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Quake 4 to Launch at Christmas

Posted by Zonk on from the demons-in-wrapping-paper dept.

An anonymous reader writes "bit-tech.net has the news that the eagerly awaited next installment to the Quake series, Quake 4, is on course to be released in time for Christmas. PCGamer grabbed the chance to have an exclusive play through of the upcoming title in the June issue of the magazine." Trailer also downloadable from 3D Gamers. (Scroll down for the non-reg links.)

63 comments

  1. what the hell is a "stonker"? by enrico_suave · · Score: 1, Funny

    "The title is shaping up to be an absolute stonker according to PCGamer."

    Is that like a stinker with an "o" it? like it stinks but the graphicss make you go "oh" i.e. "stonker"?

    *shrug*

    e.

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    Build Your Own PVR/HTPC news, reviews, &
    1. Re:what the hell is a "stonker"? by screwballicus · · Score: 2, Informative


      Could be. However, the word "stonker" is certainly attested as both a noun and a verb, in a few different somewhat related meanings. Discussion of it is to be found here.

    2. Re:what the hell is a "stonker"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Stonker? I barely knew her!

  2. Actuall launch? by Leroy_Brown242 · · Score: 2, Funny

    So, following along with game industry standard, it'll actually be released some time in 2007?

    --
    Pretty Pictures!
    1. Re:Actuall launch? by ZephyrXero · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Well someone's got to compete with Unreal Tournament 2007!

      --
      "A truly wise man realizes he knows nothing."
  3. Yet Another First Person Shooter... by ZephyrXero · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Am I the only one failing to see what Quake 4 is going to offer that Doom 3 hasn't already? Same graphics? Yep. Same gameplay? Yep. Similar Multiplayer? Yep.... These guys should have just focused on making mods and expansions rather than trying to brand this as a seperate game. I figure after the onslaught of FPS we saw last year maybe they'd give us a break for a year or two... :P

    --
    "A truly wise man realizes he knows nothing."
    1. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by solowCX · · Score: 2, Informative

      Doom 3 was mostly confined to small spaces and corridors. If you watched the fucking trailer you would see a lot of the fight scenes take place outside. Bigger monsters, bigger areas.

    2. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Meh, Doom3 isn't that great for the multiplayer type stuff that was so fun in Q1-3.

      Doom3 feels clunky and limited. What is the player limit? 8 or something like that?! Crappy multiplayer weapons, etc...

      I presume Q4 will be more like Q3 with better graphics. I hope they do some innovation in the weapons and gameplay departments because those are some of the reasons the FPS market is so boring now.

      Of course be got UT2006 (or whatever it will be called) coming out also. I've always been more of a Quake guy myself though (quick and sharp versus funky and sloshy). Onslaught brought back some fun into FPS's.

    3. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by Winterblink · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's amazing more people don't realize the stagnancy of the first person shooter genre. Or maybe more people DO realize it, which begs the question: why do these sell like crazy?

      --
      "I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar."
      -Hoban Washburn
    4. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by superpulpsicle · · Score: 1

      After HL2 and Doom3 at $59.99 struggled to work on most people's video cards and top-of-the-line PCs. I would think consumers have had it.

      Anyways, we just need a game with lots of guns. Not 10, not 15. We need about 200. Rainbow 6 Ravenshield still have the largest selection around.

    5. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by Winterblink · · Score: 1

      One would think people have had it. The market is nearly as saturated as that of the real-time strategy from a few years back, probably moreso when one considers how many first person shooters there are in total, much less how many World War II ones there are. I'm pretty sure the bubble will burst, I'm just surprised it hasn't already. :)

      And yeah, other than Rainbow 6, the only fps with as much flexibility for armaments would be Counter-strike (mostly because there's so many loadout combos it's sick).

      --
      "I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar."
      -Hoban Washburn
    6. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by MindStalker · · Score: 1

      There was one FPS game I saw a while back where in Co-op mode the players could stand on eachother shoulders to throw eachother to accomplish certain things. I think its was also a Tom Clancy game.. shurgs.

    7. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by Chyeld · · Score: 1

      FPS's are the very definition of attempting to bring reality (or whatever fantasty derived version you prefer) to your games. Advancement in this genre may sometimes be stalled by blocks in hardware development, but it will never be finished till we reach the plateau where you can't tell the difference between the game and life without the game telling you.

      Yes, things have slowed down, they have in the past. They will periodicly in the future.

      That's the nature of the game. Someone comes up with a cool idea and everyone else beats it to death till the next cool idea comes along.

