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Quake3 v1.30 Final Is Out

ipoverscsi writes: "A new Quake3 binary is out for both Linux and Windows. This is supposedly the final release of the game for all time. You can get the new version 1.3 at FilePlanet or your regular pusher. Mirrors would be good as the hour+ wait will only get worse." Ant provides a link to this thread on Blue's News (including a mirror) as well.

62 of 221 comments (clear)

  1. last ever patch? by MyMarty · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm wondering whether that statement is accurate, given that one of the changes that they mention in the readme is:

    Within this release is an Auto Update system that can be used to at any time to check for and download updates to Quake 3 and Team Arena.

    Kind of pointless if they don't plan to be releasing any more. Perhaps a better interpretation would be that they're going to halt active development in preference for yet-to-be-released projects (Bring it on, i say)

    1. Re:last ever patch? by Sludge · · Score: 2
      Interesting point, but don't forget Quake 3 technology is in a lot of other games, including Return to Castle Wolf and Soldier Of Fortune 2, and maybe others.

      Q3 has it's shortcomings, but it's probably the best development platform I have ever come across for games. It should be around for a while longer.

  2. What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by Malc · · Score: 3, Informative

    ... that's just bollocks, and they f**k off. I went to ftp.idsoftware.com and found the point release there. They don't have a very beefy server, but I've set ncftp downloading it without any of that fileplanet crap. They only allow 150 logins, but you could try: ftp://ftp.idsoftware.com/idstuff/quake3/win32/q3po intrelease_130.exe

    1. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by ewhac · · Score: 5, Flamebait

      Fileplanet has a rather goofy history. When they first started, they had what appeared to be a massive index of files (replete with banner ads). But when it came time to actually download the file, the download URL pointed at cdrom.com. So Fileplanet got the ad revenue, and cdrom.com got to eat the bandwidth. (Note: I have no idea if Fileplanet struck a deal with cdrom.com to defray their bandwidth costs.)

      Now Fileplanet (appears to) have their own servers, but now they're trying to arm-twist you into registering for the service so they can track you. Moreover, the registration requirement seems to vary on a file-by-file basis (some you can snarf anonymously; others require registration).

      There was a Serious Sam mod I wanted to download last week (Seriously Warped), and Fileplanet was the only operational server that had it. And they wanted me to register before they would cough it up. So I registered. Feel free to use this login at will until they wise up and cancel it:

      Username: none_of_your@fucking.business.com
      Password: slashdot

      I don't know where these so-and-sos got the idea that following people around and making notes on their every move, even electronically, was ethically defensible. I wish more people would take a stand on this.

      Schwab

    2. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by Masem · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Fileplanet *used* to be a good mirroring of many popular game files. Then Gamespy got greedy, and started to change everything; the number of FP mirrors dropped significantly, and then of late, they *require* you to log in to download something, and even then, you have to wait in their so-called queue because their FTP servers are so slow and heavily used. And unfortunately a lot of game companies release their patches through FilePlanet exclusively (at least for the first week), presumably because of their 'mirroring' abilitiy.

      Fileplanet needs to take a less from a site like Tucows; mirror and mirror often. Even if there were only 10 US mirrors instead of 3 or 4, they'd be much better off and I'd have less of a problem with them requiring a login. But as it stands, many alternative gaming sites are picking up the slack, such as www.3dgamers.com, which while not having the polish of FP, does have the files and capacity of it.

      --
      "Pinky, you've left the lens cap of your mind on again." - P&TB
      "I can see my house from here!" - ST:
    3. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      I go to fileplanet so I know the file name of a file I want then I use lycos ftp search (http://download.lycos.com/static/advanced_search. asp) to actually download the file.

    4. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by YKnot · · Score: 3, Informative

      The number of FilePlanet mirrors decreases, they are not faster than other sites (on the contrary, at least not for me), the pop-ups drive me mad, their download-queue scheme prevents me from comfortably using a download manager - in other words: they suck. Don't go there anymore.

    5. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by ziggles · · Score: 3, Funny

      yeah.. damn them for providing us with millions of files and expecting something for all that bandwidth! what were they thinking.. you can't just go around asking people to register with you, just because you would have taken a nose dive a long time ago without it!

    6. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by Hard_Code · · Score: 2

      I believe they are part of the "Gamespy Network" which means that you can use your Gamespy id to login. It's probably just to integrate the various aspects of gaming and foster a "community" (which they oversee of course). Really I don't give a damn if I have to register, and it's only an annoyance the first time. What the hell are they going to track anyway? I don't participate in any of their other services (if there are any).

      --

      It's 10 PM. Do you know if you're un-American?
    7. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by tshak · · Score: 5, Troll

      The arm-twist you? They spend MILLIONS so they can server over 20TB in a week (yes, that's a big T) and you get it for FREE? Go download somewhere else if you think your name is none of their business. Personally, I don't like the waits, so I got a personal server. What arrogance to assume that you have the right to consume massive amounts of bandwidth for free.

      --

      There is no longer anything that can be done with computers that is nontrivial and clearly legal. -- Paul Phillips
    8. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by Dwonis · · Score: 3, Informative

      Well if ISPs would start supporting multicast (or IPv6!), this wouldn't be consuming massive amounts of bandwidth.

