Half-Life - Desert Crisis

Half-Life - Desert Crisis

17.10.2013 23:04:49
Guide (for v1.5)
Desert Crisis 1.5 Guide
Guide Version 0.61 by Andrew Cretella (bbobb, bbobb[sKs], theREALbbobb)
kornrage83@hotmail.com
Copyright 2003-2004

Please do not reproduce this without my express permission.

==============================================
Index
==============================================

A - General Desert Crisis Info
A1 - What is Desert Crisis(DC)?
A2 - Does anybody actually play this game? What's the server situation?
A3 - Why am I writing this guide?
B - Gameplay basics
B1 - Accuracy
B2 - Reloading
B3 - Damage System
B4 - Adrenaline, dashing, flips, and walljumps
B5 - Objectives
B6 - Time limits and Rounds
B7 - Character Selection Screen(CSS)
C - Armor
C1 - No Armor
C2 - Light Armor
C3 - Medium Armor
C4 - Heavy Armor
D - Melee weapons
D1 - Akimbo Machetes
D2 - Katana
D3 - Sledge Hammer
D4 - Throwing Knives
D5 - Big Hit Knife
D6 - Empty Fist
E - Guns
E1 - Sig P226 + akimbo
E2 - Desert Eagle .357 + akimbo
E3 - Laser Pistol + akimbo
E4 - HK Silenced USP Match + akimbo
E5 - Raging Bull + akimbo
E6 - HK MP5k + akimbo
E7 - Remington 1100 + akimbo
E8 - HK MP5/10
E9 - Franchi Spas 12
E10 - HK 33KA2
E11 - M79 Grenade Launcher
E12 - M61A1 Vulcan Chaingun
E13 - C22 Pulse Rifle
E14 - C37 Plasma Cannon
E15 - Flamethrower
E16 - C24 EM Sniper Rifle
E17 - Laser Assault Rifle
F - Extra Equipment
F1 - Fragmentation Grenades
F2 - Alarms
F3 - Extra Ammunition
F4 - Akimbo Pistols
F5 - C4
F6 - Flare Gun
F7 - Infrared Goggles
F8 - SMAW
F9 - Throwing Knives
G - Perks
G1 - Bio-Regeneration
G2 - Extra Speed
G3 - Kung Fu
G4 - Sharpshooter
G5 - Stealth
G6 - Tech
G7 - Wootastic
G8 - Shield (USA only)
G9 - Anti-Gravity(UPKO only)
H - Maps
I - Other Stuff
I1 - Version History
I2 - Acknowledgements

==============================================
A - General Desert Crisis Info
==============================================


----------------------------------------------
A1 - What is Desert Crisis(DC)?
----------------------------------------------
Desert Crisis is yet another multiplayer modification for Half Life, one of the less popular ones. DC is an objective based teamplay mod, but it doesn't aim for realism. It pits two factions, the United Peace Keeping Organization (UPKO) and United States of America (USA) against each other. The goal of each team varies with each map. However, for the most part it requires capturing all points in a map. It is set in the near future, so both modern and futuristic weapons are available. Finally, you will need either Half Life, Counter Strike retail, or perhaps Day of Defeat retail, to play it. Also note that the mod itself is free. Go to http://www.chaosdawn.com/dcdownload/ for a list of mirrors.

----------------------------------------------
A2 - Does anybody actually play this game? What's the server situation?
----------------------------------------------
Unfortunately the server situation at this point is abysmal. There's usually a server with people playing on WON, but almost never on Steam. The remnants of the Desert Crisis community that's struggling to keep it alive can be found at http://dcrisis.future-x.net

----------------------------------------------
A3 - Why am I writing this guide?
----------------------------------------------
To put it simply, I love Desert Crisis. Some people find Desert Crisis very hard to get used to, while others feel it to be exceedingly easy. I found it very hard at first, but I just kept on playing because it was so much fun. Despite what people may think, Desert Crisis actually has a respectable amount of depth, when you consider all the different combinations and styles of play. Hopefully, with this guide, I can help those people who have as much trouble with it as I had.



==============================================
B - Gameplay
==============================================

----------------------------------------------
B1 - Accuracy
----------------------------------------------
The accuracy system in Desert Crisis is far less predictable than those in other games. Some of the same rules apply in that the more stationary you are, the more accuracy you'll have. You get the best accuracy when crouching, then standing still, then walking, then jogging, and then jumping, flipping, and walljumping are last. Since DC is a rather fast paced, hectic action mod, you'll probably be shooting while running and doing stunts. It's best to crouch when you really need the precision. Generally, you'll probably only be crouching at medium to long range. In close range it's better to flip around your opponent while shooting at them instead of crouching. Desert Crisis also uses guns with multiple weapon modes. In some cases, pecking at the trigger will be rewarding. However for certain guns, you can simply change firing modes.

----------------------------------------------
B2 - Reloading
----------------------------------------------
Desert Crisis has realistic reloading. Whether your clip still has 10 bullets left in it or it's completely empty, you must reload manually. For clip fed weapons, if you don't use up all of the bullets in the clip, you will lose them when you reload. Clip fed weapons will not display how many rounds you have in reserve. Instead, you will see how many clips you have in reserve. For a weapon that accepts one (or two in the case of the akimbo 1100s) round at a time, you will not lose the rounds still in the magazine. However these guns usually take even longer to reload. These weapons will display the number of rounds in reserve. You will also not be able to see how many rounds you currently have in the clip or magazine of your weapon. Certain weapons, do not require reloading at all. They either run off of one huge supply of ammunition or do not use any ammunition.

----------------------------------------------
B3 - Damage System
----------------------------------------------
While Desert Crisis is indeed more of a death match type of game, you may sometimes find yourself feeling rather fragile. Some weapons simply happen to be very strong. Desert Crisis also has a locational damage system. So body shots will do more damage than limb shots (although it's not incredibly significant), and headshots will do the most damage (this IS incredibly significant). Headshots are easily the most effective way of taking out just about anyone, especially people with a lot of armor. It does about four times the amount of damage that a shot to the body would do. However, note that fully automatic weapons and shotguns can absolutely, never, ever get headshots. Occasionally, you may see someone's head pop off when using such a weapon, but there was no actual damage bonus. For the most part, only semi automatic and burst weapons can get headshots. I believe that occasionally flamethrowers, M79s, and Plasma Cannons can get headshots, but these instances are extremely rare (or perhaps I'm just imagining things).

----------------------------------------------
B4 - Adrenaline, Dashing, flips, and walljumps
----------------------------------------------
Desert Crisis isn't the first modification to include acrobatic stunts, but it has done the best job implementing them. The Adrenaline bar on your HUD, will drain as you do various stunts. It will regenerate over time, but not incredibly quickly, so you must watch it carefully. Jumping, dashing, flipping, and walljumping will all drain the Adrenaline bar. Jumping is not particularly useful for combat, but rather for getting on top of a ledge.

Dashing is done by holding down your dash key, giving you a noticeable speed boost, at the cost of Adrenaline. Previous versions of Desert Crisis only allowed you to move forward while dashing. 1.5 allows you to move in any direction, but you only get the actual speed boost while moving forward. You cannot shoot while dashing. This is useful for escaping a dangerous situation, rushing toward a point to stop someone from capturing, or closing the distance between yourself and other players. Unless you're using a melee weapon, dashing is primarily for evasive maneuvers.

