Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory (ET) is a freeware first-person shooter (FPS) computer game, and a standalone sequel to Return to Castle Wolfenstein, created by Splash Damage.
Enemy Territory was originally planned to be released as a commercial expansion pack to the popular FPS Return to Castle Wolfenstein. However, due to problems with the single-player aspect, the multiplayer portion was released on May 29 2003 as a free standalone game. In early 2004 the source code for the game logic (not the game engine) was released to the benefit of its modding community.
Gameplay
The character classes in Enemy Territory are:
- Soldier (carries heavy weapons)
- Medic (revives incapacitated teammates and heals the injured)
- Field Ops (distributes ammo packs and calls in two types of fire support)
- Engineer (performs construction, repairs and demolition)
- Covert Ops (responsible for espionage and/or sniping)
There are two sides, Allies and Axis. There are six officially released maps, and many community-created maps. On each map, the offense needs to complete a certain set of objectives within a limited amount of time. The defense needs to keep the offense from completing objectives until time runs out. Some objectives may be optional, and some objectives can be carried out by either team. These minor objectives assist the team completing them. Depending on Game Mode the action will continue on another map (Campaign Mode) or the same map (Objective Mode, Stopwatch Mode, Last Man Standing).
In the official six-map campaign (most common on public servers), Allies are offense for all but one map. In Stopwatch Mode (most common for locked or LAN servers) two teams - most common setups: 6vs6 or 3vs3 - will play the same map twice, once in each side and the winner is determined of who have the fastest offence (it can be a tie when both teams defence manage to keep the offence from completing the objectives until time runs out).
Players may earn experience points in several skill categories. All character classes may earn points in Battle Sense and Light Weapons. Class skills are generally restricted to the current class, the exception being Heavy Weapons (the Soldier class skill).
Players have certain abilities based on their character class. The player has a Power Bar that provides 'power' for their special abilities. The power bar regenerates slowly.
Players have up to eight weapon slots, depending on character class.
- Slot 1 - knife
- Slot 2 - one-handed weapon: pistol (Allies - Colt; Axis - Luger, or submachine gun for high-level Soldiers
- Slot 3 - two-handed weapon: selection depends on class (see #Weapons)
- Slot 4 - hand grenade
- Slot 5 - Medic - syringe; Field Ops - airstrike grenade; Covert Ops - smoke grenade; Engineer - tool (pliers)
- Slot 6 - Medic - health pack; Field Ops - ammo pack; Covert Ops - satchel charge/detonator; Engineer - dynamite
- Slot 7 - Medic - adrenaline syringe; Engineer - landmine
- Slot 8 - Field Ops - artillery strike (using binoculars); Covert Ops - landmine detection (using binoculars); binoculars for all other classes at level 1 Battle Sense skill
Skills and classes
Players can gain experience in three skills: Battle Sense, Light Weapons, and a skill determined by their current class. Certain class skill benefits remain with the player even if they change classes. Benefits from general skills are available regardless of class.
General skill - Battle Sense
Battle Sense is gained by time spent in active combat. For each thirty-second period of the game, experience is awarded depending on whether a player dealt damage, dealt and received damage, or killed and received damage.
- Level 1 - You are equipped with a pair of binoculars which can be used to reconnoiter enemy positions. (All Covert Ops are equipped with binoculars and can use them to spot land mines for their team-mates. All Field Ops are equipped with binoculars and can use them to call in artillery.)
- Level 2 - The powerful aerobic benefits of prolonged combat activity enable your stamina bar to recharge at 160% of the normal rate.
- Level 3 - As a wily battle-hardened veteran, your combat expertise effectively increases your maximum health by 15 points.
- Level 4 - Even if you're not a Covert Ops, you'll be able to 'see' enemy land mines within a short distance; however, they will not show up on your teammate's command maps. Any mines within a certain range will appear as translucent outlines in your field of vision. Under some mods, you can also spot them with binoculars, something that is otherwise exclusively available to covert ops.
General skill - Light Weapons
Skill in Light Weapons is gained by killing with light weapons: a submachine gun, rifle (when not using the scope, if one is fitted), pistol, grenade or knife.
- Level 1 - When you respawn, your ammo loadout will include one extra magazine of ammunition.
- Level 2 - Your familiarity with your weapons allows you to reload your weapons 35% faster.
