System Setup

The first thing we want our config to do is activate the settings for our particular system, all the little things that go on in the background.
First, run Q2 then bring down the console (using the key to the left of 1) and type:

game action

Now press escape to bring up the menu and using the arrow keys move down to 'VIDEO' and press enter. Using up and down to move through the options and left and right to adjust settings, change all the video options to suit your system, then press escape.
Next, press escape to bring the menu back and select 'OPTIONS' and press enter. Again set all these to how you want them and press escape.
Quit Q2 FROM THE MENU (if you use the console this will not work).

System.cfg

In your Quake2\Action directory create a new text file (right click a blank space then select New, Text Document from the menu) and rename it to autoexec.cfg, using notepad (it is advisable to tell windows to always use notepad when editing cfg files) open the file and type the following into it:

//Action Config Launch File
exec "config.cfg"
unbindall                      //Unbinds all keys
exec "config/system.cfg"
//END

The first line is a comment to tell us what the file is for, the second line executes the config.cfg file which is generated by Q2 using the settings you entered in the menus, the third line clears all keybinds to avoid conflicts with the ones you'll set up later, the fourth line executes the system.cfg file in the config directory to start your config off, and the final line is a comment to tell us that this is the end of the file.

Open the config directory and create in it a new text file called system.cfg, in this file we're going to put all the settings that relate to system performance, graphical detail, network settings, etc. There are only a few that we'll put in here but you may find later that certain other commands help your setup and if they're system related this is where they should go.
For now we're going to enter the following commands:

//System Configuration
set rate "45000"               //Sets maximum TCP packet size
set cl_maxfps "300"            //Sets maximum frame rate
set in_mouse "1"               //Activates mouse
set gl_modulate "2"            //Raises object brightness
set freelook "1"               //Enables looking with mouse

exec "config/player.cfg"

//END

The rate and cl_maxfps settings shown here are optimized for LAN play, you should use the Improving Ping section to find the best settings for you.
The gl_modulate setting is dependant on your graphics card, monitor, and personal preference but, if you don't like the brightness try changing this value in increments of 0.1 (higher is brighter).
At the bottom we execute the next config file in the sequence - player settings.

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