Quadz, the Loquaciously Multiloquent Member

[[BTF]DeathStalker]

Just sat down to dinner when I got notified. Read the message and was gut punched . . . hard. I'm still having difficulties accepting it in my head. Like there's just no way.
I've been the very fortunate recipient of his presence in person. Met him at QuakeCon a few times and I'll always be the better for it. I still remember when he visited my old LAN arena for the Pre-QuakeCon Tastyspleen LAN pary in 2007. Have a picture of him asleep on the sofa we had there.

But this isn't just devastating news for alot of us personally, it's also going to be (I predict) devastating for the entire Q2 community. My condolences to his entire family. I remember Him and his wife seemed pretty tight. Hell you'd have to be to put up with the hours he sacrificed for these servers, this game, and especially for US. I have no doubt his wife loved him a great deal to continue sharing him with us for all these years.
My time here at TS, time I spent on the servers and in IRC with him were WELL SPENT. My memories of him here, on the servers, in IRC, and in person are endless. I could spend all day talking about them. I made ALOT of new family members here over the years that I would share my home with in a second if they had need.
And I owe all of that to Quadz.

Someone asked

What happens to Tastyspleen now?

I'll give you the same answer I gave Gator when asked a similar question.

I don't think there's a heir to THAT throne Sir.

R.I.P. Sir
May your Rail Gun always recharge .0001x faster than the other guys.

[rikwad]

This is too sad. I am shocked to read this.

[XANA]

I'm going to be perfectly honest, me and quadz never really saw eye to eye.

I wasn't his friend, and I didn't know him; and most of the time that I talked to him it was usually because I either had to, or I needed something. I just didn't have the kind of history or relationship with him that most other people did. I could pull countless logs of us talking to each other, and no matter how much I look at them; even as late as 2016, I simply can't shake the ever-present tension that is only there when talking to someone who truly cannot wait to stop talking to you.

However, in my experience, in life there are constants. There are things that will always be there for you, that will never change, and never go anywhere no matter how much the world changes, and no matter how crazy things might get. Constants bring you comfort in a world of uncertainty because they will always be just how you remember them no matter how old you get and no matter how much the world around you shifts from day to day. It could be anything from a physical location like your favorite restaurant, or a particular brand of food you really like.

Tastyspleen, and quadz by extension, was one of those constants when I was in high school, during one of the worst periods of my entire life. I was completely obsessed with this game and it took up almost 100% of the free time I had to myself, for better or for worse (but mostly for worse). It's very easy to simply say that this was just a game that I played, but it always felt a bit more than that given just how much it engulfed my life at the time.

I finally cut down on this game years back, but I always knew that I would still always be here, being a (albeit smaller) part of my life.

Without getting too personal or off-topic, after years of planning and decades of fantasizing, this month in July 2021, I will be practically starting a new life. The pandemic had practically destroyed the life I had before, and after so many years I will finally be in a better place.

I had always been under the assumption that Tastyspleen and quadz would still be here no matter what I did. It might be a little dramatic, but with quadz' death, it feels like that entire part of my life leading up to this point has died with him. In an instant, it feels like all of that time I spent playing, chatting on IRC with him (and being a general headache for him ) is now just a distant memory instead of being something that feels like it happened last weekend.

That fact that the man that was so essential to the place that I spent the majority of my time as a teenager has passed away in the same month that practically everything will change for me is unbelievable. It just doesn't feel real.

So even though I didn't know him, I wasn't his friend, and I had always suspected that deep down he just didn't really like me that much as a person; I'll still miss him greatly. Something is now missing.

I hope there will be more details to alleviate any curiosity with respect to his friends and family; as well as what exactly will happen to not just Tastyspleen (both the forums and the servers), but Q2 as a whole without him.



This monkey's gone to heaven.

Regards,

(xana)

(ps, he actually had blue hair? What the fuck.

[|iR|Focalor]

From what I heard, the blue hair thing was just something he did for QuakeCon that year. People were like, "I dunno how I'll find you at Q-con, it's not like you look anything like your avatar on the forums."... and so... blue fuckin' hair. 

[Jay Dolan]

How awful. I did not have the pleasure of meeting quadz in person the one time I attended QuakeCon, but I’ve “known” him for 15 years. When I was getting started with Quetoo, he was supportive, knowledgeable, and generous with both his time and resources; answering many of my stupid questions and offering hosting. I used to spend a lot of time on this forum, and I always admired how he moderated it and dealt with all of the bullshit fairly and with an even temper. I could never have done that. The community has lost a great one. I will certainly remember him.

[ex]

I am really really hoping this isn't true, even though I know that quadz wouldn't be the type to "joke" about something like this.. so I know it's real.     I'm seriously sad right now.. I just talked to him a couple weeks back, and he seemed like the same old quadz.

I know it might be too early to ask, but does anyone know what happened with his passing?  He seemed (at least from his online presence) that he was full of life and going strong.. wonder what happened.

Whatever it might've been, you will be sorely missed quadz!  Speaking as an old fool that learned to appreciate you giving extra chances, something I wasn't given at other game servers, you were good to me when I didn't deserve it.  I'm glad I knew you, even if only online, as your calmness and levelheadedness was something truly rare.  Til we meet again

[Whirlingdervish]

While I hope somehow this is not a real thing, I'm ruined by this news.