- Level 3 - Your combat experience allows you to handle your weapons with greater ease; SMG spread is reduced by 35% while pistol recoil is halved.
- Level 4 - Your single-handed weapon slot now has the option of dual-wield akimbo pistols.
Soldier (Class Skill - Heavy Weapons)
File:WolfensteinET portrait allied soldier.png | File:WolfensteinET portrait axis soldier.png |
Heavy combat specialist. The soldier is unique in that his character skill relates only to killing the enemy, rather than helping his team directly. Soldiers are the only class that can carry heavy weapons; however, all character classes may earn points in Heavy Weapons while using a constructed MG42 turret or a tank's Browning machinegun. Soldiers spawn with four hand grenades.
- Level 1 - Power Bar requirement for firing a heavy weapon is reduced by 30%.
- Level 2 - Overheat rate for heavy weapons reduced by 50%.
- Level 3 - Walking speed while brandishing heavy weapons is increased.
- Level 4 - Soldier may carry an automatic weapon (Thompson or MP40) in his one-handed weapon slot (instead of the Colt 45/Luger pistol).
Field Ops (Class Skill - Signals)
File:WolfensteinET portrait allied fieldop.png | File:WolfensteinET portrait axis fieldop.png |
Field Ops support teammates with supplies and support fire. They can drop packs containing ammunition, replacement helmets, and Medics' syringes. Support fire is signalled by throwing a colored smoke grenade to call in an airstrike - a series of explosions in a short line along the smoke - or targeting a location with binoculars to call in an artillery strike - a series of explosions surrounding the area determined by the Field Op. The airstrike is generally used for immediately clearing out a large area. The artillery strike is used for making one small area very dangerous for a longer period of time. With both, there is a limit on how many strikes the entire team can have in effect at once. Field Ops spawn with one hand grenade.
- Level 1 - Ammo packs that you drop contain one extra ammo clip; power bar requirement for ammo packs reduced by 50%.
- Level 2 - Power Bar requirement for airstrikes and artillery strikes is reduced by 30%.
- Level 3 - Airstrikes provide a second series of explosions immediately after the first. Artillery strikes last twice as long.
- Level 4 - The Field Op can recognize disguised enemy Covert Ops.
Medic (Class Skill - First Aid)
File:WolfensteinET portrait allied medic.png | File:WolfensteinET portrait axis medic.png |
The Medic has more health than any other class†, and slowly regenerates health. The Medic can heal teammates with health packs and revive them with syringes. Since a Medic regenerates health, and usually gains the most experience by staying with a group, it's a good choice for beginners. Health regeneration also means that a Medic in the hands of a skilled player is deadly. Medics spawn initially with only one magazine of ammo and one hand grenade.
- Level 1 - The Medic spawns with one extra magazine of ammo and one extra hand grenade.
- Level 2 - The Medic spawns with and may carry two extra syringes. Power bar requirement for dropping health packs is reduced from 25% to 15%.
- Level 3 - Syringes revive a knocked out teammate to full health.
- Level 4 - The Medic may inject himself with adrenaline. When using adrenaline, the Medic runs faster and takes less damage. His stamina bar is immediately filled and cannot be depleted while the adrenaline is working. The effect lasts for ten seconds.
† - The starting health of a Medic and the rest of his teammates depends upon the number of Medics on the team. The more Medics on the team, the higher starting health everyone on the team has, although the Medics will generally have a higher starting health value than the other classes. Here is a table illustrating this:
No. of medics | Starting health for medic | Starting health for other classes |
---|---|---|
0 | -- | 100 |
1 | 100 | 110 |
2 | 123 | 115 |
3 | 134 | 120 |
4 or more | 140 | 125 |
Covert Ops (Class Skill - Covert Operations)
Stealth and scouting class. Covert Ops (or simply "coverts") can steal a dead enemy's uniform, toss smoke grenades to hamper visibility with a nearly opaque smoke, and drop a satchel charge (remote-detonated explosive). The Covert Op is the only class that can use scoped weapons and silenced weapons. Any enemies in a covert's line of sight will appear on his teammates' command map. When looking at hidden landmines through binoculars, a covert will see an icon, and after a couple of seconds, the landmine will be visible to all teammates.