      </rant>

    9. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by Domini · · Score: 2

      I don't mind waiting in line... it's this second unknown password it suddently asks for now... -sigh-

    10. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by ewhac · · Score: 2

      The arm-twist you? They spend MILLIONS so they can server over 20TB in a week (yes, that's a big T) and you get it for FREE?

      Yup.

      You young whippersnappers who have been on the net for less than four years wouldn't know that cdrom.com did exactly that. For years.

      Measured in constant dollars, bandwidth has gotten cheaper since then, so you can't claim it's more expensive to run such a thing. If cdrom.com could do it without demanding tribute, Fileplanet can bloody well live by the same, long-established rule: It's none of their damn business.

      Schwab

    11. Re:What's up with fileplanet requiring a login?... by tshak · · Score: 2

      You young whippersnapper...

      Interesting assumption. Let's be reasonable and stick to the facts that we know to be true. Agreed?

      First. Every argument you used against Fileplanet has nothing to do with my statement. I don't care if they ask for your SSN or for a fingerprint ID - you don't HAVE to use them (read: mirrors).

      Second, what cdrom.com is doing is generally freeware. What they've been doing for years is offering tons of Demo's (Future Crew, etc), and MODS/S3M's/XM's, etc. So although bandwith was much more expensive 5-6 years ago, most of the files they served barely hit 200K (on average). Even now the files aren't that big. I don't see cdrom.com offering the latest 80MB Deer Hunter demo or the 430MB Motor City Online demo (to tens of thousands of people in a week, nevertheless). You're comparing apples to oranges.

      --

      There is no longer anything that can be done with computers that is nontrivial and clearly legal. -- Paul Phillips
  3. SGI IRIX port? by green+pizza · · Score: 2

    I would imagine we'll be seeing 1.30 for Windows, Linux, MacOS Classic (8.x, 9.x) and MacOS X. But has there been any word on a port to SiliconGraphics IRIX? I recall one being started about a year ago, but I haven't heard anything since. Quake and Quake2, I know, have already been ported. Q3A would be a nice additional diversion on our machines at work. We fire up a Q2 deathmatch on our old Octanes every now and then.

  4. Oh no ... by Dr.+� · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... as if the global recession isn't enough! Now all production will end as well! I can already picture several fridays ending in gaming and beers. =D

    --
    Eih bennek, eih blavek
  5. download mirror by jhealy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    i'm mirroring the update to test out my dsl line, and because i'm probably stupid... anyways. ftp://download:software@pugetsoundmedia.com/q3poin trelease_130.exe

    1. Re:download mirror by jhealy · · Score: 2, Informative

      i'm mirroring the update to test out my dsl line, and because i'm probably stupid... anyways. ftp://download:software@pugetsoundmedia.com/q3poin trelease_130.exe

  6. Use this fileplanet login by MyMarty · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you're paranoid (or lazy) use this to log into fileplanet:

    user: wuuhuu@eudoramail.com
    pass: slashdotted

  7. Irix? What?!? by Wee · · Score: 2
    I would imagine we'll be seeing 1.30 for Windows, Linux, MacOS Classic (8.x, 9.x) and MacOS X. But has there been any word on a port to SiliconGraphics IRIX?

    You're not serious, are you? The rest of us are lucky to get a non-Win32 port. Do you have any information which would lead id to believe that the market share for Irix is large enough to justify a port? I mean, SGI isn't exactly what it used to be, is it? Technically, it's not a stretch, but this is an era of belt tightening. An Irix port seems a bit superfluous.

    I'm not bagging on SGI or Irix, it's just that neither of them are doing particularly well as far as market share, you know?

    -B

    --

    Ash and Hickory, straight-grained and true, make excellent bludgeons, dandy for the cudgeling of vegetarians.

  8. THE REAL MIRROR HERE by jhealy · · Score: 5, Informative
  9. Quite Sad by squaretorus · · Score: 4, Funny

    I find it pretty sad (as in dead hamster) that we're all pretty much excited about this. Where are the new games???

    It's like the music industry - you know your getting old when your more interested in a new best of, or an album from a 15 year old band than something fresh.

    Either that, or all the new stuff is just dross. Are we all getting old, and reliving our youths through Quake and the B52s? or are all new games just dross?

    What with my aged fragile maind I cannot decide!

    1. Re:Quite Sad by Eugene+O'Neil · · Score: 4, Insightful


      Why do so many people assume that just because something is old, it must be obsolete? Characterizing Quake III arena as "old" epitomizes this attitude almost to the point of self-parody. If you think that is old, you may be shocked to learn that some people still play DOOM. I like to play Fallout 2, which does not even have a first-person-perspective 3D game engine. Some people even play games that date back to the dark ages before computers were invented: games with eldrich names like "Poker" and "baseball". Oh, the horror!

      The point should not be how new a game is, or how technologically advance it is: the point should be how much FUN it is. I feel sorry for anyone who loses track of this basic truth.

    2. Re:Quite Sad by F34nor · · Score: 2, Interesting

      That's why the only game I am playing right now is good old 100% computer crack... Starcon2 Melee.

