Videos are worthless; demos are infinitely better. You kicked ass back then. You did well in the 1x1 ladder and often led your SP clan in scoring(and victories). But all of my 40-some demos of you are only from that era. You disappeared... probably into the post-clanbase-era CTF blackhole. To make a long story shorter, please upload demos instead of wasting time rendering them into worthless videos.
Yeah, I'm planning to do another one of those this winter. I'm hoping Erica can help me out attracting those koth players because I didn't have any luck earlier. Some of the players I asked didn't seem interested in playing, but I'm not sure what were the reasons why. If it's due to them not thinking that they would do well, I doubt that and I think they would have done good considering how balanced the overall player skill minus a player, for the last cup. Also, if I run another one I'd have to let the current champ Kyper sit out (if he would be interested in playing that is) on this next one since I want other folks to get a chance to win.
That sounds cool. I don't know who is allowed to play, but I'd be interested.
As for Kyper, I think he should be allowed to play, but not eligible for prizes(if any). The more the merrier, right? Perhaps if enough 'higher-end' skilled players showed interest, you should just split them into their own tournament or tournament bracket.
And the 'novice' name should be reconsidered, IMO. None of these players are novices by any definition. The last tournament consisted of LONG time tourney players, most of which only play the competitive mods. 'Novice' would indicate new to quake2 or at least new to tournament play; all of the players in the last tournament were neither.
And perhaps a prize should be to get to play you as an afterfinals match like they used to do in QW.
So, I only get 74fps because that is all my card/computer can do. I can get 116fps by dropping my screen resolution considerably... but that is worse than playing normal. It appears that everyone assumes your setup can do 120fps....
On one hand I am very thankful for the work that Rich and others have done to port the game for modern operating systems. Certainly each of those people have made many personal sacrifices for our benefit and everyone who plays quake2 today owes them thanks.
But it is disappointing that these server/client ports only exploit an already unbalanced game instead of re-writing the game to be even for all players. The client-side processing (display, movement, rendering, and prediction) make the game unbalanced. Designed out of the quakeworld experiment, Quake2 was, by design, not going to be even for each player... it's primary goal was to be playable for non-heterogeneous clients... in short, it was designed for online play. Well, nothing is perfect. And you would say, "Everyone knows it is unbalanced; if you don't like it, don't play it seriously". I've always understood that, but perhaps not appreciated it fully.
I guess my complaint is that the difference between clients is so very great now, that the game is more unfair than ever. THAT is the one major gameflaw that has never been addressed by the port developers.
For you latest generation of players who only know 200+ fps, on my first computer that I played q2, I often rocketjumped backwards to reach the 100health on q2dm1. My client was so slow, that even a well-executed rocketjump sometimes I would just make it other times I couldn't get that high. Ok, you doubt my skill in that. Another example. Q2dm6 outside, grab the armor and run toward the cell pack. My client was so slow, that I could not make that jump on my computer... I had to go around and take the stairs. Now, this is admittedly a bit of an extreme example by today's standards, but this was a computer that easily met the minimum requirements to play the game, it had a 3dfx card and I won a lot of games.
Even my computer today is grossly unfair to players in that environment. The current server and client ports only further to exploit this issue instead of working to repair/fix it. It seems that 80% of this community is quick to point fingers at suspected cheaters. Well, I say, look in the mirror. Now, I don't claim to be 100% clean or in a unique handicapped circumstance or anything. However, I would bet that 98% of the players playing quake2 online today are using some enhancement that gives them a measureable edge (from the settings on their computer that manipulate the display, movement, rendering, and prediction of their client) over a default install.
These enhancements range from harmless to flagrant hacking... where the line gets drawn for what is considered actually cheating is each person's personal opinion.
For this reason, I play the real game and don't personally modify anything unless it can be changed in the game menu. (one single exception to that is that I increase the brightness because the ATI card I use is excessively dark -- many of you know of what I speak. I only modify that so I can actually see players in the same room as me.)