While wearing an enemy uniform, Covert Ops can open enemy teamdoors, and can even allow other teammates to pass through. To enemies who look at them from a distance, they will display the name of the person they are impersonating, but they will display no name at all at close range, effectively blowing their cover. They can also sometimes be recognized by alert enemies who notice that they are wielding the wrong weapon for their apparent class, and Axis Covops who steal the uniform of an Allied Field Op can be recognized by the color of their skin, since normal Allied Field Ops are African-American. Any disguised covert op can be easily recognized by either a Field Op with level 4 Signals, who will see "DISGUISED ENEMY" instead of a name if they aim at them, or by the person whose uniform they've stolen, who may be made suspicious by the presence of another player with an identical alias.
Finally, disguised Covops can arouse suspicions by, for example, running in the wrong direction or approaching a vital objective. In any case they lose their stolen uniform if they fire any weapon other than the smoke bomb or satchel charge in enemy vision.
- Level 2 - Power Bar requirements for satchel charges and smoke grenades reduced by 30%.
- Level 3 - Weapon sway and recoil when zoomed in with a scoped weapon is decreased.
- Level 4 - Instant kill when stabbing an enemy from the back.
Weapons
As is typical in first-person shooters, a player's weapons and equipment in Enemy Territory occupy several inventory 'slots', accessed by default with the number keys.
Slot 1 - Knife
Simple melee weapon. A level 4 Covert Ops can get a one-hit kill if he stabs an enemy in the back, otherwise, the knife does 100HP worth of damage to the back.
Slot 2 - One-handed weapon
The Luger and Colt are almost identical except in appearance, sound, and in most servers the Luger tends to have a higher recoil when fired repeatedly. A Covert Ops carries a silenced pistol. Any player with level 4 Light Weapons may carry akimbo pistols (a pistol in each hand simultaneously). A Soldier with level 4 Heavy Weapons may carry a submachine gun (normally slot 3) in this slot.
Slot 3 - Two-handed weapon
Available weapons vary by class. The weapon is dropped when the player dies, and it can be collected by any player able to use it (even if it is not otherwise available to their side).
These are available to every class except Covert Ops.
- MP40 - Standard Axis automatic weapon. Thirty round magazine.
- Thompson - Standard Allied automatic weapon. Thirty round magazine.
The MP40 and Thompson are identical except in appearance and sound. The two were different in Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Although the differences between the two are minimal, some players prefer one gun over the other.
Heavy weapons
These weapons are only available to Soldiers, and many servers have restrictions which limit the total number of each that can be used on a team. All heavy weapons decrease walking speed when held, though speed returns to normal if you switch to the pistol, the knife or some other weapon.
- Panzerfaust - Rocket launcher. Long reload time, high damage, and a wide blast radius. Single-shot, but soldiers who select it spawn with four of them, and firing one costs a full command bar. When fired, the panzerfaust will make a distinctive 'whine' for a split second as it charges up, then launch its projectile in a straight line towards the target. It cannot be fired when prone, and if the bearer leans while preparing to fire, the shot will be canceled. Some players see this weapon as 'n00bish', while others see it as like any of the other heavy weapons- powerful, but with specific weaknesses that skilled players can use against the wielder, such as (in the Panzerfaust's case) the extremely long recharge time between shots and the second-long warning noise before the weapon fires.
- Flamethrower - Short-range weapon, particularly dangerous indoors as it can deal large amounts of damage over a wide area. Fire damage continues to be dealt after the initial burn, even if the Soldier is killed. Very good for attracting enemy fire. 200 units of fuel before reload. The weapon is best used behind corners or to close off narrow passageways, since it is otherwise easy to dodge. If used carelessly, it can easily ignite the bearer or their teammates.
- Mortar - The Soldier must crouch and deploy the mortar (alternate fire) before it can be fired. Launches an explosive projectile in an arc, and costs half a command bar. When aimed properly, can hit almost anywhere from far away. Single shot before reload; Soldiers spawn with 12 shells. Impact point is shown on Command Map. The weapon can be easier to use if a Field Ops class has placed a marker with his binoculars.
- MG42 - Bipod-mounted machinegun, intended to be deployed in a fixed position by going prone and selecting its alternate fire. It can be fired without first being deployed, but it has extremely poor accuracy under such conditions. When deployed, targeting is limited to a small area; it is possible to crawl, but only very slowly, and you cannot fire while doing so. Otherwise identical to constructible MG42 emplacements. The weapon overheats easily (like its stationary counterparts) and can only be reloaded once its 150-round ammunition belt has been used up.