Flipping may seem intimidating and gimmicky, but in actuality, it's easy to pull off, and incredibly useful. It's basically, Half-Life long jump. However you can do it in all directions, and there is a flipping animation for each one. Flipping is done merely by pressing your crouch and jump button simultaneously, exactly as you would do with Half Life's long jump. If you've played the original Half-Life, then this shouldn't be much of a problem. It's excellent both for evasive and offensive maneuvers. While a flip isn't as fast as dashing, it makes you harder to hit, and you can fire while doing it. Your screen's orientation doesn't change as you move, making it easy for you to shoot while flipping. Front flips are excellent when you want to get close to someone. Side flips are the best for direct conflicts. Backflips are best for when you've been ambushed or caught off guard, allowing you to retreat and fight back at the same time.

Walljumping is slightly more difficult to perform than flipping, and it's not as useful. Walljumping is done by jumping toward a wall (normal jump, not flip), then pressing your jump button again when you get close to it, allowing you to jump even higher. In a tight spot, you can keep walljumping until the point where there is no more wall, or you run out of adrenaline. Walljumping is best used for getting to places that cannot be reached by a standard jump or flip, however it can be used in combat as well. It is however, much harder to pull off a walljump in the middle of a fight. However, if you can manage it, chances are that you'll throw off your opponent. It's actually more effective in a direct conflict than flipping, so long as you make sure that you're shooting at you're enemy on the way down. It's a little harder to aim while walljumping, so if you plan to use it on combat, automatics, shotguns, and splash damage weapons will probably serve the best.

----------------------------------------------
B5 - Objectives
----------------------------------------------
Desert Crisis is said to include a modular objective system, and personally, I don't know what that actually means. It gives mappers a great deal of freedom for the design of their maps however. Objectives vary from map to map. However just about all of them will include point capturing. Points are captured by going up to the laptop that it is marked by, and hacking (holding down your use button) it. This process however, takes some time, and you cannot fire or move while doing it. This is when you really need your teammates. It's very easy to stop someone from capturing a point, so you'll need your teammates to cover you by killing or distracting opposing players. Some points may take more time to capture than others. Some maps also require you to destroy a certain object, or retrieve a certain object. Two maps, velocity, and village, eschew objectives almost entirely, require you to do nothing but kill the other team.

----------------------------------------------
B6 - Time Limits and Rounds
----------------------------------------------
You'll notice a timer on your HUD when you play Desert Crisis. What the timer displays varies from map to map, like the objectives. Some maps are played in rounds, but with continuous respawns (with the exception of village and velocity). On maps that require both teams to try to capture points, the time limit will usually either be long, or as run until the server changes map. Maps that require one team to attack, and the other to defend, usually require the attacking team to complete objectives within a certain amount of time. Rounds end when either the timer runs out, or all objectives are completed. At this point, the objectives and timer are reset, and a new round is started.

----------------------------------------------
B7 - Character Selection Screen (CSS)
----------------------------------------------
Whenever you join a game, you'll be brought to the Character Selection Screen (CSS), after choosing a team. You get to choose an armor class, a melee weapon, a perk, a primary weapon, a secondary weapon, and an extra piece of equipment. Note that certain perks restrict the types of weapons and perks you can use. A common question heard in servers is "how come I can only use pistols?", which would be due to the fact that the Wootastic perk, only allows pistols. You can change your equipment at any time during gameplay, and the changes will be effected after you die. Some maps also restrict the use of certain weapons. Certain combinations will work better than others, but there are a ton of fun, viable ones to experiment with. If you can't think of anything, just click the random button for a random setup.

==============================================
C - Armor
==============================================

----------------------------------------------
C1 - No Armor
----------------------------------------------
No armor is probably the most enjoyable armor class to choose. There is nothing standing between a bullet and your own body if you choose this. Your character will be extremely fragile. However this is offset by how fast you can move. Even the difference in speed between using no armor and light armor is enormous. In many ways, it is the best choice of armor in the game. It's not however, well suited for players who don't move well. However for a player who can shoot and flip well at the same time, that player can't go wrong by choosing no armor.

----------------------------------------------
C2 - Light Armor
----------------------------------------------
Light armor gives you 25 points of armor, but at the cost of some mobility. The speed difference between none and light is very noticeable if you try out both. However, you can still move very smoothly with light armor, as it is pretty fast. While 25 points of armor may not seem like much, it can very easily be the difference between life and death. This is especially true if someone's using a weapon that does just over 100 damage. Light armor players are noticeably easier to hit than no armor players, but a good light armor player can still be very troublesome.

----------------------------------------------
C3 - Medium Armor
----------------------------------------------
Medium armor gives you 50 points of armor, obviously at the cost of even more mobility. This is when you'll begin to feel rather slow. Medium armor players can still flip and do walljumps, but hitting them isn't particularly difficult. If you're not too big on movement, but heavy is too slow for you, then give Medium armor a shot. I've never liked it, but it's a valid choice, and some players do use it. As it is sluggish in comparison to the lower armor classes, but not incredibly firm like heavy armor, you'll have to rely on your aim a lot.

----------------------------------------------
C4 - Heavy Armor
----------------------------------------------
Heavy armor gives you 100 points of armor. In addition to simply making you slower, heavy armor does not allow you to perform flips or walljumps. Don't plan on running from a situation once you get into them, you'll have to fight every time. Fortunately the excessive armor can give you some advantages. If you pick heavy armor, expect someone to shout "noob" or "lamer," but don't listen to them. Heavy armor certainly isn't useless, but it's nowhere near as bad as some players make it out to be. In fact, in practice, it's worse than the other classes in many ways.

==============================================
D - Melee Weapons
==============================================

----------------------------------------------
D1 - Akimbo Machetes
----------------------------------------------

The Akimbo Machetes were introduced in version 1.1, and replaced the Gurkha Kukri. They're not quite as good as the katana or sledge, but a good choice for a melee weapon nonetheless. Unlike the aforementioned melee weapons however, you generally won't be able to rely on a single decisive shot for a kill.

While a single hit is relatively weak and you must be very close, the almost nonexistent delay between slashes makes the machetes lethal. Ideally, you should aim for the head when going for machete kills. A few body shots may be effective against weaker opponents, where as a heavily armored player may require more than one headshot. It's also possible that a body shot can propel a player in the opposite direction, so don't let them take advantage of that opportunity to shoot you.

----------------------------------------------
D2 - Katana
----------------------------------------------

The katana has always been the most commonly used melee weapon, and probably always will be. I will never understand the obsession with Samurai (Ninjas never used katanas), but regardless the katana is ultimately the most well-rounded melee weapon. It has an excellent combination of speed, range, and power.

The primary fire is a slash. There are various slashing animations, but they all work exactly the same. It hits instantly and does a substantial amount of damage to unarmored or lightly armored players. There's not much time in between slashes, and the first slash tends to disorient players, so following up with a second, or even a third slash, if necessary, isn't too difficult.

