Challenge ProMode Arena
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| Challenge ProMode Arena | |
|---|---|
 Official logo |
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| Developer(s) | CPMA team |
| Designer(s) | Concept Richard "Hoony" Sandlant Gameplay design leads |
| Engine | id Tech 3 (Quake III Arena) |
| Platform(s) | Macintosh, PC (Linux/Windows) |
| Release date | beta 3 March 24, 2000 1.0 August 28, 2000 |
| Latest release | 1.46 / April 27, 2008 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Media | Digital distribution |
Challenge ProMode Arena (CPMA, formerly Challenge ProMode (CPM), unofficially Promode) is a free modification for id Software's first-person shooter computer game Quake III Arena (Q3A). CPMA provides a gamemode which includes physics allowing for air-control, rebalanced weapons, fast weapon switching, and improvements of jumping techniques. It also provides a vanilla (unmodified physics engine) Quake III (VQ3) support, Multiview GTV and demo technology, enhanced bots AI, new maps, etc.
Challenge ProMode Arena became the primary competitive mod for Q3A since the Cyberathlete Professional League announced CPMA as its basis for competition.[1] The mod has its own division in Cyberathlete Amateur League,[2] and also has its own competitions and leagues.
CPMA physics has been implemented in other Q3A notable modifications—DeFRaG and Orange Smoothie Productions (OSP).
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[edit] Development
The Challenge ProMode project was created by Richard "Hoony" Sandlant in May 1999, in the time when beta version of Quake III Arena called Q3Test has been released. The CPM goals were to make a more exciting and challenging game to play in the hope that this would help advance Q3A into a professional sport (which is the name "pro mode" come from).[3] According to the official website, John Carmack admitted a more challenging version of the game might be better for professional gamers:
If there were a small set of professional rules that I agree with in theory but have chosen not to pursue because they conflict with more common play, then an official "pro mode" might make sense. Any other suggestions along those lines?
—John Carmack, September 1999[3]
Before the design team began their work the CPM team asked the community to brainstorm a list of all the possible changes they would like to see. The designers used these suggestions in a process of tweaking and testing to develop the Challenge ProMode design. The team released two public beta versions of their work for feedback and input from the community.
On August 28, 2000 the final version 1.0 has been released. In December 2000, project changed its name to Challenge ProMode Arena. Kevin "arQon" Blenkinsopp soon became a lead programmer.
[edit] Game modes
Among typical Quake III Arena modes—Free for All (FFA), Team Deathmatch (TDM), Tournament (DM\1v1), Capture the Flag (CTF)—CPMA features new game modes:
- HoonyMode (HM) — A form of 1v1 play introduced in November 2003 which is loosely based on tennis rules. During the warm-up, two spawn-points are chosen by players (or selected randomly). One player typically has a "stronger" spawn and the other "weaker". When the game begins, a player with the strong spawn is considered to have the "serve". Each player death is treated as a point. After each point is scored, players and the arena are reset, and a new point is played. Now players switch spawn-points, so the player who had the "weak" spawn for the previous point now has the "strong" one, effecting a change of serve. All in-game behaviour (i.e. weapons, physics, etc.) remains the same as in the standard deathmatch.[4]
- Not Team Fortress (NTF) — A class-based form of Capture the Flag introduced in April 2004. Players spawn with no armour, an initial health and weapon loadout is determined by the class. Health and armour both regenerate during play. Classes are defined by the admin and can be customised extensively. By default, there are four classes—Fighter, Scout, Sniper and Tank.[4]
- arQmode (APM) — A test mode which in 2003 became the official ruleset of Challenge ProMode, also known as PM2 (PMC or Promode Classic being PM1). The main aim of mode is to decrease the damage and knock-back of high-damage hit-scan weapons to reward use of predictive weapons as well as reduce the randomness in the spawn system.
- Clan Arena (CA) — The team-play modification delivered from Rocket Arena in which every player spawns with full weaponry, health and armor.
- Freeze Tag (FTAG\FT) — The team-play modification in which the aim is freeze the entire enemy team. The player is frozen instead of being killed. A teammate can rescue him/her by standing next to the icy body for three seconds. After that, the player becomes free and joins the battle again.
- Capture Strike (CTFS) — A CTF-variation delivered from Threewave CTF for Q3A. According to the official Threewave CTF manual "Capture Strike is a fast paced blend of Capture the Flag, Rocket Arena, and Counter-Strike. Teams take turns being Offence or Defense and battle until one team is dead, or the Offense team captures the flag."[5] Each player respawns with full weaponry, health and armor.
The mod also features different gameplays:
- ProMode Classic (PMC\PM1)
- Challenge ProMode II (CPM\PM2)
- Vanilla Quake3 (VQ3)
- Challenge Quake3 (CQ3)
[edit] Notes
- ^ CPL Chooses CPMA Mod, VQ3 Ruleset. GGL (2006-07-26). Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
- ^ CAL Opens Quake 3 CPMA Division. GGL (2006-06-22). Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
- ^ a b Concept. Official wiki (August 2002). Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
- ^ a b Challenge ProMode Arena 1.45 documentation
- ^ Threewave CTF for Quake 3 Arena. Planet Quake (2001-03-10). Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
[edit] References
- CPMA History. Official wiki. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
[edit] External links
- Official website
- PromodeWiki – official wiki
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