multiplayer linux client

[X'tyfe]

come on, you know i'm not lying

ONLY PROS USE Q2PRO. but just using it wont make it so vae

[fdrjk]

What "needed features" are needed in AprQ2?

[yahoo]

What "needed features" are needed in AprQ2?

transparent surfaces maybe.. specially walls

[Jay Dolan]

Yea, Vae, can you elaborate on what features it has that are missing in AprQ2? I've never used q2pro, and I've never come across the source code for it either.

I started with AprQ2 for Linux a few years back because:

 

• Partial R1Q2 protocol support
 
   
• HTTP downloading
   
• Asynchronous framing
 
• Decent set of updated renderer features
 
   
• Vertex arrays (actually maniac's approach for VA is still pretty bad, but its better than the 3.20 VA hack)
   
• Improved particle system
   
• Candy features like outlining mesh models, shell effects, etc..
 
• Pretty close to compiling and working on Linux already

The work to update the then outdated p35 support to the latest spec was minimal, and then it was on to fixing other bugs in it and setting some better defaults for modern setups (like HUD scale, high-res conchars, stencil shadows, anisotropy, etc). A mostly complete list of the rest of the stuff I did to it is here:

http://jdolan.dyndns.org/trac/browser/aprq2/trunk/CHANGELOG

Lastly, getting AprQ2 going on OS X was also not that difficult. I think I did the initial port in a weekend, and then cleaned it up over a second. I would have started with R1Q2 instead, but its input and sound implementations have always been flaky on Linux and so I passed. It also lacks any renderer updates beyond high-color image loading, which I missed. All in all, AprQ2 was the easiest way to bring what I felt were the most important features to everyone on Mac and Linux. That said, it does have its issues:

• Save-games were broken years ago, I haven't put in the time to fix them yet
• Sporaddaic crashes on both platforms, I haven't reproduced these in a debugger yet to figure out what's going on

I'll take care of those at some point this winter..

[haunted]

the only thing I like about q2pro is running a server with gtv capabilities. but, if you do that then there's certain sacrifices you would be making..like not being able to set visibility check cvar.

i use r1q2(the worst client in the world).

[Jay Dolan]

For what it's worth I agree with Vae about q2pro being the more advanced client. It implements nearly everything AprQ2 has and more.

Here's some of the highlights:

• Improved FPS performance
• Customizable menu system
• Integrated server browser
• Raw mouse input support

There are more features of course (some probably more important than what I've listed), and keep in mind that skuller is still actively working on q2pro via git, but for whatever reason hasn't made an official release in over a year.

Currently my main criticisms of q2pro are the lack of anticheat support and the semi-functional single player game mode - these are the only two aspects keeping me from replacing R1Q2 with q2pro in the starter package.

q2pro homepage: http://skuller.net/q2pro/
q2pro git repository: http://git.skuller.net/q2pro/

Heh, "only" -- well, those are non-starters No engine can support AC without R1CH compiling it himself; his AC requires some secret code that he can't release without compromising the entire system. And to be honest, I'm dubious towards any claims of "optimized FPS" until I see benchmarks (or feel bothered to peek at his code). I've actually rewritten the entire Quake2 renderer from scratch to support static VBO, instancing, draw-by-material rather than natural BSP ordering, etc. My renderer performs about 400% faster than stock Quake2, and guess what? It's completely pointless on Quake2 maps and today's hardware. Improving Quake2's performance is only relevant for people who are on 12 year old hardware, or for projects that aim to support significantly higher poly counts. In other words, I think you are 100% right in choosing R1Q2 for the Q2 Starter, and I wouldn't put too much more thought into it.

[VaeVictis]

would be cool if r1ch passed the torch to quadz i know quadz is too busy... but at least you can get ahold of him

[Zeppelin]

ever thought about making a different anti-cheat for quake2 or any other game?

yes, do it!
Golgolcheat.dll

heheh

[yahoo]

ever thought about making a different anti-cheat for quake2 or any other game?

yes, do it!
Golgolcheat.dll

heheh

dodgebot.dll

heheh

[X'tyfe]

PROS BEFORE HOES