A single slash to the body won't even kill an unarmored player at full health in one hit, but a slash to the head will kill anyone. Constant swinging is supposed to lessen the amount of damage the katana does, but whatever difference there is doesn't seem to be too significant. If you're good at getting headshots, the katana is most certainly the best melee weapon for you, and great for taking on multiple opponents.

The alternate fire throws the katana. This is very impractical and gravity does affect it. Thrown katana kills are extremely rare. If you miss (and you most likely will), you can retrieve your katana from the ground.

----------------------------------------------
D3 - Sledge Hammer
----------------------------------------------

The sledge hammer is the most powerful melee weapon, so of course, there's some sort of catch. The sledge hammer is exceedingly slow and it does not hit instantaneously. It's the most commonly used melee weapon besides the katana. It's arguably better, and in the right hands, devilishly effective.

With Kung Fu, a single hit does upward of one hundred points of damage to the body. A headshot will kill anyone. When you press the fire button, you will first raise the hammer, then bring it down on your opponent. Because it doesn't hit instantly and has a long delay between swings, timing is critical for effective sledging, basically unlike the rest of the melee weapons. Timing can easily make the difference between another frag, and your own death. The result from successfully hitting someone is very rewarding however, and if you have a knack for timing, hammering your way through even a band of heavily armored opponents is a breeze. It's also an excellent weapon for maps that require you to destroy certain objects.

The alternate fire throws the sledge. Like the katana throw, this is very impractical and kills with a thrown sledge are very rare. You can retrieve it if you miss though.

----------------------------------------------
D4 - Throwing Knives
----------------------------------------------

Throwing knives are quite commonly used, despite how difficult they are to use. Players probably feel inclined to use them merely because they often find themselves having it in their setup. There are three ways to acquire throwing knives through the character selection screen. You can choose it under the melee section, choose it under the extra equipment section, or choose Kung Fu as your perk. A combination of two of these, or all three, will simply give you more knives. A single knife does just over one hundred points of damage. Unlike the other melee weapons however, using kung fu has no effect on the power.


The throwing knives give you the option of throwing one knife at a time, or three. You can toggle between the two using your change mode button. Throwing one is actually more effective and cost efficient. The trajectory is hard to get used to, so trying to hit a moving target can be very difficult and will take practice. However, if you do manage to get a hit, the results make it quite worth the effort.

The triple knife throw won't go nearly as far and has a longer delay between throws. While not awful, this mode isn't nearly as good as the other. It may sound like it's much easier, and that it would allow you to get multiple kills. However, in practice, it's much harder to get even one kill at a time in this mode.

----------------------------------------------
D5 - Big Hit Knife
----------------------------------------------

The Big Hit Knife is easily the worst melee weapon in the game, so therefore, it is the ultimate weapon of humiliation. It's weak, it has almost no range of which to speak, and the fast slash rate just doesn't make up for its shortcomings. Melee in general isn't incredibly practical, but it would be a stretch to even label the knife as being viable. A BHK kill is however, generally something to be proud of.

The Big Hit Knife is very weak, but that's not what makes it so hard to use. Merely getting a hit on a moving target is an art that will take a lot of practice or lot of luck.

The alternate fire throws the knife. It works pretty much like a standard throwing knife, even damage-wise. However you only get one, so throwing it isn't a particularly fantastic idea. You can pick it up if you miss however, assuming it's not in an unreachable place.

----------------------------------------------
D6 - Fists
----------------------------------------------

Although there's an empty fish option under the melee section, there's absolutely no reason to take it. You have them regardless of what you choose, and there's no extra incentive to select it. While fists may seem like the most tame melee weapon, they're actually superior to the Big Hit Knife. They're basically like slightly downgraded machetes, which means that they can still be pretty effective.

Fists are weak, have very short range, and unlike every other melee weapon, they can't get headshots. However you can also punch very quickly, so merely hitting someone isn't incredibly difficult. It's actually quite effective against lower armor classes if you're persistent enough. It isn't really recommended for taking on heavily armored players however, unless you know they're already low on health.

==============================================
E - Guns
==============================================

----------------------------------------------
E1 - Sig P226 + Akimbo
----------------------------------------------
Clip size (single): 9
Clip size (akimbo): 18

In previous versions of Desert Crisis, the Sig was always the most commonly used pistol by far. 1.5 has brought more balance, and while all of the pistols are very appealing right now, the Sig is still a fantastic choice. Funnily enough, it has neither the incredible power of the Desert Eagle or the Raging Bull, nor the large clip size of the USP Match. However, it is perhaps because of this that it is the most reliable pistol in the game. While the game describes the Sig as having "medium" damage, it's actually a bit closer on the weak side. It's generally preferable to get headshots instead of body shots, but even body shots are still reasonably effective.

A single Sig will have pinpoint accuracy while crouching still. It fires very rapidly and doesn't lose much accuracy after each shot. If you have a steady hand, the fast rate of fire makes this an excellent weapon for close quarters. It's also commonly used for sniping, because its accuracy makes it good for long ranges. The reload time is moderately fast.

Akimbo sigs double the amount of shots you have, but aren't quite as accurate. They're still relatively accurate, especially for an akimbo weapon. Primary fire shoots one shot at a time, alternating between each pistol very rapidly. Alternate fire shoots both guns at the same time. This is not even half as fast, but provides a bit more accuracy. Ultimately, which one you choose is probably a matter of preference. I usually see the primary fire more often by other players, but the alternate fire has always worked better for me. Changing modes when you have akimbo sigs allows you to switch back and forth between wielding each individual pistol, and both pistols at the same time. The akimbo sigs reload almost instantly, so you don't have to worry about being caught with empty guns.

----------------------------------------------
E2 - Desert Eagle .357 + Akimbo
----------------------------------------------
Clip size (single): 7
Clip size (akimbo): 14

The Desert Eagle has made its way into a lot of movies and games since its inception. In Desert Crisis, it has an excellent combination of power and fire rate, but at the cost of clip size. Since its betterment in 1.5, it has seen much more use. The reason for choosing the Desert Eagle over any other pistol aren't that hard to figure out. It has a definite power, unlike the Sig and the Match, and it fires pretty quickly, unlike the Raging Bull. Both headshots and body shots work extremely well.

A single Desert Eagle will have perfect accuracy while crouching still, but it loses a bit after each shot. You don't need to be as precise as with some other pistols, because a few body shots will do the trick. It also reloads almost instantly, making it great for close quarters and back up. It serves about as well as the Sig at long range.

The akimbo Desert Eagles obviously have twice the clip size. However, this comes at the cost of a very noticeable accuracy reduction. Given this, they are less versatile. The primary fire for the akimbo Desert Eagles alternates very quickly between each gun. This is wildly inaccurate for the most part, but putting out so many powerful shots in such a short period of time can be devastating. Alternate fire shoots both guns at the same time. This provides a bit more accuracy, but doesn't fire even half as fast. It's still not incredibly accurate. However, it will require you to be a bit more decisive and less wasteful. Just like the Sigs, most players seem to prefer the primary fire, but the alternate has always worked better for me. The reload is very long however, so try to finish off your opponent before you run out.

