Playing Combat+ with Custom Maps tutorial

Hello patient fans. In anticipation for project release (soon!), the following is a tutorial for playing user maps from Quaddicted.com with Combat+, and a compiled list of some of the map packs I tested the mod with and greately enjoyed.

First you will want to go to Quaddicted.com, an excellent database for various Quake maps made over the years, complete with descriptions, ratings, a filter for the type of maps you want, as well as information regarding the file contents. Combat+ is compatible with ALL maps that do not modify progs.dat
See circled in red in the below screenshot:

Installation is next. Often you can simply extract to ...\[your Quake directory]\quake\quake15\maps and get right to playing. Note that all map files in this folder can be accessed in-game with the BACKSPACE key, which brings up a map selection menu. Here you can also change the difficulty at any time by pressing END, which is great for custom maps that do not have a built-in difficulty selection level.

For any custom maps that require their own folder within the quake directory, follow the mod's install instructions. When done right click 'Run Combat+.bat' and select "edit". Whatever this map pack's folder is named, you'll need to add the parameter '-game [map folder name]'. So for example when installing the excellent Cimmerian Nights mini-episode, the extracted folder is called "cimmerian", so I need to add the parameter '-game cimmerian' to 'Run Combat+.bat'. See below example.



Make sure -game quake15 is also present. Also note the command +skill 3. You can optionally add additional engine boot up commands here if you're familiar with them. In this case it will start with difficulty nightmare. +skill 2 for hard +skill 1 for normal +skill 0 for easy. The new Nightmare+ mode on the other hand is accessed in-game via the HOME key, and can be combined with any difficulty level if you want, not strictly nightmare.

"So which map packs have you tested this mod with, are they worthwhile?"

Oh yes, many. Always tested with nightmare+ difficulty. A lot of good content out there. Here is just a sample of what I have played and recommend:

First, some map packs released as episodic structure:

Cimmerian Nights
Dopa (already comes bundled with the mod - use backspace key to access map select - E4M1)
Empire of Disorder v2.2
orlmaps
qBlack
Beyond Belief
Coldlight
Contract Revoked
Deathmatch Classics Vol. 1
Deathmatch Classics Vol. 2
Deathmatch Classics Vol. 3
Squire of Time
Orlmap Series 2: The first half
Area51
DMxSP
City2000
Realm of Tiddles
Digs04
DMxSP
Prodigy_se (warning! extremely hard)
Reload
Ravisod

Then, a collection of super cool map jams (map packs with a specific theme but each level is a standalone design). Don't overlook these, oftentimes they can be better than the above episodes.

Retrojam1
Retrojam2
Retrojam3
Retrojam4
Retrojam5
Retrojam6
Retrojam7
Quake 25th Anniversary Limits Jam
Qump (Quake Upstart Mapping Project)
dm4Jam
Func Map Jam 1
Func Map Jam 2
Func Map Jam 6
unusedJam
RMX Pack
Quake Turtlemap 2
Coagula Contest 3
Quake Condensed (RPGSMSE)

You can find all of these @ Quaddicted.com

Happy Quaking. I will try to keep this updated over time as a database of good content to play with C+.
Many releases are just one single map, and they are often worth playing, but I am aiming to exclude them here as there are far too many, and ideally players want map packs to indulge in, not having to download and install one map at a time, and furthermore Episodes are ideal for gameplay progression spanning multiple maps.