      If you think its too easy do a /frenzy on a 1GHz Athalon.

      F34nor

      My Phunk is going to kick your Orz ass all the way back to the Rainbow planet!

  10. FYI by stevarooski · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you want to avoid the mirror snag, use Q3's automatic update feature. Not sure if linux has this too, but the Win version got the game patched pretty quick.

    --

    - - - - - - - -
    Don't worry, being eaten by a crocodile is just like going to sleep in a giant blender.
    1. Re:FYI by OblongPlatypus · · Score: 2

      It doesn't, but I got 500 kB/s from q3ctf.de :)

      I'm not sure if I like the new rail and plasma effects though. They both make me think of soap bubbles.

      --
      -- If no truths are spoken then no lies can hide --
    2. Re:FYI by grammar+fascist · · Score: 2

      I don't like them, either. They're kinda hokey, and the "particle" engine they're based on (you can trust me, I make a mod) is just a list of sprites.

      The new effects weren't developed by id - they came from someone else. You can turn them off by setting cg_oldrail, cg_oldplasma, and cg_oldrocket all to zeros.

      --
      I got my Linux laptop at System76.
  11. Mirror Available by TalShiar00 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Here is a mirror of the file directly from file planet: http://www.cartsys.com/ted/q3/q3pointrelease_130.e xe


  12. This was fixed quite some time back... by Mr.+Buckaroo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Note the 1998 date.

    This was well published at the time, and if I recall correctly, promptly fixed.

    I realize it is good measure to always be concerned about security. Keeping in mind past exploits is always a good way to foster security awareness, but I think in this case your point is without merrit.

    Id's team takes quality of work fairly seriously. Also, consider how many people attempt to break protection on Quake and how many folks are involved in its dev scene.

    I would personally be surprised if they ever screw up like that again.

  13. Re:linux version by Simm0 · · Score: 2, Informative

    After a bit of looking around I finally found linux v1.30

    Grab it here

  14. Mirror for Win32 and Linux by TalShiar00 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here is a mirror to the different distributions available: http://www.cartsys.com/ted/q3/

    And if you would like to send us a nice note thanking us for making the mirror available (while it lasts) info@cartsys.com

  15. Q3A v1.30 Readme [Text File] from Windows Patch by antdude · · Score: 5, Informative

    I copied, pasted, and reformatted:

    8-23-2001 (1.30)

    NOTABLE CHANGES IN QUAKE III AND TEAM ARENA - (1.30)

    -IF YOU ARE HAVING MOUSE SENSITIVITY ISSUES WITH THIS, AND THE VERSION 1.29g POINT RELEASES PLEASE READ THIS - This and the last version of the point releases, were compiled with a new version of Direct Input that may have changed your mouse sensitivity. If you have noticed a change, we have a fix for you. The cvar \in_mouse can be used to set the "feel" of the sensitivity back to previous versions of Quake III. At the console type:

    \in_mouse 1 - To get the same "feel" as version 1.27h. This is the default "feel" that was shipped with Team Arena.

    \in_mouse -1 - To get the same "feel" as version 1.17 of Quake III. These are the only 2 "feels" that Quake III and Team Arena have ever had, so one of the settings should get you back on track.

    \in_restart - must be used to initialize both of the above commands.

    -NEW id CREATED PRO MAPS - One of our newer employees, Fred Nilsson, is an avid fan tournament style game play, and is very interested in the professional gaming community. Via feedback from professional Quake 3 players, Fred has made some modifications to some of the more popular maps that shipped with Quake 3 including "The Camp Grounds", "Lost World", "The Proving Grounds", and "Vertical Vengeance" You can play them in the single player game by advancing to tier 7, or run them on your server by using the map names "PRO-Q3DM6", "PRO-Q3DM13", "PRO-Q3TOURNEY2" and, "PRO-Q3TOURNEY4". These are a lot of fun! Give them a try!

    -NEW NETWORK CODE - There is a new compression system built into the network code of the latest point release. Essentially, this reduces the bandwidth usage of Quake 3 and Team Arena by a ratio of 5:1 over previous versions of the game. Modem players, as well as everyone else, should experience a significant improvement in internet game play because of this.

    -AUTO UPDATE SYSTEM - Within this release is an Auto Update system that can be used to at any time to check for and download updates to Quake 3 and Team Arena. When you install the point release a file will be created in your Quake III Arena directory and in the Start Menu called, "Check For Quake III Arena Updates". Running this file will check our servers for updates and notify you if there is a newer version or inform you that your files are up to date. The auto updater will create a directory on your C: where downloaded updates will be stored. It is important that you DO NOT delete this directory. If you plan to uninstall Quake III, make sure to uninstall all of the point releases as well. (Auto Update is for Win32 systems ONLY.)