----------------------------------------------
E3 - Laser Pistol + Akimbo
----------------------------------------------

Of all the game's pistols, the laser seem to be used the least. It isn't bad however, in fact, I'd say it's pretty underrated. In some ways, it's better than the other pistols. Unlike the other pistols, the Laser never needs to be reloaded. It's powered by a battery, rather than being clip fed. Firing shots drains energy from this battery. While you never have to reload it, you do have to take some time to recharge the Laser. Your ammunition is basically unlimited. While it takes a relatively long time to recharge, and can only do so when selected, you can interrupt the process if you need to fire the Laser.

Standard shots are relatively weak. However, by holding down your fire key, a laser shot can be charged to do more damage. The longer you hold it down, the more powerful the shot will be. However, once it's fully charged, you must fire it quickly. If you don't, it'll overheat. If you let it overheat, both the shot and battery power will be lost. If you don't plan on charging your lasers because you don't like the idea of making a single decisive shot, then you should aim for the head. Otherwise, body shots are effective.

A single laser provides perfect accuracy while crouching. It also loses practically no accuracy loss after each successive shot if you stay still. The single laser is best reserved for mid and long ranges, as it just isn't that great for close quarters. A good weapon for sniping however.

The akimbo lasers are the most accurate of all the akimbo weapons in the game. They're almost perfect, so they require much more precision than other akimbo pistols. Two fully charged laser shots will kill an unarmored player with one direct hit. Charged lasers even have a bit of splash damage. Primary fire alternates between each pistol, while alternate fires both at the same time. Unlike all the other pistols, the alternate fire is definitely the better choice in the case of the lasers. The change mode button will switch between single and akimbo. Given the accuracy of the akimbo, the only reason to really use this, is if you absolutely need that pinpoint accuracy. For some reason the single and akimbo also share the exact same power source, as opposed to each pistol being independent.

----------------------------------------------
E4 - HK Silenced USP Match + Akimbo
----------------------------------------------
Clip size (single): 15
Clip size (akimbo): 30

The Sigs and Desert Eagles aren't incredibly different in terms of power and clip size. The new pistols in 1.5 lean much closer toward either extreme. The Match sacrifices power for clip size. It can take up to four headshots to kill a fresh heavy. Body shots aren't really recommended due to the lack of power, unless you can fire with such consistent accuracy. While certainly an excellent weapon, they don't see quite as much use as the Sigs or Desert Eagles. The severe lack of power may seem unappealing, but they're actually nowhere near as hard to use as they may seem. The clip size gives you plenty of opportunities to make headshots. Supposedly they're silenced, but this little bit of information doesn't really mean anything.

While the game says that it's not as accurate as the Sig, a single USP is just as accurate as any other single pistol. It also has very little accuracy loss after each shot. It works a bit better for sniping than close quarters. You'll have to make sure you get as many hits on your opponent as possible. Ideally you should get headshots. The reload time is relatively quick.

The akimbo Matches give you a whopping clip size of 30, much more than the akimbo sigs. The akimbo is still reasonably accurate, but less so than the single, of course. Primary fire alternates between each pistol, at a very rapid rate of fire. Alternate fire shoots both guns at the same time. This is slower, but provides a bit more accuracy. As always, I prefer the alternate fire, while it seems like most other players prefer the primary. The alternate is probably a little better in this case, as it'll probably help you with making those headshots. The change mode button allows you to switch between single and akimbo. While the reload actually seems pretty similar to the akimbo Sig reload, it's noticeably longer.

----------------------------------------------
E5 - Raging Bull + Akimbo
----------------------------------------------
Clip size (single): 6
Clip size (akimbo): 12

The Raging Bull is basically the opposite of the Match. It's one of the most powerful hitscan weapons in the game. A single headshot will kill anything in one hit, except a heavy with full health and armor points. Even a few body shots are enough to kill just about anything. Obviously however, such amazing power can't be without drawbacks. The bull has a slow rate of fire, and being a revolver, a small clip size. It's used relatively often, as it seems appealing. In practice however, it's not as easy to use as the sig or the deagle. It's still a great weapon, but a considerable amount of luck is involved. Due to the slow fire rate and clip size, you need to pick your shots a bit more carefully.

A single bull isn't actually much less accurate than any other single pistol, but your shots will still need to be more decisive. You can snipe with it, but you just can't fire as carelessly as you could with any other pistol. You could aim for the head, as it's perfectly capable of getting headshots. Or, you could just go for the body, as even a few body shots are sufficient. The reload time isn't incredibly long, but you probably don't want to get caught with it empty.

The akimbo bulls doubles your clip, but sacrifices a great deal of accuracy. You'll need to get in very close to use them effectively. The primary fire is actually reasonably fast. The alternate fire shoots off both barrels simultaneously, which is a bit more accurate, but exceedingly slow. The delay between these shots is so enormous that it leaves you quite vulnerable. A short sprint or flip during this delay can prevent an enemy from taking advantage of it. The change mode button allows you to switch between single and akimbo. The akimbo Raging Bulls also have what is easily the longest reload time in the game. Reloading in the middle of a firefight is pretty much suicidal.

----------------------------------------------
E6 - HK MP5K + Akimbo
----------------------------------------------
Clip size (single): 15
Clip size (akimbo): 30

The MP5K is a highly specialized weapon that isn't worth much at all outside of close quarters. No other weapon in the game epitomizes the phrase "pray and spray" better than this gun (however this doesn't necessarily mean it's overpowered, or even the best automatic). At mid range you can't do much more than tickle your targets. Get close if you want to use them, and switch to something else when you're not close.

A single MP5k isn't very good, and using it really isn't recommended. It's automatic, and you can use it as a backup, but any other backup weapon is a better choice. If you're going to use an MP5K, don't. Use two instead. Each individual bullet is weak, and the random spray means that quite a few bullets will miss entirely. However the fact that both guns are emptied in an instant makes the very lethal.

Further, the reload time for the akimbo is about as long as it takes to empty them. Usually however, this means that you'll run out of ammo very quickly. Extra Ammunition as an equipment choice is highly recommended if you plan to use the MP5ks. The MP5ks can never get headshots however, as they are fully automatic weapons. Previous versions of Desert Crisis allowed them to get headshots due to a bug, which was eliminated with the last version. Pressing the change mode button will switch between single and akimbo, but there's absolutely no practical reason to do this.

----------------------------------------------
E7 - Remington 1100 + Akimbo
----------------------------------------------
Clip size (single): 5
Clip size (akimbo): 10

The 1100 gives you awesome power up to about five videogame feet. Some players prefer to use it as a back up instead of pistols for its exemplary close quarters capabilities. Seeing as how it's a shotgun, it lacks the versatility of pistols as a backup weapon. While pistols are great for backing up specialized primary weapons, the 1100 is a fantastic supplement for versatile primary weapons. So it goes well with weapons such as the HK33 or the MP5, rather than the Spas or the EM.

The 1100 reloads by inserting each individual shell one at a time, rather than changing clips. At times, this means that reloading will take quite a long time. However, it also means that you don't have to worry about throwing ammo away, so you should reload whenever you're not in action. You can always go into a battle with your clip entirely full.

