idtech 4 game editing and modding hints & tips

On this page you'll find basic but essential hints and tips for editing idTech4 powered games (formally known as the 'Doom 3' engine); currently Quake Wars, Quake 4, Prey and Doom 3. Whether you're level editing and designing, building and importing custom models or creating new texture sets for the games listed above, you should find the following Quick Fire Comments® useful.

If you can't see a useful tip listed send it in.

3rd Person Perspective

The following commands can be used to do various things whilst in the 3rd person perspective mode in Doom 3 powered games; they can be enabled 'per session' via the in game console or by 'perma-marking' them in an NPC or Player characters *.def file.

  • pm_thirdperson 1
    0/1 toggles third person perspective off/on.
  • pm_thirdpersonrange 80
    distance between camera and NPC/Player; 80+ will allow the camera to view most of the characters body.
  • pm_thirdpersonangle 0
    position of camera relative to player '0' is directly behind the NPC/Player, '180' is directly in front looking back at the NPC/Player.
  • pm_thirdpersonheight 55
    Height angle of camera relative to horizontal - for better camera positional control use 'normalheight'.
  • pm_normalheight 74
    Height of character relative to ground standing upright.
  • pm_normalviewheight 68
    Sets the height of camera from the ground to the approximate eye level of NPC/Player characters, i.e. camera is looking at the world from the characters eye level point of view.
  • pm_deadheight 20
    Height of character relative to the ground on (ragdoll) death.
  • pm_deadviewheight 10
    Camera distance from the ground when NPC/Player is 'dead', i.e. lying flat on the ground. 

Design note : if using the parameters in a *.def file, the commands and values need to be encased in quotation marks ("). Most commands have a 'maximum' value of input after which nothing will happen, or in worst case scenarios, will crash the game.

Posted 12 May 2006 by quake3bits

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