==Quick guide to classes==
 
 
=== [[Class:Scout|Scout]] ===
 
 
Very fast, and very weak.
 
 
=== [[Class:Sniper|Sniper]] ===
 
 
Long range killer.
 
 
===  [[Class:Soldier|Soldier]] ===
 
 
Slow, massive firepower at short range.
 
 
===  [[Class:Demoman|Demolitions Man (Demoman)]] ===
 
 
Lots of explosives, can lay traps in key areas.
 
 
=== [[Class:Medic|Medic]] ===
 
 
2nd Fastest class, strong arsenal of weapons, can heal friendly players.
 
 
=== [[Class:HWGuy|Heavy Weapons Guy]] ===
 
 
Slowest, most heavily armored class. Powerful chaingun best used at medium range.
 
 
=== [[Class:Pyro|Pyro]] ===
 
  
Lights people on fire, spreads chaos. Also a fast class with his weapons jump.
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{| class="wikitable" border="0"
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|-
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| style = "background: #eeeeee;" padding="5px" align="center" | '''C'''
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| Throws the flag if the player is carrying one and is allowed to.
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|-
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| style = "background: #eeeeee;" padding="5px" align="center" | '''X'''
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| Discard extra ammunition; useful for friendly Engineers and team mates out of ammunition!
 +
|-
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| style = "background: #eeeeee;" style = "background: #eeeeee;" padding="5px" align="center" | '''Z'''
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| Pressing the button once alerts a friendly Medic to you. Holding the button reveals a voice command menu.
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|-
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| style = "background: #eeeeee;" padding="5px" align="center" | '''`''',
 +
| Brings down the developer console for manually interfacing with the game.
 +
|}
  
=== [[Class:Spy|Spy]] ===  
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==Gamemodes and Types==
  
Sneaky, assassin class. Can turn invisible and hack into enemy sentry guns.
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This covers the basic gamemodes. View a more complete list here: [[:Category:Game Types]]
  
=== [[Class:Engineer|Engineer]] ===  
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{| class="wikitable" border="0"
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|-
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| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | Capture the Flag (''CTF'')
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| Two teams compete for the highest score by invading the enemy base, bypassing their defensive measures, grabbing their team-colored flag, and returning to their respective bases to capture the flag a key location. There are many variations on the Capture the Flag game-mode. These include Reverse CTF where you move your flag from your respective base and into the enemy base in search a capture point or Security CTF where access to the flag can only be achieved by disabling the enemy team's security (This is usually done by finding their security button and pressing it.)
 +
|-
 +
| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | Attack and Defend (''AVD'')
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| The Blue team plays an offensive role in Attack and Defend, attempting to move their team-colored flag through the Red team's moving defense and toward a capture point. Each ''AVD'' map usually comes with three or more 'sectors' in which the Blue team must capture the flag. If the Blue team captures all the sectors, they win. If the Red team prevents this from happening and time runs out, they win.
 +
|-
 +
| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | Invade and Defend (''IVD'')
 +
| Invade and Defend is a variation on the ''AVD'' gametype. In standard Attack and Defend, after the blue team successfully captures a sector, the teams will respawn in new locations and must wait an additional 'setup time' before gates open to allow the blue Team to attack. This allows the Red team time to setup and establish defenses. In Invade and Defend, defense is dynamic. Once the Blue team captures a sector, the map does not reset. Instead, the Red team must physically shift their defense back to compensate. This makes the 'push and defend' game-type much more intense and difficult.
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|}
  
Can build sentry guns, ammo dispensers and repair teammates armor.
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==Classes ''at a Glance''==
  
