Quake 2 console commands

command Explanation
alias Makes a new command. Aliases are not saved when you exit Quake 2. To make an alias permanent, add them to your AUTOEXEC.CFG file or your CONFIG.CFG FILE. Typing alias without an alias name lists aliases in use.
allow_download 1 allows downloading of skins, sounds, maps, etc. (3.15 or later only)
allow_download_maps 1 allows downloading of maps. (3.15 or later only)
allow_download_models 1 allows downloading of models. (3.15 or later only)
allow_download_players 1 allows downloading of skins. (3.15 or later only)
allow_download_sounds 1 allows downloading of sounds. (3.15 or later only)
basedir Tells Quake 2 where data files are located. Useful if you are running Quake 2 from a second CD ROM. You must put this command in your config.cfg file, AUTOEXEC.CFG FILE, or as a command line parameter in your Windows shortcut.
bind Bind a key on your keyboard. For example, bind SPACE jump makes the SPACE key your Jump key. You can use this command to change keys not accessible from the menus.
bindlist Lists all "bind" commands in use. Only the part of the list that will fit on your screen will show up. Use the PgUp, PgDn, Home and End keys to scroll.
bob_pitch Affects the amount of the head's forward and backward movement when walking. The default is .002
bob_roll Affects the amount of the head's side to side movement when walking. The default is .002
bob_up Affects the speed of the head's "bobbing" action while walking. The default is .005
cd close Closes the CD tray. May not work with some CD ROMs. Disabled if the CD is playing when the game loads.
cd eject Closes the CD if open, or opens the CD if closed. May not work with some CD ROMs. Disabled if the CD is playing when the game loads.
cd info Lists CD status and number of mucic tracks. Disabled if the CD is playing when the game loads.
cd loop Repeats the playing CD track. Disabled if the CD is playing when the game loads.
cd_loopcount Determines how many times a music track will repeat. See the list of tracks on the Quake 2 CD at the bottom of this page.
cd_looptrack Chooses music tracks on the CD. You do not have to have the Quake 2 CD in, any music CD will do. With the 3.15 or later patch, you do not need the Quake 2 CD at all, previous versions needed the Quake 2 CD to start a single player game.
cd_nocd 0 enables the CD, 1 disables it. You can bind this to a key to quickly stop/start the CD during a game.
cd off Turns off the CD music. Disabled if the CD is playing when the game loads.
cd on ">Turns on the CD music. Disabled if the CD is playing when the game loads.
cd remap Remaps the cd to play in a new order. Example: cd remap 4 5 3 2 2.
I If you type this command without any track numbers, it will list the play order. Disabled if the CD is playing when the game loads.
cd reset Resets the CD. Disabled if the CD is playing when the game loads.
cd resume Starts the track where it stopped from a cd pause command. Disabled if the CD is playing when the game loads.
cd stop Stops the CD music. Disabled if the CD is playing when the game loads.
cddir Tells Quake 2 where Quake program files are located. Useful if you are running Quake 2 from a second CD ROM. You must put this command in your config.cfg file, AUTOEXEC.CFG FILE, or as a command line parameter in your Windows shortcut.
centerview Snaps your view "forward", handy when bound to a key.
cl_anglespeedkey Determines movement speed, whether you are using the keyboard, mouse, or joystick. The speed command must be issued before it comes into effect.
cl_blend Turns "palette switching" on or off. 0 turns it off. Turned off, water is as clear as air. However, you also won't "see red" when you're hit by enemy fire.
clear Clears out the message buffer. Does not reset variables.
cl_footsteps 1 enables walking sounds, 0 disables
cl_forwardspeed Determines forward speed when you are using the keyboard to move
cl_gun 0 stop drawing your weapon.
cl_lights 0 disables the muzzle flash from your weapon, 1 enables
cl_maxfps Set the maximum frames per second. Setting to a lower number can reduce lag somewhat when playing over the internet; also useful with lower end machines in single player.