But I'm speaking to the hypocritical hackers themselves. I am speaking to you. Most of you are quick to judge someone like David. While I personally do not think he is cheating, I do think he is a monster of the machine that YOU all created. He is a master of Quake2 and indisputably one of the top 10 players that ever played this game... if he got his head together he could win every match he ever plays. But David is a result of this slippery slope of allowed enhancements that you all love so much. You love it while it benefits you but when you are on the pointy end of that stick you(well, most of you) whine and point fingers or complain to tournament admins. Timers were originally banned for obvious reasons... then allowed forever because their use couldn't be prevented. It is this top-down allowed approach that has eaten away at this game. Are glow models cheating? If you said, "no", it is because you like having that advantage over other players... you've probably used them for so long, you don't even recall seeing the game without them. Are modified sounds cheating? "But I like hearing cows moo" some of you say. But what about global sounds or loud footsteps or water exits or railgun/BFG hum or or or.... of course they are cheats. I don't need to walk through every "enhancement" that you guys use, but realize that cheats that people collectively consider cheats are just a bit further down this slope. I'm not saying that playing with cl_maxfps 120 or using timers is as much of a cheat as wallhacking or a proxy packet-filter/aimbot, but it is still a cheat.
I personally enjoyed many years of having a good network connection to most of the servers I play on. In the early years, I had a computer that was much better than average and I reaped the benefits of that. In my defense, I always acknowledged the fact that I had advantages in the game that other players didn't. I don't expect anyone, who doesn't still use the real game, to have anything but contempt and a lack of sympathy for this post. I don't expect any individual or group to re-write the core gaming engine to a 14+ year old game either. I realize that we aren't playing Quake2 anymore... that we play an updated port of that game. That most of my argument cruxes on this point; that server admins like Quadz (and port designers like Rich) are perhaps unnecessarily kind in allowing quake2.exe clients to still play.
That modified clients with these enhancements built in ARE the expected default client for the existing quake2-compliant servers and tournaments.
Just like Quake3 and all the idsoftware games before it, the hacked up, souped up port of the game is flagwaved and sold as the real game. The EDL and the TS servers shouldn't call themselves quake2... they are quake2-compliant.... quake2012 or something...
If you wish to get ahold of me, talk to me in the game.... I'll be right behind you! (not because I'm going to shoot you, I'm on your team, I'm just slow)
I appreciate the input, but unfortunately, that is not true. I actually happen to have an example file that has been correctly downloaded as well as an incorrectly downloaded version of the same file. So it is easy to see the differences.
0000000 P K 003 004 024 \b $ q A ) 273 275 375 |0000000 P K 003 004 024 \0 \0 \0 \b \0 $ q A 0000020 001 6 225 003 V A P _ S I N 2 |0000020 375 > 036 033 001 \0 6 225 003 \0 \f \0 \0 0000040 P 304 375 k s 034 G 226 256 256 270 314 |0000040 P _ S I N 2 . D M 2 304 375 k 0000060 * K U 221 352 026 366 036 ` , 260 267 2 |0000060 226 256 \v 256 270 \0 314 $ 005 226 * K \r 0000100 265 235 177 5 277 q > 315 327 020 - 251 9 |0000100 026 366 036 ` , 260 267 224 C 205 265 235 177 0000120 ; 302 336 C 355 S d 265 P ] ) 025 S |0000120 > 315 327 020 - 251 9 \f ; 302 336 C 355 0000140 r 374 } 327 353 q 313 004 H U 367 330 201 2 |0000140 P ] ) 025 S b & 201 \0 r 374 } 327 3 0000160 362 210 214 213 207 _ 226 / _ 276 374 377 231 |0000160 004 H U 367 330 201 225 370 324 362 210 214 213 2
As you can see, the non-null/zero, non-LF data is present in both. But there is padded data and linefeeds and such that is missing/added in the bad one. The browser(Netscape4.72) incorrectly downloaded them as the wrong mime type. base16(?) or 8-bit non-uuencoded(?) instead of base64. ??? People with a very small amount of file-handing experience will quickly notice that this is a pkzip compressed file.
I have no idea how to re-decode/encode this to be correct. Every mention of this issue that I can find simply says how to fix the browser settings to re-download it.... not how to fix the corrupted file.
[Edit by Admin: truncated very long line, as it kills my ability to read the forum in recent posts mode.]
Well, in that case, I would contact one of the many people here that have recently bought/acquired a new computer. Reflex, VaeVictis, Focolar, etc... They should have better insight into answering that question that I do.
I would think that you would want: - Windows7 64bit (not sure which, perhaps Ultimate or just Premium) - Intel i7 processor at at least 3.4Ghz speed - at least 8GB RAM - a graphics card with at least 2Gb RAM - extras like a BluRayRW drive and a solidstate hdd are a waste of money and have limitations, IMHO. - soundcard quality, wireless capabilities, monitor type and size, SD card readers(memory cards that are in your digital camera), number of USB ports, etc... are to a purchaser's needs and personal taste. (most of these will come with your computer whether you want them or not)
There are other posts on this subject and on almost every gaming or computer forum. And of course, nearly everyone has an opinion on the subject. So, I'll try to say something that should be useful to you.
