Messages

1

Quake / Re: Mute requested

« on: September 12, 2013, 03:10:20 PM »

Everyone who knows me knows that that's not true. I talk trash, I just don't call people "FAGGIT" or "BOT".  THere wasn't a moment where anyone didn't want to engage in trash talking..so I gave it back. Your condump indicates that. What should I do? Shut up because I'm not in the majority? Sorry, my trash talking hits so close to home that you can't blow it off like homosexual inuendo. It's simple. You're competive and I'm not. I just don;t like to be bored. So I talk trash when you repeat old ass patterns. Simple Sorry if that isn't as easy to deal with as if I called you a faggit for boring me. Or a BOT for beating me.  THere are plenty of players who don't have these problems with me. If getting banned because you like talking trash, but can't take it is what's in store for me..then so be it. It'll say a lot about who gets to speak their mind..and who doesn't. It's a big world..oh well. THanks to the folks that get what I'm doing..and those who don't but decided to live and let live.

daf

P.S. Sorry I type faster than you and have more to say. Not my doing..just the way it is..like Quad Super Shotgun. If you didn't engage my trash talking..you wouldn't have these problems. Many people don't.. Maybe I'll call you a "faggit" next time and we'll be just fine. Long as I don;t mention your quad use..

2

dm / Win or lose...Fragz Ain't Skillz

« on: June 18, 2010, 05:13:00 PM »

Dumb as those binds may be..the object of a GAME is not to win. It's to have fun and pass time. If a player has fun competing..then mission accomplished. If has fun has fun fucking around ingame...mission ALSO accomplished.

Finally, what a fucking day we live in when honor is secondary to victory.

It's the excuse competitive personalities that don't have the patience, the balls or the self control to play with honor use to justify giving up on the high road. There are plenty of players out there who play honorably...and play very well. (I've got the integrity thing down...but the playing well part eludes me much of the time. I can live with that.)

Just because some can't live up to the standards AND skillz of those amazing players, doesn't mean that those standards aren't both worthwhile and meaningful.

Fuck victory without honor..it just means a player didn't have what it took to accomplish both and picked fleeting victory over enduring integrity.

We get what we give. In the end, maybe we'll figure out that we ALL kick ass.

daf

3

dm / Where the bullshit ends...the game begins.

« on: June 11, 2010, 09:27:35 AM »

Hey folx. Led Pez here..Quake2 philosopher and preacher.

As usual, this will be a long-winded podium sprayer..so if yer not into that sort of thing, you might skip it. It's been a few years since I let loose the whole spiel..it might not have been long enough..then again it might be overdue.

About..Gawd..11 years ago..we started >FAS> with the idea that it's the skillz that matter, not the score. Although we've had and still have some very competitive members, in the end, it's not how many dollars(ie. fragz) you have that determines the kind of life you lived(ie. game you played)..it's how you got those dollars/fragz.

Now admittedly, I'm the radical fanatic of the group. I'm the weirdo who believes that the pursuit of points has destroyed healthy competition. Every (let's be diplomatic about this) "gray area" (not sure it has the same punch as "cheap piece-of-sh*t" but it'll do) tactic for getting faster/easier points out there finds its roots in the fact that we hold the scoreboard up as some kind of holy altar.

Bots, wall hacks, spawn campers/killers, chronic quad users, etc. All of these are used in an attempt to gain the coveted #1 position, or at the very least  to alleviate feelings that one sucks ass at this game by stuffing the scoreboard with meaningless fragz.

But are there many of us who have been playing for over a decade who can't tell the difference between a player who has better moves than us...better aim than us...better map knowledge than us..and someone who is using "gray area" tactics to achieve the illusion that they do have those skillz?

And how many of us that have played 10s if not 100s of thousands of games really remember the "winners" farther back than a few maps?

Not me, that's for sure. I'll tell you what I remember. I remember the crazy f*cker that  pulled off some damned-near-impossible jump, turned a 180 and railed my ass midair. I remember that guy. I remember almost every single one of them. And to be honest (without hopping on anyone's d-ck) I respect them as players, if not as people. The fraghounds (ie. those that would do anything for a point?) Them not so much..if at all. They're a dime-a-dozen

But what the f*ck do you do about players like that? (Here's the response to angel's suggestion that I'm "mellowing.") Truth be told, you'll never get rid of them.