{{Navigation Playing the Game}}
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{| class="wikitable" border="0"
{{Infobox manual/Footer}}
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|-
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| [[Image:scout_portrait.jpg]]
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| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | [[Scout]]
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| The Scout is a very fragile and weak class that makes up for its shortcomings with speed and maneuverability. The class is an exceptional class that avoids combat and focuses specifically on game-play objectives, whether that be capturing points or snagging the enemy flag. The Scout uses his jump-pad and concussion grenades as well as bunny-hopping to move through the defense, to the flag, and out of the enemy base.
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|-
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| [[Image:sniper_portrait.jpg]]
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| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | [[Sniper]]
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| The Sniper is a long range assassin trained in accuracy. Avoiding the harsh combat that ensues when classes clash at close range, the Sniper works by picking off enemies from concealment and at range using his laser-fixed Sniper Rifle.
 +
|-
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| [[Image:soldier_portrait.jpg]]
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| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | [[Soldier]]
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| The Soldier is the brute force class of Fortress Forever.The heavily explosive Rocket Launcher provides an excellent weapon to be used defensively in chokepoints. The Soldier also does well at offense, punching a hole through the defense to allow entrance for other less armored classes.
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|-
 +
| [[Image:demoman_portrait.jpg]]
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| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | [[Demoman]]
 +
| The Demoman (''Demolitions Man'') comes equipped with lots of explosive firepower. He may use his ''Blue'' Pipe Launcher offensively or set traps using the ''Yellow'' Pipe Launcher to prevent the enemy from making their way to the flag or moving it once over it.
 +
|-
 +
| [[Image:medic_portrait.jpg]]
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| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | [[Medic]]
 +
| The Medic functions as a combat-oriented offensive class. The class makes use of its extra speed and maneuverability to dodge and juke enemy attacks while countering with his own weapons. When not in combat, the Medic regenerates health over time and can provide team-mates with extra health with the Medkit or regenerating throwable Medpacks.
 +
|-
 +
| [[Image:heavy_portrait.jpg]]
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| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | [[HWGuy]]
 +
| The Heavy Weapons Guy or simply ''Heavy'' is the tank of Fortress Forever. He is the slowest though most heavily armored class in the game armed with a powerful chaingun (''Assault Cannon'' in game) that shreds incoming enemies at close ranges.
 +
|-
 +
| [[Image:pyro_portrait.jpg]]
 +
| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | [[Pyro]]
 +
| The Pyro finds solace in chaos and destruction by using his Flamethrower and Incendiary Cannon in conjunction with his Naplam Grenades to stack flame and burn damage on enemy units. The more they burn, the faster they die! This class works both on offense and defense as a support role.
 +
|-
 +
| [[Image:spy_portrait.jpg]]
 +
| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | [[Spy]]
 +
| The Spy is the roaming assassin of Fortress Forever. He works by jeopardizing the enemy's defense by using his disguises to fool enemy players or his cloak to bypass them without being easily spotted. The Spy can sabotage enemy buildables in order to have them work against the enemy team.
 +
|-
 +
| [[Image:engineer_portrait.jpg]]
 +
| style="background:#eeeeee;" align="center" width="150" | [[Engineer]]
 +
| The Engineer is the backbone of any base defense. Though the Engineer is weak as an individual, he doubles his power of influence by building and maintaining an item dispenser (capable of replenishing armor, ammunition, and building materials to nearby friendly units) or an automatic-firing upgradeable turret known as a Sentry Gun that fires on approaching enemies.
 +
|}

Latest revision as of 20:11, 5 April 2010


Introduction

Welcome to Fortress Forever! This tutorial will give you a general overview of the game before you proceed to more detailed articles.

Gameplay Overview

Fortress Forever is a team-based game where two or more teams compete for a specific and common objective. Each player may choose from one of up to ten unique classes that they find appealing to their style of gameplay. Each class has its own strengths and weaknesses, health and armor stats, and weapons and abilities. These classes can often be played either offensively (attacking the enemy base, moving their flag, capturing their flag, amongst other gamemodes) or defensively (preventing the offense from doing the forementioned) allowing for more diverse gameplay even past the general choice of class. Fortress Forever prides itself on providing a very exciting and fast-paced game, so keeping up with the flow may be quite an interesting challenge.

Essential Controls

There is a great deal of customization one can do within both the options menu and the more elaborate Fortress Options menu, but there are some 'essential controls' one must be aware to immediately get the best out of the experience. These keys are the default values, so they should work out of the box unless you have changed them. Consult the general options menu under 'Keyboard' to access and reassign these keys and many others.

Communications The Y key will allow text communication with everyone on the server. U will limit your message to only being visible to your team. K allows for microphone usage and broadcasts your audio input to the entire server (by default, unless the server variable sv_alltalk is set to 0)
Weapon Abilities Many weapons have alternative modes of fire! You can use MOUSE1 for primary fire and MOUSE2 for secondary fire, if the weapon permits one.
Grenade Usage By default, holding the F key and G will prime fragmentation grenades or class-specific secondary grendes respectively. A four-beep timer will begin, and the grenade will explode on the fourth beep. Priming the grenade allows you to delay the explosion so that it hits enemies at the right time. Don't hold the prime too long! The grenade doesn't hesitate to blow up in your face. If holding these keys becomes too much of a hassle or detriment, one may rebind the grenade keys to Two-Tap Toggle Primary and Two-Tap Toggle Secondary in the keyboard options to have one tap of the key prime the grenade and another release or throw the grenade.
Class & Team N will allow you to change your team. B will allow you to change your class. Make use of the auto-assign button if you fear accidentally disturbing the balance of the teams!
Weapon Selection The number keys provide quick access to your weapon loadout. In theory, the lower the number, the less powerful the weapon. Therefore, melee weapons usually reside on the 1 key, secondary weapons on the 2 key, and primary weapons on the 3 key. Some classes may carry weapons that extend to the other keys, so be sure to check and get used to them through playing each class.