A single 1100 fires pretty slowly, but does substantial damage, so long as you're close enough. There's no real point in firing it outside of close range, as that's just a waste of ammo. It's great for taking out someone who has already been weakened and is low on health. Reload time varies depending on how empty the clip is.

Akimbo 1100s serve very well as a primary weapon. They are particularly good for stopping someone from taking a point. The primary fire alternates between both guns, and fires reasonably fast. This is effective when you're not incredibly close to your opponents or when you're dealing with fast, unarmored or lightly armored opponents. The alternate fire shoots both barrels off at the same time, but the time between shots is incredibly slow. If you're at point blank, you're almost guaranteed to kill your target. It also works well on heavily armored opponents and people who are capturing points. Changing modes switches between single and akimbo, but two is pretty much better than one. The 1100 is a shotgun, so it can never get headshots. Previous versions of Desert Crisis allowed them to get headshots due to a bug, which was eliminated with the last version.

----------------------------------------------
E8 - HK MP5/10
----------------------------------------------
Clip size: 30

The MP5 is a versatile, all purpose weapon. It's pretty popular, due to its ease of use and all range capabilities. Instead of pecking at the trigger for accuracy, you can switch fire modes for different situations. It is certainly anything but average, because it really excels in all situations. An EM Sniper rifle might be a bit better for sniping and akimbo MP5ks may be a bit better in close quarters, but with the MP5 you stand a very good chance against both of them.

The standard fully automatic mode fires very rapidly. While each individual shot isn't very strong, it dominates in close quarters nonetheless. You can still even manage to hit people at mid ranges, although not really with the same effectiveness. You cannot get headshots in this mode however.

Three round burst is generally neglected, in favor of fully automatic or semi automatic. It's still a viable choice though. Predictably, as it is between fully automatic and semi, its accuracy is also between the two. It's hardly precise however. Unlike fully automatic however, it does allow you to get headshots.

The semi automatic mode isn't truly semi automatic. Some players believe that it's fast, but it's noticeably slower than all of the pistols, besides the Raging Bull. While each individual shot isn't strong, the accuracy and large clip size make it excellent for getting headshots and long range shooting. In fact, it's easily one of the most effective sniping weapons in the game.

----------------------------------------------
E9 - Franchi Spas 12
----------------------------------------------
Clip size: 8

The Spas 12 is a bit more versatile than the 1100s. Since it's a shotgun, it's incapable of getting headshots. Of the weapons afflicted with the headshot bug in previous versions, the Spas was undoubtedly the worst offender. While I believe actual Spas shotguns have automatic capabilities, for the sake of gameplay, the one in Desert Crisis is pump only. At first the Spas may seem a bit too tame in this version, and it's certainly difficult to use. However even a little bit of practice can result in some very satisfying kills.

Unlike the 1100s, it can actually serve a bit at mid range. It's still primarily a close quarters weapon however. It has a much more concentrated spread than the 1100s, so you'll need to pick your shots a bit more carefully.

The pumping action is relatively slow and you cannot switch your weapons during the animation. Instead of being clip fed, the Spas reloads by inserting individual shells one at a time, so reload as much as you can. The Firing mode button also allows to fold and unfold the brace. By default, it's folded. Unfolded, the spread is slightly more concentrated, but the pumping animation is slower. Unfortunately, neither of these changes are very noticeable. You can try out each one, but there really isn't a huge difference.

----------------------------------------------
E10 - HK33K2A
----------------------------------------------
Clip size: 25

Before I say anything, I would just like to stress that the HK33 is NOT an MP5 with a scope. As unbelievable as it may sound, it's actually an HK33 with a scope. Yes, they are two different guns. Knowing that isn't exactly going to help you or anything, it just peeves me somewhat when people say that. Anyway, the Jack-of-all-Trades HK33 is about as well rounded as its cousin, the MP5.

The difference between the two that you'll notice immediately is the scope on the HK33's model. Yes, you can use the scope, but not by clicking alternate fire like the EM. Instead, you must use the separate scope keys, which can be configured to your liking. The HK33 comes with the same firing modes as the MP5. However, it is more powerful and has a slightly smaller clip size.

Fully automatic doesn't fire as fast as the MP5 on fully automatic, but the fact that each individual shot does a lot of damage makes it very lethal. Actually, this does make the HK33 the best close quarters weapon in the game. It doesn't have quite as many bullets as some other guns or a wide spread, but it's still not incredibly aim intensive. You can't get headshots on this mode however.

Three round burst isn't a bad choice, but it's overshadowed by full and semi automatic. The accuracy is between the two, but not incredibly precise. You can get headshots with it however, unlike when using full automatic.

Semi automatic fires quite slowly, but it's the only mode in which you can make good use of the weapon's scope. A single HK33 shot does about as much as a single Raging Bull shot, so most players will die from one headshot. It has perfect accuracy if you're crouching still, however it loses a lot of accuracy after each shot. Instead of constantly clicking, it's better to take a single, well-placed shot, then wait a few seconds. While it only takes a few body shots to kill, it's better to go for headshots. If you're quick enough, you may even find it to be more effective than the EM for sniping.
----------------------------------------------
E11 - M79 Grenade Launcher
----------------------------------------------
Clip size: 1

The M79 is a single shot grenade launcher. It's a non-hitscan weapon. This means that unlike rifles, pistols, shotguns, and such, the shot does not hit instantly. Because it's a non-hitscan weapon, it requires certain skills that a hitscan weapon doesn't. That's not to say that it takes more skill, but rather that it requires different skills. With most Half-Life mods seeming to put more emphasis on hitscan weapons, it seems like most players know how to aim, but only some know how to lead a shot. The M79 is all about timing and prediction. It'll take a little bit of time to get accustomed to its trajectory, but after a while it'll be relatively easy.

The primary fire shoots a grenade that detonates on impact. Aiming directly for someone generally isn't the best thing to do, unless you're dealing with a slow, or stationary target. Because the M79's grenade has a relatively small blast radius, but getting an actual direct hit is usually much too difficult, it's generally best to shoot it near someone's feet. It does quite a bit of damage at the center, but due to the small blast radius, someone who flips out of the way will sustain minimal damage, if any. Fortunately, this also means that unless you fire it when you're right next to a player or a wall, you probably won't cause too much damage to yourself.

The alternate fire is timed, but it will explode if it comes directly in contact with another player. This can be shot blindly around corners, but ultimately, while you get plenty of grenades, this isn't as effective as fragmentation grenades. It still has some potential for abuse, but generally the primary fire is just better.

Only one grenade can be loaded into the M79's barrel at a time, and the reload time is relatively long. Instead of reloading when you're in the middle of combat, a better idea is to take out your backup weapon, and finish off your opponent with that.
----------------------------------------------
E12 - M61A1 Vulcan Chaingun
----------------------------------------------
Clip size: N/A

Desert Crisis is one of the few games in which I have seen a weapon intended for suppression succeed in doing just that. It puts out an enormous volume of fire at a fast rate, allowing it to hit people, without being much accurate at all. Contrary to what some people may believe, the chaingun is hardly an unbalanced weapon.

