Quake 2 Rerelease Third-Person Camera System – Detailed Overview

This mod implements an advanced third-person camera system for Quake 2 Rerelease that brings a modern, cinematic perspective to the classic game. It features smooth camera movement, robust collision detection, precise aiming adjustments, and a dedicated player avatar that mirrors your in-game actions in real time.

Video Overview

GitHub Links

Repository: https://github.com/EricsonWillians/quake2-modded-dll
Release v0.1.0: https://github.com/EricsonWillians/quake2-modded-dll/releases/tag/v0.1.0

Features

• Smooth Camera Movement: The camera follows the player with configurable smoothing parameters including distance, height, and side offsets. Linear interpolation ensures fluid transitions.
• Intelligent Collision Detection: Multi-layered collision handling prevents the camera from clipping through walls and exposing areas beyond the level boundaries.
• Sky Box Detection: Ensures that the camera does not reveal views of the external environment.
• Precise Aiming System: An enhanced targeting mechanism computes accurate aiming directions, keeping weapon fire aligned with the visual crosshair.
• Player Avatar Visualization: A dedicated entity mirrors the player’s state and animations, ensuring continuous visual representation even when the main entity is hidden.
• Customizable Settings: Easily adjust camera parameters in-game using CVARs.
  

Technical Implementation

1. Camera System:
The camera positioning algorithm calculates a desired position behind the player and adjusts it based on collision detection and smoothing:


vec3_t desiredPos = playerEyePos - (forward * effective_distance) + (right * effective_side);
desiredPos.z += effective_height;

// Collision handling
HandleCameraCollision(ent, playerEyePos, desiredPos, cameraPos);

// Smooth transitions
ent->client->ps.viewoffset = LerpVec(ent->client->ps.viewoffset, targetViewOffset, effective_smooth);


2. Player Avatar System:
A separate avatar entity is generated to represent the player visually in third-person view. This entity copies the player’s state and uses the designated player model:


// Copy entity state from player
avatar->s = ent->s;
avatar->s.modelindex = 255; // Player model index


3. Aiming System:
The mod projects a trace from the player's eye position to compute an accurate aim point. This ensures weapon fire remains precise even in third-person mode:


vec3_t dir = self->client->thirdperson_target - start;
float length = dir.length();
if (length > 0) {
aimdir = dir * (1.0f / length);
}


Configuration Variables

The following console variables (CVARs) control the behavior of the third-person camera:

• sv_thirdperson: Enables (1) or disables (0) third-person view.
• tp_distance: Sets the camera distance from the player (default: 64).
• tp_height: Adjusts the vertical offset of the camera.
• tp_side: Sets the horizontal side offset (positive values move the camera to the right).
• tp_smooth: Determines the smoothing factor for camera movement (range: 0.0–1.0, default: 0.5).
  

Usage & Installation

Player Commands:
To toggle third-person view, bind a key (e.g., F3) to the command:

bind f3 "thirdperson"


Console Variables:
These settings can be entered in the console or added to your autoexec.cfg:

sv_thirdperson 1 // Enable third-person view
tp_distance 80 // Set camera distance to 80 units
tp_height 16// Raise camera by 16 units
tp_side 12 // Offset camera 12 units to the right
tp_smooth 0.7 // Set camera smoothing to 70%


Installation Instructions:

• Compile the project to generate the new game_x64.dll.
• Navigate to your Quake 2 Rerelease installation directory, then open the rerelease/baseq2 folder.
• It is advisable to back up your original game_x64.dll (e.g., as game_x64_backup.dll).
• Replace the existing game_x64.dll with the newly compiled version.
  

Integration & Engine Hooks

The mod integrates into the Quake 2 engine by hooking into essential functions:

• ClientBeginServerFrame – Updates the third-person view each frame.
• ClientThink – Processes player input and updates camera positioning.
• Weapon Firing Functions – Adjusts the aiming direction for accurate targeting in third-person mode.
  

Collision Detection & Animation Handling

Collision Detection:
The system employs multi-layered collision detection:

• Primary ray casting from the player to the desired camera position.
• Proximity probes detect nearby walls and adjust the camera position accordingly.
• Sky detection prevents the camera from showing areas outside the level.
  

Animation Handling:
The player avatar’s animations are managed by copying the player’s frame properties and adjusting view angles for natural movement:

// Copy entity state
avatar->s = ent->s;
avatar->s.modelindex = 255;

// Set proper rotation for third-person appearance
avatar->s.angles[YAW] = ent->client->v_angle[YAW];
avatar->s.angles[PITCH] = 0;
avatar->s.angles[ROLL] = 0;


Troubleshooting & Future Enhancements

• If the camera clips through walls, try adjusting tp_distance or tp_side.
• For jerky movement, consider increasing the tp_smooth value.
• Animation glitches may occur as the state machine is still under development.
• Future updates will improve crosshair alignment with the native crosshair and introduce additional camera modes.
  

Performance Considerations & Future Development

The system is optimized for efficiency:

• The player avatar is created only when necessary.
• Collision detection uses a limited number of ray casts to minimize performance impact.
• Smooth interpolation ensures minimal effect on frame rates.
  

Future improvements include enhanced animation handling, new camera modes (e.g., over-shoulder, cinematic), and further refinements to the aiming system and crosshair integration.

Enjoy the enhanced third-person perspective in Quake 2 Rerelease and please share your feedback and suggestions for future improvements!