Red Faction Quick Start Guide

Welcome to the Red Faction Quick Start Guide!

Essentials

• Recommended game version/client: Alpine Faction
  • Alpine Faction is the most fully featured Red Faction client ever released, and is recommended for all purposes. It is free, open source, and community-developed.
  • It resolves countless bugs with the game, fixes virtually all compatibility issues with modern computers, and adds many very useful features. Furthermore, the Red Faction Campaign, as well as many custom levels and mods, simply won't function properly without it. There is no downside to using Alpine Faction, and it is highly recommended you install it if you wish to play or host servers for Red Faction.
  • You can read more about, and download Alpine Faction here: Alpine Faction

• Join the community! Red Faction Community Discord
  • The community is approachable, and very welcoming to both new and old school players alike. If you like Red Faction, you'll fit right in.
  • Join by clicking: Here

Quick Links

• Discord - Invite link to join the Red Faction Community Discord: where the community lives, and the place to ask questions, receive assistance, or find players.
• Alpine Faction - Information and download link for the modern Red Faction client: Alpine Faction.
• Red Faction FAQ - FAQ page providing answers to common questions and solutions to common issues.
• FactionFiles.com - FactionFiles community file host, offering thousands of custom maps and mods.
• Red Faction Console Commands - Complete listing of all available console commands in Red Faction.
• Red Faction Command Line Parameters - Complete listing of all available command line parameters in Red Faction.
• RF1 Editing Main Page - Comprehensive community knowledgebase on level creation via the Red Faction Level Editor, and mod development.
• Red Faction Multiplayer Guide - Overview of the most important aspects of RF multiplayer.
• Red Faction Locations - Overview of all the levels in the RF stock single player campaign.

Settings

In-Game Settings

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  Options button

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  Game options

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  Video options

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  Audio options

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  Controls options

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  Advanced visual options (Alpine Faction only)

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  Advanced UI options (Alpine Faction only)

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  Advanced input options (Alpine Faction only)

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  Advanced misc options (Alpine Faction only)