cl_motd 1 enables sending information about your video card to id and recieving a "message of the day from" id. The default is 1. The only information sent is reportedly what version of video driver you are using. The information comes from a John Carmak posting on slashdot.
cl_nodelta 1 disables delta compression, 0 enables (default). Disabling delta compression can reduce lag when you have a bad internet connection.
cl_noskins Enables or disables custom skins. Set to 1 will disable the use (and downloading in 3.15) of custom skins. Set to 2 will disable downloading of custom skins but allow the use of skins already on your hard drive.
cl_particles 0 disables particles, like smoke & sparks, 1 enables.
cl_pitchspeed Determines the look up/down speed; default is 150. Used without an argument (number) reports the pitch speed.
cl_predict 1 enables server prediction, 0 disables. Use this when you can't hit what you're shooting at in multi player games.
cl_run 1 makes you "always run". You can set this from the menus, but it can be handy when bound to a key.
cl_shownet Set to 1 will scroll your lag numbers across the screen and slow down your system, even in single player. Setting back to 0 will speed it back up somewhat, but you will need to exit and restart the game to get it back to normal.
cl_sidespeed Determines side to side speed when using the keyboard. The default is 200.
cl_stats Set to 1 to show the number of enemies.
cl_stereo 1 plays the music and sounds in stereo, 0 in mono.
cl_stereo_seperation Widens or narrows stereo separation, for when playing quake with 3D glasses. Set to 0 is the same as setting cl_stereo to 0.
cl_testblend Set to 1 shows a pallete blending test.
cl_upspeed Determines upward speed when swimming; the default is 200. Used without the number returns the speed.
cl_vwep Toggles the display of player's weapons.
cl_yawspeed Keyboard turning speed.
cmdlist Lists all the Quake 2 commands.
condump Places everything from the console in a text file, giving you a log.
connect Connects you to a network or internet game. Example: CONNECT 192.168.0.1:27500
con_notifytime Determines how long messages are displayed on the screen. The default is 3.
crosshair Toggles the use of the crosshair sight.
cvarlist Lists all the commands and variables in use. You can use the Home, End, Pg Up and PgDn keys to navigate the list. If a variable lists prefaced with "", the variable is empty. - - is a write-protected variable. These variables can only be changed from a cfg. file or as an argument when starting the game. * means that any changes to this variable is remembered when restarting quake 2. Changes to variables prefaced with L will not tale place untill the next level. S means it is a server variable, and U means it is a user variable.
debuggraph Set to 1 shows a graph.
demomap Runs a demo specified by "name".
developer This command displays all internal messages, may be useful if you are making levels.
dir Returns a directory listing of your baseq folder.
disconnect Disconnects you from the server. Issuing this command, followed by reconnect will sometimes clear up a bad connection.
drop Pretty much self explanatory. This command is pretty useful during team play. It only works if instant powerups are disabled, and dropped items only last 30 seconds (this may not be the case with some server side mods).
dumpuser Gives information about a player. Lists gender, rate message mode, FOV, skin name, Quake name, and handedness variables. May crash your Quake client if you use it in a game you are not hosting, depending on your computer's resources.
exec Executes a "Quake 2 batch file". The "batch file" must be a text file containing valid Quake 2 commands, and must be in your baseq2 folder.
fixedtime For each frame, the game clock will step forward at a fixed interval, independent of how fast they are rendered. This will either cause a slowdown or speedup, depending on what value you provide and the speed of your computer.
flood_msgs number of messages allowed in flood_waitdelay
flood_persecond time period that a maximum of flood_msgs messages are permitted
flood_waitdelay determines "flood message" time
fov Field of view. The default is 90 degrees, 180 gives you wide angle vision, and 10 can be used for sniping.
game Tells Quake 2 the location of information about mods, maps, etc. that aren't in the default baseq2 directory.
gender sets gender for sounds of gender neutral skins. Female and crakhor default to female, male and cyborg default to male, everything else defaults to neutral. 3.15 and later only.