      That doesn't mean things have stagnated, it means we are waiting for the next big thing to come along.

    8. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by JFMulder · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You do realize that chess is several centuries old and still hasn't seen an expansion pack or a new version of it? So why people keep on playing chess? How about because it's a fun game? Same can be told about FPSes, 3rd person shooters, sports games, etc. These are not as deep as chess, obviously, but they're still fun.

    9. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by borawjm · · Score: 1


      The fact that HL2 and Doom3 sold so well, regardless of the high system requirements and bugs, tells me that consumers will do anything to play these games.

      I completely upgraded my system to play HL2 so the gaming companies are not the only ones benefiting from this.

    10. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by DrEldarion · · Score: 1

      Struggling to work on top-of-the-line PCs? Not quite - I was able to get Doom 3 to run at 1600x1200 full detail around 50fps with antialiasing on. I'd hardly call that a struggle. In fact, I haven't run across very many people at all that couldn't get it running well if they turned down the detail to a reasonable level.

    11. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by BinLadenMyHero · · Score: 1, Troll

      I presume Q4 will be more like Q3 with better graphics.

      Nope.
      Q4 will be more like Q2 with better graphics.
      It will be a single-player (or cooperative) centered game.

      Q3 is still the best for multi-player.
      Maybe Q5 will return the focus to multi-player.

    12. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There isn't going to be a Quake 5 or Doom 4. After Q4, Id is going to start doing origional shit nobody cares about.

    13. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by Pxtl · · Score: 1

      UT:U4E. Best weapon inventory ever, and not "we have 80 different assault rifles" - it was an assload of actually different weapons, from the bland (M-16) to the bizarre (Atomic Robot Baby Doll).

    14. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, there's another Wolfenstein coming out too.

    15. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by obsid1an · · Score: 1

      Raven has already said the single player will be based off of Quake2 and the multiplayer more like Quake3. This is perfect imho. Just because you see a couple screenshots that make it look like Doom3, which is a huge surprise of course since they use the same damn engine, doesn't mean gameplay will be the same.

    16. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by compro01 · · Score: 1

      After HL2 and Doom3 at $59.99 struggled to work on most people's video cards and top-of-the-line PCs. I would think consumers have had it.

      you must be refering to what was top of the line about 3-5 years ago, as a lot of people seem to not grasp the fact that technolagy time goes a lot faster than real time. HL2 runs pretty good on my compy (2 ghz P4, OCed to 2.66, 512 DDR, GF4 ti4200 video). the load times are forever, but they have been on every system i've seen running it.

      --
      upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
    17. Re:Yet Another First Person Shooter... by compro01 · · Score: 1

      i personally loved the story in Q2. the game i won't think will be much like doom3. more "BLOW SHIT UP!" than "sneak around in the dark"

      --
      upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
  4. Light! by Chyeld · · Score: 5, Funny

    Quake 4 will inovate the FPS genre with the built-in addition of having enough light to actually see! No longer will you be forced to install a Duct-Tape mod to be able to use a flashlight!

    1. Re:Light! by rAiNsT0rm · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Umm, the one screenshot they show is as dark as Quake3/Doom3... I guess there is that one flourescent light above which does little for lighting the scene at all.

      I sure wish the FPS genre would just die already, it has hung on way past the point of innovation and differentiation. Ooh, I get 900FPS on my uber video card (of which my eyes and monitor can display ~60) I got my rocket launcher and my head shot cheat... FUN!

      --
      http://teasphere.wordpress.com - A little spot of tea
    2. Re:Light! by hawkbug · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree the innvoation is gone - except in graphics. I mean, sure Quake was a great game and very addicting - and the graphics looked good for the time... But games like Doom 3 look amazing, and I think that for people just getting into these type of games, it's probably a very fun game to play, just like we had our fun back in the days of Quake.

    3. Re:Light! by OwlofCreamCheese · · Score: 1

      why do you care if it dies? is the rule "if alternateing capital letters rainstorm doesn't like something it shouldn't exist in the world"?

      --
      -You're wasting your time. Alfador only likes me.
    4. Re:Light! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Everyone stop posting! CheesyOwlNickname doesn't want people to have an opinion or correct grammar.

    5. Re:Light! by rAiNsT0rm · · Score: 1

      wow... that was the best you could do huh? I'm quite sure that was the worst attempt at shutting down someone's opinion I have ever seen. Thank you creamcheese, we are all now dumber for having read your post.