While the chaingun runs off a limited supply of ammo that never requires reloading, you cannot fire it nonstop. If you hold down your fire button long enough, it'll eventually overheat. It won't explode if it overheats, it'll just stop firing. The chaingun also takes a bit of time to wind up, and you cannot jump or move quickly while firing. However you can start the wind up while flipping or jumping.

Once you start firing however, you're a sitting duck for anyone not in your view and your immediate vicinity. So long as you manage to get it firing however, it'll force players to take cover. In close range, the sheer amount of firepower it has means that it'll generally win in a direct conflict. The headshot bug in previous versions allowed it to get headshots, however this can no longer happen.

----------------------------------------------
E13 - C22 Pulse Rifle
----------------------------------------------
Clip size: 45

At first glance, the Pulse Rifle may seem like a ridiculously overpowered weapon, and at one time, it was. Some people still cling to that belief, but it's actually not overpowered much at all anymore. It's still great however. It's an excellent close quarters weapon, with some mid range capabilities. With 45 bullets of automatic fire and a grenade launcher, it just seems almost too good to be fair. I assure you however, if there are any problems as far as weapon balance goes in Desert Crisis, this isn't the cause

The primary fire is a fully automatic mode. Unlike every other gun in the game, you can actually see how many bullets are left in your clip. There is a visual indicator on the rifle itself, which goes down as you fire, and resets when you reload. The automatic mode is relatively fast, but incredibly inaccurate, and an individual shot isn't incredibly powerful. With such a huge clip size however, it's still pretty accurate. The closer you are, the better. So while some players may complain about it when used with heavy armor, it's actually better with less armor. It cannot get headshots however.

The alternate fire is a grenade launcher, not too dissimilar to the M79, but not exactly the same. It's more powerful, faster, and it goes much more straight. There is less room to manipulate the trajectory however, and you only get a few grenades. It does however, allows for some mid range capabilities. It's also excellent when used in conjunction with the automatic fire. You can soften them up with a grenade, and open fire with the automatic, or vice versa.

----------------------------------------------
E14 - C37 Plasma Cannon
----------------------------------------------
Clip size(Primary): 7

The Plasma Cannon is the ultimate non-hitscan weapon, great for suppressing fire and defensive maneuvers. The Plasma Cannon isn't as versatile as the M79, but it truly excels otherwise. Like the M79, it requires certain skills. It may be a bit difficult at first, but if you play with it enough, you're likely to fall in love with it. It's that good, and it's that much fun. Note that it can overheat if fired too much in a short period of time. If it overheats, it will explode. The explosion will kill you and injure any opponents near you at the time.

The primary fire shoots out a large ball of plasma. Some players tend to think of it as a rocket launcher. The basic rules and conventions of a standard FPS rocket launcher apply, but the actual shots are much, much slower. Like the M79, timing and prediction are important. However the Plasma's ball never changes course. It goes in a completely straight path, until it hits something. Because of its incredible power, this is great for taking out players of all armor classes. Heavily armored players will have trouble dodging it, while lightly armored players fall to it very quickly. You have to be very careful about not hurting yourself however.
The alternate fire spews out Plasma in a flamethrower-like stream. While the alternate fire isn't entirely useless, the primary fire is much better. It's certainly overwhelming in close quarters, but probably best reserved for lightly armored players. Be careful, as the alternate fire will also overheat much faster than the primary, which is a good reason not to use it.

----------------------------------------------
E15 - Flamethrower
----------------------------------------------
Clip size: N/A

If you thought decent looking flamethrowers were impossible on the Half-Life engine, think again. With the release of 1.5, the flamethrower is now actually a viable weapon choice. Your movement no longer has much effect on the flame. The flamethrower fires a continuous stream of flame and never needs to be reloaded. It can overheat however, and probably quicker than you'd expect it to. If it overheats, it will explode.

Generally, when you hit someone with the flame, they'll be set on fire. It'll burn them for a little while, but unless they're already low on health, it probably won't be enough to kill them. It's best to keep your enemies in the flame as long as possible. Excellent for dealing with large groups of players, just spray and ignite as many as you can. It's even better in close quarters when your opponents don't have much room to avoid it. The sight of flame also forces players to retreat. Note that it tends to really obstruct your vision. Be careful not to set yourself on fire.

----------------------------------------------
E16 - C24 EM Sniper Rifle
----------------------------------------------
Clip size: 4

The EM is the ultimate long range weapon and the most powerful hitscan weapon in Desert Crisis. Theoretically, the HK33 can be a better sniping weapon, but in practice, the EM is generally better because it's just so much easier to use. You can use the manual scope keys, but the EM also allows you to zoom using the alternate fire, which is much more convenient. You don't need to be scoped to get good accuracy with the EM. In fact you can use the EM entirely without ever using the scope.

If you plan on using this effectively, you'll need to make your shots count. Good aim and a steady hand are pretty much essential. A single body shot will kill an unarmored player and a headshot will kill anything. There's a very long delay between each shot, and you cannot change your weapon during this delay. You also can't switch while reloading. The clip size is also quite small. If the setup that you're using allows flipping, it's often good to do that after firing as an evasive maneuver. Unless you're using sharpshooter, the only way to get perfect accuracy is to crouch perfectly still.

There are some things that you should keep in mind however if you plan on using the EM a lot. Note that your accuracy will be thrown off almost entirely, if you try to fire while being shot at (and actually getting hit). This means that it's easy for someone to prevent you from pulling off an accurate shot if they can keep hitting you. This is especially true if they got relatively close with an automatic. Also, the EM's beam sprite does not always correspond with the actual shot. This becomes especially apparent when you encounter the previous problem. There are even times when the beam is completely off but you get the kill anyway.

----------------------------------------------
E17 - X-1 Laser Assault Rifle
----------------------------------------------
Clip size(Pulse): 20

New to 1.5 is the Laser Assault Rifle (LAR). The LAR is a pretty versatile weapon, but very different from the MP5 and the HK33. The primary fire has two different firing modes, and there is an alternate fire. While it is called a Laser weapon, and has laser sprites, it does not have a rechargeable battery like the laser pistols. It is a clip fed weapon.

The first firing mode is pulse, which is just fully automatic. It can't get headshots. It fires at a decent rate, and does a fair amount of damage. However the clip size is a bit low, and sometimes the laser sprites tend to obstruct your vision. The second firing mode is called Blast, which is a shotgun type of mode. It's not quite as good as the Spas however, and you'll probably find yourself sticking with Pulse.

The alternate fire is just a continuous stream of weak laser. It's weak, but has perfect accuracy regardless of movement. It's not actually great for killing, but it's fantastic when dealing with enemy snipers. The alternate fire also does extra damage to the head.
==============================================
F - Extra Equipment
==============================================

----------------------------------------------
F1 - Fragmentation Grenades
----------------------------------------------

New to 1.5 is the addition of Fragmentation grenades, which replace the Deuterium fusion bombs of previous versions (seriously funny joke!). You can no longer get some easy kills merely by throwing them randomly. While the grenades certainly aren't as powerful now as they were before, they can still be very effective if used strategically, which is probably why so few players use them now.