Scoped or silenced weapons
These are available only to Covert Ops.
- Silenced K43 rifle with scope - Axis only. Sniper rifle with scope attachment. High damage, ten round clip. Must be still for a long time for zoomed-in fire to be accurate. Time required increases with zoom, and decreases at Covert Operations level 3.
- Silenced M1 Garand rifle with scope - Allies only. Can only be reloaded after the clip is completely empty and has a smaller clip (eight vs. the K43's ten). Must be still for a long time for zoomed-in fire to be accurate. Time required increases with zoom, and decreases at Covert Operations level 3.
- Sten - Silenced automatic weapon. Accurate even at long range. Same damage per shot as MP40 and Thompson and same fire rate, but it has to be fired in bursts since it overheats after a continuous 16 shots of fire. Thirty-two round magazine.
- FG42 - Automatic weapon with scope, scope has only one level of zoom. High damage compared to other automatics, twenty round magazine size, lower accuracy unless zoomed in. It is a very effective weapon in close-quarters combat. Recoil of the FG-42 (when out of scope) is greatly reduced when level 3 covert op is achieved.
Rifles with grenade launcher
These are available to Engineers only.
- K43 rifle with grenade launcher - Axis only.
- M1 Garand rifle with grenade launcher - Allies only. Can only be reloaded after the clip is completely empty and has a smaller clip (eight vs. the K43's ten).
The Engineer may use the rifle to fire bullets or grenades (alternate fire). Firing a grenade takes half the power bar. Shallow arc, long range, can be bounced at walls to hit enemies behind corners.
Slot 4 - Hand grenade
- 'pineapple' grenade - Allies.
- 'potato masher' grenade - Axis.
The grenades are functionally identical - pressing the fire button arms the grenade, and releasing throws it. The grenade detonates five seconds after arming, so players commonly 'cook off' the grenade for several seconds before throwing, to give the enemy less time to dodge the explosion.
Slot 5 - Special Ability
- Airstrike grenade - Field Ops class only. Releases a cloud of colored smoke(allies=blue , axis=red); after a few seconds, a bomber creates a series of explosions in a line across the signal smoke, perpendicular to the Feild op who has thrown it.
- Syringe - Medic class only. Revives a mortally wounded teammate and restores part of their health. At level 3 in First Aid, this rises to full health, and the syringe colour changes from yellow to green. At level 4 in First Aid, the adrenaline injection is available as a second (red) syringe in this slot.
- Pliers - Engineer class only. Used to arm or disarm dynamite and landmines, repair vehicles, and construct objectives.
- Smoke Grenade - Covert Ops class only. Releases a cloud of opaque gray smoke as a form of cover. Lasts for several seconds.
Slot 6 - Special Ability
- Health Pack - Medic class only. Restores 20 points of health.
- Ammo Pack - Field Ops class only. Provides one clip of ammo, one hand grenade, and one syringe (for medics only).
- Dynamite - Engineer class only. Must be armed with Engineer's tool. After arming, explodes after thirty seconds. Dynamite is the only thing that can destroy certain objectives.
- Satchel Charge - Covert Ops class only. Drops a bomb that can be detonated whenever the Covert Op chooses, but the Covert Op must be within range. Satchel charges can be defused by Engineers. Some objectives can be destroyed by satchel charges.
Slot 8 - Binoculars
- Field Ops start with these and can use them to call in artillery strikes.
- Covert Ops start with these and can use them to spot landmines.
- Other classes are rewarded with binoculars when they achieve Battle Sense level 1.
Maps
Enemy Territory comes with six official maps. On all except Rail Gun, the Allied team are attacking and the Axis team must defend.
There is also a large number of third party maps available.
Siwa Oasis
- Allied Primary Objective - destroy the two anti-tank guns.
- Allied Secondary Objectives - repair the water pumps, and destroy the old city wall. Destroying the old city wall makes the old city spawn point permanently Allied.
- Allied Tertiary Objectives - construct a command post, build the allied machine gun nest, destroy the axis machinegun nest, destroy the axis command post.
- Axis Primary Objective - defend the anti-tank guns.
- Axis Secondary Objectives - keep the water pumps disabled, defend the old city wall, and defend the old city spawn point.