We live in a society that likes to quantify things..success and pecking order being two of those. It's members of this same society that play our game. And so they'll always be there...reducing the game down to a contest of points. Seeing the game as little more than 3D Space Invaders. Never really understanding that in this game..we have a chance to be supermen for a few moments each day. We can jump higher, move faster and take more damage than we'll ever be able to in real life. We are free in here...we can fly in here. And that's priceless..it can't be quantified and never should be.

A quick story:

There was a guy many years back named T-Bird. He was in the now defunct (I believe) clan [EMR]. He asked me about improving his game...about this course I've been teaching on and off for many years called Quake2 Kung Fu. In particular he was curious about the config. I started to explain it to him by explaining what the finger positions are. He responded by telling me that he didn't have any fingers. I thought he was pulling my leg. But he swore he wasn't...and he wasn't. T-Bird has no hands. He was born with arms only..up to the forearm. He has no legs. Just stumps that end at his thighs.

He played by resting his forearm on the mouse and rolling it left or right to push the two buttons. His other forearm rested on the arrows keys. That was his way of interfacing with this world...our community. And he was really, really good considering the challenges that he faced. But that wasn't all...and this is the point of the story. To T-Bird..this game was his chance to walk again. To run again. To jump again. This game, and games like it..had given him back his freedom to some extent..and you could tell by his attitude that every single day..he was just f---ing grateful to be able to PLAY this game..let alone win a map.

We're all very lucky to have this game..a place to escape to. And we're very lucky to have each other to play against. Unfortunately, we're almost universally oblivious to the fact that each of us is dependent on the other players in this game to really have a game at all.

And so, many try to DOMINATE by using whatever "gray area" oh f-ck it...whatever CHEAP ASS tactics they can find. And we talk each other down. And sometimes its in fun, and sometimes it's little more than a dog playing alpha by trying to hump someone else's self esteem.

I don't know how many players we've lost to the bullshit. I know we've lost a lot of veteran players to it. It just gets old and frustrating and people move on.

I don't know how much possible new blood we've lost to the same bullshit. Noobs that could have infused new life and a few more years into our game. I have no idea. But I know it's a lot of them. Get quad-super-shotgunned enough and that'll happen. And I don't know how many noobs have BECOME powerup addicts as a result of the piss poor example set by players that COULD manage without the powerups...but that are chasing after that FPH/Frags Highscore. The players that are chasing after DOMINATION and recognition.

So it would be great to have a server where the bullshit isn't allowed. Gator and the folx of tastyspleen were kind enough to set up a server for us at "goto BTFFFA" that has the powerups disabled. Time voting is there so that noobs can train one map if they want to. Map voting is there instead of mymap so that they can move on to another map if they'd like to train or play a different map without waiting the clock out. The only modification on it that might be objectionable to some of you is that spawns start with armor to deter spawn camping and to give noobs a chance to actually get a few steps in before they get fragged.

If folx would like to help me get this server going..that'd be great. I'm willing to accept some adjustments to the settings and I'm willing to put in some hours right now while I'm semi-retired from the rat race. But you gotta let me know. I'm not sure if Punk would be willing to help keep it manned. Not sure if anyone else would be willing to put in the sort of time it takes to get a server going to the point that it populates itself...but if there are players out there looking for a server without the bullshit..this might be a good place to start:

74.54.186.236:27910 Fragz Ain't Skillz FFA

Anyhow that's my 2 cents worth stretched out to a buck fifty. We all kick ass.

daf

Still no cheap fragz for 11 years+
>Fragz Ain't Skillz>

4

Trouble Shooting / Re: wth is this?

« on: March 31, 2007, 10:09:46 AM »

The most comfortable place I could find for jump (one of the most frequently pressed and released buttons) was on the middle finger (strongest finger.) By setting the ring and index fingers as the left and right strafe, you get a REALLY easy bunnyhop and strafe jump combination.