      --
      http://teasphere.wordpress.com - A little spot of tea
    6. Re:Light! by skiman1979 · · Score: 1

      well, Doom3 does have a flashlight... ;-)

      --
      Having a smoking section in a public restaurant is like having a peeing section in a public swimming pool.
  5. Unprofessional Teaser by DreadPiratePizz · · Score: 4, Informative

    The movie wasn't exactly worth the download. It's too short, doesn't show much in terms of real gameplay, has no titles, and abruptly ends. Dial up users may want to skip this one.

    1. Re:Unprofessional Teaser by Lisandro · · Score: 1

      Not only that, what's there to see isn't that impressive either (and this is from a hardcore Quake 4 fan). The models look bland and you can tell it's still work in progress. The screenshots floating arround the net were much better.

      Still, interesting. I can't wait for Christmas.

    2. Re:Unprofessional Teaser by Jakeypants · · Score: 1

      "It's too short, doesn't show much in terms of real gameplay, has no titles, and abruptly ends."

      No titties? Fuck this, th- oh... titles.

  6. Defintion by DamienMcKenna · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sto nk

    I guess you could say its the British equivelant to "da bomb".

    Comedy Relief had whole theme about it years ago, including a song by two British comedians. http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-sto3.htm has even more.

    Damien

  7. Stonker means it sucks? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sad to hear. Oh well, bye bye Quake, was nice knowing ya.

    (those wacky British)

  8. Ahh , yes so original by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    My god, does every freaking game have to have metal walls and red lights.. I mean its the future, would they just have some sort of nightvision , and wouldnt walls be made of something else besides aircraft grade aluminum...

  9. It's Great for Some by robbway · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The comments on "yet another FPS" kind of echo my sentiments. However, not everyone is tired of FPS. Also, think of the consequences if all FPS ceased production. Everyone would start to want a FPS and badly. I say let them perfect the genre.

    1. Re:It's Great for Some by PedanticSpellingTrol · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      They did. Unreal Tournament GOTY Edition, ~$4.95 at your local retailer.

    2. Re:It's Great for Some by FuckTheModerators · · Score: 1

      I'll echo your comment. Do let them perfect the genre.

      However, there's one facet of FPS games that has been sorely neglected recently. Co-op multiplayer.
      Duke 3d, Unreal, and more recently Serious Sam all did well with this, and for me it was the most enjoyable aspect of those games.

      I certainly hope Q4 bucks the trend and includes this kind of multiplay.

    3. Re:It's Great for Some by Pxtl · · Score: 1

      Halo II's co-op was freaking perfect. All co-op devs need to learn it's lessons. No losing your teammates (you spawn up to the next checkpoint when the other player reaches it), no quicksave confusion (respawn at last checkpoint), no fighting over health (just sit still, your shields return). Just room after room of carnage. It was perfect. Halo II had its flaws, but for co-op gameplay it perfected the concept.

    4. Re:It's Great for Some by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All co-op devs need to learn it's lessons.

      "its".

    5. Re:It's Great for Some by kyojin+the+clown · · Score: 1
      alien vs predator on the PC was the ultimate co-op for me. you have to hack it, so its not perfect, but its SO MUCH FUN creeping around these dark scary maps as a group of marines, and then all the aliens and the screaming and the dying.

      we used to play that and serious sam in my corridor at uni, CAT5 running all over the walls, until the early hours. its such a tense game, you used to have to stop playing because you simply couldnt cope anymore. good days.

  10. Otherwise known as... by Telastyn · · Score: 1

    Doom3 patched to allow more than 4(!) people in a multiplayer game...

    1. Re:Otherwise known as... by 88NoSoup4U88 · · Score: 1
      Actually, they are talking about 16 players max...

      ...which is still shit :/

    2. Re:Otherwise known as... by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      Download the SDK, search the #define line responsible and set the maxplayers as high as you'd like. Don't complain when it turns out your system couldn't handle more than 4-8 anyway.

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  11. Quake 3 Source by r_benchley · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Hopefully this means that we'll be seing the release of the Quake 3 source code soon.

  12. Grammar Genie by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Raven Software, who have worked with id in the past"

    Hiya, guys. Repeat after me, "Names of corporations are singular."

    AC

    1. Re:Grammar Genie by n3bulous · · Score: 1

      Depends on whether it is American English or the Queen's.

      --
      "The area of penetration will no doubt be sensitive." ~ Spock
  13. Quake3 was right on by Iamthefallen · · Score: 3, Informative

    After they got through with all the patches and updates, Quake3 along with OSP came pretty close to being the perfect deathmatch FPS. It didn't make it easy on the newbies, it didn't have a ton of eye candy, it had its share of bugs and glitches. But when it came to measuring skill vs skill, few games compare.

