Strafe Jumping

Overview

Strafe-Jumping originates from a rounding glitch in OpenGL. It is predominately performed in games based on the Quake engine. The basic technique works by jumping, strafing and turning at the same time.

How it works

Each surface in a game is affected by in-game friction. For example, if a player is moving in a forward motion but suddenly releases the button or joystick responsible for this movement, without ground friction the player would continue to move. The force of the friction causes the player to stop, eventually bringing their movement to zero. Within each game there is a set speed limit. In Quake 3, the server variable “g_speed” sets the players speed. By default this is set at 320 units per second (abbreviated UPS). This means a player traveling regularly over a surface in Quake 3 will never exceed 320UPS. When jumping, the player is unaffected by ground friction, and by “Bunny Hopping”, you reduce contact with the ground. The difference between Bunny Hopping and Strafe-Jumping is what you do while you travel through the air. As mentioned, Strafe-Jumping is a combination of jumping, strafing and turning. If you follow the correct technique, you essentially break the speed limit by exploiting a flaw in the game engines physics. A proper strafe jump within Quake 3 can increase your UPS from 320 to over 600. This increase in speed gives the player a big advantage, allowing them to take shortcuts and jump further distances.

Instructions

1. Press the forward key (In PC games, most likely “W”).
2. When ready, press the jump key and left or right strafe key at the same time.
3. While in the air the player needs to perform the “turning” action by moving the mouse or joystick in the direction of the strafe. This is what causes the increase in speed.
4. When landing, the player must jump immediately afterwards or else the ground friction will slow them down. Repeat steps two and three, alternating the strafe and turn with each jump.

(Depending on the game, these instructions may vary.)

Tips

• Practice, Practice, Practice! Check out websites like FPS Banana for custom maps specifically made for practicing strafe-jumping.
• It’s easier to learn the basics of strafe jumping in games like Quake 3 or Painkiller. Practice in those games before moving onto Counter-Strike or Call of Duty.
• Watch others. Many people have posted videos on Youtube showing off their strafe-jumping technique. This is probably the best way to learn how to properly perform the turn while in air.