Advanced Controls

C Throws the flag if the player is carrying one and is allowed to.
X Discard extra ammunition; useful for friendly Engineers and team mates out of ammunition!
Z Pressing the button once alerts a friendly Medic to you. Holding the button reveals a voice command menu.
`, Brings down the developer console for manually interfacing with the game.

Gamemodes and Types

This covers the basic gamemodes. View a more complete list here: Category:Game Types

Capture the Flag (CTF) Two teams compete for the highest score by invading the enemy base, bypassing their defensive measures, grabbing their team-colored flag, and returning to their respective bases to capture the flag a key location. There are many variations on the Capture the Flag game-mode. These include Reverse CTF where you move your flag from your respective base and into the enemy base in search a capture point or Security CTF where access to the flag can only be achieved by disabling the enemy team's security (This is usually done by finding their security button and pressing it.)
Attack and Defend (AVD) The Blue team plays an offensive role in Attack and Defend, attempting to move their team-colored flag through the Red team's moving defense and toward a capture point. Each AVD map usually comes with three or more 'sectors' in which the Blue team must capture the flag. If the Blue team captures all the sectors, they win. If the Red team prevents this from happening and time runs out, they win.
Invade and Defend (IVD) Invade and Defend is a variation on the AVD gametype. In standard Attack and Defend, after the blue team successfully captures a sector, the teams will respawn in new locations and must wait an additional 'setup time' before gates open to allow the blue Team to attack. This allows the Red team time to setup and establish defenses. In Invade and Defend, defense is dynamic. Once the Blue team captures a sector, the map does not reset. Instead, the Red team must physically shift their defense back to compensate. This makes the 'push and defend' game-type much more intense and difficult.

Classes at a Glance

Scout portrait.jpg Scout The Scout is a very fragile and weak class that makes up for its shortcomings with speed and maneuverability. The class is an exceptional class that avoids combat and focuses specifically on game-play objectives, whether that be capturing points or snagging the enemy flag. The Scout uses his jump-pad and concussion grenades as well as bunny-hopping to move through the defense, to the flag, and out of the enemy base.
Sniper portrait.jpg Sniper The Sniper is a long range assassin trained in accuracy. Avoiding the harsh combat that ensues when classes clash at close range, the Sniper works by picking off enemies from concealment and at range using his laser-fixed Sniper Rifle.
Soldier portrait.jpg Soldier The Soldier is the brute force class of Fortress Forever.The heavily explosive Rocket Launcher provides an excellent weapon to be used defensively in chokepoints. The Soldier also does well at offense, punching a hole through the defense to allow entrance for other less armored classes.
Demoman portrait.jpg Demoman The Demoman (Demolitions Man) comes equipped with lots of explosive firepower. He may use his Blue Pipe Launcher offensively or set traps using the Yellow Pipe Launcher to prevent the enemy from making their way to the flag or moving it once over it.
Medic portrait.jpg Medic The Medic functions as a combat-oriented offensive class. The class makes use of its extra speed and maneuverability to dodge and juke enemy attacks while countering with his own weapons. When not in combat, the Medic regenerates health over time and can provide team-mates with extra health with the Medkit or regenerating throwable Medpacks.
Heavy portrait.jpg HWGuy The Heavy Weapons Guy or simply Heavy is the tank of Fortress Forever. He is the slowest though most heavily armored class in the game armed with a powerful chaingun (Assault Cannon in game) that shreds incoming enemies at close ranges.
Pyro portrait.jpg Pyro The Pyro finds solace in chaos and destruction by using his Flamethrower and Incendiary Cannon in conjunction with his Naplam Grenades to stack flame and burn damage on enemy units. The more they burn, the faster they die! This class works both on offense and defense as a support role.
Spy portrait.jpg Spy The Spy is the roaming assassin of Fortress Forever. He works by jeopardizing the enemy's defense by using his disguises to fool enemy players or his cloak to bypass them without being easily spotted. The Spy can sabotage enemy buildables in order to have them work against the enemy team.
Engineer portrait.jpg Engineer The Engineer is the backbone of any base defense. Though the Engineer is weak as an individual, he doubles his power of influence by building and maintaining an item dispenser (capable of replenishing armor, ammunition, and building materials to nearby friendly units) or an automatic-firing upgradeable turret known as a Sentry Gun that fires on approaching enemies.