- Axis Tertiary Objectives - build a command post, build the machine gun nest, destroy the allied machine gun nest, destroy the allied command post.
Seawall Battery
- Allied Primary Objectives - destroy the "Siegfried" gun controls.
- Axis Primary Objective - defend the gun controls.
- Axis Secondary Objectives - destroy the ramp; defend the forward bunker; construct and defend the generator.
- Axis Tertiary Objectives - construct a command post; build the machine gun mounts; destroy the allied machine gun nests.
Gold Rush
- Allied Primary Objectives - steal a tank and use it to blow up the bank doors. Steal the gold crates and escape with the truck. Stealing the tank makes the courtyard spawn point permananetly Allied.
- Allied Secondary Objectives - destroy the tank barriers, destroy the truck barriers.
- Allied Tertiary Objectives - construct a command post.
- Axis Primary Objectives - defend the tank; stop it from reaching the bank; defend the gold in the bank; and keep the truck from escaping.
- Axis Secondary Objectives - construct and defend the tank barriers; construct and defend the truck barriers.
- Axis Tertiary Objectives - construct a command post.
Würzburg Radar
- Allied Primary Objective - steal the two radar components.
- Allied Secondary Objectives - capture the forward bunker; destroy the main entrance and the side entrance. Destroying the main door makes the forward bunker spawn point permanently Allied.
- Allied Tertiary Objectives - construct a command post, build the machine gun nest, destroy the axis machine gun tower.
- Axis Primary Objective - defend the radar parts.
- Axis Secondary Objectives - defend the forward bunker, main entrance and the side entrance.
- Axis Tertiary Objectives - construct a command post; build the machine gun tower; destroy the allied machine gun nest.
Rail Gun
- Allied Primary Objective - prevent the Axis from firing the rail gun.
- Allied Secondary Objectives - capture the depot yard, keep the track switch down, destroy the rail gun firing controls.
- Allied Tertiary Objectives - construct a command post, construct the machine gun nest.
- Axis Primary Objectives - use the rail tugs to load ammunition onto the massive rail gun and fire it.
- Axis Secondary Objectives - capture the depot yard, raise the track switch, construct and defend the rail gun firing controls.
- Axis Tertiary Objectives - construct a command post, destroy the allied machine gun nest.
Fuel Dump
- Allied Primary Objective - destroy the fuel dump.
- Allied Secondary Objectives - escort and repair the tank, destroy the tunnel grate, build and reinforce the bridge, build the footbridge, destroy the doors, destroy the main entrance, destroy the side wall, destroy the east and west depot defenses. Destroying the doors makes the bunker spawn permanently Allied.
- Allied Tertiary Objectives - construct a command post, construct the machine gun nest, destroy the axis machine gun towers, destroy the axis command post.
- Axis Primary Objective - defend the fuel dump.
- Axis Secondary Objectives - disable the tank, defend the tunnel grate, destroy the bridge, destroy the footbridge, defend the tunnel doors, defend the main entrance, defend the side wall, construct and defend the depot defenses.
- Axis Tertiary Objectives - construct a command post, construct the machine gun towers, destroy the allied machine gun nest, destroy the allied command post.
Mods
In early 2004 the source code for the game logic was released in an SDK, enabling a number of mods to be created. Previous modifications, such as the popular ET Pro competition mod, couldn't change much. The source code allows more flexibility for mod makers. The game engine remains closed source, but could be released in the near future, as the release of the source code to Quake III Arena is to be expected in 2005.
The Quake 3 total conversion mods Enemy Territory Fortress (ETF for short, formerly Q3F) and True Combat (known as True Combat: Elite in its ET incarnation) have been ported to Enemy Territory, and Urban Terror is also developing a release for ET. Other mods, which consist of little additions and fixes to the game mechanics rather than a total conversion, include ET Pro (used in competitions but also popular in public play), and Shrub mod among others.
Trivia
In the game, the Allied troops operate under the American flag, with American-style uniforms and ranks (regardless of whether, historically, the campaign alluded to was fought by British or other troops, as in North Africa). Axis troops use German uniforms and ranks and sound effects describing their actions are rendered in English with exaggerated German accents. Some of the basic radio messages are in German though. Still, they do not use the Nazi flag, but a special Wolfenstein flag, possibly because ID Software have had games prohibited in Germany because of the use of Nazi symbols (see Wolfenstein 3D).