    -NEW RAIL, ROCKET LAUNCHER, PLASMA GUN, and LIGHTNING GUN EFFECTS - There have been several new weapon effects that we've managed to sneak into this release. We've turned them off in the game by default, but you can enable them from the console by pressing the ~ key and typing the following commands:

    \cg_oldRail 0 (enables the new rail effect)
    \cg_oldRocket 0 (enables the new rocket effect)
    \cg_oldPlasma 0 (enables the new plasma effect)
    \cg_trueLightning 0.5 (enables the new lightning gun effect)

    In addition, the colors of the new rail effect can be changed with the cvars \color1 and \color2 with values of 1 through 8. (ex. \color1 1 or \color2 5). The new Rail gun effect was donated from the Alliance mod team http://www.planetquake.com/alliance/ The new Lightning gun effect was donated from the CPMA mod team http://www.promode.org/

    -NEW CHEATING COUNTER MEASURES - There has been quite a bit of new code added to make it much more difficult to cheat and hack the game. We'd tell you more, but that would be defeating the purpose... Rest assured that it will be harder to cheat than ever before.

    -NEW PROTOCOL CHANGE - The changes made to improve network code and prevent cheating will make this and future version of Quake 3 and Team Arena incompatible with older versions. This will affect older versions of demos as well. We wish it were possible to maintain game compatibility through each release, however major code changes limit our ability to do so.

    QUAKE III ARENA AND TEAM ARENA EDITING CHANGES

    -TEAM SELECTION - When a player starts a game with map or devmap the team logos displayed will be the last two teams used in the single player game. The console cvars g_blueteam and g_redteam commands will allow server admins to change the teams being played on dedicated servers.

    -Q3:TA TEAM CREATION - It is now possible to create original Team Arena teams with new team logos, body models, head models, voices and skins. Previously the code had been designed to limit the game to use of two body models (James & Janet). With this point release, hobbyists who know their way around the skills of model-making, animating, and skinning can make new team content for Team Arena. The "how-to" details for the creation of new teams are extensive and will be documented in a separate publication. These new teams will be available for use in single player, and multiplayer games.

    -INCREASED VERSATILITY FOR USER-CREATED TEAM SKINS IN Q3A AND Q3:TA - When a user-created skin for a model is accompanied by a set of similarly named matching team color skins, the game will now use those instead of the model's default team skin. For things to work right you have to have the following in the pak file for a blue team skin for and example skin for the Crash model name Hellion:

    Hellion_blue.tga models\players\crash\
    Hellion_blue_f.tga models\players\crash\
    Hellion_blue_t.tga models\players\crash\
    Head_Hellion_blue.skin models\players\crash\
    Icon_Hellion_blue.tga models\players\crash\
    Lower_Hellion_blue.skin models\players\crash\
    Upper_Hellion_blue.skin models\players\crash\
    Head_blue.skin models\players\crash\Hellion\

    Note that the head_hellion_blue.skin file must be in the crash directory and the head_blue.skin must be in the crash/Hellion directory for the model to work properly. A model configured in this manner will be back-compatible with earlier versions of Q3A.

    The search process for model skins has been refined for core Q3A and Q3:TA. Details will be in the Team Creation document to follow. Essentially, the game will look deeper into model directories when looking for model head selections.

    - NEW MODEL ANIMATION COMMANDS -

    Fixedlegs : put in the animation .cfg this command freezes the programmatic rotation of the legs.
    Fixedtorso : put in the animation .cfg this command freezes the programmatic rotation of the torso.

    - MAPMAKING CHANGES - ENTITIES CAN BE SET TO APPEAR (OR NOT) BASED ON GAME VERSION. Map makers now have the option to make their maps use different entity sets if a game is being played in original Quake III Arena or in Quake III: Team Arena. By adding one of the following key/value epairs, the mapper can create conditional tests that look for what code is being used or NOT being used to run the game.
    KEY: "notq3a" (i.e.; Not Quake III Arena)

    VALUE: "1" or "0" The default value is zero for an unmarked entity. If this value is set to 1, the marked entity will not appear if the game is played with "vanilla" (unmodified) Quake III Arena game code. Example: A Chaingun from Q3:TA could be marked with this epair. It would show up in Q3:TA game, but not in a Q3A game.

    KEY: "notta" (i.e.; Not Quake III: Team Arena)

    VALUE: "1" or "0" The default value is zero for an unmarked entity. If this value is set to 1, the marked entity will not appear if the game is played with the Team Arena expansion set and its game types.

    Should you want an entity to NOT appear in either game type (Q3A or Q3TA), you would set BOTH keys to 1. In this case, it would work with any other game mod which supports that entity

    If botplay is desired, these epairs should not be used on entities, such as func_statics, that significantly change the flow of the game map.

    Fixed Issues with TA and Q3

    8-23-01 (version1.30)

    -Fixed sound bug (with Graeme hints) -- this crashed some mods

    -Made sure Sys_Printf doesn't get into an endless loop if logfile is on

    -Fixed qconsole.log issues, +set logfile 1 +set fs_debug 1 was crashing (any OS)

    -Fixed logfile 1 / ttycon 1 issue, didn't exit properly (same endless looping)
    Also fixes an issue reported by q3f team

    -Changed rcon commands from Com_DPrintf to Com_Printf so that they show up
    in the console (with IP information)

    -Fixed autodownload toggle in q3 ui

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    1. Re:Q3A v1.30 Readme [Text File] from Windows Patch by Peyna · · Score: 2, Interesting
      NEW CHEATING COUNTER MEASURES - There has been quite a bit of new code added to make it much more difficult to cheat and hack the game. We'd tell you more, but that would be defeating the purpose... Rest assured that it will be harder to cheat than ever before.