1) I agree with Haunted, no matter who you are, you should buy the computer that matches your individual computer needs. For most people here, they run Windows7 OS, play current 3D/2D games, watch videos online, listen to streaming music, browse the internet, edit video, etc...
In contrast, if you wanted a Linux webserver, or did extensive video editing, or required special audio recording hardware interfaces, etc... then you would want to customize your purchase to meet those specific needs.
2) Legacy concerns. a) if you wish to install an earlier OS, (say Fedora9 or WindowsXP), then you need to keep that in mind. Don't get a state of the art RAID or a 3Tb hard drive. It needs to be hardware that those OSs will have drivers for. If you are interested in running WindowsXP, then you need: XP drivers for your motherboard(make sure they exist before you buy it), XP-compatible drivers for your soundcard and graphics card, XP(even XP-SP3, in my experience) cannot install on a partition that is more than 1Tb? in size... it also has issues with some SCSI/SATA/RAID drivers(even with a third-party "floppy" disk).
b) If you plan on running a virtual machine environment(like VMWare or Microsoft's built-in VM) to host an earlier OS inside Windows7, then make sure you get enough RAM to cover that. Note, only some versions of Windows7 come with the built-in VPC stuff. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/compare
3) I play OLD games like Quake3, so the cheapest computer they sell is 10x the computer I need.(with the exception of needing a real(not onboard) graphics card that does 2D and 3D) My last computer cost me $400 with 512Mb Graphics card included. But I assume you wish to play the newest games.
a) Make sure you have enough PCI/PCI-e slots. Sounds silly, but it is easy to buy a computer(especially a little lower-end computer) and not have enough slots for a network card(if not onboard), a good soundcard, a graphics card, and a TV capture card(if you do such things). Many PCs only have 1 PCI-e slot.
b) If you are MAKING your own computer from parts, make sure you have enough IDE/SCSI slots and power inputs.
c) HD15, DVI-I, DVI-D, HDMI This is not my expertise, but if you want to use multiple screens or output your computer display to your 65" screen(so your in=laws can watch your EDL games in full glory), then you should consider the right video outputs for your graphics card for your needs.
4) Do just a little homework. My quick online recommendation is to view the computers that Dell is selling. Review their Alienware top of the line computers down to the bottom ones. That way you know what you are getting for the extra money. It is rarely worth it to buy at the very top end or cutting edge technology. Don't buy a 1Mb graphics card if you are going to swap in a much better one anyway... same thing with the monitor or the soundcard. As for what videocard to get, I recommend looking at the min/max specs for the current PC games you are interested in.
5) Online purchasing Buying it online is a good deal, but only from a reputable seller.(obviously) a) WindowsVista/7 removed audio internal DRM recording(eg. ripping audio CDs to mp3s). You can get around this by having an external jack input capable soundcard. b) Windows7 requires activation(but you know that already). c) If you buy from a vendor like Dell, get a re-installation DVD/USB drive.
Sorry, I wasn't clear. It is disabled in the graphics card settings for Direct3D and Opengl already. If I ever have to move to a port of quake2, then there wouldn't be any reason to be playing quake2 anymore.
Haunted was nice enough to try to help me out. I guess it wasn't a successful training, because I still have no idea how to make jumps more frequently... or what the trick is to doing them in the first place. Taking 30 tries to finally make a jump means I have no idea what I'm actually doing. I tweaked my settings and now I get 74fps. Haunted said something about vsync capping that. I assume it is not enabled, but does anyone know how to disable vsync?
What? There is absolutely nothing suspect in this demo. Who would use a cheat then use the BFG or throw grenades. Are you daft? Perhaps you posted the wrong demo???
And since console revealed he is Darky, apparently you have no idea who Darky is. Hilarious to me how new players, who probably have never even played Quake2 on a Quake2 server, have no idea who established quality players are from many years ago. I'll give you a hint, this isn't the game he is best known for.
And for the record, I seriously doubt Darky or SuzyQ have ever cheated. It is confounding how Alpha, Cajmere, and Dervish are some of the only players who follow the amateur and pro scenes and play with quality players and ARE quality players; yet they are the ones who tend to be unable to distinguish who is cheating. Instead of tearing people down, why don't you work on building people up? Or at least wait until there is sufficient reason to tear them down.
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