    I was hoping that we'd see Quake4 integrate OSP and its competition oriented features, but it doesn't look like that'll happen.

    --
    Wax-Museum Fire Results In Hundreds Of New Danny DeVito Statues
    1. Re:Quake3 was right on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For its time, Q3 was fairly eye-candy heavy. I remember being pretty pissed off that it didn't run on my Voodoo 1.

      I'd agree that Q3 is probably the purest deathmatch experience you can have. If you want to have crazy fun, you play UT (99 or 2004). If you want to test your skill, it's Q3 you fire up. It seems that the release of Q4 won't change that.

    2. Re:Quake3 was right on by Trojan · · Score: 1

      Hmmm, then why did people claim Quake and/or Quake2 had been the perfect deathmatch FPS when Q3 came out?

      It just depends on what you grow up with.

      Ehm, deathmatch Pong rulez :)

    3. Re:Quake3 was right on by skiman1979 · · Score: 1

      Although Quake3 was a fun game, IMHO, Quake2 was more enjoyable. I think the BFG10k was a bit much in Quake3. Rapid fire plasma blobs firing at your opponents... I feel Quake2 took more skill. It did have a BFG gun, but it certainly wasn't rapid-fire. The game seemed to concentrate more on the mission than on just bouncing around killing as many enemies as possible. But maybe that's what Quake3 was meant for.

      --
      Having a smoking section in a public restaurant is like having a peeing section in a public swimming pool.
  14. SOF3 by phxbadash · · Score: 1

    Here's hoping that raven software gets Quake 4 done so they can get to work on Soldier of Fortune 3. I can only imagine what they could do with per-pixel hit detection and their damage model.

  15. I still say.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...the last great Multiplayer experience was Quake 2 with he Jailbreak mod. Everything else since then has been craptastic. Even Jailbreak on UT was sucktastic.

  16. Starship Troopers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow I just got a flashback to starship troopers. I know Q2 was similar to it, but it wasn't as similar as this is.

    It's probably the scene with the mocap waiving guy followed by a giant bug that did it.

  17. Quake by MistabewM · · Score: 1

    Are they including the grappling hook again? I loved that mod for quake 1. Better yet just remake quake 1.

    --
    "A learning experience is one of those things that says, 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that.'" - DNA
    1. Re:Quake by slicenglide · · Score: 1

      I could not agree more with remaking Quake 1 and/or making a sequal to that game. I thought that maybe they might want to restart the frachise from there being that it's what started the whole love of quake, and that it had more players multiplayer wise and mod wise than the rest of the series.
      I loved it, and still wish I could play Quake TF again. -I would give my left testicle.

      --
      John Walsh once found me while looking for some other kid. He was not amused.
  18. MOD PARENT UP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    q3 == best multiplayer fps ever

  19. Wood Rocket launcher? by MMaestro · · Score: 2, Funny
    Apparently in the future rocket launchers, "gravity guns" and experimental laser weapons will be ineffective against wooden walls, piles of rocks and souped up hummers. In addition, a mute lab assistant with no military training and armed with only a crowbar will magicly turn into a super puzzle solving hero who will save humanity from an interdimensional invading army after arming himself with pistols, SMGs, shotguns, machine guns, a laser rifle, rocket launchers, laser trip mines and alien weaponry. Oh and the government will send between a company or battalion of marines in order to kill him... and fail.

    I'd take aircraft grade aluminum walls if it meant getting a slightly more acceptable atmosphere. (Trained military marine or untrained lab assistant? Who's the more likely hero?)

  20. Q4, huh? by jatreuman · · Score: 1

    So Q4 in Q4. Cool.

  21. Quake TF by Spuffin · · Score: 1

    There are still Quake TF servers out there, albeit they are very few so your ping times can suffer greatly. They are also filled with cheaters. But other than that it is nice to see the spy in his tux and wielding an axe...

  22. Please no buggies by Dr.Opveter · · Score: 1

    My only hope for this game is that they don't have me drive in a buggy like HL2 did.
    It's okay to do a 2 minute drive to get somewhere quickly, but please don't make it last half the game.

    --
    Sample this!
  23. Re:Wood Rocket launcher? by AllUsernamesAreGone · · Score: 1

    Obviously the lab assistant. Do you have any idea how nasty they can get if you leave chemicals out on the bench?