OpenGL and YOU

[.:. PRETIACRVENTO .:.]

For anyone reading this, if you're using OpenGL in the original Quake2, try this:
1: go to the console and enter:
gl_texturemode GL_NEAREST_MIPMAP_NEAREST
the available settings are:
GL_NEAREST
GL_NEAREST_MIPMAP_NEAREST
GL_NEAREST_MIPMAP_LINEAR
GL_LINEAR
GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_NEAREST (the default)
GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR (i.e. trilinear)
2: set the resolution to a low setting, like 640x480 or less. These tend to obfuscate the lowish resolution of the textures
Also, adjust the gamma if necessary. You might try increasing the value of gl_modulate if you want to brighten things, but be warned this will wash out white and light-colored textures and only makes darker parts brighter. Enter vid_restart to make sure all the changes are applied.
This also works with the KMQuake2 source port, which does an all-around better job by using modern OpenGL and fixes the problem with excessive darkness.

One advantage of the software renderer is that it uses pre-rendered mipmaps which are part of the .WAL format. These look better (I think) than the on-the-fly mipmaps that OpenGL generates. And waterwarp (when you're underwater) was always cool. One problem is that transparency is completely broken in version 3.20. I think this came about from a repair to an obscure crash that could happen when rendering transparent surfaces with the "warp" property (like water).

Older folks like myself might remember reading the criticism for Q2's OpenGL support, for making the game look very muddy compared to the point filtered software renderer, despite the pixelation and lack of colored lighting. This way, the textures will look sharper.

[Thermal Lance]

Or use this!

http://www.moddb.com/mods/quake-2-xp/downloads/quake2xp-1266-quakeexpo-2016-edition

I mean, I love old games... But there is no way the software renderer can beat that package. Makes the environment on par with modern post 2010 games. Only thing that makes it look dated is the models for the weapons and enemies. In the case of weapons, not much can be done as nobody really made updated models to use with Quake 2 XP. But on the enemy side it isn't much of a problem. Their angular models combined with the new bumpmapping and lightning effects actually looks pretty darn good. Wait until you see a berserker in a dark corner with some lights coming in.... Youll be as terrified as you were in '97.

If anything, it truely is the best way to play it nowadays. While your statement is true about opengl making the game look washed off and all muddy. With this pack... let's just say the downsides are now prettymuch burried under the pile of good stuff.

And for some reason, the game being darker in the process really gives it a better atmosphere... way more immersive.

[Butane]

Nothing beats Quake 2 on the Yamagi source port. All it needs is a software render for the true software look.