gender_auto makes determination of "death", etc. sounds automatic
gl_3dlabs_broken 0 fixes problems with some Creative video cards. The default is 1.
gl_allow_software Emulates missing GL functions.
gl_bitdepth 1 enables the use of 16 bit colors.
gl_driver Enables the use of alternate drivers.
gl_dynamic 0 disables dynamic lighting.
gl_ext_multitexture 0 disables use of multiple textures.
gl_ext_palletedtexture 0 disables textures that have their own color pallettes.
gl_ext_pointparameters 0 disables the use of external point parameter files.
gl_flashblend Setting this to 1 will create a corona around projectiles that are lit.
gl_lightmap Draw lightmaps.
gl_lockpvs Locks the PVS table making player movement impossible. Useful for mapmaking.
gl_log Makes a very large log of all GL functions.
gl_mipcap Texture resolution, for each value resolution is cut in half.
gl_mipscale untested
gl_mode untested
gl_modulate Affects the brightness of textures under dynamic lighting. Values > 1 brightens, less than 1 darkens.
gl_monolightmap Monochrome lightmaps.
gl_multitexture 0 disables the use of multi texture extention.
gl_picmip Determines texture dimentions. Setting to a value larger than the default 0 may speed up some systems.
gl_playermip Determines skin texture dimentions. Setting to a value larger than the default 0 may speed up some systems.
gl_polyblend 0 disables water effects.
gl_round_down Set to 0 disables rounding calculations of some pixels. May slightly increase performance on some systems.
gl_texturemode Determines mode for hardware rendering. GL_LINEAR blends pixels. GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_NEAREST is the default, interpolating the nearest pixels, and using mipmapping for bilinear hardware. GL_NEAREST is the closest to software mode. Experiment to see which works best for your system (and let me know if it crashes).
gl_ztrick Setting this variable to 1 makes it not clear the z-buffer between frames. It may result in increased performance on some machines, and it may screw up the video or lock it up in others.
gun_next Selects the next weapon
gun_prev Selects the previous weapon
gun_x Determines how far to the right your weapon displays on your screen.
gun_y Determines how far forward into the screen your gun is placed.
gun_z Determines how far up or down your weapon shows up on your screen
hand Determines handedness. 0 is right handed, 1 is left handed, and 2 removes the hand completely. You can select handedness from the menus.
host_speeds Use this to find your frame rate. Enter host_speeds 1 and a list of numbers will scroll down the screen. The column on the left is the time in milliseconds between screen refreshes. host_speeds 0 stops the scrolling. The other columns are server, graphics, and sound frame time in milliseconds. Divide 100 by the number in the left column to find your frame rate in FPS.
imagelist Lists all images in use in the game, their file names, file paths, and horizontal and vertical sizes in pixels.
info Lists your map name and map's file name, game version, date your version was released, maximum players (will be 1 for single player), protocol number, whether or not cheats are enabled, the time limit, the frag limit, and deathmatch. This is basically a single-player version of serverinfo.
in_initjoy 0 disables the initialization of your joystick. If you prefer the mouse and don't use your joystick, putting this in your config.cfg file may speed up game loading somewhat.
in_joystick 0 disables or 1 enables your joystick. The default is 0. If your joystick doesn't work, check to be sure set in_joystick "1" is in your config.cfg file (located in your baseq2 directory). The "set" and the quotes around the 1 are required in the config file, but are not at the command line.
in_mouse 0 disables or 1 enables your mouse. The default is 0. If your mouse doesn't work, check to be sure set in_mouse "1" is in your config.cfg file (located in your baseq2 directory). The "set" and the quotes around the 1 are required in the config file, but are not at the command line.
intensity GL command for adjusting display brightness.
invdrop Drops an inventory item for your teammate to pick up
inven Displays the inventory screen.