• Game Options
  • Difficulty Level - Set difficulty for single player. Affects damage taken from enemy weapon fire, amount of ammo/health/armor obtained from pickups, and duration of countdown timers. Also configurable in-game via the sp_difficulty console command. (in Alpine Faction)
  • Show 1st Person Weapon - Toggle visibility of first person weapon models.
  • Autoswitch Weapons - Toggle autoswitch for non-explosive weapons (as per priority specified in Autoswitch Priority).
  • Autoswitch Explosives - Toggle autoswitch for explosive weapons (as per priority specified in Autoswitch Priority).
  • Autoswitch Priority - Priority for weapon autoswitch (if turned on, see above). When you pick up a new weapon, if autoswitch is turned on and the new weapon is higher in the priority list, switch to the new weapon. Move up and Move down move the selected weapon in the priority list.
• Video Options
  • Detail Level - Set video options preset. Available options are Low, Medium, High, and Custom. Automatically changes to Custom if you edit any settings manually.
  • Shadows - Toggle visibility of circle shadows under enemy player models.
  • Decals - Toggle visibility of bullet and blast decals on geometry.
  • Dynamic lighting - Toggle visibility of dynamic lighting (including level dynamic lights, muzzle flashes; light emitted from projectiles; glows coming from players with powerups or CTF flags)
  • Texture resolution - Set texture resolution. Available options are Low, Medium, and High. High renders textures at their native resolution, medium scales them down by a factor of 2, low scales them down by a factor of 4.
  • Character detail - Set model detail level. Despite label, this option sets detail level for all models, not just characters. Available options are Low, Medium, and High.
  • Filtering - Set filtering level. Available options are bilinear and trilinear. Also configurable in-game via the r_trilinearfiltering console command. (in Alpine Faction)
  • Gamma/brightness - Sets gamma for the game window. Also configurable in-game via the r_gamma console command. (in Alpine Faction)
• Sound Options
  • Sound Effects Volume - Set volume for any sounds that are not considered music or messages.
  • Music Volume - Set volume for all music tracks in game. Note that in come custom multiplayer maps, music is configured to use Sound Effects Volume instead.
  • Messages Volume - Set volume for HUD radio messages (from Eos, Hendrix, Capek, etc.)
  • Environment Sounds Multiplier (Alpine Faction only) - Set volume multiplier (of Sound Effects Volume) which is used for environmental and ambient sounds in levels.
• Controls Options
  • Mouse Sensitivity - Set sensitivity modifier for mouse input. Also configurable in-game via the ms console command. (in Alpine Faction)
  • Mouse Y-Invert - Invert Y axis for mouse input.
  • Binds - Set available binds. Double click on a bind to set it, or select it and click Change Binding.
  • Default - Reset all available binds to their default settings.
• Advanced Options (Alpine Faction only)
  • Advanced Visual Options
    • Enemy bullets - Show impact effects for weapons fired by other players.
    • Lightmaps only - Disable all level textures and show only lightmaps. In multiplayer, this option only has an effect if allowed by the server.
    • Weapon shake - Allow camera shake for weapon fire. Applies to Submachine Gun and Assault Rifle in base game. In multiplayer, this option only has an effect if allowed by the server.
    • Horizontal FOV - Set the horizontal field of view for the player camera.
    • Gun FOV mod - Set the global modifier to the field of view value used for first person weapon models.
    • Max FPS - Set the maximum framerate for your client. In multiplayer, a maximum of 240 is enforced unless the server has allowed uncapped framerates.
    • Simulation dist - Set the maximum distance at which animations will be played for skeletal meshes.
    • LOD scale - Set the scale value applied to the level of detail mesh quality transition distance.
    • Full light range - Control whether the full range of available colours is used for rendering lights in legacy levels. If unselected, legacy lightmap clamping is applied (minimum colour value of RGB 32-32-32). Note that levels made for Alpine Faction are unaffected by this option and will always have access to the full range of available colours.
    • View shake (SP) - Global switch for camera shake in all instances (weapon fire, environmental effects, impacts, etc.) Applied in single player only. Note that in single player, if this option is turned on, the setting of the "weapon shake" option is ignored - all camera shake is disabled regardless.
    • Ricochet FX (MP) - Display ricochet visual effects in multiplayer. Note that ricochets deal no damage in multiplayer and are purely visual.
    • Fullbright models - Control whether skeletal meshes (like player models) are displayed with fully bright lighting for increased visibility. If disabled, skeletal meshes use environmental lighting (like static meshes). In multiplayer, this option only has an effect if allowed by the server.
    • Mesh static light - Control whether to use static lighting for meshes. If disabled, flat ambient lighting is used for meshes instead.
    • Nearest filtering - Render using nearest neighbour texture filtering (hard pixel edges).
    • Light glares - Control whether glares are displayed for light fixture static meshes.
    • Muzzle lights - Control whether weapon fire causes blinking dynamic lights. In multiplayer, this option only has an effect if allowed by the server.
    • Entity LOD (MP) - If enabled, use level of detail mesh transitions for skeletal meshes (ie. other players) in multiplayer. If disabled, use fully detailed meshes regardless of distance.
    • Vertical sync - Wait for vertical sync. Reduces tearing at the cost of increased input lag.
  • Advanced Interface Options
    • Big HUD - Use larger scaled HUD elements (recommended at high resolutions).
    • Hit numbers - Display damage numbers when you damage enemies in multiplayer (if enabled by the server).
    • Show FPS - Show current framerate in upper right corner.
    • Show ping - Show current ping/latency in upper right corner when connected to a multiplayer server.
    • Damage flash - Flash the screen red when you suffer damage.
    • Death bars - Show letterbox-style red bars at top and bottom of the screen when you're dead in multiplayer.
    • Reticle scale - Scale value applied to reticle/crosshair.
    • CTF icons - Show World HUD sprite icons for flags in the capture the flag multiplayer mode.
    • Icon overdraw - Show World HUD sprite icons through all level geometry.
    • Scoreboard anim - Play a short animation when the scoreboard appears and disappears in multiplayer.
    • Label teammates - Show World HUD text labels for your teammates' names over their head in multiplayer.
    • Minimal timer - Disable the "Time Left:" text before round clock in multiplayer.
    • Target names - Show player names on the HUD when you hover your reticle/crosshair over them in multiplayer.
  • Advanced Input Options
    • DirectInput - Enable mouse DirectInput. If disabled, classic/legacy input mode is used instead.
    • Linear pitch - Use linear pitch curve for mouse movement. If disabled, classic/legacy pitch curve is used instead, which makes mouse movement slow down when you look up or down.
    • Swap AR - Swap primary and alternate fire control binds for the Assault Rifle.
    • Swap Grenade - Swap primary and alternate fire control binds for the Grenade.
    • Swap Shotgun - Swap primary and alternate fire control binds for the Shotgun.
    • Mouse sensitivity - Set mouse sensitivity value numerically. Note this is the same value as can be set via slider in the "Controls" option screen.
    • Scanner modifier - Modifier applied to mouse sensitivity when using a Rail Driver thermal scanner.
    • Scope modifier - Modifier applied to mouse sensitivity when using a Sniper Rifle or Precision Rifle scope.
    • Linear scope - Control whether mouse sensitivity when in a scope is static (linear) or scales dynamically based on scope level.
    • Toggle crouch - If enabled, crouch key is an on/off toggle. If disabled, crouch applies only when the crouch key is held.
  • Advanced Misc Options
    • Hit sounds - Play a sound when you damage enemies in multiplayer (if enabled by the server).
    • Taunt sounds - Play voice lines when taunts are used in multiplayer.
    • Autosave - Automatically create a checkpoint save at the start of every level in single player.
    • Join beep - Play a tone when a player joins the multiplayer server you are in, if your game is minimized or otherwise out of focus.
    • Pain sounds - Play pain sounds when you or other entities are damaged.
    • Team radio msgs - Play voice lines when team radio messages are received in multiplayer.
    • Global radio msgs - Play voice lines when global radio messages are received in multiplayer.
    • Gaussian spread - Use gaussian bullet spread randomness method (bell-curve distribution weighted to center of reticle). If disabled, use legacy uniform randomness bullet spread method. Note that this setting only applies in single player. In multiplayer, the server decides the bullet spread method to use.
    • Randomize bomb - If enabled, a random code is used for the bomb. If disabled, a consistent (predictable) code is used instead.
    • FactionFiles Link Status - If Alpine Faction is already linked to your FactionFiles account, this displays your username. If not, it provides a link to the account linking instructions.