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Tuesday, 02 May 2000 -
Tim on DM4 Ê comment
Introduction
Tim is regarded as one of Australia's finest Quake players. He's a bit in retirement now, but in his day he was only ever really bested by Reload on DM4. Tim came 2nd to Reload in two notable Australian 1on1 tournaments, the CHAU Invitational 16 Player Tourney and Impulse' 98.

Tim is a player who has always been known for playing "smart". As such, he is a good choice to be helping to explain some of the intricacies of DM4 to mappers.

DM4 - House of Precision
The most prominent of features seen on DM4 is that it requires a certain preciseness in both movement and aim in order to dominate. A player can manipulate the map in so many different ways so as to create a certain control over the entire map. Even when both players are of equal skill, armour, health and weapons, it comes down to how they both use strategy as well as their particular placement on the map. It also comes down to whether a player makes a mistake or not in their play. The slightest misjudgement of movement or aim can lead to a series of being trapped, put into a weak position, or perhaps being hammered by rockets, shaft followed by grenades leaving you no choice but to run into an awkward situation. In my opinion, this is what makes DM4 one of the most popular maps known to date. The fact that in order to dominate, preciseness of strategy, aim, movement, judgement and weapon use are necessary.

The actual layout of DM4 creates some very fine angles and the timing to get from one place to another is perfect in both situations of trying to attack and defend. For example, the most common stance of dominance is at the top level whereby defending the entrance to the YA/RA as well as the ability to attack accordingly the various parts of the maps at each level. The time it takes to get the armour(s) can be enough for the opposition to take hold of the top level and try to turn the tables around. But it can also be said that if your fast enough, you can lay grenades at entrances to where the opposition will be which can bide you time to grab the armours and then quickly take over the top level again. Another example, timing can be combined with the angles presented in this map as well. An angle can be found to fire a grenade to the lower level when the opposition is at the lower GA area and cause panic. But this angle can only be taken by stepping away from the top entrance (which is where the teleport from the bottom leads to). So in order to get your frag, you to be quick by firing and then quickly switching to RL or perhaps LG and move to the top entrance. Likewise though, the opposition can catch you looking at that particular angle and quickly go through the teleport with a reflex RL shot to the right placed right at the floor of the entrance, causing a little bit o pain. DM4 is full of stuff like this where in order to do something, there is a consequence that can occur.

The weapons on this level provide the deadliest combinations possible in quake. The combinations of RL, GL and LG at certain situations are vital in order to dominate. Example, when the opposition is at the top teleporter, placing grenades through the top entrance, dropping to the second level and firing RL at that little section above the stairs. Or, firing GL at a spawn point and moving to another spawn point with RL ready so as to cover 2 spawn spots for a rape. Or of course the bounce opponent into air with RL and then pin him silly with LG. The push back and power of the LG can cause serious damage from any area of the map. If you happen to do a rocket jump at the wrong time, expect to be staying in the air for awhile longer than expected. Even from the very bottom of the map, the LG can catch and push you up against a wall until your dead, or it can push you back whilst your trying to fire down at the enemy only to find your own rocket in your face.

Traps and risks are always taken and seen in every DM4 match. Players tend to sometimes push an opponent into a certain area and keep them there until they die. It is part of controlling the map with the aim being to force opponents into the crappiest positions possible to frag. Players can be trapped at the mega health, the ammo room/top entrance, lower GA and that spawn in the side pocket of the map (opposite to the YA/RA pocket). Even when going to get the YA/RA it is possible to make an opponent feel trapped and helpless. Then there are the risks taken in order to break traps. Is it safe to come out? Can I dodge those spam grenades? Can I afford a rocket splash in order to break through and try take over the map?

What makes DM4 so great is that it involves all the above plus so much more. There is a certain reflex needed and a certain pace and aim. Timing, strategy, traps, risks, consequences and of course rape, are all used in a certain preciseness in order for ownage. It’s all molded into a map with very fine angles and it’s placing of items, ledges, lava and levels work practically perfect together in a very dynamic way. In fact if you added a bit more length on the top level, or perhaps removed the holes or just added the tiniest of things, it just wouldn’t be DM4. You would only be disrupting the angles of the level as well as restricting moves. The hot shots of QW were unbelievable when it came down to what they could do on DM4 because there were so many ways to manipulate the map. Actually, when Hoony asked me to do a writeup on DM4, I didn’t know where to begin. It’s kind of hard to explain how a map works on paper because there’s so many ways you can look at DM4 besides a fast small map of rape. What I’ve actually written above is probably not enough to explain everything and I’m no DM4 expert myself.

If you’re a mapper and you’re reading this, then I suggest watching demos of Kane, Lakerman and Reload. Each have their respective styles and by watching these, you’ll be able to see how precise aim and movement can be on this map along with timing. Kane shows an aggressive style of control and sheer aim/rape, Lakerman uses a more calm tactical style with the hoarding of armours as well as dominating the map and Reload’s aggressive style will pretty much show all angles that can be taken on DM4.