Primary fire is a normal toss, which you can hold it down as long as you want. The fuse countdown begins after your throw. The alternate fire will prime the grenade. The fuse begins to count down as soon as you hold down the key. If you don't let go soon enough, it'll explode in your hands.

The range of a grenade throw is dependent on your pitch and your movement. Flipping forward will result in a very far toss. Flipping backward will result in a short, but high toss. You can experiment with flipping in all directions and throwing grenades.

----------------------------------------------
F2 - Alarms
----------------------------------------------

In previous version of Desert Crisis, alarms served no other purpose other than to annoy players by making noise. In 1.5, they still don't see much use, but they can now actually serve a strategic purpose. They now only go off when someone from the opposing team goes by them. In addition to that, they tell the player who planted them when an alarm is triggered, and where. They can serve as useful precautions for defending your points. They can however, be destroyed by explosives.

----------------------------------------------
F3 - Extra Ammunition
----------------------------------------------

Extra ammunition gives you extra ammo for both your primary and secondary weapons. For clip fed weapons, this is an extra 2 clips. For shotguns, double the amount. Generally however, you're probably better off picking something else. Unless you're very good or very wasteful, you probably won't find yourself with out ammo. More often than not, if you can get kills, that also means you get pick up more weapons. There's not much point when there are better choices available. Try it out if you like, but you should probably just pick something else.

----------------------------------------------
F4 - Akimbo pistols
----------------------------------------------

For some players, a single pistol just doesn't cut it as a backup. Although you can choose akimbo pistols as a primary, this equipment choice allows you to have akimbo pistols as a backup as well. You can choose to have two pairs of akimbo pistols if you want. You cannot however, choose akimbo 1100s or MP5ks as backups. They are only available as primaries.

----------------------------------------------
F5 - C4
----------------------------------------------

Choosing C4 gives you two blocks of these remote explosives. C4 explosives are very powerful and have a rather large blast radius. You can plant them near capture points, choke points, or any place that would serve to impede the progress of the enemy team. It's excellent both for keeping points captured and taking them. By planting them near a capture point, an unwary player will just die as you detonate your C4. You can also protect people who are capturing points by planting C4 in the opposing team's path. Note however, that C4 can be destroyed. You can destroy C4 with anything, but generally it's best to do it with another explosive.

Primary fire drops C4 if you haven't dropped any already. It detonates if you have at least one block of C4 planted. Alternate fire continues to drop C4 until you have no more blocks left. You can pick up more blocks of C4 from other players, but seeing as how most people don't use it, this probably won't happen.

----------------------------------------------
F6 - Flare Gun
----------------------------------------------
Clip Size: 1

Contrary to the popular belief, flares do not cause lag at all. They may cause a small drop in your frame rate if you don't set draw flares to 0. Otherwise, don't complain about people using flares. The flare gun doesn't actually serve any practical purpose. You'll never actually need to light up a dark place, and they're not good for diversionary tactics either. However with some changes in 1.5, the flare gun isn't actually completely useless.

Now, the flare gun actually does damage. It is in fact possible to kill someone with a flare gun. It's obviously a very hard thing to do however, and the chances of ever seeing anyone get a flare kill are slim to none. It isn't incredibly powerful, but it actually does set someone on fire. You can also get headshots. However merely hitting someone with a flare is almost impossible. It's slow and falls quite quickly. Once it hits the ground, it can no longer do any damage. It might be fun to fool around with, but ultimately the Flare Gun is completely impractical.

----------------------------------------------
F7 - Infrared goggles
----------------------------------------------

When activated (flashlight key), Infrared goggles will highlight all players regardless of team with a red color. It allows you to clearly see players whether you're out in the open or a dark area. This is a much better alternative to flares if you actually need to see in the dark. It also works well out in the open, as it makes it easier to spot people at long ranges. The goggles aren't incredibly useful, but some players do use them almost all of the time. They drain an energy supply, but you probably won't have to worry about running out.

There are some things to keep in mind however. First, there aren't that many dark spots in the game of which to speak. If you're an attentive player who is particularly good at spotting other players, you probably won't need them. Also, you have to keep a much closer eye on your health, because the visual indications that you are given normally when you get shot are disabled.

----------------------------------------------
F8 - SMAW (Shoulder-Mounted Multipurpose Assault Weapon)
----------------------------------------------
Clip size: N/A

The SMAW is another one of the new toys available to players in 1.5. It's a single shot rocket launcher. It's an excellent alternative to fragmentation grenades, but it's not better than it should be. It's a powerful non-hitscan weapon, great for stopping people from capturing, or forcing someone to retreat.

The primary fire shoots the rocket. You can count on the rocket to sail straight and fast through the air until it hits something. Once you fire it however, that's it. You only get one shot however, so make it count. The SMAW is very powerful, and it'll probably kill anything it hits. However, you have to be very precise when you take aim, because the weapon's blast radius is almost nonexistent. The alternate fire is a scope, pretty similar to the EM's alternate fire.

----------------------------------------------
F9 - Throwing Knives
----------------------------------------------
Check the melee section.

==============================================
G - Perks
==============================================

----------------------------------------------
G1 - Bio-Regeneration
----------------------------------------------
Easily one of the most commonly used perks in the game ever since Desert Crisis was released, and with good reason, it lets you live longer. In previous versions of Desert Crisis, it was easily the best perk, as you could always regain your health entirely, and it gave you extra ammo. In 1.5, the ammo was removed, and now you can only regain your health up to 70% of any health that was lost. Despite this, regeneration is still an excellent perk and favored by many.

There are no medpacks or any way of healing in Desert Crisis other than regeneration, which is why it's so appealing. After sustaining damage, you will slowly regain small amounts of health at regular intervals. Restoring only 70% of whatever you lost means that if you get hit and lose 50 points of health, you can only get 35 back. Beyond the health regeneration, you get no other bonuses for choosing this perk.

You also have no restrictions, so you can use whatever weapons and armor class you desire. Bio-Regeneration is probably the most versatile perk, allowing plenty of play styles very effectively.

----------------------------------------------
G2 - Extra Speed
----------------------------------------------
Speed is a rather underrated perk, as it's normally overshadowed by Kung Fu and Regen. If you do try out however, you'll probably like it. It gives you extra adrenaline (I believe it doubles it), and better special moves (flips, walljumps). I don't think it actually affects how fast you move however. Because you have more adrenaline, you also regain it faster than someone without speed.

While speed may seem like a superfluous perk because you can still dash, flip, and walljump with most other perks, it's actually incredibly useful and a lot of fun. If you use just about any other perk extensively, you'll probably find yourself running out of adrenaline very often. Using speed after will seem like a dream.

Speed does have some restrictions however. You can't use it with heavy armor and you may not use it with the Chaingun, EM Sniper rifle, Plasma Cannon (It would be fantastic with this), or the Flamethrower.

----------------------------------------------
G3 - Kung Fu
----------------------------------------------
Besides regeneration, Kung Fu has probably been the most popular perk in the game. It allows you to take advantage of the game's melee weapons more than any other perk. If you plan on using melee a lot, then this is the ideal perk for you. In addition to better melee abilities, you also get five throwing knives as a bonus.

