NexQuake / Documentation
brsm.dev Docker GitHub

NexQuake

NexQuake is a unified multiplayer Quake platform: dedicated servers, orchestration, and browser client in one tiny Docker image. Players launch by URL and join from the in-game server list.

  • Zero friction: Click a link, and now you're playing.
  • Authentic gameplay: Same movement, same weapons, same music, same feel.
  • Real multiplayer: Pick your mods, run as many game servers as you want.
  • Self-hostable: Pull one Docker image, open one port, go frag.

Ready to play?

https://kitty1.quake.nexus

Rather host it yourself?

# launch with a single shareware FFA server
docker run -p 1337:1337 -e CL_ARGS=+connect ghcr.io/0xbrsm/nexquake

# launch with several popular server mods
docker run -p 1337:1337 -e CL_SMENU=1 -e QUICKSTART=all ghcr.io/0xbrsm/nexquake

For more options, check the Quick Start Guide. Or read on for the nitty gritty.

The Details

Quake was released thirty years ago and changed video-gaming forever. For many of us, it was our first foray into true multiplayer gaming. NexQuake was built to recapture that experience without the setup hassle. With NexQuake, playing old-school Quake is as easy as clicking a link, picking a server, and pwning your friends. The same brutal, fast-paced gameplay from 1996, running natively in your browser in 2026.

NexQuake is a WebAssembly port of Quake with browser-native multiplayer. It runs the original id Software engine in the browser and connects players back to dedicated game servers on the host through a lightweight Go relay that tunnels UDP over WebSocket.

Browser Client  --WebSocket-->  Nexus  --UDP-->  NetQuake Server

The result is the original Quake multiplayer experience (software rendered, original physics, original UI) with no plugins, no user installs, and no compromise on the classic experience.

The Browser Client is the Quake engine compiled to WebAssembly with Emscripten. It uses WebGL2 for rendering (GPU-side palette conversion from the original 8-bit framebuffer), WebAudio for sound, and HTML5 events for input. Both gamepad and touch devices are supported. Game files and background music are streamed on demand from the server through a virtual filesystem.

Nexus is a Go orchestration server that serves client files, serves game data, manages servers, and tunnels multiplayer traffic. Each WebSocket frame carries a small routing header plus a raw NetQuake protocol 15 datagram. Nexus acts as a transparent relay with multi-server routing; it never parses game packets.

The Dedicated Server is any original NetQuake engine running -dedicated. Stock protocol, stock gameplay. Nexus spawns and manages server instances with runtime flags and server cfgs just like the days of old. A dedicated server with a few tweaks is included.

Players use the standard Quake multiplayer connection experience; use the Multiplayer menu or type slist from the console (~) to list servers and connect <host> to join.

Features

  • Browser-native: Runs in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and any browser with WebGL2.
  • Real multiplayer: Dedicated NetQuake servers centrally managed through Nexus.
  • Universal input: Native touch controls and Gamepad API support.
  • CD audio emulation: Stream the original Quake soundtrack in .ogg or .mp3 format.
  • Persistent saves: Config and saves survive browser sessions via IndexedDB.
  • Mod support: Game directory switching at runtime without page reload.
  • Self-contained: Single Docker image, single port.
  • Easy to secure: Supports OIDC via JWT tokens or just run it behind a reverse proxy.
  • Software renderer: GPU-accelerated palette conversion of the original 8-bit framebuffer.
  • Auto-quickstart: Shareware/freeware game data downloads automatically on first run.

Documentation

  • Repo Overview: Index to all the documentation in the repo.
  • Quick Start: Get up and running quickly with Docker.
  • Controls: Touch, gamepad, and video mode configuration.
  • UI Guide: Using the in-browser settings panel for files, cfg editing, and CD controls.
  • Setup Guide: Managing game data, mods, and servers.
  • Environment: Environment variables and networking setup.
  • Admin Guide: Server administration reference.
  • Architecture: Technical deep dive into system design.
  • Bug Fixes: Security and stability patches for the upstream WinQuake source.

Project Layout

bugfix/           Patches for critical bugs in the Quake source
build/            Build system and upstream checkout scripts
client/           WASM client platform layer and WebSocket networking
docs/             Detailed documentation and guides
etc/              Quickstart catalog (`game.json`) and default runtime configs
nexus/            Go relay, file serving, server orchestration
server/           Dedicated server Makefile and patches
site/             GitHub Pages content
ATTRIBUTIONS.md   Source provenance and GPL lineage
CHANGELOG.md      Development and release history
compose.yml       Docker Compose configuration
Dockerfile        Multi-stage production image
README.md         You're still reading it (go play Quake!)

License

GPL-2.0-or-later, consistent with the original Quake GPL release.

Game data files (PAK files) have separate licensing. Shareware permits redistribution of official archives only. Full version has restrictive licensing; do not host PAK1.PAK publicly.