      Obscurity not Security, which means it will only be a matter of time before someone figures out a way to cheat just the same...... *sigh*

      --
      What?
    2. Re:Q3A v1.30 Readme [Text File] from Windows Patch by Dwonis · · Score: 2

      Here's the problem with that: you won't really *know* whether you have good security or not unless there is some sort of peer review. Otherwise, you may have missed something that is easy to exploit.

    3. Re:Q3A v1.30 Readme [Text File] from Windows Patch by BradleyUffner · · Score: 2

      But it will have peer review, people are most likely going to try and cheat right away. These people are testing the security of the system. If they can't cheat, or there are dramaticly less cheats then the security has done it's job. You will NEVER be able to stop people from cheating, but you can at least slow them down so that legitimate users can enjoy the game for that much longer.

    4. Re:Q3A v1.30 Readme [Text File] from Windows Patch by Sludge · · Score: 2

      There isn't much choice unless you want to do a major tradeoff between security and efficiency. For example, one of the major reasons people can make proxy cheats ( or otherwise ) that have pop-up radar screens that show where everyone is, is because the server sends the location data of other clients when they are not quite yet in the screen, but in the potentially visible set.

      One secure alternative would be for the server game to cast a ray from each client to every client in the same PVS every frame. If they are visible, send their location on the next snap.

      Sounds good, until you realize that with latency issues a client may not start getting drawn until he's halfway across a doorway if he strafes by. Gets even worse when you consider how expensive the trace calls are on the server (maybe not TOO bad these days).

      That was a bit of an oversimplification, but most security in Q3 has to be obscure to make up for the required tradeoffs in efficiency over an untrusted client.

      The extreme would be to send jpegs over the wire and have the client just display them, in exchange for telling the server which buttons the client is pressing. It goes without saying why this isn't done.

  16. Q3A Mods seems to be backward compatible? by antdude · · Score: 4, Informative

    I was able to play Urban Terror mod in Quake 3 Arena v1.30 without problems. I didn't find out if the servers were using v1.30 when I played tonight.

    --
    Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
    1. Re:Q3A Mods seems to be backward compatible? by gleam · · Score: 3, Informative

      Yeh, 1.30h is backwards compatible with 1.29h, and every ut2 server I know of is running 1.29h currently, although some will probably update given the cheating countermeasures.

      -gleam

      --
      this .sig is not a .sig.
    2. Re:Q3A Mods seems to be backward compatible? by Sludge · · Score: 2
      The number of changes made to the game/mod source is negligible from the 1.27g to 1.29h jump. A few arbitrary limits have been raised for who knows what reasons, and the new media for the cg_old* weapons have been added to the client game.

      It's possible to run 1.27g source mods on 1.29h. I doubt 1.30 is much different. Certainly my mod's beta test last night went smoothly on 1.30.

  17. Re:(OT) Something I've always had a problem with.. by zardor · · Score: 2, Informative

    Hi DarkEdgeX
    The usual suggestions in this case are:
    try the latest drivers, ease off on the overclocking (if you are!), and if that's a VIA chipset motherboard, download the latest via4in1 drivers from 'just about anywhere' (don't have link handy)
    You could also try some of the various rage tweakers and fiddle around with the texture settings. Lastly, check the agp settings in your BIOS, and try a slower spead (1x instead of 2x).
    Happy fragging,
    zardor

    --
    -- We don't understand software, and sometimes we don't understand hardware, but we can *see* the blinking lights
  18. To bad Carmack improved the wrong things. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    AKA "The turd is finally polished!"
    Counterstrike has completely quad rocketed quake3 into submission. Don't believe me? Check gamespy.com's stats. I'll even save you the trouble....

    Top 5 Games By Players

    Half Life
    25155

    Quake 3: Arena
    2353

    If this isn't "Ma Mmma Ma Monster Kill" I'll buy you a copy of Unreal Touranment. How did an old creaky 3 year old engine (21 October 1998 release) have an order of magnitude of difference in popularity. Didn't Carmack get the curved surface alpha blended Wow-a-tron 9000 SIMD enhanced shaders right? Unfortunately he did at the cost of his core audience.

    The CPL (Cyberathelete Professional League) has dropped Q3 support. Other major tourneys are considering following suit and there seems to be a lot of frustration with the limitations of VQ3 (Vanilla Quake 3) turning into an eleborate game of pong. He with the best aim wins 40K!

    This is obviously an overstatement but isn't far from the truth. Read some of the pro tourney demo reviews (zero4, fatality, lakerman) and commentary on challenge-world.com (and affiliates). Search for the word "aim". All of the pro players recognize that big league Q3 is all about the crosshair. Obviously you need to hit your target but is that all deathmatch is about?