invnext Selects the next item in your inventory list
invnextp Selects the next powerup in your inventory list
invnextw Selects the next weapon in your inventory list
invprev Selects the previous item in your inventory list
invprevp Selects the previous powerup in your inventory list
invprevw Selects the previous weapon item in your inventory list
invuse Uses an inventory item.
joyadvanced Determines whether an advanced joystick is used. Must be set to 1 manually or in a file before Quake 2 recognizes an advanced joystick.
joyadvancedupdate Tells Quake if an advanced joystick is being used. The joyadvance variable must be set first
joyadvaxisu Remaps the R axis of an advanced joystick. The joyadvance variable must be set first. Values are 0: Axis not used; 1: Used for forward and backward movement; 2: Pitch; 3: Sideways movement; 4: Yaw. Add 16 to the number to make it a relative movement.
joyadvaxisv Remaps the V axis of an advanced joystick. The joyadvance variable must be set first. Values are 0: Axis not used; 1: Used for forward and backward movement; 2: Pitch; 3: Sideways movement; 4: Yaw. Add 16 to the number to make it a relative movement.
joyadvaxisx Remaps the X axis of an advanced joystick. The joyadvance variable must be set first. Values are 0: Axis not used; 1: Used for forward and backward movement; 2: Pitch; 3: Sideways movement; 4: Yaw. Add 16 to the number to make it a relative movement.
joyadvaxisy Remaps the Y axis of an advanced joystick. The joyadvance variable must be set first. Values are 0: Axis not used; 1: Used for forward and backward movement; 2: Pitch; 3: Sideways movement; 4: Yaw. Add 16 to the number to make it a relative movement.
joyadvaxisz Remaps the Z axis of an advanced joystick. The joyadvance variable must be set first. Values are 0: Axis not used; 1: Used for forward and backward movement; 2: Pitch; 3: Sideways movement; 4: Yaw. Add 16 to the number to make it a relative movement.
joy_forwardsensitivity Controls the sensitivity of the joystick's forward or backward movement.
joy_forwardthreshold Controls the front and back dead zone. Default is .15, or 15%
joy_name Tells Quake 2 what kind of joystick you are using. Issued by itself returns the name of the joystick. If you have a non-advanced joystick it will return "joystick".
joy_pitchsensitivity Controls the sensitivity of the joystick's movement looking up or down
joy_pitchthreshold Controls the up and down dead zone. Default is .15, or 15%
joy_sidesensitivity Controls the sensitivity of the joystick's sideways movement.
joy_sidethreshold Controls the left and right dead zone. Default is .15, or 15%
joy_upsensitivity Controls the sensitivity of the joystick's upward movement.
joy_yawsensitivity Controls the joystick's sensitivity looking left and right
joy_yawthreshold Controls the dead zone looking left and right. Default is .15, or 15%
kill Kill yourself.
+klook Makes the up and down arrows look up or down, instead of moving forward and backward
-klook Makes the up and down arrows move forward and backward, instead of looking up and down (default)
link Similar to the DOS command SUBST, it makes Quake 2 "think" that one path is really another. For example, if you had a second baseq2 directory named altbase (perhaps with a separate set of configs, maps, etc.), issueing link baseq2 altbase as a parameter when calling Quake 2 from Windows would make Quake 2 use files in the altbase folder instead of the baseq2 folder.
load Loads a saved game. Only useful if you want to remap your F3 key to something else.
+lookdown
+lookup Makes you look up or down.
map Loads a custom map or demo
mapname Returns the name of the current map. Works for both built-in maps and user-created maps.
menu_addressbook Brings up the internet address book
menu_downloadoptions Brings up the download options menu (3.17 and later only)
menu_joinserver Brings up the "active servers" list
menu_keys Brings up the "keys" menu
menu_load game Brings up the "load saved game" menu. Only useful if you want to remap the F3 key.