You'll find the Quake2 Kung Fu config here: http://www22.brinkster.com/dafremen/q2kfoo.htm

And does anyone know where I could get some of those pedals for hands free internet browsing?

daf

5

Trouble Shooting / Re: wth is this?

« on: March 30, 2007, 08:52:56 AM »

Actually, I would never have put the fire button on the space bar. It was the last key assigned. (Hand grenades.) Fire was the right or left ALT key (depending upon whether you were rigth or left handed.) I originally designed the config for Quake when I was working as a software engineer (specializing in user interfaces for 10 years.)

Every single person that successfully switched noted that their rails improved significantly. Yes, those of you that fire on the mouse button DO compensate for it...what you're asking your brain to do is to lead the shot (more than would be normally necessary.)

In addition to taking all repetitively pressed functions off the mouse (and replacing them with movements that are pressed down and held like forward and backward) the config also tried to eliminate "finger multitasking" and separate right and left brain functions into two logical areas : offensive/defensive movements and navigational movement.

On the keyboard, "finger multitasking" was reduced by placing all weapon switch keys on a single finger: the pinky. The thumb, which is a very slow finger, took advantage of reload delay by becoming the fire finger. The jump button was taken off of the mouse (about the worst possible place it could be) and placed between the left and right strafe keys for easier bunnyhopping, strafe jumping and evasive maneuvering.

The config was the result of about 2 weeks thought, 2 months testing, tinkering and perfecting and another 5 years of upgrades and revisions. I'm pretty proud of it, which is why this post caught my eye. To date, over 150 people were introduced to it directly by me. Everyone that successfully switched reported marked improvement in their game (even folks that rocked before switching.) It has been successfully transferred to the following games that I know of by people that were introduced to it in Quake2:

Counterstrike, Halo, Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto (II III and San Andreas), Quake3, Quake4, Doom4 and I imagine that any first person shooter could be outfitted with it. It was designed with maximum flexibility in mind, providing more user-definable keys (without altering the basic function of the config) than any config out there that I know of.

So there's my speech. Quake2 Kung Foo. Absolutely the best, most scientifically designed config in the game. I guarantee it.

Love,

daf

6

/dev/random / Re: Ethics Based Server?

« on: March 07, 2007, 07:55:51 AM »

That looks alot like what I had in mind, but even more secure with the server authentication step. As for the threat model, I think it's obvious: skript kiddies with a grudge, curious hackers who want bragging rights or less likely, but more lethal: ex admins with a grudge and with contacts on the inside or currently active accounts.

That pretty much covers the threat model... It would be fun to mess with it anyway.

7

/dev/random / Re: Ethics Based Server?

« on: March 06, 2007, 09:33:31 PM »

Well folks use additional clients all the time. The call them nocheat clients. You could easily embed the code into a nocheat client and add the server side stuff to a q2admin-like program...or modify q2admin or the server code. The reason I suggested encrypted key is cuz its hard enough to decode, let alone spoof on the fly.

I thoguht having no rcon set on the server, but rather have it generate a password from the originating IP and the current rcon_password set by the client.

A hacker using normal rcon exploits would be ass out because there would be no rcon_password set on the server. However, a key would be generated by the client and checked against a list of acceptable keys by the server whenever an rcon command is issued and the rcon_password on the client end is <> ""

By generating the keys independently, each client with legitimate access can have his own password. There should be a third part in there that eludes me for the moment. Something about masking it in transit....ni modo watcha gunna do?

Daf

P.S. Ok...I thought I saw that in there.

You generate the key at the client side, using the modified anticheat client. That way, the client's IP can change within a certain subnet range xx.xxx.xx.* say.

On the server side is stored the clients subnet mask and his password.

Client side program sets rcon_password to the key at init and if rcon_password is changed.

8

/dev/random / Re: Ethics Based Server?