    Q3 seems to be bunny hopping right into the "wrong place", errr... Actually it isn't, and thats some of the problem. You can't bunny hop, acceleration jump, double jump, do complex air manauvers, and perform weapon switch combos (rocket to shaft -> pin to wall) because these were obviously bugs and Carmack fixed them. Its a near wonder that rocket jumping isn't "fixed". Maybe it is in Wolfenstin MP Test, I'm not sure. Q3 is bad deathmatch. Why? Let me count the ways:

    You can't control a map with 5 second item respawns, Depleting armor makes it armor heavy, you can't enhance your velocity, way too much weapon balence, the Grenade Launcher is timed poorly and is about as precise as throwing a dead tuna, the rockets are still too slow, etc, etc...

    Wait a minute you're saying... If these are legitimate problems that hardcore quakers tend to agree on, and the Q3 source is open, and easily moddable- why don't I shut up and start coding?

    Simple. Its already being done for and by hardcore quakers. Its called CPM Challenge Pro Mode it essentially rebreaks what Carmack has "fixed", and it makes a much more enjoyable (rewards dedication >> depth) deathmatch experience. It isn't nearly as fringe as you might think. If I was a betting man I'd give it 2to1 to overtake VQ3 in 2 years when all of the "I do it for the pretty colors" first person shooter llamas have moved on to the NBT.

    Look at the featureset, here
    See what hardcore quakers have said about it here and here

    Vanilla Quake3 is finally "gold"? Great. I could care less.

    1. Re:To bad Carmack improved the wrong things. by ewhac · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Your Half-Life numbers are a bit disingenuous, as the crushing majority of "Half-Life" servers are actually serving TeamFortress Classic and CounterStrike. There are comparatively few HL servers running straight HL deathmatch (not to be confused with DeathMatch Classic, which attempts to recreate original Quake deathmatch, but with brand new art).

      As for the rest: Though the technique has been shown to me, I have yet to develop any bunny-hopping skill. Frankly, I have enough trouble shooting straight without having to worry about whether I'm turning the right amount in the middle of a jump. Don't get me wrong; I've spec'ed rather skilled bunny-hoppers, and it's very impressive when it's done well, but at my current skill level, it's a hopeless distraction.

      You can't control a map with 5 second item respawns, [ ... ]

      Whenever I can, I play deathmatch mode 3 (weaponstay). I detest deathmatch mode 1, since it basically turns the whole thing into a game of keep-away (which is about as fun for me as it originally was in the schoolyard). It's especially bad on DM3 (The Abandoned Base) in Quake{World}. "Kwitcher whinin'," I hear you say, "and go develop your 5k1llz." Well, thanks. Just how, in practical terms, do I go about doing that without some advice? Doing it on one's own tends not to yield helpful results: *blam* "Well, that didn't work." *blam* "That didn't work, either." *blam* "Fragged me again." *blam* "Nope, he's still not injured." *blam* "So he's got -- what? -- 90 rockets by now?" *ZOT!* "Oh, I guess he got bored with the rocket launcher." *blam* "Sigh..."

      I agree that Q3 rockets are too slow, and that they impact and detonate in a manner most unfamiliar to longtime Quake{World} players.

      Schwab

    2. Re:To bad Carmack improved the wrong things. by onion2k · · Score: 2

      So you don't like it. Fine. Play something else. But whats the point in banging on for ages about how its not good enough for the 'hardcore elite'? These people make up maybe 2% of the sales of the game, probably less. The rest of us buy a game to HAVE SOME FUN! For goodness sake, does a Formula 1 driver whine that a Ford Focus isn't 'hardcore' enough to do 200MPH? No. He realises that maybe its not what hes after and he finds something that is.

      Frankly, I'll wager you lose most of the Quake games you play and you're just looking for an excuse. And Carmack is an obvious target. Grow up.

    3. Re:To bad Carmack improved the wrong things. by Edmund · · Score: 2

      You know, to this day, Carmack still gets a cut off the Half-Life / Counterstrike sales.

      Look who's crying now, eh?

      :)

      - Ed.

    4. Re:To bad Carmack improved the wrong things. by ewhac · · Score: 2

      (Why'd you post anonymously? This is good info! Someone mod the parent up!)

      I spend nearly all of my gaming hours (30+ / week) playing QuakeWorld and Q3 CPM [ ... ]

      Wow. And I thought I played a lot.

      In all actuality the best way to see the best of the best work the movement in Quake for all its worth is to look into speed running. [ ... ]

      I'm very familiar with the Quake Done Quick series (I particularly like Scourge Done Slick; how about that rocket jump rebound off the floating exploding thing?). But watching the demos by themselves doesn't show you what the player is doing with their hands to make it happen; all you see are the results.

      Check out a speed run demo, here [[e1m7_028.dem]]

      That link doesn't work, but I looked at its predecessor e1m7_029, and it's damned impressive. (Hopping off Chthon's head. Brilliant.)

      Everyone calls this "level lockdown", "level control, or "denial of items". This is definately not easy to maintain as multiple respawns (w/100 health) certainly can chistle you down to nothing.

      I'll have to disagree here. On DM6 in Quake{World}, a guy can camp the red armor and hang out for days. There's a +25 health pack right there, and another +25 and two +15 packs within walking distance. In deathmatch mode 1, each time the rocket launcher respawns means another +5 rockets for him, and it only takes one solid hit to down a guy. Deathmatch mode 3 (weaponstay) mitigates this slightly, as it forces him to go hunting for more rockets when he runs out (and there's only one place to get them other than from your corpse).

