Quake II dedicated server: which client joins, how to connect, rcon

Quake II still has a small, loyal online crowd: deathmatch, CTF and the campaign in co-op. The catch is the client. The 2023 remaster cannot join any hosted server, so you need a classic client. Here is which one to use, how to connect and how to run your server.

Which Quake II to launch

• Not the 2023 remaster: Its connect command is deprecated, so it cannot join our servers or any classic Quake II server.
• Yamagi Quake II or Q2PRO: Free modern clients for the original game. Any resolution, widescreen, modern rendering. Popular with the players still online.
• Quake II Original: In Steam, press Play and pick Quake II Original. It works, but it looks dated.
• Skip The Reckoning and Ground Zero: Our servers run the original game, not the mission packs. For online play, pick Quake II Original.

Set up Yamagi Quake II with your Steam files

1. Download Yamagi Quake II from yamagi.org and unzip it.
2. Copy pak0.pak, pak1.pak and pak2.pak from Steam/steamapps/common/Quake 2/baseq2/ into Yamagi's baseq2 folder.
3. For CTF, also copy ctf/pak0.pak into Yamagi's ctf folder.
4. Start it and set your resolution in Options, Video.

How to connect

• Console: Press the key below Esc, left of 1 (~ on a US keyboard), and type the connect line from your server card, for example connect 203.0.113.7:27910.
• Password: On a private server, the line on your server card already starts with password YOURPASSWORD, so paste it as it is. Typing by hand? Enter the password first, then connect.
• No room codes: Classic Quake II joins by address only. Room codes belong to the remaster's lobbies.
• Your name: Type name YourName in the console, or everyone sees the default name.

Modes

• Deathmatch: The eight q2dm maps in rotation, from The Edge to WareHouse.
• Capture the Flag: The official Threewave CTF on the five q2ctf maps.
• Co-op campaign: The whole single-player story for up to 4 players. The enemies are the normal Strogg monsters. Quake II has no bots, so deathmatch and CTF are humans only.

Run your server with rcon

The rcon password on your server card makes you the admin. Use the web console in your browser, or the game console:

• rcon_password YOURRCONPASSWORD: log in once per session.
• rcon status: list the players and their ping.
• rcon say hello: message everyone.
• rcon gamemap q2dm1: change map in deathmatch, or use a q2ctf map on a CTF server.
• rcon map base2: jump the co-op campaign to another level.

Deploy a Quake II server by the hour

See also

• Quake II server commands: maps, limits, kick and ban
• How to host a Quake III Arena dedicated server