« on: March 06, 2007, 11:35:29 AM »

Ahhhh MUNKEE! Still as cranky, unimpressed and unrelenting with the sh*tbags as usual I see. Yea I always tried to take my own personal sarcasm down about a notch.. (But then they jsut think you can be walked all over huh?) It's hard man. I don't think that unless you can remember when Quake1 first came out...that you can remember the real sense of "Hey! We're in this thing...is this the coolest thing ever or what?!" that used to exist. Now its a bunch of pre-pubescent twits trying to take out on strangers what they don't get from their parents. All chest pounding, all pre-practiced strategy...no art...no nuance...none of the skillz that made a player stand out from the rest.

That guy...that f*cking crazy good muther f*cker that just nailed you from a midair position half way between the Upper RL and the Island on the Edge (which he lands by the way, scooping up all the armor shards and reloading with more rockets.)

No, that guy is practically dead. He's been replaced with this arrogant f*ck who thinks that you want to spend the next 15 minutes watching him go between the courtyard and the Mega Room, outscooping you on armor and weps all day because he's got his pattern down. (Like some kind of industrial Chrysler welding bot or something. Rail...chain. Rail....and chain. Then rail....and chain. Again...all together now...rail...then chain. Now grenades to rub in the humiliation and show them how bored you are. Now a blaster.

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/dev/random / Re: Ethics Based Server?

« on: March 06, 2007, 10:11:01 AM »

Ok well I know you probably didn't expect a looooong answer, but if you remember anything about me...well...here's yer long answer.

Yea...life decided I needed a few sneakerprints upside the head, so I've been out for about 2 years (playing the single player game and snoozing while i did...)

And (ok here's where I catch sh*t), my son and daughter got me into...Runescape. I'm completely hooked on the markets and trying to find new angles for working them. (The markets, not my kids...although I've been finding new angles for that too. 16 and 13 year olds havethat in common. Most hate to work.)

Someone suggested I take up Guild Wars or Diablo2..but it wouldn't be the same without the time I spend playing with my wife and kids...ya know? (Yes, we all play now...even the missus.)

I went to the ethics server the other day, waited awhile (I'm used to it) and had some really great games. I wish more folx would just hang out there a bit til it gets going..I'd probably play more. But it's frustrating.

I like old FFA DM with weapstay and none of the "easy" items like BFG and PS. That's hard to find anymore.

10

/dev/random / Re: Ethics Based Server?

« on: March 06, 2007, 09:58:20 AM »

It was here:

http://tastyspleen.net/quake/forums/index.php?topic=5371.msg57647#msg57647

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/dev/random / Re: Ethics Based Server?

« on: March 06, 2007, 09:31:30 AM »

Well an encrypted key method might actually be plausible. You could use the ip address of the client and the rcon password they currently have set. Each person could be given a different password to use that way too.

In another thread, whirling dervish said:

first up, shut your hole dipshit. I told you I didn't give a shit what you think and that you shouldn't even bother replying, and what did you do? oh yeah, you proved me completely correct (and possibly psychic) by responding with another multipage stream of idiotic bullshit that screams of how little you know in comparison to what you think you do.

secondly, go play Gloom if you can't stand the thought of people using a higher gl_modulate than you. fucking pussy.
I play with gl_modulate 2, which if I'm not mistaken (and I'm not) is the high-end limit on gl_modulate in the only q2 mod where people even give a shit about un-even brightness settings. Anyone else who bitches about it should go find something else to play. like dominos.

third, (and this one is blatantly obvious to everyone here) You're just making excuses for your inability to beat people who are more skilled than you are. I doubt you could beat more than 25% of the regulars here if you were on a LAN with identical rigs and stock q2 settings.

forth, no one here (with the exception of you) gives a shit what the idiots at CPL think about our game and our community and our rules. If you don't like getting your ass handed to you by people playing a very old game on very old computers with config settings to make up for the inherent flaws in both, then go play some faggy-ass console FPS with all the other 15 year olds who think they know everything.

That's one of the best laughs I've had about this game in awhile.

12

/dev/random / Re: Ethics Based Server?