      Yes, you can pick up the +100 health pack and second rocket launcher, but your aim needs to be perfect or he'll still clobber you.

      BTW, thanks for the pointer to the FDE (Frags Done Extreme) video. That was amazing.

      Just how, in practical terms, do I [improve my skills] without some advice? Doing it on one's own tends not to yield helpful results: [ ... ]

      Simple. Start watching some pro matches, speed running tutorials, join a clan, practice like a mofo alone on DM maps so that you do the moves you need to when the pressure is on. Learning trickery in the middle of a [live] deathmatch is just dumb.

      Sound advice, thank you. But doesn't the precise timing of the tricks change based on network latency (in which case, skills learned on a LAN or localhost connection prove useless on public Internet servers)? Further, aren't the details of the tricks different between Quake and QuakeWorld (since QuakeWorld has slightly different physics)?

      Finally, if you're still out there, do you have an opinion on Qizmo and/or MoreQuakeWorld? Some seem to regard them as indispensible tools, while others see them as cheat enablers.

      Schwab

  19. Why does Quake have a console? by infiniti99 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Offtopic, I know, but after reading about these commands in the parent post, I have to ask.

    I thought most people didn't like the command line, which is why Windows is so popular. And yet it is in a game? Played for fun?

    Don't get me wrong, I love the command line. However I can't imagine all Quake players are Unix-lovers. And Quake is not the only game to contain a console. Although I can't remember the name, I even saw an Interplay RPG with one. Do gamers suddenly want to be l33t? Anyone care to explain this?

    IMO, I think a console in a game is actually kind of cool. Now if it were extended to be able to run external commands.... "!ssh", hehe :) Oh, and virtual terminals..

    1. Re:Why does Quake have a console? by Jburkholder · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Funny thing was that the quake 1 command line was one of the things really drew me in. It started small: you could set up a config file to do things like set your rendering params, bind special commands to certain keys (really useful things like combinations for rocket jumping and sending common chat phrases and the like).

      I had never experienced this level of control in a game before. Quake 2 came out and a really excellent mod called lithium came out. Lithium was basically a customizable server mod that let the admin change a wide variety of gameplay characteristics (change the weapon damage, gravity, spawn delay, you name it). I decided to try to build a server for the first time and hook it up to my brand-new cable modem and run lithium.

      I was hooked, except the only thing I had around to use for a "server" os was NT4 workstation. Needless to say, I had no end of grief getting the thing to do everything I wanted. I started to lurk on the lithium server op mailing list to pick up any tips, and the conversations were dominated not by how to set up a server using nt, but which linux distro was easiest to use to get quake going and the like.

      Guess what? I went out and got a RedHat 5.2 boxed cd from compusa and dove in with both feet. By the time q3test came out I had learned quite a bit, had networked my whole house, set up a masq box to do the connection sharing instead of the quake server and I had moved to debian.

      Command line in Quake is fairly unique in games overall. I think having command line interpreter in the game was a strong contributing factor in the game's popularity with the budding online gaming community. It gave a fine-grained control to the user that was willing to tweak a custom .cfg file and no doubt led to a certain feeling of 133t-ness among those who followed the mod community.

    2. Re:Why does Quake have a console? by tshak · · Score: 2

      I thought most people didn't like the command line, which is why Windows is so popular.

      No, people don't like the CLI as their primary UI. The same goes for Quake. I love the CLI for certain things (especially scripting, in both scenarios), but that doesn't mean I don't want to code in an IDE, or play games where I have to type /menu to get to the main menu :-).

      --

      There is no longer anything that can be done with computers that is nontrivial and clearly legal. -- Paul Phillips
    3. Re:Why does Quake have a console? by grammar+fascist · · Score: 2

      It's all about control and giving people what they want.

      In my opinion, the best software of any sort is the kind that is simple to pick up but doesn't really hide anything. It's really hard to pull off in most cases. In Quake's case, the easiest way to mix simplicity with control was to add the console. You'll notice that the game is perfectly playable without it, and in fact, there is a high percentage of Quake players that refuse to use it.

      I suppose it gives both people who like a simple interface and those who like a complex interface exactly what they want. I hate having to do a "skirmish" to test out a CTF map - I always pull down the console and send a "g_gametype 4" and a "map [blah blah]".

      --
      I got my Linux laptop at System76.
  20. My Mirror by alexburke · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here's my mirror (Windows only, unfortunately).

    Don't hit this mirror before 8:15AM EDT since the file is currently being uploaded to the webserver.

  21. Very fast EU (.de) mirror by Adnans · · Score: 3, Informative
    --
    "In short: just say NO TO DRUGS, and maybe you won't end up like the Hurd people." --Linus Torvalds
  22. Re:Mirror for Linux by gimpboy · · Score: 4, Informative

    mirror for linux

    i dont understand the lameness filter is requiring me to type more crap here.