Precisely how does it improve your melee abilities? In order to use melee weapons, you must be close, and the easiest way to get close to someone is to dash. Normally, you cannot use any type of weapon while dashing. Kung fu allows you to use melee weapons while dashing. You also get increased damage, and since you'll be doing so much dashing, you get some extra adrenaline (not as much as the Extra Speed perk however).

There are also no restrictions. You can use any weapon you want and any armor class you want. Generally however, there's not much point to picking kung fu if you plan on using guns all the time. You also shouldn't use anything more than no armor, maybe light, if you plan to melee seriously.


----------------------------------------------
G4 - Sharpshooter
----------------------------------------------
Sharpshooter is an exceptionally powerful perk. By choosing sharpshooter, you sacrifice movement for aim. It may seem like a bad trade, but I assure you, it's definitely worth it. It's not at all a useless perk, in fact, if anything, it leans toward being a bit too powerful. Regardless, it's worth checking out. You'll definitely get results, but you may find not being able to move much a bit boring at times.


Contrary to what some seem to believe, you get an accuracy bonus merely for picking the perk. You get an even greater bonus for pressing your toggle item key. This however, drains an energy meter rather quickly. This is most easily illustrated with the EM Sniper rifle. In order to get perfect accuracy with the EM, without sharpshooter, you must be crouching and perfectly still. With sharpshooter, you can get it standing, so long as you're still. If you have sharpshooter and you press your toggle item key, you'll have perfect aim regardless of movement. Fully automatic weapons however, are not supposed to get an accuracy bonus without pressing your toggle item button.

Previous versions of Desert Crisis allowed only certain weapons for use with the sharpshooter perk. There are no weapon restrictions now. However, obviously, you're not going to get much of a bonus out of using the perk if you choose non-hitscan weapons or shotguns. This perk is intended for use with pistols and rifles. You also get free Infrared goggles, so don't bother picking them as your equipment choice.

----------------------------------------------
G5 - Stealth
----------------------------------------------
Stealth has always been the game's most useless perk, and sadly, its use is still rather limited in 1.5. The idea of being stealthy may sound appealing. However, in practice, stealth tactics generally aren't practical, and when they are, the stealth perk is only marginally better than any other perk in such a rare case.

Stealth gives you only two bonuses, and neither of them are incredibly helpful. Your footsteps are completely silent, and you are invisible to infrared goggles. Given the game's fast paced nature, it just doesn't lend well to subtlety. The invisibility to IR only works against people who are actually using IR. Even then however, they'll still be able to spot you out in the open. It doesn't restrict weapons or moves however, so it doesn't prevent you from playing well. However there isn't a whole lot of incentive to use it over other perks. It also restricts heavy armor.

----------------------------------------------
G6 - Tech Guru
----------------------------------------------
Tech is perhaps, both the game's worst perk and the game's best perk. While the game's action is what makes it so fun, it's still an objective based game. This perk is ideal if you really want the objectives completed. It allows you to capture points faster and go through special hidden paths to objectives. However, it also gives you no actual combat bonuses.

Generally, as a tech player, you're putting yourself on the line, and depending on you teammates for backup. You probably shouldn't choose this perk unless you trust your teammates. I believe Tech's can capture points 25% faster than normal players. It may not seem like a huge difference, but it most certainly is. That's easily the difference between failing and capturing a point. Hidden paths usually require you to destroy obstructions, which can only be destroyed by tech players.

Tech allows you to use any weapon you want. The weapons conducive to objective completion vary from map to map, so you can experiment a bit. The only actual restriction put on you is that you must use armor. This may not seem like a big deal, but no armor is usually favored by many players. You also get free infrared goggles.

----------------------------------------------
G7 - Wootastic
----------------------------------------------
Wootastic is the most restrictive perk in the game. It's also probably the most complained about. Wootastic limits your selections to light or no armor, and only akimbo pistols (excluding lasers). Your damage with akimbo pistols is also reduced. So what do you get in return? Infinite ammo and no reloads, as well as extra adrenaline (but like Kung Fu, not as much as Extra Speed) and enhanced stunts.

While you can't choose other weapons in your setup, you can pick them up and use them as you would with any other perk. If you pick up new pairs of pistols, you have unlimited ammo for them as well. In order to effectively play with Wootastic, take full advantage of the enhanced stunt capability and fire as much as you can. Keep in mind that you can still get headshots with wootastic.

----------------------------------------------
G8 - Shield (USA only)
----------------------------------------------
The shield perk is exclusive to USA. This perk is usually underrated, but it certainly has its uses. When activated, a gilded energy shield encompasses the player. This shield can absorb a certain amount of damage before the player starts losing health. It allows you to sustain more damage, without weighing you down like armor. Or you could use it with armor, allowing you to absorb enormous amounts of damage.

The shield is activated by pressing your toggle item button. When it's on, it'll drain energy from a meter. Once the meter runs out, the shield is deactivated, so only use it when you need to. Damage will also diminish this meter. The shield perk also gives you some extra bonuses and with no restrictions. Melee damage is increased while the shield is activated, but Kung Fu is still better for melee. You are also protected from headshots when it's on.

----------------------------------------------
G9 - Anti-Gravity(UPKO only)
----------------------------------------------
Instead of having a shield apparatus, UPKO has an alleged anti-gravity contraption. It doesn't actually allow you to completely defy gravity, but rather it gives you the ability to jump high when activated. This perk's usefulness generally depends on the map you're playing. It generally helps more on maps that don't have low skies.

The anti-gravity is activated by pressing your toggle item button. This drains energy from a meter, and is deactivated when the meter is empty. Only activate it when you plan to make an anti-gravity jump and turn it off AFTER you land. If you turn it off before, you'll suffer from fall damage. These jumps also drain the meter. There are no restrictions.

==============================================
H - Maps
==============================================
Maybe I'll get to this section another day.

==============================================
I - Other Stuff
==============================================

----------------------------------------------
I1 - Version History
----------------------------------------------

Version 0.61 submitted March 29, 2004 - A small, but very significant update has been added regarding where Desert Crisis can be found.

Version 0.6 submitted October 6, 2003 - First version containing basic information, and information regarding armor, perks, weapons, and equipment.

----------------------------------------------
I2 - Acknowledgements
----------------------------------------------

Valve for making Half-Life, of course.

The Desert Crisis development team. Some of them aren't exactly fond of me, but they did make Desert Crisis, so they've definitely earned their spot here.

The Sardonic Killing Squad ([sKs], not exactly a clan), for being just so smart and cool (particularly Jon_the_Cynic, Simironic/Kieran, TheEnigma, DeadlyFred, and 21).

Other intelligent players in the game's small community such as Align, Juno Miller, Junubee, and TheDisposableDweeb.

Intelligent gamers everywhere, even though they make up such a small part of online gamers.
 
Comments:
Your comment has been saved!!!
The Captcha element applies the Captcha validation, which uses reCaptcha's anti-bot service to reduce spam submissions.

Guide (for v1.5)
Guide

17.October 2013
 
Most Popular
30. December 2013
07.April 2014
07.July 2015
25.September 2015
27.May 2015
19.February 2014
11.June 2014
04.March 2019