« on: March 05, 2007, 02:49:22 PM »

Well for anyone who's still reading this thread and maybe thinking that script kiddies like haunted completely "pwnt" on the server with their ability to google various q2 server exploits:

My response was to use the scripting abilities of q2admin to create a permanent ban. (it checked for the existence of a file that was only downloaded to a REALLY bad offenders PC then executed that script, which logged them off.)

They were unable to enter any of our servers on that computer once the file was written to their machines. I'm not sure if haunted got his, but we sure do thank his half-assed efforts for the inspiration.

We were rarely reckless with our authority. The command could only be sent using an extended command set I put together (which also allowed us to warn players of offensive play with a VOICE message (There is no camping, spawn killing ...etc) in case they weren't reading. It was in Spanish and English. To say we bent over backwards to try to accomodate different types of players would be an understatement.)

Daf

13

/dev/random / Re: Ethics Based Server?

« on: February 27, 2007, 07:39:36 AM »

Without going into the past too much, since it is dead and gone...I'd like to respond to your comments "haunted."

If you violate server rules, and a mod tries to make you aware of it, but you don't respond...instead rather, you continue violating the server rules...what would you have the mod do? Smile and let you continue?

The fact that you responded by hacking the server simply serves to illustrate that you didn't belong on an ethically-inclined server in the first place. What that means is, I stand by my decision.

Anyone that knows me knows I have tried to do more to help no0bz in this game, and more to try to keep it real than most players out there. I (and Rockcrusher) have always had very set ideas about how this game should be played, and if we tended to put up with less, it's because we've spent many years putting up with more shit than you'd believe. Including little boys with ego problems throwing temper tantrums and hacking into our servers.

Nuff said.

daf

14

/dev/random / Re: Ethics Based Server?

« on: February 26, 2007, 07:23:00 AM »

Yes, it's an interesting idea. One which has been unsuccessfully tried for many years by various clans, Gator's [BTF] being one of those.

Plain and simple: the people that claim to want a server like this, aren't willing to sit around alone long enuff to let the population start to build up. Slooooowly but surely, it'll get to be lower and lower on their "priority list of servers to check first." Eventually it isn't checked at all. (see clan FAS has been working on this for a very l0ong time, since about '99..so we've made most of the mistakes and determined many of the causes.)

Or this is another reall common scenerio: The folks who are borderline for ethics feel too constricted by the few rules and eventually choose chaos over any degree of order. Orrrr...they'll occasionnally cross the line here and there (forgetting themselves due to bad habits learned on other servers) and someone will scream BLOOODY MUUURDERRR! Over a minor infraction. OR one of the mods is buddies with the player and lets it slide, then nails another player for the same infraction.

Rules are the problem. They always have been. They are the problem in society..and Quake2 (or any gaming community) being a microcosm of world society, they are a problem in this game too. Rules are a fat sign flatly stating TWO things:

We don't trust your judgement, so here's the choice you'll be making.
We are prepared to force this upon you if you do not comply.

A long time ago, I provided a solution to the problem, but it wasn't well received, because it isn't very practical to implement.

The idea was this: Instead of modding and pointing out how people are intentionally or unintentionally playing unethically, you advise players, then exclude yourself from the game when you see that behavior repeated. If its a bot, eventually, everyone will get botted or be made aware that a bot is there. Once all other players are excluded from the game (by simply choosing not to respawn.) The crap player's interest wanes...they whine and call people a few names then leave. It works for any ethics violation because it naturally works out the issue of what the servers population finds acceptable. If one guy is overly sensitive to certain behaviors (guilty as charged), he'll end up sitting out alone. But if it is an issue that is found commonly unethical..it will quickly be hard to find targets in the game.

Years of working with groups and especially these sorts of issues has led me to the conclusion that you can only lead by example and try to coax them to your way of thinking. Rules just get more involved and make way for software security, then ways of circumventing that security, then client side programs to ensure integrity...and on and on.

As a hacker from way back..er..(?)...let me assure you its a never ending game that rarely hurts the folks that are ruining the game. It simply makes the game a less free place to be for those who are playing it right...and for no good reason.

That's my 2 cents worth, and I sort of consider myself an expert on the subject since everything that has happened to this game so far has exactly met predictions made years ago.

Finally, let's not