    --
    -- john
  23. Mirror List by onco_p53 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Hit these... q3pointrelease_130.exe
    q3pointrelease_130.exe
    q3pointrelease_130.exe
    q3pointrelease_130.exe

    Actually I had over 30 mirrors but the Lameness filter decided it would be in your best intrest if you did'nt see them Head over here for more

  24. Re:(OT) Something I've always had a problem with.. by Jburkholder · · Score: 3, Informative

    Yup, I would get those same funky texture corruptions on my Matrox g400 card on win2k pro (the win98 version was fine, for some reason).

    Downloading and installing the latest glsetup drivers fixed it.

  25. Sound segfaults still aren't fixed under Linux by bconway · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you've been experiencing segfaults when the sound system starts in Quake 3 under recent Linux kernels, it still isn't fixed, FYI. I've mailed the main Linux guy for Quake3 over at id multiple times, but he's basically said "the kernel's broken." All my Loki games work perfectly under 2.4.10, and I'm not sure if it's affecting all sound cards or only the two I've tried, but oh well, I figured I'd pass the word along.

    --
    Interested in open source engine management for your Subaru?
  26. One cheater? by MattW · · Score: 2

    Despite all the raving about how easy it is to cheat, I've run across one, and only one, person cheating at quake in a year of playing it now. Given that I don't generally lose in games at large on the net, only when playing on unadvertised pro or wannabe-pro servers, I tend to notice when people win 'artificially'.

  27. Re:(OT) Something I've always had a problem with.. by BadBlood · · Score: 2

    I had that same texture "funkyness" when I played in Linux w/my Voodoo3 2000 PCI.

    I ended up fixing it my setting my desktop color resolution to 16-bit AND q3's color resolution to 16-bit. Maybe it'll work for you.

    --


    Praying for the end of your wide-awake nightmare.
  28. MIRROR! (OC-3) by Prolixium · · Score: 2, Informative

    Fast mirror here thanks to my OC-3 EDU connection...

  29. Re:Trying SMP acceleration... by greenfly · · Score: 2

    Oh bah... I have been waiting patiently for that for over a year. Fired emails to Loki when they were the ones responsible, and they were "working on it, look for a release soon."

    Oh well... guess it simply won't happen.

  30. MD5 Sum by Dwonis · · Score: 2
    I got my copy from http://www.bsd-security.org/linuxq3apoint-1.30.x86 .run.

    The MD5 is:
    3ca9f611a036243a24e582b24bf127a8 linuxq3apoint-1.30.x86.run

    Anyone want to check if this is the same as the official one?

  31. OT: FPS for toddlers? by hoggoth · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm serious.

    My toddler likes to pick up the gamepad and push the buttons while watching my screen saver swirl around (gee, does this mean daddy is on the computer too much?). I'd like to put on some 3D First-Person game so he can get feedback and enjoy making it walk around and jump up and down. Can anyone recommend a FPS and a level or mod that would look interesting to a toddler with NO VIOLENCE and NO MONSTERS in it.

    BTW, before you even mention it, Blowing Barney's head off with a shotgun, while satisfying for me, is definitely a no-no for a toddler.

    I will try Half-Life in the "reception area" at the beginning of the game. There are a few guards and scientists, interesting walls, and no monsters. But I'd like something more interesting for him.

    --
    - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
  32. Re: Quake Geeking... by ewhac · · Score: 2

    Besides this is all horribly offtopic by now.

    Ah, but isn't that the essence of the net? :-)

    Naah, I really love to get bitch slapped by hardcore players.

    Herein lies my greatest flaw. I don't enjoy getting bitch-slapped. Not at all. I get supremely frustrated and screaming angry, so much so that my neighbors wonder if I'm all right in the head. Still, I keep coming back for more. Whether this is due to unflagging dedication or just bull-headed stubbornness, I can't say yet.

    Frags do tend to roll for a long time once the sweet spot is acquired, the key is getting real good at hogging it, and/or minimizing the amount of deaths it takes to reacquire.

    So when does it stop being "level control" and become "camping"? Or is that entirely subjective?

    Make sure you get FDE II .avi if you've got the bandwidth.

    Got the bandwidth, but won't touch RealPlayer. The .AVI link in Germany doesn't seem to work at the moment.

    [Are] tricks different between Quake and QuakeWorld

    No real difference actually. The same holes in Q worked in QW as of 2.30, [ ... ]

    Okay, that's good to know.

    If I've managed to [pique] your interest in movement trickery I do have some utilities, demos and webpages to read which can actually help.

    Wow! Excellent resources; thank you. I'll check them out next time I crash back into Windows.

    The first one I got working was the hop across the sides of the RA room on DM3. I was pulling my hair out until I relaxed enough, did what the tutorial said and finally snagged it.

    Ah, yes, that one. I know it well. I've successfully made that jump perhaps a handful of times. Strangely enough, I seem to have better luck making it in HalfLife DMC than QW.

    Side note: Success at bunny hopping seems crucially linked to a good keyboard/mouse button layout. I'm still experimenting, but I still furtively stab at the spacebar to jump.

    If you want to continue this in email, I'd be happy to hear from you; the address is on my Web page. And the QW server on which I most often appear (because it almost always has players and low latency) is MommySue's Happy Place.

    Thanks again!

    Schwab