What is Quake II for Dreamcast?

Quake II for Dreamcast is an open-source port of Quake 2. An existing game or its source code brought to another platform. The original game ran on Dreamcast.

Do I need the original game files to run Quake II for Dreamcast?

Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy. Requires either Quake II demo version data files or the original commercial CD-ROM.

How is Quake II for Dreamcast licensed?

project: GPL (Quake II source code); project: GPL (whole software); ID: limited right to distribute, free of charge and by electronic means only (Quake II Demo version Data files). The repository itself is the authoritative source.

Quake II for Dreamcast

PortHaltedSemi-playableDreamcast

An existing game or its source code brought to another platform.

Based on Quake 2

Links, repository & details

About

Quake II is a 1997 first-person shooter developed by id Software in which a lone space marine invades the alien Strogg homeworld to end their war against Earth. This is an unofficial Dreamcast port of Quake II, using a software renderer only, with no OpenGL or hardware-accelerated path, running from either the game's demo data files or a full commercial CD-ROM install. It supports custom maps, full controller input, and VMU save compression.

How it differs from the original

Compared to the PC original, this port drops network multiplayer, disables CD-DA soundtrack playback, and turns off in-game sound to conserve the Dreamcast's limited memory, running through a software-only renderer rather than a hardware-accelerated one.

Getting started

It runs from a burned CD-R or real CD-ROM in a specific Quake II directory layout, or over a PC via dcload-ip, reading either the demo version's data files or a full commercial install. Extra mods and maps can be added and listed in a simple game-selection file, though mods bundling a native Windows game library can't run without being recompiled for the Dreamcast's CPU.

Known issues & limitations

rendering: Software renderer only; no OpenGL support.
audio: Sound is disabled to save memory.
features: CD-DA music is disabled.
features: No network support.

What you need to run it

Original game files required. The project ships code only; you provide your own copy of the game (Dreamcast version). Requires either Quake II demo version data files or the original commercial CD-ROM.

You need either the demo-version data files or a commercial CD-ROM.

Features

You can use a gamepad, mouse, or keyboard for control.
The game can save to Visual Memory with zlib compression and an icon.

How to install

Set the joypad configuration in Options/Customize Control before starting.

Summarised from the project's README.

Credits & contributing

Built by BERO, the same developer behind the Dreamcast port of the original Quake.

FAQ

What is Quake II for Dreamcast?: Quake II for Dreamcast is an open-source port of Quake 2. An existing game or its source code brought to another platform. The original game ran on Dreamcast.
Do I need the original game files to run Quake II for Dreamcast?: Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy. Requires either Quake II demo version data files or the original commercial CD-ROM.
How is Quake II for Dreamcast licensed?: project: GPL (Quake II source code); project: GPL (whole software); ID: limited right to distribute, free of charge and by electronic means only (Quake II Demo version Data files). The repository itself is the authoritative source.