Quadz was a lot of things in one man, and I always looked up to him. He taught me multiple values that have enriched my adult life and he always managed to do it with an attempt at humor and a humility that I doubt I could ever replicate.

He taught me how to be a better person in so many ways. From him I received a wonderful example of how to question everything and to strive to be logical, reasonable, and critical in a world that values these things less every year. At the same time, in the same man, he showed me exactly what it was to give deeply of oneself, and to value the power of community and the interaction of many minds, most of them vastly different from one another. Somehow, as a guy supporting a niche old fps game about murdering each other about as fast as we can, he managed to teach me how to love people better, and be people better.

Thank you Quadz 

[[BTF]adam]

What a gigantic, titanic punch in the dick.

Echoing a lot of people's sentiments here, Quadz both directly and indirectly taught me a tremendous amount, and it's safe to say he's had a significant impact on most of our lives one way or another. I would even go as far as to say the way Quadz conducted himself as a person gave rise to me changing myself at a crucial time in my young life, somehow just his posts and advice sparked this aura of professionalism, humbleness and immense intelligence that kicked my younger teenage self in the nuts for acting silly all those years back.

I've sang praises of quadz to people outside of Quake and even people in real life who don't game ("There's this amazing guy who single handedly keeps the quake 2 community going out of his own pocket! He wrote loads of code to make it even better and enable hopping between servers and get this, he even let's everyone host their own little websites for free!").

An absolutely devastating piece of news, my thoughts and condolences are with everyone and I cannot begin to imagine the grief of his loved ones.

For those closer to him, do let us know if there's anything set up to send flowers, dollars, whatever we can do to support.

[yahoo]

Im still having a hard time accepting ...  My heartfelt condolences to his family..

[Waffle Whiffer]

I feel devastated. What a great guy. He was young. What the hell happened? His poor family. I feel like I lost a family member. And I guess we all did. I’ve been playing here for 15 years. I thought I’d be here another 15 years  Tastyspleen was like a second family. Quadz was the dad that kept it together. As the tears are running down my face, I must say , Quadz I loved ya man and I’ll see you on the other side.  The cows and penguins salute you. I hope the Tastyspleen family finds a way to stay together. I would greatly miss you guys. Quadz, thanks for a fun 15 years.

Eggs

[toxicmonkey]

I'm shocked.  Tastyspleen servers have been an international institution since I can remember and I spent many, many hours there.

Early days I was a headache, like a stroppy child.  quadz always had such a level headed and tolerant approach to the shit that got thrown at him.

I was hugely impressed by his attitudes and this was something I took on board when I later became admin of a couple of jump servers.  He was a shining example.

Funny how you kind of expect somebody to just be there forever.  Massive condolences to his family.  I hope the community sticks together after his triumphant reign.

[QwazyWabbit]

My condolences to his family.
I am still reeling from this news. Tastyspleen has been the nucleus of the Q2 community and Quadz was the nuclear force that kept it together. Wallfly was an important part of that. I never met quadz but we collaborated on some things and he was always helpful. One never thinks of mortality and when it hits it's always unexpected.

[BIG DICK RICK]

Erica texted me last night and told me the news.  I'm speechless.  quadz was one of the most standup guys I had ever had the pleasure of knowing.  He gave a guy like me who deserved to be perma-banned(on many occasions), chance after chance after chance.  I don't think I've ever seen that guy lose his cool, he was always levelheaded and was fair in his decisions/punishments.  The world got a little darker with his passing.  They always take the good ones. 

My sincere condolences go to his family.  That guy leaves behind a void that will never be filled.  I'm not sure if he was secretly suffering or whatnot, but may this legend of a man rest in peace.

Judging by his selflessness at keeping these servers going, the hosting, all of it, he seemed like he was rather well off financially.  Whether he was or wasn't, if a GoFundMe or any of the sort is created by his family or if we were to create one, I would happily give to his family.  Not that it would replace him or anything, but I would love to help his family/friends be able to mourn and not have to worry about any of the financial side of his passing. 

Guy was true to his word.  He always said: "as long as there is breath in my body, I will keep tastyspleen up and going".  What a tragic fucking loss. 

[|iR|Focalor]

I quickly scroll down the list and part of me still expects to see that Buckwheat avatar at some point.

Still just absolutely unbelievable. This really sucks.

[metaL]

Words could never describe how incredibly sad this is. No one could ever replace quadz. He was one in a million. He continuously exhibited unparalleled maturity, humility, generosity, wisdom, and many other qualities. Life is so short. It seems highly unlikely, but I hope that somehow this isn't true. He always seemed so happy and ambitious. He has always been an admirably positive role model for everyone who had the pleasure of conversing with him or even reading his posts. He was a man of principle and integrity. He didn't change as the world around him did. He was true to himself and true to all of us. I wish his family all the best in life and may they celebrate his life over dwelling on his passing. Quadz would absolutely want his family and all of us to keep on truckin' and try to be happy and become better people every day... in his honor. We love ya man.