menu_multiplayer Brings up the multiplayer menu
menu_options Brings up the "options" menu
menu_playerconfig Brings up the Player Configuration menu
menu_quit Exits the game after prompt
menu_video Brings up the video menu
messagemode Puts you in "message mode". What you type is interpreted as a message to other players. The 1 key will respond with "your name: 1". The enter key sends the message as if you typed it in at the command console. This seems to be time sensitive, and there may be additional functions that go with this command; I'm still experimenting with it.
messagemode2 Same as messagemode, except only your team members hear your messages.
m_forward Changes mouse sensitivity moving forward and backeard. The default is 1.
m_filter m_filter 1 makes aiming more precise. It should be the default, but isn't, probably so John Carmak won't have to give up another Lamborgini. It's also possible that it makes aiming less precise on some systems.
+mlook Makes the mouse and joystick look up or down, instead of moving forward and backward.
-mlook Makes the mouse and joystick move forward and backward, instead of looking up and down (default)
modellist Lists all models, file names and paths, and file sizes.
m_pitch Changes how sensitive your mouse is when looking up and down. The default is 0.022
m_side Changes how sensitive your mouse is when moving left or right. The default is 0.8
m_yaw Changes how sensitive your mouse is when looking left and right. The default is 0.022
name Changes your Quake name. If you want to have spaces in it, put it in quotes.
path Displays paths to files needed by the game. Helpful for trying to find out why a downloaded mod doesn't work.
play Plays a .wav file or a sound. You could conceivably record the DOOM midis as .wav files, and use them with the "play" command to have "Super Doom". You could also have an exec command file that starts a server, then plays a custom .wav to alert you when all the skins and stuff were done loading. The files must be in baseq2\sound
playerlist Causes the server to give you a text list of the players on the server, including their connect time, score, ping, and spectator status. This is handy if not everyone fits on the scoreboard on busy servers. 3.19 and up only.
quit Exits the game without the "Quit: y/n?" prompt. Bind this to your F10 key to disable the prompt.
run_pitch Determines how far forward and backward you bob while walking and running. if run_pitch and run_roll are both set to 0 your movements are as smooth as playing Wolfenstein, Quake's Grandpa.
r_novis 1 causes Quake 2 to create a VIS table. The test showed no change between o (default) and 1 on my machine; it seemed slightly slower set to 1. Please send me an email if you have more info about this command.
run_roll Determines how far right and left you weave while walking and running. if run_pitch and run_roll are both set to 0 your movements are as smooth as playing Wolfenstein, Quake's Grandpa. A high number makes you stagger like a drunk.
savegame Saves your game in the specified directory
say Makes Quake 2 interpret what you type as a message, instead of a command. For example, if you type say alias k jump the response will be FROGLEGS: ALIAS K JUMP, instead of remapping the "k" key to "jump". This assumes your name is "Froglegs".
say_team Only your teammates can "hear" the message.
scr_conspeed Determines how fast the console drops when you hit the tilde (`) key. The default is 3, anything from 20 to 50 drops it in the blink of an eye, depending on your machine's speed.
sensitivity Changes sensitivity of your mouse in all directions. You can go past what's allowed in the menu selection.
server info lists information about the server. Info listed is the map's file name, creation date, map's game name, the maximum number of clients, variable listings for protocol and cheats, the time limit, the frag limit, deathmatch flags, and version number. Just use GameSpy instead and you'll have this info before you join the game.
set Sets the value of a Quake 2 variable. Most variables can be set without the set command. You can initialize a new variable with this command. For example, you can set x 1, and if you then issue sensitivity x, your mouse sensitivity will be set to 1.
s_khz sampling frequency in KHz. 11 for performance, or 22 for sound quality.
skin Use this command to set up keys to quickly change your name and skin, just in case you've done something really stupid. Also useful if you're superstitious and your "lucky" skin isn't working.
s_loadas8bit Setting this variable to 0 loads sound as 16 bit files (8 bit is the default). The command doesn't take effect untill the next level.
snd_restart Restarts the sound.
soundinfo Returns information about the sound setup